“I can’t trust you with this… This is way too immature…” Jinki stated clearly.

“Aw come on! You’re no fun.” Jonghyun pouted.

“I really don’t like this idea.” Jinki replied.

“Whatever! I’ll definitely take Kibum on a date one day!” Jonghyun insisted. “See you later, baby.” Jonghyun winked at Kibum which he replied with a disgusted look.

Jonghyun turned his back and upon reaching the door, he turned around once again and faced Kibum with a wink then opened the door and the three went out.

Upon seeing three people go out the Student Council President’s office, a man who’s been keeping an eye on them ever since they’ve had this meeting, hid behind a wall with a serious expression on his face. “Nosey little kids.” He mumbled.

-----

There was really nothing special about Minho’s house but once Taemin went inside as he was invited by Minho, he immediately feels warm and relaxed. Minho noticed the tiredness in the younger one’s expression,

“Taemin-ah, would you like a cup of hot chocolate? Milk? …or coffee perhaps?”

“Have a sit.” Minho gestured to a couch near them, Taemin obliged and they sat together.

Taemin faced him and answered, “No, I’m fine, thanks for asking” then let out a calm smile. Minho doesn’t really understand it, but this person’s smile is precious to him. His smile could immediately make him feel better… more like inspired; and though he is literally at home, this person’s smile feels even more like home.

“M-Minho hyung…” He didn’t notice that he was already staring like an idiot at Taemin and the younger had a questioning look.

“Ah… yes. I’m sorry, I was just… uh, thinking about my practice.” Minho doesn’t really expect that the younger would buy such a petty reason, but unexpectedly, this kid is more gullible than he looks.

“Oh okay… It must be really tiring huh…” Taemin said while nodding.

“Yeah…” Minho cleared his throat for sounding awkward, “how about you? You must be tired as well. You should sleep now. I’ll show you to the bedroom.” Minho leads the way to his bedroom. Luckily, he had a reason for just letting Taemin sleep in his bedroom and not in his brother’s room.

“Rest for now Taemin-ah… you must be really tired” Minho said as Taemin settles his things on the floor. “Just ask when you need anything” Minho followed beaming a smile towards him. Just when Minho’s back is about to turn Taemin caught his hand, “P-please… stay. I’m… scared.” He followed while looking at the floor to hide his blush.

Minho wasn’t able to respond for a while and just looked at him softly. “Er, you know, never mind, if it makes you uncomfortable then it’s really okay, I’ll be fine” Taemin smiled sheepishly at him. Minho let out a little laugh and ruffled Taemin’s hair, “I never said I don’t want to. I was just surprised; I thought you’d be more uncomfortable…”

“Want to change? I can lend you some of my pajamas.” Minho mentioned and to this, Taemin nodded.

Taemin went to the bathroom for a while to change, followed by Minho. After changing, they laid their backs on the comfortable bed, falling silent for a little while. The silence is beautiful as none of them feels awkward at all, which makes Minho wonder how it could be possible when they’ve just met some days ago.

This silence was broken though, as Minho’s curiosity got the better of him. He tilted his head on Taemin who has his eyes closed. “Taemin-ah?” He called.

“Yes, hyung?” Taemin said, not changing his position and keeps his eyes closed.

“Can I ask you something?” Minho replied a bit hesitant.

“Aren’t you already asking something?” He mentioned the last questions the elder said and let out a small laugh, “Just kidding. Sure hyung, ask away…”

“A while ago… uhm, you said you were with your friend and she’s going to show you something…” Minho paused then continued, “… and on the day that I met you, you were offering a sandwich to someone, but I cannot see anyone there with you.”

“Are you sure you want to hear about this hyung? I mean, you might think I’m insane or something” He replied; now his eyes are open and he shifted his whole body to face Minho.

Minho followed Taemin, also shifting his whole body to face the younger, enthusiastically nodding his head towards him.

Taemin let out a sigh and began, “I… I can see the dead. I can see them all around, everywhere, mingling with us, existing with us, never finding any peace maybe.” Taemin chuckled, “It’s insane, right? Normally, people wouldn’t believe me so I understand if you wouldn’t as well…”

Minho fell silent for a while and wondered. “You don’t believe me, huh? It’s all right; I think I’m used to it.” Taemin smiled at him, “Now you’re going to think I’m some weird kid who stabs dolls” He laughed at his own joke.

