The morning sun barely provided any warmth as the seven boys trudged into their classroom, minds clouded with exhaustion.

The previous night’s events still weighed heavily on them—the syringe, the woman, the whispers.

Jungwon felt drained.

His body was sluggish, his head aching as he tried to focus on the lesson.

But there was something else.

Something that made his stomach twist with unease.

The teacher.

Every few minutes, her gaze would flicker toward him.

Dark. Piercing. Wrong.

Each time he met her eyes, he felt his chest tighten.

Like she knew something he didn’t.

Like she was waiting for something to happen.

Jungwon clenched his fists beneath the desk.

Something was very wrong.

---

Recess

The bustling noise of students filled the cafeteria, but Jungwon could barely process it.

His head throbbed.

His body felt heavy.

The exhaustion from last night was only getting worse.

He rubbed his temples as he approached the cafeteria counter.

“Water, please,” he murmured.

The cafeteria lady nodded, turning away to fill a glass.

Jungwon sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead.

Then—

The lady turned back to him, handing over the drink.

Jungwon reached for it, but as his eyes flickered up to her face—

His breath hitched.

His fingers trembled around the glass.

He had seen her before.

But where?

His head throbbed painfully, preventing him from thinking too much.

“…Are you okay, dear?” the woman asked, her voice smooth.

Jungwon hesitated before nodding slightly.

His instincts screamed at him to leave.

But his thirst and dizziness were too strong.

So, he drank.

The moment the water touched his lips, a sharp, bitter aftertaste lingered on his tongue.

Jungwon frowned slightly but forced himself to swallow.

His stomach twisted uncomfortably.

Something wasn’t right.

But before he could dwell on it, his vision blurred slightly, his mind fogging over.

The cafeteria lady smiled.

Too wide.

Too knowing.

Jungwon stumbled away.

---

After School

By the end of the school day, Jungwon felt worse.

His body ached. His throat burned.

And he couldn’t stop coughing.

The members immediately noticed.

“You don’t look good,” Jake murmured, watching Jungwon with concern.

“You were fine this morning,” Sunoo frowned. “Did something happen?”

Jungwon shook his head weakly. “I don’t know… I just feel—”

He cut himself off, another violent cough wracking his body.

The boys exchanged uneasy glances.

“We should get back to the dorm,” Heeseung said firmly. “Now.”

Jungwon nodded, trying to steady himself.

He could feel the others watching him closely as they walked back.

---

Blood on His Sleeve

The air outside was cold, but Jungwon barely felt it.

His body was shaking.

His lungs felt tight.

And then—

A deep cough tore through his throat.

He instinctively raised his sleeve to cover his mouth.

But when he pulled it away—

His breath stopped.

Blood.

Bright red, smeared across the fabric.

Jungwon’s hands trembled.

His stomach dropped.

The others froze as they noticed.

“…Jungwon,” Sunghoon whispered, eyes wide.

Ni-ki ripped Jungwon’s wrist toward him, eyes scanning his sleeve.

More blood.

Jungwon’s heart pounded. “I—”

His vision swayed.

Before he could react, his body collapsed.

The last thing he heard before everything went dark—

“JUNGWON!”