Chapter 20: Lies

"Eunji-ya! Eunji-ya, wake up!" said Chorong, shaking Eunji ferociously as she was the most difficult to wake up.

"Mm I'll always be by yourself Naeun-ah" mumbled Eunji, turning her head away from the older girl.

"Eunji-ya, something's wrong with Naeun!" shouted Chorong, in which Eunji immediately woke up.

"Huh? What? What's wrong?!" said Eunji, her eyes wide awake.

"That was the only way I could wake you up huh?" sighed Chorong as she glared at the sleepy girl.

"Ah, whoops...sorry unnie..." said Eunji breaking into a nervous laughter, scratching her head.

"Now's not the time to be relaxed Eunji-ya! Hayoung's gone!" Upon the older girl's words, reality had finally kicked it. Eunji was back to her real, serious self and quickly she headed to the girls room, waking them up one by one. This was definitely the first time, the sweet, innocent maknae broke the rules. Never before had she dissapeared without telling anything and it was problem. Even for Eunji who knew her the longest, this was strange. Chorong knew that chaos would happen if everyone went after Hayoung. As she was older, she was more calm, composed and thought through things.

"We can't have everyone looking for Hayoung. And Namjoo, I'm sorry but you have to go to school." said Chorong firmly.

"Why me unnie? What about the others? They have school too!" said Namjoo.

"You are a high school student, they are in college. There is a difference. Your education is more important." 

"Fine..." said Namjoo who obeyed. What she spoke was the truth.

"Okay, who has morning classes?" asked Chorong.

"Me and Naeun." said Eunji

"Okay. Then the three of you should head to school first. Bomi and I will figure out where Hayoung has gone."

"But unnie, what about your work?" asked Bomi in worry. She knew that Chorong had skipped work before, when they went to Busan. She worried whether it would affect her career.

"It's okay Bomi-ya, Hayoung's the one that's important right now." smiled Chorong. Even though her smiles were meant to ease Bomi's worries, the younger girl frowned. She could do nothing in that position.

As the three girls headed off, it was now just Chorong and Bomi left alone in the dorm. The two tried to look if there was anything in Hayoung's room however, all that they could find was all kinds of comic books, video games, things that a normal girl shouldn't own.

"You know I sometimes worry whether Hayoung can get a boyfriend in the future..." sighed Chorong, sorting out the mess on Hayoung's desk that had a bunch of textbooks, stationary, an ordinary high school student's desk.

"Don't worry unnie, our maknae will grow up prettily like a beautiful lady just like you." smiled Bomi.

"Oh god, not you and your cheesy lines again."

"But you like it, don't you?" smirked Bomi as she looked up to her. Chorong could only smile shyly. The younger girl had always made an effort to make her smile every day, knowing that the older girl would've suffered a lot of stress and made many sacrifices for the girls. There was nothing much she could do, but to make her smile, make her feel protected and happy.

"Stop it, go look for some clues and stop flirting!" scolded Chorong as she opened Hayoung's wardrobe which was a mess. She searched through her clothes that looked like they were just thrown in, still nothing. However, she placed her hand deep inside the pile and felt something hard like a piece of paper. She took it out and it was a photograph of a young child holding hands with an older lady.

"What's this?" asked Chorong. The child in the photo beared resemblance to Hayoung and wondered who the lady might be. It can't possibly be her mother because Hayoung had told her many times that she doesn't have any parents.

"Hayoung didn't show me this before...did she hide this? All in that pile?" wondered Bomi. Chorong flipped the photo backwards and there was something written behind. It wrote "2000.07.19" 

"Hey Bomi-ya, 19th July is Hayoung's birthday right?"

"Yeah, does that mean this picture was taken on her 5th birthday?"

"Oh Bomi~for once, you actually used your brain" teased Chorong.

"Hey, I'm not that dumb unnie..." pouted Bomi.

"I know, I know, sorry I was just joking." giggled Chorong as she gently kissed Bomi's cheek.

"Fine, apology accepted. But you forgot something." said Bomi.

