dead roses | txtzy. ✔︎

eight ⛥

yeji ✮

I stepped into class, ignoring the stares people give me after what happened with yeonjun, aish, how does stuff spread so fast? I shook my head and sat down in my respective seat, looking around for yuna. I noticed beomgyu at the other end of the classroom with his head down, deep in thought.

 What could he possibly be thinking about other than being late to school? but then again, I noticed him talking to ryujin earlier so it could mean a lot of things. but that's odd, why would someone like choi beomgyu associate himself with someone like shin ryujin?

I felt a presence beside me so I turned to meet eyes with yuna, who shot me a smile. "you'll never believe what I saw this morning." I say as I take my textbook out, she did the same as she glanced at me with furrowed eyebrows, "what?" she asked as she began to flip through the pages of her textbook. 

"beomgyu talking to ryujin," I said as she let out a small laugh, "so what?" she asks. "I don't think I've ever seen them talk to each other." I reply, as I grab a pen and start noting down whatever the teacher was writing.

"they spoke when we were-" I cut her off, "I meant alone." I quickly say as I bit the inside of my cheek. "they were probably just talking about schoolwork. I mean beomgyu's barely ever present so he must a lot of catching up to do, if he wants to be the same grade as us next year." yuna replies in a low tone as I nod. then, something crossed my mind.

"oh and yuna.....I've been talking to yeonjun again." I mutter as she immediately faces me with wide eyes. "you have?" she asks as I nod with my head low. "why didn't you tell me?" she questions as I sigh, "I don't know...." I mutter, twirling a strand of hair with my finger. "things were getting out of hand and I didn't wanna burden you with more stress...." I say. 

"more stress? like what?" she questions as I look away. "well you and ryujin fighting, and then some hoodie guy pushed me, remember? and besides, your parents are never home which leaves you with more work to do...." I left out the part when yeonjun was fighting minho for drugs.

"do we know who pushed you? are you in pain?" she asks with softened eyes. "no and no." I respond. the teacher walks down the hall, handing everyone a piece of paper and yelling out instructions that I didn't pay attention to. 

 "what's going on with you?" I ask as I gently grab the piece of paper, and take my pencil case out. her lips pressed into a thin line as she hesitated to speak, "um...someone sent me dead roses." she says as I chuckle, "well that's cheap, they could've at least bought fresh roses."

"yeah but it was came along with a creepy ass note. it just said 'she knew too much.' like isn't that kinda freaky?" she speaks as I tilt my head in confusion, "I received them the day lia went missing." my eyebrows rise up as I processed her words. "well thats definitely a weird coincidence...." I mutter.

just then, the speakers on the wall blasted with sound as our principal's voice filled our ears. "can shin yuna and shin ryujin report to the principal's office immediately. I repeat, shin yuna and shin ryujin to the principal's office immediately." yuna got up hesitantly, giving me a "what-the-fuck" look before she walked out of the room.

ryujin ✩

I walk into the principal's room and sit down. the familiar sound of boots clicking against the floor fill my ears as the door opens to reveal yuna, and a few policemen behind her. she looks at me before taking a seat next to me. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, as a woman who looked about 35 walked around the table and sat before us.

"hello ladies," the woman speaks as yuna and I both awkwardly greet her back. "my name is jung chaerin, i'm a detective for the SKPD, and I'm here to ask a few follow up questions about your friend, huening lia." she says as she takes a notepad and pen out of a drawer as my eyebrows furrow. "lia?" I question as the woman looks up at me and nods. "yes, we have a lead in her case, and we need to follow all the directions that it might take us in."

"so you're close to finding her?" I asked with hope filled eyes, "not exactly..." the woman responds which immediately makes me frown. I noticed yuna's eyes narrowing at the woman as she turns to face yuna.

 "did you ever want to harm lia in any way?" the woman asks yuna while looking down at her notepad. yuna's eyes went wide as did mine.

"what? you think I kidnapped her?" yuna exclaimed, not believing the question that was just asked. "I can't say you're not a suspect ms. shin." the detective replies.

 I look between yuna and the detective as the woman scratches her nape. "you think I killed my best friend?" yuna asks In a low voice, which made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

"we never said she was dead." the detective looks at yuna, who was looking at the floor. "well after a certain amount of hours, most people assume they're dead...." she looks up at the woman, "isn't that your job?" she then says which makes me nod.

"yea, you all expect the missing person to be dead after a while." I say on yuna's behalf, "I'm just asking the questions we need answers to." the detective says, as yuna and I look at each other then back at her. "we want lia back more than anyone, so please don't expect us to know what happened to her."

I stand up and grab yuna's arm, dragging her as she stops for a moment and looks at the woman. "you're not the only who wants answers." she says and walks out, my hand still gripped on her arm. eventually I let go, and kept walking, realising that she stopped. "ryujin..." I heard her say as I sigh as turn around. "what?"

"thanks for having my back," she says with a smile, which I can just tell is forced. "yeah don't mention it." I say as I turn around, only to walk away again.

did she expect me to side with that detective or what?