✔ Trust No One - SVT (Halloween Special)

6/13

An awkward silence filled the living room. Seungcheol sat with his legs crossed, hands folded on his lap.

"So... Jeonghan's dead."

"We know." said Chan miserably.

"I think this killer must be very smart." said Seungkwan quietly. "They've separated all the couples."

"If he weren't dead, I would say it's Wonwoo." said Joshua.

Mingyu bit his lip, still traumatized from his boyfriend's death.

"We need to do something." said Seungcheol, taking control again. "The killer is taking more and more innocent lives. The longer we sit and wait, the more of us die."

"But what can we do?" asked Soonyoung, speaking up for the first time in a long while. "It's hopeless, guys. We lost- what, half of us already? There's seven of us left. We've lost Vernon, Dokyeom, Jihoonie, Minghao, Wonwoo, and Jeonghan-hyung. We can't save anyone else. The killer might as well have won already."

"Hey, don't say that." said Junhui, although he wasn't holding up well either.

While everyone was upset about the six deaths they'd seen so far, Soonyoung and Junhui were by far the most distraught. Soonyoung lost the signature light that they knew him for. And Junhui lost his other half, the only one who would ever understand him. He knew he might as well give up.

"Can't we run?" asked Chan. "We'll just run to the police station."

Mingyu chuckled bitterly. "As if. Have you noticed that the bookcase is now glued to the floor?"

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Seungkwan in surprise.

"Look." said Mingyu, pointing to the bookcase in front of the door. "We can't escape. The killer made sure of that."

"So there's no way out?" asked Joshua quietly.

Mingyu shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid there's not."

The room became silent again. They could never win. And they never would.

***

"Ya, come in here. I need you to kill someone."

"Who is it?"

"Chan."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just want him gone."

"Okay. How shall I kill him?"

"That is up to you, my friend."

The apprentice nodded. "Luckily for us, I hear him outside. Should I take him away?"

The killer gave a thumbs up. "Make it quick and clean."

The apprentice opened the door, scaring Chan. "Sorry." he said quickly. "I was just looking for any clues that would help us. Mind coming with me?"

"Why?" asked Chan suspiciously.

"I want to talk with you."

Chan frowned. "Okay... you're acting weird, hyung."

The apprentice ignored the maknae and led him to one of the bathrooms. "Why are we talking in the bathroom?" asked Chan, only to be immediately cut off by the apprentice stuffing a towel in his mouth.

"Shut up." said the apprentice, grinning as he held Chan's head in a chokehold above the sink.

"I knew it!" shouted Chan, his voice muffled. "I knew it was you! You were acting so weird! Let me go! HELP! SOMEONE HELP!"

"No one's going to help you, my little boy." said the apprentice. "They can't hear you from downstairs. I'm just the apprentice. I guarantee you'll never find my boss."

"Why would you do this..." choked Chan.

The apprentice grinned. "Sorry. Just following Boss's orders."

He smashed Chan's head against the bottom of the sink, chuckling as he left.

***

Woah... where was he? Screw that, who was he?

He opened his eyes slowly, an excruciating pain instantly running through his head. He couldn't remember anything. How had he even gotten here?

He seemed to be in a sort of bathroom. He sat up slowly and looked around. No one was there with him. He remembered one thing - this definitely wasn't his bathroom at home.

Suddenly, he stood up, eyes wide. He had to tell his friends. He remembered everything.

***

"What the fuck?! You didn't kill him?!"

"I... I tried, I swear to you! I smashed his head in the sink, there was blood everywhere! There's no way he could have survived!"

"Well, he did! What kind of apprentice are you? You can't even kill!"

The apprentice hung his head low. "I'll try harder next time, hyung."

"Oh, no you won't." said the killer, coming dangerously close. "I'll kill you before you can even lift a finger."

The apprentice backed away, only to hit the wall. "Hyung... it doesn't have to be like this..."

"Oh, yes, it does." said the killer, hesitating. "Boo Seungkwan."

Seungkwan froze. "Hyung, please!"

"You want to know something? I killed your dear Vernon." said the killer, leaning in closer than ever. "I put the poison in Vernon's glass. And while Dokyeom was the one to pour the water, making the poison circulate in the glass, he was never the one responsible for Vernon's death. It was me all along."

"You traitor." choked Seungkwan, fighting back tears. "How could you do this?"

"Easily." grinned the killer. "You're useless, Seungkwan. I don't need you anymore. It's time to reunite with poor little Hansol."

He pulled out a rope and tied it around Seungkwan's throat. The younger stood there, helpless, wondering why he had ever agreed to this crazy plan. What did he care if there was money in it for him? He'd killed multiple people, and tried to kill one more. Now all he had to do was hope his classmates were smart enough to solve the mystery.