✓Crotchet || MCND Castle J

Chapter 34 - Evidences

Jerry's POV

I'm waiting outside TOP Media's building for about half an hour already. One of the employees who came out told me Seongjun had a schedule, but she said they're going to be here any time now and asked me to wait inside. I refused. I want to see him right away when they arrive. I didn't bother to call because what I was about to tell him, should be said in person.

I watched a van approach after a while and before it entered their parking area, it stopped a few feet away from me. The door slid open and I saw Seongjun hurriedly went out. For just a split second, I caught the furious look on his face. The next thing I know was him launching at me and pushing me hard against the stone wall beside the entrance door. I groaned in pain as he glared and huffed at my face, his fist balling the collar of my shirt. From how it hurt, I know my back will bruise later.

It all happened too fast that before either of us can say anything, the guy who went out of the van after him immediately ran and pulled him away from me.

"Hyung, what the hell?" The guy said. I now recognize him as the tallest one of them. The other members are now already out of the car, watching the scene in pure shock. I stood up straighter as the drive—their manager got out as well.

"What's happening here?" He asked. He looked between me and Seongjun whose arm is still gripped by the tall guy.

"Hyung." The one with the cap addressed the manager. "It's just a misunderstanding. We'll settle this. You should go in first."

He looked at him suspiciously, then at all of us.

"It's nothing, hyung," Seongjun said in a whisper, his eyes not making contact with anybody and his jaw is still tight from anger.

The manager paused for a second, but then he nodded. "Alright." He said, patting Seongjun's shoulder. "You guys don't make any trouble, okay?" The others muttered a series of yeses. He, then, looked at Seongjun who didn't answer. He squeezed his shoulder a little until he looked up at him and nodded.

When he left, they all turned to me. Apparently, they don't believe this is only a misunderstanding. They think I did something wrong.

"What was that for?" I asked accusingly, ignoring the serious look on their faces. "That hurt, by the way, and I don't even know what I did wrong."

"You don't know?" Seongjun turned his whole body towards me again and I stepped backward, pressing my back against the wall. "Then what's this?" He pulled something from his pocket and held up a picture. "You're the one who took it. It's from the balcony that night."

I looked at the picture, then sighed. So that's all this is about. He might've noticed that I relaxed a little because his expression softens. "I forgot I sent her that," I said. "She texted me that night, wondering why Minji isn't answering her messages. Then I told her she was with you and she asked for a picture."

"Who?" The guy with flashy mint hair asked.

I know they thought I was the one threatening my own best friend. Like that would happen. I can't blame them, though. I also made a mistake. "Jihwa. Minji's friend from her club. That girl has serious problems. Here." I handed him an envelope that contains various pictures. Seongjun looked at each photo as his members gather around him. "I met this student photographer from your university in a seminar I went to yesterday. He mostly captures candid images of what is happening around campus. I looked at his shots and saw those. I had him send them to me."

In almost all of the photos from the locker room, Jihwa is seen lurking around the aisle of lockers 500-560, which is where Minji's locker is—531.

Seongjun was staring at one specific photo. It's the one from the locker room hallways, where Jihwa was captured holding a suspicious bag. She was clutching it very close to her as if it might break. There are no other people seen in the picture but her. "This was the day the egg incident happened." He said. He pointed at the date at the bottom. "January 12. That was when I ran to the campus and came looking for Minji with you."

I don't specifically remember the dates, but it's a good thing Seongjun does. "Is it enough to report her with this?"

"I don't think so." He said and handed me back the pictures. He pulled out his phone. "But I have something. It says there in the picture that it was captured on January 12, 6:03 am. When I asked my friends to check the security camera in the locker room, they said that the footage from 5:59 am to 6:15 am that day was missing. Also on that other day when she found the dead bird. It says here in my friend's message."

"And the personnel didn't find that suspicious?" I asked, wondering why they haven't acted upon it yet if they already knew.

"They did, but they told me they were having a hard time retrieving the footage. It was hacked perfectly."

"Wait." The chocolate-haired guy interrupted. "This is it. You can ask to look at the security camera footage again and show them this picture. It would be enough to question that noona."

"Right," I said. "If they think it's edited, then you should call that guy I met. His camera won't lie. And he could be a witness, too." I looked for some of Seongjun and Minji's photos together from the stack. I saw recognition in Seongjun's eyes as he looked at them. It was probably sent to him before already. "He said Jihwa was the one who asked him to take candid photos of you two."

"Really?" He asked. I nodded. "That will be enough, then." He said. "I'll go to the campus and take care of it myself." He glances at his members. "Maybe manager noona can help too. She can send the pictures she received to the Univ. It'll hold stronger evidence against Jihwa."

"I'll talk to her now." The cap boy said and went toward the door. The mint-haired boy followed him.

"Does Minji noona knows about all these already?" Tall guy asked.

"No. I came to you guys first." I answered. "I was planning on going right after. I need to sort out things with her anyway."

"You need to sort out things with her too, hyung." The chocolate-haired guy told Seongjun.

Seongjun looked at the two of them, then at me. He sighed. "Alright. Jerry, you make sure Minji knows about everything. And you guys," He pointed to his members. "I will need you to help me plan something."

"Plan what?" Tall guy asked. I'm curious too.

The corners of Seongjun's mouth curled up a little. "Something."

~•~•~•~•~•~
Hi again! I guess this book will be a little bit longer than planned. But it's nearly finished （＾ω＾）