*Read the story carefully and don't trust anyone
A peaceful afternoon for Seonghwa was interrupted by two of his dongsaengs who came barging into their new studio where he lay;
with the intention of revising their footwork for their approaching comeback.
The others were good at catching the choreography at a glance but a certain two members opined to attain perfection at the hands of their hyung.
Yeosang and Mingi smiled as they peeped in from the translucent sliding door, successfully earning a childish frown from Seonghwa.
Yet he could never refuse the two.
After half an hour of practice as the trio was laying down catching their breath, the door slid violently once again revealing Wooyoung followed by San hysterically rushing into the room.
"Close the door", Wooyoung ordered San as he ran to hide behind the curtains.
"I am trying", San unsuccessfully tried to pull a sliding door.
"What happened", Mingi's eyes widened at their sudden urgency until a gunshot followed by a girly scream from their very proximal left shook him from head to toe.
"Hurry close the door", Wooyoung was loosing sweat by now.
The moment San finally realized the door was to be slid, a girl came right in front of his face, eyes flooded with desperation.
"Please let me in", You said to San with furrowed eyebrows.
"Don't let anyone in Sannie. Just shut it and come here", Wooyoung shouted.
Wooyoung had acquired a dry throat as soon as he heard of the news. Right now he can't trust anyone other than his members.
"Please", you begged.
It wasn't long until Mingi leaped forward and held the door open for you to get in before San could shut it in your face.
"What in the world is happening outside?", Seonghwa held his head.
"hyung there's a news that a psychopath woman has entered the KQ building and is doing a mass shooting.", Wooyoung composed himself.
San was trembling in fear.
"I swear I was on the other side of the pillar and I saw blood bursting out like a baloon and smearing the nearby walls.", Yeosang came forward and rubbed San's back.
Meanwhile you remained calm and quiet.
"Did you see anything", Mingi asked you.
"No I just saw everyone running about in order to hide and this is my first day at Kq as a trainee so I didn't know....", San hugged your desolate self worn out from telling the extract.
Little did he know, someone was shooting daggers at your intimacy with his friend.
Suddenly more shouts echoed across the corridor hinting of a mass hysteria.
The five members sat comfortably knowing they were safely locked inside.
Suddenly someone vehemently banged at the door.
"LET ME IN!
LET ME FUCKING IN!"
"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!"
The refugees mutually agreed upon the possibility of it being the psychopath and chose not to let anyone else in.
Nobody should be trusted.
"OPEN THE DOOR OR I WILL KILL YOU"
After a few minutes of continuous violent banging, there was a suspicious pin drop silence.
Maybe she was dead now.
"I can't believe I'm battling a hijack with you all including this... Should we even trust you girl?"
You didn't know what to say and chose to remain quiet until
Yeosang pointed at you to check if the anonymous girl's body is unconscious on the floor since you were standing closest to the door.
You gulped and slowly went down on your knees.
You had never seen a dead body before, what if blood seeped in through the door?
You gradually bend down and as your eyes reach the lining of the door threshold, you noticed nothing moving outside.
Until a pair of bloodshot eyes suddenly appear right opposite to yours accompanied by a shrill scream.
Your heart sunk as if it fell into a bottomless pit.
You were breathless as Seonghwa dared to pull you back.
"Are you okay", San asked as you trembled quietly.
You just nodded.
After that, it was as silent as a graveyard. No gunshots no screams. It was as if either everyone escaped.. Or worse, everyone died.
The members in the room did not even wish to think about going out. They believed help would come...until Seonghwa's phone rang.
"Hongjoong... It is hongjoong.
Now everything will be alright.", Seonghwa assured the members before picking up.
"Hwa where are you
Is everyone alright?", joong asked worriedly.
Without wasting another moment, Hongjoong continued,
"listen carefully. The killer...she was in the trainee Orientation ceremony and then suddenly started shooting..
Do not get out!"
"Yes five other members are with me except jongho and Yunho.
Are they with you?", Seonghwa frowned.
