By Zephyria 
[If you guys don’t know either…]
After Do Yun-hyeok’s short statement, a thousand ominous words followed in his mind. Do Yun-hyeok seemed to be thinking the same thing as Lee Beom, and there was a pause.
Lee Beom gripped his mobile phone tighter. Sweat slicked his hand, almost making him drop it. Silence followed.
“What on earth happened? How do you know something’s wrong with Hae-jun’s whereabouts? Explain the situation first. I’ll make the judgment.”
Regaining his composure, Lee Beom sternly interrogated Do Yun-hyeok over the phone. Do Yun-hyeok, letting out a sigh filled with confusion, summarized the situation piecemeal.
[A kid I know… was supposed to meet Hae-jun today to talk. But then I got a message saying Seong Hae-jun disappeared while they were at the restroom.]
“What the hell does that mean? Where, and with whom was he?”
[I only heard it second-hand, so I don’t know the specifics. They said they met at XX Park.]
“So, was that kid the last person to see him?”
[Yes. The last time he was seen was before going to the park restroom.]
Lee Beom furrowed his brow. Although he was asking about the situation calmly, fear and worry that something might have happened to Seong Hae-jun were gnawing at his heart. Lee Beom nervously tapped his leg.
“Hey Lee Beom! Why are you taking so long? Whose call is it?”
Min Si-hu’s voice could be heard calling out for Lee Beom, who had been on the phone for a while. As if hearing the sound through the microphone, Do Yun-hyeok asked for confirmation, a hint of hope in his voice.
[Come to think of it, what about Jeon Jae-hyung or… anyway, the other Four Heavenly Kings? Anyone Hae-jun might have gone to see or contacted?]
“They don’t know either.”
[Did you check?]
Lee Beom let out a short sigh. He wished it were true that Hae-jun had gone to see someone else.
“No need to check… we’re all together right now.”
“What’s with the call?”
At some point, Min Si-hu, who had approached, tilted his head and asked, hearing Lee Beom’s words. Lee Beom briefly covered the microphone with his hand. However, he didn’t know how to convey the situation.
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you two coming?”
To make matters worse, while he hesitated, Jeon Jae-hyung and Seong Hae-min also approached Lee Beom. He had to say something, but as he tried to utter the words he had just heard, his tongue felt stiff.
Shit. Cursing inwardly, Lee Beom slowly opened his mouth.
“Hae-jun…”
“Hae-jun?”
Seong Hae-min, whose eyes would usually roll back at the mere mention of Seong Hae-jun’s name, tried to push forward. He was already worried that Seong Hae-jun was late. Lee Beom squeezed his eyes shut and finished his sentence.
“I don’t know where he is.”
“What?”
“What do you mean? You don’t know where he is…?”
Jeon Jae-hyung, who rarely raised his voice, let out a cry, and at the same time, Seong Hae-min swayed heavily. Jeon Jae-hyung urgently supported Seong Hae-min. Seong Hae-min’s face was ashen, completely drained of color.
“Huh? Didn’t he say he was going to the library today? He said it was okay to go alone…”
Only Min Si-hu looked bewildered, unable to comprehend Lee Beom’s words. Lee Beom let out a deep sigh and recounted the gist of what he had just heard from Do Yun-hyeok. He said Hae-jun was meeting a friend at XX Park, but when the friend went to the restroom, Seong Hae-jun disappeared, and his whereabouts are currently unknown…
When the words ended, everyone froze, their faces blank as if their minds had gone into a void. The fact that Seong Hae-jun had lied about going to the library to meet someone was no longer the important issue in the face of his disappearance. Min Si-hu, his face the color of ash, was the first to move stiffly, fumbling to say something to try and salvage the atmosphere.
“Maybe he suddenly wanted to go somewhere, just… yeah, like an outing, maybe he just went for a bit? And he’s just a little late…”
But as if he knew it was a far-fetched possibility, his light brown eyes wavered. Lee Beom pursed his lips.
“Hae-jun didn’t have any money with him to go anywhere today. And after coming back from the library, he was supposed to look for academies with me…”
Seong Hae-min mumbled. As the story continued, his face grew paler. Do Yun-hyeok on the phone also remained silent. Everyone present knew clearly that Seong Hae-jun was not the type of person to disappear without a word and break promises.
[Yeah… you guys know that too.]
Lee Beom looked down at the small mobile phone in his hand and quietly brought it to his ear. Everyone fell silent. Whatever they said now would only be a desperate attempt to deny reality, unwilling to accept that Seong Hae-jun was in danger.
[Seong Hae-jun wouldn’t do that. He’s not that kind of person. I know him.]