“No, it’s not that I don’t believe you… maybe it’s because somehow, I can relate to you, in some different way perhaps…” Minho replied eventually.

“What do you mean?” Taemin’s eyebrows curled, confused.

“It started when I was around seven years old? My mom and I went to a family friend’s place and I told them that someone was killed there, a man. I can’t exactly tell what they’re arguing about but it seems like they’re in a heated discussion of some sort.  The other man pulls out a gun with a silencer and shoots him with it, but the man was crying. Realizing he has killed the person, he hid the body in the library shelf.” Minho continued, “I remember the face of guilt on my mom’s friend and he felt uncomfortable when I told them that someone in the house is dead. After convincing them or rather forcing them to follow me, they found out I was telling the truth and eventually, after discovering clues and proving his guilt, my mom’s friend got arrested. He later confessed though. It turns out that it’s a fight about relationship, that man was his boyfriend.”

Taemin can’t hide the shock and amusement in his eyes as he listened intently on the elder, and to this, Minho laughed softly, “It’s crazier, right? It sounds like a fake psycho story off the television shows.”

“I’m! I am amazed that I found someone who can relate with me. I’ve never found anyone who thinks I’m not weird or some bad kid.” Taemin excitedly responded.

“It’s good to have also found someone as excited as this when they knew this story. I don’t normally talk about it because they’re going to think I’m weird or someone who cast spells.” Minho laughed a bit louder.

They spent another hour talking about this and that, comfortably joking and laughing, finding out that somehow, they’re compatible with each other. They have found someone who understands their “weirdness” as other people refer to it. They really get along well.

“Then you know, as I--” as Taemin excitedly tells a story about his childhood, a soft, warm lips is already touching his own. He realizes that it’s Minho and was shocked at first but then followed along, closing his eyes. He never realized that the space between them got smaller, and they can now feel the heat of each other. Minho shifted himself on top of Taemin, as he continued the passionate kiss then runs his fingers through the younger’s hair. Taemin automatically surrounded Minho with his arms, caressing his back. Minho placed soft kisses down to his cheeks, to his jaw line then to his neck which caused the other’s breathing to become heavier, letting out soft moans. He eventually found the younger’s hungry mouth again, tongues battling each other.

When Minho came to his senses, he pulled back slowly, both panting and catching up their breaths. He awkwardly moves himself beside the younger and looks at him, “I… I’m sorry Taemin-ah. I just--”

“No, I’m sorry. It’s—it’s all right. You know, I think we should just sleep.” Taemin answered.

“Y-yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Minho chuckled awkwardly and with that, they went off to dreamland.

--------------------------------

He’s running. He’s running but he doesn’t know where he’s going at all.  It’s dark and only the moonlight that passes through the windows is the source of light along the hallways. There’s not a single person around. He hoped to see just any one of his classmates, but there’s no one.

An atrocious laugh is echoing throughout dark and empty school. It’s following him wherever he goes. It’s making him crazy.

He kept on running just where his feet where lead him to. He started regretting on staying up late at school. Why did he even stay there? Besides the fact that he is supposed to finish a report and review, he also needed some files in his desktop in his office—being a vice president for student council is no joke as well. The finals are coming up too. There’s just so much to do.

He felt eerie just after entering the main entrance of the school. He shouldn’t have continued entering. He should have just followed his instinct; but there he is, running. He thought of how did it even started, why is he running anyway? He remembered entering the bathroom, he really needs to go—but there was a loud thud in this very cubicle. Curiosity got the better of him before he can stop himself. It’s strange because it isn’t used. He checked the cubicle and knocked on its door three times. No one responded. He tried opening the cubicle door and saw that it was empty. After what seemed like five seconds, the bathroom lights switched off. He went outside and it’s dark as well. Just as he was about to completely go out of the bathroom he felt a touch against his back—a cold touch. He shivered and the hair at the back of his neck stood up. He slowly looked to check the source of the touch and there he saw a woman, her hair is messed up, all over her face. Her face is uneven, there several cuts and bruises on it, down to her body. She’s wearing a girl’s school uniform he couldn’t recognize and she’s pale and twitching. She slowly walks to him while twitching and she was gone—that’s what he thought. She suddenly appeared right in front of his face, laughing hysterically.

