"I already .. No! not true! You …. studied all the possibilities this girl …. would have."
"...can just restart …."
"No! I want…. This upgrade… unacceptable… not enough."
'Who are these people that keep talking inside my head? Why is everything pitch black? Am I dreaming?'
"What do you suggest, sir?"
"If we run the restart program in the middle of the game, there won't be enough data to run the oversensation program in their brain's neurons. We should resume."
"Then how about adding an extra element to add weight to this study?"
"Explain."
"How about we assign the mafia a new task?"
'To kill one each or they will die.'
"She's awake!"
"Where am I?"
I ask as Nahee helps me to adjust and sit in our room, from the window light it's probably morning now. She then stares at me with her shakable mouth and chin, and eyes full of tears as she hugs me.
"Woah, did I miss a chapter or something? What happened?"
"You won't like what you are about to hear." Eunha hands me a cup of water and I feel her hands when I take the cup.
"Why do you look like you came out of the freezer?"
"Because I did."
"What?"
"Is everyone okay here?"
Eunchan and Yeonwoo knock on the door before they enter slowly, thank goodness everyone seems fine. Even though I'm glad they're fine, I can't shake the uneasy feeling when I'm next to them too.
Yesterday, I was taking a huge risk exposing my plan to all of them regardless of Somi's even without knowing what their identity is. I also figured that if there was a mafia between us, they wouldn't kill me so fast when obviously I didn't make such a ruckus to other students. It will be clear it was one of them if I died and they will end up bringing attention to themselves instead.
So I took this risk only gathering a few students for my plan.
'Kill me and you will end up killing yourself as well.'
"Where's Hyunho?"
No one answers and Nahee cries over my shoulder one more time, while Eunha puts back the water cup on the bedside table and keeps staring at the floor. I don't understand the gloomy air until I go to check on the freezer.
I enter the blue and cold chilly huge freezer storage area back of the retreat centre main kitchen, smells of frozen meat and chicken run through the place as I wince over it. I wander the place pulling away the semi-transparent plastic hanging covers as I step on something. I look with my eyes under my shoes to find an index finger all alone cut off.
I flinch and kick it by reflex, the finger jumps awkwardly and rolls multiple rounds until it hits a hand.
Now, my eyes fully grasp the full scene ahead with the freezer being crowded by piles of bodies one over the other. Between them, there lies Hyunho, all blue with parts of him covered by white soft hail over his eyelashes and fingertips..
"We just woke up but the mafia went crazy yesterday! They pulled every person they could lay their hands on and killed them in the freezer."
The announcement then starts.
"Morning has come."
"Oh Hyeseung was executed by the mafia."
"Oh Heyseung was a civilian."
"Lee Hyeonjoon was executed by the mafia."
"Lee Hyeonjoon was a mafia."
Yeonwoo pushes his glass back as he trembles and wet his lips, "thank goodness they didn't know where to find me or who might know what could have happened."
Yoonseo holds her cry as she hugs Junhee who seemed absent minded, Jeongwon crosses her arms. The students' numbers decrease as they go out after witnessing the scene.
"Jang Hyunho was executed by the mafia."
"Jang Hyunho was a civilian."
I pull Nahee from Hyunho's and help her to stand as she stifles her cries.
"Park Jungeon was executed by the mafia."
"Park Jungeon was a mafia."
"Lee Jooyoung was executed by the mafia."
"Lee Jooyoung was a civilian."
"Kim yeonjoo was executed by the mafia."
"Kim yeonjoo was a civilian."
"Now, we don't even know how many mafia are left, are we ahead of this game or are we not?" Eunchan asks, "and I think they are ruthless, the person whose fingers are caught off is, is just," Eunchan stops talking. "I don't even wanna know what happened that night."
"I mean, why would they even do this? Why not just one? Have they lost their mind? Now, not many of us are left," says Eunha.
"Not many of us are lucky." I say back.
"The police have used their skill before midnight."
"The doctors have used their skill before midnight."
"Jang Hyunho will be brought back to life."
Hyunho opens his eyes as he breathes heavily and coughs.
"Oh my god! Thank goodness." Nahee runs to hug the clueless and puzzled Hyunho as he takes on his surroundings, then she stands up and hugs me and Eunha both.
"Thank goodness!"
"I can't believe it!" I put my hands on my heart and let out a sigh.
"Man, you got luck out of steel or something."
"Here, Yeonwoo, help me to give him a hand."
"Welcome back, buddy!"
Both Eunchan and Yeonwoo support him on both sides and help him to stand as he stumbles a bit before he straightens his back, as Nahee pushes her forehead into his chest while grabbing his shirt in a tiny fist as one side of his mouth rise a bit before letting out sounds of pain again.