Do Yun-hyeok stated with conviction. After hearing his own unspoken thoughts confirmed by someone else, everyone’s face darkened. Lee Beom frowned. The conviction in Do Yun-hyeok’s voice, the solid belief that the Seong Hae-jun he knew was Seong Hae-jun himself, felt unpleasant despite the urgent situation.
“…I know that, but how can we believe you?”
[Lee Beom, think rationally.]
Do Yun-hyeok stated coldly.
[The important thing is to quickly confirm if Hae-jun is okay. And time is the most crucial factor in this. So… I’m proposing we join forces.]
Sincerity could be heard in Do Yun-hyeok’s voice. Suppressing his animosity, Lee Beom let out a low sound and finally nodded slowly. He had no good feelings towards Do Yun-hyeok, but the priority now was finding the missing Seong Hae-jun.
“Alright…”
Lee Beom lowered his eyes. A dull ache pulsed in his head. It felt like his head might crack. And what seeped through was solely self-reproach.
I should have assigned someone to him. Of course, that’s the one thing Seong Hae-jun hated the most… Lee Beom bit his lip. No, I was just too careless.
To find the missing Seong Hae-jun, now more than ever, it was time to make cold judgments.
Lee Beom declared.
“…This is a temporary alliance.”
❖ ❖ ❖
It was a rare sight for the Seoyeon High Four Heavenly Kings and Do Yun-hyeok of Jeseong High School to gather in one place, unless it was a gang fight. These individuals, who were practically sworn enemies, had gathered for one person: Seong Hae-jun.
Beside Do Yun-hyeok sat Ban Seo-yi, who had been with Seong Hae-jun until the very end. Ban Seo-yi’s hands trembled so much, with her eyes swollen, that it was pitiful to watch. The Four Heavenly Kings, who had intended to interrogate her as soon as she arrived, found themselves silenced.
Kim Yi-dam, Kim Yi-gyeong, and Ban Pyo-ran arrived late. They had borrowed the help of Kim Yi-gyeong from Manhae High through Ban Pyo-ran, grasping at straws.
Once all the trustworthy people had gathered and the scene was set, Lee Beom calmly asked,
“…Explain the situation again.”
Ban Seo-yi, her face pale, rambled through the story Do Yun-hyeok had briefly relayed over the phone.
While talking with Seong Hae-jun, for about ten minutes, she went to the restroom, and when she returned, Seong Hae-jun had suddenly disappeared…
Finding it strange that Seong Hae-jun had vanished without a word, Ban Seo-yi tried calling and texting, and searched the surroundings, but couldn’t find him. She then asked Do Yun-hyeok for help. And as a result of Do Yun-hyeok contacting Lee Beom, they learned that Seong Hae-jun hadn’t returned home either.
Ban Seo-yi panted and mumbled incoherently, tears welling up again. She had cried so much that the corners of her sharp eyes were swollen and raw. Ban Pyo-ran, with a worried expression, handed her a tissue. Ban Seo-yi took it with trembling hands.
“It’s… it’s my fault. Where… where on earth could he have gone, please….”
Just as Min Si-hu, unable to watch any longer, was about to get angry at Ban Seo-yi, Do Yun-hyeok stepped in between them and gripped her shoulder tightly. Then, with eyes that were frighteningly calm, he calmed Ban Seo-yi down.
“Ban Seo-yi! Snap out of it. We don’t have time. Instead of this, you need to find Hae-jun quickly.”
Do Yun-hyeok, with his cold but realistic words, calmed Ban Seo-yi and looked around at the people standing nearby, seeking their agreement. Seong Hae-min slowly nodded. His face, devoid of any smile, was resolute.
Where had the missing Seong Hae-jun gone? They quickly listed the possible scenarios for what might have happened to Seong Hae-jun. First, he left for a trip on his own. Second, he suddenly had an accident. Third, he was kidnapped.
They worked in unison, pounding the pavement. However, Seong Hae-jun’s mobile phone only rang, and no one answered. They searched everywhere Seong Hae-jun usually went, as well as nearby emergency rooms, but couldn’t even find a scrap of his clothing.
Seong Hae-jun’s range of movement was limited, and he was the type of person who always contacted or informed Seong Hae-min before going anywhere. Therefore, the circumstances pointed to only one possibility.
‘Kidnapping.’
Even though everyone sensed it, no one had the courage to voice it aloud. No one, except Ban Pyo-ran.
“Hae-jun… could he have been kidnapped?”
Her voice was small, but braver and clearer than anyone else’s. However, even Ban Pyo-ran, who uttered the words, was not unaffected. Ban Pyo-ran’s arm, tightly gripping Kim Yi-dam’s hand, trembled slightly. Everyone else fell silent. The already serious atmosphere intensified with a greater concentration of worry, anxiety, and impatience.