A/N: I know yall are probably so eager to read what happens next that you don't even want to bother with this author's note SO--my devoted readers-- read on.
________________
Ri-eul's Perspective:
"You still won't confess?"
We've been at this for close to an hour at this point. The detective who asked the question is sitting across from me in the dark questioning room. The handcuffs are cold against my wrists. The dimly-lit room is empty except for the two of us, but I'm sure there's at least one more person watching from the other side of that one-way glass.
All of the so-called evidence is strewn on the table in front of me. There's pictures of a high-school girl and the amusement park, a copy of my high-school ID--even the knife I had threatened Ayi's boss with a few weeks ago. That bastard must have retrieved it when he came back and stole my hat and cloak. It would have had my fingerprints on it, so it would be easy to plant as evidence of a crime I didn't commit. I'm sure he played a major role in all of this. I don't know why I didn't see it sooner.
I can feel the detective's eyes on me, but I'm no longer looking at him. It's been about 15 minutes since I've just given up speaking altogether. What's the point of defending myself if they're already convinced I'm lying? Despite telling him calmly that I had nothing to do with the murder of the poor high-school girl or the recent muggings, he still doesn't believe me. Part of me doesn't blame him. I mean, all the evidence is stacked against me.
But that doesn't change the fact..... that I'm innocent.
I hear the detective sigh. From the corner of my eye, I see him clasp his hands in front of him and lean forward across the table.
"Listen, Minhyuk-ssi," His voice is quieter as he leans forward and I can hear the faintest hint of pleading in his voice. "I know it may not seem like it, but if you give us a confession, things could be a little easier for you legally. You might even be able to get a few years off your sentence. Don't make this more difficult than it has to be."
I don't respond. I can feel his intense gaze on me. I know he's trying to help me. I'm sure he's a good man, just trying to do his job.
But he's got the wrong man. I'm not sure who killed that girl or robbed those people. But it wasn't me.
The poor detective lets out another small sigh before leaning back in his chair, running a hand through his hair in defeat.
"Let's take a break," he says.
With that, he gets up and leaves the room. I'm sure he's going to consult with whoever might be on the other side of the glass, which means I'm most definitely still being watched. A fleeting thought enters my head as I sit in silence. I could just leave.
What's keeping me from just walking out of here? I have my magic, after all. But even without that, I'm still a master of escape. I could just go.
But what would Y/N say if I did that? I'm sure she would be disappointed in me for thinking myself above the law. It would crush her if I went to prison, too, though. So what am I supposed to do?
Help!
Y/N's panicked voice, as clear as though she was standing right next to me, breaks through my internal dialogue, forcing every other thought from my mind. I sit up a little straighter in my chair, instantly alert. Y/N. She's calling out for help. But why? She's at the amusement park. I can sense that much.
.... Min-ah...
The word has all the force of an arrow as it lodges itself in my chest, making it hard to breathe. Her voice sounds so weak and distant. Y/N's in danger. Suddenly, things like obeying the law and facing consequences for a crime I didn't commit don't seem to matter. All I know, and all I can think about, is Y/N. I need to get to her. I don't care what happens after that. They can arrest me again, take me in for more questioning, send me to prison--I don't care. I just need to make sure she's safe.
I look down at my cuffed wrists, then up at the one-way glass on the wall to my right, newfound resolve coursing through me. Time for a magic trick I'm sure they'll never forget.
"Annara..... sumanara."
----
The wind tugs at my hair as I run up the hill toward the amusement park. All I can think about is Y/N. How long has it been since I escaped? A few minutes? I think to myself. I can only hope that I'm not too late to help Y/N. If something happens to her, I.... I don't know what I'll do.
Escaping the police station had been easy. My disappearing act really comes in handy sometimes. Although this was the first time I'd used it on myself. It really is a work in progress as I soon found out. It made me disappear from the police station, of course, but I didn't appear at the amusement park like I wanted. Luckily I appeared really close to it, though, probably because it was the place I was thinking about the most at that moment.
I completely ignore the stitch in my side as I sprint up the hill, finally making it to the large gates. I yank them open and they screech on their hinges.
"Y/N!!" I shout, skidding to a halt in the middle of the park. I pivot swiftly, looking all around me for any sign of her. My lungs feel like they might burst, and I can barely get air in fast enough, but that doesn't stop me from frantically yelling her name again. "Y/N!!!"
