Chapter 8
Yeosang's Killer

"Solve Hongjoong's unsolved mystery?" I muttered to myself. What does he mean by that? I shook my head as ideas comes flooding in. Probably because Hongjoong is unsure of who the killer is.

"Jungkook, Yugyeom is looking for you." Seonghwa called from the outside. I groaned and went out of my room.

On the living room was Yugyeom and Bambam sitting on the small couch. I sat beside Yugyeom who handed me something. It was my phone.

"You left it in the room a while ago." Yugyeom said without looking at me. "Thanks."

"We finished what you told us to do, seems like we got a positive result." Bambam said.

"The only problem is, how and why did he do that." Yugyeom said as he stood up of the couch coming through the door with Bambam and I following him.

"We have to make sure we got the right suspect or else, we'll be back into dead end once again. That result is our only proof. We need to extend more." Yugyeom sighed.

"How about Yeosang's body?"

"The only reason of death is cyanide poisoning, which probably came from the beer. No signs of struggle however, there's blood on his nails." Bambam said while he study.

"No signs of struggles huh?"

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We have every Ateez member on a classroom along with me, Yugyeom, Bambam, and Inspector Ji Eun.

Since they said that Yeosang is not that extroverted and only has few friends, we narrowed down our suspects to his classmates, and some people he talks to. But, as San said, only the Ateez members knows about the location where Yeosang died, so, we only have our list of suspects into their names.

"Yesterday night, you were all in Hongjoong's dorm right?" Yugyeom said which made all of them nod.

"Is there someone always waking up around midnight or dawn?" All of them shook their heads.

"Okay then, all of you stay in one dorm once again please."

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"We got nothing from them. We just to-"

"Got nothing?" Someone cut Yugyeom. Taehyung.

"Yeah, we questioned them but they didn't show answers of killing him." Bambam said while typing on his laptop.

"Why won't question them one by one?" Taehyung asked.

"That's it! Why won't we question him now?" Yugyeom exclaimed while he jumped up form his seat.

"Who is he?" Taehyung cluelessly asked.

"The killer of Yeosang." I told him while looking at him on the eyes. His look widened and stood up with Yugyeom then pointed at him.

"You said you got nothing!"

"We got nothing on questioning them but they we already have a suspect in mind!"

"Whatever, let's go to whoever that killer is."

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"Hey Mingi! Can I talk to you?" Taehyung went to Mingi with his smile. Mingi smiled back probably not knowing what Taehyung's intention of calling him is.

When Mingi came near us, Yugyeom readied his recorder on his pocket and gave Mingi a grin.

"Why did you kill Yeosang?" I said straightly. Well, we should already go straight to the point or else this will be useless.

Mingi choked on the chocolate drink he was drinking then put the milk box down on the near bench where we are talking.

"I didn't kill him! What do mean, I killed him?" Mingi denied. Come on, no criminal says they killed their victims.

"You said it yourself, you like almonds. Yeosang died because of cyanide poisoning which will probably be found in almonds." Yugyeom said.

"Just because I like almonds doesn't mean I killed him!" He's really strong at denying his crime huh? Well, we still have a token.

"The forensics found blood on Yeosang's nails. Which means he scratched his attacker. Though, there's no signs of struggles, there's suspiciously some blood on his nails. But you, you have nails scratch on your arms. Care to explain that?" Bambam smirked. You got nowhere to run now Mingi.

"This scratch came from Yunho! He-"

"Then, why is your fingerprint on the bottle?" I raised my eyebrows as I arrogantly ask him.

"We bought those beers! Me and Yunho!" Mingi still declines. I'm starting to doubt our suspect in mind though. Mingi seems so innocent. But just because he looks like a big fluff ball doesn't mean he can't kill.

"We got your fingerprint from Jungkook's phone. Then, boom! It was 100% match." Bambam said.

He drank from his chocolate drink once again. "I really- AAaCK"

Bubbles came out from his mouth. He was poisoned! I looked at the chocolate drink he was drinking. Poisoned?

How? He's been drinking that since in the cafeteria, and it's on a tetra pack! How could someone put poison on the chocolate drink box, and that fast?

He's only with us. Us. That means, one of US. I looked at my three companions. Bambam was calling someone on his phone which is probably Inspector Ji Eun. Yugyeom was checking the chocolate drink box which is wrapped with handkerchief. Taehyung was checking Mingi's pulse, then suddenly called someone on his phone.

Who among us killed Mingi?

I looked down and found a note near Mingi's body. I picked up the small note and read it.

'2x2 - 4x3 - 4x4 - 4x3 - 4x4 - 3x3 - 5x1 - 4x4 - 5x4 - 3x3 - 3x3 - 5x2 - 1x3'

What the are these?

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I've been walking back and forth in my room, unknown what to do nor say. I've been like this since I've seen the note. It's definitely a cipher!

I still haven't told Yugyeom and Bambam about this. Maybe later. They are busy investigating Mingi's case for them to notice my absence on the scene.

I tried multiplying the numbers with each other then combined them. I got something useless. I then tried some addition and s. But, to no avail, it still haven't worked.

