Chapter 18:

“Mae, where are you? We have a celebration to do!” Woo-hyun said on the other line. I was already in a bus, on my way to Jun-hyung's house when he called.

                “Just let the two enjoy by themselves, will you?” I told him.

                “Ah, you mean give them some alone time,” Woo-hyun had that unusual kink in his voice, which brought chills down my spine. “On second thought, go and celebrate with them. And don't leave my best friend alone, arasso?”

                “Yes chief!” Woo-hyun said after a chuckle. He ended the call after that and I checked the sign boards on the side of the road. I had been in Jun-hyung's house for almost three times already, but it still felt new to me. It felt like if ever I fell asleep or I lost sight of the signages that would lead to his house, I'll get lost.

                After going down at the bus stop, I hurriedly took the way to Jun-hyung's house. Of course, after last time, the doubt that he will be there was strongly present in my mind. What could have happened to him was still a huge question in me, and because of the discoveries I made about L and Gette's relationship, I hadn't asked L about his discoveries.

                “No, I'm sure Jun-hyung is okay,” I told myself when I found the place empty for the second time. I was worried, yes, but what L told me days ago gave me hope that Jun-hyung was safe and sound, somewhere. “He's probably an important person in the gang.” Since I was already in the area, I decided to take the liberty to go visit the bar.

                As I was walking towards the bar, the sight of a shiny, black Mercedes Benz parked outside caught my eye. I stopped and somewhat inspected the car. It looked really out of place with the grayish building. Honestly, the place looked quite old during the day. A huge contrast of the bright and loud feel it emanates during the night.

                I went on the alley beside and entered the building from its back door. After entering, I quietly walked in the corridor, making sure that nobody would suddenly throw me out. I feel lucky whenever I remember that time when I followed Jun-hyung and entered the place through the back door. Lucky because Yo-seob found me, and not some huge crowd controller.

                I went in that familiar door with the sign “B2ST performing tonight” written on it. I entered, and there wasn't much people around. When I thought I wouldn't get to see the group, I heard a short chit chat behind the curtains.

                “Are we going hyung?” I heard Dong-woon say.

                “Oh come on, give yourself a break! It'll be fun!” the familiar voice of Hyun-seung said. That moment I tried to peek on the side to see who among the group were there.

                “Yeah, sure. Parties are fun, but how sure are we that this isn't some kind of a game?” Doo-joon said seriously. “Don't you think they are just playing with us?”

                “Odd or not, this is the only thing we can do to know at least Jun-hyung's whereabouts,” Yeo-seob said. As soon as I heard his name, the urge of butting in was already beyond my control. “What is this only thing that you can do?” I mimicked while walking towards the group. Most of them wore surprised expressions on their faces. “Come on, just tell me!”

                “Remember the guys who took Jun-hyung away? They came back and brought us...” Doo-joon pulled up the clothes from a box in front of him, “... costumes and told us to come to a certain party.”

                “Where are these guys?” I asked. “They just left,” Dong-woon told me. I quickly jumped down the stage and out to the entrance, but there was nobody. The car also wasn't there anymore, so I went back inside and continued my asking. “You said there will be a party, When?” I asked.

                “This Saturday,” the guy named Gi-kwang said. “Kings and Queens Masquerade Ball.”

                “And you think Jun-hyung will be there?”

                “Do we think he will be there? No, we are positive that he will be there,” Yeo-seob told me.

                “Then if that's the case, I'm going with you,” I told him. I could see the surprised expressions of everyone, most especially Yeo-seob’s. “What makes you think that we will let you come with us?” he told me, “you left him before and most of all you don't belong to the group!”

                “I already asked her that question once, have you forgotten?” Doo-joon suddenly said before turning to me. “I'm sorry, I know you care about him, but we don't know who we are dealing with in this situation. We're probably talking about gangsters - the real ones – who are not afraid to kill.”

                “It's probably it,” I said. The members looked at each other with wide eyes. “What makes you sure?” Doo-joon said.

                “The truth is... I'm not sure,” Doo-joon chuckled while the rest of the group rolled their eyes. “But I asked L about this.”

                “L? Of Infinite?” Hyun-seung said.

                “Yes,” I continued, “He may not look like it but he has this great knowledge about … those things.” I went closer to the group, slowly, as I was picking the right words to say. “He's a good researcher, and when I told him about what happened to Jun-hyung and to you, he said that he'll try to find something about it.”