There's no answer and I can't see her anywhere. She has to be here somewhere. I could sense that she was here only a few minutes ago when she called out to me, so where is she? Maybe in the theater??
I'm about to race off in the direction of the theater next when I see a small flash of light. It catches my eye instantly. Something small and black is reflecting the sun's light, shining right in my face. I immediately rush over to get a closer look.
It's a phone. With shaking hands, I pick it up, even though I already know who it belongs to. I press the power button and the lock screen lights up, giving me a good look at a picture of a pretty blue butterfly. My heart drops.
It's Y/N's phone.
I look around and I notice another small, dark object not too far away. I step toward it, crouching down to get a better look, but I already have a guess what it might be. My suspicions are confirmed when I pick it up. Her wallet. I stand up from where I've been crouching, taking another frantic look around me. There's absolutely no sign of her anywhere.
"Y/N!!" I yell again, my throat beginning to burn from all the shouting. "WHERE ARE YOU?!"
I pause, straining my ears for even the slightest sound, but it's hard to hear much because I'm still gasping for air. I run a hand through my hair. The panic is making my head throb. Obviously something happened to her. Did someone attack her? Did they kidnap her? Who would have done such a thing?
Maybe she's in the theater, I think hopefully, still not wanting to come to terms with the facts.
I take off running faster than I've ever run in my life, practically kicking the door to the theater down in my haste to get inside. My legs carry me to the stage and to my living area.
"Y/N?" I cry out weakly. Why am I doing this? She's not here. Panicked tears start to blur my vision, but I blink them back and try to steady my breathing. Now's not the time to break down. I need to think.
I don't know where she is, and I can't know unless she calls out to me again. What do I do? She could be in danger. I stagger backwards a little, my back hitting a nearby wall. My hands come up to grasp the sides of my head, as if that will help me think better. What can I do? What can I do? I think desperately.
I'm reminded of what I said to her just yesterday--that if I can't save her, then it's up to her. I feel a fleeting moment of reassurance at the thought. After all, Y/N believes in magic too, and she's smart. She'll be able to think of a way out or she'll call me again. Everything will be okay.... right?
Despite my optimistic thoughts, I can't stop the worry that's clawing at me every second I stand here doing nothing.
Suddenly, I hear police sirens in the distance. They're coming for me again? Already? From the sound of it, they're coming straight to the amusement park. I didn't think this through, but it makes sense that this would be the first place they check after I escaped. I have to get out of here. I'll be no use to Y/N if they take me away again.
I start to take a step forward, then freeze in my tracks.
But.... what if Y/N comes back here? I have to wait for her here. Just in case.
The police sirens are getting closer now, but I'm torn between these two options. A few painful moments pass before I come to a decision. I'll stay here. Y/N might come back, and I need to know that she's safe. I'll have to stall for time, though. I need to keep the police from taking me again for as long as possible. That shouldn't be a problem, I think as the start of a desperate plan begins to take shape in my head.
First, I'll lock the amusement park gates. Then barricade the door to the theater. I'm sure that'll give me at least thirty minutes, maybe even more.
Then I'll just do what I do best. I'll put on a magic show. The best they've ever seen.
-------------
Y/N's Perspective:
"There.... tight enough..."
A deep, mumbling voice fades in and out as you start to regain consciousness. You're acutely aware of the pounding in your head. It throbs with every painful heartbeat. Your whole body feels numb and when you try to move your body doesn't respond. You're vaguely aware of a rough sensation on your wrists, and the feeling of somebody's hands carelessly knocking against yours.
"That should hold you for a while."
The voice is clearer this time, and you feel the hands move away, but the rough feeling on your wrists stays. You let out a small groan, and find that you're able to move your head slightly. As you lift it, you feel the back of your head meet something solid.
"You're awake?" says the voice. "Huh. You woke up sooner than I thought."
You peel your eyes open slowly, and everything is hazy and blurry. You blink a few times until your eyes focus, and you can see everything in front of you. You're sitting on the ground in a small dimly-lit room. It looks like a garage? Or maybe a basement. You take note of a few heavy-duty, metal shelves lining the walls, filled with various tools and boxes. Draped over one of the shelves is a familiar looking black top hat and cloak. They're obviously Min-hyuk's. There's a large, shadowy figure standing in front of you, looking down at you with his hands on his hips, briefly admiring his handiwork.
