2 days ago

I stepped forward from my classroom. Today I went home longer than usual to re-study music theory for tomorrow’s test with one of my clever friend. It made me have to go home later too because of my daily singing practice. But, I’m okay with this.

I walked to my locker to take my theory books and my mp4. But, when I reached my locker, it was opened, unlocked. I looked around to see if there’s somebody. Then, a thought come to my mind and I spontaneously smile. It might be Lay who put something in my locker.

But, there was no note there. It was a total mess. I opened my mouth and widened my eyes. Who the hell was doing this?

My musical scores tore apart. My books were pieces of papers now. There were many horrible hand-writing on my locker. Bad words.. dedicated to me. Jerk. Ugly. Stay away. You don’t deserve it. Etc.

Then, there was a note. I took it carefully. It indeed wasn’t from Lay. This horrible hand-writing came again.

Lee Chae Yeon,

This was just the beginning.

If you don’t want another mess, stay away from my business!

Don’t come to school these late days.

I’ve warned you.

I dropped the note, looked at my lockers, shaking. My eyes still widened and my mouth still opened. I took my bag and ran home without closed my locker, without even took a look back.

***

Yesterday

I stayed on my bed although it was 8 a.m. My mom called me from downstairs. I kept silent, pretended to sleep. I didn’t want to go to school. I didn’t want to go to school. Not today. My brother came in. I knew it from his footsteps, they were heavier and tougher from my mom’s. I still closed my eyes. I knew my face become pale because of nervousness.

“Chae,” he started to call me. I kept my eyes shut. Please. Please. Just today. Let me skip the class just for today. I prayed in my heart, hoped that he’ll go downstairs and tell mom that I need a day off today.

He sat on my bed and pinched my cheeks. I tried to not sit down and snapped at him. I tried to close my eyes.  “Chae,” he tapped my nose now. Omg, I wanna slap him now. I am not his 5-year-old sister again now. But I stayed still. I knew he tried to wake me up. He knew what I hate the most.

“Come on, Chae, I know you’re pretending to sleep,” he said to wake me up. I stayed still. “Chae, wake up now, or….,” I bet he smirked now, even I didn’t see his face, “or I’ll kiss you. On the mouth,” he tapped my lips.

OMG, HE CANNOT BE SERIOUS. I stayed still, prayed to God that he was just trying to wake me up. But, he got his face closer and closer. I could feel his breath and warmth.

Okay, I gave up.

I opened my eyes and pushed him back. “Stay away from me,” I said in a low voice, I didn’t want my mom to hear me. There was still a chance that I could ask him to support my day off.

He sat on my bed and chuckled. “So, now my little Chae cannot be waken up by cheek-pinched or nose-tapped again, but a kiss?” He chuckled again and again. My face became red. “You have grown up, Lee Chae Yeon,” he said with a teasing tone.

“Okay, brother,” I sat down since he already knew that I was just pretending to sleep. “I have a favor.”

“What was it, little sister?” he said the 2 last words with a cheerful tones. He liked it when I called him ‘brother’. So, I did it since I had something to ask. I knew he loved me so much and of course I loved him too although I seldom show it. He’ll listen carefully to my favor.

“Please, tell mom that I am unwell today.”

His eyes widened. “You wanna skip the class?”

I nodded, “take a day off, precisely.”

“Omg, you indeed have grown up. Indeed,” he said with a surprised tone.

I rolled my eyes, “Yes, my smart, handsome, lovely, and dearest big brother.” But I still begged him, “Please.”

He looked at me. I was sure my face was beggar-style enough. I knew colors were gone from my face since I still remembered yesterday’s thing. My locker messed up then…. I closed my eyes and shook my head. I have to forget it.

“Okay,” he nodded and stood up without ask anything else. I knew he’ll understand me. That’s why I loved him more than anyone else. He walked out from my room. When he reached my door and about to get out, he took a look back to me and said, “Take care ya, Chae.”

***

It was 3 o’clock at the evening when I woke up. So, actually I really felt ill. My house was silent and I knew that no one at home now. Dad still at work of course, I remembered mom was in the mall with her old acquaintances, and brother has evening classes and appointment with his friends until late at night. I took a bath and refreshed my mind. After 15 minutes I went out and changed my clothes. I took my novel to continue it. But, suddenly I remembered something when I saw my phone beside my novel. When I took it, I saw a note. I smiled, recognize the hand-writing. It was my brother’s.

Chae, I’ve told mom that you’re unwell today, just as you’ve asked.

I didn’t know exactly what’s wrong with you

If you don’t mind telling me, you can phone me anytime.

I can skip the class for you, my dearest sister *laugh*

No, actually I just have 3 classes in my university today.

Love and hug, your brother.

I smiled and when I about to took my phone and call him, I heard the cable phone in the first floor rang. I ran downstairs to pick it up. It might be from brother/dad/mom to ask my condition. Then, I picked it up and asked cheerfully, “Hello?”

“Lee Chae Yeon,” a horrible voice called my name. Suddenly I remembered my messy locker.

I closed my eyes, inhaled and exhaled. I restrained my will to hang it up because I was too afraid. I was damn curious with this person and what was he wanted from me. “W-who a-are y-yo-you?” I stopped for a while, inhaled, “W-what d’you w-want from m-me?”

The voice from somewhere out there laughed. “Who am I?” He laughed again. I nodded although I knew he won’t see me. “I am someone who wanted you to stay away from my business. That’s all.” Then, he went on, “But you’ve never took it serious.”

