You're My Target

Chapter 50

The next morning Troy sat in class, all the while wanting to not be there. He also knew something was going on with the Tiaras. Jiyeon and Hwayoung were not at homeroom that morning. He hadn't seen Qri, Soyeon or even Boram. Troy had a feeling they all must have heard about Hyomin, but he couldnt be positive. Not yet anyway. After school, Troy wanted to call soyeon to check in. but he couldnt find the courage. He decided to try to call Boram instead, but she didnt answer. Troy eventually forced himself to sleep having no choice but to try to find something out tomorrow.The next morning, same school, different day. Only this day Troy wouldnt sit through homeroom alone. He would be joined by Areum.

"good morning troy" she greeted him with her squinty smile

"hey whats up?" Troy asked.

"you seem to be a bit up beat considering whats going on." she said in response to his demeanor.

"what you mean the whole gay thing? i really dont care." Troy shrugged and gave a half smile.

"wait wait. so you didnt hear about ... Hyomin?" she asked.

"i heard she told the entire school im gay?" Troy answered her.

"Troy, Hyomin never came home from school the day before yesterday. Thats why none of her friends have been here. they are all with her family and Eunjungs family." Areum explained in a dire voice.

"oh man." Troy replied putting on a worried face. "thats. i dont know what to say. i just hope she's ok."

"yea. i just wish i could do more for them. they've helped me a lot since i moved here." Areum said sadly.

"same for me." Troy agreed. he looked up to see Areum had her gaze fixed on troy.

"be honest though Troy. dont you feel a little relieved deep down?" She asked him. Troy was stunned by her question. he couldnt speak. the words got trapped in his dry throat."all your problems just disappear." she said.

"im not really following. Troy said feeling the anger start to brew inside him.

"well, hyomin starts rumors about you, and then shes gone. Eunjung develops feelings for you which hurt your relationship with soyeon, and shes gone. and im not too sure but sure enough based on what i've heard, is that Jang was in the way of your hockey aspirations, youre reason for being here. and well. hes gone."

"sounds like, youre calling me a murderer." the words felt like fire coming from his mouth. he did his best to keep his cool. Areum let out a calming, apologetic giggle.

"troy im just saying. i wish my problems could go away that easy."

"first of all. not all my problems disappear. Soyeon still isnt talking to me. dont even get me started on Jun. and lastly hyomin and eunjung being lost or whatever isnt really helping me at all. in fact its just making me feel worse. relieved is the farthest thing im feeling. im shocked you could even say something that insensitive." Troy said jumping to his feet.

"well im sorry Troy." She said plainly.

"youre a real piece of work you know that!" troy said before he stormed off into the hallway. He found himself in the boys bathroom pacing back and forth.

"the nerve of that nosey, annoying.... jerk." troy said holding back his inner urge to swear. "i shouldnt even be here. why did i even come here today? and i should have thrown Areums name out there to Mou while i was at it. Not Hyomin.."Troy leaned on his hands over the the sink counter.
"Areum.. instead of hyomin." Troy smiled and snapped his fingers at the thought. He walked out of the bathroom with a sense of purpose and a shine in his eye. After school troy got home to his apartment. He was eager to give mou a call, however Mou didnt answer. Troy decided to try again a little later. He sat on his couch, feet kicked up on the coffee table when visitors came to his door. Troy leaned forward
"Who is it?" he called out.

"it's boram. i have someone with me who wanted to see you." she said.

"ok come in, its open." he said hesitantly. Boram came in with Hwayoung..Troy tried not to look to uncomortable when he saw her.

"you brought Hwa..?" Troy didnt get to finish because after hwayoung, Soyeon came through the door.

"Soyeon!" he said unable to hold back his excitement. He ran to her and hugged her. "im sorry." he hugged her tightly, but it wasnt an intimate hug, more of a comforting hug. he rubbed her back softly.

"Ahem." Boram coughed loudly. breaking the 2 of them up.

"i heard what happened. im sorry guys." Troy said. "come sit, you want something to drink?" he lead them to the kitchen.

"we just came to see how you were doing." Soyeon told him. her voice was quiet and lacked the usual ring it had.

"i'm ok, i mean. i'm just upset for you guys." they all sat down at the table.

"So, a few of your agriculture friends said you and Hyomin had a fight at school before she went missing." Boram said suddenly.

"i offered her a ride home, to you know try to show her no hard feelings for .. what was said. but she kind of just blew up on me." Troy explained. "after hearing this i kind of wish i had forced her.. what if that ride could have changed things .."