We all head to the clinic for him to lay down, Eunchan and Yeonwoo supporting him still on each side by resting Hyunho's arms on their shoulders. We come across Kyungjun, Seungbin and Jinha on the way with Kyungjun in the front and both his hands on each side inside his pockets.
"We heard you came back, fucking seen anyone before you die?"
"Can't wait for this type of question? Can't you see his condition?"
Junhee steps up and gives a warning to Kyungjun. Kyungjun knits his eyebrows and walks slowly towards Junhee "what's with your mood today? Wanna have a crying break? Or then why the fuck are you in my way when I wasn't talking to you? hm?"
He turns his body and then speaks with a lower voice as if he is a teacher who is scolding a bunch of kids with low energy, "Bet you're all messed up the most because you are a mafia." Kyungjun sneers so Eunchan steps up too, "no one is all messed up like you morron!"
"Who do you call a moron?" He pushes back Eunchan.
"You," I say in monotone, "who else is he talking to."
"Ya. Yoonhwa. Don't cross the line."
"I didn't. You did since whoever remembers."
Kyungjun stops and looks at me.
He always wears this specific expression for a split second when he gets nervous as he contemplates if he is right or wrong. I know it, and he knows that I know it ever since our middle school interactions.
"You will get your answers, but we need to get him to the clinic first. Wanna join the parade?"
Nobody says a thing back as the group and both Seungbin and Jinha stare and look at what type of reaction Kyungjun is doing. So they wait, but nothing happens. Kyungjun redirects his body to the clinic direction, raises his eyebrow as fast as he drops them as if he's signaling us 'after you'.
We arrive at the clinic and the once celebratory atmosphere turns all rigid when Hyunho finally sits half his body out of the bed, while the rest of us wait.
Yeonwon takes his glass off and wipes it with the tip of his shirt, then I see Eunchan crossing his arms standing and glaring over Kyunjun's side as Eunha shakes her legs sitting in the other empty bed next to me as I bite my nails. The three jerks are across the room, Seungbin checking random drawers, I guess out of boredom. Jinha is standing and leaning on the wall while cleaning his ear with his index and wiping it off his pants.
'Gross.'
And finally Kyungjun, who brought a chair, decided to sit on it in the opposite direction. Crosses both his arms leaning them over the back of the chair while spreading each leg on each side.
Yeonseo, Jeongwon, Junhee and Dabum that weirdly start to accompany them at one point also sit in the room waiting for any news they can deliver to the other students as it would seem inappropriate and inconvenient if the rest come just to ask him this question.
"No I haven't seen anyone, all I remember is I was just asleep from the voting time."
Hyunho finally breaks the silence.
"Wow, what a great load of bullshit that was fucking worth wasting my time for." Kyungjun stands from his chair and hits it to the back, "haven't you heard a thing or two? Smelled something that could serve as a fucking clue?"
"Hey! Kyungjun can't you really see the condition he is in? Shouldn't you be glad that he is alive?"
"Fuck off!" Kyungjun doesn't stop there."Stop this fucking class president shit and starts to check the reality. Wake up. Why play a saint when you could be a mafia too? Haven't you suggested weird shit that ends up in huge failure."
Kyungjun smiles as he comes up with an idea, "How about you take responsibility and we vote for you tonight?"
"Have you gone crazy!" Eunchan pushes Kyungjun back until he hits Jinha, Seungbin interferes and hits Eunchan on his face, "Ya! How dare you!"
Junhee steps in the middle as he tries to separate them and in this time Kyungjun laughs as he goes for a punch in Eunchan's face that pushes him far back to the metal wheel with the medical aids that falls with him to the ground making a crash sound.
"That's enough, please. Do you really want to argue in this situation?"
Yoonseo says out loud enough to freeze their moves in the air, they let go of each other violently and adjust their clothes and jackets.
"How long will you argue over a game that kills people? Do you want to go home or not?"
To which Kyungjun scuffs.
"How can we go home? Do you have any ideas?" I ask Yeonseo.
"If we can find out who created this game, this mafia game and why, we can figure out a way of how to get out of here, then no one has to die."
Everyone stays still and the boys go back to their original spots. What yoonseo said just now makes a lot of sense but why does it seem familiar at the same time? Like, it's as if I heard this elsewhere?
"This direction of finding the game master seems more effective than searching for the mafia, I agree, but at the end of the day, we will have to vote. By then this might be all pointless and we might project ourselves to more danger. As someone who just came back from death, I don't want to risk it again." Hyunho says at last.
We all think and frown over this until Yeonseo says, "we'll figure out a way, I'm sure."
"Then how about a rest first then we can call for another meeting in an hour or so with all the students to think about what to do next?" I check their faces and see a few nods before I leave the clinic.
