8 - Zarzuela

Hyeri sat on the chair across Byul's. Seulgi and Sungeun are already triggered. They ain't playing games anymore, as the ghost writer isn't, as well.

"We have to do something about this issue, like, now." Sungeun remarked, to which the others nodded at. "We can't have this rumours going on anymore. It can hurt the school paper's reputation!"

The chatter amongst the students went on, with Hyeri's head down from embarrassment. One of them scoffed, "This wouldn't have happened if Hyeri and Martin weren't stupid enough."

Byulyi's eyes shot up. "Do you think you have the right to call them that?" Her sharp words silenced them. "Even I didn't call them that. Who gives you the right, Matthew? Do you think you won't post it if your sister was involved?" That made Matthew shut up. She was pissed, and she was not having their craps. Not today, at the least. She doesn't know why she hates this rumour. She hated Wheein's but she hated this the most. She was fine with their dating rumours, but she disliked Krystal's rumour with her best friend.

"You're deep in thought." Seulgi remarked. "Are your feelings starting to show?"

The former didn't bother to spare it a thought. "Not really."

"Then what?"

Byulyi glanced at Hyeri. "Hyeri, can I get the message?" Hyeri nodded and passed her an envelope. She opened it and pulled the documents out. It had a note.

"Hi, the moment you don't put this out, your brother will be in grave danger :-) ~Kevin Amend"

Seulgi saw it too, and she looked at Hyeri. "Your brother is Seokmin, right?" The latter nodded. Hyeri was the type to love her brother so much. She loves her so much that she chose him over school work. Seulgi directed her attention back at Byul. "What are you gonna do now?"

She had her chin cupped in her hands as more eyes turned to stare at her. Byul was thinking. She was thinking of a way to save themselves. "First we need to --"

*blaaag!* the door went wide open. Chandong and Hyunsik were at the front door, eyes telling them that they had something to tell them.

"What?" Byul asked.

Chandong pulled Hyunsik to Byul's side and said, "Hyunsik needs to tell you something." She now looked at Hyunsik while throwing side glances at Chandong.

"What is it?"

Hyunsik now brought out his phone. He opened his messages, and he showed the second to the most recent message of his.

From: +639213345673
I forgot.. Hyeri has a brother, right? Lee Seokmin?

Hyunsik didn't reply to the message, but it bothered him. He thought it would be of help. Byul thought so, too, so she immediately screenshot the message and she sent it on her own phone. "Thanks, Hyunsik." The two boys left. Using the projector, she made the message visible. She finally knew what to do. "We aren't investigators. But we're reporters." She brought out her iconic stick and using it, she pointed at the phone number. "Start with this. I need a definite lead before this month ends." She ended with sincerity, "Please." No snakes, she wanted to add. "Dismissed." She allowed the lower year level kids to leave. Hyeri and Seulgi decided to stay.

"What are you planning?" Seulgi asked.

Byul looked at them and told herself, 'My friends aren't snakes. I can trust them.' She sighed and answered, "One of the kids is the Ghost Writer."

The other two's eyes went wide to the point that Hyeri stuttered. "O-one of us?"

Byul nodded and she started to examine the message. "He knows the name of Hyeri's brother. Hyeri is a transfer. Other than our squad, who knows abo