GLASS DOME | Ateez

03. Flying heads

Hongjoong rubbed his temples with his fingers, his head throbbing like a bell ringing in the church. Each wave of pain was a chime from the priest. Blem, Blem, Blem.

The players on the field stopped stunned by what just happened. Did the team leader just get hit by a flying arm?

The camp smelled like a barbecue day with gasoline and burnt plastic. Everyone saw the big black smoke ball rise from a point very close to the school and it took a while before they thought about calling the fire department.

Mingi crossed the field with Jongho right behind him towards the oldest of the team. His expression was initially one of concern, but he relaxed when he saw Hongjoong stand up alone, and soon returned to worry when he fell on his knees holding his head.

When he approached him, the boy saw that a large bruise could start to form where it was hit. But hit by what exactly?

It was then that Jongho stifled a scream with his hand, which slipped a little between his lips. When Mingi looked at what his friend thought, he didn't believe it could be real.

It was indeed a partially burned human arm, but how could it be real? He still wore a wristwatch and everything. A watch that Mingi recognized as being the same model that his father wore, and only recognized it because he gave the old man an equal, and it was a limited model. Not everyone could buy.

Just behind them a scream of fright and people running were heard. Another body part was found, someone shouted a head somewhere. Another shouted a leg in the other corner of the field. And another shouted the rest of the body.

"M-Mingi! Help me, don't let them get close to the body or the smoke!" Hongjoong said getting up while holding the taller man's arm tightly. He was shaken, but never lost his composure. Therefore, he was the leader, captain and the most respected of the team.

"Hyung, take it easy!" Said Jongho holding the other side of Hongjoong allowing the older to lean on his strong body. Physical strength was his specialty after all.

"What's going on, Hyung? What does that smoke have to do with it?" Mingi was stunned by the situation. He never really picked up on things very quickly, but he wasn't an idiot, he had his principles.

"It's a fire caused by an explosion, you heard that noise before, right?" Asked Hongjoong speaking of the loud noise they heard before being hit with an arm. Both nodded. "Then ... Something probably exploded back there, it's dangerous, so get everyone out of the field now!"

They got the message. And they continued to give orders across the field. Mingi took the lead, telling everyone to go away, Jongho almost carried Hongjoong on his lap like a princess, but in order not to hurt the elder's pride he carried him on his back until close to school, on the way they told the other team members to stay away anything strange.

That chain of command was natural, as they were naturally the most popular, loved and powerful in that city. One reason was because Jongho's parents were police, another was because Mingi is the governor's son, the most important man in the city. And Hongjoong was simply the oldest and he had that naturally authoritarian air, no one questioned that he was a leader. And of course he did his part very well.

The coach understood what they were doing, and although he was ashamed for not reacting faster than the boys, he also told the others to walk away, and helped those who were too shocked to move on their own. They certainly saw the body parts scattered around the field.

When everyone was already gathered at the entrance to the changing rooms, they counted how many members were there. In the end, one was missing. Where was Mingi?

Hongjoong was treated by the trainer who examined the callus on his head, he offered the boy water, but he refused, said he could vomit, he still felt sick.

As the leader was treated for the injury, Jongho was left to look for Mingi, his eyes scanned the field and soon found his friend standing where the first scream was heard. Mingi was immobile and even calling him from afar, he did not react to any of those voices.

Disobeying the general order, Jongho had the courage to approach where Mingi was. Hongjoong had no time to stop, let alone capacity to run after the younger. He was stunned and his head hurt like hell.

When the boy got close, he could smell the strong burning and gasoline again. He also smell of strong cologne and mint. When the younger touched Mingi's shoulder, which was immobile, and saw over his friend's shoulder what he was looking at so much.

Automatically his hands went to his mouth again, covering the astonishment, as if that was going to escape.

The head that was found was burned, but it was definitely Mingi's father, the city governor.

He wasn't supposed to find that.