It happens. I guess there are days like this.
Kill 2 Player
When I came to my senses, I was staring blankly at my phone in the clubroom.
The club members were engrossed in
studying, scribbling away with their pencils.
Screech-
I stood up from my seat.
"Where are you going, Joon...?"
Sunah, who was copying her notes with a focused look, looked at me.
I answered with a blank expression.
"I need to go to the restroom."
Okay.....
***
[2019, June 28th| Friday, 2:30 PM]
[Lee Joon: Number of Attempts - 2]
[Ghost Story Points: 333]
[Causality Rate: 36%]
I went to the boy's restroom at the end of the hallway, stepped into a stall, locked the door, and called the Detective.
Soon, before the ringtone could even ring twice, Detective Park Gangwoon picked up.
[Joon.]
"Detective."
It was a deep, trustworthy voice.
[....]
"....."
[.....?]
I waited for a moment for the Detective to speak first, but instead, the Detective was waiting for me to speak first.
The Detective gave a small, dry cough
as if to ask what I was dwindling about.
'...Does he not know?'
Actually, it's only natural for the person
who called to speak first.
Still, considering that the Detective from the previous time period had sent me back by abruptly shooting me without any explanation of the situation, I thought that when I called, he would say something like, 'Good timing, I'm glad you called.'
I guess that's not the case after all.
I broke the silence and first offered the
Detective a greeting.
"....It's been a while since I last contacted you. How have you been?"
[What is it? you sound troubled.]
The Detective seemed to be moving to a place without people, as the background noise gradually faded away.
[Go ahead and tell me.]
"....Well, you see."
It was Sunday morning, three days
later, around 7:20 am on the day of the final exams.
I told the Detective that he had entered our clubroom first, was looking down out the window, and as soon as I entered, he shot me and sent me back.
Along with the fact that he told me to contact him when I go back.
[So that's what happened.]
"Yes."
[Why did I do that?]
That's what I was about to ask him.
I had naturally assumed that the Detective would know, but when he countered in a calm tone, I felt dumbfounded.
"No, you told me to contact you when I go back. I thought you'd obviously know when I called."
[Hmm, not sure. Nothing unusual is going on.]
Detective Park Gangwoon trailed off with a 'Hmm....'
[I don't have anything going on.]
"But that's exactly what I want to know!"
[I see.]
The sound of the large-built, middle-aged Detective scratching his head was heard.
[Then come meet me after school. I think we'll only know by talking face-to-face.]
"But I have my final exam on Monday.."
[You said you came back on Monday morning. You must have already studied everything, haven't you?]
"...Okay. I'll see you after school."
I scratched the back of my head and switched the hand holding my phone.
"Where should I meet you?"
[Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Right in front of Gyeongbokgung
Station on Line 3. I'll be there until
midnight, so come anytime and give
me a call. I'll come out to meet you.]
"...If I take the subway right after
school, I think I'll get there around s:30
or 6:00,"
[Got it. You have nothing else to say,
right?]
"Yes, that's all."
[Then see you later.]
Click-
With that dry farewell, the call ended.
I let out a sigh and left the restroom.
'What a mess."
***
"You're going to the Police Agency? Why?"
"Well..."
I sat at my desk waiting the whole time so as not to disturb the members' studying, and only after the bell rang for the end of CA period did I explain the situation to them while in the clubroom.
After hearing the whole story, Sunah
covered her mouth with a gasp, looking as startled as a rabbit.
"That happened..."
"We'll go too, Prez."
Gyeongwon pushed his glasses as he gathered his books.
"If it's related to a ghost story, we should go together."
"No, it's okay. For now, I'll go alone."
I stopped the members who wanted to tag along.
"We don't even know what's going on yet, and the Detective himself doesn't seem to have any leads either. Even if we all go in a crowd, there's nothing we can do. So I'll go alone first to check things out. You guys just keep studying."
"As expected of our President.."
Jinhee mimicked pushing her non-existent glasses and shrugged her shoulders.
"..You're even worried about our study time.."
"Don't copy me!"
Gyeongwon snapped sharply.
Just as we were chatting among ourselves and about to leave the clubroom.
Dukhun, who left the clubroom last and was locking the door suddenly went 'Hmm.. and stopped.
Trriick~
[The door has been locked.]
"What are you doing? Aren't you coming?"
"...Hey, you know."
Dukhun crossed his arms and made a thoughtful expression as he pointed at the door.
"The Detective. I wonder how he got in there."
"....."
***
After the homeroom teacher finished saying his nonsense during the closing ceremony.
I packed my bag and headed for the subway.
"Prez, why are you going this way today?"
"I'm not going home. I'm going to take the subway straight to the Police Agency."
"I have to take the bus. If something happens, let me know."
"Okay. I'll share real-time updates in the group chat. Everyone, stay home and rest."
"Bye, Joon... Please make sure to Contact me."
"Bye. Take care, everyone."
"Hey, everyone worked hard again today."
"You don't have to say that kind of greeting anymore."
With that, we parted at the school's main gate and I walked the opposite way from my usual route home, but without knowing, Hayoon ended up walking with me.
"Do you usually go home this way?"
"Joon, you're unusually interested."
Hayoon answered calmly.
As Hayoon walked beside me with light, dainty steps, basking in the sunset, I could see people around us casting furtive glances our way.
They were all students leaving school together in a crowd, and among them, the first-years who knew our faces all looked this way and whispered, as if wondering why the two of us were walking together.
'So this is what it's like from the receiving end, it's quite suffocating. More than I imagined.'
When I went home alone, no one even spared me a glance.
"No, but isn't this really funny?"
"What?"
Hayoon asked in a gentle tone.
