It had been a month since Felix last saw Hyunjin. Posters of his face were plastered all over town, and missing person reports had circulated through every neighborhood, yet no one had a clue where he was. Not his parents, not his friends, no one. As days turned into weeks, Felix felt hope slipping through his fingers.
He blamed himself. If only he hadn't been so wrapped up in his own world, so focused on his own concerns. If he had just checked in on Hyunjin, maybe things would have turned out differently. The guilt gnawed at him, a constant reminder that he could have done something, anything, to prevent this.
His mother was particularly distraught. She had been obsessed with Hyunjin, loving him almost as much as she loved her own sons, Felix and Minho. It was only after his disappearance that Felix learned how close Hyunjin and his mother had been. Apparently, Hyunjin called her every day, giving her updates on what Felix and Minho were up to, making sure they were okay. He was that kind of person—kind, considerate, always thinking of others. And it had taken his disappearance for Felix to truly see it.
Unable to bear the suffocating weight of his thoughts, Felix decided to go for a walk. He laced up his shoes, locked the door behind him, and started wandering through the neighborhood, his mind racing with memories and regrets. He walked for hours, the cold biting at his skin, but it wasn't enough to distract him from the turmoil inside. Eventually, the chill became too much, and he headed home, feeling no better than when he'd left.
As he walked, his phone began to vibrate furiously in his pocket. He pulled it out, frowning at the multiple missed calls from Han, before finally answering.
"What's wrong? Why do you keep calling?" Felix sniffled, his nose red from the cold.
"Get to my house as soon as possible," Han's voice was urgent, almost frantic. "There's something you need to see."
"What? What is it, Han? You can't just say that and—"
But Han had already hung up. Panic surged through Felix. What if it was about Hyunjin? What if they'd found him?
Felix raced home, not bothering to close the door behind him as he banged on his brother's bedroom door.
"Car!" he shouted.
Minho opened the door, bleary-eyed and half-asleep. "What?"
"Car! Give me your car!" Felix demanded, his voice shaking with urgency.
"Jesus, fine. The keys are in my coat pocket..." Minho muttered, barely awake.
Felix didn't wait for more. He dashed down the stairs, grabbed the keys, and practically flew into the car. He sped toward Han's house, desperate to get there as quickly as possible without attracting the attention of the police.
When he arrived, he could immediately tell what had prompted Han's call. From outside the house next door—the creepy one with boarded-up windows and garbage strewn across the yard—shouts and crashes echoed into the night. Felix's heart pounded as he instinctively moved to rush inside, but Han grabbed him and pulled him into his own house, slamming the door behind them.
"What the hell is going on?" Felix demanded, his voice loud and panicked.
"Shh!" Han hissed, dragging him upstairs to his bedroom window for a better view. "Look inside!"
Felix peered through the window and saw a slender woman with brown hair and a large, disheveled man with black hair. They were screaming at each other, throwing things, and tearing through the house as if searching for something.
Felix scoffed. "Seriously? You called me over for some neighborhood drama? What a waste of time."
Han rolled his eyes and pointed again. "Those are Hyunjin's parents, you idiot."
Felix's heart skipped a beat. What were they doing there? Why would they be in this house?
"They live ages away," Felix muttered, more to himself than to Han. "But why was Hyunjin there that one day..."
"You're the closest person to Hyunjin," Han said, voice serious.
Felix blinked, surprised. "I'm close to Hyunjin?"
"Compared to everyone else, yeah. Think about it—why would he and his parents keep coming to that house?"
Felix shook his head, trying to piece it all together. "When you heard shouting and smashing before, did it sound like this?"
Han hesitated, then nodded. "Now that you mention it, it sounded like Hyunjin. Like he was taking his rage out on something... or someone."
Felix's stomach churned. His mother had been right—Hyunjin had been coming to his room at night because he had nowhere else to go. His parents must have found out where he was hiding, and he ran away again. But why hadn't he reached out for help? Was he sick? Injured?
"I have to go," Felix whispered, fear and determination surging through him.
Before Han could stop him, Felix bolted out of the house and scaled the fence to the yard next door. The noise of the argument inside grew louder, his ears ringing from the constant shouting and breaking glass.
