Doodlebug | Beomjun, yeongyu |

Chapter no.10

Beomgyu, his own heart hammering in his chest, lunged after Yeonjun. "Yeonjun!" he cried, his voice echoing in the cramped hallway. But Yeonjun seemed oblivious, his legs pumping as he ran blindly down the corridor. Beomgyu chased after him, desperation fueling his steps. Yeonjun pushed through the dorm's common area door, ignoring the startled shouts of his fellow students.

Inside, the mood was bleak. A suffocating silence hung heavy in the air, punctuated only by the nervous sniffles and hushed whispers. Students huddled together, their faces pale with fear. In the center of the room stood the dean, his face grim, flanked by the same police officers who had questioned them after Zico's disappearance.

The sight of Yeonjun charging in, his eyes wild and hair disheveled, sent a ripple of shock through the crowd. He didn't stop, didn't acknowledge anyone. He barreled straight towards the dean, his movements jerky and desperate.

"What is it?" the dean exclaimed, taken aback by Yeonjun's aggressive approach. "What happened?"

Before the dean could get another word out, Yeonjun grabbed his lapels, his voice ragged and barely audible. "Tell me it's not true," he rasped. "Tell me it's a lie!"

The dean's brow furrowed in confusion. "Son, calm down. What are you—?"

But Yeonjun cut him off again. "the... the message... is it...?" He couldn't even finish the question, the terror choking the words in his throat.

The dean, his face etched with a deep sorrow, finally nodded slowly.

Yeonjun's grip on the dean's lapels slackened, and his knees buckled. Beomgyu, who had finally caught up, lunged forward and caught him before he could collapse. A guttural sob escaped Yeonjun's lips, his entire body wracked with uncontrollable tremors. The horrifying truth of the message had slammed into him with brutal force.

Wooyoung was dead

The confirmation hit Yeonjun like a physical blow. "Wooyoung was indeed dead." The words echoed in his mind, stealing the air from his lungs. Beomgyu desperately tried to get his attention, but Yeonjun seemed frozen, his face a mask of numb shock.

Suddenly, Soobin knelt beside him. Yeonjun, for the first time since the horrifying message, let down his guard. He crumpled into Soobin's embrace, a single choked question escaping his lips, "Is he really gone?"

Soobin, his voice thick with sadness, confirmed the unthinkable. "Yeonjun," he said softly, "it's true."

A deep, shuddering breath escaped Yeonjun's lips. He released Soobin from the tight hug, a steely resolve replacing the raw pain in his eyes. He remembered all too well the whispers and accusatory stares after Yeji's death. He wouldn't let that happen again.

Beomgyu and Soobin stood beside him as Yeonjun straightened his posture, a mask of composure settling over his shattered heart. Ignoring the concerned eyes of their fellow students and the dean's invitation to sit, he turned to Soobin. "Where are the others?"

"Yuna blacked out," Soobin explained, his voice barely a whisper. "Heesung's with her."

Yeonjun nodded, a hollow ache settling in his chest. This couldn't be happening again. Not another friend. Not Wooyoung. He felt a wave of anger rising. On whoever who was responsible for this.

 Yeonjun remained in his numb state, not even bothering to ask how Wooyoung died. Soobin, sensing his friend's internal storm, offered an explanation anyway. "He fell off the stairs," he said softly.

Yeonjun's voice, devoid of emotion, cut through the hushed whispers. "He can't die from that," he stated flatly, not looking at Soobin.

"Well, that's the apparent reason," Soobin replied, his own voice laced with doubt.