Chapter Text
"I don't think we should do this." Jay said as his fellow members began setting up the ritual around the mirror. It sat against the floor with the back against the wall to support itself.
"Stop being a scared cat, it's just some ritual game," Ni-ki snickered as he began to sets up four candles adjacent to the sides of the mirror. "You don't even have to follow us if you're really that afraid, just be prepared to be reminded that you couldn't handle a silly old ghost."
"There's no reason to make fun of him, Ni-ki." Jungwon came in with a paper and a pen. He crouches down and places them in front of the reflection of the mirror. "He's allow to be paranoid." Ni-ki just rolled his eyes but gave a quick apology before running out of the room to get the rest of the required items.
"You guys are really doing this?" Jay anxiously eyes the still incomplete setup.
"Yeah? It'll be a nice thrill game to get everyone to finally ease up from our promotion." Jungwon smiled. Jay couldn't deny that they've been working hard this year. Their tour had them bouncing around for quite some time and while that was going around, they also worked on their newest album from the filming to the production. At some point, it would lead to them getting a bit of exhaustion from it all.
When everyone was given a small moment of peace away from working, Sunoo was scrolling on his phone lurking around a forum about paranormal rituals. He gushed about it to the other 6, explaining some of the more popular ones that have spread around the world and some of the stories surrounding it. They didn't even realize that it soon turned into a round-table of telling scary stories, with each member talking about their creepy experiences when playing these types of rituals. It would have continued like this if it weren't for Ni-ki taking the conversation into a different direction.
"Why not play one of these games while we have the time?" With that offer, most of the members immediately signed up, badgering Sunoo to see what game they should play. And now, Jay was watching as his members set up the game Sunoo picked out from the forum contemplating his life internally.
Sunoo peeked into the dark room seeing the setup and shivered. "I'm almost regretting bringing this topic up."
"You're the one who picked this game out." Jay retorts, Sunoo shrinks a bit behind the corner of the door avoiding to lock his gaze upon the mirror sitting against the wall.
"I know, I just…didn't think it would be so creepy."
As Sunoo moves behind corner more he feels a small breath of air brush his ear causing him to let out an embarrassing squeal. He jumps back to see where the air had come from only to sulk to see a grinning Sunghoon.
"You have got to kidding me, Sunghoon!?" He lightly smacks against his chest. Sunghoon playfully flinches.
"You were right there, how could I not." This only pisses Sunoo more. Turning away from Sunghoon with a audible huff, he changes the subject.
"Jungwon, where's the rest of supplies so we can get this over with?"
"Ni-ki's getting a needle, Heeseung is trying to find a lighter for the candles, and Jake probably lied about grabbing something so he wouldn't participate."
"Should have joined him." Jay mumbles.
"But then it'll be down to five." Jungwon lightly pouts.
"Still better than being terrified out of my mind. I've done enough scary shit during my time as an idol, can't that be enough for my lifetime?"
"Didn't you join in with trying to scare the rest of us during that promotion episode for Manifesto?" Sunoo raised his brow at Jay. He didn't answer after that. "You're a hypocrite," He sighs to himself. "I'm going to find the others before they take too long and we die from boredom rather than some ancient ghost." Sunoo waves off the group.
"Trust me, Jay. It'll just be a silly game that we'll laugh off when it's over." Jungwon pats Jay's back to reassure him. It does little to ease him down but Sunoo in a way was right. He isn't adverse to participating in scary games or activities, but those were moments where he had a lot more of a reason to join in. Now that it was just his own group asking this, he wanted more freedom to just let the horror pass by without him. With a heavy sigh, he follows Jungwon to sit close towards the mirror. Staring at his reflection, he could only really see himself trying to put up a face of courage but deep down, he was nothing more than a bundle of uncontrollable anxiety ready to burst from the seams.
Some time passes and Sunoo was able to drag most of the members back without much trouble. Ni-ki sets down the needle and a first aid kit next to the paper as advised by Sunoo to prevent any potential infection after they completed the ritual. Heeseung, who took the longest to find, finally retrieved a working lighter that had enough fluid to light up the four candles and Jake was still missing. From Sunoo's account, he texted him to come out but Jake just mentioned being too afraid and frankly too tired to join in. Not wanting to continue pushing, Sunoo just let the Aussie boy stay in his room without much of a fight.