"Troy, dont dwell on things like that. its not your fault." Boram told him. "we came here to let you know we all need to be here for each other."

"So is this serious? i mean not that Eunjungs being gone isnt but, do you think Hyomin just took off too? maybe to find her or something?" Troy spouted off ideas to keep them thinking. "like in a few days they will just pop up after they are ready to come back..."

"Troy. a man claiming to be a Vaccuum salesman came into hyomins home and drugged her parents." Hwayoung said with intensity.

"what?!" troy was actually surprised.

"the police think the man did that and waited for hyomin to come and then..." Hwayoungs voice cracked, she couldnt even finish the sentence.

"this is .. very serious." Troy looked down and began to rub his head.

 "the police are involved..they think Hyomin and Eunjung being missing may be related. like someone is targetting .. us." Soyeon added, pointing to herself, boram and hwayoung.

"why would someone do that?" Troy asked. "and who would want to?"

"I say let them come. ill knock them straight into last week!" boram said confidently. she flexed her mighty muscles.

"if they are after Tiaras, then you have nothing to worry about Boram. most people forget youre one of us." Soyeon laughed.

"take it from me troy, youre better off without this cold and cynical woman." Boram leaned over to whisper at troy.

"i heard that." soyeon said with a glaring smile. "all jokes aside. im worried about this. im worried for all of us." soyeon grabbed troys hand.

"hey hey. you listen to me. im not going to let anyone hurt you." he said to her. "any of you. Boram is right. if some ... creep is actually out to harm you or anyone. we just have to stay strong and be ready for them. and then we can knock them into last week together." they all looked at each other. they nodded gently, all still unsure and worried.

"well we should be going. dont want to stay out too late with everything thats going on." said soyeon

"want me to go with you guys?" he asked as they approached the door.

"i think we'll be okay. thank you though." she went to hug him. They hugged each other and as she let him go, troy noticed she wasnt wearing the necklace he gave her.

"it's.. not on.." he said choked up. he pointed to her neck. Soyeon just smiled a small, saddened smile. she brushed his cheek with her soft hand.

"good night Troy." she told him.

"hang in there buddy." Boram said patting him on the back.

"ill have my phone near, so call if you need anything." he said as they left.

"im gona stick around a bit longer. if thats okay?" Hwayoung said stopping at the door.

"hwayoung, we should walk together. you know we're not supposed to be out alone under the current circumstances." Boram reminded her.

"uhm. i dont mind?" troy shrugged, though he wasnt expecting hwayoung to stay.

"make sure she gets home alright?" soyeon said.

"of course." troy nodded rapidly. Soyeon and boram waved and went on their way.
"youre not gona yell at me agaian are you?" troy asked leaning back from her.

"no troy." she ran her hand through her short hair. she started to whimper a little bit.

"o man, o jeez, youre not gonna cry are you?" he asked starting to panic. his actions became jerky.

"im not." hwayoung said, but she was, tears started to form in her eyes.

"hey, hey listen dont cry. everythings gona be fine! and im really no good at this sorta thing. you want me to call them back?" troy made a break for the door to call soyeon and boram back. Hwayoung snatched his forearm.

"im sorry troy ok im sorry!" hwayoung fell to the floor. she looked up at him with her puffy eyes.

"what? for what?" he said kneeling down.

"for what i said. the other day. i didnt mean it." she sobbed.

"really? thats why youre crying, hey i dont care about that. i know everyone is emotional right now. its ok." troy tried to console her.

"youre not going to.. do anything to me are you?" she asked.

"what? im not following? you mean like a hug?" he responded confused.

"make me, disappear?" she said so softly troy barely heard her. he stood up and backed away.

 "what would make you think id do that." he replied coldly.

"because of what you said to me. that day. that it was all my fault the whole thing about realizing what ive done and my imagination going too far. and now hyomin .. shes. gone." she explained with a sniffle.

"ok. if what youre saying is, i have something to do with hyomin being missing. and now you think im going to do that to you?" troy stated, with a smug laugh. hwayoung stayed still on the floor.

"dont you think if i had the ability to do what you said, i would have done it to you long ago? in fact thinking about it, if i were the Troy you thought i was, youd have been the first person i took care of." Troy said rubbing his chin. he then looked down at hwayoung and held out his hand. "if youre gona label me some kind of mastermind, at least make me a smart one. i mean come on. im just a kid like you." She took his hand and got up.

