Chapter 3

On the way home, 7:30pm

“So, what is it, Mark?” Jinyoung started the conversation. Mark looks like he’s having second thoughts if he really should tell the younger about what’s been bugging him. “Hey. You can trust me. I’ll listen. And I promise no matter what it is, I’ll keep it private.”

“Jinyoung…” Mark slowly looked up at Jinyoung’s eyes. “We were supposed to meet that morning. 21^st of August.”

When the younger got the idea of what it was about, he told Mark to wait until they got home. The two of them just live across each other. They used to be the closest before Jinyoung lied to Mark. Before Mark got together with Hyunwoo. “Let’s talk in our front yard later. Let’s clean ourselves up first and I’ll prepare hot chocolate.”

“Thanks, Jinyoung.” Mark looked down.

“Hey, it’s no big deal. We’re friends again, right?” the other said while patting Mark’s head gently.

“Here you go.” Jinyoung gave Mark a cup of hot chocolate and sat beside him on the bench in his house’s front yard. “Thanks,” Mark replied, “still a coffee person, I see.” He added while looking at the night sky.

“It won’t change.” The younger answered with a chuckle. “But enough about me. Let’s continue with what you were going to tell me a while ago.”

The other inhaled before starting. “We were supposed to meet that day. We had a plan, Jinyoung. Everyone knows about us, right? And how our parents didn’t approve of what Hyunwoo and I had?”

The younger hummed. “Was it that bad?”

“It was.” Mark sighed. “But that day, we never met. We planned it for a whole week. We knew our parents were going to try and separate us at any cost. So, we decided to run away…together.” He stopped to sip his beverage before continuing, trying to hold his emotions together. “He had it all figured out, he told me. He was already starting to earn and save money so we could restart our lives somewhere. I didn’t know how but he managed to get us a decent amount.”

“3 days before our agreed date and time, his last text was he’ll just meet me at our meeting place. August 21, 6am, just beside the Sunset River, I waited there. I was supposed to wait until 8 but at 7:30, my parents already found me and dragged me all the way home.” Mark’s voice cracked and his eyes were starting to tear up. “Imagine the pain and shock I felt when I received the news of his death. Was it because of me? If we weren’t together, we wouldn’t have planned anything. He wouldn’t be there. He would’ve been alive. Happy, here with us.” And he cried again for the nth time that day.

Jinyoung sighed, “Don’t blame yourself. He planned everything with you and he did it because he loves you. And that’s not something to blame yourself about.”

Mark inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, attempting to calm himself. “But no matter what, I know he did not do what the majority of this town thinks he did. He does not have a reason to. I know we’re having a hard time dealing with our parents but we were stronger than that. Else, he wouldn’t go through the hardship of planning everything with me and earning the budget we needed. He was, we were, determined to leave. Not die.”

The younger man nodded in understanding. “Are you implying the same thing Im Jaebeom said on the first day assembly?” he asked and turned to face the other guy.

“It’s not suicide, Jinyoung. You know that. You’re friends with Hyunwoo too. You know he won’t do that.” The older stated while wiping a lone tear that slid down his cheek. “But the officials aren’t making the investigation a priority or taking it seriously since they are already assuming it’s suicide.” He shook his head a little and faced Jinyoung. “I want to start my own investigation, Jinyoung. And I need your help. I know of your fondness with crime solving and mystery since you were a kid. I want to get to the bottom of this.” Mark looked at the other with a mixture of pleading and determined look.

Jinyoung sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “What’s in it for me?”

“If you do this with me, I’ll owe you big time. You can ask me of anything.” The older answered confidently. A few seconds of thinking passed by before Jinyoung had a resolve.

“Fine.” He said, “As a friend. And to make up to you with what I did back then. I guess I owe you and Hyunwoo this one.” Mark gave him a sad smile. “Thank you. I have a few names in mind that we can look into.”

“I also have some too. And hearing your story just added more in my list.” Jinyoung informed the brown-haired guy. “And I have a feeling some of the names in our minds are the same.”

“Let’s discuss this tomorrow. You need to give your eyes some rest.” The younger said before collecting their cups and standing up. “Good night, Mark.” And he heads inside without waiting for the other to reply.

Student’s Lounge, Lunch Break

“What are you guys whispering about? You look pretty intense talking there.” Jinyoung asked Yugyeom and Bambam who were sitting in their usual seat on the couch across Jinyoung. Yugyeom jumped a little and started squirming a bit.

“It’s none of your business, Park.” Bambam glared at him.

“Ooooh someone didn’t wake up on the right side of the bed today.” The oldest of the three raised his eyebrow as Bambam rolled his eyes at him.

“You know, I’ve been meaning to talk to you both about something.” He said while the right corner of his lip raised a little as he crossed his legs and leaned back.

“Yeah? What is it?” the youngest of them asked, still a bit fidgety in his sit. Jinyoung smiled sweetly at the both of them.

“Ahh it’s just yesterday morning, I happen to be in the comfort room. Nothing much. Just heard two guys talking about ‘You have to tell your dad about the truth.’” He mimicked dramatically. “Something about it being the right thing to do, and that the truth will eventually come out anyway. Not sure about what it is but is sounds pretty suspicious to me. Because, oh get this, one of the guy’s father is the sheriff.”

Yugyeom’s eyes widened and Bambam looked at Jinyoung with both frustration and irritation in his eyes. “You better not say anything and shut your ing mouth, Park Jinyoung. You hear me?” he threatened the older guy.

Jinyoung smirked at the two and shrugged his shoulders, “I can do that. But you have to spill. Otherwise, I can’t help but think you two are acting very weirdly that I might actually tell Sheriff Kim.”

Bambam looked at Yugyeom and the younger nodded to the other as a sign of some sort that meant the former can proceed with whatever plan was running in his head. Bambam closed his eyes and inhaled before opening it and looking at Jinyoung directly in the eyes.

“Okay. We’ll tell you everything. Let’s go to Charlie’s for dinner.”

“Oh, dinner at Charlie’s! May I join?” Youngjae suddenly interrupted the trio’s conversation and sat beside Jinyoung while beaming at him.

“Actually-” Bambam was about to decline but someone cut him off.

“Oh, come on, Bam! Let him join. We’re his only friends for now.” Jackson said while Mark was following him from the back. The latter sat on the armchair beside Yugyeom while the other situated himself beside the new student.

Bambam faced Yugyeom and muttered under his breath, “Well, might as well let the whole squad know.” The taller sighed then nodded.

Jinyoung, catching up with the two youngest’s knowing looks towards each other suddenly said, “Hey the whole gang can be there tonight for dinner.” Then proceeded to give a small smile towards Mark’s direction to which the latter smiled back.

Jackson frowned with his friend’s statement, trying to let it sink in. “The whole gang? Wait, so are you and Mark finally okay now?” He asked while his face was slowly lighting up. “Oh my gosh!”

Jinyoung scoffed and Mark rolled his eyes. “So Youngjae, how was the first day?” the oldest of the group asked as an attempt to divert the attention from them. The addressed guy smiled brightly at him. “It’s okay. It seems like a nice school to be in. Good environment, great people.” He answered as he turned to look at Jinyoung when he said the last part.

Bambam coughed to gain their attention. “I can’t help but ask this. See, rumors have been going around about your dad.” Yugyeom hit the guy’s arm while widening his eyes at him. “Bambam!”

Youngjae chuckled, “It’s fine. Is this about him being the devil himself? Because it’s quite true. It’s also a fact that he just got out of jail.” He stated before proceeding to ask, “How many people in this school knows?” he smiled. “Everybody in here knows. Small town, words spread fast.” Jinyoung answered.