"No.. Shit.."
"Hello"
"Hello"
"Seon-"
The line dropped and so did Seonghwa's heartbeat.
"W.. What did he..", Mingi asked his hyung shaken beyond speech.
"Hongjoong... He"
"I hope he will be fine and Jongho and Yunho too." San placed his hand upon Seonghwa's shoulder.
"THIS IS ALL BECAUSE OF YOU TWO", seonghwa now had tears in his eyes as he pointed towards yeosang and mingi with gritted teeth.
"IF YOU HAD NOT COME BY, WE WOULD ALL HAVE BEEN AT THE DORM.", he sat on the floor as his legs gave in.
"No way...", Yeosang muttered, clearly annoyed.
"It is not their fault that a psychopath killer barged in your company.", you took a stand for the helpless duo which resulted in yours earning a deadly glare from seonghwa.
As dangerous outside was, inside felt no less.
"and who might you be", Seonghwa stared at you with anger consuming him.
"I told you I'm a new trainee. How unlucky am I to witness this on my first day.", you said pouting a bit so as to make yourself appeal to be more innocent.
"Yeah Its crazy", Mingi joined.
Before Mingi could say another word, Yeosang held him back and whispered something in his ear.
"I know I'm a good suspect today but can you please talk somewhere else. The empty room is revealing your gossip Duhh", you throw hands thinking why did it had to be you.
"aye guys, let's not corner her like this", San came up to you and held your hand.
You soften in his tender glance and nodd silently.
"Aish look at her.
I hate this type of girls, so clingy.", Wooyoung muttered under his breath while you talked with San.
"I know right, if it was for me, I'd have killed her right now, I think she's too suspicious to even be here.", Yeosang fired.
"Guys chill, we are all in the same boat.", Mingi joined.
"Woo Yeo, I can hear you can you please stop", San looked furious and the boys knew they had to stop this because if those two fought, one of them will surely storm out leaving the door open.
Out of nowhere, Wooyoung snapped at San, grabbing him by the collar,
"Since when did you ditch me for this....god knows who she is"
You suppressed the tears brimming in your eyes.
San was about to ruthlessly brush off Wooyoung's hand when a shadow eclipsed the translucent door.
The group became absolutely silent with wooyoung cupping San's mouth right when he was about to curse;
Seonghwa and the others slamming their palms in case their mouth didn't comply with being silent.
After a few minutes of a ravaging tranquility, a voice murmured,
"Stop fighting among yourselves.
We are trapped together and that's it.
We better find some weapons in case the killer tries to break in.",the eldest in the room enunciated.
The others scattered in order to explore pointed or heavy objects in the room.
"I found a paper cutter", You pull a blade cutter out of a short cupboard.
"I'll have that. It's not for a rookie like you", Seonghwa snatched the blade cutter from the speechless girl.
"Ahh.. Why are our chargers all wireless?
Had I been equipped with USB cables, I'd just strangle the hell out of that killer.
Technology will be our demise.", Yeosang threw his hands in air in annoyance.
On the other hand, Wooyoung and San found nothing in that empty studio..until there was a metallic *ting* cause by an unassembled table fan.
"I think this would be useful.", you hand San a sharp iron fan blade.
Mingi and wooyoung looked at you in awe.
"How did you do that?"
"I have a pen screw driver in my pocket, you know, just in case?"
"what are you? A car mechanic?"
They argued non stop.
There was no sign of them to work on this matter together as a team.
If only Hongjoong was still with them..
Another hour passed with the men gradually getting hungry. Who knew even the Pepsi which filled their entire dorm would abandon them this way.
"We have to get out of here", Wooyoung whined.
"yeah the killer must be gone, it's dead silent outside.", Yeosang agreed.
"as if."
"You heard us all this time arguing loud enough to... I'm wondering how has she still not come to get us.", the eldest stated the obvious truth.
Outside was as silent as a library. The studio where music blasted 24x7, reeked of a bloodbath massacre.
