The alarm startled me from my sleep. I needed a second before getting myself out of bed. With sleepy morning eyes and my toiletries in hand, I went to the bathroom. While I was brushing my teeth, I glanced at my reflect in the mirror and my messy hair repeatedly. Doing so, my gaze traveled down my perfect jawline and y collarbone placed flawlessly on my body. I could thanks my parents for this inheritance. That was probably the only thing I was grateful for from them.

When I finished my bath, I hurried to the main hall for some breakfast. The only ones I saw in the main hall were Eric, Hyesung and Dongwan who sat next to each other around the round table with some sausages and roll eggs in their plates. I wandered around the buffet before a couple approached me.

Wait, what ? What the hell ?

I couldn't help stare at the way they were holding hands, and I was probably being too obvious because one of them asked me, “Hey weird! What are you staring at?”

I recognized only now the boy talking was actually Junjin (I was certainly still sleepy).

“I’m not staring at you guys. But it looks like you had a blasting last night."  I provoked.

“What do you mean?” asked Andy.

“Well, don’t you think the love bite is too obvious?” I continued.

In a sudden impulse, Andy brushed his neck and touched the red mark with a smile on his face. “Well, I think no one is normal here. Included you.” Shot back Junjin provokingly, and I grind my teeth before taking my plate to sit at another round table next to theirs.

Well, at least I had my lonely time to eat peacefully. But my peacefulness didn’t last when someone pulled the chair in front of me. Eh, it was Eric.

He had already finished his breakfast and asked me as he sat on the chair. “Why don’t you join us to eat? It's not like we’re going to steal your sausages.”

I chuckled before answering, “No thanks. I love to be alone.”

“Hmm... Just like him…” He said, trailing off.

“Who?” I asked, curious.

“Minwoo. He loves to be alone too. Sometimes I can’t understand him.” Eric sighed.

“Do you know him? I mean, are you guys close?” My curiosity got the best of me.

“Yes. We used to share a room during our 1^st year, but since we started our 2^nd year we drifted away. He changed completely. He started to do weird and dangerous things as you certainly saw.” Eric sighed.

“But I thought it was normal.” It sounded like I was trying to back up Minwoo.

Eric chuckled before continuing. “And that’s why I said you're just like him. You're weird too. Especially for a girl.” He said before leaving the table.

Well, at least I was talking and my voice could be heard, not like him who was just... silent.

I tried my best to not join them for their snow outdoor activity. But when Dongwan kept grabbing my hand, I couldn’t resist the man’s power.

They played happily in the snow. It was incredibly cold and I still couldn’t believe how this was actually a morning activity. I could see from afar Junjin hugging Andy tightly while Dongwan was splashing the snow on Andy’s head. On the other side, Hyesung was carefully crushing the snow between his hands before throwing it at Eric sitting peacefully. Startled by the violent coldness slapping him in the face, Eric took more than a handful of snow he threw at Hyesung trying to avoid and run away from Eric and his snow.

It was a normal view in which Minwoo wasn't present. When I was done watching them, I walked to Junjin who as usual gave me a smile, “Do you want to join us, Shi nae?” he asked.

“No. It’s ok. It’s a snow battle between men. Why would I interrupt you guys?” I tried to avoid them casually before taking a seat next to Eric.

“I was wrong about you. You're better than Minwoo. At least you're here with us.” Said Eric.

“Is that a compliment?” I asked.

“No. It's a little encouragement”

We exchanged a smile.

Eric was a perfectly warm person to be around. I didn’t know how to explain but when I was next to him, he was always giving me a warm sensation of happuness which I craved in my life.

I didn’t need attention. I didn’t need overloaded love. I didn’t need laughter. The thing that could cure my mind was only a warm feeling that could unfroze my cold chest. That was what made me like Eric more. I didn’t care who he was as long as he could distribute his warmness around me. I was comfortable around happy Junjin and his love slave Andy, I was quite open to witty Dongwan and felt warm every time Eric approached me. But I still couldn’t trust Hyesung even with his prince looks.

Then there was Minwoo. He was different. He was the only living thing I wanted to approach on my own. I wasn't the type to think any people were important in my life. But the more I was trailing my eyes on Minwoo, the more I wanted to approach him.

To be exact, he was my favorite. He had an attractive aura pushing me to know him more. But unfortunately, with just a look, I knew it would be hard to get close to him with such mysterious image.

After the weird morning snow battle, the alarm rang again.

Ah yeah, it was time for lunch. Time was moving amazingly faster than usual. Maybe I lost track around the guys. I didn’t know if it actually meant a good thing or not. I was quite afraid if I was trusting them, something worst would happen.

I was the last person to arrive in the main hall. The other guys quickly ran toward the lunch meal. I could see our lecturer standing behind the buffet before smiling to the next person. Eh, that was Dr. Ki Dongchan. I knew him well for seeing him many times due to my illness. And even more when I wanted to skip my class.

“Hi guys, are you having a good time this morning ?” He asked.

“Yeah, we are.” Answered Dongwan with his bright smile on his face.

I heard footsteps coming from downstairs and I assumed it was Minwoo so I looked up. Yeah, it was him. I shouted in my mind like a fan girl when I saw him. He walked casually toward the buffet and took a meal on his plate. Looking at his messy hair and crumpled shirt, he looked like he had just woke up.

