Eighth Voice

The whole class of 2-A receives quite a shock when Lu Han pays a visit during empty period. As everyone knows, he is considered as one of the most popular male students in Seoul High. On top of that, he has just recovered from a long-term coma so his name does float around at the tip of their minds.

“Who are you looking for, Lu Han oppa?” Bomi asks when he passes by her desk.

Lu Han gives her a slight smile. “I’m looking for…” His gaze sparks on everyone’s faces but he seems to not recognize the one who he wants to meet. “Kyungsoo.”

“Oh, there he is.” Warts and all, he sprints towards the said guy’s desk. Lu Han initially couldn’t notice him because of he sits at the sheer back of the classroom. Plus, he has a small figure that makes him unnoticeable.

“Kyungsoo,” Lu Han greets him contentedly. “What are you doing?” He could see how astonished the latter is when he appears at him.

“Oh, hyung…” Kyungsoo’s jaw drops slightly, apparently is caught off guard. “I was just doing some revision until you came.”

He chortles. “You’re so studious, Kyungsoo. You should pass this time and have some rest during this empty period.”

“I love this way, hyung.” He manages a smile and sets his revision book aside. “Anyway, can we talk outside?”

“Why?”

He bites his lip as he looks around the classroom. Everyone’s practically staring at two of them. “I’m bit uncomfortable with everyone’s staring at me…”

Lu Han takes a brief look around the class and like the younger has said, they are indeed looking at them so meticulously. “No need because I just want to ask you something.”

“What is it, hyung?”

“Do you have anything to do after school?”

“Hmm…” Kyungsoo seems to dwell on for a moment before he shakes his head. “I’m kind of free, hyung.”

Lu Han curls a smile upon his lips. “Then can we go grab some coffee after school?”

Though the younger looks quite hesitated in the first place, he ends up saying yes to the invitation. He deems it would be better to hang out with him rather than going home right after school. 

“I’ll see you in front of the gate later,” are all he says before he trudges out. He sort of senses Jongin’s baffled gaze but he simply grins at him without any word. It seems like he should stop with Jongin for this moment. He doesn’t want him to cast doubt on him.

***

“So, hyung... how about the study session? Did it work on you?” Kyungsoo simply asks when Lu Han comes back with two iced Americano.

He takes his first sip carefully and gazes at the loveable younger. “Well, sort of... except English.” It has been two weeks since they had the last session and to say Kyungsoo doesn’t help him much as a tutor, it would be a lie. The younger has helped him a lot and he is quite thankful towards him. Now, he can simply cover some of the left lessons pretty fast.

Kyungsoo lets out a laugh. “I know it, hyung... but I’ll work on it more so that you can overcome your ‘fear’ for English.”

“Alright, I’ll wait for it.” He lets out a smile at him.

He glances at the surrounding of the cafe as he drinks his iced Americano. “Ah, I forget to ask you, hyung... why you wanted to meet me today?”

“Just.... needed someone for a talk.”

“And why I was chosen as that ‘someone’, hyung?” He tilts his head and flashes his curious gaze at him.

“Maybe because you were the only reachable one?” Seriously, he doesn’t have any good excuse so he just lets out what comes across his mind. He hates lying, though. Nonetheless, he has to do this for the sake of Krystal. He has once promised her to continue this case despite of already knowing his other ability.

“By the way, Kyungsoo...” Lu Han begins again, “I kind of know about you and Jongin-ah.... uhm... about your big fight.”

Kyungsoo seems startled; he almost chokes in his drink. He blinks his eyes at the elder incredulously. “Oh... you know too...”

“Actually, what happened between you two?” he inquires curiously.

“It’s nothing, hyung...” He manages an edgy smile at the corner of his lips. “It’s just a normal fight between guys.”

“Frankly, you can talk to me if you want to share your problem, Kyungsoo,” he says persuasively. “I’m all ears.”

“Nevermind, hyung,” he refuses bitterly. “It’s stressing me out so I don’t want to talk about it.”

He lets out a grunt out of frustration upon hearing his refusal. Kyungsoo doesn’t want to reveal about what happened between Jongin and him which utterly upsets him. It looks like he has failed again this time.

“I’d rather keep it hidden than tell Lu Han hyung the truth. It’s not like I don’t want to tell him... I’m just afraid...”

The elder watches him in despair. He would like to help the latter but he refuses his help. Thus, he cannot do anything in the end. He could just stay silent and hear his heavy sigh.

“Kyungsoo, have you ever lied?”

He raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Have you ever made up a lie whether deliberately or unintentionally?”

