𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 • ᵐⁱⁿˢᵘⁿᵍ

Hidden Truths 16.2

As they turn to walk behind the final bookcase, Seungmin pulls a small set of keys—mostly old and rustic looking—from his back pocket. Minho wants to ask what's going on but chooses to stay quiet and keep close. Seungmin stops just before the corner, mumbling to himself as he flips through the keys, "Ah, this one." He gasps and inserts the key into a hole that the standard person would think was part of the wall—inevitably unlocking a hidden. Gesturing to Minho, Seungmin holds the door open while peeking through the bookshelves to make sure no one is watching them. Entering a hallway that's dimly lit by small lamps, Minho realises there isn't much space between his shoulders and the walls.

"What do you want?" Seungmin questions once the secret door is closed, his voice dropping from its friendly tone. Shadows cover his face but the dead look in his eyes can be seen behind his glasses.

"Um," Minho's adam's apple bobs as he swallows, taken aback by the change in demeanour, "I would like to know if there is anything to do with the house I'm living in. Or well, about then..." Leaving the statement open-ended, he's sure Seungmin already knows what he means.

Seungmin nods his head slowly as he thinks. "Right." Picking at his bottom lip, Seungmin looks down at the little amount of space left between him and Minho. "Why do you want it?" He says, looking back at the new guy in town.

"Curiosity." Minho tries to sound as serious as he can.

"Curiosity?" Seungmin scoffs, raising a brow. "You're joking, right?"

Minho shakes his head in defence, "What no, what I mean is—"

"—If you can't give me a real answer I'm not helping you." Seungmin turns around to open the door when Minho grabs his hand.

"You'll help me?" Minho doesn't know if he should tell the truth, yet he surely can make up something that's believable.

"If you give me an answer better than curiosity." Seungmin snags his hand back.

"T-then..."

Seungmin looks disappointingly at Minho. He thought he was going to be able to have someone help him explain the mystery that's been buried. The mystery that everyone in the village seems to turn a blind eye to.

Minho sighs, "Mrs Seo told me part of what happened because she still thinks I'm going to leave. I want to know what happened because maybe I can find the missing boy's body and-yeah it's partly curiosity because I want to fucking know what happened, but I also want to know why it happened because... because what if the boy whose body hasn't been found is that ghost that's apparently been scaring people away when in reality he's just scared. He's alone and can't remember anything so he's trying to find help. And maybe, just maybe everyone will stop treating me like some city twat and I can live normally. I— I just want everything to be normal." Breathing heavily after his rant, Minho rubs his face. He got more emotional than he wanted and said some things that definitely must make him sound crazy. Suddenly, Minho is pushed to the wall as Seungmin squeezes past and grabs his wrist, dragging him further down the hallway.

Coming to an opening, Minho's eyes almost pop out of his head, he thought there were a lot of books in the main part of the library, but whatever this back room is, there has to be twice if not three times more books on shelves double the height. "What is this place?" Minho whispers, gawking.