-Renjun-
I sighed, ruffling my hair.
I've been studying for the past 3 hours, but nothing seemed to be actually entering my mind.
The news of Yukhei, Lucas hyung, being found was something we had to take it in.
I checked the time to see there were around fifteen minutes before the clock strikes 12. The nervous butterflies returned to my stomach, swarming like crazy.
I got my phone and dialed Taeyong's number. He picked up after three rings.
"Hey," he greeted, "what's up, my favorite little brother?"
I chuckled. "Don't let Mark hyung hear you say that."
Taeyong chuckled as well.
"Anyway, hyung, I was wondering... how did it feel? When you got your countdown clock."
"It was painful." He sighed heavily. "It wasn't like any pain I've experienced before, that means a lot."
"Oh."
"Why? Are you getting yours tonight?"
"Yeah, I am."
It became quiet, so quiet, I had to check my phone to see if he'd hung up on me. But as soon as I put my phone to my ear once again, I heard something that sounded like rustling.
"Hyung?" I asked.
"You have ten minutes, right? It takes me five to go there. Just wait for me, you can't go through this alone."
"Hyung—"
"No buts, Renjun, we'll see you."
He hung up before I could even say bye. I sighed as I put my phone away and stood up. By we, he might've meant him and Jaehyun hyung, they go everywhere together these days.
I laid down on my bed and kept my eyes on the clock.
One minute passed.
Then two.
Then three.
Then four.
Then five.
Then six.
As the minutes passed by, I grew anxious and sat up on my bed. There was no way Taeyong hyung would've been able to go here in five minutes anyway, it takes him around ten minutes maximum to get here.
I was getting more nervous each time the long hand got closer to twelve. I didn't know what to expect, only pain.
I shook my head, wanting those thoughts to go away. It might not be as bad as he was describing... right? Then it was 11:59 and I had less than a minute to go.
Then 12:00.
At first, I didn't feel anything. I was looking at both of my wrists, observing if something was changing, but nothing seemed to be out of place.
That was until I felt like my skin was on fire and someone was carving it. I shut my eyes tight and wanted to block out the pain, but I couldn't.
Huh, hyung was right, it does hurt a lot.
My parents weren't home, they were on a business trip, they wouldn't be home until tomorrow— maybe even later. So there was no one to comfort me.
"Fuck," I hissed, "why does this hurt so much— fuck!"
I heard a slam downstairs but didn't mind it. I couldn't even if I wanted to. I was in a lot of pain at the moment.
Just then, my bedroom door opened, followed by, "Renjun! We're so sorry! There was traffic."
"J-Jaehyun hyu-ng." I stammered.
My breathing became labored as my shirt started to stick to me. My vision was getting blurry, I felt buzzing all around my body, as if every part of me had pins and needles, and my head was throbbing.
I couldn't take it, I started crying.
"Make it stop, hyung!" I screamed out.
"Let it out," Taeyong said gently, "shout it out."
And so I did.
Until my threat became hoarse.
Until it stopped.
The pain lessened bit by bit and when Taeyong hyung saw that I wasn't shaking as much as before, he stood up from beside me and opened a window.
The breeze blew and entered, refreshing my state. I sighed heavily as my breathing steadied and my vision became less blurry. The pain in my head started to subside and the pins and needles were in their last stage.
As it stopped, I looked down and saw what was now imprinted on my wrist in black.
168:54:23
I had 168 hours, 54 minutes, and 23 seconds to find my soulmate.
That or they were going to get rid of me.
"Here," Jaehyun hyung said as he gave me chocolate and water, "this'll make you feel better."
I nodded as I took them, feeling too weak to actually speak. I drank the water in one go before biting a piece of chocolate.
He was right, I did feel better. I felt a lot better.
"I'm gonna go to sleep," I said, "I feel... drained."
"Alright." Taeyong hyung nodded. "I wonder how your soulmate must have felt."
I chuckled. "Horrible, that's one thing." My smile disappeared as I spoke again.
"I just hope she didn't have to go through it alone."
