The clinking sound of spoons and forks had filled the morning air, yet it was the only sound breaking the silence. No human voices were heard among the six young men as they sat together at the dining table, quietly finishing their breakfast.
Jake knew his friends were still overwhelmed with confusion, but the longer the awkward silence dragged on, the more uncomfortable he felt.
"Guys, I just thought of something," Jake said. "What if we investigate this ourselves?"
"How?" Niki asked.
"We go to the café and talk to the employees who were working that day. Maybe one of them saw Jungwon interacting with someone, or noticed something strange about his behavior. If possible, we could also ask for the CCTV footage around the time it happened," Jake explained.
"Good idea, but unfortunately I can't join," Sunoo said. "I've got a ton of school assignments."
"Anyone else who might be able to?" Jake asked.
Silence followed. No one spoke.
"Hoon, you're busy too, right?" Jake said.
Sunghoon paused mid-bite and turned toward him. "Yeah, Jake. I've got a lot to do as well."
"I–I think I can, Jake. When are you planning to go to the café?" Heeseung finally spoke.
"Really? You can?" Jake asked.
"Yeah," Heeseung replied.
"Then after school, if nothing comes up," Jake said.
They went back to eating, their plates nearly empty.
In the middle of it all, Sunoo noticed Niki acting strangely. Niki had been caught glancing at him several times, but whenever Sunoo looked back, he quickly turned away.
"What's wrong with you, Nik?" Sunoo finally asked, growing uncomfortable.
"Nothing," Niki replied.
"You've been staring at me this whole time," Sunoo said.
"Maybe he likes you," Jay joked.
"Hell no. I'm straight, okay? I like Haewon—Chairman JYP's daughter," Sunoo shot back.
"I'm straight too, damn it. No way I'd like a guy when there are so many girls out there," Niki snapped.
"Then why do you keep staring at me? It's creepy," Sunoo said.
"I just don't remember you having a birthmark on your neck. That's why I kept looking—to make sure I didn't imagine it yesterday," Niki explained.
Sunoo frowned in confusion. "I don't have any birthmarks."
"I swear I saw it yesterday," Niki insisted.
Sunoo pulled down the collar of his uniform. "Which side?"
"W–Why isn't it there?" Niki muttered in confusion.
"I told you," Sunoo said, fixing his collar again.
"Oh… maybe it was a bruise from falling?" Niki suggested.
"I haven't fallen recently. You probably saw it wrong," Sunoo replied.
"No, I definitely saw it. But it just suddenly disappeared," Niki said.
Sunghoon, who had been quietly listening, grew curious.
"What did it look like, Nik?" he asked.
"A red line," Niki answered.
"You didn't get strangled or anything, did you, No?" Jay asked.
"If I had been strangled, I'd be dead already. I wouldn't be having breakfast with you guys," Sunoo said.
"No, the line was thin, like a cord, but short—maybe around three to five centimeters," Niki clarified.
"Wait… I think I've read about something like that before," Sunghoon said, trying to recall.
"What is it, Hoon? It wasn't a rope, right?" Sunoo asked nervously.
"Possibly a taser mark," Sunghoon said.
"The electric stun weapon?" Jay asked.
Sunghoon nodded. "In a book I read, a taser can leave marks where it makes contact, but those marks usually fade within a few hours."
Everyone immediately turned to Sunoo with worried expressions.
"You're really okay, right, No?" Jake asked.
"I'm fine," Sunoo replied.
"No one attacked you on the way home?" Jay pressed.
"No," Sunoo answered.
"Then why did I see that mark on you yesterday?" Niki said, still puzzled.
"I don't know. Maybe I brushed against something or got pressed by something and didn't notice," Sunoo said.
"Could've happened at the café. It was crowded, so maybe you didn't realize," Sunghoon suggested.
"Yeah," Sunoo nodded in agreement.
"Back to the café yesterday—did you feel anything strange with Jungwon?" Jake asked.
"Not really. He asked me to hang out at the café that afternoon. But he seemed uncomfortable once the food was finished. I still wanted to keep him company and watch some dramas, but he told me to go home first," Sunoo explained.
"And on your way home—still didn't feel like anyone was following you?" Sunghoon asked.
"No, everything felt normal," Sunoo said, glancing at their serious expressions.
"Why are you and Jake suddenly so in sync? You're both way too serious."
"Of course we're in sync. We're partners," Sunghoon replied.
"Partners in cheating," Niki muttered.
"Wrong. Partners in stealing fritters from the cafeteria," Sunghoon corrected.
"Stealing? You're supposed to pay," Jay said.
"Alright, rich boy, please be quiet," Jake said.
They all laughed, easing the tension—until a knock on the door made them turn their heads instantly.
"I'll get it," Jake said, standing up and walking toward the door.
Creeeak—
The door opened, and Jake's heart immediately began to race.
"Good morning, Mr. Shim Jake. We've come back to inform you about your friend who was previously reported missing—Mr. Park Jungwon."