The Secret

By Aderation

“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” 

― Benjamin Franklin

On the computer monitor, two people were at a alley under the starless night.

“SJ, this is your new mission. Kill this man whose name is Lee Howon.”

“Ok.” In the dark, the shorter person handed a file to the higher.

“He is not a simple person. He is the heir of the Lee Co. and knew taekwondo.”

“Ok, kyu.”

“Salute.”

“Salute.”

After they left, two ordinary people popped out from the rubbish bin, after confirming the coast was clear, they scrambled away.

The person in front of the monitor furrowed his eyebrow, hands automatically picked the mobile phone next to him.

“WH, please get me the profile of the two person. I have just sent you the picture of their face. As quick as possible, it’s urgent.”

“Ok, SJ.”

Then the person who was called SJ cut the phone, and leant back on his comfy chair, the smirk on his face looked especially creepy under the dim light of the room.

The man looked at the person lying on cold concrete road in a pool of blood that almost dried. Shadows dancing in the dark alley, the bright and white moonlight was the only thing on the pitch-black sky, the chilling night wind brushed past the empty alley.

The person was lifeless. Lifeless. His tousled black hair was all tangle, stained with dried blood, crimson. His coal-black eyes were wide open, but his jade irises held a sudden shock. His clothes, a loose black silk shirt and black trousers were bloody. His body was slumped over, half-sitting, half-laying. Blood was dripping down from his chest, to the ground, the dripping sound was evidently audible in the silent night.

“That’s the cost, Kim Myungsoo.” The man said, then disappeared into the murky shadows.

“Lee Sungyeol, 23 years old, height 18ecm, weight 59kg, born in Gyeonggi. He is currently in Seoul, as a trainee in Woollim Entertainment.” The document read.

“Good, Lee Sungyeol, it’s your turn now.” In the darkness, a smirk was slowly forming.

“Hello, my name is Lee Sungjong.”

“What will you be performing?” In front of Sungjong were three men sitting behind a bench, the middle one spoke up.

“Acting, I want to be an actor.”

“Good, please.”

“When you have too many thoughts, just have a lemon candy!” Sungjong said, stretching his hand out, trying to act cute, causing all the men in the room suffered from a heart attack.

“Is that all?” After a while, the man sitting on the left broke the awkwardness floating in the air.

“Yes.”  Sungjong answered certainly.

“I am sorry, you are out.”

“Why?” Sungjong whined. He couldn’t understand, he is good, why the men could reject him so ruthlessly?

“This is an audition, kid. Look at your acting, do you think we will let you pass?”

“Sorry, but please. I want to be an actor whole-heartedly.”

“Do you have any other skills that can be performed?”

“Yes. I know how to dance.”

“Good, what dance have you prepared.”

“Girls’ Generation’s The Boys!”

“Ready, start.”

겁이 나서 시작조차 안 해 봤다면 그댄 투덜대지 마라 좀!
주저하면 기회는 모두 너를 비켜가 가슴 펴고 나와봐라 좀!

Bring the boys out

When Sungjong heard the music it was like liquid adrenaline being injected right into his blood stream – not so strong as to freak him out, but just enough to make him tingle and start to move his body. He had never had a dance class, but he just got the talent to do so. Watching the dance practice a few times, and he could dance with them smoothly, maybe even better than them, Sungjong didn’t deny the fact that he was even prettier than some of the female celebrities.

세상을 이끌 남자, 멋진 여자들 여기 모여라 You know the girls?
(Bring the boys out)

The song ended, and the performance was a whole success. Applauses filled the room, Sungjong’s lips formed an upward curve.

“Why don’t you do this in the first place? This is amazing. You should be a dancer instead.”

“Thanks.” Sungjong blushed at the compliment.

“I announced, you are admitted officially.”

It was the first day of Sungjong’s trainee’s day. He stepped into the building cautiously, he was happy that he was nearer to his dream, while part of him was scared of the unknown future trainee life.

“Hello, my name is Lee Sungjong, I am new here.” Sungjong bowed to everyone passed by, but all he received were cold nods from either staffs or other trainees. Introducing himself to everyone, Sungjong arrived the big dancing room where all the new trainees were.

Sungjong looked at different people at different gender, age, or even nationality poured into the rooom.

At sharp 9, a man came, “Good morning everyone. I believe you are all new here. My name is Jang Dongwoo, I am here to distribute your training time table…” Sungjung stared at the man whose name was Dongwoo who talked non-stopped.

“Lee Sungjung, yours.” His name snapped Sungjong back to the man who was in front of him.

“Daydreaming is not allowed here,” Dongwoo said, “this is your time table.”

