insomnia | stray kids ff

lvl 45: past

Hana's POV

I lay on my back as I stare up at the ceiling of the music store. I sigh and turn my body to face Hyunjin who is sleeping soundly beside me. I shake my head as I try to fall asleep but fail too. I lift myself up in failure and quietly walk past the rest of the group members sleeping on the floor.

I wish I had my journal. I need to let all of my thoughts roam free on paper. I pace around the floor a little and explore the music store. I find a way to make it up to the roof and sit on the ledge of the store and let my legs hang. I look up at the stars and breathe in the fresh air.

I hear movement from behind me and turn my head slightly to see who it is. I thought it would be Hyunjin but it was Felix.

"Did I wake you?" I ask without making eye contact with him, who is feet away from me.

"I was already awake," Felix says calmly in his deep voice. His steps grow closer to me until he reaches the ledge and sits next to me. He lets out a deep breath and squints at the sky. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Yep," I respond and exaggerate the "p" of my answer.

We both just sit there in silence. Not an awkward type of silence though. I felt comfortable with his presence beside me and felt like I didn't have to talk at all for Felix to understand how I was feeling. We sat there for what felt like forever until a thought came to my head.

"Why are we always awake?" I question, letting my thoughts roam free. Felix looks away from the glittering sky and at me.

"What do you mean?" He asks me. I pause before answering, doubting if what I say next would sound stupid. I continue anyway.

"At these hours, it's always us who are still up. It's like a routine now. When we were on the train, when we were in the Sanctuary, the motel, and now," I ramble. "It's not a coincidence. I don't feel like it is. This whole apocalypse has changed so many things and has made me think so much. There is a reason why we are night owls. There is a reason why we're always together when everyone else is asleep," I met eyes with Felix and expected for him to be stunned and a little freaked out, but no. He gives me a calm look and then shrugs.

"I feel like it's fate. Plus, I can't go to bed anymore. No matter how hard I try, I just can't," Felix explains. "Is this the same for you?"

"Yes, actually," I realize and then remember my journal again. "Usually, when I can't go to sleep, I write in my journal. But, I lost it back where Young K and Yeji were staying."

"Have you ever slept since the apocalypse started?" Felix asks.

"I've tried, but I can't sleep either," I say. I think a little more. "Maybe it has something to do with us being immune," I say underneath my breath but remember that Felix also has super hearing. I make a face when I realize and look up to see Felix smirking. "You heard that."

"It could have something to do with it but that doesn't explain why Wonpil and Hyunjin are sleeping downstairs right now," Felix politely argues his opinion. I sigh and bite my lip as I think hard. I just start saying whatever comes to mind now.

"Every time we are together at night, something always happens the next day," I say. "On the train, we we're together that night and then I got bit. At the Sanctuary, we found out what JYP was doing and the next day you were taken by JYP and got bit. When we drove the groups to the motel, that was just a day before we met Sungjin and his group. Wonpil got bit that same night. What now?"

"Someone will get bit," Felix bluntly says. I realize the connection and my eyes grow wide. Felix notices how frightened I am by the thought and tries to calm me down. "Who knows, it might be a coincidence though. No need to jump to conclusions."

"What if it is true? Everything makes sense," I say.

"We'll monitor everyone. We'll make sure no one gets bit tomorrow," Felix reassures me which helps me calm down.

[throwback,

swallows up the dark night]

Changbin's  POV

I stare as Young K tries his best to keep Sana human. I could feel a pit of guilt and could taste a disgusting flavor of regret. I try not to cry again as I watch until I feel a poke on my shoulder. It's Jeongin. He has a worried look on his face which makes me feel even worse.

"Are you okay?" Jeongin asks me which makes me want to break down. I should be asking him that question. He is close with Sana.

"Yes, are you?" I ask and he nods quietly. Jeongin suddenly pulls me into an empty room and closes the door.

"I want to know what happened," Jeongin asks. I sigh and look at his eyes and see how much he wants to know.

"We were being followed by one of JYP's guards. He cornered us and threatened us with a gun to follow his orders. Sana protected us and stood in front of us. A gunshot scared the guard and he pulled the trigger and shot Sana's shoulder," I explain. "I shouldn't have let her defend us. She shouldn't have been shot," Jeongin sighs and then pulls me in for a hug and I break down in his arms.

"It's not your fault," Jeongin comforts me. "She's just being the big sister she always was," I sniffle and lift my head from Jeongin's shoulder. I shake my head at what I'm thinking.

"We have to find Hana," I say urgently.