VICIOUS

whistle of the wind.

06.

there was a cyclone warning in the area. the canopies were thrusting along the wind, rain splattering the ground in freckles till all turned dark and wet. jia watched the scene unfold from her room's window. she pulled at the curtains, darkening the room further. her grandma could be heard downstairs, walking briskly, worrying about the seeds she had sown yesterday. they would be ruined and flooded. she walked up the creaking stairs, a lantern in hand.

jia covered her legs by a duvet, busying herself by folding the laundry. she looked up. her grandma was smiling warmly at her. "i knew you would be sitting in the dark."

"i like it. it feels cosy." jia smiled barely, although the figure in front of her could ooze the happiness out on her face.

"i'll leave this here for you then." grandma set the lantern near the bookshelves, and hurried downstairs again, muttering about brewing tea, and cleaning out the fridge for the next week.

jia sighed, standing on her knees to take a peek outside again. the clouds had formed a dark mass over the stretching forest. a brilliant radiance shone in one of the ending corners, setting jia's heart in pause. thunder rumbled. it felt peaceful, because as soon as the sound stopped, the clouds opened into loud rain. jia couldn't see much, now that the whole place was so strikingly dark.

her mind floated to yeonjun and taehyun. what could they be up to?

almost half a kilometre away, yeonjun sat in taehyun's family restaurant. there was a warm hustle around. orange light drowned green furniture. a television playing an orchestra concert, no one present enough to hear it. there were a few people busy downing dinner. in the kitchen yeonjun could hear taehyun getting scolded over unkempt storage. he ran out through the swinging door, grin on his face.

"hey!" he rushed over to yeonjun, hands on his back. "when did you get here?"

yeonjun looked up, then down at the water puddle formed beneath his shoes. his eyes were covered by wet strands of hair. "clearly not too long ago."

taehyun ignored his emotions. he took to looking at the raging sea that was turning over. "another summer day weather, huh?"

"the detective came down to my home earlier." yeonjun muttered, head hanging low.

"did you say you didn't do shit?" taehyun slid in the seat opposite to him.

"yeah. they believed me since there were many others to back me up for not being suspicious. i also did own an alibi. they said he died to a stab."

"one stab?"

"sixteen."

taehyun couldn't reply. he held on yeonjun's tightened fist, assuring him with a small nod.

"let's see what happens. hopefully mister hiroshi gets the justice he deserves."

yeonjun swallowed down his feelings once more. he sniffed, looking up. taehyun' s dad was heading towards them with a plate of steaming dumpling soup. taehyun helped him set down the dishes. yeonjun gave the adult a grateful smile. "thank you."

"don't mention it. my son doesn't know how to treat guests. enjoy the food. it will warm you up." and with the man left, wooden tray swinging in hand.

"i'm so under appreciated." taehyun sulked. yeonjun sniggered, taking hold of the spoon to taste the food.

but before the warmth could touch his taste buds, the door opened in a dramatic swing. under the light was a familiar face. jia. she was drenched from head to toe. if asked to describe, one would she she was birthed by the sea instead of being rained upon.

her eyes met yeonjun's, then taehyun's, and all she needed was to cough out what she had seen in the rain.