Paper Dolls

Chapter 51

The music here is so loud, I can feel the bass beating all the way down to my bones. Everyone's dancing and bobbing their heads as these two rap heavyweights challenge each other, spitting bars like there's no tomorrow.

Their flow is incredible, I can't believe this is unpracticed, that they're coming up with the lyrics on the spot. Both guys are smiling, occasionally laughing as they diss each other in the most creative of ways. 

I find myself laughing along with them and dancing, the soju combined with the cheery atmosphere melting away all my previous nervousness. Everyones dancing and enjoying themselves like they don't have a care in the world, it's highly infectious, the similar energy rubbing off on me easily. Beside me Hyeon is dancing as well, nodding his head along to the beats. 

He's smiling from ear to ear, lost in the moment and we both raise our hands in the air when Skullmaster gestures for the crowd to do so. 

They start singing a familiar song from the west that I know by heart and I jump excitedly, earning an amused look from Hyeon. 

"I know this song! I love this song!" I cry happily. 

I begin to rap along with the professionals on stage, completely losing myself to the beat, the crowd who has begun chanting the lyrics as well. Only Hyeon is silent, studying me as I kill each line to the best of my ability. 

By the time the song is over I'm spent, leaning over with my hands pressed to my thighs for support. 

And then they start another song that I grew up loving and I start all over again, till the song ends and a new one begins. The cycle continues till exhaustion finally settles in, leaving me tired but satisfied. I don't think I've ever enjoyed rapping that much in my life. 

The crowd thins once the performances are over and we take that as our cue to leave. Hyeon accompanies me on the bus, walking me back to our dorms. It's early in the morning now, there's no paparazzi lurking around to worry about. 

Most of the time they were monitoring Jiho not me. 

I take a deep breath in, inhaling the fresh morning air that hasn't been polluted yet by dozens of cars and thousands of people rushing to their destinations. 

Hyeon has just finished his rant about Taejun and how odd it was that someone followed us right after we met him. I admit the timing is suspicious but someone could have followed him as well. 

It is a point that even Hyeon hasn't been able to refute. 

"This sucks. We know someone killed her. We just don't know who. It could be any of them. Loona, Maria, Taejun, Jungseok or Park Do Yun. And now someone wants to kill us, despite us knowing nothing." 

Hyeon holds his palms out helplessly and the sight is just so comical I have to laugh. 

"You find that funny?" He looks at me incredulously but there's a ghost of a smile playing on his face. 

I shrug. "I mean I can either worry myself to death or laugh about it. You know half glass full, half glass empty sort of thing." 

This time his lip's break into a reluctant smile. "True." 

"Thank you, by the way." I say to him making him raise his eyebrows in question. 

"Thank you for endangering our lives tonight?" 

I chuckle, waving him off with my hand. "No, for taking me to that underground concert. I forgot how fun it was to rap. To just sing and lose myself without thinking too much about what other people thought." 

The morning air is crisp and chilly at this hour. I catch streaks of orange rays from the sun peaking out over the horizon, blending with soft blue hue of the sky above.