Sunoo sits everyone down around in a semi-circle where they surrounded the mirror itself with Sunoo sitting in the middle where he had a direct line of sight with the mirror and his reflection. With loud clasp of his hands, Sunoo takes a deep breath to calm his nerves and begins the retelling of the ritual.
"It is said that a mirror is a portal between two worlds. Our side, is one of reality. Rules had long been created since the first footprint of the homosapien was made. The other? That one is a realm that has forever reflected this one from the moment the universe was created. It is said that depending on each mirror one meets throughout their lifetime, it carries pieces of all the hidden parts of ourselves that even we might not know of within its clear walls—" Sunoo reached out for the lighter and lights the first candle.
"Some say that there's a way to gaze upon this world and its mysteries. With the oldest mirror in your possession, you can open the portal between the two sides and meet your other half. This half holds the knowledge of your life up until the time of your ritual and can take on many forms. Some say it'll hold your darkest secrets behind the mirror, others say that it shows you horrors that you were never meant to gaze upon including your own death. It's a gamble of what you can get." Sunoo lights the second and then third, his hands begin to shake but he continues on. "But be warned. What you see is what you get, and you only have yourself to blame once you gaze upon the mirror." With that he lights up the final candle. He looks around to see the members faces to see if one might have backed up and secretly ran away. Thankfully for Sunoo, no one had moved a muscle from their spot around the mirror.
Sunoo looks directly at the glassy reflection before him, he appeared normal, innocent almost. He shook his head for a moment pushing away the thoughts that it would lead to anything haunting. This was nothing more than just a fun game of thrills. With a soft chuckle, he eases up and continue with the rules.
"Seems like our players are ready," He picks up the pen and needle from the middle of the circle. "First step, write your name down onto the paper and prick your finger and set your blood next to your writing. This is your way to separate each participant during a game played by more than one person." Sunoo writes down his name first in demonstration, quickly pricks his finger, and stamps it next to his name. The other members look at each other for a moment waiting to see who would go next. That person would be Ni-ki, who snatches up the needle and pen from Sunoo and follows suit.
Each other member soon follows leaving Jay to be the final participant holding the pen and needle.
"You know, I think I'm good." Jay quickly begins to stand but Jungwon grabs his arm before he could make much of a distance away from the circle.
"Jay, it's ok. It's just a dumb game, and I'll be going before you anyway so if nothing happens to me then I'm sure the same result will be with you as well."
If?
That left an odd feeling in his stomach. Even Jungwon, who was trying his best to convince himself that this was nothing more than just a game, must have felt some fear if he believed there was a slimmer of a chance of something happening. With a heavy heart, Jay resides his fears and sits back down, writes his name, and pricks his finger allowing blood to flow out from the tip of his finger. He stamps it against the paper next to his name dooming himself to see what was beyond the mirror.
"Second," Sunoo resumes himself. "One must slide the paper behind the mirror's frame." He takes the paper and using a thread that the back of the mirror frame had, he pokes a hole through the top of the paper and slides the string through it. Wrapping it up to a small knot and slips it into the back of the frame. "When placing it on the back frame, you must be looking at the blank side not the side with the names. This will allow the mirror and whatever spirit to keep track of the participants…"
"Third and this is only if you are playing with multiple people, each member of the game will go by where their name is placed on the sheet. The member when it's their turn will move in front of the mirror," Sunoo scoots towards the middle where his face meets the mirror closely. "And you'll breathe against the reflection solidifying your connection and state your name as presented on the piece of paper you written on." Sunoo recites his name. "And then stare upon your reflection till you see your other half." Sunoo grows silent keeping his eyes locked on his reflection. Slowly beginning to relax, Sunoo was about to dismiss his fears before he sees a shift in his reflection.
The reflection stands up before Sunoo with a cunning smile. He points towards Sunoo's left signaling him to turn around. Against Sunoo's better judgment, he follows the direction it was pointing to realize it was pointing at Sunghoon who looked back at Sunoo confused.
"Sunoo, didn't you say to look at your reflection?" He quirks up a small smirk from his lips. "Or was this an excuse to look at me without looking suspicious?" Sunoo was going to respond but he paused. Could Sunghoon not see his reflection pointing at him? He turns back and his reflection gave the same smile looking down at him.
"No, it's nothing. I was just…making sure you guys didn't leave me behind." He lightly laughs focusing back on his other half.
