Chapter 17



“Park Soyeon. She’s one of student in Seoul University. Age 22 and she taking Network System Computer major,” Junsu read the profile that he got from database.

“She’s a genius among her batch-mate.”

“She lives with them too right?” Jaebum asked.

He nodded before continue. “Lee Qri. Age 23 and she open accessories shop and also lived with them. You have met her right?”

Jaebum nodded. “I met her that day but she looked so... innocent.”

Changmin coughed teasingly. “Everyone will look super nice at first sight but later; you’ll discover the things that they were hiding beneath their outside appearance.”

“What a philosophy,” Junsu mocked him. “I shall continue. Next would be Park Hyomin. She’s a photographer course student at Starship International College and she was 20. Then we also have Jeon Boram. She’s 23 years old as well.”

“Huh?” Changmin raised his eyebrow. “23? She looked younger than that.”

Junsu and Jaebum give an irritate look and Changmin immediately zipped his mouth with his hand. Taecyeon on the other hand was still quiet and looked so distracted. 

“Are you okay man?” Jaebum asked.

He shook his head. “Just go ahead.”

Junsu inhaled before continue. “Ham Eunjung, a school nurse. She’s 21 years old and worked at the same school as Park Jiyeon, 17 years old. That’s all my little info on all these six girls. I’ll get more and revealed later.”

When the rest of them prepared to get back home, Taecyeon still sitting down on his chair while leaning his back against the seat while staring blankly at the empty ceiling. There was too much impossible thought that come to his mind and at the time like this, he knew how impossible thing can turn out to be possible. Does White Lily trying to mess up with their mind? Did he really give all the info? Was it true? If it’s true, why? How come T-ara was actually a bunch of young woman and girls? Why did they kill people? All of them were below 25 years old so it’s pretty impossible to accept the fact that all the well-structured strategy of killing and how they deal with the victim’s evidence was totally professional. Did they receive some kind of intensive training? Out of those questions, there’s one that disturb him the most. 

“Who do they work for?” he was basically questioning himself while shrugged.

+++++++


While his eyes fixed on the street, Taecyeon could see a couple of teenagers sprinted across the white lines to get to the other side of the road. The guy was wearing oversized jeans while the girl fitted herself with flowery blouse. Taecyeon smiled to himself, thinking how they could be so opposite in terms of style and probably attitude but still end up being together. 

“Cute...” he mumbled, reminisce the younger moment of him when he realized he never really experience this kind of opportunity. His life was complicated and he, himself wasn’t someone who filled with confident back then. Being labelled as nerd; you know how the story continued later. He sighed and concentrated back to his cappuccino.

“Cute?” a female voice suddenly appeared; he quickly turned to his right side and saw Eunjung was smiling at him while sitting down at the stool next to him. She looked so sweet with long green skirt and black cardigan and her ponytail just make her even prettier. At least that’s what he thought. Taecyeon coughed, trying to brush whatever thought he had in his mind.

“Ah, EunJung-sshi, please have a seat,” he was about to stand up and pushed her chair to let her sit like a gentleman always do but she was quick enough, waving her hand with smile.

“It’s okay, I’m not a princess... you’ll make me feel awkward like this,” she genuinely smile, trying to act calm when the truth is, her heart pound like crazy that it could explode any moment.

He nodded. “Sorry.”

His eyes still fixed on her when he noticed that she was unable to look at him directly. Perhaps she was feeling shy? Maybe he was the one who think too much but still, it gives him the opportunity to stare at her face. She looked so pure and he still can’t find anything that can relate her with criminal and murder cases. Someone as pure as her, could it be she used to covered her hand with blood of other people? Stealing someone else life without approval? Grabbing it away mercilessly?

“By the way Taecyeon-sshi, may I know what makes you wanted to see me?” she asked and finally their eyes met but she turned her head quickly, fanning herself using her hand. “Fuuh... it’s hot... “

It’s not hot. The surrounding wasn’t hot but Taecyeon knew that she felt that way because of him. Again—he feel like slapping himself for being so full of himself. Eunjung might feel hot because of the weather.

