Chapter- 23
Unexpected

Hongjoong had been sitting in his room all silent as San is working in the kitchen. Things seem silent and normal for what's been going on actually. That's for external view though, internally neither party was silent. One was fighting from itself and the other couldn't understand how to fight for him. Hongjoong still has no idea about what happened last night but his conscience doesn't want to accept it either. Some weird strings feel loose within him and he feels like he can't move himself at this moment. However, Hongjoong still can think straight enough to wonder what to do.

The externally viewable silence in the house was interrupted by the ringing of Hongjoong's phone. Jumping slightly in surprise, Hongjoong looks around for the electronic device. Finding it under his own pillow with the muffled sounds, Hongjoong fishes it out of the place immediately accepting it and pulling the device up to his ear. The other side seemed rather out of breath though no pants could be heard nor gasps. "Oh, Jongho-yah.." Hongjoong trailed, his voice trapping within the confines of his mouth.

"Hyung...are you alright?" Hongjoong could make out the slight desperacy in the voice on the other side. Sighing, Hongjoong paused to recall last night's memories before he opened his mouth to mutter. "I...I'll tell you later.." Jongho's eyebrows rose in worry and tension, Wooyoung biting his lip at the view as concern laced through his orbs as well. "We're coming there only..tell us then maybe." Jongho informed about their arrival hearing Hongjoong hum softly before hanging up.

"Are they alright?" Wooyoung inquired, worrying lacing his vocals, eye scanning for any unusual activity from Jongho to guess. Jongho sighed as they continued walking. Not bringing the car was a bad option but somehow needed to stay unsuspicious. "That's what's bothering me...will it even be alright?" Jongho questioned, multiple worries and thoughts wiring in his head every other day. Wooyoung's eyes fell down staring at his feet as they came to a halt.

"It will be...but for that we will have to correct our mistake Jongho... everything that's happening started because of us..." Wooyoung mumbled in shame looking up at Jongho who shut his eyes for a second before sighing yet again and nodding. "Yeah, come on let's go. Hongjoong said he is gonna tell us what happened when we reach there." Jongho muttered lowering his head back through the rest of the walk to Hongjoong and San's place.

Thinking back to their words, Jongho's mind moved back to the time San lost the game. It was him who suggested that punishment...

He knows Wooyoung wouldn't let him think this way if he were to vocalize his thoughts to him, saying he wasn't the only one to be blamed. But if he spoke practically, its his fault. Yeah, maybe not his alone but surely his the most. 'You need to fix things no matter what Jongho.' A voice boomed inside his head, Jongho's eyes widening a little as he stopped in his tracks gaining Wooyoung's attention. "Jongho? What's wrong?" Wooyoung raised his eyebrows in question. Jongho looked up dumbfoundedly, Did i really hear someone?, Jongho questioned to himself. Maybe i'm just thinking too much into it. Jongho shook his head slightly muttering to Wooyoung, "Nothing. Let's go." Jongho started walking again, he must really be thinking too much.

Last night's adventures seemed to really be getting onto Jongho, now wasn't the time to think of those though. Now, was the time to do something to get rid of these multiple nights of coldness and fear and turn them to the morning sun they were walking under right now. Multiple streams of thoughts, racing the depth of Jongho's mind's forest had him on the edge and to know something unpredictable may happen any moment, even right now as they are preparing themselves to ear out Hongjoong's story. Hongjoong's uninterestedly quiet voice had him under conflicts and choosing what possibility could be of this behaviour or was it just yet another phase of the devil creeping into their souls.

Heavy footsteps and mind growing dizzy was an understatement but nowhere near highly in need of attention, not after what they are still fighting with. And the worst of this situation was, they didn't really fabricate or learn a solution to all this mishap yet. Steadily making their way towards the familiar route of the music composer and his dancer boyfriend's house, the first thing Jongho did out of agitation was run towards it as soon the building came into vision and stride his way inside to turn for the elevator.

Wooyoung knew Jongho was worried but since their visit to Ken, Jongho seemed more frustrated and in a hurry, which he doesn't complain rather appreciates but something feels off with his sudden hurry. It's as if Ken had him more worried or his ego a little up high. His slight conflicts and trust issues to Ken seemed valid, he didn't really want to trust him much either but...right now, the most they could do is put all they have on risk if it meant saving their friend's life from falling under the hands of an obsessed blood thirsty soulless devil. Afterall, if the devil wasn't a myth than Ken surely had no choice of being unreal either. Running after Jongho to match his pace was difficult and harsh over Wooyoung's feet that seemed dead from being awake the whole night and out at a place where he couldn't even take a seat but he tried.

Luck seemed out of his reach though, as he found himself not reaching in time with Jongho already locked behind the metal doors of the elevator, a slight curse followed through his gritted teeth, his hands on his hips to catch his breath. "What's wrong with him suddenly?" Wooyoung muttered to himself before straightening and looking upwards and then around himself. Feet crawling his way towards the staircase in front, Wooyoung stopped just two steps away from the first ascend. Eye balls rolling in slight dread of breaking apart his feet while trying to reach Hongjoong's floor not that it was too far up, but Wooyoung's feet were starting to answer their deadening for today with his eyes hurting for sleep out of a sudden.

Sighing and slowly setting a step on the first stair, Wooyoung grabbed the banister and started ascending his way above. Drastically slow, Wooyoung's head spinned around to collect the information yet again for the thousandth time since everything started to go down on them all.

"That's the point, it was a game and you are the loser so you have to take the punishment! Also, it's not like the tales of that ghost there, are actually true San!"

He remembers Jongho's high voice chuckle through his statement in victory and the others' agreements. He remembers his own laughs through that moment.

"Yeah Sannie! That dancing ghost is not real anyway! You can do it Sannie!"

He remembers pressing further into the clay, giving their own fun, shape. But, who was he to know things weren't the way he said? That they were actually...true?

"Okay! I'll do it!"

He remembers San agree to it in the end with annoyance lacing his vocals, his defeat showing through. If only they would have dropped it and let him go.

With thoughts scrambling around in his head did Wooyoung realise he had reached the floor he so intended not to walk upto but rather use the elevator for. But, his lovely younger friend Choi Jongho seemed much more on edge to care about him and took off first leaving him and his feet alone to this torture. Sighing at the thought of it, Wooyoung stared at his feet while walking his way towards that familiar apartment of his friend with a certain uneasiness up his nerves.

The walk seemed to be taking too long yet too short in distance. Maybe it was the uneasiness of coming to another unexpected fall through of one of the two's mental or physical state, or maybe he was too scared to go there and experience it anymore. He was tired already but he knew way better than to give into it. His friends have gone through much worse of it all.

Jung Wooyoung's senses knew way better than to expect anything great after reaching his destination but they weren't really ready for anything worse either. Who knew his heart were to stop any moment if this continues more. Life seemed to be getting the worst for Wooyoung though, as his downcast eyes and feet in motion fail to sense the presence of someone until his feet hits onto something.

Eyes raising themselves just a tad bit to get the view of what exactly this object— more accurately now indentified as a human?! —was, came as another shock for Wooyoung because right now this was surely unexpected. He may be expecting things to be unexpected but he surely didn't expect THIS!

"Jongho! You alright?!"

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Hey my lovely readers! How are things going for you all?(: This book seems to be coming closer to its end which honestly i don't know if will actually hold truth by the next time i update cause yeah my mental health gets a lot out of me but i have surely planned things off for its end by now.

Anyways it would be great if you guys help me out and show some love to my book “DIS-EASE” and also let me know if you want a sequel of SOULLESS or want me to publish another sanhwajoong book i have in my drafts after this book is finished (: