Chapter Text
One week and three days had passed by.
Jeongwoo along with his parents have decided to come to Seoul. They were going to visit Jihoon to make sure he is safe and completely doing fine. They believed he had now come home from his trip or vacation with Hyunsuk.
Hyunsuk received a call of their arrival and was able to greet them immediately when they knocked on his apartment door.
"Hello Hyunsuk Hyung!" Jeongwoo greeted him. "Where's Jihoon Hyung?" he asked.
"What?" Hyunsuk asked confused.
"Didn't you guys just came back from your trip?" Mr. Park said.
"No, I thought he went with you guys..." Hyunsuk said trailing off.
A flicker of panic and realization crossed Jeongwoo's face. He entered the apartment and quickly went to look for Jihoon's room. He saw two bedrooms side by side together and entered the one with a plain door. He figured it would be Jihoon's room as the other door had decorative stickers and designs that he knew his hyung wasn't much a fan of using.
Jeongwoo quickly opened the closet in the room and found it empty. He went inside and searched through things that could lead him where his hyung could have gone.
"No..." Jeongwoo whispered. "No. No. No." he chanted in his head.
His parents realized the situation. Hyunsuk also realized something was wrong. His knees felt weak and he had to hold onto the chair nearby to support him.
Mrs. Park began to cry in panic and worry for wherever her older son had disappeared to. Mr. Park was quick to be at her side and comfort her.
Jeongwoo came out of the room holding a keychain that he was very familiar with. It was something he gave to Jihoon before he left him. He was sure that Jihoon would always bring it with him.
ʕ·ᴥ·ʔ
They quickly asked helped from the police.
Jaehyuk, a detective, headed straight immediately to the house address of Kim Junkyu to search for Jihoon there. When he arrived at the house, it was quiet and it looked like no one was at home. Jaehyuk decided to look for a way in. He was trying to spot anything suspicious that could point him to any leads about Jihoon's whereabouts.
Jaehyuk peeked through the gaps in the window curtains and even knocked on the glass to get a certain reaction from someone inside.
Jihoon was locked in the secret room. His mouth gagged and his hands tied to the bed. He heard the sounds from outside. A glimmer of hope igniting inside him. He listened carefully to determine whether the sudden presence was someone that could help him escape.
Jaehyuk continued looking around the lonely house. He then turned around when he heard a noise.
It was Junkyu. He was coming back to his house holding a bag of groceries. He quickly noticed the unwelcome stranger that was suspiciously lingering around his house. He immediately had a hunch of what the guy came here for.
"Can I help you?" Junkyu asked.
"I'm looking for Kim Junkyu." Jaehyuk said.
"And?"
"I was told he lives here." Jaehyuk answered.
"He does. If you call it living." Junkyu said trying to amuse him. But Jaehyuk didn't utter another word of reply.
"Sorry. It was meant to be amusing." Junkyu said.
"It was amusing." Jaehyuk stepped closer to him.
"Are you a mailman? Delivery guy?" Junkyu asked.
"I'm looking for any information—" Jaehyuk couldn't finish.
"Don't tell me you you're from the IRS." Junkyu intentionally cut him off.
"...on Park Jihoon." Jaehyuk continued.
Junkyu confirmed his suspicions. The guy was either a detective or a police officer. And he's here to take away Jihoon from him if he ever finds him.
Upon hearing Jihoon's name Junkyu went quiet for a bit. Jaehyuk got closer. He was trying to intimidate Junkyu into admitting. Or perhaps letting him slip up and reveal himself as a suspect.
"Do you know Park Jihoon?" Jaehyuk asked again.
He was already suspicious of Junkyu. He believes he really does know where Jihoon might be.
Junkyu got a bit anxious about the thought of losing Jihoon.
"Yes." Junkyu answered with a bit of a shaky voice. "Yes, I know him." he said with a much clearer voice. "I haven't seen him in a while." he lied.
"Well, I'm a family friend, and they haven't heard from him, either." Jaehyuk carefully looked at Junkyu's facial expressions.
"Oh, really?" Junkyu said looking worried. "Would you like to come in?" he offered.
"Sure." Jaehyuk nodded his head.
They went inside.
Jihoon layed helpless almost half asleep from the drugs in his body. He was startled awake when he heard the door opening and closing.
"He went on holiday with his family, I believe."
It was Junkyu's voice.
"No, he didn't. That's the reason I'm here."
Jihoon's eyes widened after hearing another voice. He stayed still with his eyes peeled open as he tried to listen if this was his chance to escape. He looked to the locked door of the secret room and tried to think of what he can do to get the sudden visitor's attention. Junkyu had his mouth gagged so he wouldn't be able to scream for help. He continued to listen.
"I don't get many visitors here. Excuse the clutter." Junkyu said as he picked up Jihoon's clothes into his hands.
He can't have Jaehyuk inspect it.
"You're going away?" Jaehyuk asked.
Junkyu proceeded to the kitchen to put the groceries away.
"Are you sure you're not from the IRS?" he asked.
"No, I'm not from the IRS." Jaehyuk
"They are the only certainties aren't they?" Junkyu smiled. "Death and taxes." he added.
"You didn't come here to talk about taxes did you?" Junkyu smiled.
"No. Park Jihoon." Jaehyuk repeated. He was already alarmed that Junkyu was stalling, trying to take up his time as he was thinking of something.
Jihoon heard his name and he felt relieved to know that the guy was looking for him and was going to help him out of here. That is, if he finds him.
"You were friends, weren't you?" Jaehyuk asked.
Jihoon started to make noise. He screamed but it was muffled by the gag. He then shook himself along with the bed which made a racket of noise.
"We were acquainted for a while, and then he went away. Poof!" Junkyu smiled. "Not a word. But that's people for you. They have their own lives to lead." he added.
Jaehyuk looked at him. He didn't comment on what Junkyu said. He's carefully observing his behavior.
"Please, take a seat." Junkyu offered.
"Thank you." Jaehyuk said as he sat down.
Jihoon started shaking the bed more to make noise as he heard the pause in their conversation. Junkyu heard and quickly stood up from his seat. Jaehyuk looked at him surprised.
Junkyu walked to one of the shelves in his living room.
"Blackpink." he said. "I love Blackpink. Don't you?"
Jaehyuk carefully looked at him. Junkyu went to his speaker, he turned it on and played Blackpink's song, Kill This Love. He looked to the side as he was sure he heard something but Junkyu decided to drown it out with some music.
"I like it when it fills the room." Junkyu sat back down.
"He helped me chose a cat. Oh, by the way, I actually haven't fed my cat for...I don't know how long now." Junkyu stands up and walks to the kitchen. "Forgive me. Little kitty be quiet!"
Jaehyuk watched him disappear and scold this supposed cat he has for making the noise.
It was Jihoon that was making the noise but Junkyu was trying to mask it as the cat just demanding for food to eat.
"Little kitty, please, will you be quiet?" Junkyu walked back to the living room with a bowl in his hand. "Kitty? Kitty?" he called.
Jihoon continued to bang the bed against the wall. He was really hoping it could be heard and noticed. While he does this, the wall shakes with the banging. The piano that was placed right in front of it shakes along and it gets the metronome to start ticking.
Jaehyuk watched Junkyu walked upstairs as he was still supposedly looking for his cat.
"Stop that banging!" Junkyu orders.
Jaehyuk hears the ticking of the metronome. He then noticed the piano that was shaking. He quietly got up to see what was making it shake. Jaehyuk stood at the side of the piano and put his ear to the wall behind it. He heard the muffled screaming of someone on the other side. He then he pushed the piano away from the wall and found the secret door. Jaehyuk hurries in unlocking the door.
Before he could do so, Junkyu runs from behind him and quickly stabs an injection to his exposed neck. Jaehyuk cries out in pain and faces Junkyu.
Jihoon hears something from the other side. He doesn't know what's happening but he continued to make noise so he can be heard.
"Oh, how clumsy of me!" Junkyu said in a mocking voice.
"You psycho." Jaehyuk mutters.
He felt his strength depleted. His knees shake and his vision started spinning. He tries to go after Junkyu but only stumbles to some furniture nearby.
"We have places for people like you." Jaehyuk said weakly as he tries to fight the substance forced into him. "He's in there, isn't he?" he added.
"He's having a nap, like you will have in 20 seconds or so." Junkyu chuckled.
He watches Jaehyuk fall to the floor.
"I'm taking him with me." Jaehyuk pulled out a gun to shoot him.
"Are you sure?" Junkyu asked him.
Jihoon screamed louder and banged himself harder against the bed. He was so desperate to be found. All he could think of right now was to make enough noise as he could so that his location would be revealed and he would be rescued from this torture.
"Help me!" he screamed.
Jaehyuk heard his screaming but he was already getting unbearably groggy from the drug.
"You don't look too good." Junkyu mocked again.
Jaehyuk tried to stand up with the help of the chair close to him. He takes out his gun and impulsively starts shooting. The bullets went past Junkyu, missing him and hitting the wall instead.
Junkyu looks to where it lands.
"You missed!" he cheers and kept moving around.
Jaehyuk fires the gun again.
"You missed again!" Junkyu mocks.
Jihoon continued screaming and crying through the gagged that silenced him.
Junkyu walks around and Jaehyuk tries to aim before he fires again. Junkyu reaches the wall where Jihoon was behind and Jaehyuk fires his bullets.
Jihoon cried scared as there were holes made into the room. He feared for his life as the loud gunshots kept firing.
Jaehyuk fell to the floor. The drug overpowering him. He closed his eyes and unwillingly gave in.
Jihoon cried as he heard one final gunshot. His heart beating so loudly awaiting what was the outcome of all those gunshots. He had hoped Junkyu wasn't the victorious one. If only he could see what was happening outside.
Junkyu grinned. He walked towards the fallen detective and picked up his gun.
"Do you have someone that loves you?" Junkyu asked, pointing the gun at Jaehyuk. "No? A pity. No one to miss you." he said and fired three bullets.
Junkyu had killed the detective.
He smiled happily and started laughing hysterically. He then danced around the room while the music still played in teh background.
Jihoon heard his deranged laughter and cried. It was hopeless. He could only think in despair of how he was going to be stuck here for a long time.
Junkyu prepared a body bag for the recent deceased. He sprinkled some powder, the same one he used to all his murdered victims.
He then hid the body in his basement and cleaned the blood that stained his floors. After that, he went on to covering the holes on the wall by the secret room.
"The bags you see were the perfect solution. Who would believed a simple black leather bag would solve an eternity of loneliness?" Junkyu spoke to Jihoon who could hear him from the other side. "Endlessly recycled through lost and found." he said as he covered up another hole.
"If found please return to..." Junkyu trailed off, as if he was waiting for Jihoon to answer.
Junkyu smiled.
"Yes, they brought company. The company was nice for a while, but everything has its end, doesn't it? Even company."
Junkyu covered up the last hole the bullet punctured through.
Jihoon whimpered as the last spec of light from outside was gone. He closed his eyes and started crying harder. He doesn't know what to do anymore.
Will he even be able to get out of this place?
ʕ·ᴥ·ʔ
Junkyu went out. He wanted a new friend to talk to because Jihoon wasn't talking to him anymore. He still loves him though and would take good care of him. He went out with another duplicate of his black bag with the same contents inside. He was sitting at the same train and purposely left his bag at the train again.
A guy was passing by and he caught sight of the bag. The guy picked it up, looked at it and saw the ID of the person who owns it. The guy decides to return it to the owner. The day was still young anyway.
He arrived at the location. The guy had brown hair that was styled in wavy fringes. He was dressed with a plaid coat, plain black pants and some black shoes. He walked to the house and rang the doorbell.
Jihoon was asleep. His eyes slowly fluttered open when he heard the front door being opened.
"Bless your heart..." it was Junkyu's voice. "Here, let me get you something."
"No. No, that's okay."
Then he heard it, another voice.
Jihoon didn't do anything yet. He listened first.
"Maybe you can come in for a cup of coffee." Junkyu offered.
Jihoon felt his chest tighten from how similar the words were when he first met Junkyu.
"That's so pretty." the visitor's voice said.
"Thank you. Here, sit down."
Jihoon blinked. From the words that he could hear Junkyu utter, this person that came was his next victim. He finally moved, turning his head to the locked door. He can't allow it. He won't allow Junkyu to trap, traumatize and kill another innocent person.
"I can't place your accent." Junkyu said.
"I'm from Busan." the person answered.
Junkyu just came back from the kitchen with cookies. He had already placed two cups of coffee first before he decided to add something for the visitor to munch on.
"I made them myself. Have one." Junkyu offered.
"Thank you." the guy said.
Jihoon's breath quickened. He was panicking. He was also feeling traumatized from how the conversation taking place outside was like a reenactment of his first visit here. Before he had realized he had been caught in a trap.
"So, what brings you to Seoul?" he heard Junkyu asked.
Jihoon couldn't take it anymore and began to hit himself against the bed. The bed frame started hitting against the wall and the thumping sounds began.
"Oh, how exciting." Junkyu faked a smile.
The banging sounds can now be heard outside. Junkyu noticed immediately and the metronome placed on the piano went lose and started ticking. Junkyu frowned as he knew Jihoon was trying to make noises again.
"I'm trying to be a K-pop idol." the person shared in his Busan accent.
Junkyu angrily placed his cup of coffee down.
"The neighbors, I'm sorry." he quickly lied to avoid any suspicion from the new comer. "Remodelling." he added with a chuckle.
Jihoon continued making noises, although they were weaker as he had been exposed to too much drug chemicals over the past few days.