                “Did he tell you that the people who got Jun-hyung are gangsters?” Doo-joon said.

                “Well, not but I told him that based on the description that you told me, the guys who took him are members of a gang,” I said.

                “But we're not sure about it,” Dong-woon said. “We cannot jump to conclusions like that.”

                “Fine, gangster or not, but you told me Jun-hyung wasn't hurt, right?” I said, “L told me that if Jun-hyung wasn't hurt, then probably he's an important person to whoever the guys in black are working for.”

                “True,” Doo-joon said. “They couldn't hurt Jun-hyung, so they resorted to hurting us.”

                “Yes, hurting the people important to Jun-hyung's life,” I said. “We have to save him.” Doo-joon looked at s who are already talking about how can they save Jun-hyung. Then he turned to me and said quietly, “Let's talk outside, shall we?”

                “Mae sshi, we are not going to save anyone by ourselves, understand?” Doo-joon told me when we were already outside. I was about to object when he spoke again, “Dong-woon: he may look mature but he is our maknae. He had his whole future ahead of him. Yeo-seob: he wanted to release his own song –”

                “Then? Why are you telling me those?” I said.

                “I'm telling you these because if ever these kids try and save Jun-hyung like what you are suggesting, and suddenly they get hurt or worse they die, all of those wonderful possibilities will disappear! And do you think Jun-hyung will want that? I'm sorry little miss, but no.”

                “You won't be alone,” I told him, “The police can help us.”

                “And then what? What if they knew about it and suddenly decide to hurt him? Jun-hyung's life will be put to danger,” Doo-joon told me. “This conversation ends here. Please go home.” Doo-joon entered the building which left me alone, hopes all lost, outside. Suddenly my phone rang.

                “Mae, aren't you at least going to visit us after all the embarrassments you've done to us?”

                “Yah L, All those embarrassments brought my best friend close to you, remember?” I said before a long silence. “I love you,” L said.

                “Shut up... you're welcome,” I said and L ended up laughing on the other line. “Are you really not going?” L said.

                “No,” I told him, but I remembered the research he promised me. “On second thought, wait for me. I'm on my way.”

                I found the group still inside the messy hall. Apparently they presented themselves to clean the hall after the battle. Woo-hyun and Sung-gyu were sweeping the confetti on the floor, and they're doing it a bit... weird looking for guys. I guess Woo-hyun's greasiness applies even to guys. Hoya and Dong-woo were picking up posters and banners scattered on the floor and were taking turns in throwing them on the trash bin a few feet away. Sung-yeol and Sung-jong were returning the posters they removed when they decorated the whole place for the battle. Lastly, L was on stage, fixing the cables with Gette helping him.

                “I was expecting that you'll take my friend in a romantic place for your first date,” I said when I reached the stage.

                “I was, but your friend wanted to stay and help the guys,” L said before pointing to Gette, “but look, she's just standing there!”

                “Well, I like watching you,” Gette said, “why? Do you want me to leave?”

                “No! Of course you can watch, just watch okay? Don't leave, arasso?” It was a bit funny to see L react like that. Both of them see, so happy that I thought maybe it wasn't the right time for me to ask him about gangs and dangerous stuff. Suddenly someone spoke from the hall's doors.

                “There you are! I've been looking for you,” Rain, the president of our class, said. She came in and handed an envelope to me, Sung-yeol, Sung-jong and Gette. “That's your invitation for the party this weekend.”

                “How about us? Where's our invitation?” Dong-woo asked.

                “Oh, the tickets are on the hands of your respective presidents, so you might want to go check on them,” Rain said.

                “Hyunnie, get ours,” L told Woo-hyun who signed him okay.

                “Sung-gyu, I'll go get ours,” Dong-woo said.

                “No! I'll just come with you!” Sung-gyu said before he left together with Hoya, Dong-woo and Woo-hyun. I opened my envelope and was surprised with the theme of the party.

                “Kings and Queens Ball?” Sung-jong said while holding his invitation.

                “Isn't that for kids only?” Sung-yeol said. “I don't want to go.”

                “Hyung! It is not for kids, okay?” Sung-jong defended, “It is just unusual.”

                “Whatever! I'm not going,” Sung-yeol said. I looked at the invitation on my hand and things started to fall on its right place. It wasn't a coincidence, and I'm sure Jun-hyung had something to do with it.

