Jihoon sat frozen, his breath catching in his throat as he scanned the mess before him.
The purple USB drive was nowhere in sight.
"….!"
Still gripping the small toy car he had been playing with, Haneul stood at the doorway, his round eyes filled with worry. "Hyung… what's wrong?"
Jihoon inhaled sharply, forcing down the panic clawing at his chest.
"…It's nothing. Sorry for shouting so suddenly."
His voice came out strained as he absently rummaged through the scattered contents of his bag, flipping through books and papers with trembling hands. His mind raced, trying to retrace his steps.
He squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to concentrate.
He had opened his bag twice earlier today--once when he pulled out the candy, and another when he took out his phone to call the kid's parents.
Had he dropped it then?
Without wasting another second, Jihoon shot to his feet, grabbing a hoodie from the chair. He hurriedly pulled it over his head and turned to Haneul, who was still watching him with worry.
"I need to step out for a bit. Lock the doors properly, okay?"
"But… w-where are you going?"
"I'll be back soon," Jihoon reassured, trying to sound calm despite the anxiety creeping into his voice.
Reluctantly, Haneul nodded and did as he was told.
With that, Jihoon rushed out, his mind consumed by a single thought.
'Ihavetofindit.'
- - -
The streets were quieter than usual, despite the night still being young, with only faint echoes of city life spilling in from the main road.
Jihoon hurried to the spot where he had helped the lost child earlier, his breath coming in short, uneven bursts.
His phone's flashlight cast white beams against the pavement, illuminating the corners where the streetlights couldn't reached.
Crouching down, he swept the light over every crevice, his fingers running along the uneven patches of grass near the fence. He peered behind a row of old crates and the base of a nearby lamppost--even checking the gutter, just in case.
But it was proving to be futile.
The longer he searched, the more frantic he became.
If he couldn't find it…
Would he have to message the others? The mere thought made his stomach twist.
He could already hear their frustrated sighs, already picture the irritated messages flooding in from those who had stayed late to work on the files.
Jaw clenched, Jihoon forced himself to keep looking.
'If I can'tfinditinanhour, I'lljusthavetotelltheothers.Eveniftheycursemeout.'
He wiped the dampness from his eyes and bent lower to search again, but suddenly, his head smacked into something hard.
"Ah-!"
Jihoon flinched, rubbing his forehead as he staggered back. When he looked up, his eyes landed on a large brown box blocking his path.
And just as he blinked in confusion, a head peeked out from behind it.
"What are you doing?"
The deep voice startled him. Jihoon looked up, meeting the gaze of his next-door neighbor.
The man always seemed to come out around this time of night, usually carrying a box similar to the one in front of him. But now that Jihoon looked at it, tonight's box seemed bigger than the last.
"Oh, uh…. I'm really sorry, I didn't see."
The man adjusted his grip with little effort. "It's not like I'm seeing what's in front of me either," he muttered.
Jihoon wasn't sure how to respond to that.
There was an awkward pause before they both gave a silent nod, acknowledging the mishap and moving on.
Or at least, Jihoon tried to.
He returned back to his search, his light sweeping over the pavement once more.
After a few steps, the man stopped and glanced over his shoulder, watching as Jihoon crouched down again, his phone's flashlight flickering over the patches of grass along the sidewalk.
"Are you looking for something?"
The deep voice cut through the silence, making Jihoon startle.
"…Yeah. I lost my flash-drive. I think I dropped it somewhere around here."
The man tilted his head, then set the box on the ground.
"I'll help."
Jihoon's eyes widened. "I-It's okay, sir! I wouldn't want to trouble you-"
"Wouldn't it be faster if two people searched?" the man countered, rolling up his sleeves.
Jihoon opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. Instead, he watched as the man knelt down and started sifting through the overgrown grass on the sidewalk with mild interest.
"What does it look like?"
"…It's purple….metallic...kind of small. About this big." Jihoon gestured with his fingers.
The man hummed in acknowledgment, nodding as he continued searching.
For several minutes, they worked in silence, combing through the alley, overturning loose stones, checking under the nearby bench. Jihoon bit his lip, anxiety gnawing at him with each passing second.
Just when he was about to give up--
"Is this it?"
Jihoon's head snapped up.
The man stood near a large rock by the sidewalk, holding up a small, glinting object between his fingers.
Jihoon scrambled over, his eyes widening as he saw the familiar purple sheen. "That's it!"
Relief flooded his chest. His shoulders sagged, the weight of his fear lifting instantly.
"Be careful not to lose it again," the man said, dusting off his hands.
"I…will. Thank you so much."
Jihoon's ears burned as he ducked his head, feeling a mix of gratitude and embarrassment.
"Um… ajeossi, what's your name?"
Jihoon asked cautiously as he pocketed the drive.
The man studied him for a moment before nonchalantly picking up his box again.
"Ryul."
"I'm Jihoon. Yoon Jihoon."
The older man only gave a slight nod before walking away, disappearing into the shadows of the alley.
Jihoon stood frozen for a moment, watching his retreating figure, before the cold wind sent a shiver down his spine.
Shaking himself from his daze, he jogged back toward his apartment. By the time Jihoon reached his floor, his body felt sluggish from exhaustion.
His steps slowed as he passed by Ryul's door and found himself staring at the darkened doorway longer than necessary, but he quickly moved on.
When he finally unlocked his own door, warmth greeted him from inside.
Haneul immediately perked up from his spot in the living room. "Hyung! You're back!"
Jihoon managed a tired smile as he slipped off his shoes. "Yeah."
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
Jihoon patted his pocket. "I did."
Haneul beamed, oblivious to the weight that had been lifted from his brother's chest.
But at least… he wouldn't be waking up to curses in the group chat.