ROOM ━ stray kids ✓

01. tabescent

The first thing to process in Yang Jeongin's mind was the pain. A throbbing sensation was apparent in his head, making it feel as if something was pounding against his skull from the inside. 

The second thing that processed was the darkness. His eyes were wide open, but what was in front of him was a seemingly endless void of nothingness- black, still, and silent. He waved a hand in front of his face- nothing.

The third thing to become apparent to Jeongin was the fact that he was not alone, wherever he was. He could hear soft breathing patterns from unidentified people all around him. The memories came rushing back, the raging party that he hadn't wanted to go to in the first place, and the taste of alcohol that still burnt in the back of his throat. Everything after that, however, became a bit fuzzy. 

He couldn't remember leaving the party, nor could he figure out where he was. He blamed the headache on a hangover, because it had been his first time drinking after all. It couldn't have been that long since the event, his forehead was still covered in a thin layer of perspiration from the stuffy atmosphere he'd previously been in.

The dark haired boy felt around, letting out a frightened screech when he felt a body next to him stir. The sudden noise must have woken up the others around him, because concerned voices began filling the room like a choir.

"What the fu-"

"Changbin? Ow that was my foot-"

"Why is it so dark?"

"Everyone just shut the fuck up."

A heavy silence fell among the group of panicked boys.

"Woojin? What's going on?" The gravely, clearly tired voice of Han Jisung sent a wave of unbelievable relief over Jeongin. The voices around him belonged to people he recognized- the same people that had dragged him to that stupid party.

A small light flickered, the source being a lighter that was held in the hand of a raven haired boy, Seo Changbin.

Jeongin looked around with wide eyes at the other startled faces around him as he struggled to adjust to his dimly lit surroundings. The orange light cast an eery glow onto the area around them, and the raven haired boy felt panic slowly begin to rise in his chest.

He didn't recognize this place. 

"Okay.. what the fuck.." Minho mumbled, getting to his feet unsteadily before stumbling a bit and nearly tripping over one of his friends. "Shit.. my head.."

Jeongin hugged his knees to his chest tightly. Had they been kidnapped? Were they going to die? He was already jumping to the worst of conclusions, his fight or flight instincts already beginning to kick in, except it was clear that fleeing wasn't much of an option for him.

Chan, one of the eldest of the group, looked around the room slowly to try and get a sense of where they were.

It was a smaller room, a bookshelf lining one wall and a few pictures here and there on the walls. A small light was in the corner of the room, and he scrambled to turn it on. Flipping the switch, the room filled with a soft glow. Though weak, it was better than the lighter, so Changbin quickly put the fire out.

"Guys.." Felix mumbled, the Australian eyeing something in the corner of the room. 

"Is.. is that a camera?"

Hyunjin, who had previously been clinging to Seungmin for dear life, stumbled to the corner to investigate.

Upon closer observation, he could confirm that the small device was indeed said object. A camera, and it was staring right at him. Although inanimate, Jeongin felt like it's singular lense was seeing right through him.