The reflection sat back down to Sunoo's position and whispered out something that only he could hear.
"That one…the one I pointed to, something shall bloom from your connection with him. Don't be fooled by his words nor his actions, there is much more that meets the eye." And just like that the reflection goes back to normal leaving Sunoo confused on what the hell that could ever mean.
Not wanting to occupy himself with questions, Sunoo pushes it aside and finishes saying the last part of the ritual. "Once you know your other half isn't there anymore, you must bow your head and if there is another person among the list, they take their spot in front of mirror. This continues until every player has done their meeting. The mirror will then have to be smashed and all items used for the ritual must be destroyed along with it." Sunoo quickly bows and moves back to his spot in the circle. "Ni-ki, you're up next."
Ni-ki eyes at the mirror for a moment. Something was up with Sunoo's experience than he was letting on, yet Sunoo didn't appear to want to express it. He moves up towards the mirror with some hesitation. Looking directly at the mirror he only could see his face, the same face that's change throughout time but was no doubt his. Even when his own fans expressed a sense of difference from his younger self to now, there were still glimpses of who he always was. Leaning close to the mirror, he let out a puff of air against the reflection and spoke his full name staring directly at the mirror. For a good moment nothing changed. He glanced around to the rest of the group, and all they did was stare back with anticipation except for Sunoo who avoided Ni-ki's gaze.
"You need to keep staring at the mirror, not at us." Heeseung said, breaking the silence among the group. The older never gave a clear position of fear towards the game, but from the current situation, he looked bored. Ni-ki rolled his eyes with an unnecessary loud scoff.
"I know that but it's taking way too long for something to happen."
"Sunoo probably saw something…didn't you, Sunoo?" Heeseung turned over to Sunoo whose eyes widened at the sudden inclusion into the conversation.
"What? Oh um, yeah I saw something, it was probably just a trick of the eye though." He quickly laughs to himself hoping the conversation would move away from himself. Besides, he still had questions over what he saw, and why it oddly included Sunghoon in the mix despite the mirror only being meant to introduce the user's secrets not anyone outside of the interaction.
"Well there you have it. If you see something then it'll be just an illusion and given how Sunoo isn't dead, you don't have to worry about that either." Sunoo gawked at Heeseung's attempt at comforting the youngest and lightly smacked the back of his head but to his credit, the youngest began to laugh a bit.
Ni-ki turned back around still holding in the smile he had on and stared back his reflection. That's when the shift began freezing Ni-ki in place. There his reflection was laughing cheerfully as if it heard the conversation earlier. It wouldn't stop for a good moment leaving the youngest confused. Then the reflection soon calmed down, beating its chest lightly as if to command its body to calm down. It looked past Ni-ki and back to him before speaking.
"You hold many sides that people beyond may not know but do not be afraid of opening yourself up to those you deem close to yourself," The other half move their fingers up to their lips and pulled them away from each other to form smile. "It's best to give in so that you may hold onto future happiness."
Ni-ki was relieved the other him wasn't as terrifying as he secretly assumed in the back of his mind. Maybe that's what Sunoo saw, someone who didn't give fear but hope.
"Hold on, one last thing," Ni-ki asked in a whisper, low enough that the other members didn't seem to notice. To his surprised, the reflection tilts its head at Ni-ki's reply.
"What do you like to ask?"
Ni-ki wasn't sure if it broke the rules Sunoo gave out but given the benevolent nature the other half gave, he needed to make sure for the rest of the members.
"Will all our talks with you—our other half be like this?" The reflection's face fell from its previously cheerful look and was replaced with a sense of paranoia.
"I cannot answer correctly on that. We only show and tell what you need to see. It is a mystery on whether it'll be the same experience with each person." Ni-ki nodded at this.
"That's unfortunate." The reflection began to fade away with a look of sorrow and with that, the reflection looked like him again, he simply bowed and moved back to the outer circle with the others.
"This is starting to get boring," Heeseung spoke as he let out a yawn. "I'm sorry but I think the rest of you should finish without me, I think I'm going to bed."
Sunoo quickly protests. "Are you crazy? We just finished with only two players. Not to mention, all members who put their name and blood onto the paper have to meet with their reflection, that's the rules." Heeseung mumbles to himself about still being sleepy but Sunoo wouldn't allow anyone to leave when he knows what he saw was real. If they broke the rules, who knows what would happen to them more specifically, Heeseung.
