Stranger From Hell

Chapter 13- Turning Insane

The next morning I found myself to be in a much better mood.

I went to the kitchen while humming happily, I even while toasting some bread for myself for breakfast.

I saw Moon Jo coming into the kitchen, I smiled and shouted, "Good morning, hyung!"

Everyone was stunned into silence.

Including Moon Jo.

I ignored the stares that I was receving from them as I was in a good mood and didn't want to ruin my day. I settled into the empty chair next to Moon-Jo and silently ate my breakfast.

Was calling him a hyung such a big deal?

Or was it because I took the chair next to him? No one ever sat next to Moon Jo.

I didn't engage any further conversation with them nor did I question why the Moon Jo didn't reply. He probably had a bad day or something.

*****************************************

It was already three months since I had moved to Seoul.

Jieun and I finally talked it out and get back together after one week of her not answering my calls and text messages because apparently she thinks that it's my fault and that I was overreact and rude to her that day. I'm the bigger man so I decided to just apologized to her so we could stop fighting and get back to normal.

"Sometimes I can't tell if I should be worried or jealous of them."

"What?" I looked at my girlfriend, halting my rant midway.

"You keep talking about them, every single time when we hang out and see each other, even now. 301 did this. Moonjo hyung said that."

"Jieun-ah, they are-"

"I know, you told already told me this like a hundread million times. They are Weird. Creepy. Dangerous." She sounded exasperated.

"If they are, then why haven't you left that place? If they are doing something illegal, or you think that place is haunted. Why are you still there? Oppa, you said you will leave after living there for six months right?"

"Jieun-ah, I don't have a choice. You know how much I get paid, right? I cannot really afford anything else. Time to time I have to send money home, and you know my brother health is not so good right now."

I was getting annoyed. Why Jieun not get it?

"Oppa, if they are trouble, if it is about safety, you shouldn't take your chances. Money isn't everything."

I stared at my girlfriend with disbelief. I scoffed. "Sure."

"Oppa, I'm serious."

"Can I stay at your house then?"

"You know I can't do that. I'm living with a roommate and we shared the same room so it's impossible for you to live there."

"I can just sleep in the living room, really I don't mind sleeping on the floor-"

"What would my neighbour says if they find out you're living with us? and besides, I don't think my friend would not be comfortable with that. I'm sorry oppa."

I nodded in understanding and drink the water that I bought earlier from the vending machine.

What should I do then? I really don't have any money to move out into a new place. Should I borrowed money from my girlfriend? no, no, no. Although I am deseprate at this point, I shouldn't took money from a girl. I'm not like my father.

"Oppa? Oppa!" Jieun was having her hand in front of me. "Why are you spacing out?"

I blinked my eyes several times. "Sorry, I was-" I frowned, halting. I was pretty sure I saw Moonjo a few metres away from where we were standing but he wasn't there now.

What the heck.

"Oppa, what is wrong with you?" Jieun asked again, clearly getting annoyed.

I shook his head. "I think I haven't been able to sleep much. Sorry. Do you want to eat something? Sundae?"

"No... maybe some chicken feet?" Guess I'm going to eat instant noodles for a few months starting from now.

"Alright, let's eat some. I'm hungry."

As we walked down the square, hunting for a street vendor to buy our food from, I felt like I was being watched.

***************************************

At the end of the five month of my stay in Eden Studio, I was sure of a few things.

1. All of the residents in Eden Studio were up to something immoral and illegal.

2. They had a hand in why all the cats in the neighbourhood were dying.

3. I would continue to have money problems and would have to continue to stay with the insane people of Eunhyung-do.

4. Something was fishy about Seo Moonjo.

I lay on my bed, worried about the door being unable to hold up someday as they can just come in my room any time and attack me.

I quickly sat on my bed as an idea struck me. Just to feel more safer, I carried the chair and my luggage bag and put it againts the door as I was too scared and didn't know what else to do at this point. Maybe I should buy a knife just to protect myself.

I realised that they were always so loud and scary when Moon Jo haven't came back from work.

I couldn't get enough sleep and every night without failed, I would dream about past events when I was a teenager and the dream was really weird. It keep repeating the same scene. I was sitting in the corner of the room, hugging my brother while watching my father abused my mother. Then I would woke up in the middle of the night, screaming and feeling scared. It goes on and on for a few days, and then months. It never stopped till now.

I'm really going insane.