Clap - 24

The peculiar silence of dawn flowed. Neither Ichan nor Ihyun moved.

“⋯⋯.”

Jaemin took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to control his breathing. Silently, he navigated through the darkness, finding it hard to distinguish between the floor and empty space. Despite the uncertainty, he was prepared to leap even if there was a cliff right in front of his nose.

He made his way towards the faint outline of a door with determination. From a distance, it might have seemed like a casual movement, but for Jaemin, it was as challenging as sprinting at full speed.

It took him a while to crawl through the narrow room unnecessarily. However, Jaemin did not give up. Finally, he reached the door. He glanced back sneakily. Ihyun and Ichan were still asleep with their eyes closed.

Jaemin reached out towards the smooth door handle without any obstacles. He was as cautious and reverent as Armstrong taking his first step on the moon.

The door handle turned smoothly. It was unlocked. Clearly, it was a green light. It seemed like a chance given by the heavens. His heart pounded roughly. The pulse in his wrist felt like claws scratching. His ears felt like someone was pulling them up.

Finally, the door opened. Fresh air seeped into the stuffy room. It was the air of freedom. Jaemin opened the door just enough for his thin body to pass through.

Even that felt overwhelmingly large. It was a sign of danger if Ihyun and Ichan rushed in. Or maybe they were waking up Ihyun. Or perhaps they had given up. No, that couldn’t be. After spending a few days by their side, Jaemin knew their obsession with Omega was intense.

Jaemin smiled faintly as he successfully escaped, inching his way out with determination. It was a premature joy. Just before pulling his face out, Jaemin glanced around the room one last time. And… his eyes met a pair of sharp blue eyes.

It was Ichan. He was watching Jaemin, who was crawling on the floor, with an indifferent gaze. It was a look as if watching a boring drama or dull news. Jaemin froze like a rock.

The two of them stared at each other for a while. Neither of them showed any particular expression. Ichan was calmly breathing, while Jaemin held his breath to the point of his lungs twisting.

It was a moment frozen in time, with the air and time suspended. A faint smile appeared on Ichan’s lips. It was a very slow smile. Jaemin saw a grotesque mask of a horror movie villain or a blood-stained serial killer’s eerie mask on his handsome face.

Jaemin quickly crawled backward and closed the door. The sound of the world collapsing echoed.

Gasping for breath, Jaemin sprang up. The dim light of the dawn moon filled the room. Jaemin rolled his eyes to find an escape route.

He searched around the house and found a large window with a mesh screen, making it impossible for a thief to enter. The windows in the houses he had lived in so far had all been like that. They should have been windows that an adult male could easily break if determined.

However, the windows in Ihyun and Ichan’s house were designed for ventilation and were only openable to a limited extent. Jaemin tried to force his body through with all his might, but only his ankle could barely fit.

Moreover, all he could see outside was the sky. It meant either a very high floor or a remote place with no buildings.

This escape attempt was a failure. Jaemin realized this fact sooner rather than later.

However, he couldn’t just stand there. He had to escape even a little bit. No matter what, it wouldn’t be as terrible as it was now.

All these judgments were made in three seconds. Jaemin instinctively sought the kitchen. A place to hide his body. The idea of hiding under the table or under the kitchen counter where cooking utensils were stored came to mind.

He dashed towards the hallway, his tense knees and ankles creaking. His heels hitting the cold marble floor hurt. But Jaemin finally reached the kitchen. The dark kitchen, devoid of any light, made it impossible to know its layout. However, luckily, he could see the dining table. He could also see the kitchen counter. Jaemin approached the kitchen counter after a brief hesitation.

As he cautiously felt along the wall, his hand found a small door handle. When he gently shook it, the door moved forward like a swinging door. It was probably a drawer storing large pots. Jaemin squeezed into the drawer as he opened the door. However, the drawer filled with sturdy metal pots did not easily let Jaemin inside.

Jaemin struggled to make space between the pots. Amidst the clattering of the dishes being pushed aside, he managed to create a spot for himself.