Chapter Text
His head pounds before he even opens his eyes. He lets out a deep groan, rolling onto his side with his hands finding his face as consciousness starts to set in.
Why is he so thirsty? It feels like he hasn’t drank anything in days.
“..what happened..?” His voice groggy and rough like gravel has settled in his throat.
He feels gross, every inch of his skin slick with sweat. It’s hot. Too hot. He forces his eyes open, though they try to protest from the sunlight shining directly onto his face.
His vision focuses on the greenery surrounding him when his pupils finally adjust to the light. He jerks upright. Instantly regretting the action when his head starts to spin.
An echo of a glass bottle shattering beside him makes him wince. A flood of memories rushing through his mind.
That’s right.
He got cut. He was eliminated and now he has nothing. His members. They were crying when he had to leave. His family. He had to leave them.
Now he remembers why he grabbed some booze and drove out in the middle of nowhere to be alone. To drown his sorrows. To drown out the looks in their eyes.
The sudden realization that he has no idea where he ended up sends a jolt of panic through his chest. His hands patting down his pockets in search of his phone. Nothing.
He must have left it in the car. Hoping to miss the sad calls and texts from his friends. His brothers.
He really misses them already.
Is this where it ends? Hungover and lost somewhere in the woods? No one realizing he was even missing until it’s too late?
No. He refuses to be a headline in some tabloid.
‘Missing Idol Hopeful Found Dead’
Sucking in a jagged breath, he forced himself to stand and start walking. Eventually he’d hit civilization. Someone could help him then.
But he couldn’t just sit there and rot like the fallen tree he’d been propped up on. He has people he cares about waiting for him at home.
Even if he wasn’t completely sure where home was going to be anymore.
~*~
The call goes to voicemail again.
“This isn’t like him,” Han says with a bite in his tone. “Something’s wrong !”
“Obviously,” Seungmin let out in a humorless snort. “Wouldn’t you wanna be alone right now too?” Han glares at him for his coldness.
The younger held his gaze firmly, too emotionally spent to care anymore. He’s as angry and sad about Felix being eliminated as the rest of their group but he also respects that Felix wants to be alone.
But…it did feel odd that he’d ignore all of them for this long…
“Of course, we all would. But Felix isn’t like this. And you know it, too.” Han finally resigned with a heavy sigh. Seungmin looks away at that, his anger bubbling up for Felix. Tears burn his eyes thinking of his hyung suffering all by himself.
Changbin looks up from his phone where he’d just sent another worried text to Felix’s number from hearing their bickering. Seeing the look on the younger’s face, he decides to interject. “Have you tried calling Minho yet?” He asks, directing the question to Han as distraction.
All of them are stressed, emotional, and exhausted causing tension in the air but now was not the time to argue with one another.
Han moves to sit next to him on the sofa, plopping down in a huff. “Yeah, like 20 minutes ago. He’s not with him either,” any blossoms of hope wither away in Changbin’s chest.
“Damn,” he mutters in defeat.
Han lays his head on his shoulder. “Maybe Seungmin’s right,” Han offers. “Maybe he just wants some time alone.” His gaze flicks towards the younger a couple feet away and their eyes meet in a brief moment of understanding and solemn show of comfort.
Silence stretches and settles between them, minds drifting with worry and grief. Suffering together yet so alone. They just want their brother back. Back in the group. Back in the dorms. To just answer their calls . To know he’s safe. Wherever he is.
The door suddenly opens, all three boys whipping around to see who it is. Only to instantly deflate back into their spots when it’s just Chan, Jeongin, and Hyunjin filing in. “You scared us! We thought you were Lixie-ah!” Changbin shouts too loudly.
But Chan isn’t in a joking mood. “Did you guys hear anything from him?” The three shake their heads as their chins lower, the somber aura returning to the room around them. Chan sighs heavily as he sifts a hand through his hair. “Us either.”
Hyunjin and Jeongin get comfortable on the couches, Hyunjin dramatically draping himself across both Changbin and Han’s laps while the maknae finds himself sliding in next to Seungmin just across from them. “I’m so worried!” Hyunjin whines, earning hair pets from Changbin.
“As if you’re the only one,” Jeongin grumbles with a roll of his eyes. He’s clearly been listening to the artist’s dramatics far too much already at that point.
“Enough you two. We shouldn’t be fighting,” Chan scolds. If you could call it scolding. His tone with them was too gentle. As if they would break if he was too harsh. Like he was afraid he’d lose them too.
The sound of the door opening again sends another jolt through the room, all eyes landed on Minho standing in the doorway.
“Lino!” Han yips, nearly sending Hyunjin tumbling to the floor as he vaults over the back of the sofa to engulf the older boy in a tight hug. Minho let out a breathy chuckle as he stabilized them both to not fall to the floor.
“I missed you too, Hannie,” he says softly, patting his back. “No time for a warm and fuzzy reunion though,” he adds, holding him at arm’s length to look around at his friends’ faces.
“Have we found where Bbokie is staying?” He directs to Chan. Their leader seems frozen as he stares in shock at him. Minho’s really there. Standing right there . The same heartbreak they were feeling over Felix’s elimination had only happened a few weeks ago with Minho. But Minho is here .
The realization seems to snap him out of his daze. Chan smiles a genuine smile, stepping forward to hug Minho almost as tightly as Han just had.
After a few moments, he pulls back and throws an arm over his and Han’s shoulders. The younger yelping in surprise from suddenly being pulled closer.
“No, but since we’re all here now, maybe we can,” Chan says, new determination burning in his eyes. “Guys, we have a new mission!”
The group turns their full attention to their leader. Some on the edge of their seats while others even finding themselves on their feet in anticipation. “Find Felix and bring him home .”