"Honestly, even if I jaywalked while walking down the street, no one would spare me a glance. But now, just by walking, there's actually quite a few people staring at me. Not one or two, many people."
Hayoon just turned her head as if she didn't want to answer.
"No, I mean, even if I tripped and rolled around and screamed like a freak, no one would look. So why now is everyone-"
"I don't know."
When I tried to explain with frantic arms, Hayoon frowned.
But she didn't move away from me.
"....."
After walking silently for a while again, I thought I should try to strike up conversation, so I threw out another simple question.
"By the way, where do you live? Last time I saw you, you came to school by Car."
"...."
When there was no reply, I glanced beside me and saw that Hayoon's face showed no particular reaction.
Her pale skin and a smooth jawline was calm.
After hesitating for a moment, I asked again.
"Where do you live?"
"Just. Around somewhere."
Hayoon answered only that and walked on indifferently.
Her expression was unreadable.
'I thought we were close.'
But honestly, now that we were actually alone together, I felt awkward too.
We had always hung out with the other club members, and even if it was just the two of us, we only talked about necessary things. We had hardly ever exchanged casual small talk.
"I'll let you come over to hang out next time. All of you together."
"What?"
At her sudden words, I stopped thinking and turned to look at her.
"What did you say?"
"Why?"
Hayoon quietly stared back at me.
"Do you want to come alone, Jooon?"
"...No. It's not that."
I raised my hand in panic.
"But is there a problem if I come alone?"
"Joon."
Hayoon just smiled faintly.
When she smiled, the atmosphere seemed to turn much softer.
From the mysterious young lady of the Void cult to just the level of a pretty girl in the same class.
"Actually, you didn't look like you were in a very good mood, so I was wondering if I'd said something Wrong."
"Why are you so worried about my mood?"
Hayoon smiled gently and looked at me.
"Do you like me?"
"Ah.."
I lightly poked her purple bag, as if to tell her not to joke about that kind of thing.
"Where did you go to middle school? I heard about your elementary school last time at Jinhee's house."
"just. Somewhere around."
"That 'somewhere'.. like where exactly.."
"You're behaving like a stalker, Joon.It's annoying."
"Why are you saying that, really..."
Hayoon had a talent for spewing harsh words with a carefree, smiling face.
And so the conversation continued, with me tossing out remarks and Hayoon smiling and putting up a wall, until we parted in front of the subway station.
"Bye~i'II contact you ii anything happens"
"I think I'll sleep early today. Bye."
And Hayoon wallked away, smiling just like that.
I started climbing down stairs toward the platform, but then stopped and climbed back up to watch Hayoon's back as she walked away, trying to see where she was going. But she just kept walking along the sidewalk until she disappeared.
'That's strange. There must be a driver
somewhere in that direction.'
There was no way they'd let their precious young lady walk back and forth like that.
Only after confirming that Hayoon's purple bag had shrunk to a dot and disappeared did I go back down to the subway station.
'Hayoon's understanding is 45. If I raise it by just 5 more, her Quirk will show, She was the only one among the members whose Quirk hadn't been revealed yet.
I passed through the ticket gate, thinking that talking with her had been secretly enjoyable, and I absolutely had to find out her Quirk next time.
***
"Hoo... I can't even see Gyeongbokgung Palace."
At Gyeongbokgung Station.
After coming up to ground level, I glanced around and muttered to myself.
I walked a bit further from the station.
Even if it's nearby, it's hidden by tall buildings, so I couldn't even see it from here.
I stood near the large National Police Agency building visible right in front of me and senta text message to the Detective.
[Lee Joon: I've arrived]
Buzz-
[Detective Park Gangwoon: You came quickly. Coming.]
"The Detective really replies fast."
And also how could he always manage to pick up before the ringtone even rang twice.
Those little actions together gave me the trust that he was someone who would come running right away whenever I contacted him.
"Joon."
Soon after, the Detective arrived, wearinga black shirt with just a tie, giving off the vibe of an office worker who had stepped out for a
moment while working, looking rather
comfortable in his attire.
I let out a small sound at the Detective's outfit and pointed at his outerwear.
"What about that thick coat you always wear?"
"I left it hanging on my chair. Why?"
"You were wearing that when you shot me."
"Really?"
The Detective loosened his tie slightly and cracked his neck with a loud crack.
"From your words, it seems on Monday
morning, I completely finished my shift and left the Police Agency. It's very hot these days, so whenever I'm just stepping out for a moment, I leave my coat hanging on my chair."
"Is that so?"
"But the strange thing is that an incident occurred inside the National Police Agency this morning, and the investigation is in full swing. So there's no way I would have been off duty by Monday. For now, let's go to a nearby café and sit dowWn to talk."
"Yes, that's good."
I followed the Detective to a nearby Starbucks.
**
The name, 'Starbucks Seoul Government Complex Branch,' had a feel like a place only special agents would visit, but inside it was just like a regular Starbucks.
"Iced Americano, one cup. You?"
"I'll have.. a frappuccino, or something like that..."
After roughly placing our orders and sitting in a corner, I soon noticed people glancing over at us from nearby.
It was mostly because of the Detective's overwhelming presence. Before, because he always wore his coat, his broad shoulders were hidden, but now, with just his shirt on, their sharp lines were fully pronounced.
Sitting in front of the Detective, I felt like I had turned into Gyeongwon.
"This is really something.'"
In the past, when I was sitting alone at the café waiting for him, no one even looked my way.
"Um, Detective, isn't that really funny?"
"Hmm. What do you mean?"
"Even if I knock Over bowls and spill water at a restaurant, no one would even look my way, so why-"
"What are you talking about? Just explain what happened again, quickly."
"...Well. I mean-"