"You're up next, right?" Ni-ki chimed in. "I bet you can rest once your turn is up, right Sunoo?" The older shrugged.
"As long as all members participate then everything should be fine and you can just lay on the floor till we're done if you're that tired."
"So I guess like Jay, I'm not leaving." Heeseung lightly groaned.
"I didn't even want to play, you did, Heeseung. You could have been like Jake and went to bed," Jay retorts. "But you're right, nothing has happened throughout this game." Ni-ki quickly glances at Sunoo, sure enough the older didn't fully hide that Jay's statement was incorrect. Both of them witness something beyond their reality. For Ni-ki and possibly Sunoo, their meetings were peaceful so nothing would seem out of the ordinary from an outsiders view.
Sunoo hurries to set Heeseung back down and in front of the mirror. "Just hurry up and get this over with."
"You think anything will happen to him?" Ni-ki whispered into Sunoo's ear as he sits back down.
"Probably, you saw something back there, didn't you?" Ni-ki nods facing back at Heeseung.
"It wasn't anything special but I can say he's gonna see something to wake his ass up."
Meanwhile, Heeseung took a moment to remember the rules and made a quick breath to fog up the mirror. With a yawn, he spoke out his full name and stared into the mirror. His reflection was something he looked at fondly, one could look at themselves and assort many different things onto their person but to Heeseung, it was one to appreciate more than anything. Though now his eyes were half lidded thanks to being exhausted, he still wouldn't say his reflection was anything to look away from.
Maybe it was that very exhaustion that he didn't notice the slight change in his reflection's expression. Disturbed by the form it took, it slowly gained a furious, disgusted look. Its brow casted a shadow over its eyes as it scowled at Heeseung. Reeling its arm back, a sharp bang from its fist hits the reflective barrier jolting Heeseung back into some level of consciousness.
"What the—!?" He exclaimed. Another bang hits against the barrier, and then another and then another until a furry of loud thrashes began ringing in Heeseung's ears from each blow against the mirror glass. He hurried to cover up his ears with his hands trying to soften the sound hitting his eardrums but it was still loud enough to make him flinch from the noise. Jungwon was the first to take action. He scurries over to Heeseung stumbling a bit from his previous relaxed position inside the circle confused to see the eldest clutching his hands together so tightly around his ears. He faces the mirror but all he sees is himself and Heeseung with no abnormalities.
"Hey, Heeseung? What's going on?" Jungwon blurted out but Heeseung only let out a pained yelp as he doubled over from the pain. "Sunoo something's up!" He shouted. Panicking, Sunoo flings out his phone looking at the rules again wondering if he missed something in the many walls of text.
"Shit shit…I—I don't know what to do, nothing mentioned something like this happening or a way to end it early if it did."
"Well think of something!" Jungwon commanded.
"And what do we try?! If we end the game early who knows what will happen! We could make it worse! Besides, there was always the chance it would show something like this."
"So what? We sit here like sitting ducks and watch Heeseung suffer?" Sunoo clams his mouth shut at Jungwon's words at that. Pushing away any doubt in his actions, Jungwon scanned across the supplies and snuffed out the candles, picked up the mirror, and smashed it into pieces against the ground making a hard crack sound as it shattered. A final clatter from one of the pieces shook and spun around and then settled; the members eyes peered from the glass back at Jungwon whose eyes were still watching over every individual shard. His breath soon calmed taking a quick glance at Heeseung.
As the minutes passed, Heeseung stopped hearing the thundering rumbles of the mirror. He removed his hands from his ears, letting out a sigh of relief. His ears did sting a bit from the combined pressure of his hands and the sound but he can live with that. Sunoo had his mouth a gaped over Jungwon's less than appropriate actions, but nothing appeared to have changed.
"Hey, you ok?" Jungwon panted out. Heeseung nodded still trying to comprehend what happened.
"Yeah, though now we have to deal with the mess you made." Jungwon eyes the shattered mirror pieces and chuckles to himself.
"It was that or you would have probably died or something near to it. I can't believe you're making jokes after that."
Jay and Sunghoon didn't say anything just eyed up the mess anxiously. Sunoo and Ni-ki knew Heeseung saw something but unlike them it was far more sinister. Sunoo signals Ni-ki and they leave to grab bags to clean up. Meanwhile the other three focused on comforting Heeseung.