 "what you say makes sense i guess , but as usual i still have trouble believing you."

"and if you really thought i was behind Hyomins disappearance, why would you confront me alone?" he asked.

"you dont think i wasnt prepared for that?" she asked him. "im not like hyomin."

"no. no you arent." Troy agreed with a smile. "and im not like the troy in your head."
Hwayoung shrugged and wiped her nose.

"so was the whole, crying for forgiveness thing an act?" he asked.

"pretty good huh?" she smiled. "almost as good as you." she walked by troy and pushed him playfully.

"wait, i have to take you home." troy said stopping her.

"its ok. i know nothing is going to happen to me. and if something does, everyone will know, its because of you." she said sticking her finger in his face.

"oh is that so?" troy said folding his arms.

"look, i didnt come here to threaten you. i came here to find what ive been after since the day Jang died, Troy. The truth."

"ok and say the truth is that i did have something to do with hyomin? im just suposed to tell you and then trust you dont go and tell everyone? thats not how you get a confession. if i had something to confess of course." troy laughed

"who would i tell? who would believe me? no one believes in those things areum talked about. Elementians. but i do. and i dont care if no one else does, not even my closest friends. what if there is something out there? what if there is some sort of magic in the world troy? and what if there are people out there who know it exists and try to keep others from finding out about it. maybe you are involved with hyomin maybe not. but i do know you arent a bad guy. and i know that because..."

"because what." troy replied rolling his eyes.

"im standing here. im still here." hwayoung said.

"ok." troy said laughing. he had no idea how to respond to her. "if you say so."

"i may have forced out some tears, but i am truly sorry for what i said." Hwayoung added.

"dont worry about it."

"so, are we cool?" she asked.

"so long as you stop throwing your accusations at me." he smirked. "we're cool."

"see you tomorrow troy." she waved before leaving. Troy peaked out his front window and watched her walk down the road.

"damnit!" he said tossing some magazines on the nearby desk to the floor.

"i cant call Mou about her or areum. with the police sniffing around, things will look suspicious. and what if she said wasnt a bluff. if something happens to her, will it lead back to me..."Troy walked around his living room, he couldnt sit still. after a few frantic laps, he began to slow down, and eventually came to rest on his couch.
"but... even with all that shes said and done, bluff or not. i'm, still here. shes had plenty of times to share her thoughts. not just about jang, but me. and they either dont care, or s he just hasn't told..and as sure as she is i'm behind any of this, she hasnt told the police. im still here! maybe the truth is all shes out to get... " troy laughed to himself, a bit relieved. "too bad for her though. she wouldnt get it no matter what action she decides to take..."Troy fell back on his couch and sighed. he was so caught up in his act, he started to almost forget he was behind hyomins kidnapping for a moment.
he looked over at his phone and picked it up. he dialed mous number.

"Troy? what is it?" Mou answered on the other end.

"any news on the girl we took in?" he asked.

"no, nothing yet. still in the early stages. prolly wont hear anything for a few days."

"i see i see." troy replied.

"is that what you called for? just to check on a specimen?" mou questioned him.

"what if i told you that elementian girl i was suspicious of, is an elementian. wouldnt that be something youd want to come out here and take care of?" troy asked.

"are you really sure she is? i mean i just dont see how she could be. if she wants what we want then, wouldnt she be, i dont know. after it by now and not still sitting around pretending to be a high school student?" mou asked troy, doubting troys claims.

"hey hey lets not forget im still sitting around! so what, youre gona write my observations off? we could have something here." troy insisted.

"i dont know, i hear the police are on alert out there." mou still declined him.

"and who do we have to thank for that? a sloppy VACCUUM SALESMAN?" troy was frustrated, he clutched the phone tightly.

"that wasnt me if thats what you mean." mou responded.

"hey id do this myself if you werent all "blah blah troy, you need to go to school" sounding like an old hag of a mother. but if i do this myself i need to know how to go about it." troy again tried to convince Mou, not letting it go.

"i got a bad feeling but, fine. you keep doing what you're supposed to. ill send someone out there. whats this girls name?" mou finally gave in.

"Areum. thats all i know. but i could like give you some of her school schedule..." Troy rambled.

"nah nah. the name should be good enough to start with. if we need anything else someone will be in contact with you." Mou told him.

"okay then." troy was pleased that Mou accepted his proposal.

"and i hope for the both of us, this doesnt come back to bite us in the ass troy." Mou said before hanging up.

"same here, Mou." troy said as he flipped the phone onto to his table. "same here."