April, 5, 2015 (continued).

“D.O. Hm, that's a unique nickname.” Making small talk eases Luhan's nerves. He doesn't know anything about the man in front of him, but their existence is mingled like the smoke they blow from their mouths.

“It's not. In fact, it's a poorly thought out alias.”

“Alias? I thought only criminals needed an alias.” Luhan laughs at his banter, but the man doesn't.

“So you understand, then.”

“Understand?”

“You see, I couldn't just walk into a courtroom going by Do Kyungsoo, could I?”

“...Are you-”

“Yes, Luhan. Don't be dim.” Luhan wants to scream, but he finds himself not able to move. His arms and legs feel as thought they are no longer under control, and before he's able to understand; he's collapsing onto the ground beneath him. Kyungsoo sits beside him, no sense of urgency can be found in his expression.

“You- you're-”

“Wanted. A Criminal. A murderer?”The man finally looks at Luhan full on, and he seems taken aback by what he sees.

“What did you do to me? I can't move.” It isn't the first time Luhan has been in this situation. In fact, it's not his condition that makes him panicked. He knows he won't die.

“Arsenic. Your cigarette was laced pretty heavily. That and a good amount of heroin; black tar, you don't find it easily these days.”

“You...you drugged me? Why?”

“Well, the arsenic won't kill you, will it? The uh, dead feeling in your legs; that's the heroin. Not the arsenic. In fact, you won't feel it for a while. No, I had to get you calm; immobile. Don't worry, though; we both took our medicine.” Kyungsoo holds up the small of the cigarette that he has left and points to the small red 'x' on the filter. A simple guess would tell Luhan that his cigarette must be marked the same way.

“Suicide? Is that how you plan to escape what you've done?”

“I won't be escaping anything. In fact, after we're done here, I'll let you handcuff me yourself. That is, if you're conscious enough. I won't die until after the trial. I might be skipping out on prison, but I'll still face perdition.” Kyungsoo is lax in the way he speaks, and his body sags with the effects of the drugs he's ingested.

“What do you want from me?”

“An audience. That's all. Well, that and an explanation.”

“An explanation for what?”

“Your behavior, Luhan.”

“I don't...understand.”

“Youth is wasted on the young. Taught skin and healthy bones are wasted on underdeveloped brain cells. When I realized what I'd become; what I'd do with my life, I made a conscious decision to only live until I couldn't find the legitimacy of life. I may have lived unethically, but can you really call me a criminal? All you teenagers do is kill yourselves or each other. You smoke and drink like you'll die at any minute, but you won't. If you keep your life on the straight and narrow you could be unstoppable. The only thing that could bring you down would be another teenager; another reckless being too new to the world to understand the value of life. I often wondered why someone would take another life. Life in itself is so beautiful, but so easy to take away. So easy to wish away.”

“You've done nothing but murder. How can you say that?”

“I never touched a soul. I only ordered it be done. I only watched as someone else found the gumption to kill.”

“You killed Jongin.”

“Jongin was a lost soul, but I did not kill him. There are people who commit evil, Luhan, and there are people who see evil being done and do nothing about it. He just wasn't strong enough to deal with the injustice of life, so he to