Unanswered Questions

Yuri and Jiwon stood outside the funeral hall, the somber atmosphere still lingering around them. The grey sky above seemed to mirror the mood of the mourners, casting a gloomy shadow over the entire scene. Yuri turned to Jiwon, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let's go in."

Jiwon looked uncomfortable, her eyes scanning the funeral hall as if searching for an escape route. But she nodded and followed Yuri into the hall, the sound of mournful sobs and stifled tears enveloping them.

The student who had committed suicide, Choi Woo Jin, lay in his coffin, his portrait on display. Yuri walked to the innermost part of the hall, her eyes fixed on Woo Jin's portrait. For a brief moment, her mind drifted to Yonna's portrait, and she felt a pang of sadness. The memory of Yonna's bright smile and infectious laughter seemed to haunt her, making her heart heavy with grief.

Yuri paid her condolences to Woo Jin's weeping grandma and returned to sit with Jiwon, who was having a really bad time. The funeral reminded the both of them without doubt of Yonna. "Are you really fine here?" Jiwon asked, concern etched on her face.

Yuri nodded gently. "I can manage."

Jiwon nodded and continued, "It seems he has the same pattern with the rest. His grandma runs a restaurant that closed a few months back."

Yuri nodded, her eyes scanning the funeral hall. It was a low-profile one, and it was evident that they were struggling to make ends meet. The loan sharks sitting in the corner, waiting for the ceremony to be over before they began their ruckus, only added to the sense of desperation.

Yuri's gaze returned to Woo Jin's grandma, and she felt a pang in her chest. They were poor, barely surviving, and Woo Jin was the only one she had. They had no one but themselves.

Just then, a woman burst into the funeral hall, shouting and causing a commotion. "I need someone to explain to me... I need a reason!!" she exclaimed, storming towards Woo Jin's coffin.

Yuri and Jiwon exchanged confused glances. What was going on? Mourners rushed to hold the woman before she caused a scene.

The woman dropped to the floor, crying uncontrollably. "My poor daughter... My precious daughter... If only she hadn't made friends with that bastard... she wouldn't have gone missing."

Yuri's eyes widened. "Missing?" Jiwon blurted out. What in the world was happening? First, a suicide, and now another student had gone missing?

Yuri held Jiwon's arm, her voice low. "Let's go outside and talk."

__

The two of them settled in an empty stall outside, Jiwon nibbling on her nails, deep in thought. Yuri clasped her hands together, her eyes fixed on the ground.

Jiwon was the first to speak up. "This is connected to that party, right?"

Yuri nodded. "I think so... Suddenly disappearing after the party... it's all too suspicious."

Jiwon shook her head. "Yes, I think it is. I ran some checks on that lead of yours..." Jiwon took out her phone and passed it to Yuri, who took a glance through it.

"Her name was Seong Hui. Han Seong Hui. She was a second-year student at Pristin High. She had the same financial problems and was about to be sent away for lack of school fees payment."

Jiwon paused, her eyes locked on Yuri's. "But she wasn't."

Yuri finished for her. "Why?"

Jiwon continued, "Seong Hui bought a fish bowl. A fish bowl that cost five hundred thousand won and cleared off her parents' debt."

Yuri's eyes widened. "How? She wasn't even able to pay her school fees."

Jiwon shook her head. "I know, right? A few days later... she started becoming suspicious. She no longer stayed long with her friends and avoided going out alone."

Yuri's eyes narrowed. "What happened to her?"

Jiwon's expression turned grim. "She disappeared for three whole months. Then, somehow, she returned."

Yuri's voice was barely above a whisper. "She came back alive?"

Jiwon nodded. "Yes. She was miraculously found."

Yuri's eyes sparkled. "She's a witness. She must've seen or heard something."

Jiwon nodded. "If we can find her and get her to tell us whatever it was that she went through, then we'll find out why those kids had to go missing. Why Yonna had to die."

Yuri went silent for a while, her mind racing with possibilities. "You said Seong Hui got an expensive fish bowl... and paid off her parents' debts... What if something similar happened to the rest of the victims?"

"It's a possibility," Jiwon said, her eyes locked on Yuri's. "I'll ask around, see if any of the victims' friends have any idea if they received something expensive or had their debts paid off before they went missing."

Yuri nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. "We could visit their houses if we have a chance," Jiwon suggested.

Yuri nodded again. "We could check to see if the sorority club reached out to them at some point."