Pssh Taecyeon, stop you idiotic-ness, you’re here for your job!

“Well, I... need to ask you something,” he said calmly. Deep inside, he was squishing his brain hard to find some excuses because his mind suddenly went blank.

“About what?”

“Jiyeon.” He had no idea why that name appeared on his mind but at least he gets some ‘excuse’.

EunJung eyebrow rose up slightly. She doesn’t look so shy anymore because her expression turned more curious.

“You know she’s being acting weirdly these days. Always daydreaming always put her mind somewhere else during classes. Some of her classmate even said that she often talk to herself now. I’m sorry for suddenly bringing up these issues but she told me you guys lived together so...”

She nodded in understatement. “I see what you’re trying to say.” Inside her heart, she felt slightly disappointed to know that the reason he called her for a meeting is because Jiyeon.

“Is she okay?” he asked while his eyes still not leaving hers.

“She’s okay,” Eunjung quickly said. “So many things happened to her lately and that’s why she isolated herself from the others. But Jiyeon is a strong girl. She will overcome all this sorrow and return back to her normal self.”

++++++++++++

Meanwhile, some other place.

“I’m right behind her,” Jaebum whispered through his phone headset. “We’re on DaegumJa Village, heading to... wait... graveyard area.” He glanced around and was a bit surprised with the surrounding. It was indeed a graveyard. He watched Qri walking slowly, while holding a bouquet of flower, alone.

“What the heck is she doing here?” he questioned himself. Junsu on the other line was busy smashing his keyboard with something.

“DaegumJa Village? I think she wanted to visit someone. Be careful Jay, don’t make she noticed your presence. We need more clue...” he instructed.

The line went dead and... busted. Qri turned behind and their eyes met. Jaebum tried to act coolly and tucked the phone inside his jeans pocket before cough lightly. Although the distances between them are quite far, Jaebum still worried if she overheard the conversation and become the reason on why she turned. His heart beating fast at the thought of Qri might seriously one of them. One of T-ara and that also mean one more thing—she’s one of those hidden assassins.

Both of them encountered an awkward silence with both of them having different thought running inside their mind. Qri was wondering if Jaebum also visited someone’s grave. Never in the world would she think if Jaebum was there to stalk her. That’s Qri, sometimes her way of thinking are so narrow. Jaebum on the hand was wondering whether Qri could smell his motive.

“Uhh... hey,” he finally decided to end the silence between them, walked casually toward her while waving his hand.

Qri smiled but the look on her face showed that she was in a bitter pain. “Hi... Officer Park.”

“Nahh, just call me Jay. Don’t be too formal,” he assured her with calm smile. From the look on her face, he could see that there was no curiosity hitting her mind of seeing him here. Well, graveyard would never become a pleasant place to accidentally bump or meet someone. Plus, there’s no way a person would visit a graveyard without visiting someone’s grave.

“You’re here to visit someone’s grave?” as the question popped out from Qri’s mouth, Jaebum cursed silently. He just hated being in awkward position.

“No... err... I mean... yes,” he squeezed his brain hard to find some relevant answer before making himself looking like a fool.

Qri nodded in understatement. Jaebum took a deep breath of relief. Well, for someone as ‘dangerous and beautiful’ and she were, it’s not that hard to make her believe him. This make him think, did something else bother her mind so badly until she acted this way?

“Are you okay?” he questioned her. She shook her head lightly. He added more question. “So you’re coming here to...”

Qri found herself miserable. She does not know what to do. In front of her right now was the police man and she still remembered what JoKwon had said regarding to the police. Don’t trust them easily. Both police and the mysterious White Lily was their enemy. Not a colleague.

“I...” she inhaled. “I wanna go home.”

Jaebum looked at her straight. “Are you sure you okay? You don’t look very convincing right now.” He asked because he could see her devastated face, depressed emotion and sad expression. “Well, if you want to talk, I have my time. I don’t work today,” he lied. A pretty white lie might not look so bad when it was for the good purpose. Right?