"I'm sure by now, it must have left the building.", Wooyoung pointed after fifteen more unbearable minutes.
"Rock paper scissors... Whoever looses has to go fetch help!", Mingi opined.
The five took their time in forming a perfect circle. In the first round, no odds were witnessed, so did in the second.
The third time everyone looked up at the face of the selected person.
The look on Yeosang's face never altered unlike Wooyoung's brimming smirk.
It was you who had to leave.
"But..I'm..im"
"a girl? Is that what you wanna say now?"
"No excuses", Seonghwa sternly moved closer to her.
"But it should be Mingi!
He suggested the game in the first place.", You countered.
"Yes.. Why send a vulnerable girl.",San stood next to you with some hesitation.
"Sannie it's enough!
It was fairly decided by a game and it doesn't matter if she's a girl when it comes to gender equality.", Wooyoung was amused yet irked by his best friend's visible bias.
"But I will defend her. Why not send Mingi with her since it was his idea."
"No. Plus I can't control my hunger. If she doesn't get us out, I might as well retort to cannibalism.", Wooyoung crossed arms while his breath tightened hinting his anger was not to be disregarded.
San came closer to wooyoung and proceeded to take his hand in his before being jerked off rashly.
"Actually, you've been favoring her too much.", Wooyoung stood up from his place and proceeded to push you into going out.
He raised an eyebrow and directed his hand towards the door,
"Now move out."
"Don't be a pussy", Mingi snorted.
Burdened by the members, you take a few steps towards the door and as you were about to unlock the door, you asked,
"I'm not able to reach.... Mingi..."
Mingi stepped forward and fearlessly unlocked the door for you.
The moment the bright hallway light entered your eyes causing Mingi to squint as much as to close his eyes, you suddenly push Mingi out, thereby closing the door.
The others were taken aback while Mingi beat the glass door quietly yet aggressively.
"Open the door"
"OPEN IT OR I'LL KILL YOU"
"Wh.. Why did you do that?", San asked.
"You.. You saw he was so bold and fearless. He will find help for us.
If I'd have gone, I'd just be dead.", you argued.
"But that is cheating", Wooyoung now shouted as Seonghwa held him back.
Their debate stopped the moment silence engulfed their surroundings once again giving shivers to the members.
"Is Mingi.. Gone?"
"Guys guys.. What's done is done now", San interrupted the heated argument.
"No You realize it is Mingi that she pushed into death's mouth right?.. Are you out of your mind San? ", Wooyoung said with gritted teeth.
"IT IS ME WHO IS OUT OF MY MIND.
GET AWAY FROM THAT DOOR
I have to find Mingi.
And you...", Seonghwa pointed his finger at you,
"will pay for this."
With his last words, Seonghwa stormed out of the room leaving Wooyoung, Yeosang and San alone with you.
"Woo", San proceeded to hold his hand.
"GET AWAY FROM ME.
if you wanna hold my hand.. Kill her", Wooyoung's words rang in San's head.
It was never that he acted this relentlessly.
Indeed Wooyoung was hungry.
Now only the four people, who didn't seem to be on good terms stayed in the dark room.
They had switched off the lights as to not be conspicuous after dusk.
In the span of an hour, Yeosang had left in the quest of finding Mingi because he thought it was better to roam outside than to be in a room with you, supposedly the killer.
"I've had enough.. I'm going too", San stood up.
"What are you doing I don't have the slightest intention to stay with this psycho", Wooyoung joined.
You simply laugh at their assertion of you being the killer.
"Wouldn't I have already killed you first if I was the killer?", you dig eyes into Wooyoung.
"Besides, I don't wanna be trapped in here with you either", you stand up and leave the room, leaving the door open, finally letting tears caress your lonely cheeks.
"Hurry close it.", Wooyoung said.
About ten minutes later, a surprising knock on the door made woosan shrivel in their tracks.
They did not expect anyone.
However, the voice of Mingi was in no way unrecognizable to them as they opened the door.