Sungjong took the time table, he had dancing lesson, vocal lesson, and most important, he got acting lesson, the area which he wanted to be profession the most, also the weakest.

“Hello, my name is Lee Sungjung.” Sungjung introduced himself when he stepped into the room for his dancing practice.

“My name is Lee Sungyeol, I am also a trainee.” The tall boy smiled

“Nice to meet you.” Sungjung returned a smile.

“Nice to meet you too.” The two exchanged hands shaking.

Sungjong felt warmth rushing in his body, Sungyeol was the first one who greeted him sincerely.

“Hey, Sungjong, want to go out to have dinner tonight? You won’t have much chance later.” Sungyeol asked, taking the initiative after the practice.

“Sure.” The younger answered.

Sunyeol looked at the boy in front of him, his face was the same as the person in the middle of the secret he knew. It used to be a secret shared between Myungsoo and him, but Myungsoo was being murdered, he is the only one left. Sungyeol wondered whether Sungjong was SJ the killer he met that night, asked to kill a person named Howon. If no, then where SJ was at that moment.

“Lee Sungyeol, seem like he is easier than I thought.” In the darkness, a man muttered.

Days went by, and Sungjong had already adapted the life as a trainee, he had also befriended with different people, such as the hard-working Hoya, the kindest Dongwoo, the greasy Woohyun. Most of all, Sungyeol, they became best friend, whenever they were free, you would probably find them sticking together.

The two best friends were in the dance studio. Sungyeol was practicing his new dance, while Sungjong sat there watching and guiding him. Sungjong put his hand into his pocket, which his knife greeted him. Sungjong slid his finger along the cold steel blade.

On the other hand, Sungyeol noticed the sneaky movement Sungjong did when he put his hand in his pocket, a simple action done by him seemed so suspicious. He furrowed his eyebrow, again his mind drifted to the secret he knew.

“Seem like I need to action now.” The person said under the dim light, while rewinding the fact that he noticed Sungyeol furrowed his eyebrow.

“Sungyeol, are you free this evening?” Sungjong took the initiative to invite Sungyeol, knowing that they had one day off the day after.

“Yeah.”

“Want to go out?”

“Sure. Where?”

“The club.”

“Ok.” and Sungyeol high-fived with the younger, not knowing death was on his way.

No one could see the dance floor, it’s wall to wall people dancing to the club. There’s no room for any more but somehow when Sungjong and Sungyeol hit it the space magically came. The music was all nineteen nineties but they were dancing like they were jives, twisting, turning. They were all grins, they looked like idiots and they didn’t care. Inside they were just happy, happy and more alive than they could ever be in the practices, though they chose it. Sungyeol felt the part of him that was really him came out to play, to feel the vibe of music and let his body go free. One moment, one brilliant feeling of togetherness suspended in time.  They drank, the danced, until tiredness caught them, or specifically, caught Sungyeol.

“Sungjong-a, let’s go back home, it’s late and I’m tired.”

“Sure, hyung.”

“This was fun,” Sungyeol said while leaning on the younger.

“Yeah.”

“It was my first time go clubbing, I don’t realize it is that fun.”

Sungjong looked at the older, whispered, “it will also be the last time.”

“What?”

“I said nothing.”

And they fell silence.

The man looked at the person lying on cold concrete road in a pool of blood that almost dried. Shadows dancing in the dark alley, the bright and white moonlight was the only thing on the pitch-black sky, the chilling night wind brushed past the empty alley.

The person was lifeless. Lifeless. His tousled black hair was all tangle, stained with dried blood, crimson. His coal-black eyes were wide open, but his jade irises held a sudden shock. His clothes, a loose silk shirt and trousers were bloody. His body was slumped over, half-sitting, half-laying. Blood was dripping down from his chest, to the ground, the dripping sound was evidently audible in the silent night.

“I’m sorry, Sungyeol-hyung, you are nice, but a secret should be known by no one.” The man said, then disappeared into the murky shadows.

The Secret

By spartace_jjang

‘It’s Sesame Player Season 3! Hello fellow audiences and our dearest Inspirits, this is Infinite’s Sung Jong imnida! How are you guys doing—‘

‘Hey! You stole my line!’ A sudden shadow blocked the whole screen. Soon enough, the camera was adjusted to fit a tall built.

‘Hello! I am Infinite’s Sung Yeol imnida!’ Sung Yeol bowed in front of the irritated Sung Jong. ‘Please don’t listen to Sung Jongie! He just started the program in such an immature way.’

‘No! The script says that it should be ME saying the starting speech!’ Protested Sung Jong angrily as he tried to use his hand to cover Sung Yeol’s face but with no avail.

