Veiled | JHS | ✓

Abnormal

Sia wandered along the hallways in a daze. She couldn't believe what she had witnessed. No one would if they were in her shoes. But something, something that felt like the distant echoes of a muffled scream was ringing in her ears, whispering to her every other second that what she had witnessed was true.

It only proved more than true when she had marched up to the bunch of seniors yesterday after the freakish incident and demanded that they recount what happened just a few seconds ago. The confused looks they gave her along with feigned concerns for her sanity proved that whatever their victim had done to them was working.

Jung Hoseok wasn't normal. He was something else.

Fortunately, he hadn't seen her or else god knew what he'd have done to her. 

She didn't understand. How could a human possibly do something like that? It wasn't like they were living in a fantasy movie. This was real life. Whatever Jung Hoseok had done yesterday wasn't normal.

Sia hadn't realized where she was going too preoccupied with her thoughts. Her feet just took her somewhere on their own and it wasn't until she walked into the shaded campus park and spotted the lone figure sitting on the benches, reading a book that she snapped back to reality.

What are you doing, Sia?! U-turn! U-turn! Don't go there! It's dangerous!

But it was as if her body had a different mind of its own. It paid no heed to her internal screeches and continued on its way. Sia, don't do this! Turn back! Turn back!

Too late. Her body had already marched up to the figure on the benches and stopped. Training an accusatory look on him, she called. "Hey, you!"

Jung Hoseok looked up from his book to her. His brows furrowed together upon seeing her as if trying to remember who she was. When he finally recalled, a brilliant smile lit upon his face.

"Hello. You're Sia Winters, am I right? You're in Ms. Anderson's class with me."

Right. This was the Jung Hoseok everyone knew. The guy who was the epitome of geniality and kindliness. The angel of St. Mathews. Oh, how they are wrong.

"What brings you here?" He asked with polite interest.

Now, Sia would have awed over the fact that he even remembered her name if she wasn't involved in a mental struggle against her body. Sia, you still have time. Go back. Run away!

"I saw everything." Was what spilled out of her mouth, however.

Confusion flickered across his face. He tilted his head curiously. "What did you see?"

"Everything," she snapped. "I saw what you did to those seniors back there yesterday. You!" She jabbed a finger at his face, "You aren't human, are you?"

. . .

There was a moment of stillness. 

Slowly, Hoseok's expression began to change. The look on his face hardened and the friendliness it held a few seconds ago, melted away to be replaced with an indecipherable look. His eyes chilled and now they were cold, scanning her from head to toe, assessing how much of a threat she posed. Finally, he spoke, his voice lower than before. 

"You saw?"

That's it. Congratulations, you've officially walked into the hands of death.

"Yes, I saw everything! You're...you aren't normal. You're a monster!" 

Sia would have given everything in the world just to get her mouth to shut up because the look Hoseok was now aiming at her wasn't anything kind. It was ominous. To Sia's terrified mind it looked like the expression a serial killer would make before the imminent death of their prey. She gulped.

He stood up from the bench and a muted silence befell all around them as if by magic. Everything went silent. The sound of the wind, the rustle of the trees, the chatter of the students on the campus... It was as if they were the only ones left behind in a deserted world. 

She fought the urge to look around, afraid to take her eyes off the danger in front of her. Taking a step close to her, he gave her a long stare. His eyes were searching, although what he was searching for, Rea wasn't sure. Suddenly, he raised his arm and she hardly contained a flinch.

"I don't care what you think about me..." he murmured and Sia wondered how a human's voice can sound so low and guttural. He brought forth his thumb and she followed the movement with her frightened eyes. His thumb traced a line above her lips, not quite touching her, as he went on. "...as long as you don't go around flapping your mouth."

Sia's heart was racing faster than a rocket and she felt that it would launch right out of her rib cage if it kept up. The cold, bone-chilling gaze was back on her and she had an intense urge to look away and cower from his sight but something inside her kept pushing her to stare right back into them, challengingly. 

One minute passed... perhaps two... All Sia could do was stare back into the drilling look the angel of St.Matthews was giving her. Finally, Jung Hoseok looked away and made to leave.

Oh my god. Oh my god, he's leaving. Thank God!

Sia was almost about to collapse to the ground at her luck and heave a huge sigh of relief when her lips moved on their own again, "And what makes you think that I'll keep quiet?"

That made him pause. Hoseok didn't turn back as he uttered his next words.

"You better keep it shut...unless you want me to be the monster you fear."

It was official. Sia Winters was completely doomed.

_____________

Jung Hoseok strolled up to the shaded edge of a cliffside that overlooked the city down below. The sun was preparing to set, painting the sky in orange hues with its paintbrush. The evening air was warm against his face as he squinted his eyes at the sun. Raising his hands to his mouth, he whistled.

"Pheew!"

The bushes near the cliffside gave a suspicious rustle. Hoseok's eyes trailed up to it and a small grin slowly spread across the lips. There was another rustle. All of a sudden, a furball jumped out of it with an excited yip and came pounding down towards him. He crouched down, letting the furball climb up to his lap as it excitedly barked and sniffed around. He gave a light chuckle.

"I knew it, Mickey! You only want me for the food, don't you?" Hoseok asked, rummaging inside his bag for Mickey, a brown Shih Tzu dog's favorite treats. The dog gave him a bark of denial and Hoseok laughed again. "Don't lie, Mickey. I know everything."

Mickey gave two more enraged barks encouraging his human to laugh even more. Questioning Mickey's loyalty was one thing the furball didn't find amusing and Hoseok often took advantage of the piece of information just to get him mad because Mickey was cute when got mad. As the furball happily munched on his treats minding his own business, Hoseok lifted him in the air making him let go of his treat.

"Aww, aren't you the cutest?" He cooed and the dog gave an annoyed woof. Hoseok burst into a fit of giggles at the fuming look Mickey gave him. "Aahahahaha!"

Lifting him even higher in the air, Hoseok made him face the sun and sang the theme song of Lion King out loud, "Naaaaaants ingonya ma bagithi Babaaaaa~"

When Mickey gave more annoyed woofs, he snickered as he went on bellowing, "AAAAAHHH SINGONYAAAAA I DON'T KNOW HOW THE REST OF IT GOOOOOESSSS...Hahahahaha..."

Tears sprung to his eyes as his laughter mingled with the dog's growls and barks. Finally, Hoseok's laughter gradually subsided. His eyes fell on the sunset and his smile slowly faded as he brought Mickey back to his lap.

"Mickey, I'm not a monster, am I?"

Mickey gave him a questioning bark. Hoseok slowly shook his head in reply with a sigh. "I'm not sad Mickey, I'm just..."

He looked back to the sun.

"I will be fine...I will be."

________________

A/n: I know for a fact that my curse fans would be so confused by now. ;)