ATEEZ one shots

(🎭: "a voice inside of him" (jyh))

jeong yunho
정윤호

Yunho was running on the empty streets. his eyes were shining because of the streets light illuminating the dark night, and hope. the hope he was feeling deep inside of him. the hope to reach his friend running, running again. still running. running away. never stopping. never turning back to wait for Yunho.

"wait! wait for me! stop running away!"
Yunho was screaming out after his friend. he wanted and needed to reach him.
"pl-please!"

the shape he was seeing slowly slowed down, and was only walking. the steps still were leading Yunho's friend somewhere through the streets, somewhere in the city.
Yunho was out of breath. and when he reached his friend, he found a way to escape. again. Yunho didn't catch him. for a reason he didn't know, his friend managed to escape before Yunho could grab his wrist.
on the opposite pavement, after the road, his friend's shape. standing there. waiting for him, for Yunho.
the tall man looked on both sides of the road, and ran across the asphalt. any cars. any car lights. any horn. any noise, besides Yunho's breath.
he was short-winded, he had trouble catching his breath. but he kept running after him. he was running away for a reason he didn't know. he needed to catch him to know, to ask questions. he needed answers.
why his best start to run away for no reason? why was his friend avoiding him like that?

"stop running away from me!"
Yunho was still running after his friend with teary eyes.
"why.. why are you doing this to me..?"
each tears his eyes let out were rolling on both sides of his forehead, to his temples.
"stop.. please.. it's dark.. it's cold.. i'm tired.. i just want you by my side.. please.. Mingi!"
the man Yunho called Mingi kept running. even though he was looking back at Yunho, he was running at a high speed. Yunho couldn't see his face perfectly, yet he was sure his friend's eyes were almost closed, as if he was smiling.
Yunho tried to keep running. he tried his best, but he couldn't run indefinitely. when he felt he couldn't handle more the effort, he stopped running and bent over; his hands on his thighs, the head still up to catch his breath, and few drops of sweat were falling on the ground. he was breathing hard, his chest was going up and down quickly.
Afar, the shape also stopped running or walking. the shape was standing there, in the halo of a street light. the human was looking at Yunho, waiting for him. from where he was, Yunho was sure his friend wasn't short-winded. as if he didn't run. worse: as he didn't need to breathe in general.

"Min-mingi! please! stop..!"
Yunho's tears get mixed up with the sweat drops on the ground. he could beg to have his friend by his side. he could beg for him to be here.

when Yunho was alright, he straightened up. the first thing he did was looking for the shape, but it simply disappeared. nothing left. just an empty street, with a hopeless young man, looking for his friend running away for no reason.
Yunho ran to the same halo the shape was standing in. and as he looked around, he found it back again. the shape was pointing at something he couldn't see. and the shape ran towards the thing he was pointing to.
Yunho followed him, and again, as he turned into a street, the shape disappeared. nothing left.
Yunho fell in his knees, and cried out. he was calling Mingi. he was crying so hard he could have lost his voice. he wanted his friend. he needed his friend.
a breeze brushing his whole cold body felt like a hug. felt like an embrace encouraging him to do his best, and cheering him up.
he was so hopeless, this breeze was all he had at the moment, and all he could rely on right now.
with a little bit of determination, he wiped away his tears, and stood back on his feet. they slowly but surely led him further in the street. and in the shadow, in front of a front door, the man was standing here.
he was here, facing Yunho. as if he was waiting for him.