Podcast : Reverie | HakMoon✅

15

"No, no, no, no, no..." The account was deleted. I knocked my mug over in frustration then frowned when it had chipped. Haknyeon's dad had given it to me as a reward for..."For what?" I couldn't remember. I couldn't remember a lot of things before high school.

I grew concerned as my mind was like TV static when it came to thinking about my childhood. I decided to figure that out later as Haknyeon was top priority. I quickly texted Jun who said he'd come over with a few friends. The doorbell rang and I was reluctant to answer.

I looked through the peephole but couldn't see who it was. "I have mace." No response. I checked the peephole again and saw them press the button again. "Who is it?" "Open the door." My body went numb. It sounded like Geung. "No..."

"It's important. It's about Haknyeon!" I didn't want to fall for it, but what if he really knew something? I put on the chain lock then opened the door. "Heohwan...?" "Can I come in? I'm positive someone followed me." "How do you know where I live?" "Haknyeon told me."

I frowned heavily. "Liar." He held out a piece of paper through the gap. I took then read what was on it. "It seems as if he knew something would happen..." I took off the chain lock then let him in. "He came to see me about the intellectuals."

I brought him a cup of water then sat down on the couch. "So, you're the person I heard rumors about?" He nodded as he scratched his cheek. "It was awful Kevin. I had no room to breathe. It was hard to go anywhere without people giving me judgmental looks."

"Even my best friend left me. After that I...I broke." I hesitated as I reached out to pat his shoulder. "Do you know anything about Geung's death...?" He shook his head then placed the cup down. "Here. He wanted you to have this." It surprised me that he trusted Heohwan so well.

I took the string from his hand then looked it over. "'Remember'?" He shrugged then looked towards the door as it sounded. "You should go. I'm not sure how his friends would like seeing you here." "Well, my job is done anyway. Take care."

He paused in the doorway then looked at me. "If the intellectuals get you, it's all over." I slowly nodded then watched as he took the stairs. The elevator dinged and Jun had arrived with two others in tow. "Hey." "Hey."

"So, a fire truck, clanking metal, another fire truck, breathing and then these words." I nodded as the deleted account tab was still open. "And now it's all gone." "Yes." "It's Haknyeon." I looked at him wide eyed and so did Jun.

"How are you so sure, Tongseo?" "The breathing Kevin recorded." We waited for him to continue. "Do you watch him sleep or something?" "That's not the point. The point is that he's trying to tell us something. Look up the places that had a fire when they were posted."

I quickly got to searching and was impatient for other relevations. "The metal is probably a chain or something. It's probably what's keeping him. The words are the biggest clue. The intellectuals are no doubt the perps. Bodies..."

We all went silent as we probably knew what Haknyeon was most likely referring to. "Dead bodies?" Someone had finally spoken up. "I would hope not. I've been told the stench is unbearable. He couldn't possibly breathe that way."

"Then maybe..." I felt their eyes on me. "Mannequins?" Someone had clapped and called me a genius. "The places that had fires are here and here." "Far distances..." "But the same fire house most likely."

It had been settled that we'd head over and ask them about the route they took to each fire. "We're so close to bringing him home." "What if we don't make it..." Jun hit my arm as we made our way out of the building. "We will make it. Haknyeon isn't that easy to kill."

[학]
The floor was cold and disgusting. I was positive I had bruises all over my body. What I felt now was nothing compared to the week when I was bedridden. I received a kick to my stomach then heard something clatter to the floor. "We've has our fun, now it's time to run."

I lowly growled then winced in pain. "We'll finally be rid of you and we'll finally get to get into his head. Then there's nothing anyone can do about it. Have a good permanent rest, Haknyeon." "Seojin!" I shrunk back as a distorted voice spoke back to me.

"One more word from you and I'll give you a more torturous death. Now shut up." I lied back down in defeat. I couldn't get to anyone in time. Was this really the end of the line? Everything I had done for Kevin would soon be undone. I couldn't protect him in the end.

I quietly sobbed as I imagined Kevin's future. "I really am useless...Why couldn't he befriend someone stronger in all aspects?" Some guardian angel I turned out to be for him.