Chapter 18:

“Mae, where are you? We have a celebration to do!” Woo-hyun said on the other line. I was already in a bus, on my way to Jun-hyung's house when he called.

                “Just let the two enjoy by themselves, will you?” I told him.

                “Ah, you mean give them some alone time,” Woo-hyun had that unusual kink in his voice, which brought chills down my spine. “On second thought, go and celebrate with them. And don't leave my best friend alone, arasso?”

                “Yes chief!” Woo-hyun said after a chuckle. He ended the call after that and I checked the sign boards on the side of the road. I had been in Jun-hyung's house for almost three times already, but it still felt new to me. It felt like if ever I fell asleep or I lost sight of the signages that would lead to his house, I'll get lost.

                After going down at the bus stop, I hurriedly took the way to Jun-hyung's house. Of course, after last time, the doubt that he will be there was strongly present in my mind. What could have happened to him was still a huge question in me, and because of the discoveries I made about L and Gette's relationship, I hadn't asked L about his discoveries.

                “No, I'm sure Jun-hyung is okay,” I told myself when I found the place empty for the second time. I was worried, yes, but what L told me days ago gave me hope that Jun-hyung was safe and sound, somewhere. “He's probably an important person in the gang.” Since I was already in the area, I decided to take the liberty to go visit the bar.

                As I was walking towards the bar, the sight of a shiny, black Mercedes Benz parked outside caught my eye. I stopped and somewhat inspected the car. It looked really out of place with the grayish building. Honestly, the place looked quite old during the day. A huge contrast of the bright and loud feel it emanates during the night.

                I went on the alley beside and entered the building from its back door. After entering, I quietly walked in the corridor, making sure that nobody would suddenly throw me out. I feel lucky whenever I remember that time when I followed Jun-hyung and entered the place through the back door. Lucky because Yo-seob found me, and not some huge crowd controller.

                I went in that familiar door with the sign “B2ST performing tonight” written on it. I entered, and there wasn't much people around. When I thought I wouldn't get to see the group, I heard a short chit chat behind the curtains.

                “Are we going hyung?” I heard Dong-woon say.

                “Oh come on, give yourself a break! It'll be fun!” the familiar voice of Hyun-seung said. That moment I tried to peek on the side to see who among the group were there.

                “Yeah, sure. Parties are fun, but how sure are we that this isn't some kind of a game?” Doo-joon said seriously. “Don't you think they are just playing with us?”

                “Odd or not, this is the only thing we can do to know at least Jun-hyung's whereabouts,” Yeo-seob said. As soon as I heard his name, the urge of butting in was already beyond my control. “What is this only thing that you can do?” I mimicked while walking towards the group. Most of them wore surprised expressions on their faces. “Come on, just tell me!”

                “Remember the guys who took Jun-hyung away? They came back and brought us...” Doo-joon pulled up the clothes from a box in front of him, “... costumes and told us to come to a certain party.”

                “Where are these guys?” I asked. “They just left,” Dong-woon told me. I quickly jumped down the stage and out to the entrance, but there was nobody. The car also wasn't there anymore, so I went back inside and continued my asking. “You said there will be a party, When?” I asked.

                “This Saturday,” the guy named Gi-kwang said. “Kings and Queens Masquerade Ball.”

                “And you think Jun-hyung will be there?”

                “Do we think he will be there? No, we are positive that he will be there,” Yeo-seob told me.

                “Then if that's the case, I'm going with you,” I told him. I could see the surprised expressions of everyone, most especially Yeo-seob’s. “What makes you think that we will let you come with us?” he told me, “you left him before and most of all you don't belong to the group!”

                “I already asked her that question once, have you forgotten?” Doo-joon suddenly said before turning to me. “I'm sorry, I know you care about him, but we don't know who we are dealing with in this situation. We're probably talking about gangsters - the real ones – who are not afraid to kill.”

                “It's probably it,” I said. The members looked at each other with wide eyes. “What makes you sure?” Doo-joon said.

                “The truth is... I'm not sure,” Doo-joon chuckled while the rest of the group rolled their eyes. “But I asked L about this.”

                “L? Of Infinite?” Hyun-seung said.

                “Yes,” I continued, “He may not look like it but he has this great knowledge about … those things.” I went closer to the group, slowly, as I was picking the right words to say. “He's a good researcher, and when I told him about what happened to Jun-hyung and to you, he said that he'll try to find something about it.”