I need some alone time to clear my mind.
"Hey, weirdo."
'Oh my god.'
"Don't call me that. What do you need?" I turn and look at who-else-mister-kyung-jun.
"You knew that Somi was a mafia, right?"
I freeze.
I look both sideways of the hallway then I grab his collars to a corner no one knows about. I found it on my first day in a searching pursuit of spaces specifically designed for reasons of solitude.
"Now, speak." I cut to the chase.
He pulls away his clothes from my pull as he adjusts his jacket and sneers, "I saw you smiling at her while saying the word," he gets close as he whispers, "mistake." he pulls back with a smug face.
"Well, I'm glad to entertain you for a bit now, excuse me."
"Hold on," I let out a loud exhale while I raise my eyebrows at him waiting for him to continue. "Do you have any other people in your mind that you're suspecting?"
And for the first time, and in a long time, I see his serious face without any condensing look.
"Do you have any?"
"Junhee, Dabum, Jinha, Yoojoon, you, and who else let me guess? Oh I got it, all of them."
What did I expect from him?
"Fine, then the same goes for me."
"Wait!" he sighs as he throws and shrugs his shoulders, "Not you, you're in the second half closer to the bottom of the suspects list."
"Thank you, I guess?" I stare at him, "wish I could say the same."
"You suspect me as a mafia?" he drew nearer.
"Please, your actions don't really help at all to clear your name."
"My actions? What happened to the part when I …. When I …"
"When you what? See, that's exactly what I mean."
"And so what? Does your prince charming Junhee scream innocence just because he bosses people around to an action that was even worse than its previous?"
"Prince charـــ? He's the class president! He is trying to do something. Unlike someone who just sits around and beats people off whenever he feels like, to recharge his sense of superiority that he lacks in the situation."
"Fuck off you bitch."
"Excuse me? Fuck off? You bitch? Fuck. off. You. Bitch?"
Kyungjun leans back.
I throw my arms in the air after I was crossing them and leave him by, then I go in a circle and decided why the hell not, "You know what, I haven't got the chance to say that because, let's say our fate never aligned, but now that I'm here for who knows how long, let me just get this clear. The first time I saw your name on the students list on my first day at school, I was thrilled. To be met with an old acquaintance and Kyungjun above all? We really used to joke a lot and have fun, but oh no, how I wished I hadn't met you. The moment I have known how low you have stepped couldn't beat the huge amount of disappointment that I felt. I wished to never come across you in high school to keep the version of you in middle school alive instead of this one."
I breathe in and out as he just stares at me, I slightly regret what I say when I find the look on his face turning colder and darker than I thought. I swallow my saliva.
"How bad," he gets closer and hisses,"that one is already dead." and leaves.
***
"What's the matter?"
"I feel all my nerves are crumbling from the inside out. Thank you."
I grab the hot Ramyun Eunha serves me, as she puts down hers with the other hand over the table, she sits across me and wears a faint smile, "who hasn't lost their temper once in this place?" She cracks the chopsticks open as she tucks her hair behind her ear and takes a bite after stirring the ramyun a couple of times.
"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I don't want to eat."
"You have to. We will meet later on with everyone for the meeting so we can …. you know, vote for another mafia." She takes another bite.
"Who will be there?"
As a translation of who is still alive?
Eunha stirs her Ramyun as she names them, "well, there is me and you with Nahee, Hyunho next to Eunchan and Yeonwoo. Junhee, Jeongwon, Yoonseo, Dabum." she blows on her ramyun, "Wooram, mina, jisoo with her boyfriend Yoojoon. Then unfortunately the last three."
"And we have no clue about how many mafia there are, right?"
"yup, do you have a lead over someone?"
"I do, but I don't know how to word this out yet without gaining too much attention or looking suspicious."
"I think you will do fine, just like what you did with Somi."
"Well, that makes you one of us."
"Cheer up, you can do it. Also, the meeting was rescheduled to be an hour later."
"Why? what happened?"
"Yoonseo fainted when she was taking pictures of the bodــ of them when she was in the freezer."
"Is she okay?"
"Yes, she is fine. Go and check on her later while you pass through the clinic."
"Will do."
After some time passes, it is finally time to conclude what we are going to do next. For this meeting, we gather in a room that gives the feeling of that place you see in movies where unhappy employed staff meet in a very mundane text book office meeting room without the board to pretend like they love their lives, I'm getting more and more depressed with my thoughts. The room is okay.
"Let's finish this once and for all," Kyungjun starts as he speaks ahead of the table. "If you're the mafia, come out."
I look over my shoulders at Junhee in the back.
His condition is really getting worse as if he has taken a blow, and so does everyone else. Their faces look like they have aged a time more than I have seen them in.
