Price you have to pay:

What you have to endure in return for something you gain or achieve.

Sungjong opened his eyes. His head hurt like being chopped by an axe. His sight was still blurred. He gained his vision back after a few seconds. He was in the upstair commentary box, from which we could have a whole view of the basketball gym (the decoration in the room is different from the one downstair, and he had to look downward to see the gym floor). He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost five in the morning already. How long had he been sleeping? Or more precisely, unconscious. I remember being hit by a short and plump figure. Sungjong could only memorize a bit of that person’s face. But hardly had he kept the image in mind than that person struck him real hard. And he seemed to be very familiar. But how come I appear here? Was I sleepwalking or what? Sungjong managed to stand up and came closer to the glass separated the gym with the box. And he couldn’t help letting out a shriek seeing the scene striking into his eyes.

Two people were sitting on the unrepared balcony of the swimming pool, the dead corner which nobody dared to come closer since the beginning of the year, since nobody wants to fall off the balcony. Both were gagged. One was a short and plumpy man that Sungjong surely believed to be the one hit him. But until he noticed a gold watch on his left wrist, he could make no more guess. Cause that man was the principal!

The other one even shocked Sungjong more. It was Myungsoo! He was swinging himself like an SOS sign for Sungjong.  And between them, standing firmly on the balcony, was a tall guy Sungjong had never met. He must be the culprit! Sungjong wanted to burst outside so bad to rescue the principal and Myungsoo so bad, but luck again didn’t stand by his side. The door was locked.

“Awake, boy? Good!” Sungjong heard the guy call him through the speaker. No wonder, the guy was standing right oppposite the commentary box, the only spot that could transmit voice into the box, because the was a microphone there for supervisors that is only used for emergency. In addition, it is right close the the deadly dangerous not fenced balcony. 

Sungjong turned back, and said without thinking.

“Who are you? Why do you hang them like that? And where are others? Why do you lock me in here? And who dragged me here?” He uttered.

“I didn’t lock you or move you all the way here. It was this goody-goody.” He looked at the principal. “And the others? I don’t know how they are. Well, acutally I do. One is lying bleeding near the breezeway to the football pitch. One, I think, had his hand cut quite bad in the restroom. Two maybe enjoy chlorine suffocation in the ventilation way. I can’t believe there is somebody breaking in by that way. And one is in the water. FOREVER.” He emphasized the word ‘forever’. “That is enough for their sins.”

“What the heck are you talking about?” Sungjong punched at the table, hoping the guy hear it. “It is you who MURDERED them, and now you quibble like it is not your fault! ARE YOU A HUMAN OR NOT?”

“Calm down boy. You got it right the first clause. I did murder them. Because I want to! (Sungjong: You’re mad!) But it is you who don’t know anything about them. You know nothing about they did. You don’t know that it is them who INDIRECTLY, but ON PURPOSE, KILLED my brother!” The guy almost shouted in the microphone. “Look for a diary in the second compartment on the left of the table where you’re standing and you should know what happened a year ago.”

Sungjong’s hand reached the drawer with thousands of thoughts in his head. This guy is talking nonsense. And why did he hand those two upside down like that?

But Sungjong still did what the man told. Because only wrong doing could result in Myungsoo's or the principal's death: falling down onto the floor.

He found a small notebook with brown cover hidden under a pile of paper.  The guy seemed very eager to see it too. “And read it aloud, if you can, so these two can heard too. So they can know what they’ve done to my brother too, without knowing they did.”

Sungjong opened the diary. On the very first page, there were two photos. One was a quite old photo of twin brothers, one looked exactly like the one standing there on the balcony. So the dead one…

Below was another pic of two masked people,  who Sungjong thought the same twin, holding a bid cup labelled "Best performance award". And they weren’t any stranger. They were the famous magicians Tasty! “Looking good right? Me and my bro.” Sungjong looked at the guy again. He seemed less angry, but still serious.

