The Ace (Stray Kids Kim Seungmin)

25

"Sorry we don't have any food to offer you," Seungmin sent Kayleigh an apologetic smile when they returned to the top of the cliff, glancing down at the rest of the jungle as the darkness of night consumed it.

"Don't worry about it," she brushed it off. "I know how hard it is to get food around these areas. I've been living off berries and fruits every since I left the Pen. Killing panthers is too hard to do on your own."

"On your own? Where's the rest of your team? You do have a team, right?"

Kay sighed, "I lost them. Some didn't make it past the jungle, others were murdered, others abandoned me. It has been years since I last saw any of them."

"Oh, I'm so sorry about that," Seungmin bit his lip, inwardly cursing himself for asking her about it.

But Kayleigh seemed so nonchalant about it that Mel couldn't help but frown, narrowing her eyes at the Ace.

"Murdered?" Melody questioned. "By who?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. Whoever killed those people in that Pen I guess. I went out to get them some food but when I returned, they were covered in blood. Some were killed instantly. Others were still alive when I found them but they were quickly bleeding to death. I couldn't save them."

"I experienced something similar to that," Seungmin mentioned. "A Joker arrived in our Pen. Once he found out who he was, he killed all my team members and fled. I only survived because I hid in the forest in my Pen."

"Well, Mel was almost abandoned," Brea pointed out. "Mia, our teammate, and Jisung, Seungmin's teammate, wanted to kick her out of our little group but we decided to follow her."

Kayleigh tittered, almost as though to belittle the statement Brea had just made, "being kicked out by your members is one thing but have your members ever beat you up and left you for dead? Have they ever left you in the hands of a Joker?"

"You met a Joker?" Minho questioned. "How'd you escape alive?"

"Luckily for me, it was the female Joker. She was only a little girl at the time," the Ace of Diamonds glanced at Brea. "A bit like you with large brown eyes and rosy cheeks. I wanted to just squeeze her. In fact, I would have if she wasn't completely covered in blood-"

"The female Joker?"

"Yep. I haven't seen her in a long, long time but I remember seeing the terror and confusion in her eyes. It was a weird experience for me. Never before have I ever pitied a Joker but she looked so helpless at that moment, you know, as though she was only a murderer because she was forced to be, not because she liked to kill."

"The female Joker..." Mel trailed off, eyeing Kayleigh. "What did she look like?"

The girl chuckled, "I literally just said she had large brown eyes and rosy cheeks-"

"In detail. I need you to be more specific."

"Specific? Why? She probably looks completely different now."

"Still. If you remember anything about it her, please do say," Minho added.

With a sigh, the girl furrowed her eyebrows, trying as best as she could to remember, "I recall thinking she looked like a porcelain doll because of she had blond hair and pale skin... I don't believe she had any other distinct features. All I can really tell you is that I last saw her five years ago."

"Five years ago?" Seungmin uttered, emphasising each word out of shock. "You've been out of your Pen for over five years?"

Kayleigh nodded.

"Yeah, nearing eight years now, if I remember correctly. Why? How long have you guys been out?"

"Three months," he stated, catching her by surprise.

"Three months?" she furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head. "But that's impossible. That can't be right."

Minho asked, "what do you mean? Why would that be impossible?"

"Because I've seen the Hearts exploring the jungle before. Granted it wasn't any of you but I have seen and even interacted with the Hearts before. Six years ago, to be exact."

Instantly, Mel could feel all of their eyes on her, practically begging her for an explanation she knew she couldn't provide. But at that moment, instead of focusing on thinking up a response, she paid more attention to Brea as she leaned closer to the Ace before whispering in her ear, "don't trust her."

Ignoring all the eyes on them, the Ace of Hearts spun around to stare at the younger girl.

"Why not? She's the Ace of Diamonds and she has been here longer than any of us," Melody whispered back, making sure no one heard their conversation.

"A white girl with blond hair, brown eyes and rosy cheeks. She has been describing Harri. She thinks Harri is the Joker but I happen to know for a fact that she isn't."

"How do you know Harri's not the Joker?"

"Because I know who the Joker is. I've known all along."