Jin's phone vibrates harshly. He answers the call without checking the ID. What comes next gives him the new worst experience. Breathing. Just heavy breathing from the other side.

"Hello?" Jin whispers.

"Hell."

And the call ends. Jin calls back but the number went out of service. And then his phone shuts down by itself. Jin fishes for his notebook and flips through to the page where he has noted down the student's ID number. He asks around, and someone has pointed him to a boy. They don't want to reveal his name, so Jin only gets the ID number and has to search through the school's log himself.

The work is easy. But the thought of going alone—it's slowly freaking him out. Namjoon has declared total absence this week, and Taehyung… Taehyung is still mysteriously MIA. Jin is conflicted whether or not to put up flyers like what they do with missing puppies. ‘Missing, one stunningly attractive teenage boy. Answers to ‘Tae’ or ‘Hot Stuff.’ The temptation grows every minute.

The morning sun indicates that the horror is halted for now. Just like watching horror movies, Jin thinks, daylight is the most relieved scenes.

Jin goes to school. He goes straight to the radio room and greets everyone. The sudden friendly action puts everyone on edge. What's up with him, they ask each other. Exam, one says, it does that to everyone. Does what, one asks back. The other one puts his index to his temple and makes a spiral gesture. Oh, one nods in realization.

Jin ignores their confusion and goes to the one in charge of the studio. He sits up straight when Jin approaches.

"Good morning, sunbae! It's- it's not Friday yet." Friday is Jin's turn to play DJ.

Jin waves with the fake overjoyed smile. "I'm not here for the broadcast.

"Then..?"

"Aren't you the student body president?"

"No, but my friend is."

"Oh yeah? Where can I find that friend?"

"He's usually hangs out here at lunch." The boy wipes his sweat, seems relieved now. "I'll be sure to ask him for you. What do you need, sunbaenim?"

Jin smiles, this time more sincere. He loves it when people wants to do things for him—willingly or not.

"I'll come back by lunch." Jin says. "Tell him to stay."

The boy nods.

-

By lunch Jin comes back with a drink in his hand. Drinks aren't allowed in the studio, but Jin does get away with a lot of things.

"Sunbaenim!" The student in charge waves him over. "My friend couldn't be here today."

Jin bites the inside of his cheek in annoyance.

"Where is he then?"

"He's at the gym. PE period."

Jin nods and leaves. Such a hard person to meet. Harder than the princess himself.

Once at the gym, he regrets not asking for the boy's name. There are about 40 to 50 students in the place. At least 2 classes combined together. Jin takes a seat and watches. Some kids are playing, some are discussing what seems to be the strategies. Jin tsk-es at the try-hards. Another group of students are taking a nap, and many other are on their phones.

Only one among them stands out. He keeps avoiding the balls, and when someone threatens to throw at him he screams. A dying person kind of scream.

That's the one, Jin snaps his finger. Getting on his feet, he approaches the boys. As always, people pause whatever they're doing and make way for him. He can feel all eyes on him—judging, guessing, wishing it was them he's approaching.

"Hey," Jin pulls the boy by his shoulder and the boy jumps.

He turns around and says loudly, "Don't scare me like that!"

It takes Jin by surprise. They definitely never knew each other before. For the boy to just yell at him like that, it takes lots of guts. He's either very brave, or just doesn't know who Jin is.

"Oh, sorry." The boy raises his hand. "I thought you're one of them."

Jin lets it slide. "Are you the student body president?"

The boy immediately put on a proud face. "One of them, oh yes."

"Do you have access to the school log?"

"What is that?"

"A list of students' information?"

"Isn't it confidential?"

"It is, but just their ID is okay. Right?"

"I'm not sure. I'll have to recheck the rules-"

"Do you or do you not have it?"

The boy squints at Jin. "Aren't you a third year? What are you still doing at school? You're on exam break."

"I need to find somebody."

"Who is it?"

Jin's eye twitches in annoyance. "If I knew who it was, would I be here asking you whether or not you had the access to students' information?"

The boy keeps quiet for a moment, considering. He doesn't look away from Jin's face as though looking at it long enough would reveal the answer.

