Part Nine

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Kyungsoo slings his satchel over his shoulder, walks out of his room and locks it. He decided to wake up extra early today. He had his breakfast earlier without anyone joining him but that is fine because he preferred that way especially for what he is about to do. He had went into the forest yesterday by himself and wander around for a few hours until he decided to head back again before night time. He had tried to inspect every routes and paths inside the forest, whether what path he should take or not and whether he could trace anything back to Junhee or that cloak man. 

However, yesterday it was fruitless, he couldn't fine anything that can lead him to them. He had tried going on different directions from when he came with his friends and he almost got lost with his compass malfunctioning all of a sudden. He was lucky he had some sense of direction and able to get back to where he started. He was dispirited going back but then he found a new entry to the forest from somewhere deep inside town. 

It is an underground tunnel found in a very old abandoned locksmith shop. He had accidentally found it when he went venturing in town to buy some food to eat. He was upset and tired but he didn't want to go back to the academy just yet (he was not ready to face his friends on why he had disappeared since noon) so he took a longer route and found the abandoned shop. He didn't know why he was interested to go in but he did. 

The shop was dusty in all sort of places but it was still in tact except for a room, where it was a mess with stuffs, leaves and branches scattered on the floor. He took a look inside the room and had stepped on a wrong step that had him fall into a gaping hole. That hole is the entrance, where he guessed lead to the forest. He trust himself and it is worth a shot so he decided he will head back to that place again tomorrow. 

And that was why he slept early last night and woke up early to start his activity for today. He walks out the dormitories area and towards the main gates. He had his cloak on as well just like yesterday but unlike Junhee with a chili coloured red one, Kyungsoo sported with a dark green coloured cloak. 

He had been careful around his friends. He didn't tell them anything and he didn't even see one of them since last night before he went to bed. So, when he passed through the courtyard heading towards the gates, he can see Jongdae, out of all people, standing there at the gates. Kyungsoo stops and blinks when he noticed how his friend are with someone. He is talking to a woman. 

Kyungsoo blinks his big eyes again and wonder what is he going to do. Don't misunderstood, he is not confuse with the presence of the woman, no. Kyungsoo turned a bit of a panic when he sees Jongdae. Why he had to be the one he met. It could have been Jongin or Chanyeol but no, it had to be Jongdae, who has a crush on his best friend. Jongdae is the last person Kyungsoo wants to see right now.

Nonetheless, he stands up straight and put on the most stoic expression he had mastered before he continues his way to the gates. As he expected, Jongdae notices him and calls out his name. "Soo!" 

He turns and gives a deadpan look at him. "What?" 

The man didn't faze by the unfriendliness. Jongdae smiles, "Where're you going?" 

"None of your business" He curtly replied and earns a frown from the woman. 

"Now Kyungsoo I know you're sad because Junhee got taken away but you don't have to be rude to my nephew like that" The woman, who Kyungsoo remembered as Jongdae's aunt, had her hands on her hips. "I haven't seen you in a year and you're acting like this? What would your mother gonna say about this attitute of yours" 

The man had turned into a boy after he heard those words with the look she gave him. He didn't expect to get reprimanded this early morning. Like being scolded by his mother, he looks down at the ground. Jongdae's aunt is not his mother's age, she is still young in her 30's but the woman knew all their parents. It is a nightmare to them boys when their family members know the other family members. "S-Sorry" The boy apologized awkwardly. 

The woman sighs and shakes her head. "It's ok but next time be polite, ok?"

Kyungsoo merely nods his head and again looking awkward and embarrassed. 

"So, are you going to answer Jongdae's question?" The woman adds and both of the boys stare at each other, blinking their eyes. 

"Town" Kyungsoo eventually said it even when he knew he was not actually going there. "I'm heading to town" He looks at Jongdae as he said it. 

"Where to?"

It takes Kyungsoo a second for his head to come out with something. "Bookstore" 

Jongdae raises his eyebrows, "That new one Junhee went to last week? What are you going to do there?" 

