Sunlight streaming through the cracks of the curtains caused by the wind. The chilly air danced around the room, before leaving for it's next destination. In the aftermath, he saw her, the sun was reflecting so perfectly, it was almost as if she was an angel and this was just a dream. Her fringe was covering half her face due to the breeze that had passed, but she still looked like the most beautiful person in his eyes.

He took a deep breath and fixed his tie before entering the bustling classroom. Shooting a quick greeting to his group of friends, he made a beeline for female, who's eyes were still far too invested in her notebook than her surroundings. Without a second of hesitation, he knocked on her desk and shot her his usual, cocky smile and so sickeningly said;

"Good morning Suri cutie."

Only, instead of a greeting back, he was gifted with a scowl.

It started in the 2nd year of high school. Suri was living her best life. Thriving socially and academically, she was at the top of her game. Although looking quite average, it never bothered her due to the fact that she only wanted to get out and move on with her life. High school to her was a roadblock she had to face before she could ever face the real world. She was head-strong and never got too close to anyone. The only friends she needed was her neighbours, whom she had grown up with so it was obvious they mattered to her more than anyone else in the 4 year "prison" - as she so nicely put it - that she was stuck in. Unfortunately for her, they hadn't been able to get into her high school as their parents had sent them abroad for "better education". 

"Is that any way to greet your best friend?" the voice cooed once again. She was quickly snapped out of her trance - that looked so much like revision in the eyes of her classmates - to look up at the owner of the sickening voice she had grown to hate. Heaving a sigh, she mustered up a quick "hi" followed by a sarcastic smile before looking back down at her notebook. What was she even reading? Before the male could make any kind remark however, the clicking of their teacher's heels echo-ed through the classroom as the class started to quiet down. 

Another day had started, meaning there was one day less to leaving the place she so desperately hated. 

The cafeteria buzzed with excitement, which struck confusing to the girl considering it was the middle of the week and nothing - other than the two juniors who were found kissing behind the school building on monday - had happened. The school had literally been more mundane than a funeral for the past 3 months and no one knew why. 

Finally grabbing her food from the counter, Suri made her way back to the classroom to get at least some peace and quiet before her afternoon classes, but before she could make it very far down he hall, she spotted a cluster of students huddled around the bulletin board beside the drama clubs rehearsal room. As much as it hurt her, she was curious. Moreso because the bane of her existance - Kim Jibeom - was constantly pointing and laughing at the words she still could not see. It wasn't until she was a literally 2 meters away from the cluster that she heard her name being spoken by none other than the cackling male. 

"Suri, a little goodbye present before we all go off to college and never see each other again? You'll be perfect for the female lead." He piped up. She wanted to back away and run but her mind worked a little too slowly as his hand had already clamped itself around her arm and started dragging her to the cluster of students. The group started to disperse a bit, knowing full well more teasing was going to happen, save for Jibeom's own little clique. 

"A play? Have you finally lost your mind?" She retorted at the male, her eyes not leaving the piece of paper stapled onto the board. "The disappearance of Lee Seoji" was written in bold, followed by a list of blank spaces, some filled up with names of students she'd only ever greeted once or twice in her 4 years in the school. But the name she couldn't help but laugh at just stood out, point blank. 

"Kim Jibeom? You? In a play? When have you ever taken anything seriously?" Her added words mocking him even more. She wanted to make him rage, make him yell. But all it did was make him chuckle, his tone just as playful as before.

"I'm going to take this seriously because it's the last thing i'm ever going to do before leaving this school. Don't you think we should celebrate our last hurrah? This is the perfect way to do it." 

Her smile started to fade as the words he said started registering in her mind. Last hurrah? He must have hit his head or something. She wanted to ignore him and leave but his next words peaked her interest for the first time since meeting the "circus master himself".

"If you do this I won't bother you for the rest of the school year, you won't have to worry about me teasing you every day." 

His tone changed drastically. He no longer sounded like the playful boy he usually was, but instead a serious man who was offering her something she had desired for the past 3 years. She didn't want to wait any longer. It sounded like a dream come true to her. She quickly asked him for a pen and wrote her name on the piece of paper, right under the name of the devils' own name. It felt like she had been signing away her soul for freedom, but she didn't care. If it meant less torment for the last few months she had before she graduated, she was going to take it. 

She heard a little chuckle from the man standing next to her as he let go of her arm, something she didn't notice until recent. She also hadn't notice the smile creeping it's way onto her face.

She was going to be free.