LALISA

🥀

My head spun as the new information from Kim Namjoon—Taehyung's brother, started to come out.

Apparently he's been captured by some Ghoulies for weeks and tortured him. He escaped—barely, and immediately went into hiding.

Their mother was on a two-month long seminar in Jeju so he didn't worry much about her. But the Ghoulies found out that he had a brother.

So he immediately went out of hiding to find Taehyung go away from town for the time being. Or at least to warn him. Because he did not want his only brother to get hurt because of him.

But he didn't know that Kang Taehyung is a serpent. The ghoulies would be stupid if they'd even think of laying a finger on him. Starting another war between the two gangs would only mean doom for them because the serpents always have the upper hand when it came to fights. Moreover, the sheriff himself is a serpent.

But that wasn't the disturbing part of his story. It was about killing Chou Tzuyu.

"Tzuyu asked me if I knew a way to get some fast cash around town," he started making Jennie clench her fists. "She told me she's planning on leaving town and needed fast money. She looked really desperate and since I owed her, I helped her out and wired her some deliveries to the south. I didn't think it would be a problem since she came from there.

"She got some money after the first two shipments and I told her to stop before she gets in too deep but she said it wasn't enough," he continued. "She needed to make one last delivery before hitching town. But..."

"But what? What happened?"

"After her last delivery, she asked me to get her a car and leave it just a couple meters away from the Border Bridge," he stated. "I did what she asked me and left it where she wanted me to but I forgot my phone inside the car so I had to go back. Then I saw something. Something I shouldn't have."

"What? What was it?!"

It was a good thing Jungkook caught my arm before I could slam it on the table. As I've said, I don't have any patience within me.

"Tzuyu... some masked men—ghoulies because of their tats, abducted her before she could even leave. But there was a woman with them. I wasn't able to see her face but I know she had long black hair and she was wearing a white coat."

"No girls are allowed in the ghoulie gang," I said. "That means—"

"That person paid those gang members to abduct Tzuyu," he answered. "But before they took her I saw her yelling at her. Like she was arguing or something. I heard her say she's already leaving."

"Yes, we were leaving town together," Jennie said. "We agreed to meet there after she went to the Serpent Party around eight—"

"I left the car there at exactly five in the afternoon," he said shocking her. "She never told me she's leaving town with someone. And it looked like she had no plans on waiting because the car was already moving away when the ghoulies blocked her."

"No. Tzuyu wouldn't leave me—"

"Here." Namjoon took out a small phone and handed it to Jennie also a bomber jacket. "That's her delivery phone and her jacket. I think you'll need it more than I would."

"Where... where did you get that?" Jungkook asked. "That jacket... I gave that to Tzuyu. When I confessed to her."

"From a friend," he said. "Jackson. He's a ghoulie but we became close. It's the jacket Tzuyu wore that night... the night she was supposed to leave. He said this will help with the case."

"Where is he, Hyung?" Tae asked his brother. "We need to talk to him. He has to testify—"

"He died, Tae," he said. "I... I killed him. It was the only way for me to escape. Jackson... he gave me the gun and told me to shoot it at him. That the only way I can get out of that place is if the one watching me died. 'Coz if he lets me escape, he's as good as dead. He even said he'd rather die in a the hands of a friend than those Ghoulies."

My throat ran dry as the others held their breath. Namjoon was a wreck. He looked rather dazed and barely pulling it together. Jennie held on to the jacket like it was her lifeline.

"The phone's dead," I said after examining the phone. "It looks old and it'd be hard to find the right one."

I turned to Jennie.

"I'll keep this one for the mean time. I'll ask some serpents if they have some old chargers lying around the turf."

Jennie nodded and a long deafening silence covered Yang's Cocklit Shop. Then Yoongi suddenly spoke.

"With everything you know, should't you just go to the sheriff's office? You can help with the case."

"I can't. I did illegal things too and I might get thrown in jail. I gave you what you need to help solve the case. I just need to get my brother. I need to take him with me so he'd be safe—"

The chime suddenly sounded and Mr. Yang immediately stepped in.

"I'm sorry but we're closed for the night—"

"Dad?" Yoongi said as Sheriff Choi made his way towards us.

"Taehyung. Namjoon. You have to come with me," he said looking at both brothers."

"Why? What happened?"

"Your dad... Your dad just confessed to killing Chou Tzuyu."

🥀

"No, it can't be."

I paced back and forth in my room as Seunghyun oppa literally forced all of us to go back home when he took Namjoon and Taehyung. He didn't even explain to us what exactly is going on. And being alone in my own house ain't helping.

Chaeyoung was supposed to stay here but Jin wanted his sister to stay at their house for the night since she needs to get some clothes and other things. But I'm pretty sure Jin just wanted to catch up with his little sister.

I literally screamed my lungs out when someone opened my window.

"What the actual fuck Jungkook?!" I blurted out.

"Why? You're not the only one here who knows how to climb windows," he said as he got in. "You should hide your ladder better. You're a girl and some guy with bad intentions might come up here."

"I'm guessing you're not that guy?"

He grinned. "I can be."

I rolled my eyes at him before turning around. "Why are you here anyways? Jisoo unnie would throw a fit when she finds out you left your house."