"....read books?" Kyungsoo replied and hopes this will pass by soon. He doesn't want to waste time or lying to people. But he had to lie. If his friend know where he wants to go, it would become a lot different thing. 

"Since when you like to read" Jongdae comments and Kyungsoo almost gives him a glare but he cuts himself when he remembered Jongdae's aunt is still here with them. "Can I come?" 

"No" Kyungsoo replied a bit too quickly. The boy and his aunt looks at him weirdly. Kyungsoo quickly adds his words, "I mean, your aunt is here. You should spend time with her, you don't need to come with me. It's just the town. I just want to wander around there and get some fresh air" He said and before any of those two can reply to him, he bows to the woman. "I have to go. Nice meeting you again, Ms. Lee"

"Alright Kyungsoo-ah, you take care of yourself" The woman said to him, even though she is giving him a look. "Don't be glaring at everyone all the time, ok? Practice smiling more, alright?" She gives him a smile and Kyungsoo awkwardly smiles back with a nod. He makes a very brief eye contact with Jongdae before he heads away, going to the direction of their busy village town. On the other hand, as he walks away, he can still hear them talking.

"Are you sure Kyungsoo is not in love with Junhee, dear? That boy looks devastated" 

There was a second late reply from his friend. "Kyungsoo loves her but it's not that kind of love"

"Are you sure? He seems to care Junhee a lot" 

"Imo, I'm sure. He told me already and Junhee is single" 

And that is all Kyungsoo could hear before the distance makes it harder for him to listen. He sighs.

It makes him wonder (again) if his actions really stood him out as having feelings for Junhee. Or if their actions are like a couple. Yes he loves her but he loves her as a sister. Though, many people still misunderstood his love for his best friend. They grew up together, they had even bath together when they were young kids and Junhee had been close to his family even before her mother passed. 

Kyungsoo purses his lips when the image of her mother appears in his mind. He was young but he would always remembers the woman. He wonders if the woman is disappointed in him for what happened to Junhee. Is she angry that he had let her daughter go to that man? 

He sighs

He was only a kid but Junhee's mother had passed the torch of taking care of her little daughter to him. He appreciated the trust the woman has in him but he also felt the burden because Junhee is not easy to tame. That girl always has something up her sleeves and doing what she feels right even though some of her decisions are questionable and dumb to others. 

Which brings him back to what he is doing. Going back to town and the forest to find her and that weird man. 

"Don't do anything stupid" He said quietly under his breath as he passes by people and shops. He is not paying attention to what is happening outside because he has a lot in his mind. Thinking and rethinking about what he saw, heard, his doubts and questions. 

Kyungsoo had heard a lot about the mysterious killer, a dangerous creature that lives and hides inside the forest. He heard stories that people died when encountered with him. No one had live to tell the tale of the creature and people assumed of the worst. He is not even sure if the creature people are taking about and that cloak man are the same thing. High chance it is possible because some points regarding the creature matched with the cloak man. But his main question is why that man didn't kill Junhee? He took her but he spared her life? Why? 

Junhee lives and she as well went back to be with him

It doesn't make sense to a lot of people

Jongin's theory about mind control is a valid reason but Kyungsoo was there when he talked to Junhee. He saw the worry in her eyes. He saw how she was genuine of her feelings and being an open book for him to read. She was sane, her mind was not being control. Junhee was the one that wanted to go back. She was adamant and she showed it. She even used her powers to save the man while others attacked him. 

Kyungsoo positively sure there is something going on between them. The image of Junhee with the cloak man again pops inside his mind. The way they looked at each other and the way they were hugging that night before they vanished into a cloud of smoke. Kyungsoo purses his lips, not really anticipating why they were being like that. 

"Don't he dare do anything to her" he growls, glaring on anything he sees right now. Why does he has that feeling that they might had done something more than just an innocent hug? Besides, a man and a woman alone in the forest...what could've they possibly be doing? 

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Kyungsoo doesn't know what he is doing but he feels like it's right and it is late to turn back around now. He looks to his right and his left and when he feels the coast is clear, he heads inside the shop and wander until he finds the room he found yesterday.

