It was quiet in the dorm given the fact that most of the members who cause the noise were missing to who-know-where leaving only me, Myungsoo and Sungjong alone. I and Myungsoo were in the middle of having a breakfast when I saw Sungjong emerged. He was wearing a plain t-shirt with gray cardigan and a black skinny-jeans.

 

“Where do you want to go?” I asked out of curiosity.

 

“Nowhere, hyung. Just hanging out with a friend.” He said while opened the freeze’s door and taking out a carton of orange juice and poured it in the glass before brought the glass to the lips and sip it.

 

The answered alarm me. A blood spot on a sleeve of jacket from three days ago flashed into my mind. I don’t know why but I have a bad feeling about this. I change a glance with Myungsoo before my eyes fall into Sungjong again who was currently munching a piece of toast he stole from Myungsoo's plate.

 

I took a breath before asking, “Can I go with you?”

 

“Why?” he frown.

 

“No reasons. Just wanted to hanging out with my dongsaeng. Can I?” I acted nonchalant.

 

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. Besides, you don’t even know my friends and I doubt they will feel comfortable with your presence.” I fell on silence. One thing about Sungjong is it was hard to persuade him to change his mind when he already made one.  

 

“I didn’t mean like that, hyung. Please don’t misunderstand.” Sungjong said quickly. I can sense guilty in his tone.

 

“Hyung, say something, you make me feel guilty.” Sungjong was now standing in front of me, his hand on my shoulder, face full of worried.

 

‘This is my chance.’ I thought.

 

“If you felt guilty, then let me go with you.”

 

“No. Not today. Why you’re so persistent to come, hyung?” he asked with obvious frustration in his voice.

 

“And why you’re so determined to not let him go with you? Are you hiding something from us?” Myungsoo interfered, voice cold as ever, sent shiver to whoever heard.

 

“Of course not.”

 

“Then, what is the problem?”

 

“He doesn’t even know my friends.”

 

“Well, Sunggyu hyung can always get to know them when you all meets. I don’t see any problem with that.”

 

“Urrgghh…” Sungjong yelled in frustration, both hands grabbed his hair. He took a deep breath before spoke again, “I’m sorry hyung but I really can’t let you joined me today. Maybe another time…” He tried to negotiate but I won’t compromise.

 

I don’t even know when we are moving but we were in the Sungjong and Hoya’s share room, now. I sat on the Hoya’s bed, feeling myself comfortable, I continued.

 

“What is wrong if I want to hang out with my dongsaeng? I just want to have a bonding time with you.” I insisted.

 

“Even that sounded weird to me and since when you wanted to have a bonding time with me, hyung. Are you sure you are not woke up in the wrong side of bed this morning because I think you are.” He said while picked up a bag and slangs it on his shoulder, ready to move. I gave a pleading look at Myungsoo, asking him to do something. I was panicked.

 

“Just let Sungkyu hyung go with you or if you are really not that comfortable, I can go with you instead.” Myungsoo offered.

 

“What is wrong with both of you?” He exploded. “I’m not going to take any of you.” He yelled out in frustration. I felt shocked, no, we felt shocked. His little outburst froze us in place.

 

“I’m sorry, hyung. I’ll make it up to you later.” He said apologetically before left.

 

It took us a few minutes to absorb what exactly happened and when we finally came back from our frozen state, Sungjong already gone. I quickly grab a jacket before dragging Myungsoo to pursue Sungjong. I hope him not far. We arrived as Sungjong about to get into a car. The car was black with a tinted glass making it difficult for me to take a glimpse of peoples inside. I quickly hail a taxi and followed the car.

 

The car stopped in front of a building, a man in black hoody came out from the car. I can’t saw his face but my gut telling me it was Sungjong. My eyes followed his every movement, from the moment he walked out of the car into the bonnet until the time he enter that building.

 

“Hyung, do we really need to follow that guy? Are you really sure he was Sungjong?” Myungsoo kept asking. I didn’t bother to answer any of his questions pulled him to follow Sungjong.

