Insanity ♧ L. Cheong-San x OC (All Of Us Are Dead)

[11] who has to go?

No one dares to speak after Na-Yeon and Ms. Park leave the broadcasting room, each of us deep in our own thoughts. The soft hum of the air condition unit is the only thing keeping the room from falling into a deafening silence, and for that I am thankful. 

I sit on the floor in between Su-Hyeok and Cheong-San, my head resting on the latter's shoulder as he plays with my fingers- something Cheong-San used to do when we were kids. I can tell a lot is going on in his mind after almost losing one of his best friends, the gnawing feeling of losing almost anyone from the group growing inside all of us.

I look around the room and smile at Gyeong-Su who meets my gaze. I'm glad he's okay. I already lost I-Sak, I can't lose any more of my friends, especially...

"I didn't hear anything." Cheong-San voices out.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

He looks down at our intertwined fingers. "I didn't hear Na-Yeon or Ms. Park."

"You mean their screams?" Su-Hyeok clarifies.

"Does that mean they might be alive?" Dae-Su perks up. "They're alive, aren't they?"

I look down. Come to think if it, I never heard their screams too.

"Why is no one responding?" Dae-Su sulks. "I'm always talking to myself."

"No, you're right." I say. "I didn't hear them either."

"Aish, never mind." Dae-Su waves a hand.

"I didn't hear anything too." Joon-Young agrees.

"Me too." Hyo-Ryung says. "I was afraid of what I was going to feel when I heard their screams, but I didn't hear anything."

"Dae-Su is right, they might still be alive." Somehow, I feel relieved.

"Should they be though?" Ji-Min asks, tone clipped.

"What do you mean?" I furrow my eyebrows at her.

"Na-Yeon." Ji-Min answers. "She almost killed Gyeong-Su, does she really deserve to be alive?"

"What about Ms. Park?" Wu-Jin asks. "Are you saying she shouldn't be alive too?"

"Whatever happens to them is not our fault." Ji-Min glares at Wu-Jin.

"But they're out there because of us." Wu-Jin argues.

"Is that our fault?" Ji-Min scoffs. "Na-Yeon chose to leave the room, and Ms. Park chose to follow her. If it's anyone's fault, it's theirs. We shouldn't be accountable for their actions."

I bite my bottom lip, trying to comprehend Ji-Min's words. She has a point, none of us forced them to leave, but none of us forced them to stay either.

"Yah, you're going to draw out blood if you keep doing that." Cheong-San nudges my shoulder softly, gaze flickering on my lips.

I slide my tongue across my bottom lip, the faint taste of metal on my tongue. I didn't even know I was biting too hard.

I look up to meet Cheong-San's gaze, but the moment our eyes meet he blushes and looks away.

"Told you." He mutters, still avoiding my gaze.

Su-Hyeok walks over to stand beside Wu-Jin.

"Yah, I don't know if I should be saying this, but..." He clears his throat.

"Then don't say it." Wu-Jin hits Su-Hyeok's stomach lightly.

Su-Hyeok grunts and shakes his head. "Do any of you need to use the bathroom?"