SIDE EFFECTS | skz

- -

We had landed back in the abandoned building from the start. I felt like I could collapse at any point, and my legs were seriously starting to give up. I stumbled with every single step I took. All I could feel numbness and emptiness. It felt like a struggle just making an expression to someone or something now. I was thankful for whenever Chan had let me piggyback on him the whole way back to the house. I was so worn out then and there. My vision was glitching like crazy. Everything was becoming more unnaturally colored and looked like it was melting. I couldn't think properly and all logic seemed to have left my head. The only thing I could shape out was the house, but that's when I completely fell asleep.

I woke up on the couch later that night. Everyone was crowded beside me or the couch, saying things I couldn't piece together. To make matters worse, I wasn't in control anymore. The sin had taken its toll. It was now pride's turn. All I could do was stand there in the back and watch. I looked to Jisung and Hyunjin. The fear and realization was painfully evident in their eyes. I felt so sorry for them but I couldn't do anything. "Seungmin, how are you feeling?" Jeongin asked me, visibly hesitating. I opened my mouth and answered truthfully, but what came out of my mouth definitely wasn't me.

"Totally fine." Pride had said instead with sarcasm. Everyone knew that I wasn't me in that moment. I didn't usually say things with sarcasm, and definitely in not a more rude tone. Even if I did make fun of my friends sometimes, I never meant those words seriously. I suddenly felt my body move. Pride was getting up without a single care toward the bathroom. It got to my phone, scrolling through it. He read messages and everything. Speaking of messages, I saw all of the texts my sister continuously sent me, seeming more worried with every message she sent. I felt horrible for her. She was terrified for me and all I could do was watch. The worst feeling ever. It then dropped my phone back on the table, going to the cabinets for some reason. That's when Minho came in the room.

"Seungmin, I know you don't feel like yourself right now, but please listen to me for a moment." Pride turned around. "..I don't know what you're feeling, and I know Jisung probably understands you a bit more in this kind of situation, but... just know that we're going to try our best to get you back and I'm sorry that you going through this. Just-... We love you, that's all." I wanted to cry in that moment. This must've been terrible for everyone. I guess my feelings had shown up in that moment as Pride wiped a tear off of my cheek. Whenever it looked back, I saw Minho slightly taken aback. It was like he was seeing my emotions again, but only then. Pride couldn't even process anything clever or witty to say in that moment. It just stood there, looking at the older. Minho then left, going back to the others. That's whenever I took a moment to gather everything that had happened at Double Knot and everything beforehand too. I had come to a conclusion that...

I really was the glitch in the system.

That's why my vision was getting glitched out instead of just blacking out.

That's why I was experiencing symptoms before I even got injected.

The sins wanted me from the start.

"Seungmin." Felix. I looked back at him, confused. But, I still wasn't me. I couldn't control my emotions. I couldn't control my movements. It was Pride who had looked at Felix confused.

Felix was now the one in the kitchen with me. Jisung as well. He held something: a syringe. It wasn't filled with purple liquid though, but a faded cyan liquid. "We need to do this... we need you back." Was the last thing he told me before Jisung stabbed me with the new liquid. It had an uncomfortably cold feeling that made me suddenly feel more tired. Pride seemed distant enough to the point where I could nearly control my body again, but with me feeling just as tired, I couldn't. I was put back on the couch before falling asleep.

My eyes slowly opened. I felt sore everywhere and could barely move. I groaned slightly at the pain. I heard beeping near me. I took notice of my surroundings.

Was I in the hospital?

I looked at the monitor to the door that showed other rooms. Yeah, I was definitely in the hospital. I looked to my side. My friends were there. Everyone was there. They all looked at me, some of their mouths ajar. I heard another person coming down the hall. Two, actually. I was shocked to see that one of them was a doctor and the other was my sister. She was just as shocked as me. She pulled me into a hug that I desperately needed in that moment. I felt so bad for her. So, so, so, so bad for her. "Please tell me you're okay. I was dead worried for days before I found out what happened." She practically begged me for an answer.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." I reassured her the best I could. She looked to the other seven in the room, aka my friends.

"Who are they?"

"My friends. I should've told you sooner, I'm sorry." I apologized to her, still feeling extremely guilty about this whole situation.

"It's fine, but... we need to talk once we can get you out." She told me firmly. All I did was nod. The day continued with my sister talking to my friends, trying to get to know them better. Finally, I could breathe.

No worries.

No fears.

I could finally just be here.

--

and boom! it's the end. I'm surprised I've already finished this. But writing this was a lot of fun, and I hoped you really enjoyed it!

I'll be working on another story sometime soon, so if you're interested, I might begin working soon!

See ya later!