The Nightingale

“Little nightingale, our most gracious emperor wishes you to sing before him.”

 A week later.

It is the first day back since the day they got back from the trip. The whole class of 3-A doesn’t feel any better nor were they happy or relaxed. The bell to the school rang, signalling that it is time for first period. Everyone was supposed to scatter back to their seats, Jinki should have trip on nothing, Hyoyeon should be flaunting her hair, Suho should be requesting them to stay silent and Jieun’s tinkling laughter should have filled the air like how it should back then. Now, from the moment they step foot in the class, they had been glued to their seats, not even one word had come out of their lips. Some seats in the classroom is even empty and the students had gotten lesser than the usual.

Ms Gong came in like the usual as she does her duty but there was something off on her face, her face seem gloomier than the usual even her eye bags is getting more visible. After checking everyone is there, she shut the attendance book and look down, her fingers interlaced with each other. “Let’s pray for our friends and teacher that we lost.” She said and everyone also did the same. Myungsoo though only look at the rest of his classmate and teacher praying. He never believed in God. He never did, so why would he even begin praying?

Myungsoo is one of the many of people in South Korea that doesn’t belong to any religions and neither was he one to believe in God. Every religion have their own way for praying and for Myungsoo he only wish that they are now in a better place.

An hour before dateline

Hyoyeon is still screaming and demanding Myungsoo and Jongin to reveal who Rumpelstiltskin is but neither does the two want to do so. The duo never had the chance to ask Jinki about it anyway since wherever they were going, someone would always be near them. The rest are just silent, they don’t know what to do or what to say.

The clues were never found as if the perpetrator lied to them by telling that they had scattered some clues around the house. The doorbell rang again and there was another box at the footstep of the door. This time, everyone was already at the door while Ms Gong pick the box up and open it. They were scared but more than anything, they felt the need to read the letter. Ms Gong pick the piece of paper and her voice softly enter their ears.

Clock’s ticking.

Rumpelstiltskin or The Nightingale?

The choice is in your hand.

Drop a piece of paper in the witching well with the name of Rumpelstiltskin.

Softly whisper his name and let the wind sing his name.

P/S: Don’t be so absurd that I lied. Someone already found a clue ;)

Everyone was silent even the woods was going along with them but then the hair at the back of Myungsoo’s neck stood tall. The wind suddenly blows and softly brush his locks but then that was not the reason why he had goosebumps, it was how a soft tinkling laugh suddenly fill his ears as if mocking him. It didn’t help that the laughter felt so familiar to him.

30 minutes before dateline.

Hyoyeon had stopped screaming and yelling, not only that but she was missing. Everyone start to grow frantic and search for her, in fear that she had been taken. Some had went to the lake and some took the trail to the waterfall. It was just a few more steps towards the waterfall was when Jongin heard it. The soft voice that was brought by the wind.

“Lee Jinki.”

By the time, he was already late. There Hyoyeon was standing near the waterfall, the sound of the water softly hitting some rocks as some water mist fill the air. The cold breeze biting down his bones as he pull his cardigan tighter to his body. The flashlight in his hands lighted the spot where he saw something shining under the moonlight. There it was a piece of a paper floating on the water.

Hyoyeon had her arms wrapped around her body and when she heard footsteps nearing her, she turn around, eyes red and puffy due to all the crying, hair dishevelled and sticking out in all places. She was a mess. “It’s over. It’s over.” She whispered as her legs gave out and she fall down to the ground with a soft thud. “You didn’t.” Jongin had ask but it came out as a statement and he too, fall down to the ground. The flashlight in his hand roll out of his hand and lay on the ground. Krystal, Sunny and Taemin who had come with him, immediately aid her as they head back to the house. Jackson pulled him up and held the flashlight as they walk back to the house, following the other. He didn’t ask anything since he knew that Jongin might not been up to talking at the moment.

No one is.

But by the time they reach the place, they heard someone screaming and Jongin had rush back inside the house only to pass by his friends who was running with a bucket or anything that could transport water. He reach the backyard only to see the bonfire lit up but what caught his tongue was the fact that Jinki is standing in the fire, tied to a log. He was thrashing as he scream for help, his entire figure was by fire and not even the water that they took could burn the fire down. Within minutes, Jinki’s cries of help died down and no one could save him as he burn to crisp.

“The devil has told you. The devil has told you.” A soft voice said in a tune as a soft laughter fill the air that was brought by the wind. Everyone stopped moving and stood in their place as each and one of their phones rings. They slowly took it out and open the text message.

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