He becomes a bit restless upon his unexpected question. His face shows it all. “I suppose...” He nods fretfully and adds, “Why do you ask about it, hyung?”

“I don’t know. It just came out all of a sudden.” Lu Han grins slightly. “But you know what, Kyungsoo? The things about liars; even though they tell the truth ten times, when you find out there has been one lie, you’ll start to question whether anything else they said was true.”

A frown quirks upon Kyungsoo’s forehead as he hears his words. To be honest, he couldn’t quite catch the meaning of what he has stated.

“Am I right?” He stares at him questioningly.

Kyungsoo mulls over before he looks back at the elder with a smile. “You’re right, hyung,” he answers, nodding. “And you know what, hyung? Telling the truth is always painful.”

He nods in agreement. “Does it relate to your problem, Kyungsoo?”

“There are truths in the world that are better not known,” he simply says, fiddling the tip of the straw before sipping it.

“But if you’re confused whether to tell or not, telling the truth is the answer,” Lu Han replies. “That’s the right thing to do.”

Kyungsoo chuckles insipidly, taking yet another sip of his drink. The atmosphere suddenly turns somewhat intense, as though they were having some kind of word fight. However, he admits the elder’s words are all true. He doesn’t beg to differ.

“Truth is truth but I cannot simply reveal it.”

Though he is disappointed that he still refuses to stay silent, Lu Han cannot do anything. It’s all up to him. If he wants to let it out, he would’ve done that earlier.

“Kyungsoo...”

“What’s the matter, hyung?”

“When the door is opened to let you out, come out. Don’t get caught while leaving behind for nothing.”

“What does that suppose to mean?” The younger frowns profusely.

“Nothing.” He beams furtively. “It’s just a reminder.”

“Oh... I thought it’s some kind of sarcasm, hyung.”

“Nope, it’s not,” he utters. Out of the blue, he suddenly rises from his seat as if he intends to go home at once.

“Hyung, where are you going?” His eyes trail at his sudden gesture. He looks quite bewildered. “Do you already want to go home?”

Lu Han nods and smiles. “I’m sorry but I forgot that I have to meet someone right now,” he remarks, “Anyway, sorry for taking your time today.”

“It’s okay, hyung. I’m free today.”

He nods again. “If you want, let’s go together, Kyungsoo. I’ll send you home.”

“Nevermind, hyung,” he promptly rejects the elder’s request. “I want to stay here for moment before I go home.”

“Alright if you say so.” Lu Han then bids the younger goodbye before he walks away. However, after a few steps, he comes back to the table.

Kyungsoo stares at him in surprise. “Do you leave something, hyung?”

“Nope, I don’t.” He shakes his head and looks into his eyes deeply.

“Then... why you come back, hyung?” It’d be a lie if he doesn’t feel uncomfortable being stared so continuously by the elder.

“Kyungsoo,” word starts to flow out his lips, “All those people that are rude to you, it’s because they are jealous. You’re kind, smart and fortunate. So don’t hate them, don’t be mean to them and feel sorry for them.”

And later, he disappears after saying what he intends to say in the first place.

On the other hand, the small guy could only let out a sigh. Yes, he does understand the elder’s words but it’s too little too late. What’s done cannot be undone.

“Time will come,

Where it will erase

All the pain and bad memories...”

***

Lu Han comes across Yoona at the library during recess. She is sitting at a table at the back of the library, leisurely reading some kind of a particular novel.

“Hey,” he softly greets her as he takes a seat before her. “What’re you doing?”

The latter seems caught off guard of his sudden appearance. “Oh, Han. I’m reading a mystery novel,” she answers, twirling the novel at his direction.

“Why don’t you go to the cafeteria?” he asks enquiringly. “It’s recess, anyway.”

She shrugs slightly. “I don’t know, Han. I just don’t feel like eating.”

“Same as me.” He smiles. “Minseok asked me to go to the cafeteria but I refused. I need to... uhm... think about some on-going thoughts.”

“What is it?” She seems interested, eyes rolling in inquisitiveness. “Or by any chance, do you think about your lost memory?”

“Nope... I think about other things.” Lately, his life has turned topsy-turvy. There are a lot of things that need to be taken care of and the most vital one at this moment is about Kyungsoo. He has yet to unravel the sheer mystery about his indecipherable, obscure secret. He has asked a few closest friends of Kyungsoo and not to mention, Kyungsoo himself but none of them could give him the ultimate step to the closure. It’s as if a twisted that cannot be untied in any ways, by hook or by crook.

“I can lend you a hand if you need, Han,”