world outsiders, nct dream

chapter twenty-five

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
DOSAGE

❝DON'T WORRY, SHE'LL BE FINE.❞

━ MINSOO FOCUS ━

A week passed as everyone grew accustomed to their new settings and such.

Nothing really changed in the short time. The three girls still stayed close to one another while Minju silently judged them and made snarky comments here and there.

They did however get closer to the three younger boys, Jeno, Donghyuck, and Jaemin. Renjun was still silent around them but they didn't push him to talk to him.

The girls were getting more used to the new arrangements of daily pills they'd have to be taking per demand of the nurses but they tried not to voice their discomfort with it too much.

Inside Minsoo's and Hyeji's room slept the two girls. One peacefully snoring while the other began sweating, her dreams becoming nightmares.

It's raining. Hard.

Inside, a young girl and her mother cuddle up on the couch, the mother trying to soothe her daughter's cries as thunderclaps outside.

She tried hard but it's of no use. Her daughter's emotions have heightened and she can't do much to help her anymore.

Minsoo cries harder and harder into her mother's shirt, soaking it with tears. Her mother pays no attention and rubs her back.

Another clap of thunder outside. This time Minsoo's head feels like it could explode. She chokes out another loud sob, feeling as if she could puke.

She tries to calm herself but it's not working.

More thunder. More rain. More tears.

A clap of thunder, so loud it shakes the house. Minsoo continues crying. One more clap and suddenly the lights on the entire block begin to flicker.

Then light bulbs begin to break, scaring everyone. One light bulb, two light bulbs, three. More and more glass pieces fall to the ground while the rest in the houses continue flickering quickly.

"Dude, get up. We gotta get to breakfast."

Minsoo sits up quickly, a deep breath leaving her lips as she looks at her roommate. Hyeji looks back at her surprised and backs up.

"Bad dream?" She asks softly, weary of her friend's state. Minsoo only nods silently, standing up.

"Will you, uh," Minsoo's voice scratched as she speaks, "tell the nurses? I wanna take a shower before I get downstairs."

Hyeji hesitates but nods, not sure if they'll get in trouble or not. Either way, she leaves the room by herself, meeting Eunha in the hallway.

The two continue onto breakfast together as two instead of three. Hyeji informs the nurses and they share a look between each other. She doesn't know what it means but ignored it when they say Minsoo's alright and they didn't mind.

Minsoo never came down for breakfast that morning. Instead, she just woke up and showered. By the time she was out breakfast was over and she needed to get to her first class already.

None of the nurses pestered her, confusing everyone else although they hadn't said anything.

She found her way to the classroom and took her seat next to her two friends. Class started and continued for a bit as normal.

Halfway through the same feeling from her nightmare came back the prior night. She hadn't noticed the rain outside until thunder sounded.

The teacher and boys all flinched, none of them realizing the unusual weather that morning either.

Minsoo's head lowered hearing it, a pain in her neck now forming. She kept quiet until another clap of thunder was heard.

She winced, gripping her neck and head with her hands. Jaemin was the first to notice and pointed it out. "Minsoo, you okay?"

She tried to nod but the thunder was heard again and she felt tears begin to form in her eyes. She couldn't understand what was happening.

The teacher looked worriedly at each of the three before leaving the room to go get one of the nurses. They came back in together just as another boom was heard.

This time Minsoo's body flinched harshly and she released a choked sob, her body suddenly feeling weaker.

In a second, her vision flashed black and she was on the floor, everyone in the room rushing to her aid.