8 is fate // Stray Kids

28

Felix

79 hours.

It has been 79 hours since the incident and Han had been conscious for only 11 of them.

Felix stared at the empty bed that used to be Han's.

He figured that Han must have left around four in the morning as it would have been the perfect time to sneak out. Jeongin had been on patrol with Hyunjin, Chan had been out at that time too, though Felix had no idea why, and Minho had been missing for 78 hours anyways. Han was clever enough to know that his chances of escaping unnoticed would be highest when none of those with extremely heightened senses were around.

Resigned, Felix pushed his hair back. He couldn't believe how reckless Han was being.

Though his condition was stable, he was far from fine. If anything were to happen, there would be no one to save him this time. If he was carless, his wound could reopen. If he didn't take his medication properly, his voice might never return. If-

Felix's whole body froze at that, his face draining of all color.

The medication, how did he not think of that earlier?

Hastily, he scrambled over to the bedside table, ripping the first drawer open.

His legs gave out underneath him as a sound of relief escaped his throat.

The medication was gone which meant that Han must have been responsible enough to take it with him. That put Felix's mind at ease, if only a little. He was incredibly glad that he had explained the right medication intake to Han in detail, taking the wrong dosage could end fatally after all.

Felix prayed that Han would take it easy, that he would take good care of himself and his body.

Felix stared down at the letter, still clutched in his hands ever so tightly. He pulled his knees up to his chest and loosened the grip on the letter. With shaking hands, he opened it carefully and unfolded the piece of paper slowly.

Hey Lix,

I owe you so much that I don't even know where to start.

Thanks for pulling me out of that shithole and dragging me home with you.

It's thanks to you that I've got to see Chan, Changbin and Hyunjin one last time. Without any regrets, I can now finally close this chapter of my life.

It's also thanks to you that I was able to meet everyone else. I can't remember when I've last been this happy. Thanks for reminding me how beautiful life can be. I'm sorry that I almost threw it away.

You're right, dying is the easy way out but to be honest, I'm just so tired of everything. Of life.
I've been close to death so many times that the reaper greats me like an old friend before I slip out of his grasp once more. So often that the pain that follows is a familiar companion.
I'm not sure if fate is trying to tell me that I've lived way past my time and that I should kick the bucket already or if it's not my time yet and that's why I always manage to survive somehow, even if only barely.
Either way my life feels like a constant struggle with faith. Sometimes I wonder if the gods love to see me struggle. If I'm being punished for something that I've done in my past life.

But don't worry, I'm not going to give up just yet.

I've decided to travel the world for a bit, I'm going to try a different way of living.