Loop Away (OT8 ATEEZ storyline event entry)

CHAPTER 2

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        Jongho dials Wooyoung's number on his phone. It has only been five minutes of walking away from his last meeting point with Seonghwa, but he found it odd that his brother's already gone when he ran back carrying a forgotten invitation to their night-out.

        "Oh TwoHo, what's the matter?" Wooyoung's phone voice greeted Jongho who's in suspicion.
        "Hyung, I'm pretty sure I have strong thighs, and I'm the one who can run the fastest among us, right?" Jongho spoke as soon as he heard Wooyoung on the phone and asked for agreement.
        "Suddenly?" Wooyoung laughed. "Yeah yeah you are," Wooyoung replied when he heard a small, quirky 'oh?' from the younger.
        "You see, hyung... I forgot to tell Seonghwa hyung about our plans earlier when I was with him, bUT," Jongho cut himself off, and Wooyoung was unwilling to wait with the unnecessary suspense but stayed silent.

        "Hyung, are you there?" the younger interrogated. "Yeah yeah yeah I'm here, hurry up," Wooyoung answered impatiently. "I ran like the active boy I am but he wasn't there. Seonghwa hyung walks too slow for me to not catch him," Jongho told Wooyoung with a confused tone by the end.

        "Are you sure he wouldn't have had a schedule to go to after your meeting? Like for him to run home quickly, then you went back and yeah, he maybe went home? Speedy Seonghwa hyung today perhaps?" Wooyoung grew curious too, it's unlikely of Seonghwa. The way they both knew Seonghwa, he'd linger in the place to take a stroll. It was still the well-lit part of the later afternoon.

        "Woo hyung," Jongho called. "Eo?"
        "Are you doubting my running abilities? I'm sure I'd have been fast enough!" Jongho pushed. Wooyoung's concerns were running but he didn't want to worry Jongho so he dismissed him with a series of 'alright's and ended the call telling the youngest that he'll be the one to contact Seonghwa later.
        Before the call ended, Wooyoung felt Jongho's unspoken sorry towards him who worked hard to match everyone's schedules for this night-out. Jongho knows he's partially the reason Wooyoung's doing this to keep the group together after a big fight between him and Hongjoong. Time then was just right to separate them from reconciling because of school season.
        And Seonghwa was the last to be called since he's mostly free these days but he had to go M.I.A. of all times.


        The night rolled out and Wooyoung still wasn't able to contact Seonghwa. He took full responsibility in arranging this, so he's determined to gather everyone with all hopes. 'This is nothing to worry about,' Wooyoung thought as he sat down on his couch thinking of just letting Seonghwa be and look forward to a next time.

        Being defeated from the situation, Wooyoung wanted to let it go, but he couldn't help but to mind how strange he heard Jongho's story was, only until when he saw a dark figure emerge from the corner.
        It appeared to be ambiguously shaped, but it looked like it's wearing a fedora hat.
        Without recognizing any features to make out what exactly has appeared, Wooyoung sunk into his seat further, blinking at it. He'd hoped it would just go away.

        "You're troubled," it spoke. Wooyoung shivered. It sounded too strange to be a voice but he couldn't wonder more what else if it wasn't a sound. The dark figure's image itself is overwhelming enough to ponder about.
        Wooyoung stayed silent, sitting frozen on the spot not knowing what to do.

        The dark figure made itself known by stepping into where light shone brighter in the room, letting Wooyoung see he's a man. Before Wooyoung could throw stuttered questions on who he was, the man with the black fedora teased, "I've heard a lot that if it doesn't work, maybe it's not just meant for them to stay."
        "NO," Wooyoung quickly and firmly retorted, until he noticed a glint where the ominous guise's eyes would be. He stands up upon sight and walks towards it with a beating heart. 
        Wooyoung's invited by a friendly face he's been trying to call out to.

- . +

        With Mingi's left arm resting on his stomach, and his right hand touching his heart, he slightly tuned in into the fresh night and drowned in the music gladly.
        He momentarily forgot he has already dressed up to go out, but this was by far the most cathartic highlight of his day's worth of worries. Mingi stays like that for a moment.

        My time's ticking, my youth's countdown is close is what I hear.

- . +

        "Oh what the-" Yeosang exclaimed when he saw the moonlight was already shining in his room after he's taken time in the shower. "That startled me too much," he sighed and closed his eyes while drying his hair with a small towel, turning to sit on his bed.

        It was the only bright object Yeosang sees up top at night, and without the distraction of a thousand different lights he couldn't see, it has definitely heightened his senses. Yeosang notices the moon much more than one normally does.
        He fakely coughs to himself to hide from his own embarrassment and focuses on mentally picking what clothes he should get in for tonight's occasion.

- . +

        A noise was coming from Yunho who's smiling victoriously. "Never bargain on myself, I like all the challenges, throw them at me!", with Yunho's arm fully extended up, he points to the deep navy but bright sky.
        Night lights from shops and buildings all around shone on the shameless guy, dubbed even more shameless as he called public attention even when he had a sty patch on. Yunho imitates a 'mighty pirate' laugh, which was labeled also by him when he whispered what he was about to do to Yeosang before being his ridiculous usual self. Meanwhile, Mingi and Jongho were trying to differentiate themselves away from the commotion earning stares by body language of turning away and hiding their faces with their hands.

        Hongjoong knew Yunho can't deal with contact lenses, so he lead the situation. "Okay then use contact lenses instead of glasses. That's recommended to help not irritate with unnecessary touching," with an obvious script-like enthusiasm and loudness, he eyed Mingi to add up, followed by an elbow nudge and a smile that seemed a little too intimidating to the younger.
Yunho steps down with a laugh-y 'what are you saying' to retort he doesn't have glasses anyway, and why'd he have to bring up the contact lenses incident.
        Hongjoong and Yunho continued to bicker away while Jongho wondered where Seonghwa and Wooyoung could be.

        Yeosang approaches Jongho who's lost in thought, flinching at the attendance. "What are you thinking?" Yeosang straightforwardly asked.
        "Seonghwa hyung and Woo hyung are not here," Jongho answered flatly, evidently being a little too sad for words. Yeosang patted Jongho's head and gave him a comforting smile. "They'll be here soon," Yeosang assured. "Don't worry too much."

- . +

        I'm not feeling good, I don't know what this is...

        I'm out of words? Maybe I ran too hard?