Unexpectedly you - YokLongtae

Chapter two

A few days later, Yok jolted awake once more, screaming in the dead of night. His body was soaked with sweat, his breaths coming in ragged gasps, and a searing pain gripped his chest. The nightmares were relentless, Yok couldn't remember the last time he slept for more than three hours straight.

These nightmares were not just vivid; they were visceral.

They plunged him into a relentless abyss where his worst fears and deepest regrets played out in torturous detail.

Each night, he found himself back in the same abandoned warehouse, the same road, the same van; the cold, damp air biting at his skin. He could hear the echoing footsteps of his pursuers, feel the crushing weight of fear as he hid in the shadows, and smell the metallic tang of blood in the air.

Sometimes, he was reliving his surgery, the scalpel slicing through his flesh, the anesthesia failing to numb the pain.

Other times, he was back with Dan, their final argument replaying endlessly, Dan's voice growing colder and more distant until it was drowned out by the sound of sirens.

Despite the guilt that gnawed at him for feeling this way, he was almost thankful that his mom was deaf. If she could hear, his nightly screams would wake her every time.

Yok waited for his breathing to stabilize, following the exercises White had taught him after seeing him struggle for air.

Close your eyes and focus on your heartbeat. Imagine you're in the middle of the ocean, being dragged down by an unseen force. Hold your breath as you swim to the surface... once there, take long, deep breaths and savor the oxygen.

Feel it fill your lungs, giving you life.

Once he gathered the strength, he stepped outside to the porch, seeking solace in the cool night air. Thankfully, it wasn't one of those oppressive, sultry nights. A gentle breeze occasionally ruffled his hair. The quiet atmosphere and the distant murmur of the water channel were calming.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He squinted against the screen's brightness and saw White's name flash.

It was five in the morning. White had mentioned he and Sean were planning an early morning jog. Yok hadn't believed him, but it seemed they were serious.

He needed to take care of himself, too. He had lost significant muscle mass since his surgery and had shed an alarming amount of weight, often unable to keep food down on particularly rough days, which were becoming all too common.

"A friend of mine is organizing a dinner tonight. Do you want to come?" White asked.

"A dinner? Like something fancy?" Yok replied.

White didn't question why Yok was up so early; he already knew. He also knew the best way to help was by not probing too deeply and offering distractions.

"No, he rented a local place. It's not exactly a dinner; there'll be music, but it's not the kind of party where you get wasted and dance till dawn. So, what do you say?"

"Coming seems pointless."

"Please? I haven't seen you all week."

"Yeah, right. Like you're not going to disappear with Sean after an hour."

"I promise to stick with you for the whole hour. I can introduce you to some of my juniors. Maybe you'll make a new friend."

Yok knew White wasn't talking about a platonic friend, but he let it go.

He had had a few hook-ups, though he wasn't one to sleep around after Dan. Some nights, he just needed to escape, seeking solace in fleeting pleasure when his own hands weren't enough.