CHAPTER FORTEEN

“Welcome, to my humble home~!”

Mr. Do welcomed them at the automatically-operated gate with a bottle of whiskey on the right hand and an apple at the other.

They smiled to each other knowing that maybe, what they thought was wrong. But Jongin, being a stubborn kid he is, kept his face flat and void of any emotion except fury. Mr. Do noticed that.

“Oh! You’re the kid earlier! Hey, listen, don’t be mad at me, be mad at yourself, you bumped to me! Hahahaha” Mr. Do laughed endless and everyone couldn’t help but laugh as well, but Jongin.

He coughed awkwardly to gain their attention.

“So, what do all of you need here huh? Don’t you know, you just missed my ‘Play Time’? Tsk, tsk, that better be good, or else…” Mr. Do smirked wickedly as he sipped straight from the whiskey bottle’s mouth.

“Good evening Mr. Do. We’re here to have some questions asked to you according your son, Do Kyungsoo.” The Guidance Counselor presented him the letter stating that the school administration representatives are requesting an interview with him concerning Do Kyungsoo.

“AH! That kid. Okay okay, come in!” He quickly wiped dry sweat forming on his forehead as he lead the way inside their house. The Principal, Guidance Counselor and Jongin knowingly looked at each other. They all know that Mr. Do’s tensed and nervous; but about what? They’re about to know later.

----

“WOAH! This is a MANSION!”

“THIS IS SO… BIG!”

“Oh! Look! There’s a Pororo stuffed toy on the Looooooooong sofa!”

“Yeah, but it’s dirty, isn’t it?”

“Don’t mind those. And please, shut your mouths.”

Jongin glared on the group of people behind him as they take notice of everything, anything they could see, smell, hear, feel, and taste—Chanyeol tasted the copper-colored liquid on the coffee table and knew that it is caramel.

They’re seated on the long sofa at the living room of the Do’s and were given a pitcher of water and glasses.

“So, what about that kid huh?”

Jongin noticed that the interviewee’s a little more confident now that he’s inside his territory, but the signs of being nervous still evident albeit his calm façade. Jongin drank two glasses of water consecutively as he felt his throat dry up from all that happened that day. He’s thirsty.

“Actually, Mr. Do, we would like to confirm if Do Kyungsoo did leave the school, as well as your mansion. Is it true sir?” The Guidance Counselor asked Mr. Do who shifted on a defensive stature on his seat.

“Yes.” He quickly answered.

“So, it’s true, yes, that Kyungsoo left your house three weeks ago? Where is he now?”

The Guidance Counselor asked Mr. Do once again with a hint of suspicion on his quick, short, and rather scripted answers.

“Ah, yeah. That’s true. He left this house not long three weeks ago. He’s—He’s now on Jeju Island. We—Our family owns an island resort there… And, yeah! I think there he is. I’m sure.”

Mr. Do drank another glass of whiskey and dusted off his pants and polo of any imaginary dusts. Really nervous, it is.

“Oh. Then why do you think, he didn’t passed any letter of trans—Jongin, are you alright?”

The Guidance Counselor, as well as everyone shifted their heed on a really uncomfortable and pacing Jongin. Thankfully, his friends left the house saying they’ll just be outside, sight-seeing the exterior of the mansion.

“I—I’m just… Ugh! I have to pee! Ahm, where’s the restroo—“

Mr. Do, laughed hard but told him the direction.

“It’s over there kid. Go straight until you reach the kitchen, turn left and go straight ahead until you see the painting of fruits. Just until you reach there, turn right and go inside the third door. That’s where the restroom is. Go, quick.”

He excused himself from the three who resumed the paused interview.

Jongin hurriedly ran on the direction he thought was said to him. He did saw the kitchen and turned right, went straight ahead until he saw a painting of what looks like kimchi, then he turned right until he reached the first door.

He did found a restroom; just not the said one.

He immediately peed when he entered the door and felt relief wash him. When he was done, he then looked at his surroundings.

“Ugh! Why do you have to be this big? Don’t you know you’re confusing?” He tried to get back on the same path he took to be there but ended up going at the unfamiliar part of the house—the back part.

