Lyeta

Chapter 1

The rain pattered down on the window, the sun shining faintly through the clouds. It hit off the window and cast odd shapes along the floor. Haneul stared at the shapes, half-listening to his mother speak animatedly to her young students. He sat at a small desk in the corner of the room, a few feet away from his mother's desk. It was too small for his lanky body, so he sat cramped up, his knees pressed painfully against the bottom of the table. Haneul was a third-year student at the town's small University, trying for his teaching degree. His mother had recommended him to the principal to be her teacher's aid. The elementary school needed more teachers, so Haneul was given the internship. It had been four months since then, and Haneul was regretting going into education. First-graders were so loud, obnoxious, and so sticky. Haneul silently thanked whatever higher power when the final bell rang. Paperwork, he could deal with. The young students filed out of the classroom, wearing colorful backpacks and waving goodbye to his mother. The rain started to let up, causing Haneul to scrunch up his nose. He loved the rain and silently hoped it would soak the little brats. Once the room was cleared, he stood up and walked to the bathroom conjoined to the room. Some little asshole had left snot all over his nice shirt when hugging him after recess. Haneul stripped it off, staring at it with disdain. Tossing it in the garbage, he grabbed the spare he kept it in the small cupboard under the sink.                 

                 Aera watched her son, a look of concern etched on her face. Haneul had been getting more annoyed and snappier. Their mother-son relationship became strained after Haneul came out. Aera's reaction was less than ideal. She was starting to regret letting him work here. Aera adored her job, the children were so kind to her and never made fun of her accent. She knew he didn't care so much for children, but she had hoped maybe if he spent some time with them, he'd settle down and find a nice girl.

                The door to the bathroom opened up and Haneul exited. He didn't glance at his mother, sliding into the small desk. "Honey, you don't have to do anything else, you can head home." Haneul didn't have to be told twice. He hummed in reply to his mother and scooped up his book bag, "K. Bye Umma, I'll see you tomorrow."               

               Outside, the air was heavy, moisture hanging and filling Haneul's lungs. He closed his eyes, standing there in the parking lot for a moment. The sky was darkening slowly. The booming sound of thunder in the distance was a promise of the storm to come. Haneul slid on his bike, throwing his bag into the basket on the front. He pushed off, riding down the hill towards his University's dorm building. The rain-smelling wind blew through his hair, whipping it around. A deep part of Haneul hoped a car would come from nowhere and hit him, mangling his body into a perfect splatter of guts. He shook his head, shaking away those intrusive thoughts. In the past year, murders in the town had risen a striking amount, and it intrigued Haneul. His father was working on the case and was assigned the head of the case just this year. While staying with his parents one weekend, Haneul had stolen his father's case files. Ever since he saw the gory photos, intrusive thoughts had been forcing itself into his head.

                A puddle splashed dirty water on the bushes in front of his building as Haneul slid to a stop. He hopped off the bike and chained it up. The rain started again as soon as he arrived. Haneul grabbed the bag and ran into the building, paying no attention to everyone else. He lugged himself up the stairs to his dark dorm room. The room was empty, his roommate nowhere to be found. He tossed his bag on his bed and slid down to the hardwood floors. The dorm was only two rooms big, one a small bathroom with only a toilet and sink, and the other the main room. To the left of the front door was a fold-up table and mini-fridge resting beside it. A black microwave sat on the table, open slightly. In the left-back corner of the room was a twin bed with black sheets. The bed was made nicely, the large black comforter smoothed out. A bedside table was pressed against the bed, nice and tidy. Opposite the bed was another twin-sized bed. This one was covered in yellow sheets, comforters, and bright-colored stuffed animals. It was messy, stuffed animals having fallen on the floor surrounding the bed and posters hung unevenly and ripped.