"What?" Before the older girl could say anything, her lips were immediately caught to Bomi's lips.

"You forgot that I prefer lip kisses than over here." smirked Bomi cheekily while pointing at her cheek. Chorong whose face blushed, still not getting used to Bomi's sudden attack of kisses especially on the lips.

"W-Whatever! Stop flirting around! We need to find clues about where Hayoung went!" scolded Chorong.

~X~

Meanwhile at high school, Namjoo couldn't help but to think where Hayoung had dissapeared too. It definitely disturbed her studies as she couldn't pay attention in class, missing every single word the teacher said. With mixed feelings of worry, confusion and sadness, Namjoo felt that she was betrayed as Hayoung would always tell her everything. Her worries, her problems, even just daily stories of her life, Namjoo lended her ear but now the younger girl just leaves suddenly without telling her anything. It was now lunch break and Namjoo who always ate her food with relish, didn't look like she had an appetite.

"Hey, hey, Namjoo-ya? Are you alive?" asked Sungjae who noticed Namjoo's unusual quiet behavior in class.

"Huh? What is it Sungjae-ya? I'm alive okay?"

"You definitely don't look too good."

"It's about Hayoung."

"Oh, the girl who beat up those three girls in our class?"

"Don't say that! You make it sound like she's a bully!"

"Fine, sorry. So, what's up?" Namjoo then proceeded to retell everything that happened that night, letting her best friend know exactly every detail.

"Hayoung's got friends right? Why don't you ask them? Maybe they have an idea where she's gone?"

"Sungjae-ya...that's....genius! Thank you!" said Namjoo as she immediately stood from her desk and headed to the lower floor, where the junior classes were. The girl headed towards Hayoung's class and asked for her two friends, Yerin and Joy. Meeting eye-contact with them, it seemed like the two girls were expecting her.

"I'm guessing you know where Hayoung is?" asked Namjoo, suspicious of their expressions.

"The thing is....Hayoung told us not to tell anyone." said Yerin nervously.

"We wanted to protect her but after a while, the two of us decided that what she's doing might be dangerous." said Joy.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Hayoung started coming to school to practice dancing for the upcoming school festival right? Even though she's still suspended, she still found time to hang out with us. That's when she told us that, she's going to join the dance competition in Hongdae which is held on the same day of the festival."

"What? Why?" said Namjoo feeling shocked and betrayed. Since months ago, she and Hayoung had promised to perform together on stage for the festival as it was going to be Namjoo's last time dancing as she was now a third-year senior.

"Someone....paid her to do it....I don't know Namjoo unnie. All I know is that Hayoung is doing it because someone told her to." said Joy.

"I'm afraid that Hayoung's just gotten herself into a scam or something. She's been practising so hard until I'm worried about her health. I don't know what kind of agreement she made with that person but, she has to win the competition. That was the deal of the contract." said Yerin.

"Oh dear...do you have any idea where Hayoung would be? She went missing before but we found her practising in the school. We brought her back home, but she left the next morning without even telling us anything." said Namjoo, feeling frustrated. The two younger girls looked at each other, deciding whether to confess more truth or to cover with lies. They were nervous, especially in front of their high school senior. Joy fiddled something in her pocket, debating within herself whether to give it to Namjoo.

"Girls, I know you want to protect your friend but what Hayoung is doing is wrong. I think you know it yourself too."

"We know. We tried to stop her, but she won't listen to us. You know how stubborn Hayoung is, that's why the only thing we can give you is this." said Joy as she took out her phone, revealing their last conversation together.

"Joy, Yerin, I want to tell you this just in case my unnies come after me. I know I'm probably going to be dead if they find me but, I will be staying over at Sojin unnie's place in Hongdae where we went last time meaning I won't be attending school today. Sorry guys, please help me with the materials learnt today! Love you!" -Hayoung (4:55AM)

After reading that text, Namjoo felt betrayed. Who is Sojin? Did Hayoung had someone else in her heart besides her? Her heart hurt, she felt confused at the whole situation. It felt as if the cute, kind, maknae she knew back then, was all a lie. Has Hayoung been lying to her?

