cynical | l.dh

☾ chapter 28

"Do you know who this is?" Taeyong paused the recording and pointed at the slim figure that supposedly belonged to Seonghwa as his eyes flickered from the screen and back to me. I nodded, my head hanging low as my pride was wiped away on a second.

I was on the verge of tears before blinking which caused a waterfall. I sniffled because I hoped for only the safety of Jaerin and the reassurance that she'd return to my arms like she did every night.

The sky was now covered by dark, mysterious clouds which bought an eerie effect to the atmosphere as the time was currently 21:00 pm. Jaerin had now been missing for approximately 9 hours. My breath hitched at the back of my dry throat as I recollected the memories I shared with her.

I wasn't ready to lose my loved one once again and I wasn't going to let anyone come between us either.

"Go to sleep. You're not going to school tomorrow because we have to start our search for her early in the morning," my mind was still wondering elsewhere as Taeyong's words became a blur.

"Get some actual sleep and don't think about it too much. We'll find her," he continued, his hand resting on my right shoulder, trying to reassure me. I still felt as though I was to blame and I really couldn't brush it off. Especially knowing that she had seen me with Sooyoung and the last person that she saw was Seonghwa.

In all honesty, I was only with Sooyoung because Jaerin had made me jealous in the morning. She was with Seonghwa and they seemed so close that i felt a small pang in my chest. My jealousy got the best of me and it's bought me to a part of a situation where she isn't there at all.

I walked out of the control room and my eyes met with Mark's. He shook his head in disappointment and I wasn't ready for a lecture from him. Yet he surprisingly didn't utter a word so I returned to Jaerin's room.

She wasn't in her bed and her entire room felt empty. Her bed suddenly didn't look as cosy as it once did when she was there. Her plushies looked at me and watched as I went to her bathroom to brush my teeth and returned without her presence. A part of me wanted to disappear right there and then but another part begged to stay and wait for her.

I slipped into her bed, a chill fan down my spine as the coldness seeped into my skin. It wasn't warm or cosy or had Jaerin. I picked one of the plushies that she would cuddle with every night and held it tight. It resembled Jaerin so it bought a huge smile to my face, as her remaining scent surrounded me.

I wanted to hold her in my arms once again as I laid in her empty bed, tears flowing down my face and wetting the pillows. I love her and I want her back.

After sometime of crying, my eyes flickered shut and tiredness overtook my body.

D - 3

Today was not like any other day. I woke up before her alarm could jolt me awake but her bed was empty. Just like last night. I realised that her presence affected my life as she wasn't there to wake up to every morning, her soft morning laughs and complaining. I missed everything about her. I needed her back.

The space beside me was empty, cold and lonely. I felt around the bed and was not met with a figure I'd been waiting for. Her presence wavered my heart whilst her scent filled my nostrils, bringing love and joy to my life.

I sat up and looked around the room, this was once my room and then became hers but it seems more like ours. And I'd much rather keep it that way. I unknowingly smiled, my entire existence revolves around this girl and she wasn't even here.

I heard a knock on the door and l it was the moment I had realised that she really wasn't here and i had to go and find her with some backup.