Saviors

25

"We need to do something about this. He-he seriously needs help. He's like a zombie, won't do anything, just walks around the dorm with dead eyes. We should take him to a therapist." Seungcheol decided.

"How will he know he's being helped? He can't even see us." Soonyoung mumbled sadly. He rubbed his cold hands together and wrapped his arms even tighter around Jihoon, who was sitting blankly on his lap.

"What do you mean?" Jisoo asked. The entire conversation, he had been staring at Jihoon and Soonyoung.

"I mean, look at him! He isn't registering anything. I don't even think that he can see or hear us."

"What makes you say that?"

"He's unresponsive to sound and movement. He's stuck in whatever happened that made him this way." Soonyoung paused and looked at Minghao, who was sitting on the floor with his knees drawn up to his chest. He too, was staring blankly into space. "What would really help, is if we knew what happened." Soonyoung said pointedly. He stared at Minghao until he noticed.

"I-I," he choked up and tears came to his eyes. "I can't." He looked to the floor and Jun rubbed circles in his back.

"I still think we should take him to a therapist." Seungcheol said. The members nodded. Soonyoung sighed.

"I wasn't saying we shouldn't, I just don't know how much it'll help," he told them.

~

   "For the first time in my entire career, I am truly stumped. What happened?"

   "We- we don't know." The psychiatrist stared at Jihoon curiously and Minghao looked at his feet. Mrs. Jung sighed.

   "Is there anything else you can tell me?" Seungcheol shook his head sadly.

   "That's all we know."

   "Well-"

   "What is it Soonyoung?"

   "Every time he cries, or someone else cries, his eyes clear a bit and he seems like he registers the person in front of him, if only for a bit. Then he goes back to wherever he goes to." Mrs. Jung nodded thoughtfully.

   "Perhaps he needs to be shocked, surprised so much that it clears all other thoughts from his head a bit, enough for him to break free from whatever plagues his thoughts." Soonyoung bit his lip.

   "I-I might have an idea."

   "Alright. There isn't much I can do for him until he's cleared of this fog." Jihoon suddenly let out a startling shriek and started crying. Soonyoung and Jisoo jumped up. Soonyoung reached him first and wrapped him up in a hug. Jisoo rubbed his back. Eventually he calmed down and his face was passive again, like it never happened.

   "I believe he'll get better, he has such caring friends." Mrs. Jung said as Soonyoung wiped away Jihoon's tears.

   "Thank you for your time." Jisoo, Jeonghan, Seungcheol, Jun, Minghao, Soonyoung, and Jihoon all got up, Jihoon being gently guided by Soonyoung, and left the room.

"How did it go Hyungs?" Seungkwan asked everyone once they got back.

"Mrs. Jung said we should try to surprise Jihoon into awareness. Soonyoung says he has an idea."

"What is it?"

"Secret." Soonyoung blushed.

The members gathered in the small living room and Seungcheol told them what happened.

"So if there is anything else anyone knows about Jihoon, now is the time to spill it. Anything could help us figure out what's wrong." Everyone looked pointedly at Minghao. He bit his lip and looked away. Seokmin tentatively raised his hand.

"I know something."

"Well spill then Hyung." Vernon said, exasperated.

"Jihoon Hyung, he, Jihoon Hyung is covered in scars." The members looked at him surprised. "I-I saw when he was changing at our showcase." Seokmin looked nervously at Jihoon, then rubbed his palms on his jeans. "He told me to keep it a secret." Even Minghao looked surprised.

"What could they be from?"

"It certainly explains why he showers alone and changes in the bathroom." Wonwoo put in.

"And partly why he didn't change into a swimsuit." Jisoo added. Chan's lip trembled and he looked at the floor.

"I wish we could just rewind to his birthday." He said. "That was the best day." Chan rubbed his palm against his teary eyes. Mingyu sighed.

"I'm tired. I can't think about this anymore. I'm going to bed." A couple of members got up with Mingyu.

"Why does this have to be our problem." Someone muttered on their way out. Minghao gasped slightly.

"He has no where else to go, he has no one left." He said quietly, not even noticing that he spoke out loud.

"What did you say?" Seungcheol asked, surprised.

"N-nothing! I said nothing!" Minghao said hurriedly, shaking his head.

"I'm pretty sure you said that he has no where else to go. What do you mean by that?"

"Good night!" Minghao shouted, running off. He scurried into his room and slammed the door, his eyes wide.

"I'm going to go see if he's okay." Jun got up and followed Minghao.

Soonyoung listened to Jihoon breath in the bunk beneath him. It was even. Satisfied, Soonyoung let himself fall asleep.

He awoke to crying, as usual. His members didn't know he did it, getting up every night whenever Jihoon needs someone to comfort him. It didn't make him tired. He never got sick of caring for Jihoon. It made him sad just to think about it, him rolling his eyes or getting tired of Jihoon. That would never happen, he promised himself. He would never get tired of caring for Jihoon.

Soonyoung held Jihoon close until his breathing slowed and evened out. As usual, he laid him gently down in his bed. But, this time, Jihoon grabbed his wrist as Soonyoung moved to leave. His eyes were open, and full of unshed tears. It was also the clearest they had ever been since the incident. Soonyoung knew that Jihoon could actually see him this time. Jihoon didn't need to say anything for Soonyoung to understand. 'Don't leave me' his eyes cried out. Soonyoung nodded and crawled in bed with Jihoon. He held him to his chest, and within moments, Jihoon was asleep, only to wake up the next day and remember nothing.

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Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all get what you want. Happy Hanukkah too.😁If you don't celebrate either of these holidays, then I hope you have a nice day!!!!!