Chapter 7
Hongjoong's Unsolved Mystery

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"Hongjoong! Don't!"

I removed my arms around Taehyung ran over the small guy, nearly tumbling but I should make it in time before he cuts his wrist.

I made my way with Taehyung trailing from behind, I pulled Hongjoong's right hand which is holding the blade, then took the blade away from him.

"What are you do you think you're doing!?"

"Taking my life!" He replied strongly trying to take the blade from my hands.

"No! You can't do that!"

"I can, and I will" He replied in between sobs.

Taehyung pulled Hongjoong away from me. Tears are starting to fall down my eyes. I also felt the blade piercing through my palms as I close my fist.

"Why? Why are you trying to take your life?" I managed to say.

"Yeosang, he died because of me! If only-" He didn't dare to continue his sentences because of his cries. Taehyung pulled him to his chest.

Seeing Hongjoong like this is heartbreaking. The usually cheerful guy with big smiles is now here in front of me with tears bursting through eyes. He looks so fragile, heartbroken, and shattered.

"Do you think Yeosang will like it with you ending your life and blaming yourself?" I manage to say with sobs and tears following.

Hongjoong remained quiet as he cry through Taehyung's torso. Taehyung's arms were wrapped around his small frame. My heart ached but I paid no attention as I focused on the crying Hongjoong in front of me.

I sighed and threw the blade away. I reached my not blooded hand onto Hongjoong's cheeks.

"Let's get back to our dorm." I smiled at him as he looks through me with his swollen eyes.

Taehyung and I helped him up, carrying his weak state with our strength. My wounded hand hurts but I chose to ignore it. Nothing's better than helping a friend in need.

"Jungkook, you're bleeding..." Taehyung said. I smiled at him and mouthed a 'don't worry'.

We reached our dorm, with Hongjoong still in our arms. The door was opened by a red-eyed Seonghwa who was wearing a surprise reaction probably because of my bloody hand and weak Hongjoong with us.

"Help him clean up, Seonghwa. I need to clean up this wound of mine." I ordered him to as Seonghwa took Hongjoong from Taehyung and I to clean him.

I went to the kitchen sink and washed my hand. I finished cleaning my wound when suddenly my wounded hand was pulled from the faucet.

"You idiot. You didn't even threw the blade as you close your fist? You managed to save Hongjoong, but you didn't think of your self. You idiot." Taehyung said as he puts ointment on my wounded hand.

I know he cares about me but, why the hell does he need to call me idiot twice? I glared at him but he seemed to not care or he fails to notice. He looked up and gave me a box smile, but I still continue to glare at him.

"Okay, fine. You're not an idiot, are you happy now?" He smiled. I continued to glare at him. As if I'll forgive you for calling me idiot twice!

"But on the serious thought, we have to talk on our room. I feel like there's something Hongjoong wanted to tell but he's hesitating on telling us." Taehyung said shifting from a happy mood to a serious one.

I nodded at him and made my way to my room with him following behind. I opened my room door and removed my jacket and shirt that's been bugging me for a while.

I sat down on the bed and glanced at Taehyung who also removed his shirt and sat beside me. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Well, a while ago when we talked to Hongjoong he said-"

"Why? Why are you trying to take your life?" I managed to say.

"Yeosang, he died because of me! If only-" He didn't dare to continue his sentences because of his cries. Taehyung pulled him to his chest.

The flashback came back. Yeosang died because of him? What does he mean?

"Kookie, hey, Jungkook, hey!" I snapped out of my thoughts and faced Taehyung with a confused look. Well honestly I wasn't listening to him. He looked at me with his concerned look and caressed my cheek. 

"Sleep well." He muttered and slowly my eyes closed and all I see is darkness. I put my body against Taehyung and fell to my deep slumber.

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I woke up without Taehyung beside me. I stretched my body and went to the bathroom, washed my body and changed to my casual clothes. I went out of my room and saw Seonghwa preparing breakfast for 9 people. Wait, 9?

