˹ GHOST&CREEP ˼

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 15. 赤

     "Hey!"
He was offended by this true remark, "I don't even know why they're like that. I used to have black hair before... Before I got killed."

The young man had finished his words with a hesitant voice as if ashamed of them.

     "What's wrong?"

     "Nothing, it's just that it annoys me to bring up my death. I didn't deserve that, I had so much to live for..."
He sighed heavily.

Nana noticed that his tone of voice, like his mood, had changed.

He seemed much more serious, and talking about this tragedy, about his death, seemed to affect him enormously. This must have increased because of what happened at his locker this morning.

     "Knowing the killer is still out there frustrates me."

     "It must be hard for you..."

     "It is, yes. I'm sick of being stuck at school and facing every day the place of my death."

The girl imagined Sunghoon being brutally killed, shivering with fear. How could anyone do such a thing?

He was one of the nicest students in the school, with a bright and promising future.

     "Do you want to talk about it?"

     "Talk about what?"

     "The circumstances of your death."
He remained silent for a moment, no doubt reflecting.

     "Yeah, why not."

     "It's quite difficult, if you don't feel able to talk about it that's okay."

     "Don't worry. As long as it's you asking me, I feel able to."

By now, Nana was used to feeling her cheeks heat up, and she didn't even mind. She settled down properly, ready to listen to Sunghoon's story.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

     "It was a day like any other, classes were over and as usual I went to the gymnasium to skate before going home. I went there even if I'd had a bad feeling ever since—"

We could tell Sunghoon was forcing himself to speak, he didn't feel like it at all. Nana wanted to comfort him, but she didn't know how, especially on such a delicate subject.

     "Since what?"
She looked at him, with encouraging eyes.

     "Since I was getting threats and insults in my locker. They were bits of paper."
The black-haired girl raised her eyebrows, flabbergasted by what he'd just said.

     "Seriously?!"

     "I used to receive them every day for like 2 weeks. I thought it was just a joke from my ex and her friends so I didn't report it. I didn't want her to know it scared me."