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"Snorkelling?" Sakura said, looking at the mask in her hands with fascination.

The tour woman had announced the first activity of the trip. They'd be able to see the corals and exotic small fish. Professor Kim wanted them to take notes and study the corals.

The bus ride to the seaside was short and bumpy. It smelt lightly of salt and clams.

When they arrived on the sand, each student was assigned a snorkelling mask and a dark blue two-piece swimsuit by two assistants. While the tour woman ushered the girls into the public bathroom to change, Professor Kim barked at the boys to change out on the sand.

"Well, Jeju is famous for its mermaid women," Seunmi said, slipping into her two-piece suit.

"Mermaid women?" Sakura gasped.

"Not real mermaids. They're just called that because they can hold their breath for long amounts of time while catching clams from the seabeds," Hyewon explained.

Sakura nodded and discreetly snapped a picture of Hyewon.

...

Kkurachan: [one image attached]

Eunbi: [opened]

Eunbi: AHWUSHSIWHSEUHSAISHW HOT

...

Hyewon's phone buzzed like crazy on the bench. She opened it to the group chat.

...

Kwangbae: kkura why

Kwangbae: why have you forsaken me

...

Sakura giggled. When they were done slipping into their swimwear, they exited the bathroom and assembled on the shore in their respective groups.

"Red team, check, blue team, check, green team, check..." Professor Kim drawled. "Alright. Follow auntie up to the rocks over there."

Everyone exchanged puzzled looks, but went along without complaints.

They reached a top of a rocky slope. A sharp pebble dug into Jiwoo's sole and she hissed.

"Alright, we are now at the peak of Jeju, where the famous mermaid women dived to collect food from the seabed. Please take a look at the scenery below," the woman beckoned, stepping aside to let a few students peek over the jagged stones.

It wasn't a very spectacular sight, a crystal greenish-blue sea with visible shoals of tiny fish darting about, but it was pretty enough.

"Instagram worthy," as Wonyoung would've put it.

...

Hold on.

If Miyun isn't after me...

Why was the sticker on her car?

...

Sakura emerged from the water and slicked back her hair. She took the snorkel out of her mouth. "Hyewon!" she yelped.

Hyewon's head was still submerged, observing a spherical orange coral. Sakura paddled over and tapped her urgently.

"Hm?" the elder hummed, removing her snorkel.

"If Miyun isn't the hunter, whose car did she get into?"

Hyewon froze, remembering the sticker.

We Eliminate To Save.

Both of them exchanged looks and swam over to Miyun. She had completely ditched the snorkel and was completely submerged in the water holding her breath. Sakura's foot scared a school of tiny tropical fish away.

Her head popped out of the surface. "Wh- huh?"

"Miyun, your car," Sakura gasped. "If you aren't the hunter, whose car did you get into?"

"I don't understand," Miyun said, frowning.

"It was a black car with a sticker on the front. 'We Eliminate To Save'? Do you remember seeing a sticker like that?"

"I really don't know what you're saying."

"You're not really helpful, but alright. Did you go to anyone's house a few weeks ago? When was the last time you slept over with someone?" Hyewon pressed.

Miyun looked to the right, thinking carefully.

"Jiwoo," she said, after a few seconds. "We were shopping. I never remember her car having a sticker, though."

pointed teeth || iz*oneWhere stories live. Discover now