"Seonghwa, why is there too much food in here?" 

"Our other group members are here since Yugyeom mentioned that we should stay in one dorm." The man preparing pancakes replied.

"How's Hongjoong?"

Seonghwa sighed. I could feel the stress in him. How is he so chill unlike Hongjoong? Hongjoong looked like a wreck and Seonghwa here is calm and composed.

"He's probably tired. He's been crying all night on his room. The others can't talk to him since he's really a wreck. But, unlike him, I can control myself. I cry but not destroy myself. Yeosang's been our friend since before, and losing him means losing a part of our lives." He smiled sadly.

Dumb me. He isn't okay yet. I took a bite on my pancake when the chair beside me suddenly moved and somebody sat down on it.

I looked over to my right and saw Taehyung who gave me a box smile. Wait, Taehyung? How?

"He's been here the whole time, he just went to wake the other members up." Seonghwa said while eating his pancake.

"Why Kookie? You don't want me here?" Taehyung pouted making me glare at him.

We started eating and mid ways while we're eating Taehyung started talking, "Hongjoong, is he in a proper state of mind for us to talk to him?"

"What do you mean?" Seonghwa stated at him. Confused look was evident on Seonghwa's face.

"We need to talk to him about something. You know, Yeosang's case." Taehyung stated bluntly making me glare at him. How could he open up that topic carelessly in front of the victim's friend?

"Oh. I don't know." Seonghwa looked down. He's clearly upset with what Taehyung suddenly said but he's trying to hide it.

"Morning." A tired voice said from behind. I looked back and saw a man with a pie chart looking hair who I remember as San. San sat down on the seat beside Seonghwa and quietly ate.

Soon after, the purple head man, who I know as Wooyoung entered the room and sat in front of me which is beside San. "I feel gloomy." Wooyoung stated. Who wouldn't feel gloomy of a friend died?

The purple head looked making me glance at the person behind me. It's the puppy looking guy. "Hi." He emotionlessly said and sat beside me on my left. Taehyung glared at the man secretly but no man paid attention to his deadly glare.

"Where's Jongho, Mingi and Hongjoong?" Seonghwa asked Yunho who just started eating.

"I don't know. Asleep maybe?" Yunho shrugged then we heard a loud thug making us jolt up from our seats.

Taehyung ran and went to where the noise came through. Me and others followed behind him as Taehyung opened the door to Hongjoong's room.

"Give that to me Mingi! I deserve to die!" Hongjoong jumped to reach for the cutter that Mingi was holding above.

"Kim Hongjoong!" Seonghwa shouted as he pulled Hongjoong to his chest. Mingi threw the cutter from the window and faced us.

"He's trying to kill himself." Mingi said as tears flow through his eyes. San came up to him and embraced the hurt man.

"He keeps on blaming himself for killing Yeosang. He says he killed Yeosang. He's-" Mingi continued in between sobs. San patted his back and is quieting him down.

"I deserve to die. I deserve to die." Hongjoong is repeatedly saying as he cry on Seonghwa's chest.

"No, Hongjoong. You don't. You didn't kill Yeosang. You didn't kill anybody. Hongjoong. Yeosang died because of unknown circumstances. We'll find justice for him. Okay?" Seonghwa said as he cry with Hongjoong.

"Yes, hyung. Do not blame yourself. You didn't do anything." Jongho who hust entered the room said.

I knelt down to Hongjoong and Seonghwa. I patted Hongjoong's head and said, "We'll capture his killer. You don't have to worry. You didn't kill him."

I gave him a little smile which I think worked since he also smiled back a little. He nodded and looked up at Seonghwa who suprisingly kissed his lips. "Don't you ever blame yourself for something you didn't do."

I smiled at them and unknowingly glanced at Taehyung who glanced back at me. "May all of you talk to me later at lunch?" I stated mainly looking at the people around us.