They were both sitting at the bench not far from graveyard area. It was still in DaegumJa place but nearer to mini town. They choose to sit down at the bench in children playground, side by side while watching the empty-ness. It still early and most of the kids were still at school.

Jaebum wanted to say something to break the silence but every time he glanced at her face, his mouth frozen. If only he could read her mind, it’ll make the job easier. He sighed and threw his gaze at the empty playground.

“Jay-ssi, have you done something that you wish you wouldn’t?” Qri sudden question startled him. He quickly turned at her, frowning. A gust of wind roared when he was blinking his eyes at her, feeling a bit confused with her question. Actually, he was exaggerating. Jaebum indeed felt surprised with that unexpected question but since he can relate the question with all random fact inside his mind, he was ready. Plus, the exaggeration is needed to make Qri believe him and willing to open up whatever secret that she was hiding. Sometimes, he prayed that all the assumptions of T-ara as bunch of girls were only a playful word from White Lily just to make them confused. It was impossible right? For girls to actually worked as assassin. Moreover, if it’s true, then all this while they were chasing after a bunch of girls, doing their ‘killing’ business so professionally that even the police lost and have no clue. 

“What do you mean? Have you done it?” Jaebum felt like slapping himself for being too direct. Making her feel suspicious has to be avoided. 

Qri lifted her face and tears already welled up inside her eyes, waiting to burst out from its socket and ran down her porcelain skin. Jaebum eyes widened. Yes, sure he’s being with many girls before but facing a situation where a girl crying was not his specialty. Especially when he don’t know the reason for her to cry at all. 

“Wait... don’t cry,” he was starting to get panic.

She realized his awkward respond and immediately shed her tears using her palm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cry. I guess I should just go home.” As she got up, Jaebum quickly grab her arm, forcing her to turn.

With their face facing each other, both went into another silence. Jaebum released her arm and bowed. “I’m sorry.”

“................” she didn’t say anything.

“Look, I don’t know what’s on your mind or what your problem is but... you can’t just keep it all by yourself. Sometimes, just let it go... let it out. Tell someone so that it won’t continuously burden you.” Jaebum also don’t know why he said all that but one thing he knew for sure, this comes sincerely from his heart. Not because of the police investigation or exaggerating act. This time, it’s real.

Qri eyes starting to glistened again and this time, Jaebum approached forward and pulled her head closer to his body. He patted her back softly and he knew, she cried even more.

“Okay, just cry Qri-ssi,” he whispered. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

Author's note:

Hi readers!!! i miss all of you~

sorry for making you all wait. i've been busy with school thingy since the vacation is getting nearer and nearer that make me hardly update, hope you understand~

another thing, have you guys heard about T-ARA adding or replacing members? its pretty spread out so i guess you knew... that news really freaks me out! i love t-ara and their members, why do they need to change it? i hope KKS will change his mind!  7 members of T-ARA are already perfect for them and their fans.CCM please don't replace or add or remove any member ..!!!!!! They are PERFECTION!!!!! 7araAsOne ..

Wait wait. 
Did KKS rly refer to T-ARA as lazy?

…Lazy? I mean, come on.

They’ve been promoting like.. this whole last year? And now that their holidays have begun you go and say you’ll make a bunch of changes, not just adding members, but maybe kick out the original ones as well? Kim Kwang Soo, are you nuts? T-ARA won’t be T-ARA if they’re not 7. As a diadem, or queen, or whatev, I’ll lose my respect for the CCM if you dare to touch the girls.

to those who love the 7-ARA and dont want the seperation.. HELP them by signing on this petition that We don't want T-ARA's sweat and tears to go to waste. T-ARA is perfect as 7... here's the link: http://www.change.org/petitions/ccm-s-ceo-kim-kwang-soo-su-keep-t-ara-as-7-hyomin-boram-qri-jiyeon-eunjung-soyeon-and-hwayoung?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=share_with_facebook_friends