#oncloudnine: Cloud of Suspicion

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Jung Eunji rested her chin over her palm as her eyes still gazed upon the pink teddy bear she received earlier this afternoon, and shifted to the note she has read for more than hundreds time. She seemingly was confused of what was happening, and she really wanted to have the answers.

 

She remembered she turned her head to see nine boys’ expression and none of them showed enough hint that one of them might be the sender. She ruffled her hair as she sighed exasperatedly, only three days coming to this new school and already earning herself a creepy admirer.

 

“… Not that you are creepy alright,” She mumbled to the teddy bear that even didn’t flinch on her thought. She caressed it and realized it smelled of strawberries.

 

Then her mind popped out with a sudden, crazy, but super smart opinion; could this strawberry smell be a hint?

 

“Yah Eunji-noona!” came the voice of irritated Minki and he stepped quickly over to his older sister, wearing a pissed off expression. “How many times should I knock on the door? Come down hurry, Mom is cooking sukiyaki for dinner and she said we will eat if you come down only.”

 

Eunji was in a daze and her younger brother rolled his eyes. So he pinched her cheek and received a groan coming out of as she looked up from her seat to the standing Minki with an irritated facial expression.

 

“What the hell—yah Jung Minki!” She yanked his hand away and caressed her cheek.

 

“What are you thinking about anyway noona?” Minki seemed confused but thankfully didn’t notice a newcomer in his sister’s room. “Come on noona, let’s have dinner. We’re waiting for you.”

 

Minki was about to walk off when Eunji followed suit and called his name, stopping him on his tracks as he turned around with a raised brow.

 

“What if only Minki…, what if someone gives you something, and in the room there are only you and nine girls? Which one of them will you suspect?” Eunji asked wonderingly and she saw her brother gave it a thought.

 

“Well…,” Minki shrugged. “I will definitely go for either the one that seem doesn’t even care or the one that goes overreacting. Or maybe I will try to question them and see on how they react. But firstly I need to know what they gave me anyway noona, because I may find a hint for whatever she gives me…” Then a smirk appeared on his childish face. “Why, do you want to give someone something?” he teased and then he chuckled. “No wonders, you need to move on from that hyung anyway—OUCH NOONA IT HURTS!”

 

“Yah you little !” Eunji was already strangling the younger under her armpit and tried her best to cover her flushed cheeks.

 

 

Jung Eunji was more than determined when she decided to find the culprit was. She wanted to find out and ask whoever it was for the reason sending her a teddy bear and cheesy note. Jung Eunji wasn’t a believer on love at the first sight, and none would fall for her charms only in three days right? She hasn’t barely done anything to give giddy feelings for anyone.

 

Eunji unlocked #oncloudnine door with her keys before quickly slipped in and put the key inside her uniform pocket and what stunned her that she found only a single person was sitting quietly.

 

He, Kim Jongin, finally looked up and let out a kind smile. There were a pile of letters and chocolate boxes on his desk and Eunji couldn’t help but wonder.

 

She stepped closer and took a seat on her desk, which gave Jongin a look before he said, “You can sit beside me noona. Yixing-hyung won’t mind you sitting here for a while.”

 

So she obeyed and moved right next to him. She then wowed as she realized that the letters were exactly as what she thought, love letters, and what amazed her that Kim Jongin bothered to read each of them, one by one.

 

“In my life I thought popular guy with love letters only exists in drama world or romance novels, but right now it opens my sight. There really is someone with that character…” Eunji blinked in pure amazement and she heard Jongin chuckling on her praise.

 

“Well…,” Jongin started. “In outside world I’m a pure Casanova dancer kid that throws away the letters and gifts he receives, no one but hyungs, Sehun, and now you of course…, know that I read them one by one.” He placed the read one away and took another one that hasn’t been opened yet.

 

“And why would you come up with such an image?” Eunji wondered.

 

“Because just like Junmyeon-hyung told you yesterday, we lived up to the expectations…, my image has always been a distant kid that is dubbed as Prodigy just because I danced since I was a kid and won a lot of trophies.” Jongin explained kindly with a bitter smile.

 

Eunji just looked at him with full trying to be understanding and a hint of confusion. She didn’t get what Jongin meant but seeing his eyes made her feel bad about it.

