[ 13: WHAT IS IT? ]
[ CA-23 ][16.03.2015]
"In full honesty, what did happen?" that voice rang low in Hyosung's ears, and wasn't what she needed.
She secretly glanced at Wooyoung, who remained emotionally distant, and back to the front, facing the five leaders of Johak Academy. Their faces looked tense, which mirrored Wooyoung, but they didn't look too unsympathetic.
"We're not very clear on the issue either, Headmaster, but," Hyosung paused, noticing that everyone else's face had turned increasingly sour. Even Wooyoung, but that might just be because he didn't want to know about her choice of words.
She hesitated. "a team member of ours may have experienced an unpleasant... invasion of her mind."
"Mind 'invasion'?" there came that belittling chuckle. Didn't matter where it came from, but Hyosung barely wavered. She knew no words would have been able to replace what Hyerin had said, but still.
"Explain that." She knew it came from the one who took care of housing, so he couldn't have felt amused.
"There's a being, that tried to corrupt Kang Hani's soul. It's most likely an En." Wooyoung answered nonchalantly.
The sour looked quickly turned to a mix of skepticism and disbelief. Hyosung sent a wary look to his way, but he'd seem either not to see it or just ignored her. Either way, the dark circles under his eyes seemed to have became worse.
"Alright," Headmaster Shin raised his hand, ensuring the deafening silence once more. "so all considered, someone have been trying to threaten you?"
"Most likely so." Hyosung said. She nervously pinched the hem of her shirt, wondering whether her words were even appropriate.
"If you guys have failed like this," another member had spoken up. She's definitely not happy, but she didn't bother holding it in either.
"we might actually send another team to investigate the case."
Hearing those words made her heart sunk. It's barely past three days that they're getting somewhere, but the sudden stop would make this worse.
"No, that's not a wise decision, Muan," Headmaster said. "this incident is no way fully their fault, and replacing them with another team would have consumed more time than needed."
Hyosung felt like sighing a breath in relief, but then, he said, "But this also meant that while all of you are getting closer to answers, their side is preventing you from doing so."
"Hurry."
♦
"In all honesty, Song Hyosung?" You seemed to have seeped in Hyosung's mind, although Wooyoung had just turned away, walking ahead from the major headquarters.
"What is it?"
Wooyoung stopped in his tracks. "You could have came up with better answers than that."
It was flat, his face didn't change, and yet somehow, something inside Hyosung cracked, if a bit. "You weren't helping much either, Wooyoung!"
It could have been the lack of sleep, or the sheer tension that came from what happened last night, but she couldn't care less. Several faces may have turned, but to the least of it, Wooyoung seemed surprised.
"We gave our explanation, and then we could get them off our tracks, and then we'll continue our investigation! Ελα ρε, Wooyoung! if you haven't been such a—"
"Alright, alright, calm down, Hyosung. Breathe." Wooyoung moved back a few steps, worried. It wasn't the first time he'd seen her a little frustrated, but he definitely had pressed the wrong buttons today.
When Hyosung had settled down, Wooyoung said, "Honestly, I thought you cursed on me just now. I'm a little worried."
Hyosung couldn't help but chuckle. "No, I didn't. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have went out on you."
"Meh, it's fine," Wooyoung shrugged. "it's not a pleasant situation."
"Right." Hyosung nodded, smiling.
"Say, what are you going to do after this?" Wooyoung turned to her, walking again. He looked up, and saw the orange morning sky had turned blue, and a few people had walked past them, occasionally whispering. Wooyoung turned away.
"The boys said they're about to go to Gyeon Kinam's family now," Hyosung said. "you might want to be with them too."
"Right, right."
♦
When she'd woken up, all she saw was the white ceiling.
And probably a few heads left and right, but that didn't matter much.
"Friend!" that familiar yell made her cringe. When she turned to that voice, she made-up a deep scowl, although deep inside, she's quite relieved.
"Yes, Kim Jaekyung?" she said, sarcastically.
"That's not a very polite way to address your lifesaver, Miss Kang," Jaekyung hugged her tightly. "anyway, I'm fine, you don't ask for that, but thank you."
"Whatever." Hani observed her surroundings, and noticed that the familiar, strong smell meant she's in the boys dormitory. And that really irritating, strong cologne scent meant she's in Wooyoung's bedroom.
Sitting on his bed.
Which, like it or not, made her squirm a little bit.
"I'm very glad you're fine, Kang Hani." She turned to the other direction, and noticed a slightly older man with Jookyung, sitting on her left. She also realized that their local profiler was sitting the closest to her, but decided against looking at him.
"You're welcome, Mr. Hyun. I'm glad for your help."
