Chapter Text
The absence of Sunoo was like a ripple that grew into a crashing wave, unsettling the entire dorm by the time midnight arrived. Ni-ki glanced at the clock for the fifth time in ten minutes, his phone resting cold and silent beside him. The usual jokes and playful bickering had fizzled out, leaving behind a heavy, unspoken tension that none of them could shake.
“Maybe he just lost track of time,” Jay offered, though his voice lacked conviction. His arms were crossed, and his gaze lingered on the front door, as if willing Sunoo to walk through it.
“Sunoo never forgets to text,” Jungwon muttered. His phone remained glued to his hand, his thumb repeatedly refreshing the chat thread he had with Sunoo. Each blank screen felt like another nail driven into the growing pit of unease that coiled in his stomach.
“Let’s give it a bit longer,” Sunghoon suggested, though even he didn’t sound convinced. His eyes met Jungwon’s across the room, and the silent understanding passed between them. Something was wrong.
**
By 1 AM, that sliver of doubt had solidified into full-blown panic.
Jungwon paced the living room, his mind racing. Ni-ki sat on the floor, fidgeting with the hem of his hoodie, while Jake continuously redialed Sunoo’s number to no avail.
“Where did he say he was going?” Jake asked, looking up from his phone, frustration and concern lacing his tone.
“That café near the station. He was meeting a friend,” Jungwon answered, already pulling on a jacket. “I’m going there.”
“I’ll come too,” Jay volunteered immediately, following suit.
Sunghoon grabbed his keys. “I’ll drive.”
The group hurried into the cold night, the streets of Seoul eerily quiet as they drove toward the café. The pit in Jungwon’s stomach only deepened the closer they got. Something about the emptiness of the roads, the hushed tones in the car, made the whole thing feel surreal.
They arrived within fifteen minutes. The café was closed, lights off, and the streetlamps outside flickered faintly. Jungwon stared at the spot where Sunoo had mentioned he’d wait.
“We’ll check around,” Jay said, breaking the silence.
The group scattered, calling Sunoo’s name into the night. Jungwon walked down the street, his breath curling in the cold air as his eyes scanned every shadow.
He stopped at the alley next to the café, his footsteps hesitant as he peered inside. The alley stretched long and narrow, swallowed in half-darkness. A faint prickle crawled down his spine.
“Sunoo?” he called softly.
Silence answered.
A noise startled him—the rustle of paper caught in the wind. Jungwon pressed forward, the echo of his shoes against the cracked pavement unnervingly loud.
Near the end of the alley, something glinted faintly beneath a dumpster. Jungwon crouched, reaching under to retrieve it. As his fingers brushed the object, his heart sank.
It was Sunoo’s phone.
**
“This isn’t good,” Jay said, staring at the device as Jungwon held it up for the others to see. The screen was cracked, the glass faintly smeared as if it had been dropped hastily.
Jake took a step closer, his face pale. “He wouldn’t just leave this behind.”
Ni-ki shifted uneasily. “Maybe he dropped it and went home with his friend?”
Jungwon shook his head. “I tried calling his friend already. Sunoo never met him. His friend said Sunoo never showed up.”
Silence swallowed the group whole.
Sunghoon tightened his grip on the keys in his hand. “We need to tell management.”
“Not just management,” Jungwon said firmly, his eyes burning with quiet determination. “We’re calling the police.”
**
The waiting room at the police station was cold and sterile, washed in fluorescent light that flickered above their heads. Jungwon sat at the edge of his seat, his knee bouncing restlessly as an officer took their statements.
He relayed everything—the café, the alley, the phone. The officer listened carefully, jotting down notes before asking for a recent photo of Sunoo.
Jay handed one over, and as the officer examined the image, his brow furrowed slightly.
“You’re sure he didn’t just leave town or head somewhere without telling you?” the officer asked.
Jungwon stiffened. “Sunoo wouldn’t do that. We know him.”
“Alright,” the officer conceded. “We’ll begin by reviewing security footage from around the area. You’ll be contacted if we find anything.”
It wasn’t enough. The vague assurance did little to quell the dread that settled deep into Jungwon’s bones. As they left the station, the weight of Sunoo’s absence clung to them like a shroud.