Withered (Michaeng) ✔️

Chapter 49: Undefined

• Chapter 48 •

Previously,

Mina clasp onto the arm of the couch for support, then move as she lay down. She sobs against the leather mattress, minutes of sobbing broken apart by short pauses for recovering breaths. In that constant pain, her phone suddenly rings. She drops her hands on the table, crawls as she reaches the phones and looks at the caller.

"Unknown number?"

• Chapter 49 •

Mina accepts the call, her mouth feels dry, and that is swallowing slightly hurt as if something stuck in the throat. She tested her voice before putting the phone in a loudspeaker.

"Hello?" She waits for any response but the other line is quiet, nothing could be heard except the howling wind "This is Mina. M-may I ask who's calling?" Minutes pass. Nothing happens, no answer coming. Mina sucks a deep breath that seems to be caught in her windpipe choking her from the inside. She's about to end the call and ring her sisters since she can no longer bear the pain, seeking for help. But the thought terminated by the familiar deep-toned voice that comes from the phone; a voice that she has been waiting to listen to. Her face stuck in an incredulous expression. She doesn't expect his appearance at all, she's supposed to be happy and relief, isn't it? But she has zero thought going inside her mind, zero emotions.

"J-jeongyeon"

The almost soundless murmurs of her are caused by nervousness and surprised. But those feeling soon overshadowed by another torture as her body slowly tearing apart. She arches with the pain locks inside, her body trembling as her lungs struggling to inhale. Thick bright red liquid dripping out of her, tracing her thighs down to her calf, like the trace of a slug on a leaf. Mina yells, giving up the pain as the only things she could hear is her own heartbeat, failing to notice the constant question over the phone. Black then fills her vision, blinding her. Her heavy breathing also stops and there is silence. The agony has come to an end.

"Mina!? Hello! Answer me! Are you there?!" Jeongyeon tightens his grip on the rail of his balcony when there's no sound coming from the other line, it's complete silence. He heard the dense breathing and notice Mina stutters behind the phone when she first called out his name. He knows something is wrong thus he keeps asking but receives nothing more than unrecognizable sounds, shriek, and lastly, her yells mean danger. It terrified him of her condition or what might happen to her.

He goes out to his car, hand shaking as he tries to open the car door; shake so much that he drops his key. "Dammit!" He bends down and picks them up but no matter how hard he tries, he's unable to get the key into the lock, regretting that he locked it before. He gives up and leans her arm on the roof of his black Mercedes, his forehead rest against the window as he closes his eyes. She's fine. She'll be fine. He chanted inside his mind and try to calm himself. Jeongyeon exhales slowly and succeed in opening his car door then rush towards Mina's house.

*  *  *  *

"The store is robbed around two at night. The criminals are armed with handguns, wearing all black, face covered with masks. She doesn't recognize anyone but notices a snake tattoo on their arms. She've drawn it" Chaeyoung gives a piece of paper to the police then glance towards Irene who sits on a plastic chair in front of the convenience she's working. The girl is staring blankly on the ground while swinging her legs that are currently bleeding due to her own stubbornness; she won't let the robber takes the money easily thus she fights, alone. She could've died if it's not because of the pepper spray and emergency button she plugged under the cashier desk that produces fake police sirens.