Sungjong turned to the next page. There was another photo of three people. Two, on the sides, were the twin. The one in the middle had been somehow treated with chemical, as there was an extraordinary burn on that person’s face. But Sungjong recognized Sungyeol at once, because Sungyeol in the photo was wearing the exact necklace Sungyeol usually wore. “Forget that stuff. Keep on!”

Sungjong turned again.  Then there were letters. He read it out. It was first written last year.

October 15

Daeryong hyung said I should write everything down now, as we are getting more famous and he wants to record our progress. Thanks to Sungyeol. If he hadn’t introduced us with the manager of the television station, we wouldn’t even have stayed in High school anymore. Curse the fee. So high! Freaking expensive! That’s why they call ‘High school’! Omma-ah, you should see how your sons getting popular!

After my performance at the Student Council, I got praised and highly recommended for many positions in the Science department. This is gonna be remarkable!

October 30

Sungyeol quitted his job at the dubbing office. He said that his dad withdrew him from working since his grades are going worse. It’s sad that now me and my bro don’t have anybody to chat to at free time, except the cameraman.  But he promised to help us with our videos on Youtube our projects.

November  4

Oh gosh, our latest video on Youtube had 1 million views after 24 hours! Omma, you must see this! And the average rating of ‘Chemical explodes’ reached 14% rating too!

PS: I found the accounts that posted provoking messages on my Twitter acc (my own, not Tasty’s. WHY having double life is so troublesome?). They were Sungkyu’s, Dongwoo’s and Woohyun’s. I failed the election for the radio speaker position. No wonder. The winner is Sungkyu. Damn that boy!!! He knew that I didn't even care about that job!

November 17

Daeryong-hyung suggested having some behind the scene videos. But I don’t think it’s a good idea. We play with chemicals. I mean, seriously, dangerous substances, not tricks and stuff. Sharing tips is like telling audience to drink bleach. Sungyeol also supported Daeryong as well. Anyway, I had 100 points for the recent Chemistry test. My way to have fame and scholarship is getting easier. And I know there are also people hate seeing other people getting famous too. Like Sungkyu, and others in his crowd. I hope Sungyeol’s not gonna be like those.

November 30

The competing season has come. Now I’m freaking busy with keeping up with Tasty and projects at school too. Being famous . Like I can’t stand at the old position forever, while others are passing. I’m running for the Best speaker prize.

December 23

I start seing Sungyeol hanging out with Sungkyu's group. What is he up to? 

By the way, I won the Best speaker prize of the course, so I was chosen to be the main commentator for basketball matches. I heard Nam Woohyun was chosen to be the commentator for football. I’ve never talked to him. But I see him all the time with Sungyeol and Kim Sungkyu.

December 30

I think Sungyeol is gonna abandon me soon. 

January 2 

I feel being watched and traced. My commentary box gives me that feeling. Not Mr.Han (the supervisor), not the team, what is it?

January 10

This diary might be read somebody else. I'm not sure. But my feelings match up with each other. This matchy-matchy doesn't give me a good mood.

Somebody is watching me, waiting me.

January 15

Running for a position in the Radio Team. I know I shouldn't have run for this. If I failed this, while I have the Best speaker prize, Sungkyu's crowd would tease me to the end of the world. But I just can't..., well, this is a good time to prove myself.

January 30

Radio Team dream: failed.

Last match tomorrow. 

Let's see how they're gonna hiss at the commentator.

January 31

The last match wasn't that bad for me. We won, but nothing was interesting and exciting that much. I tried to cheer them up, but nobody appreciate my, as well as the team's, effort. But that's the end of basketball season. Winter season, to be exact. Now I have a long break (but freaking busy) before the Spring season in March.

Breaking: my guess is right. Sungyeol has been watching me. He read this diary. This place isn't safe anymore.

February 14

Comeback video! Phew, it's been too long. 600k views in one day. That's not bad at all, as we've been absence for like forever. 

