Jaehyun strolled through the empty hallways, hands in his pockets, his thoughts never leaving the chestnut haired boy he was currently looking for. The school was quieter than usual, as pretty much all the students were currently having lunch in the cafeteria. His thoughts wandered back to Woonhak, wondering where he had gone.

He turned the corner, peeking into a couple of classrooms, his steps unhurried but his gaze scanning every corner of the hallway. The afternoon sunlight filtered in through the windows, casting golden patterns on the linoleum floors.
Despite the calm surroundings, an unease had settled in Jaehyun's chest, his worry for Woonhak growing.

Then, the lights flickered.

Jaehyun paused, blinking up at the ceiling. Without any warning, the lights cut out completely.

Darkness swallowed the hallway.

Suddenly a loud BANG reverberated through the building, making him jump. Then came a series of low, creaking noises, like the building itself was groaning. The light worry in Jaehyun's chest gave way to a rush of adrenaline, his heart pounding a little faster. The silence that followed felt dense, suffocating. What was that?

"Woonhak?" he called out, his slightly panicked voice echoing into the dark.

No reply.

He took a cautious step forward, the faint glow from the windows barely enough to see. Another loud bang cracked through the air, followed by a rattling sound that shook the windows. And then-he heard it. A muffled, broken sound. Sobbing.

Jaehyun's breath caught. He quickened his pace toward the noise, his footsteps cautious and deliberate. As he rounded a corner near the stairs, he spotted a shape on the floor, pressed into the shadows.

"Woonhak?" Jaehyun whispered.

Woonhak's small frame was curled tight against the wall, his head buried in his knees. His whole body trembled violently, sharp breaths punctuated by suppressed sobs. Even in the dim light, Jaehyun could see his fingers gripping his sleeves with a desperate tightness. His shoulders were hunched as if trying to disappear into himself.

Jaehyun's chest tightened painfully. He knelt beside Woonhak, his own uncertainty swallowed by the need to help. "Hey, it's okay," he said softly, his voice careful, soothing. "It's me, Jaehyun."

Woonhak flinched as another bang echoed in the distance, his trembling growing worse. The fear rolling off him was raw and overwhelming. Jaehyun hesitated for only a second before wrapping his arms around the younger, pulling him close. The boy tensed immediately, every muscle wound tight as a spring.

"Shh," Jaehyun murmured, his hand gently rubbing Woonhak's back. "I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you."

Woonhak's breathing remained ragged, his sobs muffled against Jaehyun's shoulder. The warmth of Jaehyun's embrace seemed to battle against the cold fear wrapped around him. But still, he didn't relax. His fingers clung to Jaehyun's shirt, but not out of trust—out of pure desperation, as if letting go would mean being swallowed by the dark.

"We're getting out of here," Jaehyun promised, his voice steady despite the ache in his heart. He needed to get Woonhak somewhere safe right now.

Carefully, Jaehyun tightened his hold and stood, pulling Woonhak with him. The boy's weight was slight, but Jaehyun could feel the burden of his fear, heavier than anything he'd ever carried. Woonhak's grip on his shirt didn't loosen, his head still tucked against Jaehyun's shoulder.

One step at a time, Jaehyun walked through the dark corridors, each distant creak making Woonhak shudder. The world outside seemed impossibly far, but Jaehyun didn't stop. The only thing that mattered was getting Woonhak out of the suffocating darkness.

Finally, the doors loomed ahead. Jaehyun pushed through them and stepped out of the school building, the door swinging shut behind him with a soft thud. The outside air was a sharp contrast to the oppressive darkness of the hallways, and it hit him with a cool rush. He felt the weight of Woonhak still in his arms, the boy clinging tightly to him, as if he feared the world might fall apart again at any moment.

Outside, the scene was chaotic. Students and teachers were gathered in a massive crowd in front of the school, their voices blending into a cacophony of chatter and speculation. Some were laughing nervously, others looked concerned, but no one seemed to know what had really happened inside. The air buzzed with uncertainty.

Jaehyun gently shifted Woonhak, carefully lowering him to the ground. The boy continued to clutch the front of Jaehyun's shirt with both hands and Jaehyun could feel the tension in his body. He wouldn't let the younger go. 

"It's alright," he murmured softly, trying to reassure him. His hand remained on Woonhak's shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze as they stood among the crowd. "You're safe now."

Woonhak's eyes were wide, still filled with fear, but he didn't move away from Jaehyun. He clung to him like a lifeline, not ready to separate.

Jaehyun sighed quietly and looked around, spotting one of the teachers near the edge of the crowd. He nudged Woonhak gently, his voice calm. "Come on, let's see what's going on."

He guided Woonhak through the throngs of students, making their way toward the teacher, who was talking to a few other faculty members. The teacher—Jaehyun believed his name was Mr. Lee—glanced at them as they approached.

"What happened?", Jaehyun asked, a bit out of breath.

"We're still waiting for updates," Mr. Lee said, shaking his head. "It seems like it's something with the electricity, possibly also the heating system. We'll know more soon."

Jaehyun nodded, relieved that at least it wasn't anything more serious. Mr. Lee observed the two of them for a moment, then spoke up again. "Is he alright?" He gestured toward Woonhak, still clinging tightly to him, his grip unyielding.

The teacher's gaze softened as he looked at the brunette.

Jaehyun nodded again, his voice gentle. "He... just got scared by the noises and the darkness. I'll take care of him."

Mr. Lee gave him an encouraging smile. "Alright. Make sure he's okay. You can head home if you need to."

As the teacher turned to speak with the others, Jaehyun looked down at the younger, who kept holding onto him, eyes still filled with uncertainty. He gave him a reassuring smile, then asked softly, "Woonhak? Uh.. do you wanna... go home with me?"

Woonhak didn't answer right away. His grip remained tight, and his face was still tense, but Jaehyun could feel a shift—something that wasn't entirely fear anymore. Woonhak's shoulders, while still stiff, weren't as rigid as before. After a long moment, he nodded, just a tiny movement of his head, but it was enough.

Jaehyun's heart gave a small, relieved but also suprised beat. He was not expecting the younger to just agree like this at all.
Jaehyun carefully wrapped his arm around Woonhak's shoulders, pulling him close, his protective instinct kicking in once again. "Let's get you inside, okay?" he said softly.

They started walking away from the crowd, Jaehyun guiding Woonhak through the sea of students, still tightly pressed against his side. Woonhak's fingers didn't loosen from Jaehyun's clothes, and Jaehyun kept his arm securely around the boy's shoulders, offering what little comfort he could. His presence, at least, seemed to make the world feel a little less frightening for the younger.

Jaehyun led the way, one step at a time, through the school gates and down the sidewalk. The late afternoon light was soft, but it felt like the world had gotten a little quieter, a little more still. The space between them was filled with nothing but the sound of their footsteps.

With every step, Jaehyun's resolve grew stronger. He would make sure Woonhak felt safe. He wasn't going to let him face anything alone.

---

Word count: 1287

Who's your bias in BND?
Mine's Jaehyun, suprise🙃

This might seem rushed to others..
But to me the way their act and everything makes sense. As I have the same MBTI as Woonmyungz I kinda just let them behave and feel like I would (and have)
Yea :)