Conceal

7. Theories

"Haven't you heard?" Jooheon asked, looking up from his phone while they waited for the next round to start. Wonho, Jooheon, and Kihyun were sitting around a dining table in Jooheon's house, losing themselves in a multiplayer mobile game before moving on to their "movie night". They chose Jooheon's house not only because it was an actual house, but also because it was his "turn" after hanging out at Wonho and Kihyun's place for the previous gatherings.

"No," Kihyun replied, and Wonho assented with a nod.

Without warning his friends in advance, Jooheon cancelled their game just 3 three seconds before starting, causing Wonho and Kihyun to groan irritably. "What? We can play later. Let me tell you the news first." Jooheon explained as he stood up and started towards the TV.

By the time Wonho and Kihyun arrived at the living room, the TV was already turned on, with Jooheon sitting on the couch resting his laptop on his lap. Jooheon's laptop was connected to the TV, so everything shown on the laptop could be displayed on a larger monitor. Kihyun still found this piece of technology impressive.

"I found this article online one day, and saved it the moment I finished reading it." Jooheon clicked and swiped on his laptop track pad, until the article popped up and filled the screen.

The top half of the article was visible, showing only the title, a picture of the biggest police station in the area, and the first two lines of the whole text. However, the words "drugs" and "evidence" in the heading were enough to spark curiosity in Kihyun, and soon enough he was itching to acquire Jooheon's laptop so he could scroll down and keep reading.

Acting quite like polar opposites, Wonho sat down besides Jooheon and signalled with his hand for Jooheon to start, eager to get back to their interrupted game. He barely looked at the TV at all, as if the only things in his mind were the moves he would pull off and the monsters he would slay afterwards when they could take out their phones again.

"So basically," Jooheon began, scrolling down the page to reveal more content. Content Kihyun was so hungry for he finished scanning over the paragraphs in 5 seconds. "Lee Dawon, the guy with drugs found in his apartment, was interrogated, and the police found some crucial evidence that most likely proves that he is guilty."

Now that he realizes how this piece of news might affect Kihyun, Wonho is tempted to learn more. "What's the evidence?"

Jooheon sighed. "The police took Dawon's phone and checked his call logs. The last call he made before the police knocked on his door was to Minhyuk."

Before Jooheon could continue, Kihyun interrupted. "Minhyuk...as in your colleague Minhyuk right?"

Jooheon nodded, a grave look on his face. Wonho stifled a gasp, but before he could say anything, Jooheon continued, "Apparently Dawon denied that he made the call. But he did reveal his relationship with Minhyuk."

"They knew each other?" Wonho couldn't suppress the astonishment he was feeling. "Wait, but do you even know Dawon?"

Jooheon frowned, as if saying whatever he was about to say was the most difficult thing he ever would've done. He hesitated as his eyes darted across the television screen.

"Jooheon?" Kihyun's voice pulled Jooheon out of his trance. He looked at his friend with a half-smile on his face.

"No... I don't. And I wouldn't mind normally because I don't have to know everything about Minhyuk's personal life, but when something like this happens..."

Kihyun sensed the concern in his friend's troubled voice. "What?" He asked carefully.

"They were enemies back when they were high school students. I know Minhyuk never got to graduate, but I never knew Dawon was the reason why." Jooheon looked like he was about to sigh again, but he closed his mouth halfway through opening it, as though exhaling required too much energy he didn't have. Everything was so confusing, and pieces of information muddled up even more when he said them out loud.

Perhaps it was his desperation to identify the real culprit who placed drugs in his bag, because Kihyun managed to put two and two together the moment Jooheon finished speaking. "That's it. Dawon hates Minhyuk, and Minhyuk is arrested now, so Dawon must've let the police find the drugs on purpose. He's taking revenge."

"I think you've forgotten that Dawon is the prime suspect here." Wonho argued. He wasn't sure what point he wanted to make; it was just something he felt was logical that happened to come to his mind.

"Who cares? No one knows how criminals think. They might have some long winded ways planned out just to get what they want." Kihyun replied.

All of these speculations were building up a headache for Jooheon, but there was one pressing thought that he couldn't ignore. "If the police finds evidence and Dawon is actually part of The Flaming Tongues, trying to accuse Minhyuk for something he didn't do, then he might be involved in..." Jooheon looked at Kihyun, and Kihyun got the message. Wonho knew about the drugs that appeared in Kihyun's bag as well, but he wasn't supposed to, and Jooheon didn't know yet.

"This is messed up." Kihyun's voice was barely a whisper, as if it dawned on him again how complicated his life had become since just a few days ago. He brushed his hair with his hand and finally sat down on a lone armchair next to the sofa. Suddenly he felt a thousand times more stressed than when he entered Jooheon's house an hour ago.

"Let's forget about this for now. Let the police do the investigating." Wonho seemed to be the only one who still had some sort of composure in him. "Do you guys want a cup of water?" Jooheon and Kihyun nodded and muttered a "thank you", and Wonho disappeared into the kitchen.

Jooheon's head was showing no mercy to him, and the opened laptop displaying everything he'd rather not see, didn't help at all. Nothing particular came to his mind when he first read the article, but his friends' theories made him realize the dozens of unsolved mysteries in his life right now. It was as if someone had forcefully shoved an extra piece of paper into his book of life, ridding every last bit of rationality and common sense from the story.

Wonho came back with two cups of warm water and placed them on the coffee table in front of the couch. Jooheon thanked him again, slightly embarrassed to have a guest serve him in his own house, and took a deep gulp of the drink. He was glad the warmth did a good job of soothing his nerves.

Kihyun downed his whole drink as he watched Jooheon set up the movies they were going to watch. He told himself to focus on the right now. It was a Friday night, after all.

Jooheon stood up. "Let me just go get some snacks and drinks and we are all set."

"I'll just go to the toilet real quick." Kihyun said.

After washing his hands in the bathroom that was as big as his bedroom in his apartment, Kihyun received a text. He frowned when he realized it was from Jooheon.

I don't want to ruin the mood again just now, but I want to say that no matter how sure you are about your theories, please don't tell the police. I know you want to know who did that horrible thing to you, but everything is going to fall apart once you start telling people.

Kihyun read the message and felt the muscles on his face grow tenser by the second. He thought it was the best timing as ever to tell Jooheon.

Sorry Jooheon, I shouldn't have kept this from you, but I told Wonho about everything, so you don't have to hide anything in front of him anymore.

And also, isn't everything fall apart already?