Doodlebug | Beomjun, yeongyu |

Chapter no. 14

Panic clawed at Beomgyu's throat. He looked at Yeonjun, seeking solace and a flicker of defiance. Yeonjun met his gaze, his jaw clenched tight, but his eyes held a spark of determination.

"Then the plan changes," Yeonjun declared, his voice surprisingly steady despite the tremor running through him. "We can't rely on the alphabet anymore. We need to find another way to protect ourselves, to stop this killer before they take another life, especially Beomgyu's. Now let's take this game more seriously officer"

The mention of his name as the potential target seemed to jolt the officers out of their surprise. The older officer, with a salt-and-pepper beard, leaned forward, his gaze holding a newfound intensity.

"You boys seem to know more than you're letting on," he said, his voice gruff but laced with a hint of curiosity. "Tell us everything about this source and the system you have in place."

Before the unspoken question could fully form in his mind, Taehyun reached into his pocket, pulling out the crumpled crimson-blue paper. Beomgyu recognized it instantly – the note he'd found tucked into his geometry book.

"We found this earlier today," Taehyun explained, his voice surprisingly steady despite the tremor in Beomgyu's hands. "Beomgyu found it in his notebook."

The officers exchanged a surprised look, their gazes flickering between the crumpled paper and Beomgyu, who felt like a bug pinned under a microscope. This was it. The moment their carefully constructed facade crumbled.

"And what does this note mean?" the older officer inquired, his voice gruff but laced with a flicker of curiosity.

Taehyun took a deep breath, his eyes darting towards Beomgyu for a fleeting moment. He knew they were walking a tightrope, but there was no turning back now.

"It's a warning," he explained, his voice firm. "You're so stupid, who put you on violent crimes?"

Beomgyu flinched at Taehyun's sudden outburst. The accusation hung heavy in the air, a stark contrast to the carefully constructed narrative they'd built. The officers' faces mirrored Beomgyu's confusion, their brows furrowed in surprise.

"Taehyun," Soobin hissed, his voice barely a whisper but laced with panic. "What are you doing?"

Taehyun, however, ignored him, his gaze fixed on the older officer. "You heard me right," he pressed, his voice tight with a controlled anger. "You think a bunch of scared kids could crack a case like this on our own?"

Beomgyu felt a wave of nausea wash over him. It felt reckless, a gamble that could backfire spectacularly.

The older officer, however, seemed to be contemplating Taehyun's words. His gaze flickered between the boys, his expression unreadable. "So, you're telling me you have no idea who's behind these killings?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion "But you are very sure that whoever is behind this is leaving notes?"

"We have suspicions," Taehyun admitted, his voice softening slightly. "But nothing concrete. We were hoping you could help us."

The younger officer snorted, a harsh sound that echoed in the small office. "Help a bunch of panicking students with their wild theories? Sounds like a productive use of our time."

Yeonjun's voice crackled with a mix of frustration and urgency. "Sir," he addressed the older officer, his gaze unwavering, "We understand you might be skeptical. But listen closely. The students already figured out this killer targets victims in alphabetical order. You think these random notes with cryptic letters are a joke?"

He slammed his hand down on the table, "Every dead student is a joke to you? We're living in a nightmare here!"

The younger officer scoffed, but a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face. The older officer, however, remained stoic, his gaze locked on Yeonjun.