Chapter 9

Confusion washed over me. What role did Seungmin play in all of this? Initially, I found him intriguing. He went by the name "Sky" when we first met, and my master assumed I was infatuated with him. However, lacking emotions, I couldn't experience love, making any attraction impossible. His chosen alias had caught me off guard. Why did he hide his true identity? And why "Sky" specifically? Did he have a more significant role than I had imagined? The mere thought made me gasp.

"We have to tell her," Lee Min-ho's urgent whisper pierced through the door, audible despite the barrier. "Why didn't you think to inform her?!"

"What were we supposed to say?" Changbin's voice carried irritation. "How would she have reacted?"

"But it's better than just dragging her along!" Lee Min-ho's frustration was palpable. "Imagine how confused she must be right now!"

Hyunjin and I stood awkwardly in the office, overhearing their conversation. I sensed Hyunjin avoiding eye contact, pretending to be fascinated by a random object in the room. My suspicions were confirmed. Everyone seemed to know something I didn't, and I felt certain I was on the verge of uncovering the truth.

"So this entire time..." Lee Min-ho's voice wavered, as if struggling to maintain composure. "Seungmin was alive?"

I yearned to understand the significance of this Seungmin person to them... and why they had assumed he was dead. Could Seungmin be the true reason for all the help I've been receiving? The reason why everyone didn't hesitate to assist me? But Seungmin had nothing to do with me... so why?

"I was shocked too," Changbin replied, his tone now calming and sentimental, as if reminiscing about Seungmin brought them comfort. "When Felix called me and told me the situation... I couldn't believe it myself."

"The walls in here are really thin, aren't they?" Hyunjin interjected casually, scanning the room awkwardly.

Minho and Changbin seemed oblivious to the fact that we could hear them, putting Hyunjin in an uncomfortable position. But he couldn't simply enter the room and ask them to lower their voices.

"I wonder what he's been doing all this time," Minho mused with the same hint of sentimentality. Seungmin must be someone they cared deeply for. "The bastard told us not to worry... but he never came back."

The way he spoke those words didn't sound harsh; they carried a mixture of worry, pain, and fond memories.

Hyunjin continued to scan the room, avoiding eye contact as if he couldn't hear them.

A long silence hung in the air. Eventually, Hyunjin and I made eye contact, and I sensed a wave of relief from him. But what was he relieved about?

Soon, Changbin and Minho emerged from the room where they had been discussing private matters, despite me catching the tail end of their conversation. They both exited, masking their awkwardness with coughs. Clearly, they were unaware that we had overheard most of their discussion.

"Seven." Changbin's tone was stern. "It's time we talked."

As I looked at him, my face betrayed a soft expression of shock. This was it. Finally, I would learn everything. I would uncover the secrets that had been shadowing me, the tension that had enveloped everyone.

If I still didn't get answers, I was prepared to extract them forcefully.

...

Everyone gathers outside the building in an alleyway, forming an impromptu meeting. I couldn't help but wonder why we couldn't have this conversation inside, but having all of us crowded in that office would indeed be strange. It does sound suspicious.

"Did you believe your escape that night was merely luck?" Changbin's voice held a hint of seriousness as he fixed his gaze on me, expecting an answer.

"No... well, I—" I faltered, my eyes dropping to the ground. The events of that night had unfolded so quickly that I struggled to articulate my thoughts. I hadn't even had a chance to fully process Seungmin's role.

"The only stroke of luck was your survival, thanks to Seungmin's actions," Hyunjin interjected, as though I should be profoundly grateful, despite my lack of knowledge about Seungmin's involvement.

How could that be? I didn't even know Seungmin... Why would he orchestrate an escape for me? Was it truly for my well-being, or was it for everyone trapped in that underground mansion?

I looked up at all of them. "So you guys knew..."

My voice trailed off as I glanced over at Chris, who leaned back against a wall with his arms crossed, avoiding my gaze. I had shared a bit about what happened that night with him... but had he known all along?

"If you weren't someone precious to Seungmin..." I.N began, drawing my attention immediately. He stepped closer, looming over me. "Would we have really paid attention to you?"

"I.N. That's enough," Han warned, pulling him back by the arm. I.N looked at Han in annoyance. "Oh, come on, I'm just stating the obvious." He turned back to me, a sly grin on his face as he leaned down to meet my gaze. "I'm sure she knows it too."

My eyes remained fixed on his. He was right. I was confused. There was no way I was receiving help from all these people for no reason. I may not know much about the outside world, but one thing was certain: they wouldn't be kind to a stranger like me just out of "the kindness of their hearts". Even I was growing suspicious of their actions. Everything was happening so fast, and more people kept introducing themselves to me.

"That's beside the point," Felix interjected, casting a glance around at everyone gathered. "We're all here because of Seungmin... so just this once, let's do something for him."

I looked up at Felix. There was a hint of sadness in his voice, as though they had failed Seungmin. He spoke as if he couldn't be there for him, as there was guilt and pain behind his words. Felix seemed to have hid it with a faint smile.

"Felix is right," Han spoke up in his usual soft tone, releasing his grip on I.N's arm. "We may not be close friends..." He glanced at Chris and Felix specifically, and then around at everyone else. "But we share one thing in common." He paused, his gaze lingering on each of us. "And that's Seungmin."

I hadn't realized... the impact that mysterious man I once bumped into had. He was just a stranger to me, but to these guys, he meant everything. Hearing him praised like this made me want to talk to him, to see it for myself. But why had I never noticed him before, if he was in the same building too?

"Yeah," Felix smiled with a hint of nostalgia. "We may not have always gotten along, but..." He glanced over at the gang, I.N, and Minho before continuing. "He was always there."

A sense of sentimentality hung in the air. This gathering had turned into a reunion centered around this Seungmin guy. And the only reason I had so much support was because of him... I thought back to the moment I collided with him during my escape. Should I have followed him? But even then, he seemed uninterested in a conversation, clearly in a hurry.

"Tell me..." Minho's voice was soft but demanding. I shifted my attention to him, as he stood quietly behind Changbin with a small, barely visible smile on his face. Stepping closer to me, he spoke again. "How did Seungmin look?"

His question made me realize that they all must have been wondering the same thing, but only Minho had decided to ask. Were they afraid? Did they think things weren't looking good for Seungmin? I glanced at everyone, but Chris seemed to be the only one not actively participating, lost in his own thoughts.

Returning my gaze to Minho, I replied, "He was..."

I recalled the moment I was in Seungmin's presence. It wasn't when I knew him as "Seungmin," but as "Sky." His face had been so clear in my memory, and although he had caught my attention, I had been more curious about his name.

Glancing at everyone once more, I noted that Seungmin didn't seem to be living in agony from the brief moment I saw him. He appeared normal, nothing like someone suffering in a terrible life. They should be relieved to know that Seungmin didn't seem depressed.

"He looked content."

That's all I could say with the limited information I had about him, but it should be enough for them to hear.

Minho sighed, speaking under his breath with a sentimental smile. "That's good..."

The smile seemed to unconsciously appear on his face as he thought about his friend.

Friend, huh...? My eyes darkened at the thought of that term. Was there truly loyal friendship in this world?

"So, Chris." Changbin's voice suddenly cut through the air, dark and cold. I looked over to see him, looking angry as he stepped over to Chris, who remained in the same position. "Do you want to start from the beginning now?"

My eyes widened. Of course. Chris was the first person I met...

It all started with him...

Chris slowly looked up at Changbin, finally making eye contact with someone for the first time in a while.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***