It is a Sunday morning and Mingyu is currently running for his life... literally. But before we get into that, let's talk about what led us to this turn in events.
3:10 a.m. Saturday Morning
Mingyu woke up much earlier than expected this morning, like 3 hours early. However, he is not complaining. This just means more time to put his plan into action. It may look like an obvious kill attempt, but to Mingyu it is perfect.
Mingyu got up out of bed and put on his 'I don't care if they get dirty clothes' then he, as quietly as possible, walked out of his bedroom. He walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Turning on the kitchen light, he made his way to the cabinet above the fridge. Opening it up he grabbed his uncle's protein powder. Quickly exiting the kitchen, he went to the garage. He went to his father's old work bench.
Mingyu's father was a boat builder, a good one at that. He has all types of chemicals, resins, and tools in the garage. So, when Mingyu was little he learned a little something from him. So this is how Mingyu sets out his next plan, to kill his uncle. He carefully opens up the protein powder, and grabs some of his father's powder for the epoxy. Specifically he grabs the powder labeled '404' and dumps two half cups inside the protein powder.
Mingyu had made sure to mix it all up since, his first mistake, they were two different colors. The protein powder was brown, and the 404 powder was white. However, Mingyu tried his best to make it unnoticeable. Quickly finishing, he cleaned up the area and returned inside the house. He made his way to the kitchen once more and put everything back in it's spot. Once everything looked in place he turned off the light and made his way back up to his room to change. Though, Mingyu had let one factor slip through his mind. His uncle always locked the cabinets.
6:25 a.m. Saturday Morning
Mingyu woke up once more. Quickly getting ready to meet up with his friends. Today Mingyu decided to wear black sweats and a white T-shirt with his plain sneakers. Mingyu makes his way down the stairs to see his uncle in the kitchen. He pays no mind as he walks to the front door.
"Mingyu," his uncle calls and he freezes. Not going to lie Mingyu is terrified of that man. Mingyu turns around and asks what's up.
"Do you know why the cabinet above the fridge was unlocked, and partially open," Mingyu's uncle's asks, more so states. Mingyu at this point is running a cold sweat. He is nervous. Never has Mingyu been more nervous in his life.
"Oh I don't know, maybe you didn't shut it all the way but you thought you did?" Mingyu responds in more of a question than a statement. This tone makes his uncle look more curious and suspicious of him than before.
"You know Mingyu. Lying is a sin," his heart starts to beat faster and he can't seem to get it under control.
Mingyu slows his breathing gaining control of himself. "Who said I'm lying," he looked up into his uncles with a cold stare. Starting to get frustrated, his uncle downed the last bits of his drink. "I did," his uncle stated wiping away the remaining liquid on his upper lip with the back of his hand. "I am not as dumb as you might see me to be, I am not as dumb as that wife of mine was," Mingyu stares at his uncle, then turns away going to walk out the front door.
As he reached for the doors handle he heard an object soaring fast through the air. He quickly turned his head to just see the glass hurdling towards his head. Barely dodging the glass, he felt the shards of glass cut his cheek open. Looking at his uncle astonished with the fact that he was aiming right where his head was. It was a known fact that his uncle does not like him, but Mingyu never thought he would get a glass thrown at his head.
That's when his savior decided to knock on the door at the perfect time.
Wonwoo.
Mingyu immediately thought. He quickly rushed open the door and slammed it shut. Locking the door he turns to face Wonwoo and gives him a death grip of a hug.
"Woah, what's the matter," Wonwoo asks in a soft voice. Mingyu just shakes his head not wanting to talk about it. Wonwoo accepts the fact he doesn't want to talk, so he just helps Mingyu make his way to the car. Once they are both seated in the car Wonwoo grabs Mingyu's hand, Mingyu looks up at him.
"Gyu, what happened to your face?" Wonwoo asked looking at the new cut that appeared on his face. Just shaking his head for an answer, Wonwoo let it go for now. He started backing out of the driveway. As he was backing out he spotted a figure inside Mingyu's room staring back at him. Wonwoo quickly looked away and drove off to Woozi's house.
"I'll have Jeonghan take care of your injury when we get there. I don't know what caused it, so I don't know whether or not it could be infected," Wonwoo stated knowing Mingyu was listening to him when he gave a noticeable nod.