Jiwon nodded, making a mental note to look into it. The two of them sat in silence for a moment, lost in their own thoughts.

Yuri's gaze drifted back to the picture of Seong Hui without blood stains and bruises. Where in the world are you? she wondered.

Just then, Jiwon's phone buzzed, breaking the silence between them. She glanced at the screen and sighed. "I have to go, Yuri," she said, already standing up.

Yuri nodded, her eyes meeting Jiwon's. "I have to stop by the central library too," she said, rising to her feet also.

Jiwon paused, casting her a side glance. "Why? You suddenly love books?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

Yuri rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "What if I am?" she asked, her tone light and teasing.

Jiwon shook her head, chuckling. "First, you're dating that dick, and now you have a passion for books. Just dye your hair back to brown, and I'll call you Yonna forever."

Yuri scoffed, playfully pushing Jiwon away. "Piss off."

The two of them walked out of the stall, the bright sunlight a stark contrast to the somber atmosphere of the funeral hall. They went their separate ways, each lost in their own thoughts as they disappeared into the crowded streets.

*****

Yuri stared at the books in her hand, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I wonder what Mother wants all these books for," she muttered under her breath as she walked towards the exit.

As she drew closer to the exit, a figure holding a stack of books bumped into her. The books in both their hands fell, scattering across the floor. "I'm sorry," the person said, their voice low and apologetic. "I couldn't see where I was headed. I apologize."

The person bent to pick up the books, their dark hair falling across their forehead. Yuri bent too, her hands brushing against theirs as they reached for the same book.

"There's no need," Yuri said, straightening up as the person handed her books back to her.

The person looked at her, their eyes locking onto hers for a brief moment. "You read those?" they asked, their voice tinged with curiosity.

Yuri shook her head. "It's for my mum."

The person said nothing more, standing up and walking away with their books. Yuri watched them go, a sense of familiarity nagging at her.

She stepped outside, the bright sunlight a contrast to the quiet atmosphere of the library. "Why does that voice sound familiar?" she muttered to herself.

And then it hit her - a memory she had tried to bury. "I'm with you," the person had said. "Consider this my last respects."

Yuri's lashes fluttered as she rushed back into the library, her eyes scanning the crowded room for a glimpse of the person. She weaved through the shelves, her heart pounding in her chest, but they were nowhere to be found.

******

Yuri slowly closed the door of her room, her breath trembling as she leaned against the door for support. She reached into her black coat and took out an envelope, her hands shaking as she held it. He had dropped an envelope just like last time, and a chill ran down her spine as she wondered what it could mean.

With shaky steps, Yuri walked to the bedside, her eyes fixed on the envelope as if it might hold some darker secret. She crouched by the bed, her heart racing with trepidation, and slowly opened the envelope, taking out its contents.

It was a picture... no, pictures. They were the pictures of all the missing and dead students, their faces battered and bruised. Some had cuts and gashes, while others had swollen eyes and lips. Yuri's breath hitched as she glanced through the pictures, one after the other, her eyes widening in horror.

And then, she saw it. There was the picture of Yonna, her face pale and lifeless. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were parted slightly, as if she had been frozen in a silent scream. There were bruises on her neck, and her skin was marred by red marks, like fingerprints. The same marks from that day... as if someone had strangled her. Yuri's heart tightened beyond control, and she found it hard to breathe.

Her eyes were rimmed with tears, threatening to fall, but they didn't. Instead, she felt a numbness spreading through her body, as if she was disconnecting from the world around her. The room felt too uncomfortable, too claustrophobic, and she stumbled towards the drawer, her hands shaking as she took out a razor.

Without hesitation, she repeatedly cut her palm, the pain a welcome distraction from the emotional agony that threatened to consume her. The heavy panting and the smell of blood filled the room, a grim reminder of the darkness that lurked within her.

Yuri's mind was a maze of questions as she stared blankly into the darkness. Was he aware of their every move? Had he been watching them, studying them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? What did he stand to gain from doing this? What twisted satisfaction did he derive from causing such pain and suffering?

And what about the students? What made them unable to flee from the horror they had endured? Had they been threatened, coerced, or manipulated into silence? The more Yuri thought about it, the more her questions seemed to multiply, each one leading to a new thread of inquiry, a new avenue of speculation.

As she sat there, lost in thought, the shadows in the room seemed to deepen, growing longer and darker, like skeletal fingers reaching out to snatch her. Yuri shivered, despite the warmth of the room, her heart heavy with the weight of her own fears and uncertainties.