INVISIBLE STRINGS ~ Scoups [C]

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The Search Begins

The sky was beginning to dim as the sun dipped lower behind the dense trees. The remaining members of the team—Yeri, Mingyu and Joshua—stood near the finish line, their faces painted with worry.

Yeri paced back and forth, biting her lower lip. "She should've been here by now... Where's
Y/N?"

Joshua adjusted the strap of his backpack. "She wouldn't just wander off on her own. Something must've happened."

Mingyu glanced at Scoups, who stood a few steps away, silent with his hands shoved into his pockets. His brows were furrowed and his jaw clenched tightly.

Yeri turned sharply toward Scoups. "Seungcheol! You were with her! How did you two get separated?"

Scoups remained silent.

Yeri voice cracked slightly. "You said those things to her, didn't you? You hurt her feelings, and now she's out there... alone."

Joshua placed a hand on Yeri shoulder to calm her down. "We'll split up and look for her. Standing here won't help."

Scoups finally spoke, his voice low. "I'll find her."

Without waiting for a response, Scoups turned and walked back into the forest, his flashlight flickering to life as he disappeared into the trees.

°
°

Y/N sat on a fallen tree trunk, hugging her knees to her chest. Her flashlight lay beside her, its beam weak and flickering.

The faint chirps of crickets and the distant rustle of leaves filled the silence around her. A sharp chill settled into her bones, but it wasn't just from the cold air—it was the heaviness in her chest.

"Why did he have to say those things?"

Her mind replayed Scoups' harsh words over and over, each syllable cutting deeper than the last.

"You're so annoying, Y/N. Why can't you just stop talking for once?"

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away.

"Why am I even crying over this? He's just... Scoups. He doesn't care."

She looked up at the canopy of leaves above, the faint light of the moon peeking through.

But then, a distant sound—footsteps crunching on dried leaves—caught her attention.

Her heart began to race as she stood up and grabbed her flashlight. "Hello? Is someone there?"

No response.

Y/N took a shaky step back. Her voice trembled as she called out again, "Yeri? Joshua? Mingyu?"

Still nothing.

Fear started creeping in, and her knees felt weak.

°
°

The forest had grown darker, the faint glow of the moon struggling to pierce through the dense canopy. Mingyu and Joshua moved carefully along the narrow path, their flashlights slicing through the thick shadows.

"Y/N!" Mingyu called out, his voice echoing into the night.

Joshua shone his light toward a cluster of trees. "Do you think she's still nearby? It's been hours..."

Mingyu jaw clenched. "She wouldn't have gone far. She must be scared and it's getting colder out here."

Just as Mingyu turned his head, a faint sound reached his ears—a weak voice calling out faintly.