 

“Anyway…,” Jongin then shrugged off the cold feelings between them. “Do you want some of these?” Eunji was offered with boxes of expensive, very expensive chocolates that enough to make her drool.

 

“Can I?” Eunji pondered as she looked up and found Jongin looked rather amused at her.

 

“Of course you can,” Jongin smiled. “Even Sehunnie will force himself to get these.” He shook his head on the image of his best friend and it pleased Eunji. So she took a bar of chocolate from one of the boxes that Jongin kindly opened for her and enjoyed it in lightheaded happiness.

 

Then the door opened, showing Sehun, Baekhyun, and Chanyeol walked in, as the youngest of nine pointed a finger cheerily and tried to steal the chocolates away from Jongin with their childish banter.

 

Eunji laughed at the picture and then she wondered that if it was really true, that there was anyone, one of them gave the teddy bear with a note.

 

 

“So we haven’t asked you this but what club does you join?” Bomi asked when they were having lunch in the canteen. Eunji was having her lunchbox from home, Sunyoung bought Caesar salad, and Bomi enjoyed her sausage bread and banana milk.

 

Eunji narrowed her eyes as she saw Minseok and Junmyeon walked in to the canteen, didn’t even bother to greet Baekhyun and Jongdae that was definitely saw them coming, and kept walking pass them. Then as if Baekhyun sensed to be stared, he averted his gaze and found Eunji was looking.

 

She didn’t even bother to wait for his reaction as she quickly looked away.

 

“Um…,” Eunji hesitated to answer the question. “Actually I would like to join Book Club you know.” She lied to see on how they reacted.

 

And just like what she expected, they reacted exactly the same like that homeroom teacher, Kyungsoo, and Jongdae; horrified looks and shaking heads.

 

“Oh my goodness you definitely don’t want to join that horrid club!” Sunyoung kept shaking her head in disgust. “That club is for nerds!”

 

“And no one wants to be stamped as a nerd! Not when they are in this school!” Bomi added quickly in the same horrified expression. “I heard that club is about to be shut down anyway…”

 

“Eunji, remember that joining lame clubs means social suicide.” Sunyoung whispered in hushed tone. “Just join something else, something cooler.”

 

“Like what?” She frowned, definitely unhappy with the way her new friends reacted.

 

“Well I join Martial Arts club.” Bomi offered kindly, “You are welcome to have a try-out or just seeing first. We learn a lot of martial arts; taekwondo, karate, even hapkido.”

 

Sunyoung nodded in agreement. “Or if you don’t want violent stuffs, you are so much welcome in our Publishing team. Feel free to join and be a great journalist like me!” Sunyoung cheered then she continued, “I even once interviewed Kim Junmyeon! I still remember his handsome smile and charming traits. Ugh, he’s just so hard to get…”

 

Bomi rolled her eyes. “Sorry for that, Sunyoung has been dreamy for that sunbaenim for too long. I even forced her to ask him to go out for Prom but this woman here just doesn’t have the guts to do so. When she found out Junmyeon-sunbaenim came solo, she regretted it so much. This woman really,” She shook her head, scoffing.

 

Eunji was about to blab about Kim Junmyeon but then she remembered that her new friends would wonder and ask more and she would put #oncloudnine in danger. So she pressed her lips in a thin line and sipped on Bomi’s banana milk.

 

 

Bomi pulled Eunji’s hand after she got changed earlier to have a look around the Martial Arts club. Eunji watched around and Bomi said she would introduce Eunji to the key person of the club.

 

“Baekhyun-sunbaenim!” Bomi waved her free hand as they stepped closer to Byun Baekhyun, yes the #oncloudnine Byun Baekhyun, and he raised a brow in pure fascination as he waved back to her.

 

“Sunbaenim this is my classmate, she just got transferred here few days ago, Jung Eunji. Eunji, this is Byun Baekhyun-sunbaenim.” Bomi introduced them both and she missed the smirk on Baekhyun’s face. “Eunji here wants to join a club but she still doesn’t know the right one, so I brought her here to help her choose.”

 

“Oh really?” there was something in the way Baekhyun asked.

 

Bomi nodded. “You don’t mind she looks around, do you sunbaenim?” Bomi realized she has not asked Baekhyun’s permission first to bring just anyone in.

 

“No of course not but…,” Eunji knew she was doomed at the moment Baekhyun gave out his smile to Bomi. “Do you mind if I take over? I think I’ll explain better. And don’t you need to practice for upcoming match?”