"This might seem rude to ask but what the hell did you witness?" Jay asked.
"I don't know. One moment I was looking at myself and then the next, it began banging against the mirror as if I did something to it." Jay shivered at the imagery.
"Glad I didn't have to witness that." Jungwon gave a quick scowl at Jay but Heeseung trying to lighten up his mind began to laugh.
"Yeah, you'd be screaming like a school girl. We would all lose our hearing from your shrieks." Jay was about to retort but he kept his thoughts to himself letting his hyung have the last laugh. As the three were continuing to joke amongst themselves, Jungwon was looking back at the broken bits of the now destroyed mirror. Even with his reaction, a sliver of dread still lurked within him. Was it enough to push away whatever spirit away from harming his fellow member or did he unleash something beyond his or the others understanding.
Fire crackled against the ruined remains of the destroyed items. Jungwon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki sat along the dry grassy ground watching as the flames consumed more of the material till it became the new flames of the now created fire in silence. The other members had long fallen asleep back at the hotel with Heeseung deciding it was best to reside in the same room as Jay and Sunghoon due to still being shaken up from tonight's events. Sunoo kept his eyes away from Jungwon, not wishing to meet those eyes looking back at him with such confusion and anger, not yet at least. Ni-ki on the other hand, was more engrossed at the flames themselves, thinking back to his conversation with 'himself'. The warm feeling of their talk still lingered in his mind, but he thinks back to the final answer of his other.
I cannot answer correctly on that. We only show and tell what you need to see. It is a mystery on whether it'll be the same experience with each person.
Is that why Heeseung had such a terrifying experience? Maybe he was hiding something deep down and it reflected back on his other, Sunoo did mention it could show their darkest secrets. Even so, he'd think it would be more like Sunoo's or himself not a personal resentment only meant for someone who probably didn't even know he had an issue with it. A small puff of air escapes from his nostrils as he ponders more, his fingers picking at the grass under him, plucking some of them off of the ground before releasing them back onto the dirt. Some time passes and the fire begins to calm itself a bit more falling into a small size similar to a campfire. Jungwon stands up dusting off the dirt from his clothes and walks up towards the fire trying to see if any remains of their ritual were still visible.
"Sunoo, do you think it's long destroyed by now?" He asked. Sunoo springs up from his sitting position and walks up to Jungwon's position following his gaze upon the flames.
"Yeah it looks to be so. I want to be careful though, we already broke the rules by finishing the game early." Jungwon nods at this.
"Then we'll wait till the morning." He turns around back inside towards the hotel. "I'll go get some pillows and blankets, I don't want to put it out till we're sure we can put this behind us." And so he disappears back inside the hotel building.
Sunoo lets out a relived sigh as he goes back to sitting back on the grass. He looks up towards the empty night sky. Stars and the small ribbon embers filled black obsidian background making him ease a bit.
"You know he's not actually mad at you, Sunoo." Ni-ki said. Sunoo faces him, a little surprised he was able to tell that the guilt was weighing on him that much.
"I know," Sunoo admits curling his knees close to his chest. "Deep down I know he's not mad at me specifically, he wanted to do this as much as I did but it led to Heeseung experiencing whatever weird crap that left him shaking like that."
"It's probably his delusions from being so tired and it mixing up with the fear of playing the game. I mean, why did we get good experiences yet he's the odd one out? I find it a bit silly." Ni-ki forced a chuckle hoping the other would see that as a good enough explanation rather than the obvious possibility that shook them both.
"Yeah, it's probably hallucinations." Sunoo softly concluded to himself. Ni-ki's face dropped at the other's state. No matter how much either of them could throw theories at the wall as to why Heeseung got the short end of the stick, it all ended with the worst possibility. Something else was there, not someone who would have revealed his secrets but something that wanted him ruined and if it weren't for Jungwon's quick response to destroy the mirror, perhaps it may have gotten its wish. A thought pops into Ni-ki's head.
"Since the game is over," he began. "You want to share what our other said to us?" Sunoo popped his head up, his cheeks turning a slight bright red at Ni-ki's proposition.
"I don't think that's a good idea, we're probably still under the confines of the game and I wouldn't want to push our luck anymore." That only made Ni-ki begin to actually laugh reliving some of the tension of their situation.
"Now you're chickening out? Come on, it couldn't have been that bad." Sunoo thinks for a moment if he wanted to reveal what he saw, it would be better than being under constant guilt.
