Paragon High

Chapter Ten: An Adventure of Queries

The Machiavellian watched the psychopath walk on the grassy fields down the palace grounds. It was brave for him to use a ladder just to get his darn jacket. But Jisoo found sense in his intentions. If she was seen the next day giving his jacket, the whole school might suspect them both for colluding and linked with a murder. Or worse, suspicion of being romantically linked.

The girl went to her bed and lay down. Deep with irrational thoughts and indecisive decisions. Every inch of this mysterious psyche school has been creeping and driving her crazy! There was something going on behind those dark shadows of Paragon High.

They may fully-understand the psychological disorder of every students, but they're also using their knowledge to manipulate them like puppets.

***

Jisoo marched at the Student Council President's office. It was time for the reckoning of what Lalisa Manoban actually saw and did during that time. And why she hadn't said anything about it. The Machiavellian looked at the President sitting like a Queen in the middle of everyone. "We've got to talk Madame President." Jisoo presented her a suspicious look. "About Byun Baekhyun's murder."

Lisa glared at her and sat properly. "Underlings, scatter." She raised her eyebrow at Jisoo as soon as every soul stepped out of the room. "Care to elaborate what you just said?" She said with a sweet smile.

"A reliable source just told me that you were there when Byun Baekhyun was murdered. And...this source also told me that you were the girl who I heard screaming before I witnessed his dead body." Jisoo raised her eyebrow. "Now, care to explain?"

Lisa scoffed. "Over my dead body, and that psychopath's dead body, I was right in this office when the crime happened." She made a snort. "Do you really think I'd murder Baekhyun? Your audacity is unbelievable! You Machiavellian rascal!" Lisa snarled and pounded her table really hard.

"I didn't say I suspected you for murder. I just want to confirm if you were there and if you saw and heard what really happened and-"

"And what? Get discriminated by those idiotic psychos who think we killed their little P.O.! I'm sure you knew what they think about you dint you think?" Lisa twinkled her eyes. "And I'm not gonna risk my dignity nor this President position. Never. Ever!" She pointed the exit door. "Now get out of here you dirt poison!"

"Were you there?"  The hard-headed Machiavellian stayed. "I won't get out without anything. Admit it, or I'll just start digging deeper in your dirt and maybe, eventually use it against you. You'll lose both your dignity and this..." Jisoo caressed the plaque with the wrods, 'President Lalisa Manoban', "...Presidency. Except, if you admit it right here, right now, you'd just to lose one of them."

Lisa had fresh tears creeping the ends of her eyes. "Fine! I was there! I screamed because I was really frightened of- of- the corpse! It was lying down- and- and the blood was just flowing out of his head!" Her voice shook in frighten. "And don't you dare try to betray me with your dupe nature. You only tell Miss Dara about this, but absolutely no one else! I'll kill you next if you do."

"I won't. Trust me, a dear Narcissist." Jisoo took steps forward and caressed her hair softly. "I'm definitely not living that stupid Machiavellian stereotype." She winked at Lisa and left the office. Smirking in confidence for a mission-accomplished!

'I heard what I needed to hear.' Jisoo said to herself. And the mystery girl who screamed at night was finally solved. That night of Byun's murder, there should be at least four people nearby. Two witnesses which were Jisoo and Lisa, the deceased, and the killer itself. One check was off Jisoo's checklist. And she was coming for the second one.

***

The schizo-ward didn't seem as dark as the psychopaths' dungeon. It and little mor sunlight and bigger rooms for the students. Jisoo expected the rooms would be much bigger. Schizophrenic people normally roam around areas when their psychosis attacks them. And to avoid hurting themselves, bigger rooms were especially essential for their disorder.

You can visit the schizos. Though, you'd have to sign your name on a given clipboard, and talk with the schizo through a glass. Not getting physically connected. And as what, the young psychopath Jung Kaleb referred to the Machiavellian, his cousin, Jung Hoseok. Jisoo glanced as the gates opened.

It was as if she was meeting someone from prison except that they wore normal clothes. Jung Hoseok had a bright and happy aura. Definitely the opposite of the Jung Siblings, who were cold, aloof, and distant. "Ooh~ You must be new around here~" He cooed and leaned on the glass to get a closer look on Jisoo.

"Hi. I'm Kim Jisoo. And I've got a few questions to ask you."

"What house are you from? I'm a psychopath." He asked first. "By the way, your look really screams the color green."

"Yes. I am a Machiavellian. And I am here to ask something about Jung Jessica. Your cousin who got murdered during the 'Nazi Night' by some wicked and shameless psychopath. And also, her boyfriend who got murdered a day after she died. Doesn't it seem too much to be a coincidence?"

"Jessica was stubborn but I assure you she's a good person. Just stubborn. And his boyfriend was, perhaps, the only cure to her stubbornness. She's completely not using her brain when it's Baekhyun who's talking to her." Hoseok replied. "And I've got a gut feeling that Baekhyun's only using my dearest couz." He added.

"Using her for what?"

"Baekhyun's egoistic. He's part narcissist but his tactics are ways of psychopathy. He's been trying to run for Student Council President ever since he was here. But, he landed on the position of a P.O. of the psychopaths. And, whenever Jessica comes here to visit me, she'd tell me that Baekhyun wouldn't talk to her. He'd ignore her. At least after the election results."

"When was the last election?" Jisoo took down notes on his notebook.

Hoseok thoughts for awhile. "About two months ago. President Lisa's a newbie on becoming the President. And if you were to ask me, it could've been Lisa who murdered Baekhyun."

"How do you say so?"

"They're enemies. Duh? They're like the Capulets and the Montagues!" Hoseok berated spookily. "Manoban and Byun's war was tragic! Everyone knew about it!"

"If Lisa got the President position, why on earth would she try to kill him?" Jisoo asked.

Hoseok went nearer the glass to whisper, "The votes. They were manipulated." He whispered. "And I think Byun knew something about it. And, coming from first-hand experiences with a Narcissist," He paused for a while. "They hate defeat." He said.