I tried remembering the ciphers I've studied. Damn, why does my brain not work on a situation like this.

Polynomial, cruse math. Poly- wait! I got it. Polybius Square! That's it! I remembred studying that, it involves numbers and the multiplication table! That explains why it got 'x' with the numbers.

    1 2 3 4 5

1 A B C D E 
2 F G H I/J K 
3 L M N O P 
4 Q R S T U 
5 V W X Y Z

It says,

"G - O - T - O - T - H - E - T - U - N - N - E - L"

Tunnel? Is there a tunnel in this school? Then realization hit me. Yeosang died on the tunnel where the Ateez members hang out.

I stood up from my bed then took my jacket and phone, running as fast as I can to reach the tunnel where the incident occured.

As Bambam said, the crime was really cleansed. The police left a camera there but they said it had malfunctioned by night. They thought it was just a glitch. So last night is probably the time that the killer cleansed the location.

I reached the tunnel, and my knees were trembling in fear. I should have called Yugyeom first. What if the killer is there to kill me? Besides, I was the only one who saw the note.

My skin got goosebumps as I open the broken door of the room more then entered. Standing on the table was a note.

"Number 9 and 10 victim. Killed."

The note was unbothered. I was just on the table placed down. The police haven't notice the note? They must be idiots for not noticing a visible note like that.

I was cut off when my phone vibrated. I grabbed phone from my pocket. I looked around observing the place, then took the note carefully holding it slightly so my fingerprint won't be touching it.

I went out of the tunnel and as I answer the call. It's Taehyung no doubt.

"Jeon Jungkook! Where the hell are you?"

"I was at the tunnel-"

"The tunnel? Did you not know how dangerous ot might be there? Knowiing that someone died there, you came there? Also, alone? What if the killer is there to ambush and kill you, huh? What it-"

"I'm fine. I'm away from there now. You don't have to shout more. Where are you, I need to talk to the yhree of you."

"I'm at the cafeteria with Yugyeom and Bambam, we're trying to come up with reasons and how the killer killed Mingi."

I stopped the call and ran towards the cafeteria as fast as I can. On the near end of the cafeteria, there's Yugyeom Bambam, and Taehyung staring at their foods while slowly eating it. Thinking deeply, huh?

I reached their table. Taehyung stood up and put me on his embrace. "You idiot. I was deadly worried."

"Yeah, he really is. When you said you were on the tunnel, his legs started shaking too much and he was sweating nervously." Bambam chuckled.

Taehyung let go of me and gave me my food that he ordered for me. I sat beside him and started eating my food.

"What were you trying to tell us, Jungkook?" Yugyeom started.

I swallowed the food I was chewing then reached for my pocket. Carefully holding the note without putting my fingerprint on it.

"A note? What kind of killer gives a note?" Taehyung scrunched. Bambam shrugged his shoulder on Taehyung's statement.

"Number 9 and 10 victim. Killed." Yugyeom read the note aloud. Bambam and Taehyung gave a confused look.

"How did you get this?" Yugyeom asked.

"When Mingi was poisoned, I saw a note near him body with codes."

"Wait- you mean when Mingi died?" Taehyung questioned.

"Yeah, that's why I wasn't on the investigation."

"So, what does the note say?" Bambam asked.

"Go to the tunnel."

Their reaction were priceless. Taehyung looked pale along with Bambam who stopped chewing his food. Yugyeom sighed.

"You went there and found this?" I nodded at Yugyeom.

"We have a killer on loose. We should capture him already, we have to make a first move." He added.

"The killer, killed Yeosang and Mingi for what reason though?" Bambam asked.

"Remember Ha Neul's case? Where Lee Joong Gi said that there was someone who called him?" Taehyung said.

"So probably, the killer is calling clients, and does a thing for them. The question is, what and why does he do this."

"Payment. He needs money. That might be a reason." Yugyeom grabbed his cola and drank.

"That might not be the only reason. He might be also doing it for pleasure, and selfish acts." Taehyung added.

"If he's having clients, then the next case might be already near."
Bambam said.

"Let's not think of any killing patterns because there isn't one. Let's focus on finding who this killer is."

"Nice idea Jungkook, but the thing is, how?" Taehyung smiled

"That we still don't know." Yugyeom sighed.

"The police said that they'll be the one to investigate the case and they wouldn't want us involve more." Bambam said.

"Once they lose hope, the case will probably be trashed. The killer will be free once again." Yugyeom said as his fist clenched.

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I went back to the dorm and noticed a red eyed Seonghwa and lifeless state-like Hongjoong. They looked like a wreck.

"They got Mingi. They got Mingi!" Hongjoong cried. It hurts to see these two like this.

I neared them and crouched in front of them. Tears escaoed from my eyes as I apologized.

"I'm sorry. We can't-"

"Don't say you can't, because you can." Seonghwa said on a emotionless tone.

"We believe that the four of you will find and will give justice for the both of them. Please don't stop helping us... Please" Hongjoong embraced me.

"We won't, Hongjoong. We won't." I cried with them.