[Mital's home]
"Mom, I'm home," Geone called as he stepped inside.
Mrs. Mital was on the couch, eyes glued to her favorite TV show. She glanced at the clock. "You're late, Son.. it's 5 PM"
"Oh, Mom…" Geone sighed, dropping his bag. "Just give me something to eat. I'm starving."
Without looking away from the screen, she replied, "It's in the kitchen. Help yourself."
Geone headed toward the kitchen, loosening his tie as he walked.
"AHH!… I don't see anything."
Mom got up, grabbed his food, and put it in the oven. "You always do this," she said, shaking her head.
"Where's Charlie?" Geone asked.
"He's probably sleeping," Mom replied, handing him the fried rice.
"Sleeping? This time?" Geone's eyes widened.
"He's tired… maybe…" Mom trailed off, as Geone set the food on the table and headed toward his room. Slowly, he opened the door. Charlie was buried under the covers, sound asleep.
Geone called softly to Mrs. Mital, "He's sleeping."
Mrs. Mital, clearly annoyed, grumbled, "I know. Whatever. Let me watch my show."
Geone tried again, "Mom!"
"What! What now?" she snapped, eyes glued to the TV.
Geone teased, "No, nothing!"
Mrs. Mital muttered, "Today, Taxbro is going to kill someone ."
Geone flopped onto the sofa. "Taxbro?"
"Yeah… something big is happening," she replied.
"Who's Taxbro?" Geone asked.
"You don't know him?" Mrs. Mital looked surprised.
"Why? Is he famous or something?"
"He's the hero of Milestone," she said.
Geone laughed. "You mean the show."
Mrs. Mital turned serious. "Don't laugh! You don't watch shows. That's why you don't know."
Geone grinned. "I'm done eating."
"Huh…! Let me concentrate," she mumbled, eyes glued to the screen.
"Okay, I'm going," Geone said, standing.
"Hmm..oh..one thing, I'm hanging out tonight," Mom added.
"Dad?" Geone asked.
"No… he's not here. Just me and my friends," she replied.
"When is he coming?"
"We talked earlier… Tomorrow."
"Have fun, Mom!" Geone said, heading to the room.
Charlie was still buried under the blankets.
Geone grabbed his headphones and slipped into the "storeroom"—though calling it that was a stretch.
It was the room prepared for Charlie: bed made, everything in place.
But Charlie hadn't officially moved in yet. The room was empty aside from his scattered belongings.
Geone turned up the volume on his headphones and started dancing, the room filling with loud beats—a private chaos all his own.
[Withman's home]
Hira lay on her bed, her head still aching. The room was dark, her eyes closed.
Suddenly, she heard a sound. She got up and stepped outside. The noise seemed to come from her mother's room.
Mrs. Whitman stood there, staring at the broken mirror she had just smashed. When she noticed Hira, she said coldly, "You're all the same."
Then she walked past Hira and left the house without another word.
Hira stood there silently, unmoving.
After a while, she went to the kitchen, poured hot water into a cup of instant noodles, and started eating.
Toha came out of his room. Hira looked at him. "Where's Dad?"
Toha replied irritably, "How would I know? Maybe.. they fought again." He walked into the bathroom.
Still eating her noodles, Hira returned to her room, put on her headphones, turned the volume up high, and lay down, staring into nothing—letting the music drown everything else out.
[Mital's home]
Geone's throat felt dry. He had dozed off on the storeroom bed while listening to music. When he woke, the clock read 9:00.
The house was empty. He stepped out, checking the rooms—no one.
He flopped onto the sofa and turned on the TV. Soft classical music floated through the air.
Then he remembered Charlie. Is he still sleeping?
He dropped the remote and bolted to the room. Charlie was still under the blanket. Motionless.
Geone's hand trembled as he pulled the blanket away from Charlie's face. "Charlie."
The moment he touched him, Geone froze. Charlie's body was ice-cold.
He lifted the blanket fully. Charlie's limbs quivered violently, as if caught in frozen chains. Geone's hand went to his neck.
Cold.
Too cold.
Even Charlie's breath felt like shards of ice against his skin.
"Charlie! Charlie!" Geone shook him, panic clawing at his chest.
Charlie's eyes fluttered open weakly. Barely a whisper: "Geo…"
Geone's mind blanked. He grabbed his phone. "Mom! Hello? Mom—something's wrong with Charlie!"
Only music answered. No voice. No response.
"Hello?! Mom?!"
He slammed the phone down, hands trembling uncontrollably.
He pulled Charlie into a sitting position, but his body was stiff, nearly breaking under its own weight.
Geone pressed him tightly against his chest. Charlie's icy breath brushed Geone's neck. His heart hammered.
"Charlie," Geone said, voice shaking, "open your eyes. Look at me. We're going to the hospital right now!"
He slapped Charlie lightly, shaking him desperately.
Charlie whispered, "Geo… don't…"
"Talk to me!" Geone shouted, pressing his hands to Charlie's neck, shoulders, chest—trying to force warmth, force life into him.
Charlie's head lolled, exhausted and pained. "Geone… let me sleep…"
"No! We're going!" Geone yelled.
Suddenly, Charlie collapsed sideways. Geone barely caught him.
"Don't want…" his voice came weak and fragile.
"You're not okay," Geone rose his voice, panic igniting every nerve.
Charlie weakly pushed his hands away. "Please… let… me…"
Geone stepped back, mind racing. "What do I do… what do I do… if I don't take him to the hospital and something happens—" He grabbed his head. "Blanket… !"
He ran to his mother's room and grabbed two more blankets, shoving them over Charlie's trembling body.
He's been like this all day… and I didn't even notice, guilt crushing him.
He called his mother again. No answer. Minase? No answer.
"Oh God… Minase…"
Then suddenly—𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳.
Geone sprinted and switched it on full power. Returning to Charlie, he climbed onto the bed, pulled him close, wrapped them both inside the blankets, and held him with all his strength.
"Charlie… Charlie…" he whispered, voice breaking.
Minutes passed. The violent shaking slowed slightly—but the cold clung stubbornly.
Geone pressed his hand to Charlie's neck again. Charlie's eyes opened a little, his hand slowly resting over Geone's.
"Geo…"
Geone felt the faintest flicker of warmth—so faint he wasn't sure it was real.
Clinging to that tiny hope, he rubbed Charlie's neck, shoulders, and chest repeatedly, whispering, "Just a little warm… just a little…"
A desperate thought struck him—maybe my body heat can help.
He quickly removed his own clothes and wrapped Charlie tightly against himself.
But it felt useless. It felt like his warmth wasn't reaching Charlie at all.
He stayed like that for a moment, holding him as tightly as he could. Still—nothing.
Geone kept checking Charlie's neck and throat, hoping to feel even a trace of warmth.
Nothing. Charlie's body remained cold.
Geone's chest tightened. Tears threatened to spill. He hugged Charlie harder. "Please… please…"
He pressed his cheek against Charlie's, his throat against Charlie's, holding him even closer—trying to force warmth into him somehow.
Maybe this will work, he thought desperately.
He hurriedly unbuttoned Charlie's clothes too, then pulled him back into his arms, skin to skin, holding him as tightly as humanly possible—refusing to let go.
As if letting go would mean losing him.
Continues...