I kept watching him and surprisingly, he sat next to me. I was shouting inside my mind again. Then I noticed he actually took a seat next to me just to approach Eric sitting in front of me. With only the three of us sitting around the huge square table, I felt my stomach twist. It was strange how I devoured my food as if someone was about to steal it from me.

Something around like five minutes after finishing his lunch, Eric stared at Minwoo and waited for him to be done. Minwoo ate his meal ever so slowly that I started yelling inside my mind for him to just stuff his face quickly.

“Have you taken your medicines?” asked Eric to start a conversation.

Minwoo gave no answer. I presumed he didn't like my presence, but I didn’t care. I wanted to hear his voice. Just for this time at least.

“No.” He answered shortly.

Damn, you could say he was greedy with his voice.

“Why? Don’t you feel sick if you don’t take it?” asked Eric again.

“I'm sick of you, Eric.” The words coming from Minwoo’s mouth surprised me very much, but Eric’s reaction was different. He smiled. I just figured that some switches were wrong inside Eric’s brain. How could Eric smile when someone was provoking him ?

“I’m sorry... Minwoo-ya.”

Wait! What? Actually, what just happened between Minwoo and Eric? My curiosity got the best of me once again as I stayed on my seat and waited for one of them to talk again. Unfortunately, Minwoo quickly got up from his seat once done with his meal and I couldn't help feel disappointed by the fact I couldn't hear his voice more.

Unlike what one could think, Minwoo didn’t look pitiful at all after the exchange. But Eric did.

When he pressed his hands on his face I asked him. “What's actually going on?”

“Nothing.” He answered shortly.

I was about to stand up from my seat when Eric asked me, “Do you have some time this evening? Around 5pm?” I took a glance at my watch.

It was only 2pm so I nodded my head and left.

The old library looked dim and somehow creepy. I didn’t know exactly why Eric wanted to meet me here. I walked passed a few bookshelves before I found Eric sitting at the corner with his laptop on the table in front of him.

“Hmm, quite late.” He nagged.

“I overslept.” I stated.

He smiled in return before saying, “Well, you're certainly wondering why I wanted to talk to you. In fact, I wanted to share something with you.” He said and showed me his laptop screen.

I leaned forward to have a better look at the CCTV footage, but I could hardly recognize the area.

“It’s in front and inside of the pink room.” He answered my unasked question.

“Wow... I thought you were a good student. Why are you hacking the system?” I thought about it a second then said, “Huhhh, ert!” I actually wanted to provoke him.

He was taken aback by my comment and quickly answered, “No. It's not for the reasons you think. Something weird happened. Hmm... You know, Minwoo. He’s my ex-boyfriend.” Eric’s words just wowed me. “When Hyesung came in our junior 1^st year, I broke up with him. He was with Dongwan at the time so I thought he would take it easy and be happy with his new boyfriend. But I mistaken him. He actually pretended to be Dongwan’s boyfriend just to let me be with Hyesung. I know it’s hurt him and that’s why he changed completely from cheerful Minwoo to gloomy Minwoo. Dongwan left him and... and... I assume Dongwan had something with Dr. Ki Dongchan.” I listened carefully to every words passing Eric’s lips and felt him and his assumptions were just too much.

“So, why did you hack the system?” I asked after he was done.

“Minwoo's sick. He was going to the pink room every day for a check up before. He suffers from hallucinations. That’s why he do the most dangerous things. But one day, he almost killed Dr. Ki Dongchan. He stabbed him several times but luckily I was there. I stopped him and the Doctor survived. No one knows exactly why he did that. Rumors says he was jealous of Dongchan and Dongwan's close relationship after their break up. He didn’t get arrested just because Dr. Ki Dongchan talked about his disease. That's what saved him from prison.”

I couldn't believe what I was hearing and almost wanted Eric to stop.

“After that incident, Minwoo rarely went to the pink room but... but last night... during the supper, Dr. Ki Dongchan nearly got attacked again. He said it was Minwoo and the others agreed because Minwoo wasn't at the supper last night.” Eric looked pensive before he continued. “But I checked the CCTV and Minwoo didn't go to that room last night. It's weird, that’s why I asked him if he was taking his medicines.”

His long explanation made my heartbeat uncontrolled. I knew Minwoo was different but I didn’t expect him to be sick and capable of killing a person. So, yes... Minwoo was creepy but I never thought he was that dangerous.

“So, why did you choose to tell me?” I asked.

“Hmm, Junjin and Andy won't care about this, and Hyesung will probably kill me if he knows I hacked this system. He warned me several times to not interfere in Minwoo’s life. There's Dongwan, he's suspicious too sometimes... but I thought he could be involved in someway in this case. So you are the only left and I trust you.”

“How about lecturer Jihoon? And what makes you think I'm trustworthy?” I asked.

“I can’t trust him too.” Eric lowered his head.

“Why?” I was kind of shocked to hear that.

“Because... because he’s the one who gathered us here without much of a reason and I doubt him too.” He said a bit hesitant.

“So, why do you trust me?” I asked again.

“Just because.” He said.

“Well, I don’t think I looks that trustworthy.” I said.

“At least you're a girl.” He said, looking up at me. 

“It sounds discriminating, Eric.” I smirked.

“I didn’t mean to, and I just need your help.” He said.

To be continued...