In Other Words ✔

On Jupiter And Mars

He watched Gihun carefully.

The last one to die...Again, he felt empty.

...on Jupiter and Mars

The last one to die...echoed his inner voice.

His breathing were coming out sharp and painful. Everywhere ached, everything felt sticky, everything looked red and gray. His head was pounding painfully, his lungs hurt, his lips felt swollen.

He looked up at Gihun, who was staggering towards where he lay. The other man was equally bloody and full of bruise, limping his way while raising his knife. He stopped beside Sangwoo and raised the knife even further.

Sangwoo swallowed blood and coughed it right back out. He took one last look at Gihun's determined face and closed his eyes.

Maybe if he closed them, he would forget it.

That Gihun was actually smiling and looking optimistic again. Not grave and blank like he did then. The man he almost killed.

That Ali was there beside him, eyes twinkling and his hand waving at Sangwoo. Not crying and solemn like he did before he died. The man he killed with his words.

That the old man who was a glass expert was also there, talking to him about the difference of tempered and not. Not frantic and screaming like he did while he fell. The man he killed with his hands.

That Saebyeok was behind Gihun, her eyes cold yet warm at the same time. Not empty and lifeless like she did before she passed away. The girl he killed with his knife.

So he closed them and waited for the inevitable. He waited for the sudden pain and the quick burn. He waited for the knife to take his life away.

Yet Gihun still didn't. Gihun still trusted him. Gihun still wanted his brother.

"Sangwoo-yah, jibe kaja (let's go home)."

Foolish hyung. Idiot. Stupid.

This was Sangwoo's chance to kill him. This was his chance to win. While Gihun's back was on him, he could stab him and get the prize.

But even if that had crossed his mind, he suddenly felt like he couldn't do it. Gihun's smiling face flashed in his mind again.

Hyung...

I said you can't trust me...

He couldn't trust himself.

So this time, he killed himself.

In other words...

He didn't die. But he felt like dying. Everything hurt. The side of his neck hurt most painfully, where he stabbed himself. He missed an artery and so he was still alive. He would have laugh at his situation but his throat hurt.

He knew he was inside the box, carried by those masked men. So he waited as he felt for his surroundings.

When he felt them turning right, he immediately pushed his whole weight to the side, his bones and muscles screaming in protest and flaring with pain. But he ignored it as the box toppled down. He heard the masked men cursing as he crashed. The box opened and even though his whole body was on fire, he ignored it and rolled out. Then he was up and running, his adrenaline pushing him forward although he should be incredibly weak.

He heard shouts and footsteps, knowing the masked men were running after him. He didn't stopped turning from this hallway to that. Until he went inside the colorful room full of stairs. He didn't know which way to go.

Anywhere but here.

His mind went blank and the only thing that echoed was run run run run...

Everything was eerily silent now, only his heavy breathing and rushing footsteps were heard.

He stumbled upon a pink door and didn't hesitate to open it. He found himself in an unfamiliar hallway but he didn't think. He ran. And ran. And ran.

"Woah there!"

Someone exclaimed as he collided with a heavy body. Sangwoo fell on the floor, his vision suddenly swimming and his head felt like it just exploded with pain. Every pain rushed back to his body as the adrenaline faded away. He suddenly felt exhausted, black spots were dancing around his vision now.

"Sangwoo-hyung?"

No...it couldn't be...

"Help! Someone's here!"

He heard some rushing footsteps and there were clothes rustling.

"What the hell- how did he manage to come in here?"

"That bastard is a traitor!"

"Shut it, he needs help!"

"Come on, let's take him inside."

What- what's happening...

"Sangwoo-hyung, stay with us. Don't sleep."

That was the last thing Sangwoo heard before he promptly passed out.

⏺️🔼⏹️

I wasn't able to update yesterday because of my goddamn term paper. Hope this was okay.

The next update would be the last one, I think...