"…are you a spy?"

"UGH! Gosh, never mind. Screw this !"

"Wait, where are you going??"

"I am going to get the information myself."

"Are you saying you'll steal it?!" The boy runs after Jin. His voice is still very loud, and people are watching. Jin grows embarrassed for the first time in forever.

"Since you don't want to help, what else can I do?"

"It's a crime, you know? You could end up in jail."

"What are you suggesting?"

"You can't do that to me, really! Stop walking so fast I can't catch up!" The boy literally throws a tantrum, and when Jin stops walking he stops acting like a kid too. He smiles again as he runs up to Jin. "Now that you told me what you're going to do, I can't back out. I've become an accomplice now whether I like it or not."

"Good. Lead the way, accomplice boy."

-

The boy gets both of them into the principal office very easily. Nobody bothers asking him any questions. Inside, there's another door leading to the information storeroom. Jin has never gotten that far but he'd been in this very office a dozen times now.

The boy sits down in front one of the computers and switches it on. Once the screen comes alive, he puts in his name and password.

Jung Hoseok, A2-1503.

"Hey," Jin nudges and the boy jumps again. "Why do people get so jumpy around me!"

"Has no one ever told you you had a strong aura?"

"Really? My best friend told me, but I thought he's just messing with me. But that's not what I'm calling you for. Your ID…"

"What's with my ID?"

"A2. You're in the same class as the person I'm looking for."

-

"Who the hell gave you this?" The grumpy looking kid stares at Jin. If Jin doesn't know he's a second year, he'd think the boy is an old grumpy grandpa. "Do I look like a ghost whooper to you?"

"No, no. Ghost Whisperer." The student body president, Jung Hoseok, corrects. "And yes, a little."

The boy stares harder.

"I mean," Hoseok says again. "You look harsh. Like any ghost would comply to you because they're afraid of you."

"You should also be afraid, then."

Hoseok points at himself, confused. He looks to Jin for help but Jin is too busy watching the boy. Hoseok turns back to his classmate. "I'm not a ghost."

"You will be when I kill you!"

"Stop, kids." Jin steps in, finally. "Enough. You. Are you A2-1520?"

"What is this, a spy recruitment?"

"I asked the same thing!" Hoseok grins. "Well, almost the same thing."

Jin's lips curve in a very unnatural and creepy way. The grumpy boy actually takes a step back, anxious.

"Oh yeah, it is."

-

"Excuse me, grandma, but are you being legit right now? Ghost? You think there's ghost? What did you do that makes you so paranoid?" The grumpy gramp, whose name Jin already forgot, asks in an annoyed tone. "Don't associate me with your nonsense, seriously."

"It's not nonsense. Now that I think of it, a few days ago I had a night watch at the library and felt something strange too." Hoseok says as he reaches for Jin. He grabs Jin by the hem of his sleeve and doesn't let go. "I believe you a hundred percent, hyung."

"I'm not your hyung." Jin declares.

"But aren't you older??"

"Ok, but why are you two ganging up on me again? First of all, I'm not a grandma. Second, I am not your hyung. I am your sunbae. Address me properly. Kim Seokjin."

"Are you gonna give me your locker?"

"What? Why would I do that?"

"You're graduating soon. It's a tradition."

Jin gives the grumpy kid a look. He's been saying rude things this whole time and out of nowhere he's asking for Jin's locker? Damn, kid's got nerve.

Jin wags his finger. "If I had to, I already got someone else in mind. Sorry, kid."

"It gotta be to the second year, you know."

The boy says like he knows stuffs. And Jin doesn't doubt if he really does. Everybody here knows stuffs—Jin and the first-year boy stuffs. The cutie first year. The MIA little first year brat.

"Why are you still talking about that?"

"Because your locker is double-sized. It's the biggest. I want it."

Jin gives Hoseok a look, though he doesn't understand why. Maybe it's because Hoseok annoyed him less. But they both are annoying, nevertheless.

Two boys run to where they're standing. "Min Yoongi, yo! Someone is looking for- HUHHH!" They gasp when they see Jin already standing there. "NEVER MIND. HE FOUND YOU."