 

“OH RIGHT I AM.” Bomi then apologized to Eunji and stormed away in a split second, leaving only the two of them by themselves.

 

“So…, martial arts huh.” Eunji looked up at Baekhyun that still had a smile on his face. “I can’t imagine seeing sunbaenim in a match, like seriously.”

 

“Well,” Baekhyun just shrugged.

 

“So what is your persona outside the #oncloudnine sunbaenim?” Eunji asked as they started to walk around, sometimes they stopped by because Baekhyun needed to remind or fix the trainees’ positions.

 

“The happiest kid in the planet.” Baekhyun still had the same grin and Eunji slowly realized although his lips formed a wide smile, his eyes didn’t. “Why are you asking? Was this because what Jongdae said yesterday about Kyungsoo?”

 

She nodded helplessly. “And I talked to Jongin as well. He has this image of distant dancer kid…” She looked up at Baekhyun and he nodded. “So Kyungsoo is apathetic, Jongin is distant, you are the happiest.” Eunji concluded and Baekhyun didn’t seem to disagree. “From what I saw, Minseok-sunbaenim is kind transferee and Junmyeon-sunbaenim is the wise leader. Am I right?”

 

Baekhyun laughed. “You seriously are trying to find out our personas? Why though?”

 

“So I can see you all in your real, true colors. So I won’t fall for the personas you’re wearing. I want to be friends with real you guys.” Eunji reasoned out, trying to sound reasonable.

 

“Well that’s deep.” They stopped by now in front of a bench and Baekhyun reached for his backpack as he took out a hand cream. “Please don’t mind me, my hands are really dry, it .” Baekhyun opened the jar and Eunji smelled this familiar scent right away.

 

The teddy bear smell!

 

“Ho-how did you get this smell sunbaenim?” Eunji wondered in a rush and Baekhyun knew right away she asked for a reason. And it didn’t even take him a minute to understand where she headed to.

 

“So the teddy bear has this smell huh?” Baekhyun hit her straight, bull’s eye, and he let out a mischievous smirk. “I got this from Chanyeol, her mother runs a cosmetic company and he often gives us free samples – asks about our opinions. Everyone in the room, everyone that you suspect, owns one of his hand cream Eunji.”

 

Eunji frowned. She thought she was an inch closer to the answer but seemingly she still had this long distance to walk over. “I just really want to know who did this.”

 

Baekhyun grinned, it was missed from Eunji how the smile could be considered that he knows. “Seek and you shall find.”

 

When Eunji frowned deeper, Baekhyun’s laugh was louder.

 

 

Days after and Eunji still failed on finding the culprit was, she was getting desperate as she really wanted to know. But heavens seemed not to care about her dread, instead adding her burdens with school works that has to be done before the afternoon for self-study session.

 

Bomi and Sunyoung have disappeared to heavens-know-where, because they needed silence and concentration for the work, so Eunji decided to find herself a quiet place as well because her classroom was too loud, she sneaked a peek on Kyungsoo anyway, that was doing his work in silence on his desk.

 

She wondered and decided library might be the right place, as she slipped in, scanned her school identification card on the scanner and went inside to find a place to sit.

 

She did find a place at the very corner on the right side. However there was this person, the one she knew was familiar, the tallest one of #oncloudnine nine members, and then when he turned his head, she’d find a dimple over his cheek before he greeted her with his baritone voice.

 

“What are you doing?” Chanyeol wondered as Eunji took a seat three chairs away from her. Seeing the way Junmyeon and Minseok didn’t bother to talk with Baekhyun and Jongdae yesterday, she thought it was their rule to not have a conversation outside the club room.

 

“Um you don’t have to talk to me sunbaenim,” Eunji reminded him kindly before she opened her notebook and started to write down her task.

 

“And why shouldn’t I talk to you hoobaenim?” Chanyeol wondered and Eunji looked up to find him rested his chin over his palm, neglecting whatever he was occupied on before.

 

“Um…, isn’t there a rule that we shouldn’t talk to each other?” She asked wonderingly and Chanyeol raised a brow. “Yesterday I saw Minseok-sunbaenim and Junmyeon-sunbaenim didn’t bother to greet Baekhyun-sunbaenim and Jongdae-sunbaenim…”

 

“Oh that.” Chanyeol nodded. “You don’t need to be worried Eunji, you can talk to me as freely as you want. They don’t talk to each other because it will seem weird. Seniors are respected, feared even, so juniors don’t really talk to them until they asked us to talk.”