"Will you confess, if it was you?" I look back at Jeongwon as I see her answer back to Kyunjun.
"Fine," Kyungjun leans back, "let's do it like this, who do you think is a mafia?"
No one answers, at this point this meeting would be pointless.
"Hey class president." Kyungjun calls Junhee but stares only at me, "what do you think? Any guesses of a person who almost killed many of us?"
Junhee barely holds his gaze over the floor as he doesn't answer, "let's vote for the class president then, he is the one who suggested the mountain trail shit, and you almost didn't let us vote yesterday. Who knows, maybe this was all a mafia scheme."
"But if this was a mafia scheme, why would the mafia die too?" Jeongwon asks.
"At least we know who the doctor is," Eunchan speaks and my heart drops.
They all look over Hyunho, and I copy.
"It wasn't me."
"True, his identification was announced as civilian and nothing else." Yeonwoo says.
"Then it was Nahee!" Jisoo says.
"It wasn't me!"
"Then who else would save him if it wasn't you?" Mina adds.
"Hyunho was proactive during these past days, during the mountain trail and the other gatherings, he made sure to help everyone and stood out the most. If the doctor would help anyone, doesn't it make sense if they vote for either Junhee or Hyunho." Yoonseo replies back and looks at Jisoo. "I don't think this choice could be personalized."
"Then what about the police? They should have used their skills twice by now." Eunchan opens his mouth and decides to throw this time, without knowing, Nahee out of the cliff.
"Police! Where are you?"
Jinha raises his voice as he nods his head towards Seungbin, and Seungbin copies his action. " That's right! Shouldn't the police start to act now! Come from your hideout and show yourself you coward! Why aren't you helping the citizens? Do you want us to die?" Seungbin shouts at the end, and no one still answers.
"What about you, Kyungjun?"
"What about me, fucker?"
"Why would you constantly vote for someone out, with no reasons?" Wooram asks.
"No reasons?" Kyungjun closes his eyes and lifts his eyebrows for a second as he smirks as he opens them again, "when I see someone whose actions constantly result in killing citizens, why would I trust this bustard?"
"Still, why wouldn't you trust him and inexplicably want to vote for him each time?"
Didn't he just explain this question earlier on with perfect sense? Why would Wooram insist on repeating his question regardless of the answer.
'Hmm. something is off'
Unless he doesn't want to hear Kyungjun's answer but instead wants to hear the answer he wants. If someone insists on controlling an outcome only according to his desires without considering the facts of what the other person said ahead. In a mafia game, that person usually is ….
"You know I didn't do it because you are the one who killed jooyoung by the freezer you fucking bustred."
It seems Kyungjun catched him too.
Kyungjun throws a bait and attacks Wooram on a whim, testing him.
"What?" Wooram startled, says.
Wooram does fall on the trap and shows himself for a second before he conceals his feelings again from his face.
And Kyungjun did it.
'Nice fishing.'
"You think I don't know? You were shit on online after you confessed your feelings to Lee Jooyoung and got rejected."
"We were just jokingـــ"
"Stop bullshitting me, you motherfucker!"
'Translation: wrong approach to take if you were really an innocent civilian.'
"You begged on your knees to ask Lee Jooyoung to take it down. Is there someone here who doesn't know this? Choi mina! Didn't you record it?"
Mina doesn't reply.
"Why pretend otherwise bitch? It's true!" Kyungjun looks at Wooram again. "You trashed Lee Jooyoung behind her back as a sly fox, you killed Juwon first then it wouldn't be obvious when you Jooyoung the next day."
"No! I'm not! You're the mafia!"
"Fuck you."
"Go Kyungjun has voted for Park Wooram."
"Shin Seeungbin has voted for Park Wooram."
"Kim Jinha has voted for Park Wooram."
"I'm not! Don't do it!"
"I can tell from your eyes."
I stand up as yoonseo does and come between Kyungjun and Wooram, we don't come in time when Kyungjun already grabs Wooram's jaw with his whole hands to push him back. Hyunho comes ahead and stands in front of Wooram.
"You made your point clear and did your vote, that's enough."
"Then hurry up and vote for him too."
"You can't just force us," Eunha says in disbelief.
"Give us some time, and we will be able to think about this," I add.
"What's there to think? It's clearly this fucker! I said so! Ya! Choi mina watch out, you pissed him too besides Jooyoung. He killed Jooyoung. He will come for you next."
He then storms out of the room. Seungbin follows and Jinha at last pushes Wooram out of his way as he stumbles back to where Yeonwoo holds him to assist him. Then Jisoo and Yoojoon walk out of the room as well. Junhee then steps in and tries to stop them.