“B-but..”

“One more mistake, I’ll chase you. Definitely chase you,” the voice laughed again. Then he hung it up.

He didn’t tell me what mistake I shouldn’t make.

***

Today

It was a silent evening. Today is my holiday. Everybody hasn’t come back. I sat on my bed to continue my last novel. After 2 hours practiced singing, I felt tired and needed some rests. This was how I’m resting myself.

My phone rang. It was a mail, from my teacher. He asked me why I didn’t show up yesterday. I was about to answer, but suddenly my mind glued to Lay. Where’s he? Today is the third day he was missing. I needed to find him. But, how?

I looked at my phone. I have his number. Why doesn’t this thought show up before? I opened my phonebook and found his name. Lay, where are you?

I clicked the green button and set my phone on my right ear. There were some long tones. I waited and waited. But there was no answer. I hang it up. Maybe, he was in the toilet. I have to wait several more minutes.

I went back to my novel, still felt worry. I became hard to understand the words in my novel, although I read it every day. I couldn’t concentrate properly. My mind still traveled in time. The terror phones and mails. Chen was missing. Then, Lay was missing too. My messy locker. Somehow, they looked like connected each other.

So I phoned him once again. This time, someone picked it up. I felt unbelievably glad. “Hello? Lay?” I asked with a high spirit.

Then, my mood fell down. The horrible voice spoke from the phone, “Lee Chae Yeon, still didn’t get what I mean, huh?” My body suddenly was shaking. Did I do the mistake what he mean?

“From this, I picked up Zhang Yi Xing’s phone, didn’t you get it now?” he asked, sharply. My mind traveled again. The terrorist, picked Lay’s phone when I was about to ask his position. Why is Lay’s phone with him? Oh my god, I am so stupid. This is made sense now.

“You’ve realized it, right?” he said with a chuckle. “But I’m sorry, you’re too late. You have done the mistake. I’m on my way to chasing you.” Without seeing him, I bet, I bet he was grinning. And I bet, it wasn’t friendly. I hang it up.

I have to run. I took my closest stuff, phone, and my closest shoes. Luckily, they were my sport sneakers. A perfect pair of shoes to run away from horrible voice terrorist who want to, I don’t know, chop my head, maybe? But, I ran, as fast and as far as I could do. I didn’t know where to run, but what I thought is just go from my house. Because, high possibility that he have known my house, if he have known my home phone number.

I stopped near the police station. I even didn’t know if they would help me. I took my phone and phoned the first person that came to my mind. No, not Lay, of course, because I knew his phone was in the terrorist’s hand. It was like you wanna tell him where you are.

So, yes, I phoned my brother. “H-hello, brother?” I asked between my breaths.

The voice there answered me in a low voice, “Yes, Chae? What happened?”

I bet he still in the middle on his class, um, additional class, precisely. “I.. Someone is chasing me,” finally I said it after I set my breath to normal again.

His voice sounded like confused. “What.. what do you mean?” his voice winced.

“Yes. I’ve been terror this week and this person is chasing me. I didn’t know where to run. Now I am in the public bus station near the police station. I didn’t think when I ran, but I thought that crowded place will slow him. And this station is indeed crowded,” I explained.

He said, in a serious tone, “Okay, Chae. I still didn’t understand the whole story. But, wait there. I’ll come in…. 7 minutes.” Then he hung it up.

I wanted to chuckled, actually, if I didn’t too afraid right now. It was impossible for him to get here in 7 minutes. Because his university was 8 kilometers away from here. He had to take train, and I’m sure there was no train at these times.

Then, suddenly, I felt that I have been spied. I looked around, it become silent here. I thought, the people had taken the bus several minutes ago. So they were only some people here, not many enough to calm me down. I felt that feeling again. Then, I realized that I have to run again. I hesitated because I still put my hope on my brother. But I knew it’s impossible, so I ran.

***

I ran from the person who has terror me since a week ago. I knew it since he phoned me and said he’ll make me regret for what I have done. I didn’t even know what thing exactly I have done that made him wanna me to regret it. But, I know for sure, if I get caught, something terrible will be happen.

“Hang on me,” someone said to me while grabbed my hand. This hand pulled me to an empty hall. It pulled me up to the stairs I even didn’t know it was there. I tried to let my hand go, but this hand was too strong. When I tried to scream for help, I looked at his face. I cancelled my will to scream. It was him.

“What.. are you doing he..? Where have you.. been this 3 days..?” all my thoughts blurred out and competed each other to go out first. I couldn’t say it clearly. But he seemed understand. He shut my mouth.

“Ssh.. They’ll hear us,” he whispered. So, he knew that I was being chased by someone.. Wait. He said ‘they’.

“How many exactly them?” I whispered, asked him. He raised his fore finger, middle finger, and ring finger. 3 people. “What do they want from me?” I asked again.

He gave me a sign to wait. So I waited. After the last person took different way from us and didn’t notice us, he sighed and then hugged me. My heart jumped and I’m sure my cheeks turned all red. But, I stayed in my place. “Thanks to God you are okay,” he said to me and patted my head. He looked at my confuse face. “I’ll explain to you. Follow me,” he led me to a building not too far from this place, that I knew is his apartment.

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Hi all! I'm sorry for the slow update -_-v I have many things to do these days, but finally I updated it \>. How was it? Comments are really needed. Hope you'll like it :D