Kyungsoo absentmindedly spun the piece of paper around in his hand as he stared out the train window. Chanyeol had been kind enough to give him Byun Baekhyun's address. He had even offered to go with him to make it less of a horribly difficult conversation. But Kyungsoo couldn't afford to let him come. Even though Chanyeol had been nothing but nice to him, even after they drifted apart, he couldn't afford to trust him. He was there. He was a suspect.

Kyungsoo sighed and shifted his position. Why did it have to be Baekhyun? Why was he the only person Chanyeol kept up with? And why did he have to live so far away? Baekhyun had been nothing but horrible to Kyungsoo ever since they were in middle school. Kyungsoo didn't have any friends. Baekhyun was friends with everyone. Kyungsoo kept to himself. Baekhyun never let a thought go unspoken. And Baekhyun hated Kyungsoo. He must have. He whispered about Kyungsoo as he passed in the hall.

"Oh, there goes that weird loner again. He's so creepy."

The more he did it, the more everyone else did it.

"Crazy."

"Weird."

"Idiot."

"Creepy."

And as time dragged on, those words only got worse. They never hit Kyungsoo. They were even too cowardly to confront him directly. But it was always there. That lingering air of hatred. There was only one day when they confronted him: Graduation. It was supposed to be a happy day. A full of hope for the future. But Baekhyun stripped that delusion away.

"Are you an idiot? You must be. You can't seriously think you'll get anywhere in life. Look at you. You're just a creepy loner. No one likes you."

Kyungsoo hadn't been able to hold it back anymore. He'd burst into tears, right in front of his whole school. They all just stared at him. They didn't laugh. They didn't comfort him. He was beneath them. Kyungsoo stepped off the train at his stop. He headed down the street to the bus stop, still lost in his thoughts.

Then high school came. And Baekhyun was coming to the same school. Surely it was just going to be the same nightmare for another four years. But it wasn't. Luhan, Yifan, and Tao changed it. They changed everything. Baekhyun left him alone. And suddenly, there were three people who looked at Kyungsoo like he was good, like he mattered, like they cared for him. There was peace.

But he lost it again, and the air of hatred returned, stronger than ever.

The bus slowed to a stop and Kyungsoo climbed off. He looked around at the little town surrounding him. The buildings' colors were all faded. Their once brightly colored signs peeled away from them. Kyungsoo walked down the cracked concrete, turning onto a side road that led through an alley. The farther he got, the more civilization faded, the number of buildings lining the side of the road slowly shrinking. He walked through a tunnel, stepping out and entered a new world. Fields surrounded the small road, old houses dotted along the way. The air felt fresh and the sky seemed open.

At last, the twisting road led him to his destination: A gorgeous brick home, surrounded by a tall brick wall. Slowly, Kyungsoo walked up to the gate. It's golden bars and faded marble archway loomed over him. Kyungsoo stepped up to ring the doorbell, but to his surprise, the door of the house swung open. Kyungsoo couldn't see the person's face well through the bars, but he recognized their voice.

"Just give me a second," Baekhyun called, hurrying over to unlock the gate.

"Uh, hello," Kyungsoo said when he pulled the gate open.

"Wow, you don't look anything like you did in high school." Baekhyun smiled a little. "Chanyeol called and told me you were coming."

"Oh." Kyungsoo hadn't expected him to do that. Still he was glad he did.

"You can come in," Baekhyun said, stepping back to let him through.

"Thank you," Kyungsoo stepped inside.

The two of them walked through the front garden. It was lined with gorgeous trees, flowers, and stones. They were somewhat contrasted by the stroller pushed to the side of the path and the red ball lying abandoned in the mud. Kyungsoo followed Baekhyun onto the small porch and into the house.

"Stupid!" A little boy cried as he shoved his toy car violently at his sister.

"Ah!" Baekhyun ran over to them. "Taeyoung, I asked you to go play upstairs."

"But it's hot up there." The little boy pouted.

"I'm not asking." Baekhyun pulled him onto his feet. "Daddy has someone here he needs to speak with privately. Please, take Jaehee and go upstairs."