"We need a bit of rest, we can resume later." Yoojoon says while he leaves with his girlfriend. I come closer to Nahee and whisper "let me go and talk to Kyungjun, if he agrees we will proceed with the plan, wait for my text." Nahee nods as I say goodbye to Eunha, Eunchan, and Yeonwoo. 'Be careful of him.' they said.
I go to the hallways to follow Kyungjun as I know exactly where I need to head by following his loud curses that serve as a great GBS.
"Don't you think they will turn their back against us?" I arrive at exactly the moment Seungbin warns Kyungjun of everyone voting against him.
"We won't."
I step on as I see Kyungjun raise his head, stretch his back from leaning backwards on the handrails and stand still. He moves one step, two steps, three steps to me and lowers his head to my eye vision.
"And you think I should believe that shit?"
"Yes, because for once, you are right."
I sigh.
'You're the perfect puzzle piece I was hoping for. The perfect cover and excuse to come up with.'
Didn't know Kyungjun would be this helpful this soon too. Didn't see that one coming.
(this morning, hours ago.)
"Thank you for saving him," Nahee hugs me again,
"I really just chose him as he was both a popular person and confirmed as a citizen. Turns out he is just lucky as well."
We both sit in front of each other, meeting all alone. Nahee checks the surroundings before she leans close."And what shall we do about this person?"
"Wooram?"
"Yes."
Yesterday, when she clicked on his identity, we knew he is a mafia.
"If we told the others bluntly, people will definitely know one of us has an important role. In our case, it's even more dangerous as we both have important roles."
"So what to do?"
"I need to find a way where we can find a connection between him and one of the students he .. he killed, but he could also not have killed a one since not every mafia has to kill, right?" I ask Nahee as she scratches her head when I continue rambling "What if there was a change in who to kill each night distributed by a certain order? We really have no idea how their system works."
I let my body spread all over the cafeteria chair I'm sitting on.
"But how come you ask for specifically Wooram's Identity?"
"Luck."
I had this suspicion from the mountain's trail mission. The way Somi always made him stick next to her as if she was sure of his identity, with no questions and Somi after all. I would have thought she might be the police if Nahee didn't tell me. So with this, it was really a slight suspicion mixed with sheer luck. Glad I did take the mountain mission as it did serve me later.
I say back to Kyungjun snapping back from my memories.
"First, I need to talk to Kyungjun. So, I will excuse us if you don't mind Seungbin and Jinha. We will come to you later so don't feel like we are leaving you out."
"So," Kyungjun raises his eyebrows at what I'm about to say as I glance at Jinha and Seungbin getting far ahead of us, I continue. "You need to promise me something."
"Promise you what? Keep this conversation a secret? Cut the crap, what do you want?" He then stares at the floor for a second then comes closer with a sudden swift as if he comes to a certain conclusion.
He lowers his voice and towers over me. "If you intend to scheme behind my back, you and your friends, to steal my keys as you waste my time at ridiculous stuff like now," He walks away without continuing his warning as he stresses on his jaws heading back to his hideout.
'What is he on about? Steal what?'
"Wait, No."
Kyungjun stops as he observes my confusing face and I take my chance to finally stir this conversation to what I have prepared for. "You need to promise to protect me."
"Promise you what?"
"That you will protect me."
'Even when I say these words, I'm still doubtful about it.'
"What do you want exactly, Yoonhwa?" he whispers and relaxes his expression but I know he is just acting nice to hide his impatience.
"I will vote for Wooram."
His eyes change and he pierce through me for a second as I raise my pinky finger. He looks sideways and scuffles then speed walks to me as he pulls up his hand from his pocket and casually does the pinky promise procedure just so he can hear what's next.
"You will?" He especially stresses in the word 'will' as I nod my head.
"I do find him strange ever since I saw his interaction with Somi and you do know she was a mafia too, am I wrong? We will help you find evidence to vote him out."
"We?"
Kyungjun looks sceptical as I answer him.
"Nahee and Hyunho will vote for Wooram too, they tend to trust my observations. I'm not sure about Eunha, Eunchan and Yeonwoo though."
"Hyunho? Can you convince him?"
"Yes."
'As Nahee made sure he is a civilian, she will inform him this day that she is a police officer and the news about Wooram's identity will be revealed as well.'
"We just need your help so we can vote smoothly without dragging attention and I bet votes is what you need at the moment too, so let's work together. It's a win-win situation."
"Hm,"
'Okay everything seems good.'
Kyungjun grins slowly.
'Oh, now what?'
"Then do it."
"Do what?"
"Vote now."
"I can't vote now."
Kyungjun doesn't take that well, so I elaborate.
"People will think I might be forced by you which does help me in a way but it will still ruin what I'm planing."
"What plan?"
