From countless lecture halls, classrooms and laboratories to each and every bathroom stall, Chan made sure to breathlessly check everywhere. But his futile attempt to spot Felix anywhere was not working. Once Chan had heard the words leave Hyunjin's lips, before he could respond, he was already on his feet, running.

Chan slowed down in the dark hallways, stopping to catch his breath. He checked his phone.

1:03 am.

He continued on his foot, an enormous wave of thoughts flooding his mind. He subconsciously walked off to the unused wing of the campus, mostly consisting of locked rooms and his so-called hideout.

Once he approached the area, he could vaguely catch sight of light seeping through the cracks of a half-open door.

The music room.

Chan sped up, along with his heart ferociously pounding against his chest. A million more thoughts crossed his head, was it Minho? But Minho was in no state to even leave his bed. Who else would be knowing of this place, besides that one name Chan despised?

Chan pushed the door wide open, breathing unsteadily.

And then, all at once, in one shattered moment, his heart and breath stopped.

He initially couldn't make out the utter mess of a body lying almost lifeless on the white tiles stained with crimson; his hands weakly wrapped around his guts, the pastel pink sweater was ripped in half, now a disaster of dirt and blood while the rips exposed his bruised skin. If not for the messy blond hair, Chan wouldn't have recognised Felix.

"...Felix?" Chan's voice came out in a shaky, weak whisper. He inched closer to the boy. This was a nightmare. This can't be real. Chan did not want to believe it.

"C-Chan.." Felix choked out, his cracked lips failed to speak louder as bloody spit drooled out, "ᴵ ᶜᵃⁿ'ᵗ- ᵇʳᵉᵃᵗʰᵉ-"

The beaten-up boy attempted to call Chan's name again, unable to see through his blurry vision and swollen eyes, unable to hear well after the sharp jab he received to the side of his face. He weakly tried to reach out and grab onto Chan with one hand, but he didn't have to because Chan was already on his knees, pulling Felix into his arms.

"Who- Felix, who did this-" Chan swallowed his panicked words, frantically checking the dark bruises on Felix's pale, fragile body as he shuddered and whimpered in pain under Chan's touch.  "Baby, you're going to be okay."

Chan inspected the mess made out of Felix's pretty face, certain that his nose was broken. He clenched his jaw, he couldn't explain the fury of emotions burning within, he wanted to kill, no, rip the one who did this apart.

Felix choked out a cough, gripping onto the fabric on Chan's back like it was his lifeline; in return, Chan gently lifted him up in his arms safely,

"I'm so sorry I let this happen, I should've kept an eye on you."

"Ch- Channie,,"

"I'm here, baby," Chan replied softly, walking out to head to the dorms to tend to the bruises. He gritted his teeth in boiling rage,

"I will fucking kill Seo Changbin."

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a;n - just a reminder that Minho was sick and 'was in no state to even leave his bed.'  i've been watching most ppl believe it was that sweetheart glaring at chanlix or beating lix up but yeah.... u guys... it was supposed to be obvious :'))) and chan did not assume. because  'Who else would be knowing of this place, besides that one name Chan despised?'  ye so that's it. uwu ly guys <3