Trinity Six | NCT DREAM

041

Three weeks had gone by fast, and everything seemed to have returned to normal, or as close to normal as it would probably ever be considering how my life had been turned up and down during my time with Trinity Six. I had spent the first couple of days cooped up in my apartment where I had hidden away from the rest of Seoul up in the clouds, staring emptily out at the skyline as the sun rose and went down again and again. One morning was what had changed everything for me. The numbers in my bank account had suddenly started rising, and they kept going as I stared at the balance through the phone screen, my mouth falling open to form a small 'o' as I tried to comprehend the amount of money that was suddenly in my possession. Seven figures. $1,250,000. It was unbelievable, I thought, trying to figure out how much the diamond must have sold for. If they had split the money evenly between themselves, Mark and me, that would still have been 10,000,000 but that couldn't be the case, could it?

My studies were going better as well, a huge weight having been lifted off my shoulders now that I would never have to worry about my student debt, rent, or transportation ever again. I had started eating regularly again since there was no longer any reason to starve in order to afford my other living expenses. The biggest challenge, though, despite all of the pros, was socializing. Every time I tried to get close to someone new, images of my time with Trinity Six seemed to invade my thoughts, forcing me to back down and retreat to my own solitary bubble. The memories with the men that I had come to care so immensely for was still an open wound for me, and just thinking about them made my heart ache. But I was the one who left them. It was my fault, even though the fact that they hadn't come searching for me hurt just as much.

I was on my way home from a late-night study session at the library, admiring the tall facades of the buildings that rose up on both sides of the street I was walking down, trying to read every single one of the colourful signs as they glowed in the darkness, inviting me to stop for a moment and enjoy the pleasures the many shops could offer when a sudden chill went through my entire body, starting from the top of my neck before making its way down. I came to a halt and shivered, immediately recognizing the feeling despite not having experienced it for several weeks. Someone was watching me. It was no use trying to look for them, though, I told myself, and one look over my shoulder could be all it took to give myself away. I would try to lose them in the crowd.

And so, I began walking again, weaving in and out of the many groups of people that had sought to the streets on their nighttime adventures, trying to make myself as small and regular-looking as possible as I slowly but surely began to pick up speed. I counted the alleyways I passed in my head, trying to figure out which shortcut would take me home the fastest, but it was a risk and I knew that.

I would lose the crowd at some point anyway, I told myself, making a sharp right turn as I made my way out of the brightly-lit streets and loud nightlife of Hongdae. The neon glow that had covered the wet pavements seemed to disappear as soon as I walked around the corner, and with every step, the noise from the many bars and nightclubs as well as the low hum of conversations seemed to get further and further away. A streetlamp above me flickered, reminding me of the night several weeks ago where I had been in the exact same situation, except back then EXO hadn't been following me. No, I had run straight into their trap.

The sound of footsteps behind me was what made me panic, though, as the situation suddenly seemed uncomfortable like the one I had just reenacted in my head, and I sped up a little more, walking faster up the slightly sloped road. My heart sunk as I heard the person behind me walk faster as well, trying to match my pace, and I sped up a little more, suddenly feeling incredibly small underneath the flickering streetlamps, like prey that couldn't get away from the predator. The alleyway was quite long, though, and I had to make it back to one of the bigger roads if I wanted to be safe. I had to be around people if I wanted to be safe, and so, I ran.