"That's why we need to do a private and separate meeting for further details. That's why I'm meeting you like this. Are you in?"
"And by we, you mean Nahee and Hyunho?"
"With Eunha, Eunchan and Yeonwoo too."
"What about Junhee?"
'Huh? suddenly?'
"What about him?"
"Is he in the meeting?"
"Well, we're not that close so, uhm, I can't,"
"Can't what?" he smirks as he raises his both brows.
"I'm still not sure about him."
I say in a low voice closer to a mumble.
Kyungjun parts his lips in a shocking fake expression, "Oh no! Not the fucking class presiــ how dare you?!"
"Let's meet the others."
I drop my facial expressions at once seeing how energetic he is once again, and take this as a yes answer for the secret gathering we all now will attend. I pull out my phone and type something to send it to Nahee.
'He's in, and you?'
'They're in.'
'Let's meet in the swimming pool cafeteria.'
I later meet Eunha, and Eunchan at the door before we enter the orange funk themed cafeteria, "Are you sure you want to work with him?"
'No.'
I force a smile and we go inside and the first thing I check to my surprise isn't if there is messy fight or not, but it is the A.C. temperature's, but turns out there is not even an A.C. working in this chilly room, me and Eunha stops right away and our shoes make squeak sound as we gen inside. Everyone in the room is really in their own spot. Kyungjun Fidget with his nails uninterested while Seungbin smacks Jinha's head while talking away or back? A Ramyun package from him. On the complete other side of the funk colored themed cafeteria, sits Hyunho as he crosses his arm and presses on his jaws moving it slightly from one side to the other, that's not good.
Then there's Yeonwoo who seems to not fit the picture at all as he sits in the corner closing both his feet together in the chair while resting his hand on his knees just like a student sitting in front of a teacher. He does tell us he isn't a mannequin once in a while when he pushes back his glasses. Nahee stands right when she sees us and goes straight to me and Eunha and says in a low voice. "The meeting isn't going well so far." "We can see," Eunha whispers back.
"So, now that we're all here, vote for Wooram."
"This isn't how things work." Hyunho says back.
"Oh yeah fucker? What is there to think? We are all nine in total, and the rest are eight!."
"We are still not convinced why we should vote for him,"
Yeonwoo says as he lowers his voice the more he speaks then looks at me.
"Yes, Eunha, Eunchan and Yeonwoo will wait until we find the evidence."
I tell Kyungjun just as I promised them to say.
Kyungjun itches his eyebrows and he pushes his head back momentarily as he repositions himself to rest both his forearms over his knees, "What?"
"Like I told you before. Nahee, me and Hyunho will give you our votes for sure but the rest need time," Then I add before he loses his temper again, "and proof."
Kyungjun shuts his mouth after he opens it, then he breathes and speaks quietly "then how about the three of you vote for Wooram, now?"
"If we all voted around the same time with no tangible proof they would think we were threatened, and therefore side with Wooram at the bat of an eye."
"So what the fuck?" he shouts then calms down "They are eight and we're nine."
"Then we will blow away our trap."
"Trap?"
I finally started to talk about our plan.
"We need to watch Wooram up close before we vote him out, pretend that we're still thinking about it while we observe who he might be against or side with him when there's clearly no logical evidence to rule you both out. Wouldn't it help us to provide clues for the other mafia's as well? if you rush with your actions it's like handing away such an opportunity. We can also help you to search for proof. Yesterday the elimination process was so hectic and there were so many. I bet there must be evidence caught up in this whole mess the mafia won't know about. Since we were going to search for a proof, you might as well join us since we're on the same side." at least for now. "The more, the merrier."
Kyungjun throws his phone on the table after he was holding it, "what a bullshit plan." He glares at everyone, one by one, waiting for anyone to say a thing and he stops at Hyunho who seems to not look away.
"Do you have anything better?" Hyunho asks. "It seems like a good plan."
"Yeah right bustard! you can take all the time you need especially when your fucking head is not on the line, crazy fool."
"I promise you to vote for him." I say after I finally realize Kyungjun's state to try and calm him.
"You and your promises."
"And you know that I always keep them, no matter what." I say as he stares quietly.
"Or knew."
I add.
"I will definitely vote for Wooram too!" Nahee adds with hands forming a fist in the air as she looks at Hyunho, "I give my word too." Hyunho plainly says.
"I don't trust you, but I do trust Yoonhwa," says Eunha while Eunchan and Yeonwoo stay silent.
"And we're supposed to believe your empty words?" Seungbin rushes from the back and yells, " Do you take us as fools?" He stops when Kyungjun raises his hand, Kyungjun pulls out a cigarette as he smokes it and closes his eyes as we hear him cursing quietly.
