Treacherous

14 - center of attention

"What do you remember from that night?"

A cold ran down to my spine when I was seated in the counseling room. I was wrapped in between two young men but strangers in casual attire opposite mine, a familiar woman with glasses behind me, and an old man just beside. The air around us tearing thin as the digital clock placed on the table indicates the school was already over for long. It was a short pause after that strangers asked for me, according to Sena's belief, to conduct their search. The detectives. 

Yesterday, after Director Cheon granted, or maybe took interest in my wish for clear evidence of my innocence, she called the police force that I assumed were her connections to investigate further about last December's event. Under the director's per request to their chief, the two unarmed men had permission to hold their investigation in school. Within her authorization to the school, she planted our guide counselor to accompany us throughout all the questions for emotional support. 

And an old man dressed in black suit, the attorney I knew for he was a friend of my father, also couldn't go unnoticed with his rigid posture and calculating eyes. 

I believe it was irritating to the detectives, the counselor part, much less crossing the virtue of secrecy for the manual. But then again, they couldn't possibly do anything to the authoritative demand from the wealthy and power. They didn't have a word to say but to obey the task given to them. Willingly.

"Bae Rona?"

"Yes?" I gaped, too occupied with my never-stopping brain that started to shiver myself in the room with the heater on. I was nervous but not afraid. 

"What do you remember from December 23rd?" The man with brown curly hair repeated his question, whereas his partner, the second-in-charge at this moment, waited for the answer to be typed down.

"You've been out of it since yesterday. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. You look good in velvet," I nudged playfully to distract her.

Seola got the catch and showed off her studded velvet long dress whilst saying, "I design this myself, including the one that Doha wears. Isn't it... Wait, you're trying to block me. Are you hiding something from me?"

"What? Why would I hide something from you? I'm just feeling exhausted because of this," I bluffed. Again.

I closed my eyes when the images of that night soared to my mind, clear with no signs of blur. Even though this was my plan, I still couldn't shatter the ache in my head whenever I recalled that night. It was haunting me still with guilt, fear, and foremost feeling inquisitive. "I remembered watching everyone. Away from them in the corner."

"What were they doing when you watched them?" he asked again. His monotone voice overlapped with the loud press of the keyboards. 

"Dancing. They danced to the music, enjoyed it. Like that's the only thing they cared about at that moment."

"What happened after that? Can you tell us about all the events that occurred at the time?"

From where I sat, Seola controlled the game with big smile on her face. Doha looked like he gave up in calming down her as he just watched the game come to an end. Sipping on his cup, he caught me staring and told Seola right away.

"Guys, Rona is here, let's play another," Seola said.

Heo Yoojung, Seola's close friend from the Dance Department, sighed. The worn out face voicing her thought, "If we play another round of this game, I'm out."

"Of course not, we're on for Never Have I Ever."

"Games," I exhaled. The brown curly hair man watched me intensely across the table, forcing me to explain further with my statement. I did. "We played never have I ever, all of my classmates except An Eunwoo. Before I came, they played dare or dare."