 

I and Myungsoo kept trailing him in a safe distance. I watched as him enter an elevator. I waited outside and kept reading the number on top of the elevator. It was stopped at number 10.

 

Knowing where to go, I pushed the up button and when the door opened, I hurriedly enter and pressed the number 10 button.

 

I can felt my heart raced as the elevator getting higher. I was nervous and scare at the same time. I don’t know what to expect once the door opened, but I hope it was nothing worst. To ease my nervousness, I started pacing back and forth, mumbling while Myungsoo was just stood there watching.

 

Unable to stand my pacing much further, Myungsoo grabbed my arm in attempted to halt my move. “Hyung, relax would you. Everything would be okay. Besides, he just brought a guitar with him. What was so bad about it?”

 

Thinking back, Myungsoo was right. Why I need to freak out? He just brought a guitar and nothing else. Maybe he wanted to take a lesson and that is why he won’t let me to go with him. He afraid I will later. I convinced myself.

 

“Yes, you’re right. Aish, what I’m thinking? I should stop loitering with Dongwoo. He make my mind ran wild that it even scare me sometime.” I laughed. Now, I can felt my body relax.

 

“We both should. But I’m afraid it’s too late, he already polluted our mind,” At that remark we laughed again. It was nothing funny but it felt good to be laughed aloud like this.

 

DING!

 

The door opened, I step outside, followed by Myungsoo.

 

“Now, what we gonna do? Heading back downstairs or what?”

 

“Since we already arrive, I guess we just go find Sungjong then.” I suggested.

 

“Okay.” Myungsoo agreed. Not knowing where we should go, we decided to split. I took the right direction while Myungsoo took left. The path was narrow with doors in each side. I opened the first door, it was a meeting room. The room was spacious with a dark brown table was placing in the center accompany with comfortable chairs that would indulge persons who sat on it. The wall was white and only decorated with a painting of nature giving a soft and calm feeling. Feeling intimidating, I quickly closed the door and pursued to the next door. This time it was a pantry but once again no Sungjong. I proceed to the next door and received the same result for each room.

 

I finally gave up after the ten doors. I don’t think we can found him, felt weary and frustrated, I looked outside of the window. Only then I notice there was a fan-signing event took place below. I tried to perceive the identity of the celebrity but it was in vain. From where I stood, the chance was thin.

 

“Hyung, I found a stair to the rooftop.” Myungsoo said as he stood beside of me, his eyes on the window, looking at the same spot as me.

 

“So?”

 

"He might be in there.” I asked him to lead the way.

 

I was about to leave when the event took place below capture my attention. Everyone running around, it was chaos. I don’t understand what happening. My eyes gazing onto the stage, someone was laying there and peoples surrounded that person.

 

“Let’s go downstairs.” Without arguing, he followed me.

 

It was when we were outside the building that I finally managed to grasp the situation. Someone was shot and that person was Daesung, a singer/song-writer.

 

“We need to get out from this place, it would led to controversy if people knew we were here.” I said. Myungsoo catch a taxi and we quickly stepping inside, left the place.

               

*******************

 

I sat on the floor, panting hard. It was another day of dance practice.

 

“Hyung, you want some water?” Sungjong asked, in his hand was a bottle of water. I just neglected his offer, instead I grabbed the bottle from Woohyun’s hand, resulting a protest from the latter which I returned with a death glare that succeed to shut him off.

 

Seeing my action, Sungjong retreat his hand and with a sad face, he return to his place beside Hoya who immediately comfort the younger. I’ve been given him a cold shoulder since his return from the outing. No reason, just felt a responsibility to teach the maknae about respect. Now, he would think twice before yelled at me like he did yesterday.

 

About yesterday’s incident, I never told anyone in the group. From the news, Daesung was still unconscious but it seems to be that he would not survived. The bullet was centimeter away from his heart, it was a miracle that the operation was success but even that, he lost too much blood and the shot damage some of his inner organ. Even if he survived, he would not be the same.

 

I heard the door creak open behind me, it was manager hyung.