He immediately got out of the bathroom then ran. He ran as fast as he can, breathing heavily, while checking his back from time to time. No one was there but eventually when he looked in front of him she was there, standing a meter apart from him, waiting for him to reach that point. He immediately backed out and ran to the other direction. He finally found some refuge in the music room and hid under the grand piano.

He stopped hearing the laugh. Everything became quiet—too quiet. He can hear his own heartbeat and the silence is too deafening. He decided that it might be safe to go out and maybe he can take this chance to go out of the school finally. Just when he thought all of those are over, the woman suddenly appeared in front of him once again, now being closer than ever. Frightened and panicked, he walked backwards while staring at the other but he tripped on his foot and hit his head on the piano chair—he’s bleeding. He has still some sense in him after but then he felt something around his neck, he looked at it with his blurry vision and realized that it’s somewhat like a rope, tied around his neck. He tried removing it but it was too late. With the little consciousness he has, he has failed in battling for his life. He was suddenly lifted up by the rope and after a few seconds of struggling… he’s gone.

-------------------

“Yo, yo! We’re going to be late and that student council president know-it-all will be on us again! Geez, he’s worse than the teachers.” GD exclaimed while running, Jonghyun and Seungri following behind him. Seungri let out a boisterous laugh at this, “Since when did you concern yourself with that. You never cared about attendance even.” Seungri said, still laughing.

“I just… find him somewhat annoying? I don’t know, I don’t want him telling me what to do” GD scoffed as they rushed to the school. Upon reaching near the school gate, they have seen that there are a lot of people who are gathered in front of it, actually it’s like everyone’s there, students, teachers, everyone. There are police cars that surround the whole building. A bunch of yellow tapes that says “police line do not cross” are surrounding the school and there’s an ambulance too.

“Oh. Are they here to arrest me?” Seungri stated somewhat panicky. Jonghyun hit him slightly on his head, “Stupid. Why would they arrest you? Did you commit a crime?”

“Well no, but I’ve not been paying those I owed money…” Seungri chuckled awkwardly and gave his eye smile to Jonghyun.

“Stupid.” GD answered him and Jonghyun just rolled his eyes. They walked closer to the school and saw Jinki. “Jinki-ah!” Jonghyun called. Jinki looked at them with a blank expression and waved his hands. “What’s happening?” Jonghyun asked. Jinki only sighed before beginning. “They won’t let anyone in yet…”

“…and why is that?” GD asked curiously. “…Junhyungie… Junhyungie…” Jinki cannot continue his words and can only say that name. He looked down and tears started falling from his eyes. “Oh, what’s wrong, Jinki-ah? What happened to the Vice President?” Jonghyun said remembering that that was the name of the vice president of the student council while rubbing Jinki’s back for comfort. There’s a concerned look on his face.

“…he’s gone.” Jinki replied, almost whispering.

“WHAT?!” Seungri exclaimed, almost shouting. “Gone? As in, dead, gone???!” Jonghyun’s eyes widened as he cannot believe the news he’s hearing. They might not be close with the person but hearing that someone’s dead gives you a terrible feeling. It .

All of them fell silent for a while.  GD started, “…w-what was the cause of death?” It took a while before Jinki answered. GD did not rush him into answering his questions. He actually felt bad for feeling annoyed by the person, now that he’s seeing him like this. After a while, Jinki answered quietly and not looking at them, “...his body is found hanging in the music room. He also has a head injury, but the reason of death is by hanging… They’re now searching for fingerprints and other evidence, but all they’ve got is that rope tied around his neck.” He sighed, “Basing on the body’s stiffness, they concluded it probably happened around 4am. It’s 9am now. Everyone’s a suspect since it happened when the school building is empty.”

“This is probably the worst way of getting your day started.” Seungri sighed and everyone just looked at him. “What?”He shrugged. After a few minutes, a hand rested on Jinki’s shoulder, he doesn’t need to look at his face to know that this hand belongs to Kibum. “Hey…” Kibum said quietly. He suddenly wrapped Jinki in a warm embrace to which Jinki followed and embraced him as well… All of them were silent once again.

“Everyone.” The police officer called their attention as he also rang the alarm from the megaphone. “Classes are suspended for the day, but everyone should gather in their respective classrooms as we need everyone’s cooperation for the questioning and gathering evidences.”

“Oh no.”

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yo guys, so I'm back with this new chapter as promised haha...

Thank you for subscribing up until now! Next update will be in a week probably :)