blind star // txt taegyu

midnight guest

Beomgyu met eyes with the Scher Containment Protocol Unit officer as he left the school, his heart thumping in an uneasy manner as they maintained eye contact for a few seconds too long. He gulped as she looked away, talking to the buff man beside her. Beomgyu shook it off, finally looking over at Jay. "Your test was negative, right?"

"Of course it was," Jay answered simply. "That Protocol lady is creepy. Do Schers really look like that? She's pretty, but… really unsettling."

Beomgyu looked down. "I feel like she wants to tell me something, but…"

"Tell you something?" Jay frowned, looking at him. "Did your test come out positive or something? You're not a Scher, right?"

"Of course not, I don't even know what it means to be one because I never pay attention in those supplementary lessons," Beomgyu argued, crossing his arms. "It's just… we spoke for a bit after I came out negative. Our conversation was cut short because of the tests."

"I don't think you should mess around with government employees, Beom," Jay advised carefully. "But anyways — I'm heading home. See you on Rocket League later."

Beomgyu waved a hand to Jay, and the shorter boy walked off, walking to his friends he usually walked home with. Beomgyu turned around, walking back to the school building with a nervously thumping heart. He bowed to the staff politely with a smile to seem as undoubted as possible.

He came to the office area where the officers stood, pressing his body against the wall to lessen his presence as much as possible. There was silence on the other side, but he knew they stood there. He remained silent, listening carefully and doing his best to not move.

"That Choi Beomgyu knows something," he heard eventually. "Ask the secretary for his address, because we need to question him further."

"What gives you that notion? He came out negative."

"He knows a Scher — or he has an idea of who could be one. He's a bright kid, so I know he's not one of us. However, he seemed nervous. He knows who we're looking for, since the only person who came out positive today was too far from the event and hadn't left his class since second lunch break."

"I'll get his address, then."

Beomgyu held his bag straps tightly. He must've seemed nervous about Taehyun. He sighed softly, biting his bottom lip. He didn't want to talk about the rumors regarding Kang Taehyun, because he could get taken away. He couldn't lose the boy he liked — but did he want to lie to government workers?

He quickly left the office, his heart thumping nervously before he decided to use the opposite exit to leave the school. He didn't want the officers to see him leave again. He didn't want to head home, either, because then he'd be questioned.

"Ah, I'm screwed…"

•

"Beomgyu! What did you do now?! Fancy government people are here!"

Beomgyu felt dread settle in his stomach as he stood up from his desk, releasing the pencil in his hand in defeat. He knew it was unavoidable. They'd find him eventually — they had the means to do so. He'd rather face them head on, rather than avoid it. He walked down the stairs, meeting eyes with the woman from before.

"Mrs Choi, we'd like to speak to your son alone," she said blankly. She nodded towards the man beside her, and he began guiding Mrs Choi to another room. Beomgyu stood before her, bowing politely in greeting before holding his hands in front of him. "Young man, we have some questions regarding the Scher attack thst happened at your school today. Although you came out negative, you are acting quite… unusual."

"There's a chance you know a Scher, if our suspicions are correct," the built man beside her continued. "We don't know if you witnessed an attack recently and lied to us, but there's something you're not telling us."

Beomgyu was quiet before looking down. "Two years ago… a student had rumors about being a Scher. But they aren't true — he's just a quiet guy! He's really nice, and… he could never be a Scher…!"

"Rumors, you say? Teens say anything these days to target kids, but we need to know who this student is," the woman said. "Any information is good information. Please tell us the name of this boy."

"He's not a Scher — he's just not. There's no need to question him because he's not a Scher. He's… human…"

"Tell us his name."

Beomgyu grew frustrated and he felt his blood boiling. "Taehyun is not a monster!"

The woman was quiet, staring at Beomgyu with blank eyes as usual. "Of course we're monsters. That's all we are — monsters. Humans can be monsters too, but a Scher just so happens to have powers. They sct on instinct, that's all — that instinct leads to murder. Makes them monsters, right?"

Beomgyu looked down with guilt. "I'm sorry…"

"If you realise that we're monsters, isn't keeping that boy around more dangerous?" she asked. "We have his name, at least. Taehyun… I didn't test a Taehyun today — must've been absent."

Beomgyu was about to say that Taehyun was at school that day, but remained silent. "I'm sorry for calling you a monster."

"I get that a lot," she sighed. "What is your relationship with this Taehyun? Is he a classmate, a friend?"

"He's my friend — I think I'm his best friend," Beomgyu muttered, "but I… like him, I guess."

"That's why you're so adamant," she hummed. "Understandable. He's got to be a decent boy if someone like you likes him. We won't dive too deep into it, then. I'll make sure you get to see him if he comes out positive. I quite like you, Choi Beomgyu. I'm sure we'll be speaking to one another again."

"W-why?"

"Well, you're my informant right now," she said with a slight smile. "We never caught the Scher today. Can I trust you to report strange behavior at your school until we catch the student? If it turns out to be your friend, I'll be as gentle as possible."

"Taehyun isn't a Scher though."

"You don't know that." She looked at the man beside her and nodded. "He'll give you my personal contact. Don't give anyone that number. You're an accomplice to the Scher Containment Protocol Unit now — treat this mission with utmost sensitivity and secrecy."

Beomgyu nodded as he bowed. "I will."