"So what are we doing now?" Kyungjun asks.
'I guess he is with us.'
"We will divide into two teams, some of us will search for a tangible proof so the voting can be convincing for the others, the other would follow the tail of Wooram. They will hold a meeting in a few minutes. We will vote for him once we get out."
Kyungjun blows one smoke to the air and then he flickers it to the floor as he steps on it.
"But we do need food to recharge for the search party, may we?" I look around the cafeteria and join both my hands behind my back as I look for a second over Kyungjun to hear his reply, he gestures with his palm hands and Yeonwoo goes next to me beside the chips corner as Eunchan move in much more slower and careful moves checking Kyungjun who has put down his head on the table.
"Eunha, isn't this your favorite flavored iced tea?" "You got it right." "Nahee, your chocolate is also there." "Thank you." "Yeonwoo your chips down here." "Thanks!"
'What about my thing? Do they have it here?'
"Milkis are on the third row in the fridge."
I raise my eyebrows slightly in dumbfounded states to Kyungjun, "Thank you."
"Hyunho, do you like this?" Nahee jumps in tiny cute jumps heading to Hyunho, the jumps give me a smile but unlike Hyunho his smile was rather forced for a bit, Nahee tilts her head as we all see him stand up.
We look at him and so does Kyungjun and the mood switches again.
"Ya! Why don't you just grab a snack quietly!" Seungbin says somewhat loudly. Hyunho slowly walks towards Kyungjun until he reaches in front of him. Kyungjun raises his head even more waiting for whatever he is going to do as I see his right hand go slowly in his pocket.
Is holding a weapon there?
Hyunho then stretched his right arm.
"Ya!"
"Everyone, calm down!"
"Let's think about it again."
Eunchan, Yeonwoo and I step in but we slowly stop in front of the scene ahead of us.
We see a hand.
A human hand.
That belongs to Hyunho.
Hyunho's hand.
If my eyes don't deceive me.
A hand waiting for a shake type of hand.
"For some reason you still bother me and I wish to kill you. Man! you sure know how to rub people off the wrong way. But for now, I will work with you and I will do my best to find proof."
Hyunho must know that Wooram is a mafia when Nahee showed him her phone before, he knows Kyungjun is right about Wooram.
"I can't believe my eyes."
I snap to reality when they look at me.
'Did I say that out loud?'
Kyungjun doesn't shake his hand but instead he claps Hyunho's hands, thank goodness Hyunho doesn't seem bothered by it.
"Wow! If Hyunho believes him that much then he's either the police or got information from the police. The police and doctor know he's a citizen too so there' s no reason for them not to work with you."
My heart drops over another Eunchan's random comment.
"Or it's the end of the world, no in between." Eunchan jokes as Yeonwoo agrees while wiping his glasses off. "Well, it's the end in a sense."
Imagine if Hyunho does vote now, definitely the mafia would guess the same.
Gladly, we didn't. I can't save him twice in a row now. I look over Kyungjun to check his reaction wishing he didn't read too much between the lines, but then I see his face.
His narrow eyes catch me first before I do.
He does.
"Well if that is the case, does that mean that Eunchan and Yeonwoo are convinced by Hyunho giving his vote for sure?"
They stare at each other for a second as they give it a thought then they nod.
"Then we don't need any more evidence, right?" Jinha suddenly jumps from his chair and smiles looking back at Kyungjun.
"Can you vote when I tell the time for it?" they stare at me knitting their eyebrows as I smile.
Later, we finish our snack time and then resume our plan as we divide into two teams. I'm now heading with Nahee towards Junhee's meeting where I will find Wooram and the rest to start reaping off through my trap.
I breathe in and out as I press over the door handle to get inside the room and there I find them all around Wooram. "Hello there." I bow to them briefly as I stumble and almost fall because of one of the chairs. Nahee runs to assist me to stand still so I can sit on one of the chairs.
"Are you okay?" Yoonseo asks me, all worried.
"I'm fine, I just got a little bit sick this morning. Turns out the food of this place really isn't to my liking." I say as I force a smile.
Junhee sits down as soon as he makes sure I'm fine and I nod for everyone to continue, "still, if you don't feel that well, you can head to the clinic anytime." Junhee says.
"Thank you."
Apparently it is not only me who is in a bad condition as I notice Wooram's unwell state. This is definitely tough at him as well.
Junhee starts the conversion pulling off his both hands from the fist they were making, "Kyungjun got the better of us, I should've stopped them from voting,"
"Even if you did, would they have listened?" Jeonwon replies in a matter of fact type of way.
"Instead of just sitting like this, shouldn't we ask the others to vote for someone else?" Mina says.
"Who would they suggest to vote for?" Jeongwon asks.