Soon arriving at Woozi's house they went up to the front door. When the door opened chaos was all that was heard. Mingyu lifted his head for the first time since leaving his driveway when they entered the living room. Although, when he did lift his head the chaos suddenly stopped. He saw their worried gazed and immediately dropped his head. Jeonghan walked up to him and lifted his face.
"How about we get you cleaned up," Jeonghan softly suggested. With his hand still interlocked with Wonwoo's he sat down on the couch. Placing the medical kit on Wonwoo, Jeonghan sat on the ottoman and started cleaning him up. "what happened? Please don't shake your head, you got to tell us at some point," Wonwoo almost begged Mingyu to tell them. Giving his boyfriend the 'fine' look, he started to speak.
"He threw a glass at my head," was all he stated before tearing up. "I know he hates me, but I didn't think he hated me that much," full tears started flowing down his face, Wonwoo wiped them away giving him a side hug.
"Did you do anything to make him upset?" Jun asked from across the room. Everyone looked at Mingyu in curiosity.
"I messed with his protein powder and he found out, well he saw the cabinet was cracked open," he stated answering Jun's question. They all looked at him when Seungkwan followed up asking how that led to glass being thrown.
"He, He accused me of lying, and yes I did lie," he admitted. "But in general who admits to the person they are lying to, that they are lying," Mingyu said in all honesty. Jeonghan gave Mingyu a hug after he was done patching him up. Everyone, including Mingyu knew that his uncle had the right to be upset at him, however they all thought it was a bit harsh to try and throw glass at his head.
Furthermore, they all just decided to relax and watch movies to make Mingyu more comfortable. Though, Wonwoo could not get this strange feeling out of him. Something was going to happen, and he knew it.
Sunday 2:02 a.m. Sunday Morning
Mingyu woke up to his phone vibrating non stop. He slowly got out of Wonwoo's grip as to not wake him, and got up off of the floor. Opening his messages, they were all from his uncle. Then a call popped up onto his screen. Hesitating, he finally picked up.
"Get your ass outside Kim Mingyu. You have one minute," His uncle said then hung up. Mingyu looked at the phone is disbelief. Looking outside the curtains to see his uncle staring right back at him. Quickly closing the curtains in panic, he knocked over the lamp. The loud crash of it had woken all the boys up.
"Mingyu what's going on?" Woozi had asked mainly concerned about why his lamp is now on the floor broken. The light was suddenly flipped on, Mingyu looked back to see Seungcheol giving him a weird stare.
"You have 30 seconds Kim Mingyu!" they heard someone shout from outside. "Shit, is that your uncle?" Wonwoo asked the rest giving glances outside. Mingyu gave a affirmative nod. Making his way to the door, not wanting to know what will happen when those seconds run out. Hoshi stopped him and gave him the 'what are you doing' look. Mingyu just shook him off and went outside, his friends yelling after him.
Reaching his uncle, he stood just a couple feet in front of him. Mingyu stood confused as his uncle smirked.
"Lets play a game, it's called man hunt. You hide, I seek. I'll give you 3 minutes of a head start, after that three minutes I'll seek. You have today through tomorrow morning to live through. If I find you, I chase you, and I try to kill you," Mingyu watched as his friends exited the house listening to what his uncle was saying.
"What happens if you don't find him?" Joshua asked concerned for his friend.
"Simple, he lives and gets away free," Everyone looked at him as if he was crazy. "Your three minutes starts now," Everyone looked at him baffled, while Mingyu was panicking.
"By the way, no leaving the forest. Oh look at that, two minutes, I suggest you run," at that Mingyu sped off into the woods that starts behind Woozi's backyard, with his friends screaming his name, almost all in tears. Mingyu's uncle looked at his friends. "You know, you can help him if you would like, though I don't know if it will come in your favor," looking confused DK asked,
"Help? How," he looked at DK pulling out a pistol. "Why of course you can help him hide, however that must lead you to join the game," cocking the safety back on the gun he continued. "There is no such thing as cheating in my game. Everything counts in survival, as you cannot cheat death," he simply stated not noticing the smirk taking place on Jeonghan's face.
"Three minutes is up Kim Mingyu, ready or not here I come!" he shouted making his way into the forest. All eleven of them gave each other worried glances hoping for Mingyu to be alright, it all happened so fast none of them had the chance to process it.