                “Did he tell you that the people who got Jun-hyung are gangsters?” Doo-joon said.

                “Well, not but I told him that based on the description that you told me, the guys who took him are members of a gang,” I said.

                “But we're not sure about it,” Dong-woon said. “We cannot jump to conclusions like that.”

                “Fine, gangster or not, but you told me Jun-hyung wasn't hurt, right?” I said, “L told me that if Jun-hyung wasn't hurt, then probably he's an important person to whoever the guys in black are working for.”

                “True,” Doo-joon said. “They couldn't hurt Jun-hyung, so they resorted to hurting us.”

                “Yes, hurting the people important to Jun-hyung's life,” I said. “We have to save him.” Doo-joon looked at s who are already talking about how can they save Jun-hyung. Then he turned to me and said quietly, “Let's talk outside, shall we?”

                “Mae sshi, we are not going to save anyone by ourselves, understand?” Doo-joon told me when we were already outside. I was about to object when he spoke again, “Dong-woon: he may look mature but he is our maknae. He had his whole future ahead of him. Yeo-seob: he wanted to release his own song –”

                “Then? Why are you telling me those?” I said.

                “I'm telling you these because if ever these kids try and save Jun-hyung like what you are suggesting, and suddenly they get hurt or worse they die, all of those wonderful possibilities will disappear! And do you think Jun-hyung will want that? I'm sorry little miss, but no.”

                “You won't be alone,” I told him, “The police can help us.”

                “And then what? What if they knew about it and suddenly decide to hurt him? Jun-hyung's life will be put to danger,” Doo-joon told me. “This conversation ends here. Please go home.” Doo-joon entered the building which left me alone, hopes all lost, outside. Suddenly my phone rang.

                “Mae, aren't you at least going to visit us after all the embarrassments you've done to us?”

                “Yah L, All those embarrassments brought my best friend close to you, remember?” I said before a long silence. “I love you,” L said.

                “Shut up... you're welcome,” I said and L ended up laughing on the other line. “Are you really not going?” L said.

                “No,” I told him, but I remembered the research he promised me. “On second thought, wait for me. I'm on my way.”

                I found the group still inside the messy hall. Apparently they presented themselves to clean the hall after the battle. Woo-hyun and Sung-gyu were sweeping the confetti on the floor, and they're doing it a bit... weird looking for guys. I guess Woo-hyun's greasiness applies even to guys. Hoya and Dong-woo were picking up posters and banners scattered on the floor and were taking turns in throwing them on the trash bin a few feet away. Sung-yeol and Sung-jong were returning the posters they removed when they decorated the whole place for the battle. Lastly, L was on stage, fixing the cables with Gette helping him.

                “I was expecting that you'll take my friend in a romantic place for your first date,” I said when I reached the stage.

                “I was, but your friend wanted to stay and help the guys,” L said before pointing to Gette, “but look, she's just standing there!”

                “Well, I like watching you,” Gette said, “why? Do you want me to leave?”

                “No! Of course you can watch, just watch okay? Don't leave, arasso?” It was a bit funny to see L react like that. Both of them see, so happy that I thought maybe it wasn't the right time for me to ask him about gangs and dangerous stuff. Suddenly someone spoke from the hall's doors.

                “There you are! I've been looking for you,” Rain, the president of our class, said. She came in and handed an envelope to me, Sung-yeol, Sung-jong and Gette. “That's your invitation for the party this weekend.”

                “How about us? Where's our invitation?” Dong-woo asked.

                “Oh, the tickets are on the hands of your respective presidents, so you might want to go check on them,” Rain said.

                “Hyunnie, get ours,” L told Woo-hyun who signed him okay.

                “Sung-gyu, I'll go get ours,” Dong-woo said.

                “No! I'll just come with you!” Sung-gyu said before he left together with Hoya, Dong-woo and Woo-hyun. I opened my envelope and was surprised with the theme of the party.

                “Kings and Queens Ball?” Sung-jong said while holding his invitation.

                “Isn't that for kids only?” Sung-yeol said. “I don't want to go.”

                “Hyung! It is not for kids, okay?” Sung-jong defended, “It is just unusual.”

                “Whatever! I'm not going,” Sung-yeol said. I looked at the invitation on my hand and things started to fall on its right place. It wasn't a coincidence, and I'm sure Jun-hyung had something to do with it.