The boy continued to pout, but he obliged his father and pulled his little sister up the stairs. Baekhyun motioned for Kyungsoo to sit down on the couch. Kyungsoo watched the two children clamber up the stairs as he did so. Baekhyun had kids. It was weird to think about. What kind of father was he? Kyungsoo pulled his eyes back to meet Baekhyun. He did not have a pleasant expression. He almost looked scared. He rung his hands a little before speaking up.

"Chanyeol told me you wanted to talk about the... um..." He trailed off.

"Murders?" Kyungsoo finished.

"Yeah." Baekhyun nodded.

"Yeah, that's why I'm here." Kyungsoo sighed. "I didn't do it."

"Ah..." Baekhyun raised his head, nodding slightly.

"I know... I know it's hard to believe," Kyungsoo said.

"Sorry." Baekhyun's eyes shifted away. "I just don't see who else it could be."

"That's just it." Kyungsoo scooted forward. "I wasn't alone at that school. Chanyeol was there, Jongin was there, you were there-"

"You think I did it?" Baekhyun cut him off, suddenly looking defensive. "Because of our past?"

"Ah, well-" Kyungsoo stuttered.

"I didn't. I liked Tao, Yifan and... Luhan." Baekhyun choked up a little on the last name.

Kyungsoo furrowed his brow. "And they were my best friends... my only friends. I'm going to be honest with you Baekhyun, I do suspect you. Not because of all the things you did to me."

Baekhyun grimaced a little.

"But because you were there. And it's not just you, it's all the people I know were there. You said you didn't do it right?"

Baekhyun nodded slowly.

"So, prove it. Tell me what happened."

"Alright..."

Baekhyun walked along the crowded street. The same question running through his head. Should he do it today? Should he turn around? There was one reason to do it, and a million not to. Baekhyun groaned. It was a very good reason. He turned on his heels and took off running back to his school. His mind and heart were racing. This was a bad idea. But still he as he neared the school, the idea of finally getting this off his chest was all too sweet.

Baekhyun stood in front of the school. Shifting his weight from foot to foot. He had already run all the way back. He just needed to go inside. He reached out his hand to open the door. But the door suddenly flew open. Baekhyun yelped and stepped back. His classmate Jongin emerged. He looked terrified.

"Baekhyun!" He grabbed Baekhyun's shoulders and pulled him away. "There were- they must have been gunshots. I left my phone inside, you need to call the police!"

"Huh? What?" Baekhyun stammered.

"Call the police idiot!" Jongin screamed.

"Okay, Okay!" Baekhyun pulled his phone out.

Baekhyun ended the story somewhat unceremoniously.

"That's really all I remember." He said.

Kyungsoo nodded, but there was chaos in his head. That story didn't make any sense. It didn't fit well with what Chanyeol had told him. It could be explained away by the fragility of the human memory, but still, a knot formed in Kyungsoo stomach.

"You said you were going home but you turned around to do something at school. What was it?"

Baekhyun leaned back, not breaking eye contact but not speaking. He wasn't going to answer. Kyungsoo sighed and stood up.

"Well, if it's relevant..." Kyungsoo handed him a slip of paper with his number on it. "Call me."

"...Alright." Baekhyun took it reluctantly.

Kyungsoo turned to leave, but stopped. "If you don't mind, one more thing."

"Yes?" Baekhyun looked up.

"Did you keep up with anyone besides Chanyeol after high school?" Kyungsoo asked.

"No." Baekhyun shrugged. "Not really."

"Alright. Thank you for helping me." Kyungsoo really meant it. He was grateful.

Baekhyun nodded and Kyungsoo stepped back out into the garden, his mind racing. He had hit a dead end. The truth was far from being uncovered, he had no idea where the others were living now, and the stories he had heard didn't line up. Something else was strange. Baekhyun hadn't been at all pleased to talk to Kyungsoo. So, why? Why had he agreed to let someone he believed to be a murderer into his house with his children? Why had he given in and told him what happened? Chanyeol had called him and he could be very persuasive. Or... was there another reason?