They all nodded. "Okay, change to your uniforms now, we have to go to school. See you at the cafeteria."

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"Have you gotten any news about Yeosang's case?" I asked Yugyeom who's seating beside me.

"Yeah. There's a fingerprint on the bottle, but we can't figure out whose finger print it is. There's over 700 students here and we can't finger print scan every students. It'll take time and might help the killer clean his crime." Yugyeom said handling me the files from the case.

"A finger print on the bottle?" I muttered to myself remembering Hongjoong's statement. "Yeosang! He died because of me!"

"Hongjoong." I whispered. Yugyeom looked at me weirdly. I looked back at him in horror.

"Hongjoong said-"

"Yugyeom!" Bambam interrupted and ran towards us. He panted then glanced at us.

"The- the crime scene was cleansed. It became clean and had no trances of murder in it. Even the chalk was erased!" He said.

"That means we're back to the square one. Whoever that killer is, he sure is a genius." Yugyeom said. "What were you trying to say earlier, Jungkook?"

"My friend, Hongjoong-"

"Ma'am Kiyoko is here!"

Can I atleast be not interrupted once?!

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I walked to my way to the cafeteria with Yugyeom and Bambam. I finally got the chance to tell them about Hongjoong without someone interrupting me.

"So you're saying he's blaming himself?" Bambam stated. "Maybe he's the one that gave Yeosang the beer?"

I nodded at him. We caught sight of the 7 people I talked to a while ago and sat with them on their table.

"Hello Jungkook, Yugyeom, and Bambam" Seonghwa said with a small smile. We returned the greeting and sat on our seats.

"So, what made you talk to us?", Jongho stated coldly. He's intimidating and looks strong. I better not piss off this guy.

"Well, we just wanted to ask some questions about-"

"Yeosang's case? I'm out." Wooyoung said plainly and left the table with his tray of food. "Me either", San said and followed after Wooyoung. Suddenly Jongho followed. Mingi and Yunho sighed, as Hongjoong is staring blankly.

"Sorry about that, they're really not in the mood whenever Yeo is mentioned. But, we'll answer whatever you guys want to ask. I know we need you all to give answers for Yeosang's death." Seonghwa said while eating his sandwich.

"Well, is there anyone of you who loves almonds?" Yugyeom asked.

Wait, what? Loves almonds?

"I do. It's my favourite, I always eat it no matter what." Mingi said.

"Okay, sorry I got carried away with the question. I just suddenly thought of almonds because Yunho's head looks like one."

They nodded in unison. Now's my turn to ask. "Who gave the beer to Yeosang? Did he buy it?"

"I gave him the beer. But it wasn't opened yet!" Hongjoong said with guolt playing over his place. "I shouldn't have gave it to him if I knew that it contains poison."

"Hongjoong took the beer that Mingi and I ordered. It was still closed so I do not know how that will contain poisoned." Yunho said while looking down.

"Okay, well, we'll find the killer for all of you. For the mean time- oops sorry Mingi." I said as my phone fell on Mingi's shoe.

He picked up my phone and handed ot to me. I thank him and we went out of the cafeteria.

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Classes ended and I ran away from the classroom. I went to Taehyung's classroom and waited for him. He came out and put his arms around me.

"The murder was cleansed. No traces were left. Seems like the killer has cleansed the crime scene by night." I told the latter beside me.

He seemed lost in thought. How dare him ignore my talk?!? Come on Taehyung, you're just staring ahead and did not even listen to what I said!

"The crime scene? Cleansed?" Taehyung finally said. Ah so he's listening.

"Yeah."

"You remembered seeing Hongjoong in the crime scene didn't you?" Taehyung muttered yet I heard it. Is he saying... No!

"Not Hongjoong!" I hissed angrily at Tae. But, I can't help but doubt Hongjoong either. He's just suspicious.

"I know. I know. Let's solve Hongjoong's unsolved mystery, okay?"

I smiled at him. "Okay"