"C'mon everybody lets cheer up," the one and only Yoon Jeonghan had said. Everyone looked at him confused and a bit irritated. "Did not one of you listen to what his uncle said? There is no such thing as cheating," Jeonghan quoted him explaining to the rest that if there is no such thing as cheating, you cant get caught for cheating, because it doesn't exist. Everyone looked to understand what he was saying, well almost everyone.
"What the fuck does that mean," Woozi cussed out.
"It means, that we can cheat the game, bend the rules even. It won't be counted as cheating though, for the fact that his uncle said cheating does not exist in his world, its all just survival. Survival of the fittest I must add on," Jeonghan explained earning an 'oh' from Woozi, and a high five from Joshua his partner in crime. "We just got to change the rules a bit, make it fit our standards of the game," Joshua finished off.
"This has now become a 1 vs 13 person game," Wonwoo said pushing up his glasses.
Sunday 4:56 a.m. Sunday Morning
Mingyu is currently running for his life. Not even a full three hours in and he already got caught. Now Mingyu has finally realized the full severity of the situation, well who wouldn't when there is a pistol being shot at you. Mingyu starts to run faster, faster than he ever has in his life. Its probably about 30 degrees F, and he is in a thin t-shirt and pajama pants. Soon Mingyu finds a tall tree, so he climbs it. Though counting his last mistake he takes a little larger than normal sized rock, probably the size of a softball he would say.
He makes his way up the branches all the way to the top. Hoping the thin amount of leaves on the trees will be enough to hide him. Mingyu hears him, he holds his breath.
"Mingyu where are you, you know you cant hide forever. This is going to be easy if I already found you once within almost three hours. We still got another 21 or so left to go," his uncle calmly speaks, too calmly for Mingyu's opinion. Mingyu hears him pass by, getting further and further away. Then Mingyu shifts, he hears something get caught on the branch beneath himself. Carefully looking down, he sees a shiny object inside of a birds nest. Softly gasping, almost inaudible, he realized it was his phone. His uncle did not say anything about not having technology. Moving swiftly, for the first time in his life. Reaching down, he grabbed his phone.
Making sure he didn't see anyone or anything, he turned it on. Not to be dumb, he quickly went to his settings. Turning off his, sound, vibration, and location he then went into his text messages not risking the idea of talking out loud. Starting to text Wonwoo.
Wonton
Me-
Hey, I just wanted to tell you I'm alright for now. I already got caught once, but figures for me 😭
Wonton-
OMG thank god you have your phone on you. Don't worry we will get you out... somehow. Just please stay alive.
Me-
Ill try my best 🫡
Hearing approaching footsteps Mingyu quickly puts his phone away, not seeing Wonwoo's newer message. Though when he looks down all he sees is a deer. Soon, Mingyu hears a shot. A close shot, sounded like a pistol. From this he decides that staying in this same spot most likely is not a good decision. Slowly making his way down he starts to take off walking in the opposite direction he believed the shot to come from.
Checking the time, he realized it had only been an hour he was up there. It was starting to become light out, which does not work in Mingyu's favor. The clouds are a bit dark today, he sees it is most likely going to start raining. Dreading the rain in his thin clothes he scouts out to find shelter quickly. Mingyu is scared, cold, and a little frustrated at how stupid his uncle is.
"What did he say?" Dino questioned peering over Wonwoo's shoulder, almost landing face first on the couch. Not speaking, he just showed the rest of them the texts.
"That's good, he is at least alive," Woozi brought up. Everyone was just sitting in Woozi's living room praying for Mingyu to be alright. It had been about another two and a half hours, the rain started about an hour ago. That's when they heard a car go off, and keys jingle at the front door. Following, the door opens and incomes Woozi's parents. I light seems to go off in Woozi's mind as he rushes up to them asking for help.
"Whats the matter Jihoon? Where is Mingyu, I thought all of you were going to be here?" Woozi's Father asked taking off his coat. They were brought to the living room where everything was explained. Leaving out the man hunt part, just saying how Mingyu's uncle was trying to kill him. They looks surprised with everything being said.
That's when it hit everyone, Woozi's father is a policeman. At the end of everyone's rant of what happened, Woozi's father said he will go back to the station and see what they can do. However, right after he walked up to the door with Woozi's mother, they heard it. A gunshot, followed by a bloodcurdling scream.
Mingyu's scream.
Hey guys!!! Thank you again for reading this chapter. Sorry I have not updated in a while. But if there is any suggestions please let me know.
Word count: 2715