"I don't know! Okay? As long as we don't frame people just like that. Not like what Kyungjun did." Mina says.
"We just need to know who the mafia is." Nahee adds as she barely holds her tears.
"If only we had a clue." I say.
Wooram loses a bit of his temper seeing how no one took the lead of this conversion to anything to his benefit. He bites his nails.
'Seems like he needs just a little push.'
I sneakily slide my hands into my pocket and I send a text with one word. 'Now.'
"Im Eunchan has voted for Park Wooram."
"Nam Yeonwoo has voted for Park Wooram."
"How could they do this to me?"
'and now, action.'
Wooram finally loses his temper and I lean forward slowly gawking at their expressions and behaviors.
Mina drops her phone screen and says "Don't worry! Jisoo and Yoojoon are on our side, I'm sure."
"I will find a way to help you too." Yoonseo says.
"A way?" he slams the table, "A way you say, fuck!"
"It's either me or this bustard now." Wooram says, "One of us has to die in order for this to end, Am I wrong? So let's do the same as what he did. Let's vote for Kyungjun."
"What?" Junhee asks.
"He's always harassing the kids, this fucking bustard deserves to die." he stands up as everyone seems to give it a thought, "That fucking loser! Will do anything to stay alive. Fine! Let's say it's me for today. What about tomorrow? Who will he choose? It's one of you guys! Is it me or Kyungjun, what's your choice?"
"Wooram is right, I'm going to vote for him." Dabeum says.
"Me too!" Mina adds.
"Judging by his actions, he's no good. I will vote for him too." Jeongwon adds.
I look at Yoonseo as she is still thinking about it.
"I will vote for him too." Junhee at last adds.
The people who made their choices stare at me, Nahee and Yoonseo.
"Junhee…" Yoonseo lets out, then stares at the floor still thinking about it.
"Guys, guys, please, if you don't help me I'm going to die." he breathes after we don't answer him then shouts "Are you going to kill me? Please! Please help me."
Everyone stares at us with glaring eyes. As if we would be the bad people if we don't make a choice right now. Their eyes light up like green light eye cats between the dark pushes of the night forest. Wooram glares intensify as he wobbles his way towards us. He pushes and slams away a chair as he gets to our direction as we stand, Yoonseo flinches as Nahee gets closer to me. Wooram with a tilted head not moving his eyes away from us for a second, opens his mouth in a smile and shows his yellow teeth.
"You won't kill me, am I wrong?"
Nahee stares at me as I slightly nod at her and grab her hands, "I will help you." I say with a low voice since Wooram was close enough to hear us.
We all form a circle and pull our phones. I compose myself under their glances and they all count down starting with five.
Five.
I click over Kyungjun's profile as Nahee copies me with her thumbs shaking.
Four.
'Think of anything now Yoonhwa.'
Three.
'Quickly, anything I can use to not attract attention in a suspicious way.'
Two.
One.
"Choi Mina has voted for Go Kyungjun."
"Lee Yoonseo has voted for Go Kyungjun."
"Kim Junhee has voted for Go Kyungjun."
"Oh Jeongwon has voted for Go Kyungjun."
"Jin Dabum has voted for Go Kyungjun."
"BLURRG!"
"Oh my god!"
"Are you going to puke?"
Mina quickly removes herself away from me as I cover my mouth with my hands "I'm sorry, I thought I was done from this morning .. blurrg! .." I go over to Wooram as he raises both his arms in disgust and leans away from me, then I come closer to Jaeongwon as she grimaces and takes one step back too.
"I guess it's back .. blurrg!.." I grab Nahee sleeves, "bathroom! Bathroom! Quickly!"
"Uh? …Oh! ..yes, let's go."
"We will vote once I'm done. Mina, you can come with us!"
"Ew, no way! Just go."
"It's just one clickــ"
"Blurg! .. B..BluRG.. couch*.. couch*.."
I interrupted Wooram as soon as he spoke.
"Sorry, sorry, we will be back." Nahee bows a few times to Wooram as I lean over with my body and cover my face with my hair walking out of the room with the help of Nahee like a zombie.
The moment we step far and make sure no one is following us, I straighten my back on the spot as I pull my hair and blink at Nahee.
Nahee cuffs her laughs and says "The best actress award goes to,"
"goes to You!" I answer back with a spurge of energy at the end as I whisper scream. "You almost got me with your tears and 'We just need to know who the mafia is.' act."
She laughs then we both calm down.
"Then what do we do next?"
"Next, we are going to use the Kyungjun card."
"Kyungjun card?"
"The 'He met us in the hallways and threatened us' card."
"Oh! That card." she points her finger up and nods repetitively.
"Yup, that card." as I copy her nods.
"I love that one ."
"Me too, my friend."