𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 | 𝐚 𝐭𝐱𝐭 × 𝐢𝐭𝐳𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

twelve - some secrets

some secrets

in the end, ryujin was asked to look after lia while soobin scurried off with yeonjun in seriousness.

"what do you think those idiots are tryna do?" she asked the awake lia, sullen and grim after her bizarre experience.

"yeonjun said something about summoning that darned creature for a talk," said lia, "so something dangerous."

ryujin looked away from the window. "you're used to ther craziness already," she said with a flicker of amusement.

lia looked up at her, "and you? you joined their supernatural cause for a reason, didn't you?"

ryujin feigned ignorance, she sat down on the empty bed beside lia. "i already gave you a reason."

"yes. but it isn't the truth, is it?"

then ryujin became serious. "what? did the ghost told you this?"

lia smirked. "no. just some keen observation and suspicions."

"tch. suspicions. what if your intuition is wrong and i said the truth?"

"of course not. because you of all people would benefit from associating with the photgraphy club. i remember a certain girl who used to hover around you that passed tragically. is she not the real reason why you joined the club, ryujin?"

there was mischief in her tone; it irked ryujin to the core. "pretty ironic how it took you this long for you to remember."

"about that girl?" lia no longer appeared sick—thought ryujin. whilst her complexion was yet to regain the rosiness, the gleam on her eyes and taunting in her words said otherwise.

"you saw something, didn't you?" asked ryujin, steering the conversation to another matter.

lia maintained her smile. but there was graveness on her voice as she spoke. "i saw a lot of things, ryujin. jo serim was one of them."

"yeah, save it for the boys," ryujin suddenly dismissed the conversation. she turned away from lia and headed to an empty bed. she slept with a sigh.

so, even she is afraid, huh? lia quietly surmised.

silence would have reigned, if it weren't for lee chaeryoung slamming the door open. the girl looked perplexed when she saw the two, she must have thought there wouldn't be anyone hence she opened the door rather haughtily and loudly. "sorry," she squeaked, embarrassed as she closed the door timidly.

"it's fine," said lia. since she was class president of the lot, she was rather familiar with their faces albeit despite never having held a proper conversation.

"i saw the nurse in the staff room so i thought there wouldn't be anyone. really sorry." chaeryoung subjected her apology to lia, since she was being ignored by the other short-haired girl sprawled on a bed.

chaeryoung walked in and helped herself to some vitamin supplements. however, curiosity got the better of her and she asked, "i noticed you look a little off, lia. are you okay?"

it surprised lia, to be addressed by her name rather than 'prez'. so she found herself stammering to answer, "i- i am a bit under the weather. just a mild headache from the changing weather."

"oh. it really doesn't look like it. you look very sick."

lia pressed her lips into a rigid smile upon chaeryoung's bluntness. she had not expected that, at all. "um... i guess i am," was all she could say on her behalf.

chaeryoung popped the supplement inside her mouth, downed a cup of water, wiped her mouth and walked over to lia. she sat down at the end of the bed wherein ryujin laid, making herself comfortable while puzzling lia.

"say, lia. i've noticed these past few days that something isn't quite right with you. first, that moniker choi yeonjun, stone-faced choi soobin and annoying choi beomgyu keeps hovering around you. now, you're isolated with shin ryujin which can only mean one thing." lia raised her brows. "tell me the truth lia, did that loudmouth yeonjun told you something?"

god. these people are fast. lia has no choice but to give it up for the keen observation. even ryujin could tell and now lee chaeryoung too. what was up with these rich kids?

"uh..." in the end. lia found herself struggling to speak of the supernatural photography club. should she just spill? or would yeonjung get mad?

"as expected of miss lee, great observation skills, or rather, a nosy cat?"

fortunately, lia was interrupted by ryujin who slowly rose from the bed as she smirked at chaeryoung with an impressed look rather than a sneer that was more befitting of her.

chaeryoung, on the other hand, wasn't at all impressed by ryujin feigning sleep and interrupting with an impromptu scene. "it wasn't very difficult with you lot being very obvious and loud," said chaeryoung. "in fact, kang taehyun has also noticed and is certainly prying yeonjun that loudmouth as we speak."

lia couldn't help but be impressed by how small the vanity circle was—it seemed the rich kids had their own little community unbeknownst.

ryujin only grinned, delighted. "you two are truly astounding. anyway, we're not telling. if you wish to know you may hear it directly from soobin or yeonjun, since they started this while ordeal that's brought us together. me, on the other hand, is a girl with a mission."

"i can only imagine what."

the cynical flow of their conversation, the understanding and witty remarks has left lia speechless and lightheaded. she was yet to recover from her otherworldly experience, and this reunion of familiar stranger was not making her recovery any faster.

but she hadn't the guts to ask them to take it outside, so she simply sat there as the silent spectator.