Doodlebug | Beomjun, yeongyu |

Chapter no.6

The news broke like a dam, flooding their small world with whispers and suspicion. Unlike Zico's disappearance, Xiyeon's case was declared a suicide, the whispers hushed but heavy with doubt. No public announcement, no media frenzy, just a sudden absence and a hurried transfer of her body to her hometown. 

That evening, the group found themselves gathered in the dimly lit lounge of their hostel, the weight of the day settling on their shoulders. Wooyoung, usually the jester, broke the quiet with a nervous chuckle. "Isn't everything getting a little... weird lately?"

Yuna, her chin resting on her hand, murmured agreement. The air thickened with the unspoken ghosts of their losses: Zico's vanishing act, Yeji's unexplained passing, and now Xiyeon's abrupt, shrouded exit. Even Heesung, the quiet observer, voiced his discomfort, "First Zico went missing, then Yeji... now this suicide. It all feels..."

Beomgyu swallowed hard, the mention of Zico sending a tremor through him. His eyes flickered toward Yeonjun, whose face remained an unreadable mask.

Just as Yeonjun began to voice a question about the upcoming finals, Soobin interjected, a crease of worry on his brow. "Come on, man, you're worried about finals now?" He held up an intricately folded origami crane, offering it to Wooyoung. "Look what I made instead."

Wooyoung's eyes widened in surprise. "Woah, you're pretty good at this!"

Soobin beamed with pride. "Aren't I?" He turned towards Beomgyu, whose silence had become almost tangible. "Beomgyu, do you feel uncomfortable with us?"

Beomgyu, startled from his thoughts, stammered, "No, why would I?"

Soobin, oblivious to the storm brewing beneath the surface, crawled closer on the sofa. "You just don't talk much," he said, his voice laced with warmth.

Beomgyu offered a small smile, the weight of his secrets threatening to crush him. "I'll try to speak more," he promised, the words hollow even to his own ears.

Soobin's smile broadened, his playful nature taking over. "Now, that's the spirit! Did you see how I made the wings? It's all about precision, you know..."

As Soobin launched into an explanation of his origami technique, laughter filled the room, momentarily drowning out the anxieties that lurked beneath. But for Yeonjun, the laughter held a jarring edge. He watched Soobin flirt with Beomgyu, a flicker of jealousy igniting in his chest. He tried to ignore it, to focus on the comfort of their group, but the unease gnawed at him.

Wooyoung, usually the carefree one, spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, "I really wanna go home."

A silence fell upon the group, heavier than before. tried to inject some normalcy, "Finals are near, remember? Gotta stay focused."

But his words were met with a chorus of groans and exasperated sighs. "Shut up, man," Soobin said, his playful mood replaced by a weariness that mirrored everyone else's.

Beomgyu, for the first time that evening, let out a soft chuckle, the sound laced with a sadness that echoed through the room. Wooyoung continued, his voice trembling slightly, "I don't know, man. I feel really scared now... like something bad is gonna happen again."

Yuna, her eyes wide and reflecting the shared fear, spoke up, "It does kinda feel like... a curse."

Yeonjun, unable to bear the weight of their collective anxiety, stood up. "Come on, guys," he said, his voice strained. "It's just stress. Finals week does that to everyone."

But his words lacked conviction, even to his own ears. He looked at Beomgyu, searching for some reassurance, some acknowledgment that this was just normal pre-exam jitters. But Beomgyu's expression remained unreadable, his eyes clouded with a darkness that mirrored Yeonjun's own growing fear.