hwan

to be honest hwan didn't know where he was. he didn't even know if wonshik was beside him or not until he felt a hand slip into his.

wonshik:

[ i'm scared, hwannie. ]

hwan mentally cursed at himself. he brought wonshik into this.

the two youngest found themselves in front of a staircase, the steps looming in front of them as it spiraled upwards.

wonshik:

[ you don't wanna go up, do you? ]

hwan {shrugging} :

[ it's probably the attic, nothing else. ]

hwan couldn't see the other, but he could feel wonshik trembling against him, his hand shaking as he gripped hwan's.

hwan turned around, preparing to go back the way they came from. now he just wanted to find the other hyungs and leave. after all, he was the reason why they had to stay there that long.

the lights suddenly flicked on, blinding hwan as he immediately shut them tight again. wonshik flinched and let out a yelp, his sweaty hand pressed tightly against hwan's.

hwan wasn't scared. not one bit. that all changed when he heard his own voice echoing through the halls.

"i'm coming, youngsoo hyung."

hwan froze mid-step, only turning around to face a terrified wonshik.

wonshik:

[ hwan...what did you say? why was it so loud... ]

the older had tears in his eyes, then he shut them quickly, his whole body shaking as he gripped on tighter to hwan.

wonshik was really scared.

frowning, hwan spun a full circle, growling in frustration when he realized how inconvenient the lack of light was.

hwan:

[ won, i didn't say anything. ]

he knew it was his voice. of course he knew. what freaked him out was what he said.

hwan {to himself} :

[ i'm coming...for youngsoo hyung...? What the hell does that mean? ]

hwan:

[ and why are the lights on? ]

wonshik:

[ ...would you prefer us wandering in the dark? i just want to find the others and go... ]

agreeing with the older, hwan grasped wonshik's hand and started the way they came from. for the first time, hwan could see that the house was very old. the doors looked like they would break any second. and not one spot in the whole house was free of dust.

as he got back closer and closer to the lobby where they started, he could hear voices. wonshik released a shaky breath when he realized it was his hyungs.

hwan watched as wonshik let go of his hand and started running, down the mysterious hallways until he came to an open room.

four people were there.

chunghee:

[ won..wonshik? You're okay? ]

wonshik {frowning} :

[ why wouldn't I be? if you're asking if i'm scared, then yes, i'm not okay at all. ]

hwan stepped into the room, letting the other hyungs get a clear view of him. he had to admit he was confused when the four all stepped back, junghwa pulling wonshik close to him.

hwan:

[ hyungs? what's wrong? ]

dohyun:

[ yet you're the one asking us that. ]

hwan:

[ what? ]

youngsoo:

[ hwannie...you wouldn't do anything like that, right? ]

hwan:

[ do what? i-i'm not planning to do anything. ]

the four of them looked angry, only wonshik looking like a scared and confused puppy in the midst of what's happening. hwan didn't have time to protest when junghwa rushed forward and grabbed hwa by the collar of his shirt and started dragging him somewhere, with hwan's legs kicking against the floor helplessly in an attempt to free himself.

hwan:

[ w-wait stop! ]

junghwa paid no attention to him, the others following silently after the suddenly-strong male.

it must be the adrenaline. no way junghwa could have been stronger than hwan in this state, especially when he should be the most scared out of them all.

hwan coughed as junghwa harshly flung hwan into a room, making hwan flinch again from the strong light occupying the small space.

he immediately knew what junghwa was talking about. the red letters weren't easy to miss.

hwan spun around, causing the others, or more particularly, youngsoo to flinch and step backwards.

hwan:

[ youngsoo, i would never do something like this. ]

his voice was low, he could tell the hyungs weren't believing him, and he was desperate of them to do the opposite.

what's worse was, hwan didn't know if he was innocent. this whole place had him believing that he could turn into a different person any second.

his heart dropped when the others didn't say anything, with tears starting to pool out of youngsoo's eyes. and wonshik staring repeatedly between hwan and the message wasn't helping either.

hwan:

[ i can't believe you all would think of me like that. ]

dohyun:

[ i don't know hwan...there's no one here...and it's your initials after all... ]

hwan:

[ how could you believe that i would kill youngsoo hyung?! ]

chunghee:

[ how do you explain your voice echoing through the house then? ]

screaming out in frustration, hwan pushed them all aside and sped out of the door, for some reason heading back to where he and wonshik were before the lights turned on.

hwan:

[ why am I here again... ]

he was aware of the five people following him, and he didn't hesitate to turn around and face them again.

hwan:

[ why are you all following me? I...I... ]

with his hyungs' mistrust and fear of himself crushing him, hwan burst into tears, running straight forward, until he tripped onto something, stumbling onto the floor.

wonshik:

[ hwan...you...are you okay...? ]

the latter had no for an answer. the distance between him and his hyungs were frightening, as if they really believed he was a murderer.

for the first time in a while, hwan was scared. not of the events happening, but of himself. what if he really did what the others all feared? what if he killed his brother?

chunghee:

[ guys...what's that... ]

huh. since when did chunghee become that observant. wearily hwan looked up, not really noticing anything until a glint of silver caught his eye.

a short switchblade with a brown leather grip, hung from the staircase by a thin piece of rope, it's tip pointing downwards.

slowly hwan shifted his gaze, intaking a breath as he did so, taking in the message written in blood-red on the stairs.

closing your eyes is nothing but surrender.

watch out, yang wonshik.

~L. T. Y.

hwan didn't know what to feel. whether to be relieved, that this chaos wasn't only happening to him, or the fear for the second youngest's safety.

wonshik let out a whimper, pressing against youngsoo as the other 95 liner wrapped the trembling figure into his embrace, his gaze never leaving the bold letters imprinted on the stairs.

junghwa:

[ Wait...where's taeyoon? ]