“Dongwoo?” both Hoya and Myungsoo echoed together, the name ominously reverberated throughout the room.

“You mean that rude- guy who…” Hoya started.

“That’s your friend who works at the arcade…” Myungsoo began at the same time.

They both stopped speaking and looked at each other, feeling like the other had interrupted their train of thoughts.

Soojin nodded grimly. “Yes, Dongwoo. Jang Dongwoo, my friend. And I also know Kim Sunggyu and Nam Woohyun as well. They’re his two closest friends.”

She sighed as she leaned back on the sofa and covered her eyes with her arm. “I can’t believe I only figured this out once I saw all three names together. I should have figured it out when I saw Woohyun’s name. But it just didn’t hit me.”

Myungsoo shook his head, gathering the papers together, flipping through them as if the blank pages would suddenly reveal more information. “Don’t be. The fact that you actually found this out is great in itself.”

“But still, I can’t believe I know them,” she shuddered out.

Hoya looked at both of them briefly before throwing his hands in the air. “Okay. So we know that these three are possibly connected. And I know that you’re implying that these three could also be the people we’re looking for. But what makes you think that? How can we be so sure?”

Soojin frowned. “I know that we only have what I know about them, and honestly, it’s not much. They really keep to themselves and their past. But they’re friendly people.” She smiled softly as she gazed at her fingers. “They made me feel like I didn’t need to be alone all the time.”

She looked up and noticing the intrigued stares from the two males, she started explaining. “When I was in middle school, I wasn’t very sociable. I was always holed up in my room on my computer or studying. I was the most boring child, and I never socialized with anybody. But sometimes, very rarely, I would go to an arcade shop nearby. Just to release some stress. Nobody would really go there, so I kinda liked it like that. And for as long as I can remember, this old man would tend the counter. And then, one day, all of a sudden, he wasn’t there. To this day, I still don’t know what happened to him. And in his place was Dongwoo. Some kid who laughed at even the smallest of things.”

She sighed and leaned back on the sofa. “Of course, I didn’t talk to him at first. I didn’t find a need to, but he wouldn’t allow that. He would always force me to talk to him, always finding a way to keep the conversation I was determined to cut short.”

“That still doesn’t explain anything,” Hoya interrupted with distressed emphasis.

“I’m not done, obviously,” she muttered as she rolled her eyes. “I ended up frequenting the arcade more and more often, but I realized something along the way that even though Dongwoo knew so much about me, I didn’t know a thing about him. All the things I knew about him was very vague, nothing about his personal life. But I didn’t really mind. I thought he just didn’t want to talk about it. And then I met his friends.”

“Nam Woohyun and Kim Sunggyu,” Myungsoo murmured. “What were they like?”

She nodded. “Nam Woohyun. What can I say about this guy? He loved to talk so much that I think he could carry on a conversation by himself. He always smiling, and he’s very touchy-feely. I think I’ve gotten more than a lifetime’s worth of hugs from him.”

“Kim Sunggyu wasn’t as talkative as Woohyun. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t sociable. He had as softer more soothing voice. He would always try to make me laugh, telling me the corniest jokes.” She laughed softly at the thought. “They were pretty bad.”

She looked away and let out a short laugh. “And they were both big flirts. They both hit on me the moment they first laid their eyes on me.”

Myungsoo scowled a little while Hoya grumbled, “Okay, so we know a little about their personalities. How exactly does help us?”

“Calm down, will ya?” Soojin chuckled. “I’m getting there. Towards the summer of the beginning of my last year of middle school, I was talking with Dongwoo and Sunggyu when Woohyun bursts in the room. He was talking so fast that I don’t even understand what he’s so frantic about. All I know was that he said something about some kid they met before wanted to see all three of them. That he had one last thing he wanted to tell them. I remember not understanding why all of them looked so worried, but they all rushed out of there.”

“Your last year of middle school?” Myungsoo asked.

She nodded.

He grimaced. “That’s when I was about to go to high school and that’s when N was talking about how he knew how they made people fear them. When he started up his organization.”

