(NOTE: Chunguk is pronounced
as CHUNG-GUK)
"Good morning, Chunguk High!" Headmaster Oh greets us with a wide smile, scanning each of our faces with his eyes as he addresses us through the microphone. "Today, we gather once again to celebrate our commitment to excellence and our passion for learning. I believe that each and every one of you has the potential to soar to new heights and make a difference in the world. So, let's start this day with a renewed sense of purpose and a promise to strive for excellence. Together, we can achieve anything we set our minds to!"
We applaud.
I glance over at Sunghoon, who's seated in the front row with the rest of the student council members. He briefly turns around and catches my gaze. Sunghoon smiles and waves at me, and I wave back. Just then, Sunoo nudges me in the arm. I turn to look at him, and he's grinning. "I get what you mean now."
Laughing, my mind immediately went back to the conversation we had on our way to lunch yesterday. The sound of clapping slowly fades away. Headmaster Oh releases a deep sigh, his expression turning serious. "Before we move on, I want to talk about something important. You've probably heard about the news this morning. The teachers and I have come together, and we've made a decision. It's best if you go home immediately after school hours. Walk home with a group, never alone. If you stay after school, please call your parents or guardians to pick you up. It's no longer safe to be out on your own. Though we're not sure who's responsible, we know that they're targeting young people. So please be careful on your way home."
I turn to Eunchae, who's sitting next to me, and ask, "What's he talking about?"
She looks at me in surprise. "Seriously? You haven't seen it? It's all over the news, Kazu," she whispers.
I shake my head. "Why? What's going on?"
Sunoo leans in and joins our conversation. "There've been a lot of missing people cases these past few months," he says. "No one knows where they are. I hope they get found soon."