Where would Hyunjin be hiding? Felix's heart pounded in his chest as he crept toward the house, knowing that if Hyunjin's parents caught him, he'd be in serious danger.
Climbing up the wall, Felix's legs shook with fear—he'd forgotten how terrified he was of heights. But he pushed through, hoisting himself up to a filthy window and prying it open. He slipped inside, landing silently in what appeared to be a small, cluttered room.
The sight that greeted him made his heart drop. Beautiful drawings were scattered across the floor, mixed with paintbrushes and pencils. But the room was also littered with beer cans, broken bottles, knives, a bloodstained mattress, and a pile of makeup in the corner.
What the hell had been going on in this house?
Felix moved carefully, avoiding the debris on the floor as he opened a wardrobe. It was empty, but he grabbed one of the knives and slid it into his pocket, just in case.
The first room was clear, but Felix knew he needed to check the others without alerting Hyunjin's parents. He managed to sneak into a filthy bathroom next, finding nothing but more blood and mold. His stomach turned at the sight of bloodied towels thrown on the floor.
Who could do something like this, especially to someone like Hyunjin?
After clearing the second room, Felix moved to the third. Empty. He felt his hope dwindling with every empty room. If Hyunjin wasn't here, the woods would be his next stop.
Determined not to give up, Felix crept downstairs, biting his knuckles to keep from making a sound. As he made his way to the next room, he noticed a small door near the stairs. It was worth a shot.
Felix opened the door to find a room filled with furniture covered in white cloths, all of them smeared with bloody handprints. His breath caught in his throat.
Is he dead?
His hands shook as he searched the room. When he moved one of the cloths, he spotted a wardrobe pushed into the far corner. He opened the door, but the dim light made it hard to see anything inside. Switching on his phone's flashlight, he aimed it into the wardrobe.
And there he was. Hyunjin.
Curled up in the corner, legs tucked against his chest, head buried in his knees. Felix's heart broke at the sight. He reached out to touch Hyunjin's shoulder, but got no response at first. Then, a whimper—soft, fearful.
Hyunjin thought he was one of his parents.
"Hyunnie, it's okay," Felix whispered, his voice gentle. "It's me, Felix. I'm here to help you."
Slowly, Hyunjin lifted his head, revealing a face barely recognizable through the blood, cuts, and bruises. Felix had to bite back a gasp.
"Oh my god," Felix murmured. "Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of here. No one can hurt you anymore. You're safe with me."
He grabbed Hyunjin's hand, helping him to his feet, but Hyunjin immediately collapsed, too weak to stand. Felix's heart pounded with fear as he realized just how malnourished and fragile Hyunjin had become. He swung Hyunjin's arm around his shoulders, using himself as a crutch to support him.
Felix called Han, desperate for help.
"Hello! Where did you go? You just ran off!" Han's voice was frantic.
"Shh," Felix hissed. "I need you to do me a huge favor. Throw something loud outside your window. Now!"
"The window facing the creepy house?"
"Yes! That one, now!"
"Uh, okay, hold on."
Han hung up, and Felix waited anxiously. Moments later, a loud crash echoed from outside, and Hyunjin's parents rushed out to investigate. Seizing the opportunity, Felix dragged Hyunjin out of the house and into Han's backyard.
Felix managed to get Hyunjin inside and up the stairs to Han's bedroom, carefully laying him down on the bed. He grabbed Han's emergency first aid kit and began cleaning Hyunjin's cuts, wincing at every bruise and gash he uncovered.
-
Felix drove with steady focus, the hum of the engine filling the quiet between them as they approached his house.
The night was calm, only the rhythmic sound of tires on pavement accompanying their thoughts. As they pulled into the driveway, Felix glanced at Hyunjin, who seemed distant, lost in his own world.
Felix helped him out of the car and guided him inside, his touch gentle but firm as he led Hyunjin to the bed. He handed over a set of his own clothes, soft and worn from use, before turning away to give Hyunjin some privacy.
Once he heard the rustle of fabric and the quiet sigh of Hyunjin settling into bed, Felix joined him, the two lying side by side in the comforting silence of shared space.
Hyunjin finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You shouldn't have come," he said, his words slurred with exhaustion.
Felix shook his head, blinking back tears. "Of course I had to. You're my best friend. I'll always come for you, Hyunjin. I promise, I'll keep you safe."