▬ Chapter 2: Welcome to Woollim High ▬

“So, your parents want you to move next week?” Jonghun asked with crossed arms. He was looking over the other members of Dark Horse as they were screaming at the television screen while playing a video game. The gang decided to go to his house for the weekend to take a break from studying although they were supposed to be doing the opposite. Two of them were hunched over with their noses buried in books, though. Freshmen.

“Yeah.”

“Alone?” Hongki added while he swerved his body to the side to mimic how his car in the video game swerved from the debris.

“Yeah.”

“Until you graduate?” Jaejin raised an eyebrow while only his fingers moved across the controller unlike the other one beside him.

“For the last time, yes!” Hoya grumbled.

“Dude, I heard Woollim was creepy,” Seunghyun shivered as he looked up from his book.

“Why?” Minhwan inquired while continuing to solve the math problems in front of him.

Seunghyun closed his book and placed it beside him. He focused his attention to the others sitting on the couch in front of the television screen before he continued. “That school was built in the 1800s. There are a lot of mysterious things there.”

“So?” Hoya replied in a bored tone, still playing with his phone. He wasn’t really listening to the youngest one speak.

“Doesn’t that creep you out? That thing looks like it’s about to collapse when you step into it. It has an eerie atmosphere, too.” Seunghyun explained.

“Hey, how do you know that stuff anyway?” Jonghun couldn’t believe the things coming out of the boy’s mouth.

“I was searching for old buildings and–”

“Why?” Hongki interrupted as he pumped his fist in the air once his car finally zoomed past Jaejin. “Weirdo.”

“Just for fun. Anyway, there were news everywhere that some girl also died in that school.”

“Stop! I don’t wanna hear it anymore!” Minhwan covered his ears and closed his eyes as he continuously shook his head in the process.

This time, Hoya looked up from his screen and faced Seunghyun. “How?”

“Who knows? Rumors say that she was bullied so she hanged herself.”

“I’m going to have nightmares tonight,” Minhwan gave up and sighed. He placed his hands lifelessly across his lap when he realized that either way, he was going to end up listening to the story. Instead, he continued to close his eyes and hung his head back while turning around in his revolving chair.

“Maybe you’ll see her face too while you’re at it,” Hongki snickered. His victorious smirk didn’t last long though because Jaejin passed by him again which made him grunt.

“Shut up, hyung.”

“Well, whatever.” Hoya stood up and walked towards the door, “I’m going home.”

“Oh, one last thing, hyung.” Seunghyun added before Hoya could get a foot outside the door.

“What?”

“Be careful of the teachers there. The administrators and principal as well.”

“Why?”

“I heard they were… different.”

Hoya rolled his eyes before he closed the door, ignoring him. “You’ve been reading too much manhwa.”

“I was just giving out a warning,” Seunghyun mumbled. He grabbed the book beside him and continued to read from where he left off a few minutes ago.

Growing curious, Jonghun’s gaze finally left the screen as he looked towards the man sitting on the floor by the door. “Hey, what are you talking about? How are they different?”

Without looking up from his book, he replied, “I heard that they don’t interact or even try to get close with the students. They sometimes disappear, too.”

“Disappear where?”

“I don’t know. Plus, when I looked up their yearbook pictures from previous years, all of their faces were blurred out.”

“Thank you for asking that question and for answering. Now I can never sleep again,” Minhwan sighed for the umpteenth time.

══════

“Did you pack everything?” Hoya’s mother checked his backpack one last time before he entered their car. “You have your ticket and directions, right?”

“Yes, mom,” he answered lifelessly. Once everything was settled, his father started the engine and the Lee's headed to the airport.

“Now, remember to brush your teeth, chew with your mouth closed, listen to the teachers, and behave, okay?” His mother gave him a hug with as much love as she could when they arrived at the gate.

Hoya rolled his eyes while he returned the hug with less force. “Mom, I’m 17, not 7.”

She let out a meek smile once she let go. “Sorry. It’s just that this is the first time that you’ll be away from home.”

“I went to a lot of field trips when I was a kid.”

“Those don’t count. Those were all in Busan,” she quickly dismissed.

“Remember our deal, Howon,” his father reiterated when they heard the boarding call.

Without looking back, he entered the gate with a hand on one strap while the other waved to his parents. “Yeah. I know.”

“Good luck!” His mother shouted behind him. With one last look, Hoya gave them a smile before he walked further into the double doors.

This is going to be a pain.

══════

“Welcome to Seoul,” a recorded voice beamed through the intercom right by the doors.

Sporting his usual expressionless face, Hoya got out of the airport and finally breathed the unfamiliar air. He stood there for a couple of minutes to assess his surroundings before moving near the parking area to wait for his ride. He arran