─────── 𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑    𝟖 ───────

[09 | 02 | 2023 , 00:18am]

"I'm really sorry for your loss Jake," Ahyeun put her hand on Jake's shoulder, trying to give him some sort of comfort.

"I-I just don't understand who would do such a thing to her," Jake stuttered.

He looked tired, really tired.

The body they had found in the woods belonged to Soo Ayeong, his girlfriend and it wasn't easy news for the police to break to him or his friends.

They were all still at the police station, since it's some sort of 'protocol' to keep them here until their parents arrive to collect them.

Grief can look like a lot of things- crying, denial, hysterical fits, bursts of anger etcetera. But for Jake it was less visible. He might have not been showing it to his friends at the very minute, but he was distraught.

Devastated on the inside.

Ahyeun took a seat next to him on the floor, resting her chin on her knees. "She was such an angel, I hope the killer gets the punishment they deserve."

Jake turned his head to her, "Do you really think the police will be able to find out who did this to her?"

His question seemed rather rhetorical, sarcastic.

Ahyeun exhaled sharply, "I don't know. They might."

"I don't trust them," Jake declared. "Look at Dana's case, it's been almost two weeks and I don't think they've even gotten as far as to begin their investigation."

Ahyeun thought about it, the painful truth upsetting her more than anything. She knew where Jake was trying to get with this. "They don't care... do they?"

"They don't give two shits," Jake scoffed.

Ahyeun closed her eyes, leaning her head back into the wall. "They really don't."

[00:23am]

Heeseung watched from a distance as Jake stared lifelessly at a wall.

"He's not taking this very well," he said to Riki who was seated beside him.

"Poor hyung. He literally stumbled across the dead body of his girlfriend," Riki sighed.

"Who would even kill someone and leave their body in the woods?" Heeseung frowned.

"Hari would," Riki joked, laughing a bit about it.

Heeseung looked over to where Hari was.

The girl was unusually quieter than usual, and Heeseung was quick to notice.

"You're right, she would."

When seeing Heeseung's serious face, Riki's smile dropped. "I'm just kidding hyung."

"I know," Heeseung slowly turned to Riki. "But I can't help but have a bad feeling about that Shin girl. It just seems in her demeanor to do things like these."

"You seriously can't be suspecting her?" Riki's mouth hung open.

"Oh but you see Riki, from what I know, Hari and Ayeong had a little fight just yesterday," Heeseung explained.

Riki's eyes grew wide, "Really?"

"Jung Yoona told me. And I saw her after the fight too, she came into the elevator with scratches and shit on her neck," Heeseing recalled.

"But she doesn't seem like the type to," Riki paused before lowering his voice. "Kill."

Heeseung simply shrugged in response, "All I'm saying is don't trust everyone, you'll get nowhere with trust."

Riki gulped, looking around at his friends all scattered across the room.

One of them supposedly killed Dana.

One of them is suspected to have killed Ayeong by Heeseung.

"Do you think Hari could've had something to do with Dana too?" Rki asked, eager to know.

Heeseung might be the quieter, more observant type but the boy noticed every little thing.

"I originally suspected her, since it was such a coincidence she got a new phone right after Dana's death," Heeseung said. "But I don't know."

"But what's a new phone got to do with it?"

"Evidence. I've seen too many cases where people get rid of their phones because they have clues in it and shit."

"Oh," Riki looked around. "That's fucking crazy."

"What's crazier is that we're being kept here for so long," Heeseung complained. "Hey, Mr. Police officer sir," he called out for one of the supervisors in the room.

"What is it Heeseung?"

"Can we go yet?"

"I'm afraid not," the officer shrugged. "Not until your parents arrive."

Everyone in the room collectively groaned in annoyance

Heeseung took out his phone, when he received a notification. It was from his older brother.

"They'll be here in 10," he said to Riki.

"Ahh, ok," Riki nodded.

[00:30am]

"Jiu?" Aera lightly tapped the girl's arm. "Here's some water."

Jiu moved her head up from her knees, "Oh.. thank you."

She took the cup in her hands, slowly bringing it to her mouth. She took a sip, but then moved the cup away from her face. "You can take it away, thanks."

Aera grabbed the cup, placing it on her side. "You're doing ok, right?" shethen asked, genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine..." Jiu rubbed her eyes. "Just shocked, you know?"

Aera hummed, nodding.

"It's just I've never seen anything like this-" Jiu continued to add.

"Understandable, I've only seen a situation like this once before. 27th last month," Aera whispered.

"Dana's death," Jiu finished for her.

Aera nodded, "Yeah, I felt shitty for the next couple of days. I still do."

"Do you miss her?"

"More than anything."

"Anything? Really?" Jiu questioned.

"Well, almost," Aera shrugged. "Her and my dad. I miss them the most."

"Oh, what happened to your dad?"

Aera visibly stiffened, her face morphing into further sadness.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Jiu quickly added.

Aera shook her head, determined to let her guard down. "No, it's fine. It was years ago anyway, but he died of stage 4 cancer."

"Aww, Aera," Jiu pouted.

Aera looked down at the floor, tears forming in her eyes.

Jiu looked at the girl in sympathy. She put her arms around the crying girl, hugging her close. "I get you, most of my blood family died in a car crash."

This made Aera lookup, wide teary eyed. "No way."

"Yeah way. We were all going to Jeju for summer but then a horrible accident happened on our way back. My parents and little sister all died. Only me and my older brother made it out alive."

"Do you miss them?"

Jiu smiled, remembering Aera's words from earlier. "More than anything."

Aera nodded, sniffing and wiping her eyes. "I'm glad we can relate to each other. It creates a special bond between us."

Jiu beamed, bobbing her head up and down enthusiastically, "Me too!"

[00:36am]

"Another murder, I can't believe this," Jungwon shook his head.

"There's a fucking killer on the loose," Jongseong said.

"We don't know that yet," Sunoo shrugged. "They might be two separate people for each of them."

"It doesn't matter," Jungwon clenched his fists. "No one is safe these days."

"Why are you so pissed about it?" Jongseong scoffed.

Jungwon shot him a glare, "Because one of us could be next."

"Technically, one of us already-"

"Don't mention it Sunoo," Jungwon interrupted. "We've lost one already I know, but we can't lose another that's what I mean."

"Look Jungwon, there's very little we can do," Jongseong tried explaining. "No one's after us as of right now, we're fine."

"I agree," Sunoo plainly stated, putting a piece of mint chocolate in his mouth.

Jungwon contemplated to himself, yes they didn't have issues without anyone as of right now, however, he couldn't help but feel pessimistic for the future.

There's only been two killings so far, nothing to confirm they're directly linked to the Diamonds.

But he knows well that if any group of people were to be targeted at school it would be the highest division.

[01:29am]

Almost everyone was gone, the only two that remained were Jiu and Sunghoon.

The figure skater was sitting in the corner by himself, he wasn't much of a talkative person.

Anti-social one could say.

But it wasn't long after the 1am mark, his mom walked into the station all worried for her son.

He was gone.

Only she remained.

Jiu watched the clock hit 01:30, and she sighed loudly.

———

poor jake🥺🤧

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