▬ Chapter 21: Fulfillment - Part 1 ▬

Seven years have passed since the incident that happened at Woollim High. Not one of the INFINITE members remembered anything from that night and although Dongwoo didn’t know where the notebook came from, he decided to keep it in the hopes that someday, he may find the answer behind it.

The students and teachers also went on with their lives as if nothing happened. It was as if the students and teachers involved in the Han Hyerin case never existed at all. Well, at least not in their time. The faces in the yearbooks eventually resurfaced again with bright smiles coming from eleven particular students and three teachers. The last troublesome teacher was wiped off of existence — an effect that happened due to the concoction that Sunggyu made.

The principal went back to becoming a statue — a guardian, if you will, of the school. Below where he stood was a plaque that stated: Tablo, the founder and protector of Hankyung High. Since some of the teachers disappeared along with the principal, their positions were replaced immediately once possible candidates were found.

As for the two books of magic, they both appeared side by side in the restricted section of the library. Before Dongwoo and Woohyun graduated, all six of them decided to go to the restricted section one last time — for old time’s sake, as they said. When Dongwoo saw the books, he had a heavy feeling weigh inside of him and with a suspicion emerging from his gut, he decided to keep them.

Back to the present, some of the INFINITE members were already working while others were still in college. They rarely had gatherings since seven years ago after their lives took different courses. However, Dongwoo decided that it was time for a small reunion just because he wanted to see how his second brothers were doing.

“You know, this notebook is so weird,” Dongwoo flipped through the pages of the notebook that always haunted him for some strange reason.

“You’re still going on about that notebook?” Woohyun pointed his fork at Dongwoo before eating the meat he poked a second ago. “It’s been seven years.”

“Did we forget someone or something?” He closed the notebook and placed it on the table. “It did address the notebook to us, INFINITE, and even our names are written on there. The notes looked pretty intimate too as if this person knew us.”

“Ew,” Sungyeol almost choked. “Didn’t you say that the one who wrote it was a guy? I don’t want to be intimate with a guy.”

“Then how does he know secrets that only the six of us know? Explain that.”

“Dude, seriously. You need to move on,” Hoya peeled off a piece on the stick and munched on the barbeque-flavored meat, “befwore you go inshane.”

“My gosh, chew first, talk later,” Sungjong finally joined them with a folder in hand. “L said he can’t come. He said something about remembering a promise from the past and that he has to work on it. He just gave me this folder and said to open it with you guys.”

“Just because he’s an investigator for the police now doesn’t mean he can give us encrypted messages to decipher,” Woohyun scoffed. “We’re not a bunch of Sherlock Holmes.”

“Yeah, you’re more of a Watson kinda guy,” Sungyeol teased.

“At least he’s a doctor! You’re more of a Moriarty!”

“Hey! He might be evil but he’s smart!”

“Stop it, you two,” Dongwoo chuckled. He continued to eat then looked at the folder Sungjong brought. “So what does it say?”

After finishing one stick of barbecue, Sungjong opened the folder and in it were newspaper clippings, files on a bunch of students and teachers, written notes, and various photos.

“Files on Hankyung High?”

“You mean what Woollim High was previously?” Hoya inquired, dipping another piece of meat in hot sauce. “What does that have to do with us?”

“Wait,” Dongwoo grabbed one of the written notes then compared it to the notebook that was beside him. “These handwritings are the same.” He read the signature at the end. “Kim Sunggyu. It’s the same as the notebook.”

Sungyeol spat out his drink. “Why do you have a dead guy’s notebook and why is it about us?”

“That is freaking creepy,” Woohyun shivered.

Dongwoo looked through the folder in search of a picture and when he found it, he took it out and placed it on top of the pile. “This guy, this Kim Sunggyu, he looks familiar.”

A name then appeared in Sungyeol’s mind and he felt goosebumps form by his arm. “Please tell me that there’s not a ‘Kang Minkyung’ in there somewhere.”

Sungjong searched for her name and indeed, there it was along with a list of more names.

“Kim Sunggyu, Kang Minkyung, Hwang Minhyun, Kim Jonghyun, Jung Daeryong, Jung Soryong, Lee Haeri, Bang Minsoo, Choi Jonghyun, Ikuta Toma,” he paused then read another name from a separate sheet of paper, “Han Hyerin.”

The moment Han Hyerin’s name escaped his lips, all five of them froze. They were starting to recall the memories of their friends, all from when they were still students at Woollim High. From the games that they played, the laughter that they shared, all towards the end when they fought off their previous teacher until their final goodbye. They remembered it all.

Dongwoo’s phone vibrated and the man jumped in his seat. “Kim Myungsoo, you almost gave me a heart attack!”

“I’ll take almost,” he snickered on the other line. Dongwoo set his phone down and placed it on speaker. “So did you guys remember yet? The promises from our friends?”

“Did you just brainwash us, you—”

“Language,” Sungjong warned H