You can't see who it is just yet, though. That, or you can see him just fine but your still-groggy mind is not processing the information it's being fed. You close your eyes briefly, continuing to lean your head back against whatever's behind you, as another painful groan escapes your lips. Your head is getting clearer by the second, and when you open your eyes again, you can clearly recognize the man before you. You instantly recognize his large form and the way his familiar beady eyes glisten maliciously at you in the dim light.
Ayi's boss.
Your heart beats a little faster at the sight of him. What's he doing here? And where am I?
It doesn't take long for your brain to fill in the blanks. He's the one who attacked you from behind. He kidnapped you. You're not sure, but you're going to hazard a guess that you're in his basement or garage--somewhere people can't see. But why you? Why did he come after you? This is the only question you don't have an answer for.
As you watch, he lowers his hands and steps back, pulling up a metal chair to sit on as he continues to watch you warily.
"Where am I...?" you ask, your voice coming out raspy.
"Not even going to ask me who I am first, huh?" he replies with a bemused smirk.
"I know.... who you are." It hurts to even speak, but you swallow the pain. You muster all the energy you can to shoot him a glare.
He looks mildly surprised at your answer. "Oh?" he says, cocking an eyebrow. "I'm impressed. You have a good memory. We only saw each other once."
The memory of him fleeing from Min-hyuk's presence the night he tried to steal Min-hyuk's clothes instantly flashes through your mind. He ran so quickly out of the theater that you had barely gotten to see his face at all.... but your eyes had definitely connected then. You guess he had taken notice of you, just like you had noticed him.
"Are you... going to answer my question?" you ask, feeling uncharacteristic boldness in this situation. Maybe it's because you still feel groggy from whatever drug was on that cloth he used to kidnap you.
He lets out a derisive chuckle at that, and looks at you with an amused grin. "What kind of kidnapper would tell their victim where they are?" he counters easily.
You knew it was a long shot, but you had to try anyway. His rhetorical question hangs in the air while you try to move. Your body is finally responding to you, though you still feel numb in some places. As you try to move your hands you find that they're tied behind your back with some kind of rope. That explains the rough feeling on your wrists. You twist your head to try and get a better look at it, but you can't exactly see it. A metal shelf, identical to the ones you see around the room, stands behind you. That must be what he tied you to.
"No use trying to get out of that," he says casually. "I'm not exactly experienced with tying people up, but I know my knots."
His words are confirmed when you give your hands a more solid tug. They hardly budge at all. After a moment, you look back up at him.
"Why are you doing this?" you ask, your voice coming back stronger with every word. You should feel scared or anxious right now, but for some reason you only feel anger. "What did I ever do to you?"
"You? Nothing," he replies with a shrug. "Your boyfriend, on the other hand--he's done a lot. I'm not so fond of him." As he says this, his eyes glisten with unreserved hatred.
You feel another quick surge of anger, and for some reason it helps to clear your head even more.
"Is that what this is about?" you ask through gritted teeth. "You're doing all this because of some petty grudge you have against him?"
"Call it whatever you want. That psychopath tried to kill me. I think I have the right to mess up his life a little, don't you think?" he says nonchalantly. You just shoot him another glare. What is he even talking about?
"Come on, you saw it too," he says, seeing the question in your expression. "You were there the night that psycho held a knife to my throat."
"What did you expect him to do? You attacked him with the knife first. Not to mention you were there to steal from him."
"Is that what he told you?" Ayi's boss replies, with a humorless smirk. "That I attacked first?"
His sudden question throws you a little off guard. It's true you hadn't been there for the beginning of the fight, so you don't know who attacked first. You're just going off of what Min-hyuk had told you afterwards. A small flicker of doubt nags at you before you forcefully brush it away. You can't let this man manipulate you and get you to doubt Min-hyuk. You can't believe a word he says. Besides, even if it's true that Min-hyuk attacked first, it doesn't change the fact that Ayi's boss had obviously been there to steal from Min-hyuk.
"I wonder what other lies he's told you," the man sitting in front of you says quietly. "I guess he probably didn't tell you what he did to me a few weeks earlier?" he says with some anger. You know what he's about to say. Ayi told you that he thinks Min-hyuk pushed him instead of making him disappear with magic. You want to hear it from his own mouth, though.