 

“Boys, your schedule for tomorrow was canceled. We need to attend a funeral.”

 

“Whose?” Woohyun asked.

 

“Daesung’s.” The word silences us.

 

“We’ll be leaving at 10. That’s all. You can continue your practice.” He left after that.

 

Feeling no energy to practice, we rally in the middle of the room, sat side by side.

 

It was silence. 

 

“Who do you think killed him?” Hoya broke the silence.

 

“Maybe an anti-fan.” Sungyeol suggested.

 

“No, I think his rival.” Woohyun exclaimed.

 

“That’s stupid. It must be his ex-girlfriend. Revenge!” Hoya said, excited with his theory.

 

“Assassin.” Dongwoo blurted out.

 

“That’s stupid. Why an assassin wants to kill him?” Woohyun rejected the idea.

 

“Maybe his ex-girlfriend paid him to do so. Like in the movie, a girl wanted a revenge, so he paid someone to killed his ex-boyfriend.” Hoya answered, getting high five from Dongwoo.

 

“You watched too much drama. I still think it was an anti-fan. You know how scary they can be.”

 

“It makes no sense. He was shot. I don’t think an anti-fan can do that.” Woohyun objected

 

“Why not, they’re crazy. They can do anything.”

 

“Right, shoot an idol just because they hate him.” Woohyun said sarcastic.

 

“Well, that is why they were called anti-fans.” Sungyeol said, emphasize the word ‘anti-fans’.

 

“And where they would get the guns, buy in the mall? Sir, I want to buy a gun because I have an idol I want to kill.” Woohyun acted.

 

“Or asking from police officer. Sir, can I have your gun, please. I have an idol to kill.” Hoya joined in making a fun of Sungyeol’s theory.

 

“Or lend from a gangster.” Dongwoo added.

 

“They can always buy it in the black market, stupid.”

 

“And how they know it? Oh, I know, it was advertised in the internet. Silly me.”

 

Sungyeol was struggling for a counter attack, but nothing came to mind.

 

“Like your theory any better, a rival. Pfft, you accused one of our sunbae as a murderer?”

 

“I didn’t say it was one of our sunbae.”

 

“Then, who is the rival? An ajumma next door. Your theory much more ridiculous than me.”

 

And they continued bickering with each other. I don’t even want to listen anymore. Pretending they were not here, I let my mind wandering. The question makes me thinking who that person can be.

 

I thought back of what happened yesterday, from our attempt to spied Sungjong until the commotion. Something was missing. Then, it clicked on me, the rooftop, Sungjong, the black hooded figure, the guitar case.

 

I called the only person I trusted in this matter, Myungsoo. We walked to the corner of the room and sat there. Leaning against the mirror, I positioned myself facing the members while myungsoo take his place on the right of me.

 

“I think it was Sungjong.” I blurted out. He gave me a questioning look.

 

“The shooter, I think it was Sungjong.” I said again, stressed on the word shooter as I still can’t bring myself to call him a murderer.

 

I tilted my face to the right, glancing at Myungsoo briefly prior continued, “There were two reasons why I claimed that. First, you know the news we watched last night when the reporter said the shot came from the rooftop of XXX building. We together with Sungjong were in that building and the only place we didn’t search for him was rooftop. Even you thought him in there. Second, the police said the weapon was a riffle. The black hooded figure brought along with him a guitar case, it can fit a riffle. No one would know. And like I mentioned before I think that guy was Sungjong. The fact that he came from the same car Sungjong’s rode was the proof. Besides, he had the same built as Sungjong.”

 

Myungsoo hugged his knee while putting his chin above it; his face was frown as seem deep in thought.

 

“I was looking at Sungjong the entire time when manager hyung broke the news. He somehow didn’t affect with the news. No sad, shocked, angered or even happy. He showed nothing. He appeared like he didn’t care. Only when he perceived my gaze on him that he reacted. And for a brief moment, I felt like I’m losing him.” He spoke.

 

“Hyung, what should we do?”