"I made a pretty convincing decoy at home," he said shrugging. "Plus, I didn't want you to be here all alone. Especially when your neighbors aren't around."

I sighed. Right. Uncle Daesung just turned himself in. Namjoon and Taehyung are both at the station waiting for their mom to pick them up—which wouldn't be possible since she's on a trip.

"Jen wanted to come too, actually," he continued. "At first she's really mad at Uncle Daesung but Jisoo and I told her what kind of guy he is. And judging from what Namjoon just told us, I'm sure he had nothing to do with Tzuyu's murder. He's just covering up for his son."

"If he's covering up for Namjoon then that means—"

"He knows something, Lis," Jungkook stated. "He knows Namjoon got involved with the ghoulies and he knows that whoever it was that killed Tzuyu can easily pin her death on Joon."

"So uncle sacrificed himself!" I brushed my hand through my hair. "God! If we didn't put our noses in this murder business Uncle Daesung wouldn't turn himself over—"

"No Lis," he cut me off. "It's actually a good thing. Because we know more than what they know. We have an actual lead. Uncle Daesung's sacrifice wouldn't go in vain if we find out what evidence my varsity jacket has."

"Then we have to get your jacket, pronto."

"Already ahead of you." Jungkook unzipped his bag and fished out the blue and yellow varsity jacket. "I asked Jen to lend this to me before I came here so we could at least start investigating."

I rubbed my chin. "We need a murder board. I mean, police do that so they'd visualize the crime. Plus, it looked really cool in the movies."

He chuckled. "You're really something. One minute you're this badass biker chic then the next minute you're this cute potato who's like a seven-year old."

"Correction: A really cute and pretty potato," I said chuckling.

I pulled out an old pin board I used for a school project and cleared it out.

"Here," I said letting it lean on the bed. "I have print outs of the med records we took—why are smiling like that?"

He shrugged but still grinning like an idiot. I felt my face burn as I recalled what happened in that records room.

Grabbing on to the nearest weapon I can find—a pillow, I started to hit him. Laughing, he dodged it and tried to get a hold of my wrist and pin me down on the floor.

"Deja vu?"

"Perv."

He chuckled then kissed my forehead lightly. Again, I felt a sudden burn on my cheeks. Lightly pushing him off, I sat up.

"We should get started on this murder board," I said grabbing the papers beside me. But Kim Jungkook is a man of his own.

He cupped my face and when our lips touched, I was a goner. I practically have the whole serpents wrapped around my finger but this Kim Jungkook has me around his. It's like for some reason, he has me trapped in a trance.

But I'm not complaining.

"Lis, our murder board," he said in between kisses.

"That can wait," I answered as I straddled him.

He chuckled as his hands made their way towards my waist—kissing me at the same time. His ability to multi-task amazes me.

As I've seen in dramas, moments like this leads to another. I have no idea whether I'm ready for that or not. And as a hormonal teenager, I actually don't give a fuck. If it happens, it happens. I raised the hem of his shirt and he immediately got the message.

Mental note: Kim Jungkook has amazingly sculpted abs.

Being the muscle bunny that he is, Kim Jungkook effortlessly carried me to my bed and is now on top of me.

"Are you sure?" He asked—completely topless. I nodded. He smiled. His signature bunny smile.

But just like in dramas, as the guy leans closer someone is bound to interrupt.

My dad suddenly barged in—bag still on his shoulder with a shookt face.

"Appa!" I screamed pushing Jungkook off me—him toppling over and landing near dad's feet.

🥀

"You better have a good explanation why there's a half-naked man inside your room, Lalisa."

"The thing is, dad... I uh... We were... uh..." I took a quick look at a petrified Jungkook sitting quietly beside me—still topless.

"Lalisa..." he warned. Dad's cool but when he uses that tone one me, I clam up.

"We're dating!" Jungkook blurted out then bowed his head when dad raised an eyebrow at him. "...sir."

"Dating?" Dad turned to me. "You're dating? Why don't I know this?"

"Um... y-yes, dad," I answered.

"Why don't I know this?"

"Well, it kinda happened when you were away so..."

"How?" His forehead scrunched. "And what's your name again, boy?"

"I uh... I'm Jungkook... Kim Jungkook sir."

Dad's eyes widened.

"Which Kim?"

"Kim Jaejoong and Dara, sir."

"I see..."

Silence. It was deafening—meaning something's not right.

As I was about to open my mouth, my phone's ringtone blasted. And so was Jungkook's. We both turned to each other.

"It's Chaeyoung."

"It's Jin."

We both excuse ourselves from my father who looked like he was about to get a heart attack.

"Chaeyoung?"

"Oh my goodness, Lisa! Thank God you answered!" She immediately said. "Jin showed me a picture of Tzuyu 'coz I got curious. And oh my gosh I know her! I mean, she looked exactly like a patient from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy who escaped before I did!"

"What? How can that be possible? Before Tzuyu transferred to Wayji Academy, she's with us in Southside High. So how can she be in that crackhouse for the past year?"

"True but what if Tzuyu isn't an only child?" she asked. "That she does have a sister—or in this case, a twin? And that twin..."

"And that twin was the one who killed her?"