"Thank you Joy, Yerin-ah, for showing me this message. I will treat you all lunch later, but first I need to go fetch Hayoung." said Namjoo as she gained the home address of this girl named "Sojin" from the girls. Immediately, Namjoo posted what she found to the group chat where Chorong also shared the photo she found in Hayoung's wardrobe. Drowned in many feelings, Namjoo wanted to go. She wanted to run all the way to Hongdae and find Hayoung. She wanted to ask her so many things, she wanted answers. But she couldn't.

Before Namjoo could react, Chorong had called her and warned her not to leave school. The unnie told her to stay in school and focus on her studies. There was nothing Namjoo could do but to rely on her unnies. To them, school was important for the high schooler as she was a third-year where exams were important.

~X~

Chorong and Bomi left the dorm, heading to Hongdae while meeting up with Eunji and Naeun who finished their morning classes early. Hongdae was a town that never slept, often packed with a sea of people full of bustling businesses and shops all over. They decided to meet up at a nearby cafe to have lunch first, before they headed to this "Sojin's" place. Chorong and Bomi arrived first and decided to find a place. Eunji and Naeun on the other hand were caught in the middle of the crowd. Coincidentally, there was an event being held in Hongdae which made it even more crowded.

"Naeun-ah, you better stick close to me." said Eunji holding tightly onto Naeun's fragile hands.

"Wow, Hongdae sure is packed." said Naeun as she tired to squeeze her thin body through the crowd like flowing water. It was then suddenly, Eunji pulled her into her embrace, wrapping the girl within her arms as if to protect her from the crowd.

"No point holding hands, it's better this way." said Eunji with a smile.

"That's what I like about you." said Naeun with a quiet giggle, comfortable in her embrace.

"Oh wow, what a way to flutter my heart." laughed Eunji as the two soon found their way into the cafe.

The four girls met up and had lunch together at the cafe outside the packed Hongae streets where they glanced at the event that was held.

"We just had to come on the day when there's an event." sighed Chorong, looking out at the window.

"Can't help it, it's our only clue where Hayoung might be." said Naeun.

"I seriously wonder what on earth is that girl doing? Going off like that without telling us, not to mention that she has a fever!" said Eunji, frustrated.

"Last thing I don't want to see is Hayoung-" before Bomi could say anything, Chorong shoved a piece of bread into .

"Can you learn to be more careful with your words Bomi-ya?" scolded Chorong.

"Sorry, I just can't help but to think about Hayoung."

"You think we aren't doing the same thing as you?" said Eunji.

"S-sorry. Fine, you guys win." said Bomi as she went on to eat her bread silently like an obedient child.

"Namjoo said about a girl named Sojin?" asked Naeun, after scrolling through the group chat where Namjoo explained everything.

"I don't know the details either. Hayoung's friends told her that she's going there." replied Chorong.

"Whatever that is, once I get Hayoung back, she isn't going to go anywhere. I swear, I will not fall asleep at all." said Eunji burning with fury towards the thought of the maknae.

"Yeah right, you were the first one to sleep." said Chorong.

"I won't this time!"

"She will sleep again unnie." whispered Bomi.

"Hey Yoon Bomi, I heard that." hissed Eunji.

"Ok go ahead then, you wanna bet 10 bucks?"

The same-aged friends started their own chaos among themselves again, playing around like high school students. Chorong and Naeun on the other hand, quietly enjoyed their meal while looking out at the window. It was then, Naeun noticed someone familiar walking amongst the crowd. There was a young girl, wearing a cap and mask over her face. But it made it obvious as there was still evidence of bandages wrapped around her arms as well as her tall height. There was no mistake about it.

"Unnies! I think that's Hayoung over there!" said Naeun pointing towards the window.

[END OF CHAPTER 20]

A/N: Maknae finally caught in the action? Will there finally be answers to everything? What is Hayoung's relation with Sojin? Still many things left unanswered ;) Thank you for reading and subscribing! I'll have the chapter up soon~ p.s namjoo's jealous haha