"Ok, I'll tell you but you better promise that you won't tell anyone else."
With a grin Ni-ki made a zipping gesture with his finger and mouth. "My lips will be sealed. Now spill!"
Sunoo takes a deep breath. " I think it told me that Sunghoon had a thing for me." Ni-ki grew quiet for a couple of seconds.
"You're kidding."
"Not kidding. Pointed directly at him and said his teasing was a sign of affection or something? I don't know, it just said there was more that meets the eye with his antics."
Ni-ki quickly covers his mouth to hold the appending laughing fit. "Is that why you turned to face him while it was your turn?" He said through muffled cackles. Sunoo confirmed. "Pfft, I can't believe it, even ghosts think that man is in love with you, I'm dead!" Ni-ki falls as he howls out a laugh, lying his body onto the grass as he spasmed to get in air at the insanity of it all. Sunoo puffed up his cheeks, the once light red shade of blush darkened and now covered them both as he watched Ni-ki kicking his feet at his predicament.
"What do you mean by that?" He questioned.
"You…oh you didn't know? That man teased you for what? 5 years and you still can't put together that he might like you?"
Sunoo's eye twitched at that. "This isn't a romance story!" he quickly retorts. "Not everyone is going to follow that logic when someone teases you."
"Oh come on, Sunoo! We see it, the fans see it, the staff sees it, and now a ghost—representing you by the way—sees it. Now I'm wondering if you're the most oblivious man in the universe if you still can't see the signs."
Sunoo scoffs. "Anyway that's not the point, I still wonder why it made it about him and not my personal dark secrets."
Ni-ki shrugs. "Maybe it pointing it out says something greater about you than you realize."
"Go on…"
Sitting up, Ni-ki calms himself continuing his explanation. "You said it never gave you something meant for you but I think you're wrong. Telling you was revealing something, perhaps denial over the obvious or maybe hidden thoughts that you want those gestures to be a sign of infatuation. Regardless, that man relates to you enough for that other you to literally point it out so I wouldn't dismiss it."
"I guess you're right in a way..." Sunoo covered his face in embarrassment. "God now what do I do? I learn that someone who I've been performing with might like me and I'm supposed to do…what? Ask him out?"
"Don't know, not much of a wing-man when it comes to all of this."
"Ok." Sunoo said a bit irritated. "Since you won't help…your turn. What did you see?"
Ni-ki began curling up a warm smile across his face, terribly hiding the urge to brag. "It just told me to be comfortable around you guys."
"Really?" Sunoo's eyes widen a bit. "Who would've guessed."
"Honestly, I didn't need to be told that but it's nice knowing that I have people by me to keep the days bright."
"Yeah, guess it does but I wouldn't go around telling Heeseung that. He might get jealous you have a calming spirit by your side." Sunoo snickered.
"Agreed, never telling him that. I can just hear the confused rambles that would start. Best to keep him and the others in the dark."
Sunoo's expression fell a bit. "Yeah. No point in telling them now if this all ends normally."
"Can I get this off my chest before we put this behind us?"
"Sure."
"What if Heeseung is hiding something from us? Let's say that other him wasn't some crazed spirit but the manifestation of his secrets and inner demons, what would that mean for him?"
Sunoo looks back up at the sky taking a moment to speak. "Then we should keep an eye on him. Not surveilling him but just making sure he's doing alright."
"Right."
The conversation soon dies down. The two look upon the flames dancing around effortlessly and made quiet promise that night, one that only they shall know.
Back inside of Jay's hotel room, Heeseung was still wide awake after the other two had long fallen asleep. He didn't want to sleep knowing what he saw. How that other him glared at him like he did something wrong to it despite knowing it was supposed to represent himself and no one else. The way it banged against the mirror as hard as it could to reach him terrified him so much that he made Jay cover up the other mirrors around his hotel room so he could feel some ease. It did little though, the thought that Jungwon's actions could have released the spirit made him too afraid to even blink due to the small possibility that he'd opened them and see himself staring right back at him with those same vengeful eyes waiting to tear him apart.
Even with that fear, sleep would eventually win, he was already tired when the game began and it only grew as it went on. He had to sleep but he also wanted to keep his eyes open to protect himself. As his mind was battling itself, footsteps past through the outer hall making Heeseung jump. Was it his other self finally ready to take him? He curls himself into the covers. The footsteps stop at the front of Jay's door and Heeseung could see the shadow cast itself from the small crack at the bottom of the door. A small knock echos from the door and before Heeseung could assume the worst, a familiar voice broke his fears.