The older man nodded. There's also Jisung next to Jaekyung, who still looked visibly wary of her, but she didn't press further on him. She just gave him a small smile, one that he acknowledged.
"Where are the rest?"
"Hyosung and Wooyoung went away for further questioning, while Hyerin and Iseul are resting." Jookyung answered. She'd wanted to talk with him, but he gently shook his head.
"Questioning?"
"Yeah, but they should be done by now, so... don't think too much about it." Sejoon shrugged. She frowned.
Just at that moment, Wooyoung came back. He looked a bit dishelved, but still much more relaxed. When his eyes met hers, it softened.
"How are you, Hani?" Wooyoung said. It shouldn't have affected her, but she couldn't help it. He actually looked rather good-looking, even at that state.
"I'm fine, really." Hani shyly said, avoiding his sight.
"Yeah, she's real fine." Sejoon whispered to Jookyung, earning a smirk from the latter.
"Yeah, and it'll be real fine if you guys could... I don't know, be ready for your mission about now? Jisung, you too." Wooyoung stood behind both of them, tightly grabbing their shoulders. After a tidbit of nervous chuckle, the three left, leaving Wooyoung alone.
"Well, I think we should go too." The eldest man stood up, signalling to Jaekyung.
"Oh come on! One more minute, Sihyang-ssi?" Jaekyung begged, hugging Hani tightly.
"I think she would like some time too." Sihyang gently smiled. Wooyoung looked at him, and then back at her. He knew well that she'd felt a little exhausted even from the interaction.
Jaekyung grunted, and reluctantly followed, not before kissing Hani on the cheek. After waving them goodbye, she was left with Wooyoung. There was a bit of a small silence, one that made her felt uncomfortable.
"How are you?" Wooyoung said.
"I'm fine. Bit tired, but alright."
"Oh," Wooyoung shuffled. "I'm glad."
Hani sighed, and gently leaned her head on his shoulder. Up close, he did look a little worse for wear. His eyes looked wary, alert, but his half-closed eyelids wanted rest. Looking at him made her heart ache. He had worked all night long to save her, uncertain about the future, but he did anyway.
"I'm really sorry, Wooyoung."
"It's alright," Wooyoung smiled a little at her. "it's not your fault."
"Don't leave me here, just for a second." Hani said, voice wavering. The last time she'd went alone, it didn't feel well.
Wooyoung paused for a while, and gently held her hand. "You're not alone."
"Wooyoung."
"Alright." Wooyoung held her hand even tighter. The guys could wait for a while.
Most of her scars had disappeared from Sejoon's healing, but her breathing remained uneasy, still fearful of the thing that would hurt her again. She remained silent for the long while, but he knew she didn't feel happy. He knew what Hyerin had said earlier wasn't fully complete, so he hoped she'd take the risk to tell the rest.
"I'll never let you get hurt again."
"Never."
♦
"What do you mean... you didn't catch them?" Hyosung said, slightly in disbelief. Iseul's face seemed to have been more exasperated than her, however.
"It's exactly what it is, he ran away sometime after last night's incident." the buff man replied, trying to avoid Iseul's gaze.
Hyosung wondered, realizing that there was a little annoyed glint to Iseul when she'd seen the man. Iseul definitely didn't enjoy other people's company, but the fact that their hacker actually wanted to go with her seemed strange.
"Hongbin, did you know Iseul previously?" Hyosung crossed her eyebrows.
"We did a few missions together, nothing big." Hongbin shrugged, although Iseul seemed to turn away from their sight.
"Oh." Hyosung nodded. She rather wished either Sejoon or Hyerin would be there, but they couldn't make it.
"They left something?" Iseul turned to Hongbin. It seemed to make his eyes flickered, and he pulled two papers.
"Seemed like they left it on Son's table when they figured out they'd get busted." He gave those papers to Iseul.
"How did they looked like?" Hyosung said. She'd known from Iseul's CCTV records that their faces were hidden, but she wanted to be optimistic.
"They're a little short, but was quite agile. I mean, they hit their face to the wall when trying to run from us, but eh. They seemed to have left this too."
Hongbin gave them a little object. It had a blue colour, and its jagged, rough ends meant it was a broken piece.
"This is a locket?" Iseul asked.
"Maybe, but I'm sure it's not from the owner's belongings, since they moved to another room yesterday." Hongbin rubbed his neck.
"Thank you, Hongbin." Hyosung said. Putting it on a small ziplock bag, she turned away, walking out. Iseul seemed to have waited longer though, but she did follow suit.
There was a tinge of sadness to her, but Hyosung would rather kept quiet.
notes: this chapter was quite slow on their case, but there's still more things to discover. what is which, really?
question of the day: what's the hardest question you want to ask about this whole?
Comments