0325 ⤅ stray kids leeknow

part three - regret

Chan's POV; 0325

"What the fuck did you do to him?"

Woojin sat in the passenger seat scolding me as I drove. My eyes were focused straight ahead, determined to find him. Anxiety crept through my whole body so much so that it was difficult to keep the wheel steady.

Felix and Changbin sat in the backseat, the younger held tight onto his hyung's hand with his head bowed and eyes closed tight, praying that his friend was out there. At the sight, I couldn't help but feel worse, but I shook the feeling.

"It must have been something bad to make him run off like that." I turned to see Woojin glaring hard at me in disappointment. "Tell us."

"I told you guys, I'll apologize when we find him. Now for God's sake, just look for the kid!" Their constant badgering stressed me out; remembering what happened in that room — what I did...

"Please, Chan," Felix quietly pleaded, "We won't judge you at all. It's just very important that we find our friend..."

When I didn't reply, Felix looked back down in his lap, and Changbin didn't pay any attention to him. I wanted to let him know, but not with two other assholes in the vehicle.

"Oh my gosh, that's him! Chan pull over!" My eyes flicked back to the road in the direction Changbin was pointing. There was Lee Minho quietly walking on the side of the road as if he was deep in thought. I pulled to the side, unhesitantly, readying my apologies and rationals. We all scrambled out of the car shouting his name.

Minho turned his head to see me and the others making our way toward him, but he immediately quickened his pace.

"Minho," I pleaded still running after him, "I really want to apologize. Please just listen to me." As I caught up to him, he turned completely so that I could understand how he felt. Tear stains littered his cheeks, and his eyes showed all the pain that weighted him, but I knew he wouldn't admit that aloud.

"No need, it's my fault — I shouldn't have pushed you to do something you didn't want to do," the hurt was evident in his voice.

"It's okay, Minho, it really is. I shouldn't have been a jerk like that. If you're going to blame someone, blame me, not yourself." I placed a hand on his shoulder, and he glanced at it before staring back at me with anger now. His eyes flickered to the group behind me, lingering on Felix with a small smile before turning back to me.

"No really, Chan, it's my fault." He slipped from my grasp and sprinted away. We all called back after him, but he wouldn't slow.

We piled back into the car and drove after the direction he ran. After driving for a while, we found ourselves in a resident neighborhood of Seoul that looked familiar. As I thought back to my many visits, I remembered that it was Minho's neighborhood, and we were getting close. If only I remembered his address...

BANG.

All of us jumped at the sound. "What the fuck was that?" Changbin yelled. Felix winced and buried his face in his hands muttering 'no's.

BANG.

"Gunshots?" Woojin turned to look at me, fear now painting his face. I sped up the car.

On the side of the road were two teenage boys hiding behind a large truck. One was peeking towards a house on call with someone, and the other was huddled next to him shivering and crying.

"Is that Seungmin? Hyung, stop the car!" Felix stumbled out as soon as I braked, "Minnie!"

"Felix?" The boy looked up at him. He held his knees close to his chest and was dressing somewhat formally, like he had just returned from a job. "Guys, be quiet... it isn't safe."

"I just called the police," the other boy whispered as he pointed towards the house, "There's been a shooting..."

Police sirens rang throughout the neighborhood as I finally realized where we were, right in front of Minho's house.

"Oh my gosh, no no..." I ran towards the door despite the others calling after me. 'It's dangerous!' one yelled. I heard Woojin running after me, but I was inside.

Loud sobs were heard as I entered, all coming from one room, his parents' room. "Minho?" I asked once more. The crying stopped abruptly.

"Hyung..." a voice whispered.

I was shocked at the sight when I entered the room. Minho sat in a ball on the floor, looking up at me with more tear stains on his face. In the bed was his mother, peacefully sleeping upon first glance, but I soon noticed the pool of blood staining the mattress. His father was sprawled on the floor, wounded the same as his wife. I reverted my gaze back to Minho, who held a gun in his hand.

"Oh my god... oh my god, oh my god," I rushed to Minho's side to help him out of the room, and he dropped the weapon and staggered along side me. He sobbed 'Mom...' into my shoulder as I led him out of the house to the others.

Unhesitatingly, Felix rushed up to his side and hugged him tightly, "Min, we're here now, we won't leave you ever." He led them away from the house towards the car, just as police cars pulled up to the scene. Officers ran back into the house, and they weren't fazed by the horrific scene at all. Maybe they see things like this all the time, and it's just a normal Sunday night.

Maybe I should tell them what really happened. I saw Minho hold the gun in his own hand. He shot his own parents.

"Excuse me?"

A quiet voice snapped me out of my thoughts. The boy that alerted the authorities approached me with a worried expression.

"Please... look after your friend... I don't think he's alright."

And with that, he returned to Seungmin, and the two of them hurried to leave before they were questioned.

They must know, I thought to myself.

~~~~

Sweet, now this story's getting somewhere.

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