"Heeseung, Jay, Sunghoon? You guys doing alright in there?" Jungwon spoke in a soft whisper, quiet enough that even Heeseung could barely catch all the words in the sentence.
"Yeah, I'm fine. The others are asleep now and I'm…managing." He responded back.
"Managing how?"
He got Heeseung there. He was awake when the younger two had long fallen asleep despite him being the most tired of the three. Trying to wave off Jungwon's suspicions he brightens up his voice to a casual pitch. "I'm fine, really. Just a bit shaken still."
Jungwon was done playing at this point. "Let me in, Heeseung." He said in that commanding tone he used when he needed to be in leader mode. And so, Heeseung got up pushing the covers off of his body and opened up Jay's door to find Jungwon holding some sleeping bags and pillows. He steps to the side letting the other enter and shuts the door behind him.
"What are you doing with those?" Jungwon looks confused for a moment before connecting the dots to the items he's holding.
"It's just for me and others when I go back outside. We're making sure everything gets burned up so we've decided to stay outside and keep watch." He plops the items down onto the carpeted floor. "But a part of me did want to see how you were doing before I went back out."
"I appreciate it, really I do but I'm perfectly ok with dealing with this. You're already doing enough keeping watch of the fire." Ignoring Heeseung's defenses, Jungwon sat down on the couch that sat in the middle of the room, he rests his elbows against his knees and then places his head upon his two hands letting out an annoyed sigh.
"I know you well enough to see through that excuse." Jungwon eyes Heeseung, analyzing every detail of the man's state before quickly glancing away. "Do you think 'it' is still around?" Heeseung glances away but gives a nod in response.
Jungwon pursed his lips, he had a familiar feeling this wasn't over. He wished it was just him. He wished his paranoia didn't make him look directly at the fire hoping that everything single piece was consumed by the engulfing fire he made. He thinks back to the moment he moved his body without thinking. The sound of glass shattering, the snuffing of the candles that left a lingering wisp of smoke from the once ignited flame, the sight of watching his friend tremble in fear. It was all too fast, he only wanted to protect him but deep down he fears that he may have put his life more at risk.
"You shouldn't worry about me though," Heeseung softly spoke breaking Jungwon out of his thoughts. "It's nothing we need to think about once tomorrow begins."
"You say that, but I have my doubts."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Sunoo and Ni-ki," Jungwon's voice grows cold with suspicion. "They seem to have experienced something during the game. I was so confused over why Sunoo was so fixated on not disrupting the game after his turn was over. Between you wanting to sleep to me trying to stop the game early, Sunoo looked terrified as if you suffering wasn't the worst possibility happening at that moment.”
"And you think he's right about things not being over because…"
"Because if he and Ni-ki did see something real then whoever was with you was real as well. And if they're real then…"
"There's a possibility I could be what? Haunted? Killed? Look Sunoo is a bunch of things but I doubt he would have picked the one ritual that leads to actually killing someone for daring to play it." Jungwon raised an eyebrow at that.
"I'm not trying to doubt his character, it's a rock and a hard place with this situation. Either I ignore the signs and you get hurt or I seem like an ass for daring to accuse Sunoo of hiding something. I don't want either scenario, I just want everyone to be safe." Jungwon's shoulders slump a bit, weariness was now beginning to take a toll. "I should have stopped it, before we got the supplies, before everyone agreed to play. If I had known it would have lead to this I—" Jungwon cut himself off from continuing only letting out a pained sigh.
Heeseung moved over to sit next to him, resting his hand on the other's head. "You shouldn't burden yourself. Was it terrifying? Yes, but it will be just a memory, nothing more. Let's worry about it when it's more than just suspicion."
Jungwon laughs to himself as he felt his hair being ruffled against Heeseung's slow movements from his hand. "Look at you doing more of the comforting than I am."
Heeseung smiled back. "I had a hunch I wasn't the only one fucked up by the ordeal." He moved his hand away from Jungwon's head. "Thanks by the way for just…checking up on me."