"Mingi-ya", San engulfed him in a hug.
"This place is empty now, let's go", Mingi hurriedly said as they set out cautiously.
"Let's not use the elevator....
I- I don't want to risk being trapped again.", Wooyoung pleaded.
"Okay", the boys used stairs to tread down.
Unfortunately they were at the sixth floor of the building and were slowly making their way down.
"Where is Seonghwa? And Yeosang", San questioned.
"They never came to me.", Mingi said.
The three went down the stairs until the second last floor, where they saw Yeosang standing, lost in some reverie.
"Yeosang.. What are you doing there?"
"come on lets get out of here."
Yeosang nervously joined the trio, a tint of relief spreading over his face. Perhaps was he lost?
Reaching the last floor, they rushed towards Hongjoong's studio to check for Seonghwa once.
To their surprise, Seonghwa stood there along with a shorter male they were very familiar with.
It was Hongjoong. Hongjoong wasn't dead after all.
Hongjoong clarified about the signal being lost and how he couldn't contact the members anymore until Seonghwa came to check up on him in his studio.
He also told about the 2ho brothers being safe and sound while they sneaked out to eat at 'one bite' restaurant nearby.
At the end, Hongjoong questioned about the sixth person in the group as Seonghwa mentioned in the call.
While the others tried to brush it off desperately wanting to get out of the building, Hongjoong insisted on searching for the you, the girl.
For one last time, they scattered into pairs to go on a shallow lookout, but didn't need to go beyond when the elevator dinged at Hongjoong's call.
The doors opened to reveal you, dressed just as you were, staring deeply at them.
The only unusual thing about your stare was that you never blinked even once.
You were already dead.
Dead in the elevator.
Wooyoung jumped and tightly grabbed on San's arm. He was frightened by the possibility of the killer to be in proximal distance.
Everyone was shook with their feet stuck to the ground when finally Seonghwa's phone dinged multiple times hinting on him receiving important messages on the group chat.
It was the producers talking about how the killer was just a young girl who was a psychopath.
The colors on his face yeeted as he read the messages ahead.
"I see her moving to the sixth floor"
"AHH SHE SHOT SOMEONE"
"Look at all that blood omo"
"she suddenly started running"
"I'm so scared"
"what am I seeing"
"she just went inside the extreme right room"
"yeah and the door locked"
.
.
"update: she hasn't come out
I hope she is dead."
"I hope there is no one in the room."
Seonghwa's mouth was left agape as the messages ended there.
'If she was the killer all along,
Who could have killed her? '
.
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A/N:
I hope you contemplate the story yourself first before reading my note.
If you were the killer? Who could have killed you in the name of the killer?
Somebody must have planned to blame it on the killer.
I'm just gonna point some fun facts.
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Well so here we go:
1. Why did the girl spare the members? (it was ATEEZ Duhh)
2. If you see, the girl showed some psychopath signs when he said she carried a screw driver around and was ready to use a fan blade as a weapon. In the start, she also referred the company as 'your' and not 'our'. I mean she's a trainee right?
3. If you noticed, none of the members, namely Seonghwa, yeosang and Mingi and San never kept their weapons back.
4. Yeosang was already suspicious of her as soon as she entered and wanted to get ride of her asap
5. Mingi just couldn't bear the sudden betrayal and had a good motive to kill her.
6. Wooyoung disapproved of her closeness with his best friend, on top of that, his hanger (hunger+anger) made him blind. So he could have done it no lie.
7. San couldn't bear wooyoung's vexation when he denied of receiving his touch. Woo challenged San and he could have not backed out.
8. Seonghwa had pretty much reason to kill because he never trusted her in the first place. Plus seeing how she pushed mingi, he was angered by her actions to the point he left the studio.
9. And... What if Hongjoong had seen the messages and was roaming around the floor. And to make it look like he wasn't the culprit, he lied about being in his studio all along.
10. Read the story carefully observing everyone, and comment who you think is the killer.
Happy reading✨