February 20

The principal announced the Excellent student sorting contest. What the heck is it? It's not even a contest, it's just a hell on earth for whom unluckily studies well. I know somehow, more or less, I'm gonna be picked. And I can guess my opposers too. 

Friday today, I won't think again about it again until Monday, to hear my name called for the contest.

February 23

I was called. Exactly like what I thought. They told the students to get (mentally) ready for the assembly tomorrow afternoon.

Sunkyu found me at the locker hall and kinda played dirty.

February 24

Gues who I met at the assembly. Sungkyu, Jinha, Hanyeon noona and everybody. 100 students packed in the Hall with about 10 teachers, including the Principal. 

We listened to a long speech of instructions (or actually a lecture) to the contest, what we should do to pass and what happens if we fail. Yes, 60/100 must pass, and the rest should also pass, otherwise they will be harshly discriminated. I hate how they play down the discrimination part: ¨lose your privilege¨. No thanks, everybody knows what happened.

February 28

I have exactly one more week before the contest.

March 6

Freaking busy these days. Didn even have time for a single line of diary. 

Waiting for tomorrow.

The death bell will sound at 8AM tomorrow.

March 7

I don´t want to talk about the test but I have to.

1. Hard, as it is.

2. Stupid questions

3. About 2000 students from 30 schools came.

4. Have to wait  for 2 weeks for the result.

5. It took place all day long.

6. I need an 8-hour sleep rght now.

March 9

Sungkyu and his gang wandered the school for nothing. They want to impress everybody with their intelligence?

March 12

Tests coming again. Calm down, only four days, and I and Daeryong will post videos again.

March 17

Yes, a free Saturday!

There has been hundreds of comments and requests on Youtube and our pages so we just make a Q&A video. Simple, but itś fun. My first smile after months.

Right after the video was post, there are very positive comments and feed backs.

Happy. Happy! HAPPY!!!

March 20

We posted five more videos. Original short ones, playing with chemicals and tools.

1.5M likes on our FB page!

March 22

Result day.

Not satisfied.

Failed.

Sungkyu passed. My friends passed. I didn´t.

March 23

The spring sport season is not widely annouced to everybody yet but internal members are informed already and they'll spread it tomorrow.

I was called to stay late and get along with the team. Only one rookie is added to the team so I'm good. We just hung around and talk. I should've have early because there is work to do, but if I had, I wouldn't have discovered one thing: the principal cheated. I just wanna rip him into two. He is in the Grading Committee, and he fixed the grade or the ranking somehow. Broke into his office. I found the actual ranking. Sungkyu is at 72nd, and he doesn't even pass. I'm at 10th and 3rd for Woollim. The principal found me but he doesn't think I'm here to rob his office or something. And he declared I'm out of the team, for failing the contest.

It's been too far.

I need to solve this asap.

March 24

Sungkyu approaches me again. He babbles stuff about the contest and I failed and I hit him. We're sent to the detention hall. 

But it is worth it. I found out the truth. Sungkyu DID used money to manipulate this whole business.

Seems like Daeryong knows something, but he can't know all, because Sungyeol can't know everything.

April 1

The ing April Fool's Day makes my life even worse.

April 14

Frustration.

April 20

An unexpected show, like a surprise comeback. Yet it was successful, but I feel could do better.

April 30

The Woollim Middle school sent some students over to poll and "feel the high school." , they will never feel it.

May 10

What is life for? Competence.

May 28

Tomorrow is the last day of school. Today is the last show in the schoolyear. Goodbye.

The last page: Soryong, my brother, I'm sorry. The line was written in a different handwritting.

"See, now you know the truth. You have reasons to hate them. I have reasons to kill them. That's why I no reason to keep these two people alive."

Daeryong pushed the two down onto the floor.

Blood.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

(To be continued)

Author's note: I'm really sorry for the long delay. I feel my writing skill is going down because I have very little time (forgive me T-T). I changed some minor details in the previous chapters but I hope it won't affect the whole as you all know what happens there. There are 3 more chapters to go.