insomnia | stray kids ff

lvl 35: march

Changbin's POV

I helped Woojin and Jisung bury Nayeon's body. We took shelter at a nearby music store. Once we make it back to the music store, I notice how quiet and tense the atmosphere is. I see some of the girls sleeping while others are just by themselves. Ryujin is sitting alone at a piano. I sigh and walk over to her.

I tap her shoulder and then ask if she is okay. I mouth the words so she could understand me.

"Jae said that my hearing should come back," She has a notebook and pen in her hand. Ryujin shows me what she writes. I look over at Jae who is playing guitar.

"Be careful," I tell Ryujin and walk over to Jae.

He is fingerpicking Officially Missing You. I sit on a stool next to him and he stops playing.

"Are you okay?" I ask him. I notice how depressed he is. Jae sighs and rubs his face.

"She was so sweet and funny. I think I liked her," Jae confesses. I can't imagine the type of pain he is going through.

"I bet she liked you too, buddy," I try to comfort him. "I saw how close she was with you."

"Thanks," Jae says and quietly picks at his guitar. "Your sister, I hope she can hear again. She should regain her hearing in a day or two."

"Hopefully," I say and watch her as she quietly presses at the piano keys.

Felix's POV

"Do you smell that?" I say and try to sniff out the oily stench in the air. I look over at Wonpil who does the same.

"It smells like car oil," Wonpil says. "There's someone nearby."

"We should follow the scent just in case," I tell him.

"What if it's a bad guy?" Wonpil asks and looks at me with fear.

"Let's hope not," I say and start walking down the road.

Wonpil catches us with me and sticks by my side. Wonpil is a guy who is hard to describe. Sometimes he can be very funny and weird and sometimes he can be very sincere and understanding.

"Do you want to know how I got bit?" Wonpil asks me. I glance over at him and notice that he's staring at me.

"Uh, okay," I say, forcing myself to listen to his story.

"So it was a couple of days before my group met yours," Wonpil starts off. "I was taking out the trash from the supermarket and then... a zombie appeared out of nowhere and bit my ankle!"

I try not to laugh at Wonpil's enthusiasm and continue trudging down the street.

"Why are you so serious all the time?" Wonpil asks me which catches me off guard. My pace slows down as I process his question.

"I'm not always serious," I defend myself.

"You are right now," Wonpil tells me. "You are always quiet even when we are at the motel."

I think back to what happened at the Sanctuary and what I had to do. I feel like crying just thinking about it. About him.

"I don't want to talk about it," I say.

"Did someone you really love die?" Wonpil asks me. Yes.

"That's none of your business," I say and walk faster.

I notice smoke in the distance and speed over to it. Wonpil follows behind but keeps his distance. It's a car crash but instead a van. I shake my head and start searching immediately. I look inside the tipped over van and notice his broken windshield and dented sides.

"Felix," Wonpil calls me. I go to the other side of the van and see bullet holes in the van's back tires and doors. "They were attacked," I smell blood and try to not imagine what could've happened.

"No, they're not dead," I react and shake my head. I double-check inside the van for any survivors. "They got away. I know they did."

"We need to find them," Wonpil says. "But we have to be careful because whoever attacked them could still be nearby."

[the sides of you that

have changed as time passed]

Seungmin's POV

I look out the window of the cabin and sigh. It has been five days since we last saw our friends. Since we were all together. Chaeyoung is sitting on the couch in the living room. I sit across from her and see that she is drawing.

"What are you drawing?"

She looks up from her sketchbook with a startled look. Her big, brown eyes meet mine as she pauses. Chaeyoung sits up straight.

"I'm drawing something dark. I don't think you would want to see it," She covers her face with her sketchbook and shyly answers my question. I smile at her cuteness.

"I think this whole world is dark enough," I reply to try to make her more comfortable. "I'm sure it's nothing that dark," Chaeyoung's big eyes peek out from her sketchbook. She pouts a little and shakes her head.

"I'm not finished yet," Chaeyoung says.

"Oh, well, when you're finished, can you show me?" I ask her.

"Maybe," Chaeyoung teases and then gets up from the couch. "I'm hungry."

"There is some canned corn in the bag over there," Tzuyu points to the bag on the kitchen table.

"When are we going to find the others?" Jeongin asks. He is playing cards with Jeongyeon, Tzuyu, and Dowoon.

"The others would've found us by now," Jeongyeon says. "Felix, Hana, Hyunjin, and Wonpil. At least one of them should be able to find us," I sigh and get up from my chair.

"I don't think we should be waiting around for them to find us," I finally speak.

"Sungjin doesn't want us to get hurt out there," Dowoon says.

"What if our friends are hurt out there?" I ask and look at the tempting, front door.

"Where is Sungjin anyway?" Tzuyu asks.

"He's chopping wood for the fireplace," Chaeyoung answers. I look out the window to try to find Sungjin.

"I..," I pause. "I don't see him."

A shiver goes down my spine by his absence. I look at the rest of the group who all leave their places to look out the window as well. They try to search for a sign of him but see nothing.

"Where did he go?"