He studied where his feet got him and could only see a downward stairs and a metal door at the end of it.

----

“Thank you for your time Mr. Do. And please forgive us for interrupting your, ‘Play time’.” The guidance counselor bowed on Mr. Do who the latter reciprocated.

“We should go Ma’am.”

But the principal seemed a little concerned. Mr. Do and the Guidance Counselor ogled on her.

“Ahm, I haven’t seen Jongin return. Can we at least wait for him?”

Mr. Do smiled knowingly on the Principal which the Guidance Counselor got confounded of.

“Don’t worry about the kid people. I’m sure, he already got outside. The next door of the restroom is actually a shortcut to the front so I’m certain he’s with his friends now.”

They then sighed in relief as they stood up and thanked Mr. Do once again.

Mr. Do, on the other hand, simpered evilly with the thought of continuing his ‘Play Time’.

----

“Hey! Ma’am, Sir, done with the interview?” Chanyeol asked the two who just got out of the second door of the mansion. They’re greeted by a bunch of guys playing at the laaaaaaarge fountain.

“Yes. Where’s Jongin anyway?”

They looked at each other and none of them answered.

“Maybe, he got lost. You know, Kai, directions, they just didn’t click you know?” Lay told everyone after a couple of minutes of wandering.

Suho and Kris nodded at each other before grabbing everyone’s attention.

“Ma’am, Sir, I believe you two have more important things to do so we wanted to take it from here. I think it’s not a part of your job to find a missing boy right? Yes? Thank you very much Ma’am, Sir, for helping us with our friend’s case.” Suho said imperatively on the two which they acknowledged and even chuckled on it.

“Okay. We’re also thanking you all for the help and cooperation concerning Do Kyungsoo. And oh, could you please hand this to Jongin. I promised to give this to him.” The Principal gave the letter to Suho but was immediately snatched by Sehun. The school personnel laughed at them and withdrew themselves.

“What do you think is inside this?” Sehun tried to peep on the little space from the paper but quickly received a smack on the arm by Luhan, saying that he shouldn’t read other’s letters because it’s not right, which Sehun followed obediently. He even saluted Luhan before putting the letter neatly on his slack’s back pocket.

“So how will we find him? It’s getting dark already.” Minseok asked everyone but stopped on Kris who he saw smirked at them.

“We will be divided into groups of two. Sehun, Luhan, Baekhyun, Tao and I will find him at the right side of the mansion up to the back part. I’m sure, that’s not that hard to reach it there. While the other group consists Minseok, Chen, Lay, Suho, and Chanyeol. You’ll be on the left until we meet at the back; then we’ll go out of this mansion together. Questions?”

Kris declared while having his arms crossed on his arms and an intimidating look. But Chanyeol didn’t seem to get intimidated.

“Why am I away from Baekhyun?” He asked incredulously on Kris. But Baekhyun answered for him.

“Chanyeol, the answer’s easy. He put you away from me, because we all know that you always destroy my hairdo that I always fix for soooo long. Duh~” He rolled his eyes at Chanyeol who just pouted like a lost puppy.

Suho then clapped his hands before dividing them into their respective groups.

----

Jongin hesitantly made his way to the door.

He could see from the large windows of the quiet hallway that it’s already getting dark outside and maybe his friends are getting worried about him.

But curiosity on what’s behind that door took over him. Besides, no matter how hard he try to get out of that maze-like mansion, he couldn’t. So what’s the point?

“You’ll just take a peek Jongin. Just a peek.”

He then walked closer to the door and noticed that it is quite ajar. He got more curious.

But as he got closer and closer to the slightly-opened door, he could smell a faint scent of vanilla, mixed with the richness of caramel.

Jongin could only smell that kind of aroma from one person, Kyungsoo.

He fastened his pace and entered the door, not caring about the time of the day anymore.

At first, he could smell something like a rotten or spoiled food, the metallic scent of blood(?) and the distinct aroma of Kyungsoo; he cringed his nose at the intoxicating odor that welcomed his nostrils.

But when he turned the light switch on, the sight before him made his knees jell-o and senses numb of anything. Anything, but mutual pain.

“Kyungsoo hyung.”