Junkyu quickly stood up from his seat and went to where the door was hidden. He shut the piano close.
"A little courtesy, please! A little quiet!" Junkyu screamed, directing it to Jihoon.
The latter did so as he tried catching his breath from moving too much.
"Thank you!" Junkyu said and stopped the metronome from ticking. He turned back again to his visitor. "I swear they are building an ark." he joked, the same joke he tells whenever his victims makes noises in the presence of a soon to be victim.
The person chuckled from his joke.
Jihoon breathed heavily. He was trying to come up of a different approach to warn the person from becoming Junkyu's next victim.
"So, tell me, how does one become an idol?" Junkyu asked, drinking again from his cup of coffee.
The person started to explain and answer his question. Junkyu listened half heartedly, he was trying to put some of his focus on Jihoon in case he does something else. When he puts his cup down, it slips his hand and the coffee spills from the cup.
"So clumsy." Junkyu commented to himself. "I'll get a towel." he stands up quickly.
As he was rushing to the kitchen his steps became slow and wobbly. He had to use the furniture nearby to support him. He reaches the nearest towel and walks back. Junkyu looks at the living room only to see his vision go blurry. He stumbles to the chair and hold onto it. The person on the couch notices his sudden behavior and stands up to check on him.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I..." Junkyu trails off. "I feel so strange all of sudden. " he reaches back to the coffee table, trying to wipe off the mess he made.
"What...what kind of strange?" the person asked.
Jihoon listens carefully. He could tell there was something going on outside. Junkyu should've played the piano right now but instead it was a bit quiet, there were hushed voices speaking.
Junkyu groaned trying to stand up and fight his wooziness.
"Do you...do you think that maybe you've been drugged?" the person asked.
Junkyu stopped and carefully looked at the person.
"Think that happened to a friend of mine once." the person's supposed Busan accent vanished and he spoke differently now.
Junkyu felt fear crawl into his heart when he realized he doesn't have control on the situation anymore.
The guy took off the wig he had been wearing, revealing his short blonde hair underneath.
"The hours and hours I searched the goddamn subway for that bag. So, what happens now?" Hyunsuk asked, giving Junkyu a mocking pout.
Junkyu fell to the floor, breathing heavily with his vision getting blurrier.
Hyunsuk stood up and went to him.
"You play me the piano, talk about Liszt and Liebestraum, right?"
Jihoon's eyes widened as he recognized the voice from outside.
Hyunsuk stood above Junkyu, watching him with angry eyes. The latter groaned, he tried to say something but it sounded incoherent. Junkyu weakly held onto Hyunsuk's coat.
"Don't...don't take him..." Junkyu mumbled but he fell to the floor.
"Oh, no. You're overdosing." Hyunsuk kneeled down close to face Junkyu. "Yeah, that's what a bunch of roofies in your coffee will do to you." he stood up glaring at him.
"You need a doctor and I need my friend."
Jihoon was very sure that it was Hyunsuk. He screamed through the gag, crying desperately to be heard. He immediately went to banging the wall with the bed.
"Where is he?" Hyunsuk questioned Junkyu. "Jihoon?" he went to the walls, trying to check for a secret door.
Jihoon screamed louder and moved the bed harder.
"Jihoon!" Hyunsuk called out, walking to the kitchen to check. He could hear sounds of banging and he was sure it was Jihoon crying for help.
Jihoon continued screaming and banging the walls. He even started moving his feet despite them being chained to the bed, his wrists and ankles hurt from the restraints but he didn't care. He was close to being freed from this nightmare.
The metronome became lose once again. Hyunsuk heard just as he was passing by. He turned and immediately went to the piano. He saw the curtains above and parted them to the side. The secret door behind was revealed to him.
"Oh, my God." Hyunsuk muttered. He checked the piano to see if it can be moved away from the wall.
He easily slid it apart from the wall and quickly unlocked the door.
Jihoon was sitting upright awkwardly as his wrists were bent back by the chains. He cried and rejoiced upon seeing Hyunsuk come in right through the door.
Light flooded into the dark room. Hyunsuk saw Jihoon. He looked very tired from the bags under his eyes and very scared from the fear that was clear in his wide glassy eyes. Hyunsuk kneeled down to take the gag off and hug him. He sighed relieved to have found Jihoon alive.
Jihoon was finally able to cry out loud and Hyunsuk didn't stop him. He immediately went to taking off the chains on his wrists and legs.
"Are you gonna be able to walk?" Hyunsuk asked with a shaky voice. He had also started crying upon finding Jihoon.
"I don't know." Jihoon replied weakly.