 

“Ah…,” Eunji nodded in understanding. “But you too are a year older than me. I wasn’t supposed to talk to you.”

 

“Yeah, but I asked you to talk, didn’t I?” Chanyeol replied smartly and Eunji snorted for his cheeky comeback.

 

“But yesterday I asked Junmyeon-sunbaenim and Minseok-sunbaenim to talk to me. Is that wrong?” Eunji asked in afraid.

 

“It’s alright. They are the exceptions, they don’t really follow those unwritten rules around here.” Chanyeol replied and asked what she was doing. When Eunji explained about her work, Chanyeol nodded in understanding and guessed for the teacher right away.

 

“How do you know?” Eunji blinked blankly.

 

“How do I forget? That teacher gave me a B+ for my essay. I just can’t believe some people just don’t change.” Chanyeol harrumphed and then he continued, “So I talked to Baekhyun days back and he told me that you’re trying to find out our personas?”

 

Eunji found Chanyeol looked at him questioningly. “Why, do you find me odd too for trying?”

 

“Odd no, fresh might be the word that fits. I haven’t ever been had someone trying to find out my true colors and persona that I lived up to. It’s great, showing that somehow you’re interested in us.”

 

Eunji’s cheeks flushed. “Not in that way you know.”

 

“Never mentioned any of that way you imagined.” Chanyeol again smartly replied with a wide smile. “So you want to know my persona is, don’t you?”

 

She nodded. “If you don’t mind sunbaenim,”

 

“Well, let’s just say that I’m the friendliest Vice President ever.” Chanyeol tried and he smiled when Eunji rolled her eyes. “True though, even Junmyeon-hyung admits that I’m friendly enough.”

 

Then Chanyeol took something out from his pencil case, a hand cream that was similar to what Baekhyun put on yesterday. She instinctively pointed a finger on that thing and asked about it, “So sunbaenim, you gave everyone in the room that hand cream?”

 

Chanyeol, remained innocent, nodding his head at her and even wondered, “Why, do you want some? I’ve got some more at home. My mother often uses me and my friends for opinion because she runs cosmetic company for teenagers.” He thoroughly explained and Eunji shook her head.

 

Eunji frowned, and it didn’t miss from Chanyeol on the way she watched Chanyeol closed the tube and placed it back to his pencil case. She sighed before she turned over to be fully concentrated with her essay work, until Chanyeol cleared his throat.

 

“Trying to find out and guessing won’t get you closer to the person that sent you the teddy bear Eunji. It will only make them cautious and thinking that you weren’t happy about the gift.” Chanyeol had this thin smile as Eunji averted her eyes to gaze at his dark orbs. “Sometimes you should just let it flow and watch where it will lead you. Because don’t you think if there is a secret admirer of yours, they will start making a move on you anyways?”

 

 

The next time she went in to #oncloudnine, she found Do Kyungsoo was working on something on his desk. He glanced up, just to see who walked in, before he returned to his stuffs and definitely ignored her presence – which became an understanding for Eunji since she learnt quite quickly about this young man.

 

Do Kyungsoo was kind, talkative, and willing to help anyone in outside world, but whenever he’s here, he would show everyone his true colors; being quiet and rude and cynical on everything. But from what she learnt, he still had that kind trait because he often helped his friends although he refused at first.

 

The #oncloudnine club room was nothing close to something that Bomi and Sunyoung said as a club that would be shut down anytime soon. Instead, although it lacked books to read and review, they had complete facility; such as couch, tables, television with game consoles, and refrigerator with snacks and beverages.

 

She has been so exhausted, tired that she had to keep up with this school’s routine and also hasn’t found the culprit. Thinking that it wouldn’t hurt anyone, she walked to the couch and sat on it, trying to find the most comfortable position so she could get a fifteen or twenty minutes of sleep because she was damned exhausted.

 

Closing her eyes couldn’t get her any sleep, and she tried to count sheep but it failed as well. So Eunji opened her eyes and saw Kyungsoo was watching as she reached for her phone and earphone, thinking some music would lull you to sleep.

