Awakening (7)
“Is everyone here?”
It was time for the regular staff assembly. The staff handed things over to the guidance committee for a bit and gathered in the middle school auditorium. They checked attendance to make sure every supervising teacher was present. In the end, two people were absent from the assembly: Kang Eunbi and Kim Taeyang.
“Those two didn't show?”
“Ah, I'll give them a call.”
What could have happened? Choi Gahee immediately dialed.
"The subscriber you have dialed is powered off or out of service..."
Not even a ringtone—just straight to the automated message. What the hell? Did she decline it? Or block me?
“Mine's not going through either?”
Seong Juyeon tried calling too, but it was the same. Eunbi wasn't picking up either.
“For now, we'll reprimand those two later. Let's start the assembly!”
The regular assembly was just a check-in to see if the staff was doing okay, if they needed anything. They quickly went over reminders, checked for issues in each patrol route, confirmed if more manpower was needed anywhere, and wrapped up.
Where the hell is Taeyang?
Once the assembly ended, Choi Gahee and Seong Juyeon headed back out to search for Taeyang. They didn't spot him, but they ran into Min Iri along the way.
“Hey~ you two must be beat.”
“Iri. You seen Taeyang by any chance?”
“Huh? Something happen to Taeyang?”
At the mention that Taeyang had gone missing, Iri's eyes clouded over instantly.
“No, it's not confirmed yet, but...”
“He skipped the assembly and isn't answering his phone.”
“Hold on a sec.”
Iri immediately called Taeyang too.
"The subscriber you have dialed is powered off or out of service..."
The same automated message played before it even rang. It was like the phone was deliberately refusing contact... Iri hung up and fiddled with her phone.
“Just a moment...”
Inside the gym storage room.
Kang Eunbi, sipping her drink leisurely, looked at Taeyang.
“Oppa, aren't you thirsty? Want a beverage or something?”
“You think I'd trust whatever you spiked it with?”
“Oh my, doubting me? That hurts my feelings.”
It's not doubt—I've been kidnapped, and from the looks of it, you're planning to drag me overseas. Pretty damn sure at this point.
If he carelessly ate or drank anything she offered, he might pass out without a fight. Or worse... end up bedridden for life.
“Anyway... I still like it this way. Heehee, this is so fun. Even if it's not for work, we get to be cozy together, just the two of us.”
“You know this is all crime, right?”
“Huh? Crime...? What do you mean?”
“Messing with someone else's phone without permission to begin with!”
He hadn't wanted to provoke her, but he had to call her out on that. It crossed a line.
“Hmm... Oppa, did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That among the stalkers fawning over you, at least one had planted location tracking on your phone.”
“.........What?”
“...Iri.”
“This is getting serious.”
“What?”
The location tracker Iri had installed on Taeyang's phone while he was showering last time wasn't working at all. No—Taeyang's phone had blocked Iri's tracking. If he'd noticed, he would've complained... And if he blocked it, she'd get a notification on her end. The fact that it vanished without a trace meant something had happened.
“Gahee, Juyeon! You two keep patrolling your routes and look for Taeyang!”
“Got it!”
The three split up immediately and set off to find Taeyang. Watching them from afar, an Italian-looking foreign man spoke into his radio and moved out.
Two days before the festival started.
“Gahee, Iri. Can we talk for a sec?”
Kim Hayan called the two over and stepped into an empty hallway.
“Hayan, you look upset. You okay?”
Hayan paused for a moment before speaking.
“It's about Taeyang. There's something I want to tell you two.”
“What'd Kim Taeyang do now!?”
Iri was the first to yell in agitation.
“No, it's not like something happened.”
Once Hayan explained it wasn't the kind of emergency Iri was imagining, Iri finally calmed down.
“Oh? Phew~”
Hayan looked at Gahee and Iri, took a deep breath, and got to the point.
“The thing is, Taeyang's been struggling because of us.”
“What?”
“Struggling how?”
Hayan had considered letting it slide at first, pretending she hadn't heard. Pestering someone drunk or blabbing to others wasn't cool. But Taeyang's behavior had been bugging her for a while now. He'd mutter cynical, self-deprecating things to himself or make these pained expressions like a heavy burden was crushing his shoulders. Kim Hayan couldn't ignore her family suffering.
Especially... 'I like my sisters, but I hate having to hate them.'
Taeyang was making the wrong call about his relationships all on his own. As his big sister, she had to set him straight.
'Taeyang likes us sisters, and we like Taeyang... so there's no need to cut ties, right?'
Hayan steeled herself—even if it meant resentment later—and explained everything that had happened that day to Gahee and Iri.
“He was suffering all alone like that...”
Gahee was surprised for a second but quickly accepted it.
'Of course Taeyang wouldn't hate me. It was a misunderstanding after all.'
When Taeyang had declared they should cut ties at Gahee's house, she'd realized Seonwoo must've fed him some nonsense. When they met again on the committee, she'd despaired. But Gahee had kept believing in Taeyang to the end.
“I should call him right now.”
Iri moved to dial without a second thought.
“Iri, calm down first.”
“How can I calm down? He's off making dumb worries and causing a fuss. Can't let him run...”
“Taeyang's the one who's gonna suffer more!!!!!!”
“......”
“......”
Gahee herself was shocked at her own outburst. Hayan and Iri were just as stunned by Gahee's rare anger.
“Sorry. But... if we push Taeyang too hard... I really think he'll run away for good.”
“Got it. Gahee, sorry.”
“Wipe those tears first.”
“...Yeah.”
Iri put her phone down too. Fair enough—Taeyang, that sly bastard, wasn't the type to cave to one-sided pressure. Last time, when she'd said she was transferring to Elmae High, he'd freaked out and tried to stop her.
