8 Aftermath 1

'Come on!!! Pick up Wono-yah!!!' Junjie stops his track and looks around, trying to keep calm so he can listen to other sounds than his own loud heartbeat. He finally manages to knock down the around five alphas before returning to campus. However, luck is not on their side as he found out Wonho had yet to reach the omega dorm, nor had he contacted any of their friends.

Junjie dashes out again, head clouded by worries. Behind him, Mengyao follows suit while the other two alphas stay in their place. Both Sangcheol and Chansol wants to help, but at the same time, knowing how Wonho's scent affects them, they will not be able to do anything either. They will only make things worse and risk hurting the frightened new omega.

However, despite the different actions, everyone is worried.

Junjie makes his way to the last street he separated with Wonho. The air calmed down so much it is hard to imagine what happened almost an hour earlier. He does not know where to start, whether his friend went inside any buildings to hide or whether he was taken, or if managed to get a taxi but chose to go somewhere else safer. He wants to believe the last option, wishing that Wonho is safe. Despite knowing that is almost impossible deep inside.

After minutes of looking around aimlessly, distraught, Junjie is finally calm enough remember tracing Wonho's phone. They are always together so it is only natural for them to allow the other to know other's location in case of emergency. Which he never expected to come. Not like this.

Once the two Chinese lads reaches their destination, he starts calling out but cannot find the man he is desperate for no matter how many times they run around the area. Mengyao decides to take another route, just in case the phone fell while their friend is running away. Staying in the are, Junjie dials the number, 'Pick up….pick up….!!' He whispers while shaking his knees in impatience.

Bzzz… Bzzz…

Twenty minutes of continuous attempts, Junjie finally hears a faint vibration. In no time, he reaches the phone - screen shattered on the floor, but no owner in sight. 'Shit!! Shit!!!'

'WONO-YAH!!!! WONO!!! SEO WONHO!!!' Junjie screams all his might, running around, hoping that the man might come out from wherever he is hiding if he hears his voice. A soft voice can be heard and Junjie stopped his tracks to listen closely.

'urgh…' He cannot see anyone but somehow his heart starts to palpitate violently. That did not sound good. He tries calling again, and the voice answers, with mere grunts. Breathing heavily, Junjie walks quickly towards the sound, hoping to find the man he is looking for. And indeed, Wonho is there, on the cold pavement near the brick wall. His whole body curled in a fetal position hiding his head. He can hear his precious friend's faint breathing - Wonho is struggling. Remembering the incident an hour ago, Junjie started to become aware of his surroundings, ready to fight but to his surprise, there are no alphas in sight.

'Wonho! Are you okay?' He runs towards the figure, gulping as he sees the state Wonho is in. His jacket no where to be seen, he jeans… pulled towards his ankles and-

Junjie turns his head away, saddened by the pathetic state. It doesn't take a genius to know what happened during his disappearance. Not letting the sight get to him, Junjie runs towards Wonho and shakes the man a little, to notify the man of his presence. Unfortunately, there is no answer.

'Hey…' He feels Wonho vibrating as he gently pulls the man towards him. He can feel some sort of liquid on his hand and looks. It is dark, with only the street light lighting them but the stain on his hand is dark, almost brown. It is blood. His friend is bleeding. Junjie turns Wonho slightly to see the red liquid coming from his friend's neck, not stopping even when he put pressure on it. 'Owh god…. No…'

#####

'Sir, you're going to have to wait outside please.' One of the doctor demands, but he cannot let go of his grip on the rail. 'Nurse, please guide him!' He feels two hands on his own, and another on his shoulders, gripping slightly to guide him.

'Sir, you need to calm down. We're going to take care of your friend.' Junjie nods and let go, standing there as he watch his friend being pushed to god-knows-where. His whole body is frozen in place; his mind empty. 'Mr…'

'Junjie.' He replies, still looking at the door where his friend was brought into. He still does not want to move. Not until he knows Wonho is okay.

'Mr. Junjie, I am going to ask you a few questions regarding your friend. I need you to cooperate as this is really important, okay?' The nurse leads him to the nearest bench, Junjie allowing himself to move as he heard what was said. The lady takes a seat beside him and proceeds, 'Do you know what made him like this?'

Junjie closes his eyes. He knows what happened but not what caused the deep wound. It just, made no sense why anyone would hurt his friend that way. That is, unless, like Sangcheol stated, Wonho had just presented as an omega. Which meant the wound is a sign of being claimed. And he does not want to believe that. He does not want to believe such horrible thing happened in the few minutes he let Wonho escape alone.

'Mr. Junjie, okay, what about what he was doing when this happened?' He can only manage another breath, not finding the strength to talk. 'I'm sorry Mr. Junjie, but we really need to know what happen in order to treat your friend so if there's anything at all that you need to tell us, you need to tell us now. He's not looking good right now.'

'W-we were hanging o-out and uhmm… Wonho suddenly…' Junjie closes his eyes again, trying to recall the events. Trying to find his voice. 'He uhmm, we suddenly smell something coming from him and…'

'Mr. Junjie, you smell something? Are you an alpha?' Junjie shakes his head weakly, still trying to understand the situation himself. He is a beta, he should not be able to detect the alpha/omegas and yet, he did. Mengyao did too. But the thing is, he only notices Wonho's, not Sangcheol's nor Chansol's. Everything is just so puzzling.

'I can smell him, and we freaked out and all the alphas went crazy and we tried to run away.' He starts to spurt all the events, not caring to explain each and one of them. Not finding the time nor the peace to rearrange his thoughts for the nurse to understand. Because he cannot make sense of things either.

'Mr. Junjie, I need you to calm down.' She stops him halfway, 'Can you tell me why he is unconscious? About his wound? Did anything happened that made him like that?'

'I don't… I t-think s-someone marked h-him….' Breathe Jun, Junjie tells himself, '…against his w-will…' He closes his eyes again and feels warm tears flowing. Owh god, this is all his fault…

'Owh dear… this is serious…' he hears the nurse gets up and rushes somewhere, but keeps his face hidden in his hands. This is all his fault. He left Wonho alone despite knowing how bad the situation was. He left Wonho alone and now his best friend was violated and claimed in a dark alley.

He feels pressure on the seat as a new nurse sits beside him and tells him something, but his sobs are too loud for him to hear anything.

#####

Sangcheol and the others arrive only to find Junjie, looking lifeless, sitting alone on the bench in front of the ICU. Mengyao takes a seat on his left, while Haneul sits on his knees in front of the broken man. 'Are you okay?'

Junjie shakes his head tiredly it breaks Sangcheol's heart. The oldest kicks the wall and messes up his hair in frustration. 'GODDAMNIT!!!'

'Hey, Cheol, calm down.' He hears his mate's voice and breathes heavily, trying to obey. He feels a tug on the hem of his shirt and turns around to see Chansol, eyes shining, tears threatening to fall. Then all of them sit there, calming each other, waiting for the doctor to deliver some sort of news.

Not long after, they hear two distinct footsteps rushing towards them. All five students look up, hoping it to be the doctor, only to be greeted by two policemen. 'Are you Seo Wonho's friends?'

All of them nod. 'Who is Mr. Junjie?' The man raises his hand a little. 'Can we have a little talk?'

Junjie nods weakly and stands up. 'I was also present when it happened. I think I should talk to you too…' Sangcheol offers. He is looked up and down by one of the officers, before receiving a yes. Both of them are led to a table at a lounge.