‘Then the script must be WRONG!’ Sung Yeol nodded confidently and sent a wink towards Sung Jong, which made the latter pretend to puke.

‘This is not fair...’ Sung Jong pouted, seeing his original spot in front of the camera blocked by Sung Yeol.

 ‘It’s common knowledge that the starting speech should be given by an older hyung, Jongie ah. And unfortunately you are just the maknae.’ Sung Yeol emphasized on the word maknae.

‘Then it should be ME starting the program, based on that whatever common knowledge of yours, Yeol.’ A husky voice boomed behind the both of them. Sung Jong jumped up in surprise before realizing that their leader was talking. He smiled and was rushed towards the speaker. ‘Sung Gyu Hyung! Sung Yeol hyung was bullying me!’

 ‘No, I didn’t.’ Sung Yeol denied almost immediately. ‘Sung Jong is lying.’

 ‘Hyung! Trust me!’

 ‘Stop it, you two. Look at my demonstration and do the same.’ Sung Gyu ordered silence before wearing a professional smile and molding his lips into a beautiful upward curve. ‘Hello! I am Infinite’s leader Kim Sung Gyu. Welcome to our program.’ With that, he bowed in a perfect ninety degrees angle.

Sung Jong and Sung Yeol had no way but to follow Sung Gyu’s bow, which later resulted in some ‘clash’ and some ‘boom’. No need to say, Sung Gyu was quite angry at them, but the PD was quite satisfied with their work instead.

‘You two did great job at the beginning today,’ he smiled and patted meaningfully on Sung Yeol’s shoulder when leaving. ‘You and Sung Jong can form—ugh—a comical couple!’

A comical couple?

Does that mean we are gay?

Thousands thoughts swirled in their minds like crazy.

Sung Jong and Sung Yeol looked at each other, wide-eyed. That pretty much muted their original argument. What was the argument about? Oh, petty stupid things. About whether they should bath with shampoo or not. That was obviously Sung Yeol’s idea, and no need to say, Sung Jong was completely against it. The diversity between both parties led to a dare that Sung Yeol has to dance to their new choreology in front of the managers.

Anyway, Myung Soo was the first one to react. He busted into laughter, and not long after, the other members join the herd. There left Sung Jong and Sung Yeol standing dumbfounded in the middle of a circle with other members wiping their tears and laughing their guts out.

‘Should I feel honored?’ Sung Yeol asked Sung Jong quietly.

‘No.’ Sung Jong answered in the same defeated tone.

-----

  ‘And then he was like – puff—staring at the ceiling and –hiccup— just —‘

  ‘Hyung. It is getting late and you have drunk too much. Let me get you back to the van,’ Seeing no response, Sung Jong calmly supported Myung Soo up from the floor and half dragged half carried him towards the door of the karaoke room, departing from the rest of the hyperventilated members. Despite the constant squealing and random guffaw from Myung Soo and some odd glimpses being tossed towards the duo by the other customers, they managed to get to the car quite safely. Hyoan manager-nim’s frown released a little bit when he recognized the wobbly-legged Myung Soo leaning onto the shorter torso. Hastily he aided Sung Jong and shouldered Myung Soo onto the van. Luck was on their side; no visible sasaeng fans nearby.

  Hyoan smiled apologetically at Sung Jong and asked if he could carry Sung Yeol out as well. Sung Jong nodded his head and headed back to the karaoke room. On the way there he kept on thinking the purpose of the party. Was it because of the release of Sung Gyu Hyung’s third single album? Or the success of WooHyun Hyung’s first mini album? No, he remembered it now. It was for celebrating the great progress made in Sesame Player three.Not really, Sung Jong thought, it is just another chance for Woo Hyun hyung to recall the ‘comical couple’ and humiliate us again. And another great way to burn Sung Gyu Hyung’s money.

  Sung Jong pushed through the door of the karaoke room and to his surprise Sung Yeol Hyung was the only one left. The other members must have been carried away by Dong Woo Hyung, who was the only one besides Sung Jong that did not touch alcohol. No blaring music heard from the speakers, which made Sung Jong sighed in relief. He approached Sung Yeol cautiously, who was sprawling flat on the floor, face red and muttering incoherent words. Sighing, Sung Jong carefully lifted the choding up from the floor. It was quite hard for Sung Jong to stable those long legs and long arms onto his shoulders. Sung Jong staggered forward for the door and it looked as if Sung Jong was hauling an enormous doll with really lengthy body parts.

  ‘Why do you look so distressed, Sung Jongie?’ Sung Yeol’s hush voice echoed from behind.

  ‘Huh?’ Sung Jong didn’t understand the question all at once.