 

But then she saw Kyungsoo stood up and walked to her direction, saying “Noises won’t help you to sleep. Songs instead will make your brain thinking for the lyrics and in the end you’d be humming to the songs and disturb my peace.”

 

Eunji blinked confusedly, not knowing how to respond him.

 

He took out his handkerchief, colored in black, before he continued, “Close your eyes.” Eunji helplessly did it and she felt a handkerchief was placed over her eyes. “Silence and darkness are the best help for sleep. Now I’m stepping out a bit and locking you here, so get some rest before it gets too loud.”

 

Eunji heard his steps faded and she felt drowsiness slowly arrived. She heaved a deep sigh, before she tried to sleep.

 

 

“How long is she asleep?”

 

A voice was heard as he whispered so softly not to wake Eunji up. He saw the handkerchief over her eyes and grinned at it before he called for Jongin that was immersed in reading his letters.

 

“Jongin, can I borrow your blanket for a while?” He asked as he stepped to a closet near the couch. “She wears skirt so it will be uncomfortable for other boys to see that.”

 

Jongin nodded, “Yeah go ahead.”

 

 

Eunji woke up to some noises and fluttered her eyes open slowly as she rubbed her eyes and came to her sense that she was sleeping in her club room. Her eyes widened as she realized nine of them were already here, four of them playing FIFA, Yixing was snacking with Jongin and they seemed to discuss something, Junmyeon just walked in and locked the door, Kyungsoo was still immersed with his thing on his desk, and Jongdae whining for his turn to play with the four.

 

She realized she was blanketed and Kyungsoo’s handkerchief was still there, over the couch, and her guess went wild because she remembered her feet were on the ground but now she fully laid down on the couch.

 

Someone, or the suspect might do this for her.

 

So she stood up abruptly, whined in pain because her leg accidentally stepped on the blanket and she fell on her knees, she tried to regain her composure as now nine pairs of eyes turned to see her, even Baekhyun paused the game.

 

“Wh-who did this?” Eunji asked as she lifted the blanket that now covered her body. None admitted, so she continued. “I believe this doing is also done by the person that sent me the teddy bear,” She swallowed as she realized some of them raised brows at her. “So please tell me, who did this?”

 

“Why do you really want to know?” Jongdae asked flatly.

 

“I want to know the reason why they did those.” Eunji nibbled on her lower lip. “I just need an answer, that’s all.

 

“So will you be quiet after that person admits who he really is?” Kyungsoo asked with a glare and Chanyeol smacked his head for that. “What, I’m asking.”

 

“Yeah but can it be done without the glare please?” Chanyeol rolled his eyes before he gave Eunji an apologetic smile.

 

Eunji nodded eagerly, of course she would shut up for ages if that was what they wanted. She just wanted to know who it was and the reason for sending her that teddy bear after all.

 

Baekhyun nodded understandingly, before he clapped his hands and then grinned at nine boys in the room. “Alright then, pointing a finger on the sender would likely be awkward and it’s a boys-code for not snitching our friends. So if you want to come out, please just raise your hand so this ruckus will come to an end.”

 

Eunji crossed her arms as she waited for anyone, anyone raised their hands so this waiting could come to an end and everyone could just move on, she could move on comfortably without suspecting anymore.

 

But then her eyes widened as she received the answers; not only one, but five members raised their right hands – Kim Minseok, Kim Junmyeon, Kim Jongdae, Do Kyungsoo, and Oh Sehun.

 

They left Eunji stared in awe while the other four, Zhang Yixing, Byun Baekhyun, Park Chanyeol, and Kim Jongin snorted and tried their bests not to laugh in this very urgent situation.

 

“Aigoo you bastards,” Chanyeol mumbled but the others heard and cackled along with him. “Why are you making this so hard for her?”

 

“So there you go,” Baekhyun took over as he still this smile for Eunji. “It’s reduced to only five members. You can do further study with them.” Baekhyun winked and Eunji still gaped in awe.

 

“But noona…,” Sehun grinned childishly and his eyes sparked mischievously, “The ones that don’t raise their hands deserve further guesses as well. Who knows, he might hide and pretend he isn’t because he just doesn’t want you to find out…”

 

Eunji realized she was doomed in a hell with nine painfully handsome boys in this so called place #oncloudnine.

 

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Have a good day, #oncloudnine members❤

ps. Kyungsoo's handkerchief scene is taken from the original series, Secret Seven ;)