"Hold onto me, okay?" Hyunsuk said, preparing to carry Jihoon out of there. "Come on, come on." they were trying to hurry just in case Junkyu releases himself from the effects of the drug.
Hyunsuk carefully carried Jihoon out. He wanted to cry because the latter felt too light to carry in his arms. He wanted to release all his anger on Junkyu but he knew that could wait. Getting Jihoon out of the house was his only priority right now.
They were about to exit the secret room when piano music suddenly started playing.
"No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!" Jihoon squirmed in Hyunsuk's arms. He wanted to be let down and cower back into the corner of the bed. The sound of the piano has now traumatized him. He refused to go on any further.
He feared Junkyu was already waiting outside, ready to kill him and Hyunsuk.
"No! No! Hyung! Don't go! Don't go!" Jihoon pleaded.
"I have to, okay?" Hyunsuk tried calming him down.
"Don't go. Don't go. Don't go. Don't—"
"It's okay, Jihoon. I have to go look." Hyunsuk assured him.
He was now scared himself from how Junkyu was even able to somehow recover so quickly from the large dose of drug he put into. He slowly let go of Jihoon to go out.
"No! Don't go! He's going to hurt you. Hyunsuk hyung! Don't go!"
Jihoon cried and helplessly watched Hyunsuk walk out.
The piano music continued. Hyunsuk cautiously stepped out. He thought that Junkyu was playing the piano from behind. The metronome continued ticking. Hyunsuk spotted a metal candle holder nearby. He picked it up and raised it, ready to hit Junkyu once he dares attack him. But when he looked there was no one playing the piano. He looked around, Junkyu's body was no where to be seen. He saw what was causing the music and it was playing from a vinyl.
"He's not here." Hyunsuk shouted for Jihoon to hear.
He walked to the vinyl. He slammed it close to make it shut up. Hyunsuk breathed heavily.
"It's just a record." he added.
Jihoon carefully stood up from the bed. He was trembling with each step he takes.
"How the hell did he..." Hyunsuk wanders aloud. He walked around to check where Junkyu could have vanished off to.
Jihoon walks out. He looks at the ticking metronome. He looks at the living room. He couldn't see Junkyu anywhere. He was scared he was gonna pop out somewhere and hurt Hyunsuk.
That's when there were two hands that appeared from the shelves he was standing close by. He was grabbed by the neck and he sees Junkyu hiding behind the shelves.
"You were the one." Junkyu said to him.
Jihoon screamed for help, trying to pry Junkyu's hands off him.
"I love you Jihoonie. Please, don't leave me."
"Stop! Get off of me!" Jihoon screamed.
Junkyu's hold loosened. The drug was still overpowering his body. Jihoon quickly steps away and watches Junkyu fall to the floor.
Hyunsuk came back running. He heard Jihoon's screams. He saw Junkyu and prepared to end him with the candle holder in his hands.
"No." Jihoon pleaded. "No. No, don't do it."
Hyunsuk breathed heavily. He was looking down at Junkyu who was now lying still, unconscious from the drug he gave.
He looked at Jihoon, wanting to ask what he wanted to do to Junkyu instead. He really wanted to hit Junkyu though. Just thinking of what traumatic things he could have done to Jihoon, yet Jihoon himself even still had the heart to grant him mercy.
"I have a better idea." Jihoon said.
They placed Junkyu into the cramped box he placed Jihoon in. Junkyu layed unconscious with stuffed animals. Hyunsuk then closes the lid. Jihoon was sitting beneath the box, unable to comprehend that it was all finally over.
"How do we lock this?" Hyunsuk asked.
Jihoon looks to the floor and spots an object. It was a Chinese hairpin, the other tip of its end was designed with leaves and flowers. Jihoon inserted it into the lid's lock. He weakly pushed it in.
Hyunsuk finally sat down with him. He put an arm around him and allowed the younger to start crying again.
"What do we do now?" Jihoon whispered.
"We call the cops." Hyunsuk put out.
"What do we tell them?"
"That there's a psychopath asleep in an old painted box." Hyunsuk said and chuckled lightly.
Jihoon finally smiled after a long while of being stuck in there.
"How long have I been here?" Jihoon asked.
"Too long." Hyunsuk whispered. He closed his eyes and hugged Jihoon tighter.
"I need to get some air." Jihoon said.
"Okay," Hyunsuk sniffed. "Let's go." he stood up and helped the younger stand on his feet.
"I need to call my family."
They walked away from the box and left the room.
A few seconds later, the box moved. The lid was being opened. It loosened the hairpin on the lock. The lid kept being moved and the hairpin tilted to the side, ready to fall.