Just like yesterday, he brought along his survival necessities in his satchel, that include an oil lamp. He lights up the lamp first before he jumps down the hole on the floor. It is very dimmed inside the tunnel as he continues his way. He used his compass to show him the way along with using his senses. 

It is very quiet walking inside the tunnel and Kyungsoo is hyperaware of his surroundings. He had startled himself many times when he heard a loud crash and other noises that echoing through the tunnel. He had to remind himself that he is below ground and above him probably is where all the shops and people are. Where the noises come from. 

Although his steps are confident but he is very unsure of what he is doing. "I just want to find Junhee. I just want to find Junhee" He keeps saying that over and over again whenever he is douting his decision. He knew how close to impossible it is to find the girl (especially when he and his friends had failed miserably on finding her before) but he wants to keep trying. He won't let anything disturb his decision. 

"You're alone with a guy of course I'm going to get you" 

"You better not doing anything you regret Junhee" 

"I hope you keep your clothes on when you're with him or else you're getting it"

"Has he touched her? He better keeps his hands away or I'll broke them apart"

He keeps talking to himself while he follows the path. It took some time for him to finally see the end. "I knew it, I was right" he smiles proudly when the end of the tunnel led him out into a small cave inside the forest. When he walks out and puts back his lamp inside his satchel, he finds out the opening of the small cave is covered with a bunch of connecting leaves that made up as a wall. If he is an outside people that is walking around the area, he won't notice it is a cave. The leaves and the bushes around hide it perfectly.

He looks around the area, seeing that he is surrounded by thick bark trees with wide long leaves. An indication to him that he is in a different part of the forest. He pulls out his compass and places it down on the ground, waiting to show him where is he now but the compass isn't moving. Just like yesterday it is not working. "Oh c'mon don't be like this" He sighs when it doesn't work no matter how many times he tried to make it work. 

He keeps back the compass and decides to have his own walk, only able to trust his own senses and instinct. He tries to remember the area of the cave for him to go back home and makes a mark for him to know before he starts exploring the deep forest.

He has his eyes wide, looking around and try to sense anything. And he did feels something. "Feels very nice here" He comments under his breath after he realized how calm the air is. He doesn't know how to explain it but he can feel the buzz of magic in the area. "Weird but nice" 

Kyungsoo keeps on walking and after a long hour, he gets very tired and takes a rest. He takes out his bottle and gulps it down to clench his thirst. When he puts back in his bottle, he freezes when he hears something. He immediately looks around and on alert. It sounds like a twig being snapped in two.

Again, he heard it again

He moves, trying to find out what made the sound. He picks up a long branch he found on the ground as a weapon and hold it as if ready to swing it. Then he hears ruffling noises and something is coming. Kyungsoo grips his weapon tightly and ready with his branch to attack whoever or whatever it is coming to him. Is it an animal? Please don't be a saber, please don't be a saber, please don't be a saber--

"Ahh! No don't attack, it's me!" 

Kyungsoo's eyes bulge out, "Jongdae-ah?!" He feels like someone had poured ice cold water on him. "What the hell are you doing here?!" He stares in disbelief at him before he notices there is someone else with Jongdae. "Joon?!" Joon, who is a classmate of theirs, standing there next to Jongdae. He is not that close to him, just another one of his classmates, but the man is quite close to Jongdae. But that is not important right now. 

"Hi Kyungsoo"

"WHAT THE ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?" Kyungsoo feels like his plan is ruin. And how did these two are here? "How the hell you two get here--Wait" His eyes widen again, suddenly remembers that crash and noises he heard back in the tunnel. "Were you guys following me?!" 

"Calm down, Soo" Jongdae earns himself a glare but regardless Jongdae continues, "You were acting weird since yesterday. I know you went here too yesterday. You're looking for Junhee, aren't you" 

"Ok yes I am, so why you're here? And why the hell is he here too?!" 

"I didn't bring him here, I swear. He followed me when I was following you before I then caught him"

Kyungsoo rubs his face in agony.

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