Jin's creepy smile makes a comeback. "Min Yoongi."

"W-what?"

"Min Yoongi and Jung Hoseok," Jin surprises himself big time when he gets both their names correct. The two boys pay him their full attention. "From this moment on, you two are under my wings. Stay by my side, and nobody will ever dare to touch you."

Hoseok gives Yoongi a look, and Yoongi replies with a shrug. The two of them get along with everybody just fine, they don't need any special protection or whatever this senior guy is offering. Besides, this senior guy won't be here that much longer.

"Welcome to the Squad."

Once again, the creepy smile.

-

"What do you mean you won't join this s-word squad?"

Jin's lips tremble, unsure whether due to sadness or extreme anger.

"I mean I'm not joining this stupid squad of yours." Yoongi says again. Jin covers his mouth with his hands, horrified.

"I will." Hoseok raises his hand. "I love mystery."

"There's no such thing as ghost. You two better stop bulling each other."

"Min Yoongi, why are you so rude?" Jin has one hand on his hip now. Suddenly his Mean Girl aura is back. Hoseok keeps quiet and just watches. "I'm gonna say one last time. You're joi-"

"I'm not going to and you can't make me." He cuts Jin off.

"Fine. The hard way it is." Jin walks to the door and pushes the lock. Hoseok wants to say something but Jin waves him off. "The 3 of us will stay here until you agree to join us."

"But we have classes to go to."

"Zip it, hoe."

"My name's Hoseok."

"You're just hoe now."

"I- I don't like that nickname."

Jin turns back to Yoongi, who seems uninterested. "Good. Don't wake me up." Yoongi puts something into his ears and lies down on the teacher's table.

He's sleeping.

When he opens his eyes again, everything's dark and quiet. He pulls out his earplugs and scans the room with his phone flashlight. At the first row, Jin is having his head down on the desk. At the back row, Hoseok is asleep on one of the chairs. Yoongi reads his watch and it says 1:42. PM.

"!" He cusses and shoots up from his sleeping position. Jin stirs. "Yah, you f&ckers! Why didn't you wake me up?!"

Hoseok's awake and looking very baffled.

Jin slowly sits up and takes his time yawning. When he's done, "what's up?" He asks while batting his eyelashes.

Yoongi can feel his face burning with frustration. He's never encountered anyone who is this irritated and shameless and-

"Oh? It's dark outside." Jin's voice stops him from thinking about all the insult he can come up with. "Wow, we slept like rocks. Haha."

"You're joking even at time like this?"

"What time is deemed unsuitable for jokes?"

"My mom's gonna kill me." Yoongi hisses. He pulls out his phone and call his home. As expected, a series of shouting and cussing greets him the moment his mother answers the call. He explains to her—leaves out basically Jin's parts—and apologizes. His mother calms down, then, and tells him to be careful on his way home. He ends the call soon after, and when he does Hoseok just puts down his phone too. Both of them have called and informed their family.

Except Jin.

"What are you looking at? Am I that pretty?" Jin stands up and walks to the door. He twists the knob but the door's still locked.

"Aren't you gonna call your family?" Hoseok asks.

Jin pretends he doesn't hear the question.

"Why isn't the door working anymore?"

"Oh, yeah. I was trying to tell you that the lock is broken but you didn't let me."

"So we're locked in here?"

Yoongi sighs. "Don't be silly. There are windows."

- - -

With Yoongi's guide, all three of them sneak out of the classroom through the window. They get to the hallway and everyone subconsciously agree to keep quiet. They just need to get their bags and they'll be out of here.

The lights in the hallway flicker and Jin reaches for his companions. Yoongi stares at the hand that grabs onto his too tight for comfort.

"What you doin'?" He asks. Jin doesn't answer at first. Hoseok scoots closer too and ends up clinging onto Yoongi's other arm. "Y'all can't be serious."

"When light flickers at night," Jin says. "1 percent means electrical problems, 99 other mean demon and ."

"The hot wire is tapping against another wire or the sockets are loose that's what it means."

"I didn't know you're an electrical expert."

"I'm not but I paid attention in class."

"You're cool." Hoseok says.

