The next day, just as they discussed, Heechul and Ryeowook were planning out how they were going to do their "investigation".

"So, here we are, and what are we gonna do?" Ryeowook started the discussion.

"I told you already, we're gonna ask about it. We need to know who's spreading these because these rumors don't seem to be dying down anytime soon."

"So were just gonna go about the school and ask random people where they heard the news from?"

"Pretty much."

"Don't you think that's too... I don't know... obvious. I don't think culprits would just be revealing who started these rumors."

"That's why we're not gonna ask any of those suspicious characters. Just the people that we trust so at least we can narrow down our search."

"Are you still sure about this. I don't think it'd do much and what if even the people that we trust happen to betray us? I mean I don't think they'd trust US anymore with all the news spreading around about us."

"Don't be so worriesome, Ryeowook, first we're gonna ask the boys where they first heard it. Then, we'll ask those people they heard from and so on."

"Do you really think that'd work?"

"I told you, don't worry. So what if we get to a dead end. It's not like we have anything to lose since our reputations are pretty much crushed. I mean, the seniors probably don't trust us anymore, the only people that probably still like us would be our classmates."

"Nothing to lose? Are you sure about that? I mean, the rumors now... they're unbelievable and controversial and a lot of people don't believe them but what if worse things spread? What if the conspirators hear about our plans? Who do you think they'd attack? I doubt they'd attack you, I mean, they're probably scared of you, but what about Sungmin? She still has a lot to lose. She used to be invisible, now she's getting glared at and if we do anything rash, don't you think they can do anything worse."

Heechul just remained quiet.

"You do know how truly fragile Sungmin is right. That we almost never see her cry but you know how much she cries inside."

"I know. I know! okay?! That's why I'm doing all this. I don't want Sungmin to get hurt anymore. I know how she feels! I'm not some kind of ice princess, you know!"

"Heechul... I'm sorry... I didn't mean..."

"I know what you meant, Ryeowook, I know that you mean very well for Sungmin's sake, but if we don't risk anything, we won't solve anything either. If we don't do anything... It will get worse in time. If we don't do something, things will surely continue, we need to do at least something, we need to atleast try."

"Arasseo, you're right and Sungmin, hopefully she can handle things if things go out of hand."

"She has been doing a good job at hiding her feelings anyway and hopefully she'd open up to us sometime soon."

"I know. I mean, we're her friends right? She'd tell us if something was wrong, right?"

"Yeah, I mean I think so, honestly, I think of her as my best friend now. I mean, she's this sweet girl that I can't help but want to protect."

"I know what you feel. So, anyway... on with the plan?"

"Yup."

So, Heechul and Ryeowook started there "plan"

They decided to talk to Yesung and Eunhyuk first since they knew that it'd be best that Sungmin doesn't find out since she'd probably put a stop to this and they didn't tell Kyuhyun either since he'd probably do something too rash.

"You guys do know about rumors going on about us, right?" Ryeowook started.

"Obviously, I mean, I'm a bully, seriously? Who'd be scared of me?!?!" Eunhyuk said.

"What of it?" Yesung said.

"We're kind of investigating right now. We really want to know who started these rumors."

"I want to know too. Can we be in on it too? I mean, what are you planning anyway."

"We're asking you. That's our plan."

"But we don't even have an idea who started these rumors." Yesung said

"Where did you first hear about the rumors? What class? What year level?"

"Us? we didn't  hear much. Some guys just told us that rumors were spreading about us."

"Guys? Who are they?"

"Our classmates, Changmin and Yunho were the ones who told us. They're close friends. I mean, Changmin is Kyuhyun's best friend right? They're trustworthy. I doubt that they'd be associated with the ones spreading these rumors."

"It's actually great that they're trustworthy. We need people we can trust now, you know."

"I think we can trust anyone in our class. I mean, do you hear these rumors in our room, no, right? none of us hear them talking about the rumors."

"I think you're right, that's why we're gonna ask Yunho and Changmin, we need to atleast know what class or at least what year level the culprits would be from."

"Probably, from our year level, right? I mean, Sungmin is the most quiet person ever, so I doubt that the sunbaes would hear about this issue."

"Maybe, but we can't be so sure, you know."

So they approached Yunho and Changmin.

"Hey guys!" Changmin said.

"What's going on?" Yunho asked.

"We just wanted to ask something. Do you... Where did you hear about those rumors about us?"

"Ahhh, about you being a bully?" Yunho laughed.

"We're not too sure, we just heard it all over the corridors. Everyone was already talking about it when we heard of it."

"Oh, really, thanks. but it's not in our classroom, right?"

"Yup, we're pretty sure of that, I mean, these are our friends, we'd probably have heard if they'd start these kinds of things."

"Okay, at least we're almost sure that our whole class is innocent, but that's barely narrowing the suspects."

"Hey, corridors, you say? Freshman corridors, right? They're the talk of only freshmen?"

"We heard it from freshmen but I heard that the second years talk about it too. We're not too sure who started it."

"It's fine, thanks... but wait... only the second years. The third years probably don't know anything about this, right?"

"Probably, I mean, seniors are way too busy to care for these kinds of things."

"Okay, then, that's narrowing, kind of."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Since it's probably not from our section, how about we ask Kibum? He's from class B right? Seohyun's class?"

"Okay, then, but since we are dealing with the other section, it best to keep a low profile, if the culprit is there, we're dead and we'd include Kibum in this drama too."

"How about just the two of us go."

"I think that's best" Yesung said as he dragged Eunhyuk to their chairs.

"he's right, well, good luck! and tell us if there's ever any progress!" Eunhyuk said before the two left.

They called out Kibum outside quietly and brought him to the rooftop to talk privately.

"So, why did you drag me all the way here?"

"We wanted to ask you something private."

"What about?"

"You do know the rumors spreading out about Sungmin and the rest of us, right?"

"Yeah, why?!?! Is Sungmin alright? Did she get bullied again?"

"Thankfully, no. Wait, again?"

"Well, yeah, she didn't tell you, she used to be bullied a lot at school."

"What for?"

"We don't really know, but it wasn't that bad, at least me and her other best friend would always be there. No one could touch her, just occassional teasing of how weak she was, she used to be a really bad crybaby, you know."

"So, that's why she's so quiet and keeps to herself."

"Wait a minute, you're losing me here. Let's get back to the topic. Where did you hear about these rumors?"

"Me? Well, they're everywhere."

"Where did you first hear about them?"

"My friends talked about them, they heard it from our other classmates. Why do you ask?"

"We're trying to find out who started these rumors."

"And then what? What are you going to do when you find out?"

"We haven't really talked about it, but we don't know? interrogate them? find out why they're doing such things. Stop them?"

"Why?"

"We're Sungmin's friends too, you know. It's not just for our sake, it's for Sungmin mostly really."

"Well, it's good to hear that there's someone on Sungmin's side. Take care of her, okay? Don't let her get hurt, she's too fragile, okay?"

"Yeah, we'll make sure of it. Thanks by the way."

"For what?"

"I don't know, helping our investigation, taking care of Sungmin before."

"Don't say before. It's not like I don't care for her anymore, it's just harder to protect her now."

"Since these rumors circulate in your classroom, can you at least protect her by,, I don't know, trying your best to stop these rumors?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll do my best."

So they went back to their room, not much progress done because nothing is set in stone, no one knows who's lying, but they trust these people enough to believe that the culprit is surely not in their classroom and he/she's probably from their year level and might be from Kibum's class.