🚨Warning🚨
Mild mention of gore.

I was sitting all cuddled up with Hyerin, one leg thrown over hers, arms wrapped around her shoulder and practically squashed between her and the seat. Our friends were spread out around the café.

Tables pulled up together, fairy lights decorating the walls, hanging from the ceiling. Candles placed on the tables, our only source of light.

Sora in her pretty brown gown that made her look even more warm and beautiful than she already was. The ambient, very much welcoming air within the café, cozy.

The food was long since finished. We were just lazing around, gossiping. No one wanting to leave. That's when Sooyoung brought up the topic.

"Has anyone seen Misuk?" she didn't sound that concerned, more like she was asking out of curiosity. "I haven't seen her for two days, she didn't even show up for the party tonight."

"Have you tried calling her?"

"I did. She's not in her dorm either. Her roommate said she hasn't been home for almost three days."

"I saw her last night," Iseul said before we could grow worried. I don't think his following words assured anyone but me. "She was saying something about going to visit Mr. Ong."

"And you didn't bother to stop her?" Sunhwa questioned. Hand pressed against her throat.

I frowned, not liking the implications behind her words. I held my tongue for the simple fact that I didn't want to change the topic. Misuk being missing was more serious than the allegations against Tio.

"Not for a lack of trying. You know how Misuk is. Once she set her mind to something, no one can change her mind. And she was dead set on finding what Eunha discovered in the woods."

"Better question is why she wanted to find him," Junseo said.

"She said something about Eunha going to meet him. Oh, and she thought that Antieno was somehow him," Iseul answered, rolling his eyes when he compared Antieno to the monster they thought lived in the forest.

If only they knew how Misuk had hit bullseye with her guess.

What worried me was if this was merely a guess to her. Did she know something? Worse yet, had she followed me into the woods?

"It isn't exactly like she's wrong," Sora said, tone nonchalant as if she didn't just drop a bomb on their heads. Not even bothering to lift her gaze off her phone. Posture lazy as the drawl in the voice.

Everyone exchanged looks before turning to me. I pretended not to notice by simply pressing my face into Hyerin's tense back. Patting her stomach in reassurance. Action subtle enough only for her.

I trusted Sora to not bust his cover. And she trusted me to know when to reveal it - with Antieno's permission of course. So that was one worry I didn't have.

"What do you mean Sora?" Sunhwa questioned her friend. A frown marring her brows.

"How long has it been. Three and a half weeks? since Eunha ran into Antieno? To be honest, I've never seen Eunha come scratch free out of the woods than she had the past three weeks."

I sighed, because it wasn't hard connecting the dots from what Sora had revealed.

I wasn't mad. Their judgemental stares didn't bother me - even if I remained mostly hidden behind Hyejin (I was merely seeking comfort).

Antieno isn't a dirty secret I'm trying my best to hide. I never had a problem telling them anything from the very start. I had never gone out of my way to make sure they didn't learn the truth. If anything, I had only glossed over a truth no one had bothered to question me about.

From the very first day I had always been forthcoming of what our relationship had been. I mean, they know I met him in the woods for God's sake. What more could I tell to hint who he is?

"Is that the reason you were no where to be found these past weeks?" Junseo questioned. His voice a careful calm, rage shimmering within his eyes. Held back at bay. Ready to explode anytime. "Because you've been sneaking around with a monster?"

I grit my teeth as I sat up straight. My own anger triggering at his words. No longer using Hyejin as a barrier between us.

"I haven't been sneaking around with anyone, much less a monster," I said, voice hard. Trying just as he was to hold back my anger. "I have never lied to any of you on what I've been up to. None of you ever bother to actually ask me why I can't make it to gatherings."

The chopstick in Junseo's hand snapped in two. Silence descended upon the table. No one daring to breath. Wide eyes darting between me and Junseo. Not interrupting. Not yet.

"Am I a joke to you Eunha?" His rage was no longer simmering. Fully blown over as he leered at me over the table. "Was all that time spent following you around, unassuming and never judging your whimsical wishes, a waste of my time?"

I flinched, his words hitting a little too close to bullseye. Eyes stinging.

"I never asked you to waste your time on me. I never forced you to follow along with my idiosyncratic wishes."

My voice was small. A ball of dread lodged in my throat.

Its stupid really. Getting hurt every single time someone calls me whimsical. I should be used to it. After all the times, time and time again, people have called me that. It should not hurt as much.

Junseo scoffed, tossing his broken chopsticks on the table.

"I guess you didn't mean to string me along either, it just so happened. That's something you aren't to blame for either, are you?"

My lips parted, not having expected that confession. I didn't know how to answer him.

I may never have lead him along on purpose. Didn't mean I wasn't at fault here.

Knowingly or unknowingly, I had lead him along. Wrapped myself up so deep in my own fantasies to never see where I had gone wrong.

Because even now, with the fact pointed out, I couldn't pinpoint what could have given me a clue as to his feelings. What I had done to ever suggest he had a chance.

Had I not always declined all his advances? Where had I gone wrong? What had I done wrong? At what point did I ever give him hope of something more?

A hand on my knee snapped me out of my spiralling thoughts. The touch too familiar to startle me. They'd comforted me too many time for me to not recognise the touch. However, his was my fight. This is the only support Hyerin could give me.

I squeezed her hand back. Reassuring that I was with her.

I was saved from answering when Sooyoung screamed.

We were all startled by the tension snapping so suddenly.

It was short lived as Sooyoung threw her phone to the table and covered her face, loud sobs shaking her body like a leaf.

Sunhwa wrapped an arm around her in comfort while Iseul read what had scared her so much. We all waited with bated breath to hear what she had seen.

Iseul cussed quite colorfully before looking around the table. Expression grim as he spoke.

"They found Misuk's body."

Saying so he placed the phone back on the table. Screen up, illuminating a photo.

Displayed on the screen was a corpse.

A corpse of what had once been a girl.

Body mangled so thoroughly it was impossible to make out who it was. The only reason we could even tell it was Misuk was due to the head being left untouched.

That was sugar coating it.

Twisted to the back, her head was The only thing that remained recognisable as human.

"Oh God!" Sora groaned, burying her face in Hajun's shoulder.

Sunhwa hid her face in Sooyoungs hair, tears falling out of her eyes. Iseul, looking green stood where he was, not moving. Hyejin had a hand pressed to her mouth, looking away from he screen as well. Jieu ran to the washroom.

I was feeling an out of body experience. I could take in what everyone was doing... how they reacted, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from the phone.

Mind reeling a complete different direction.

I didn't realise I stumbled to my feet, pushing past everyone. Mind struck on one blue-haired Angel. It was when a hand on my wrist pulled me back that I even realised I'd been walking.

Vision swimming, lines getting blurry, I looked up at Junseo.

"Eunha -" He started to say, but I shook my head. Pushing away from him, removing his hold on my wrist.

"I- I have to go," was all I could bring myself to stay.

Junseo gritted his teeth, looking pissed again. "That's right, go back to your little murderer. It makes you no better than him."

I didn't bother gracing him with a response. I was already slamming through the door. Feet carrying me where I need to be with no conscious thought.

A/N -
Things are turning a little more serious. Any guesses who the murderer is? Do you think Tio is guilty? Could he really be the monster everyone makes him out to be?

I'd love to know you guys thoughts on where the story is going? Any theories? Leave them in the comments. 💜