"You shouldn't be thanking me yet, like you said, I'm going to keep worrying about this till I'm sure we can move past this." With Jungwon's promise, Heeseung rolled his eyes letting out a small chuckle at the younger's determination. He couldn't stop him from being so worried, and maybe a part of him liked knowing that even if he himself wanted to push the events away, someone would still be around to keep watch. Briefly closing his eyes, he leans back on the couch with a relaxed breath and the two sat in silence.
The low hum of the air conditioner, the small particles of moonlight that peeked from the window's blinds, it was different compared to the sudden horrors that once filled their minds for some time. It was so calming that Jungwon didn't notice that Heeseung began to slump a bit, resting his body against his shoulder as the man succumbed to the exhaustion he felt for most of the night. Fear had long left his face as he let out soft rhythmic breaths against Jungwon's neck leaving the man frozen on what to do. He still needed to go back outside to watch the fire for the night but he admits he didn't want to leave Heeseung. Not when he looked this peaceful. Not when he can keep watch and make sure he'd wake up safe and sound but he had two people in the room with him. If anything happened, Jay or Sunghoon would protect him just fine.
That's what he told himself though he didn't move a muscle, keeping his eyes focused on Heeseung's features. He smacked any personal desires away one last time. No, he should go. He'd be more help if he watched the flames than cuddling up with Heeseung. Also he's been gone for too long at this point, staying here would make Ni-ki and Sunoo worry and that had its own problems.
Locking in on his decision, Jungwon began moving his body slowly off of Heeseung and guided him down to lay on the couch. He slides a pillow from the end side of the couch for Heeseung's head to rest on before standing up to search for a blanket around the room. Walking towards the closet, he slowly draws it open and finds a spare on the top of the self where it sat next to extra pillows and sheets. Taking it down, he walks back and covers Heeseung over with the blanket. Heeseung in his unconscious state, snuggles deeper into the blanket. Jungwon reaches down and grabs the sleeping bags and pillows. He gives one last short glance at Heeseung's sleeping body. Nothing is going to happen to him. He's going to make sure of it. With that, he slips out of Jay's room and heads back outside.
"Jungwon! There you are!" Ni-ki waved with both of his hands up in the air with a big smile. "What took you so long to get the bags?"
Jungwon tenses for a moment at the question but pushes an answer. "Nothing, the staff just got a bit weirded out with the request till I explained some of us were watching the stars as an excuse." He responded, handing out the sleeping bags and pillows to Ni-ki and Sunoo. He begins spreading out his sleeping bag and looks back at the flame. It was a bit smaller than before from the time he left. That's good, by the time it hits the morning, the nightmare would be long behind them at this rate.
"So," Ni-ki begins. "Are we just going to keep watch of the fire or can we sleep?"
"We sleep," Jungwon answered. "We still have our lives as idols so as much as I want to keep watch, it would lead to a snowball of issues if we did." Sunoo and Ni-ki faced each other and shrugged.
"You sure? I could keep watch, I don't feel that tired." Sunoo suggested but Jungwon shook his head.
"If we stay up then we'll face trouble." He lays down leaving the two to follow suit.
Tucked into their sleeping bags, the three began to sleep for the night. Ni-ki was the first to drift off. His body was curled up to gain as much warmth as he could subconsciously. Sunoo on the other hand, took a longer time to put his eyes to rest. His eyes were battling him to follow Jungwon's words and to just close them but a small voice told him to keep them open. Ultimately, he lost the battle to stay awake and his body went at ease from all its emotions as he dreamt. Then there was Jungwon. Though he himself told the two that they would all sleep, he kept himself awake and unlike Sunoo, he made sure to keep his eyes open. When he was sure his friends were deep into their slumber, he sat up and stared at the fire before him.
The small pops and cracks the flame made as it continued to flutter in a confusing dance of embers was all Jungwon could entertain himself with to keep himself up. A twist of one part and a swerve with the another. Some of the embers would attached to the flame and would spin and fuse with each other, others would part and fly off into the sky for a brief moment before vanishing into the dark night.
His eyes begin to grow heavy the longer he's memorized by the flames. I should rest. His head bobs a bit forward and then he pops himself back up into consciousness. He can't sleep, not now. If some entity comes out then who will be to blame? Some ghost who didn't want to be bothered? No. It would be everyone sitting down in that circle—worse, it would be his fault for allowing that ghost to be bothered in the first place.
Focusing back on the flames, he takes a deep breath promising himself to keep going before his body tilts backward and hits the pillow with a soft thud.