BRAINWASHED ~ Jisung

03

Seven days ago. 7.37am.

Jisung shaded his hand over his face as he glanced up at the sky. The sun was shining, reflecting his bright mood.

It was going to be another great day.

Sure, he had to go to school, but his friends were there and last but not least, NCT 127's repackaged album had been released. That meant he could endlessly stream Simon Says on his music app. He had also pre-ordered a hard copy of the album and he hoped that arrived soon as he was eager to see which member's poster he would get. Fingers crossed it was his bias Taeil, but he wouldn't mind anyone else or even his new bias wrecker, Yuta.

He sighed happily at the thought of holding the beautiful album in his hands and unpackaging it. It would go pride of place on his shelf next to all the other copies of his NCT 127 albums.

Of course he had already listened to the other new songs on their album, but he couldn't get Simon Says out of his head; he just couldn't get enough of it.

He opened the music app and switched to a loop of Simon Says then placed his phone back in his pocket and waited for his bus to arrive.

As he took a seat on the bus, he hummed and tapped his fingers along to the music filling his ears. He didn't want to seem weird or attract attention to himself, so instead of singing along aloud he did so inside his head.

NCT we all so sexy
NCT noise you can't break me
Who scoffs at who
Bless me achoo
Simon says be cool
Don't be such a fool

Simon says be a real life killer (killer killer killer)
Simon says be a real life killer (killer killer killer)

You are all mine mine mine mine mine

The song had looped nearly four times by the time Jisung got off at his stop. He jumped off the bus with a grin on his face, stuffed his hands into his pockets and continued to stride down the street towards school, still singing along to the song in his head.

Then suddenly he halted to a stop.

Another student walking behind him nearly walked straight into him and cursed at Jisung under his breath. Jisung paid no attention though.

His eyes widened and slowly he pulled out his earphones, letting them fall and hang from his blazer pocket. He stood frozen, staring at the ground in front of him as he realized something with sickening shock; he had been singing the wrong lyrics.

But the fact that he got the lyrics wrong wasn't what made his stomach twist uncomfortably and his throat go dry, it was what he was subconsciously singing that freaked him out.

Simon says be a real life killer

Simon says be a real life killer

Was that really what he had been singing? And how had he not even noticed?

Even now, with the melody of Simon Says no longer playing in his ears, those haunting alternate lyrics were still reverberating in his brain, as if they'd been etched into his mind.

Jisung shook his head and slapped his cheeks, Come on, snap out of it Jisung! he told himself, taking deep breaths to try and calm the rising feeling of nausea in the pit of his stomach.

"Jisung?"

Jisung turned in the direction of the soft voice and saw Renjun staring at him, his head tilted to the side and a curious expression on his face.