“You know why Tao called us here?”  Baekhyun asked Youngmin, which is currently sitting on the sofa beside his twin, Kwangmin. Youngmin looked up from his iPhone before tilted his head. “Dunno. As far as I knew, you are the one who’s close to him.” He replied, emphasizing on the word ‘close’ before turning his attention to the PSP on his twin’s hand.

Before Baekhyun could think about any smart retort, the room’s door is being opened, and from it appeared Siwan, followed by Yongguk, Himchan, and Hyunwoo.

“Hey, you guys already here? I expect I’ll be here first.” Siwan grinned before slumped himself beside Kwangmin.

Hyunwoo gave him a mocking grin. “Maybe it’s time you change your car, hyung.”

“Hey, you, watch what you’re talking about.” Siwan gave his brother a playful warning. “Anyway, does anybody know why Tao called us to his house?”

Kwangmin laughed mockingly, his eyes glued to his PSP screen. “Baekhyun just asked the same thing.”

“Really? Who would know that we’re made for each other, huh?” Siwan shoved Baekhyun’s hand, pouting before bursting out laughing.

“Hey, cut the romance until you find a room, gentleman.” Himchan cuts in. “Anybody seen Tao? Weird, he called us here but he didn’t even here.”

“Ah, you speak like you didn’t know Tao at all.” A voice came, followed by the owner of the voice, Lee Kiseop, who walks through the door. Not too long after, Yook Seungjae also came in.

“Yeah, he probably forgets that he invited us and instead flew to Hawaii to party.” Seungjae slumped himself beside Himchan, scanning the room. “Hey, I saw your new Porsche, Kwang. How beautiful.”

Kwangmin grins. “Thanks. It’s a shame Youngmin still prefers Lamborghini over Porsche, but sadly, we cannot change people’s mind.”

“Hey!” Youngmin immediately punches his twin brother’s arm playfully.

“Luckily both me and Hyunwoo liked Maserati. There’s no bickering in our house.” Siwan cuts in, grinning.

“Sorry to disappoint you, hyung, but I liked BMW more.”

“Why don’t you guys ride motorcycle instead? Ducati is great.”

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Yongguk smiled. That’s things they always do when they meet each other—Mocking each other. Bragging. Constant bickering. Not even one second of serious talk.

They’ve been friends since they were little. Their fathers are business partners, and they used to hang out when their Fathers met—Laughing, joking, playing together. Their parents send them to the same private school—All twelve-years, and before they even realized, they already went to the same university.

PET

The lights on the room suddenly went dead, silencing the room before sounds erupted.

“Hey! That’s my feet!”

“What the hell—“

“OW!”

It seems like a long time had passed before Youngmin finally manages to turn on the torch option from his phone. He scanned the room from where he’s standing now, in front of the 55 inch television, shooting lights at everyone’s face, which turns out is a great way to silencing everybody. They all look stunned before Siwan turn on his torch from his phone too, followed by the other.

“What the hell.” Himchan curses. “In this high-tech house we suddenly found ourselves experienced black-out? How ironic.”

Hyunwoo shook his head. “It’s probably just a small problem—No need to freak out.” He said calmly.

Youngmin opened his mouth, but his voice was being muffled by a sudden blaring sound from behind him, just in the same time when all the lights went on again. Youngmin jumped, glaring with shock at the TV that is suddenly went on.

All eyes were glued to the TV screen as lines of words started to form.

WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR NINE FRIENDS ARE HERE.

CARE TO JOIN THE GAME?

THE RULES ARE SIMPLE. THE MINUTE AFTER THIS MESSAGE ENDED, YOU CANNOT GO OUTSIDE UNTIL NEXT MORNING.

I PERSONALLY LIKE TO CALL THIS GAME A COP-AND-THIEF GAME, BUT IT WON’T BE RIGHT, RIGHT? IT’S LIKE A GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK—ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS FIND THE ‘IT’.

TAO WOULD LIKE TO JOIN YOU, BUT IT APPEARS THAT HE CAN’T.

With that, a picture flashed in the screen—A picture that is so gruesome that everyone yelps. It’s a picture of Tao, hanging, his head are in a weird angle, his eyes wide in terror, his body covered in blood. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but didn’t finish it, because the lingering words are still on his face, along with the terrified and shocked expression.

That picture is only in the screen for about five seconds—but it lasted enough impression—before being replaced by a big, glowing ’00:01’.