"He tried to kill me. Did he tell you that? He pushed me off a ledge. I fell 20 feet and injured my back severely. I couldn't move for days."
You let out a small scoffing laugh that hurts your throat. He seems a bit surprised at your reaction to his story. "You and I both know there's details to that story that you're leaving out," you tell him evenly. "What were you doing before he allegedly pushed you?"
Now it's his turn to glare. You've got him now. He obviously wasn't expecting you to know the particulars of what happened that night, but Min-hyuk already told you everything.
"That's beside the point--"
"Is it?" you cut him off, getting a wild sense of triumph now that you have the upper hand in this conversation. "I know what he caught you doing that night. Leaving out a detail like that changes the story completely."
You watch the pathetic man in front of you fidget uncomfortably, though he still makes an effort to mask how affected he is by what you're saying.
"He stopped you from sexually harassing one of your employees that night. He's not the villain in your story. You are," you say, and his gaze darkens. Suddenly it all makes sense to you--his motives, and his reasoning--and suddenly you can't stop yourself from telling him. You know why he's doing this, and for some reason you want to let him know that you know everything.
"I think that made you angry," you continue. His face almost gives nothing away. If it weren't for the slight clenching of his jaw, you would have no idea if you were on the right track or not. But as you see that, you know that your guess was correct. And then it's as if you no longer have a filter for the words that are coming out of your mouth. You're unable to stop them. "I'm right, aren't I? You were angry that he caught you--angry that someone finally saw you for the perverted creep you really are. That's why you hate him, isn't it? That's why you're doing so much to get back at him."
You notice the man's eyes slowly filling with rage at every word you say. You must be right if this is his reaction. You really should stop talking now, but for some reason you can't.
"I know all the things you've been doing to frame him," you say. "You're the one behind the muggings, aren't you? You've been using his clothes and robbing innocent people, making them think it was him doing it. Who knows, maybe you're even behind that young girl's disappearance."
"Shut up," he says through gritted teeth, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"As for him pushing over the ledge... you want to know what I think?" You know you're going into dangerous territory now. The man in front of you really looks like he could kill you any second, but you're too hyped up on adrenaline to stop. "I think the truth is... you can't explain what happened to you that night. How can anyone rationally explain suddenly appearing in a completely different place. That's what happened to you, isn't it? He made you disappear."
You see his eyes widen slightly at your words. You must be right again. You knew it. While you continue to spout words, he gets up from his chair and starts taking slow, menacing steps toward you.
"I think you had to make up some excuse like 'he pushed me over the ledge' to keep yourself sane. How else could you explain the impossible thing that happened? But the thing you just don't realize--the thing you refuse to accept--is that it was magic. He used magic to do that. He's a real ma--"
Slap!
The sound of skin on skin echoes in the small room for a few moments. Your cheek burns where he slapped you, and the unexpected physical contact forces every thought from your head. Ayi's boss is suddenly crouching down in front of you. You let out a painful grunt as he roughly grabs a fistful of the hair at the top of your head, forcing your face closer to his. His putrid breath wafts over to you as he lets out a humorless chuckle.
"You're crazier than him," he says, but you can see in his eyes that you were right. About everything. He really had disappeared that night. He's just refusing to admit it... because that would mean accepting that magic is real. "I shouldn't have waited for you to wake up. I should have just done it as soon as we got here."
"Done what?" you ask, your first twinge of fear finally manifesting itself. "What are you talking about?"
He lets go of your hair and stands, glaring down at you with a sickening twinkle in his eye. He turns around and starts rummaging through a few tools on one of the shelves behind him.
"You were so quick to catch on to everything else. Do you really not know what's about to happen?" he says over his shoulder. You're not sure why the realization hadn't hit you before. He had kidnapped you for a reason, and that reason...
"I'll tell you, I guess, since you won't be around too much longer," he says, pausing his rummaging for a moment to look at you again. "I'm going to kill you."
An involuntary shiver races up your spine.
"That's not the best part, though," he continues, and you're not prepared for the sudden glimmer of sickening glee in his eyes. He walks close to you again and crouches down so he can better glimpse your expression.
"The best part," he whispers, "Is that I'm gonna make it look like that psycho killed you instead."
_________________
A/N: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please VOTE!! See you for the update on Wednesday!
Also, enjoy this lovely picture that will make your heart flutter wildly: