Fifth Voice

As he keeps thinking of Kyungsoo, it will only give him a twinge of headache but it can’t be helped at all. The scene that happened after their first study session practically spins his mind for these past few days. Every day, every hour and every minute, the evident visions of the latter and the seemingly obnoxious group of guys pass by his mind. He wonders what Kyungsoo has to do with them.

“Anyway, bear this in your mind; if you ever tell them, I’ll make sure I won’t leave you alive!”

The statement by one of the guys seems threatening as if they have done something horrible and Kyungsoo happened to stumble upon their wrongdoings. So that’s why he said if everyone knows about their crime, he will do something to the latter for exact revenge.

It does seem realistic from a drastic view but on the other hand, his first remark did look like Kyungsoo associates with the group.

“Do you happen to tell anyone about what we’ve been doing?”

Like a set of jigsaw puzzle, the pieces of them are all scattered over the board and it looks easy to pull it off and yet on the contrary, it’s unbreakable.

That describes Lu Han, though. He’s stuck between the pieces of jigsaw puzzle. It’s easy to unravel each of them but it’s hard to rebuild them back.

“Hey, Han,” a feminine voice intrudes the sheer silence. She settles into a seat next to him and simply gives him a questioning look. “What you’re doing alone at this bench and why you still here after school?”

He turns his gaze to her and replies, “I’m getting some fresh air and I don’t feel like going home at the moment. I need to pull myself together.”

“Why?” Yoona grimaces. “Do you have problem, Han?”

“Nope. I don’t have one... I’m just wondering about something...”

“Oh, I see,” she says. “Anyway, I’m sorry for not talking to you for so many times though we’re in the same class.”

“No need to apologize, though, because I didn’t talk to you as well.”

“He must be so uncomfortable to talk to me since he doesn’t know me.”

“I... on the other hand, deliberately neglected him because I pretty know what his reaction would be...”

“It’s not like that, Yoona,” he clarifies, looking into her eyes instinctively. “I... just feel awkward to talk to you. So please... don’t misunderstand.”

The latter makes a confused look. “Why you suddenly said that? I didn’t say anything, did I?”

He sighs indistinctly and lets out a bitter smile. It’s too difficult to explain to her and he doesn’t think she would believe in his words. “It’s nothing. Don’t bother thinking.”

The conversation goes on hold when she doesn’t respond in return and neither Lu Han grabs an initiative to bring back the conversation.

On the spur of the moment and out of nowhere, the school girl appears before Lu Han. Much to his horror, she is slightly vigorous this time. With her pleading eyes, she staggers at his direction and eventually halts her footsteps after she partially reaches him.

Her pleading eyes turn dramatically to a pair of bloody, awful eyes. Tears of blood profusely trickle down her cheeks, seemingly expressing her feelings at the moment yet Lu Han doesn’t fathom at all. Her lips tremble to utter words but she can’t. It’s as if her lips were sealed with twisted padlocks.

“What’s wrong, Han?” Yoona rolls her eyes inquiringly. From her prying eyes, the latter seems disoriented; his eyes turn wide and lips shuddering as though he’s just seen something horrifying in front of him. “Han, what happened to you?”

“Do you see that girl?” He stretches out his hand at the school girl’s direction. “The one who’s crying out of blood?”

“Where?” She spins around thoroughly as the pointed direction but she sees nothing. “There’s no girl there, Han.”

It turns out true. Lu Han gasps in surprise when the school girl has disappeared out of the blue. She was there just before he talked to Yoona. “But... she was there just now. She’s wearing our school uniform. Plus, she’s weeping - literally bloody tears.”

“Come back to your sense, Han,” she responds in amusement, letting out a chuckle. “I didn’t see any girl or boy there since we were here, Han. Most students have gone home at this time.”

“B-but-”

“It’s your delusion, Han. You’re still below par so that’s why you’re being like this.”

“But I really saw her! I swear she was just-”

“Stop it, Han. I don’t want that delusion of yours make you nuts,” she says softly with a comforting smile. She pats the confused latter’s back reassuringly.

In the end, Lu Han gives in and squeezes his mouth shut. Although the school girl’s vision still bothers him, he has to let it go. But seriously, he really saw her just now with his eyes. It’s not delusion as she stated. It’s reality. He swears he really witnessed that weeping school girl, for God’s sake.

“Oh, is that Jongin?” Yoona bursts out impetuously as she comes across the said guy walking towards the school gate.

“Which one?” He tries to search for ‘Jongin’ as curiosity somewhat drives him crazy.

“The one who’s walking towards the gate.” She points her finger at the tall, tan-skinned latter. She sort of gets along with him through the Badminton club. Both of them are in the club this year.

“Oh, I see,” he blurts out. “Do you personally know him?”

“Kind of. We chat to each other sometimes,” answers Yoona. Impulsively, she breathes out a sigh of sympathy. “Anyway, poor him. I wonder how he copes at school after he broke off with his best friend. It may be so saddening for him.”

“He broke off with his best friend?” Lu Han’s eyebrows knit together in interest. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know how it really happened but from what I heard... they got into a big fight and later... they stopped being friends.”

“Big fight...? You mean they beat up each other?” It’s weird when he actually has interest in things that don’t relate to him at all. He just feels the urge to dig into the matter.

“I suppose.” She nods hesitantly. “If I were in Jongin’s shoes, I wouldn’t have decided to stop being friends with him. I mean... they’ve been friends for ages and for some reason, got into a big fight.”

Lu Han lets out a comical chuckle. “Why you’re so worked up?”

“I don’t know. I just feel somewhat furious with Jongin,” she says with a snort, “since he stopped being friends with him... the latter’s been alone all the time. I would’ve been so weak if I were him, though. To be living in solitude at school... it’s pretty tormenting, you know.”

“Oh, his ‘ex’ best friend is now alone? Why? Does he not have any friends besides Jongin?”

“Jongin’s only his friend. The others don’t bother to make friends with him nor would he make friends with them. I don’t know why but there must be reasons behind it. Plus, he’s not that sociable type of person. His life is only full of books and academicals stuffs. You know... like a wallflower?”

“Oh, really?” he questions in awe. “That must be hard for him.”

She nods. “Yeah, you’re right. Poor Kyungsoo...”

Lu Han jolts back at the name she’s just mentioned. His heart stops beating for a moment. “Who? Who did you just mention?”

“Kyungsoo,” she reiterates, giving him a confused look. She is probably astonished seeing his unforeseen vigour. “Do Kyungsoo.”

***

Stomping off to the manor without even knocking the door prior, Lu Han comes solely to meet none other than one of the enigmatic Jung Sisters, Krystal Jung.

“Krystal, we need to talk,” he says bluntly, almost making the younger fall into a state of bemusement. “We really need to talk.”

By the time Lu Han goes inside the manor, she is currently talking to someone on the line. “I’ll call you later,” she says to the caller and abruptly ends the call.

“What’s the matter, Lu Han-oppa?” she asks with a grimace. “You look serious.”

“I’m dead serious.”

“Oh, okay.” She nods, understood. She then gestures him to take a seat first. “Anyway, oppa... take a seat first.”

“No need, Krystal. I’m in a hurry.”

“Then tell me what you want to say,” answers Krystal, giving him a curious look. “I’m all ears.”

“About your words the other day... what’s that supposed to mean?” Lu Han looks at her questioningly. He couldn’t help but keep on mulling over her twisted puzzle. He attempts to figure out the meaning of it but he cannot simply turn the tables. It’s driving him nuts to the extent he cannot give full attention in class.

“Which one?” The latter seems bewildered – or maybe she’s trying to mess up with him. “I think I’ve said quite a lot to you, haven’t I?”

Lu Han snorts. “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If we live that way, it will only make the whole world blind.”

“Oh... that one,” she mutters under her breath, nodding in comprehension sluggishly. “But I wo