  ‘I mean —burp— you were sighing just now.’

  ‘I ... I didn’t sigh.’

  ‘Yes. You did. And you were frowning.’ Sung Yeol’s voice wavered for a moment. ‘Did I...did I do something wrong?’

  ‘Maybe you should not get drunk every time so I don’t always have to carry you guys back to the dorm,’ Sung Jong chuckled.

  ‘That’s...that’s all?’

  ‘Yeah. That’s it...’ Sung Jong smiled a little bit at his hyung’s childishness. Then his lips’ curve went down a bit for a sudden thought sprung into his mind like lightning. Slowing down his pace, Sung Jong asked nonchalantly, ‘Hyung. I did have something bothering my mind. Do you have any secrets I don’t know?’

  ‘Hmm?’ Sung Yeol was burying his nose in the faint lily scent drifting from Sung Jong’s hair. It was his favorite fragrance and he did not want to leave it. ‘I...I don’t know?’

  ‘Do you have any secrets you keep it from other members?’ Sung Jong repeated again patiently.

  ‘Uh?’ Sung Yeol thought for a moment. ‘You don’t look handsome when you frown?’

  Sung Jong can’t help giggling. ‘No. Not these. Other stuff.’

  ‘Hmm...’ Sung Yeol tried to think. But the harder he thought, the harder he got stuck in the lily scent, and Sung Jong’s hair, and Sung Jong’s jacket, Sung Jong’s hand around his waist, Sung Jong’s shoulders, Sung Jong’s face, Sung Jong’s everything. The fog in his head got thicker and thicker and he could not ponder properly. He found himself muttering an answer before collapsing in those lovely arms of Sung Jong, and staring up at the beautiful face that seemed to be wafting off a lily scent as well. Then he fell into darkness.

-----

‘So this is Sesame Player Season three’s highlight! Discovering secrets of other members!’ Sung Yeol could not help chuckle upon hearing Sung Jong’s overly enthusiastic voice resonating across the computer screen. ‘My mission here is to find out my hyungs’ secret! Now let’s start with Sung Gyu hyung, our leader!’

Sung Yeol frowned. The way Sung Jong talked was a little too familiar to Sung Yeol. No, not the way he talked. The content of his speech. Sung Yeol was aware that Sung Jong had said that before. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and felt a distant memory tugging his nerve. He waited for more seconds and finally, a really hazy sense of cognizance floated on top of his mind, bringing along a faint scent of lily that he had familiarized with.

Sung Yeol shot opened his eyes and bolted up straight on his chair. Shaking his hand slightly, he moved his mouth to the video clip and pressed the fast forward button. He was trembling badly with fear. He perfectly knew that he had blurted out something to Sung Jong when he was drunk. And he couldnot remember a single word he had said. He could not face the consequences – What if he had said that he had hided a Barbie in his closet? Then his image would be destroyed completely.

‘—Now, at last, for Sung Yeol-ssi. What have you find out about him?’ The host asked Sung Jong.

Clenching his fists ever so tightly, Sung Yeol shut his eyes close, afraid of what was going to happen next. Don’t let it be my Barbie toy, please. Not my Barbie toy...he muttered a silent prayer in his heart.

‘For Sung Yeol Hyung...’ Sung Jong’s cheerful voice didn’t sounded so great for Sung Yeol now.

‘I...’

No Barbie...

‘...couldn’t find out any secrets about him.’

-----

 ‘Hey, Jongie, I didn’t say anything stupid when I was drunk that day, did I?’ Sung Yeol asked through the phone with such carefulness as if he was hunting a wild animal.

‘Anything stupid? Such as?’ Sung Jong’s casual voice ranged through Sung Yeol’s ears.

‘Um...any secrets?’ Sung Yeol’s high-pitched voice could not mask his anxiety.

‘Secrets? No, of course not. Why do you have to ask?’

‘Nothing. Just curious. All right, thanks so much, Jongie!’ Sung Yeol hung up his phone hurriedly and crouched onto the floor like he had just endured a heart attack. The relief overwhelmed him and he could not help feeling grateful.

Sung Jong lowered his phone slowly when he heard Sung Yeol’s excited voice across the line. His lips curved upwards meaningfully as he glanced at his phone wallpaper absentmindedly. Such lies, he thought.

    Sung Jong can’t help giggling. ‘No. Not these. Other stuff.’

    ‘Hmm...’

    Sung Jong waited unabatingly for his answer. Before he knew, Sung Yeol’s face leaned closer and closer to his face. Slowly yet steadily, he said, ‘I love you.’ before collapsing in his arms.

  Such fat lies.

  Of course you said something to me.

  Your biggest secret.