'Told him to do whatever if something came up, and now he's plotting to bail on his own...'
“Phew~ What should we do? Any way to convince Taeyang?”
After pondering, Hayan spoke up.
“Gahee, no more avoiding. We're on the same committee for the festival, so talk to him properly, okay?”
“I tried talking last time, and he shut me down completely.”
“R-Really?”
“Yeah, he keeps calling me 'senpai' instead of noona, dodges every suggestion to hang out... and he's always glued to some other girl...”
“Other girl?”
Iri's eyes narrowed for a split second.
“No, no. Just a junior he's working with. She helps him out a lot.”
“Hmmm...”
The three racked their brains but came up empty. Still, they reached one conclusion.
“He'll probably come to our class at some point anyway, right?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“He'll visit his big sis during break at least once. We can all meet up then and talk.”
“Guess that's the way.”
“But festival staff breaks don't overlap.”
“Wanna ask Yuli? And get Juyeon's okay too.”
“Yeah, Juyeon should be fine, but Yuli... might be tough?”
True, given Yuli's personality, it was a hard sell.
“She's been hanging with Juyeon lately though. Should be okay. Better than wandering alone for her too.”
“Right, Gahee. Give it a shot. If not, no biggie.”
And so, the three decided to drag Taeyang to Hayan's class maid cafe and hash it out.
“If that flops, get him drunk at the afterparty once the festival's over.”
“Iri...”
“Haha, kidding.”
She'd planned to reconcile with Taeyang. Talk it out, clear the misunderstandings, go back to those happy times.
Gahee had held back as much as she could. She'd felt pathetic for not approaching him during committee work despite how frustrated she was. But she'd always held onto hope. It finally felt within reach.
She thought they'd laugh and chat again, that she'd stroke his hair.
Why'd he vanish again?
“Excuse me! Have you seen a boy about this tall, blond hair, tanned skin?”
“No, haven't seen him.”
“Nope.”
“No such customer.”
And Eunbi was gone too. For some reason, Gahee had a bad feeling.
“He's not off campus, right? Should we check outside?”
“Gahee, calm down.”
“Ugh...”
“Doesn't seem to be on the streets, so let's search the middle school building first?”
“What? But the staff routes...”
“Hold on.”
Seong Juyeon called someone.
“Hello? Yuli?”
“Juyeon, no way...”
Seong Juyeon looked at Choi Gahee with a sly grin and continued.
“Someone went missing, you know Hayan's little bro?”
Yuli hesitated for a moment. But remembering the time with FridayAngel, she figured it'd be fine. He hadn't been scary at all when they were together. It gave her courage. Of course, it was because of Friday Angel...
'He said to cherish connections, so helping a friend should earn me praise later.'
After hanging up, Juyeon turned to Gahee.
“Gahee, go on.”
“...Thanks, Juyeon.”
“Don't thank me. Find that Taeyang jerk and give him hell. How dare he stress out his noonas like this.”
“Yeah! Gotta grill him proper this time.”
She'd find him for sure and fix their relationship.
“Let's go. Yuli.”
“......Yeah.”
Gahee swapped with Yuli at the middle school back gate and headed straight into the middle school grounds.
Gym storage room.
“Two stalkers just entered the middle school.”
Eunbi approached the bed and sat next to Taeyang.
“Oppa, don't worry. Eunbi will protect you.”
You're the biggest stalker here.
Taeyang swallowed his complaint and asked, “You didn't hack my sisters' phones too, did you?”
“Huh? Why would I bother? I'm only interested in you!!”
“Ugh... don't touch.”
Eunbi squished Taeyang's cheeks despite his resistance and giggled.
“Heehee, sulking? Jealous? It's only you for me~”
“Ah, quit rubbing already!”
Eunbi stood back up. Not because Taeyang hated it.
“Monitoring via drone. Since it came up, time to start the defense.”
“What?”
Eunbi worked her laptop.
“Drone club! Come check it out!”
“Can I try flying one?”
“Sure, wanna give it a go, kiddo?”
The kid grabbed the controller and flew the drone.
“Huh? What's wrong?”
“Lemme see that for a sec?”
“...Sunbae! Something's weird!”
“What the! Why are the drones moving on their own?”
The drones started flying off wildly. And the connected program wouldn't respond. Like it'd been hacked.
Suddenly, the drones broke control and zoomed toward the middle school at full speed.
“Kim Taeyang!!!”
“Taeyang!!!”
The drones charged straight at Min Iri and Choi Gahee, who were frantically searching for Taeyang.
Crack— One drone heading for Min Iri shattered in an instant.
What the... out of nowhere? Trying to stop us from finding Taeyang?
“......Taeyang's in danger.”
Iri's clouded eyes darkened further. She'd just entered Yandere Stage 2.
Meanwhile, Choi Gahee...
“Kyaa~!”
She barely dodged the sudden drone. It looped around and targeted her head again.
“What the heck?”
She fled from the drone buzzing threateningly around her. But it climbed back up and dove at Gahee again.
No... it almost did.
Thwip—! Something shot the drone down. A dart arrow was embedded in the wreckage.
“Haa~ what are these flies buzzing around for?”
Gahee whipped around in surprise.
“Unnie, you okay?”
“Yuyeong.”
Three more drones rushed in, but they were instantly shot down by darts. Lee Yuyeong's eyes gleamed with the intense glare of a battle maniac as she checked the fallen drone.
“Unnie, what the hell are those?”
Been a while... another fight?
Lee Yuyeong replayed her shonen manga fantasies from back in the day.