They let that idea sink in. “What if that’s a coincidence?” Hoya asked skeptically. “Just because your two events correlate, doesn’t mean anything.”

“You’re really making this hard, you know,” Soojin said with an arched eyebrow.

“I’m just worried about my brother. I don’t want to be wrong about anything,” Hoya muttered back.

“Well, there’s not much I can tell you. After that day, I stopped seeing Woohyun and Sunggyu. I tried asking Dongwoo about it, but he was tight-lipped about it. Nor did I find anything about why they were so frantic that day. Dongwoo can be really stubborn about these things, and it was a waste of an effort to keep trying. So I let it go. Nothing big has happened since. Well, except for now.”

Myungsoo closed his eyes in thought. “There’s not a lot to go off on, but you have to admit that these coincidences are striking. How all three have limited information. How they all know each other. How someone approached them about knowing something about them, which is about the same time N told us that he knew something about a previous organization. I want to say it is them, but even I can’t be too sure.”

Hoya sighed. “This would be so much easier if we could talk directly to all three of them.”

“Why can’t we?” Soojin said slowly.

Hoya scoffed, “What are you going to do? Barge into their houses and say, ‘I think I know what you were. And if you are, help us stop this evil organization’?”

Soojin grinned. “You know what? That’s not a bad idea.”

Dongwoo looked up when he saw them come in. He put down the newspaper he was reading and grinned. “Well, hello there. It’s becoming quite rare to see you here nowadays, Soojin. And even rarer to see you bringing friends.”

He looked at the two others, staring at Myungsoo with an unidentifiable expression and then scowling at Hoya. He turned to look at Soojin. “I thought I told you to ditch that bad-mannered kid. He isn’t worth your time.”

Hoya knew that he was talking about him and glowered at the older male. “What? At least I’m not the one keeping secrets around here.”

Dongwoo cocked an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

Hoya scoffed. “Yeah, we know about– mlrgh!”

Soojin had clamped her hand over Hoya’s mouth and chuckled awkwardly at Dongwoo’s suspicious expression. “Sorry, let me just talk to this guy real quick.”

She dragged Hoya away from Dongwoo’s earshot and hissed, “What the hell do you think you’re doing? We can’t let him know until they come.”

Hoya turned to glare at Dongwoo before bringing his attention back to Soojin. “He just makes me angry! Who the hell does he think he is, insulting me?” he grumbled.

Soojin sighed. “Just calm down until they arrive.”

“Looks like you don’t have to wait long,” Myungsoo murmured as he stared out the large window panes.

A man wearing a white jacket with its hood covering his dark hair with washed-out jeans and black sunglasses rushed through the door. “Soojin! Are you alright?” he asked frantically, craning his neck and searching for the said the girl. He stopped when he spotted Dongwoo staring at him with wide eyes.

“Woohyun?”  Dongwoo mumbled uneasily. “What are you doing here?”

The one in the white jacket let out a sigh of anguish. “I forgot you worked here. I knew the address seemed familiar.”

“Soojin!” another voice cried out. “Where are you?” This time a man wearing a black sweatshirt with white drawstrings and gray jeans burst through the door. The arcade was dimly lit, and he was looking the other way for Soojin, which resulted in him crashing into the man wearing the white jacket. Which then ended up with both of them falling onto the floor.

“Crap. Who the hell just stands in front of the door?” he muttered bitterly, picking himself up and rubbing his forehead.

“Well, who the hell just runs into someone without looking?” the man in the white jacket grumbled back.

The man in the black sweatshirt stopped rubbing his head and squinted at the man who stood up, brushing dust off his pants. “Woohyun?”

“Hello to you too, Sunggyu.”

The man in the black sweatshirt looked surprised and backed up into the counter. He turned around to see Dongwoo staring at him. “Dongwoo?”

He looked at everyone. “What the hell is going on?”

“That’s what I like to know,” Dongwoo muttered darkly, looking pointedly at Soojin.

Woohyun and Sunggyu followed his gaze and turned to look at the girl who was standing off to side, and without a word, they both rushed up to her and engulfed her in a hug.

“Soojin, you’re okay!” Woohyun cried into the back of her hair.

