April 20, Tuesday

You wake up in the morning with nothing on your mind except the possibility that this might be your last couple of days in Seoul High School. You stare at the ceiling until Heechul drags you out of bed.

In class, you can't even listen to the teachers. It feels like they're giving you accusing looks because of your case. You lay your head down on your desk and fold your arms around it and wait until the torment ends.

After class, you don't know what to do. You really don't. The guys try to cheer you up but you sit with your mind zoning out thinking that the world will go on for them, but for you, it won't. Your time had just started, and soon, it will end too.

You stay in your room, pretending to be asleep until night falls. Then you go out into the garden to see Kyuhyun the beagle. And hopefully, Flashlight guy too.

GARDENS

You see the flashlight from far away and you go to the gazebo.

"Kim Haneul, how are you?" Flashlight guy asks.

"... I'm gonna be kicked out of school soon," you answer.

"Aren't you just getting suspended?"

"I'm going to lose my scholarship too, and unlike your families, mine doesn't have any money to pay for this frikkin tuition fee!" you snap.

"Chill, Haneul," he says, trying to calm you down. "I didn't mean to offend you or anything. You shouldn't let this get to you."

"How can I not?? I just lost my hope for a future! All because of some stupid person who we can't even catch! Lack of evidence, no witnesses, no nothing!"

"Lack of evidence? What have you found?"

"Beagle fur on the table where the answer sheets were originally placed. That's about it."

"Time schedules?"

"A bracket of 10:20-ish to 11pm, then he placed the final copy through Choi Siwon's door past 11:15. Something like that."

Flashlight guy doesn't say anything.

You sigh and turn to Kyuhyun the beagle.

"Hey Kyukyu," you say patting her. "Who has been visiting you? I'll bet you know who the culprit is because he's got your fur all over him. Please tell me who..."

Kyuhyun whines.

"Sigh, thought so."

You sit on the ledge next to Flashlight guy.

"I've even started to suspect my friends. Heechul for his alibi, and Donghae because I found out that he would visit her sometimes. I'm losing all hope. I've just about given up."

You feel a warm arm wrap around your shoulder.

"It's okay, Haneul," he says. "Everything is going to be alright. Just wait and see."

"How can I just wait and see??" your voice cracks.

"I'm sure someone saw, somehow. You're going to get out of this, I promise."

"That's what everyone else told me...But they couldn't do anything. I can't do anything."

He pulls you closer to him and whispers, "Trust me."

"How can I trust you if I don't even know who you are?" You might even be the guy who started this in the first place...

He says again, this time more slowly, "Trust me, Kim Haneul."

I haven't been able to find out anything today. Tomorrow is the day of the trial. What's going to happen? I wonder. Haraboji, if God is real, can you please ask Him for a miracle? I could really do with one right now.

You are comforted by the warmth and security of your mysterious friend which helps you when you go to sleep back at your dorm. Everyone is backing you up even though uncertainty remains. What else remains to be done? you think.

The voice of Flashlight guy echoes in your dreams.

"Trust me."

"Trust me."

"Trust me."

I will trust you.

I trust you.