Yoongi tries to peel them off but their arms are stickier than super glue. He grunts. "When you said stay by your side, did you mean it literally?"

"Yes."

"Why do we even end up at school right now? And at night? You know for someone who claims to be so scared of the-" Yoongi doesn't say the word but everyone knows. "You certainly did a good job getting yourself in trouble, really."

"I wonder the same thing. I was having my PE session and the last thing I remember is Jin sunbaenim dragging me like some kind of demon dragging me off my bed."

"I never dragged you anywhere." Jin defends himself. "You followed me on your own free will."

"Maybe I exaggerated a little but the point is there."

They all keep quiet again. When they pass by a classroom, they feel chills down their spine. The classroom door is opened, and cold air breezes by so unnaturally.

"Wait, don't go in there!" Jin squeals but Yoongi has already stepped inside. They can let go of his arms and stay back, but they're too much of a coward to do so. So the three of them all go inside the classroom.

Yoongi scans around, looking for something suspicious. Hoseok has kept his eyes shut the whole time. And Jin—he fixes his gaze on the floor.

"I don't feel good about this." Hoseok grips onto Yoongi tighter. "This room is too cold to be normal."

"Yeah I think that's because someone left the aircon on." Yoongi says.

"We don't have aircon in this school!"

"Uh, yeah we do." He points up and the little yellow light blinks repeatedly. Jin hesitates to look up, but he gathers his courage. He gawks and starts whining,

"How come there's aircon for you kids but not for the third years?"

"When you're first or second year, the school pleases you. When you're the third year, you please the school. Have you ever not heard that before?"

Jin shakes his head.

"Huh. And I thought you know everything. Tell me again, why are you so popular?"

"You don't need brain to be popular." Jin regrets having said that because it comes out really dumb. And it makes him look dumb. And it rests the case. And it makes Yoongi smirk in satisfaction. Some things are better off kept inside the head, where it will always sound better.

"There you have it." Yoongi attempts to peel their hands off of him but no luck. "You have your answer. There's no ghost. Let me go now."

"I told you I need to find answer, but not this one."

"I know school is the answer center or whatever they call it. But why at night? You can't find answer tomorrow morning?" Yoongi's last attempt to push them away fails too. He sighs and gives up.

"Don't you watch horror movies?" Jin pulls out his phone. "The darkness is when it comes out."

"What comes out?" Hoseok sounds close to tears.

"Oh, you know. The g-word."

"Hoohhhh…"

"Jung Hoseok, do not start crying." Yoongi nudges his classmate to keep his composure. "You two keep going, I'm going to the bathroom now."

Jin looks at Yoongi straight. "Are you the sender?"

"What?"

"Those messages. Are you the one who sent them?"

"What makes you even think that?"

"You're trying to escape to some place alone. You do this so you can send another text."

"Are you always this fast at jumping to conclusion?" Yoongi sighs. "I'm going to the bathroom because I need to pee. Why, you want me to do it right here? Let go of me already."

"Uh uh." Jin shakes his head. "Don't you watch movies? You can't go alone. You'll die."

"Jeez!"

"We'll go with you."

Once they're at the bathroom, Yoongi sighs again. He sighs so much in one day he'll be convinced if anyone tells him he had aged 10 years faster.

"And how am I going to pee when you guys occupied my arms like this?"

Hoseok and Jin, still clinging onto Yoongi's arms, pretend they don't see the problem here.

"Just pee." Hoseok says. "Don't mind us."

"I cannot not mind you. You're preventing me from holding-" Yoongi stops himself. "Let me pee in peace, please, it's coming out."

"Just pee." Jin adds. "We'll look away."

"Ugh!!"

And it is quite an experience. Yoongi doesn't want to talk about it. Surely he never wants to mention to his kids that one time two boys wouldn't let him go so he ended up peeing with them by his side. No.

And he forces them to go back home after that. They'll be back again tomorrow morning for classes anyway. The bags will be there.

A/N: I love how this chapter ended up like and I dont know why.. it's just >< hhehe

There's 1 last chapter coming soon!

Enjoy~

p.s. #prayfortae :P