Seojoon's eyes rake over the letter multiple times, trying to get his brain to unlock the door so he can get an extra piece of the puzzle. There doesn't seem to be a code or a pattern, it is just a normal letter. It is frustrating because Seojoon would find this a lot easier if there was a hidden pattern, but so far everything they have isn't piecing together, or his brain is refusing to see the connection.
The others sit in the room, quietly trying to put in a group effort to figure out what the book and note could possibly mean. Seungmin hasn't been contributing much, too absorbed in the story of the book. It isn't long, so he pushes through it quite quickly, despite the protests of the others.
"Seungmin, we could actually use your help," Jeongin tells him, "so maybe stop reading?"
Seungmin holds up a finger, telling them to give him a minute. He originally was simply going to scan the book to see if anything in it was important, but when he started reading, he couldn't stop. Seungmin is almost finished, he only needs a couple more minutes and then he'll be done.
Although the group is annoyed with him, they leave him be and begin discussing more possible solutions to what they could mean. Everyone has brought at least one idea to the table, though with all of them there were holes and gaps that no one could fill in, so then they decided to just start throwing any crazy idea out there until someone had a revelation of what it could be.
"Bambam never said anything about bringing someone else back with Felix, did he?" Hyunjin asks.
Jeongin shakes his head, "no, besides I think we would know if that happened."
Hyunjin just shrugs, "I thought maybe someone could have been working with Felix to get him out of here, but maybe not."
"That could still be a possibility, the note was signed," Minho says, giving a little bit of hope in Hyunjin's idea.
"Maybe, but Felix never spoke to anyone other than Changbin and Hyunjin," Jisung adds, sighing as he rests his head on Minho's shoulder. He is tired of trying to figure this out, his headaches from all the information it is trying to obtain.
"That we know of," Changbin states, "maybe Felix was talking to more people than we thought, he just did when no one was looking."
"I mean I guess, but--"
"Guys! Guys!" Seungmin cuts in, his eyes wide and a smile spread on his face.
He turns the book he was read outward to face everyone, showing the group the second note written on the inside of the back cover. Seojoon moves closer, taking the book from Seungmin's hands as he exams the second note. Just with the first, he mulls over it a couple of times before finally, something strikes him.
"Seungmin what was this book about?" Seojoon asks.
"It was a storybook, about magic-users, and the portal," Seungmin explains, "but it did talk about how the characters got past the guards and how they found the portal."
Seojoon runs his thumb over his bottom lip, rereading the notes once again. All his friends stare at him in silence, not wanting to say something to break his concentration.
"I think Hyunjin could be right, but I don't think it was an actual friend helping him, the notes have more of a mischievous feel rather than a caring one," Seojoon states, "maybe someone who wanted him gone."
"So, someone like Chan," Changbin says, the name rolling off his tongue in disgust.
"Yeah..." Seojoon agrees, "or Chan himself."
~•~
Jisung doesn't know why they were the ones chosen to go and talk to Chan, but Seojoon told them they were the best option. Minho sort of understands the older's logic given that Seojoon tried and failed to get Chan to talk, Seungmin had already talked to him and is refusing to go back, and Changbin wouldn't be able to talk to him without trying to kill the older.
Jeongin has suggested himself, but Seojoon immediately shut that down. Hyunjin knows he would never be able to get Chan to talk and took himself off the list of potential candidates. So, it was down to Minho and Jisung. Instead of arguing over who should go, the couple decided to head down to the center together.
"I hate this," Jisung mumbles as the two walks down to the detention center.
Minho gives his boyfriend's hand a light squeeze, "I know, but it's going to be okay."
"You say that, but I'm not so sure," Jisung replies, "he probably hates me."
The older stops them right before entering the hall, placing both hands on the younger's shoulders.
"Don't think about that, we are here to help Felix, just keep your mind focused on that," Minho tells him, "Chan may be our friend, but he isn't the one missing and possibly in danger, so let's focus on one thing at a time."
