Nicole and JinWoon rushed back inside the ballroom, running over to where a crowd had gathered  around someone.

Nicole gasped as she saw Seohyun, her pink chiffon dress rumpled, her updo in disarray, eyes closed, as Key was trying to press a cold washcloth to her forehead, as he kneeled beside her, trying to revive her.

“Everyone back up! She needs air!” One of the teacher chaperones ordered, and the crowd dispersed, leaving JinWoon, Key and Nicole to attend to the unconscious young girl until the ambulance arrived.

“What happened?” Nicole asked Key as he looked at her gravely. She was talking with a group of upperclassmen guys from what I noticed, and excused herself to the restroom, with one of her girl friends.

A few minutes later her friend screamed from the bathroom, that Seohyun had passed out in the stall for some reason. Ms. Lim helped bring her back out here so I could try to revive her until the ambulance came.

Soon the paramedics rushed into the ballroom placing Seohyun gently onto a stretcher, as they carried her out to the ambulance car.

Everyone rushed outside to watch the ambulance, and Nicole asked that she ride along. She wanted to ask Seohyun some questions when she regained consciousness.

One of the paramedics looked hesitant. “Family and significant others only I’m sorry.” He replied to her.

When Key heard this his eyes widened. “Eh I’m not..” He started to say, taken aback. But Nicole interrupted.

“Kibum oppa, will be sure to take care of Seohyun while she’s recovering then. Can I know when visiting hours are?” She asked the paramedic.

He sighed. “call the hospital in about an hour to speak to the receptionist.” He replied and Nicole gave Key a warning look when he looked confused about her interrupting him.

He got the message and said nothing and the other paramedics closed the double doors and drove off.

Nicole backed away from the road as JinWoon glanced from the sidewalk, shielding his eyes with his hand from the sun.

“You really think there’s something suspicious about what happened to Seohyun?” He asked Nicole and she stepped up onto the sidewalk beside him.

She nodded, talking in hushed tones as Jinwoon handed her a cup of punch. Taking a sip she started explaining her theory.

“Seohyun’s family was on the news recently about the success of her grandfather’s chaebol. There might be some sort of underhanded schemes going on that she herself might not know about, but someone might be threatening her because of this.” She explained.

JinWoon looked wide eyed. “And you think if we don’t figure out what it is. Something worse could happen to her?” He asked, adjusting his tie.

Nicole nodded again, finishing her punch glass. “I’m afraid, that someone might try to kidnap Seohyun for ransom money.” She finished explaining.

“I think then that we should visit Seohyun when she’s well enough to see if she remembers anything specific before she passed out.” He said, and Nicole agreed.

They walked back into the ballroom to notice the atmosphere had changed slightly. Only a few people were dancing now and most were at their round tables, discussing what had happened in gossipy chatter.

“Maybe Seo JooHyun isn’t as innocent as people say she is.” One girl said as she and another girl walked passed Nicole and Jinwoon, who gave the two girls cold stares at this.

“She might’ve had too much on her schedule and just had a breakdown and collapsed.” Another girl at a far table said, as Jinwoon read her lips.

“You don’t need to do that now. Everyone’s being really nasty. Come on.” Nicole said, taking his hand as they tried to ignore the rumors spreading around like wildfire as they danced to Big Bang’s “Fantastic Baby”

After breaking  a sweat they sat back down with their friends at their round table.

Hara looked around at the group wide eyed. “I hope the rumors aren’t true.” She said. And the other girls shook their head.

“Seohyun unnie can’t have done sucha  thing. It must’ve been something else.” Jiyoung said with firm nod.

SeungYeon nodded at this, finishing the fruit tart she was eating.

After the dance was over, Nicole and JinWoon drove over to the hospital as some people stared at them in their formal attire.

Nicole went up to the receptionist desk, where a middle aged woman with a friendly round face greeted her.

“I’m looking for my classmate Seo Joohyun? She was admitted here about two hours ago?” She asked the lady who looked at the files she had.

“May I see some identification for security purposes?” She asked Nicole, who showed her school ID.

The receptionist kept her voice low.

“She’s in room 12C on the third floor.” She explained. Nicole thanked her and took the elevator with Jinwoon.

When they arrived to the room, two burly men in suits were standing in front of the doorway.

Nicole showed her ID as did Jinwoon and the two young people were granted entrance into Seohyun’s room.

They saw Seohyun looking very pale with an IV drip attached to her arm, in the customary white polka dot hospital gown.

When she saw them she looked startled, but forced a weak smile.

Nicole sat down at a chair beside the bed while Jinwoon stood by the window, looking out to survey the area.

“Seohyun ssi. I’d like to ask you a few questions about what happened, if you are well enough.” Nicole asked her gently.

“I’ll try my best.” Seohyun replied.

“Would you explain what it was that startled you in the bathroom earlier?” She asked her, waiting.

Seohyun pursed her lips and hesitated.

Nicole glanced at the door and knew why Seohyun was reluctant to speak. “You can tell your guards to close the door if you’d like.” Nicole told her.

Seohyun did this and reassured her guards her classmates were trustworthy people. And they closed the door hesitantly, waiting outside.

She let out a sigh and started recounting what had happened.

“I was in the bathroom with HyoYeon unni fixing our makeup and then I went into one of the stalls, when I noticed on the chalkboards that people can draw on, was a crudely drawn picture of a person being hanged. It..excuse me. It s-said. “On the eve of the nightingale’s call, Seo Baekhyun will make his last call.”

She recited, tears filling her eyes as Nicole looked at her remorsefully, handing her a tissue on the beside table. Seohyun dabbed at her eyes and continued.

“I-was just so shocked that someone might harm my grandfather that I passed out.” She explained as Nicole nodded.

“And you’ll tell your family right? It’ll be okay.” Nicole tried to re-assure her. Seohyun sighed. After I’m discharged I’ll speak to my grandfather in private.

Nicole nodded, thanking her for her story and Jinwoon bowed, excusing himself, after Nicole exited as well, while the two bodyguards glanced at the two with suspicious expressions as they left the room.

As Nicole and Jinwoon walked down the hallway an eerie feeling tingled over her. She shuddered.

“What?” Jinwoon asked, sensing this.

“Something… there was something..what was it? The.. the bodyguards!” Nicole exclaimed with a shock

and quickly turned around running towards Seohyun’s room, when a piercing scream was heard.

Jinwoon followed after her, as nurses rushed towards the room as well, and the security guard but it

was too late.

One of the burly men in the black suits, held a knife to Seohyun’s neck, as she breathed slowly, raggedly, as everyone carefully stepped back from the man, as the other bodyguard blocked anyone from entering.

The window had been broken and the two men ignored the security guards orders. “Drop the knife!”

He yelled.

They slowly backed up towards the window as to everyone’s horror he tossed Seohyun out the window like a rag doll.

Everyone screamed, and the man jumped out afterwards as did the other bodyguard.

Nicole, Jinwoon ahd the security guard rushed over to the window and saw that a truck below was waiting the back filled with sand bags they guessed had cushioned Seohyun’s fall and they sped off.

Nicole slumped down on the hospital bed, burying her face in her hands, while the security guard asked her and Jinwoon questions, as the police were called in to interview them as well.

Jinwoon placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to tell her it wasn’t her fault.

_________________________________________

Isabel Santos Copyright 2012.

All rights reserved.