Soojin made a muffled sound into Sunggyu’s chest which faintly sounded like shouting.

They both released her and checked her for injuries. “Are you alright?” Sunggyu asked worriedly, checking her face for mars or scratches while she stood there coughing from the lack of air. “You said you needed help.”

“That’s right,” Woohyun mumbled. “You called us asking for help in this desperate voice of yours.”

“With just an address and a cry for help,” Sunggyu added.

“And then the phone call just cut off,” Woohyun finished.

They looked at each other and frowned at Soojin.

“What’s going on?” Sunggyu asked with suspicion. He glanced at Woohyun and Dongwoo. “What are you guys doing here?”

Dongwoo snorted. “I want to ask you the same thing. What I want to know is how Soojin has your guys’ phone numbers. I thought we agreed that you two wouldn’t.”

Sunggyu looked embarrassed as he looked away while Woohyun chuckled awkwardly. 

“Weelll,” Woohyun intoned, shuffling his feet. “Oh, come on, Dongwoo! You can’t just be the only one who can talk to Soojin! That’s just not fair,” he cried out.

“Yeah, so before we left, we gave her our numbers, telling her to contact us only when she’s in serious trouble,” Sunggyu added as he shrugged. “Though I wouldn’t have mind if she just wanted to talk. And here we are because she called me, us.”

“Which brings us to the question,” Woohyun said slowly as all three turned to look at her, “Of why she did.”

Soojin bit her lip and walked forward. “I know this seems weird, but I have something to ask of you.”

Dongwoo leaned his cheek against this fist of his right hand that propped up on the counter. “And that would be?”

“Um, I’ll start of small. Do you know someone with the nickname N?”

“No,” came the immediate reply of Dongwoo and Sunggyu, but Woohyun had paused momentarily before answering the same one-worded answer.

Soojin glanced at Hoya and Myungsoo who both nodded for her to continue.

“How about the name Hakyeon? Does that mean anything to you?” she tried again.

This time all three for them paused in thought. “No,” Sunggyu said slowly, his eyes furrowed in concentration.

Dongwoo also shook his head slowly, but looked like he was also deep in thought.

Woohyun stared at Soojin suspiciously and asked, “Why are you asking these questions?”

Hoya, who couldn’t bear to see this evading dance of the real topic, spoke up angrily. “Can we please not do this? Let me ask you the real question, were you guys the leaders, a part of, or even related to an organization? That apparently helped and avenged others?”

The three of them silently glanced at each other, secretly and wordlessly communicating with each other through their eyes.

Dongwoo spoke up first. “We don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said calmly.

“Don’t give me that ,” Hoya growled, his eyes narrowing in anger. “We know what you guys did before, so just fess up already.”

“Oh? And what exactly did we do before?” Sunggyu murmured in a relaxed tone.

Hoya faltered and stumbled over his words. “You… you were in an organization and…” “Jang Dongwoo. Born on November 22. Is the jokester of his group of friends and has a habit of laughing at inappropriate moments. Favorite color is green and collects foreign coins on his free time.”

Everyone turned to look at the source of the smooth voice that effortlessly cut the hanging apprehensive atmosphere that smothered the air.

Myungsoo had found a stool next to a counter that faced the window. He was perched on top of the wooden stool with a sloppy palm against the side of his cheek as he stared at the window, not even bothering to look at the others while he spoke.

“Nam Woohyun. Born on February 8. The most sociable amongst his friends. Had a total of four girlfriends. Only one was long-term but ended when she moved cities.  Favorite color is red and currently writes a cooking blog.”

Myungsoo didn’t stop there; his voice, despite only speaking a minimum volume, had commanded the room.

“Kim Sunggyu. Born on April 28. Quiet but smart. Silent but snarky. Most secluded amongst the three, but does a lot on his free time. Including the following: volunteering at the library, helping out at the local pet shelter, and taking walks around the neighborhood. Likes the color white and has a beta fish named Alpha.”

There was a long and nerve-racking silence as everyone stared at Myungsoo, some with surprise and shock while the main three had guarded looks.

Woohyun broke the silence first as he looked at his two close friends and joked, “Well, now. I never knew we had a fan on our hands. Should we give him a  autograph for his efforts?”

Sunggyu, on the other hand, was not so amused. “Care to explain, really explain, what’s going on? Besides these accusations and random facts about us?”

Myungsoo finally swiveled in his chair and faced all of the people in the room properly. “My name is Kim Myungsoo. And I used to be known as L.”

Nobody moved an inch as they stared at Myungsoo as if the answer to everyone’s question could be answered by gazing upon his face.

But Dongwoo knew the true reason behind Myungsoo’s sudden facts. He also knew that the other two knew as well but were waiting for him to make the first move. Because what sort of people would they be if they didn’t listen to their leader properly?

“My name is Jang Dongwoo, and I humbly welcome you to our private establishment where we do make your dreams come true.” He stared directly into Myungsoo’s eyes, watching and waiting to see if they were waver and turn away. He wasn’t disappointed when, however, when they didn’t.

Sunggyu and Woohyun momentarily glanced at each other before bowing their heads slightly.

“My name is Kim Sunggyu. The pleasure is mine.”

“My name is Nam Woohyun. We look forward to be working with you.”

Myungsoo smiled slightly, pleased to know that it had worked in spite of only putting his whole faith in those information he had gathered. Specially some phrases that he had slipped in.

The only two who were utterly confused by whatever had occurred in the span of those minutes stood frozen in their spots.

Soojin looked at everyone with a dazed look, but Hoya wasn’t about to sit here like a deer in the headlights.

“Hold up. Wait a moment. Can someone now tell me what’s going on? I feel like I missed something important.”

“I don’t know. How exactly are you involved, and is there is a reason to involve you?” Dongwoo lazily asked with a mocking smile.

Woohyun and Sunggyu had to hold Hoya back while he cursed foul-mouthed words at Dongwoo.

“Calm down, man,” Sunggyu murmured. “We’re getting there. First though, I believe your friend owes us an explanation.”

Myungsoo stood up when he realized that the attention was back on him. “Yes, well. Shouldn’t I get a solid confirmation on if I’m on the right track or not?”

“You just did,” Woohyun replied starkly.

“I may have, but they didn’t understand what I did, nor did they understand your confirmation of it. We all need it hear clearly come straight from your mouths.”

Dongwoo sighed. “Fine. To put it plain words, whatever you’re thinking is probably right. Though not all of it. Eight years ago I started a small association that helped out people in trouble. Mostly for friends and acquaintances. The group only included Woohyun, Sunggyu, and me. Then four years ago, I stopped it, everything. Because asked us for something none of could to do. Wouldn’t do. Something we never would have thought would be asked of us. And then I realized it was time to stop.”

“What was it?” Hoya asked curiously, despite trying to keep his intense stare loaded on Dongwoo.

The other smiled cheerfully, “Don’t worry about it.”

Sunggyu and Woohyun decided to keep Hoya a larger distance away from Dongwoo after Hoya had attempted to lunge at Dongwoo.

“N,” Soojin spoke up suddenly. “N, he the one who asked you whatever you didn’t want to do?”

Woohyun was the first to speak. “We didn’t know him as N. But Hakyeon. He called himself Hakyeon.”

Sunggyu nodded. “We denied him automatically. He asked to meet us up once more. But after that, we never heard from him since. But then rumors started floating around. That he started up some sort of copy-cat organization like ours, but did everything we wouldn’t do.”

“I’m sorry,” Myungsoo interrupted, clearly disturbed by simply glimpsing the anguished look on his face. “But what exactly did Hakyeon ask you to do?”

Woohyun and Sunggyu watched Dongwoo, nervous on if he was going to answer or not. Dongwoo, however, looked straightforwardly into Myungsoo's eyes and said in a clear voice, “He asked us to kill someone.”

A/N: Because lately I’ve been on a cliff-hanger high.

I had planned to put this chapter earlier, but I didn’t manage to finish writing until now. But thanks for waiting patiently! This story is going on longer than I first thought of it in its earlier stages, but that’s a good thing, right?

Thanks for reading.