Jisung nods, sighing as he glances at the door behind Minho. He debates telling Minho to go in there alone, while he waits out here. The younger doesn't, but he did strongly consider it. Minho gives him a reassuring smile before taking Jisung's hand and leading him through the door.
It didn't take long for the two boys to be sitting in front of Chan, the three sitting in silence for the first half of it. Chan obviously isn't thrilled that Jisung threw him under the bus, even less that he feels as though he is being looked down upon by his friends. Minho chooses to not speak up, letting his boyfriend and friend stare each other down until either the tension dissipates, or it becomes too thick that he can't breathe.
Chan is aware that what he, Bambam, and Yugyeom did was stupid, but that doesn't mean he is any less annoyed with Jisung for him ratting them out. Over the few days he has been in here, he has tried to get himself to forgive the younger for doing the right thing, but since he is still locked in detention, it is a little hard to bring himself to that point.
"What are you guys doing here?" Chan asks, finally breaking eye contact with Jisung, as well as, the silence.
Jisung looks to Minho to answer the question, figuring he'll have a better shot at getting an answer out of Chan.
"We're still your friends," Minho states, "you don't need to act this way with us."
Chan leans closer to the bars, "if you guys were my friends, then somebody would have kept his mouth shut."
Jisung sinks into his chair at the mention of it. Now, he is really wishing he would have made Minho come in alone.
A large sigh is heard, and Chan brings both his hands up to his face, rubbing at his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be aggressive, but I might actually be facing more than just being expelled," Chan tells them, trying to calm himself. He may be mad at the younger, but he still does see Jisung as a friend.
"I understand, you should know that none of us want that. We want to do whatever he can to help you, so maybe you could help us?" Minho asks, reaching over to link his and Jisung's fingers together. His way of silently telling the younger that he is here, and everything is going to be alright.
"Maybe, depends on what it is," Chan answers.
Minho nods, taking the book and the note from Jisung. The necromancer unfolds the letter, allowing Chan to read the words before showing him the one on the inside of the book. Chan raises an eyebrow, wordlessly asking for more information.
"It's no secret that you weren't Felix's biggest fan and that you wanted him gone," Minho says, trying to be as delicate with his words as possible, "so we were wondering if you wrote these to try and push Felix in the direction you wanted him to go?"
"Okay first, I only wanted him gone so I could protect you guys, and second, I didn't write those, in fact, I've never seen the book in my life," Chan tells them, "where did you find it?"
Minho shakes his head, "it doesn't matter, we just thought that maybe you were connected in some way."
"Nope," Chan states, "I never wrote any of those."
Minho can't sense anything from Chan to make him believe the older is lying to them, so he doesn't push it any further. Although this means they have nowhere to go on the information the book and the notes provided them, Minho is very glad that Chan wasn't involved. The older can be a bit overprotective at times, but Minho knows he would never put anyone in danger, even if he didn't like them.
Knowing Jisung doesn't want to spend any more time in here, Minho says his goodbyes and leads Jisung out the door. Thanking the guards, Minho and Jisung exit the hall, the younger immediately going back to grabbing Minho's hand as they walk.
"Well that was a bust," Jisung mutters once they've positioned themselves far enough away from the hall the detention center is in.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Minho tells him.
"What do you mean?" Jisung asks.
"I could be wrong, but do you remember what Seungmin was talking about with Chan." Jisung nods, still confused as to what Minho is getting at, "while sometimes when people are put under spells, there is a mark in their eye, subtle enough that if you weren't looking for it, you may never notice it."
Jisung stops them in the hall, turning to look at Minho, "Are you saying someone put Chan under a spell?"
"I think," Minho answers, "I may have seen the mark, and it explains the aggression coming from him if the spell hasn't worn off that could be an explanation as to why he has been lashing out."
"That makes sense, I think...What are we going to do now?" Jisung asks, "we have nothing else to go on in order to find Felix and I don't know if Chan being under a spell is much help."
"We'll figure some--"
"I don't believe that is any of your guy's concern."
Both boys abruptly turn away from each other, face one of the teacher's, Jackson Wang.
"I think both of you need to come with me."
~•~
Word Count; 1,763