THE STEALER - CHAPTER 3
THE STEALER - CHAPTER 3
It’s been months since that expulsion of several students had happened and it’s also since then the rumor had risen and almost everyone had given her the nickname "the Highestness” from Highest + Greatness - because of the influence she can have on the school boards.
Most of the students fear her and as much as possible avoid her or be careful with her which made her more of the school’s loner yet the students were really curious as what is her relationship with their school’s famous band, New Flying or N.Flying who keeps on approaching her and even goes in and out with her to school which made the students wonder their relations, especially the leader who titled to be the "Cold Prince".
"Hey! Have you heard of it?" the nasal voice guy asked in his usual playful tone,
"Heard what?" The honey voice asked as he took a bit from his food,
"Her, Jaeyeon" his eyes caught at her as she was in the line by the cashier as he also starts eating his food,
"About what exactly?" one of the younger lines asked curiously,
"What the students call her and the rumors circulating..." the student council president buts in,
"Rumor?" "What rumor?" the group leader asked,
Coming closer as he whispered "that she's dating N.Flying Leader" he whispered with one hand covering the side of his lips,
"N.Flying?" "Our School’s band?" "The leader?" The honey voice asked in surprise,
"Yup!" the nasal-voiced guy with a pulp lip replied in confidence.
"Ay! No way!!..." The honey-voiced guy replied in disbelief,
"Then explain that!" the nasal guys said as he hiddenly pinpoint with his eyes and heads the topic person two tables behind him,
Some of the brothers looked at the topic person as if it was nothing, some had their ways while some didn’t bother to look,
Meanwhile on the other table, “you do know people gossiping about us, right?” N.Flying Leader said in his low voice, she simply nodded, and replied with a simple, "Yeah, I do" in a very careless manner, continuously eating her meal.
"Listen, I like the fact we got to spend more time together and all but aren't you worried?" He asked in his concern and low voice.
“I don’t care to be honest…” she replied as she continued to eat,
“Don’t care? You do know you got hurt and bullied because of this right?” he asked back very concerned, while the rest of his members nodded in strong agreement, she didn’t reply and just looked at him as she continue eating, “just continue eating, Oppa!” she told him. After she ate, she went to the rooftop as she has spare time to spend idling.
But when she got there 9 handsome boys were already there hanging out and messing around, but she still proceeds, the boys noticed the moment she opened the door and continued their activities as if they don’t mind but one or two of the boys can’t stand and pretend not to care no more,
“Hi!” the tall 6ft honey-voiced guy said standing inches away from her, she looked behind her and saw both of the familiar faces, “hi!” She replied as the wind starts to blow, trying to recall their names, “Jaeyoon and Dawon, right?” she called them out. The boys were surprised and looked at each other’s faces. “You guys from my class, right?” she added.
“You remembered our names?” Dawon commented,
“Well, of course... we met previously, beside Jaeyoon sat beside me, and you sat across us by the front door…” she replied, “besides you and your brother, I presumed, are already popular so not remembering you and your brothers would I think to be more of a terrible sin as a student here and a person….” she said as she popped a small smile but it wants very visible as a gauze on her lips blocks it, she looked at the other boys looking at them pretending to mind their business,
Dawon just giggled while Jaeyoon offered extra strawberry milk to her, she looked at him, “it's extra, we come on an odd number" pointing out his brothers at the back with another plastic bottle of strawberry milk was on his hand, "do you want one?” he offered, Jaeyeon hesitantly as first but still took it and smiled at them for the first time which somehow made Jaeyoon’s heartthrob a beat and unintentionally stared at her, she noticed Jaeyoon’s staring and asked him in curiosity, “is there something wrong?” “Was there something on me?” she added, concerned, as she places her right hand on her face, trying to wipe whatever was on it,
“Ah, no!” he said, snapping out, “I was just thinking about the book report, if you don’t have a partner or group yet maybe you can join us” he made a quick excuse, standing beside her,
Jaeyeon just stared back at him in surprise, “I mean our teacher said it should come in three, and Dawon and I are missing a person…” he explained,
“True!” Dawon exclaimed as he placed his arm on his brother’s shoulder, “we would love you on board!” he added, showing his bright smile,
“Really? You guys wouldn’t mind me being in your group?” she asked with a sad tone on it,
“why? What’s wrong with you?” Dawon asked,
“um..” she hesitantly said, “a wounded loner,” she asked as she chuckled a bit,
Both Jaeyoon and Dawon looked at each other for a moment, Dawon approach her to her other side, “Hey! You! are not a loner! And those stupid asses are the one on fault!” Dawon called them off, pointing into thin air,
“Then I don't mind,” Jaeyeon replied happily.
“Then, let’s have a quick meeting at the family restaurant near our place, it's nice and quiet, fewer people are usually there after school days so we can talk better if that’s alright with you?” Dawon offered, she agreed, and the school bell rang as a sign that lunch was over.
After school, Dawon quickly went to her seat and asked her if she was ready to leave, she smiled at him while Jaeyoon was waiting for them in the doorway, and they left their homeroom together with students staring at her, wondering what is going and when did the members of SF9 and her got close, she can feel she’s getting both weird and intense stares from there fangirls but she ignore it all especially when 9 of the boys are walking with her.
“Please, ignore the stares” Youngbin whispered as most of the boys were walking in front, goofing around, Jaeyeon looked at him and smiled, “you noticed?” she asked, smiling. He nodded still walking beside her, “please, don’t get traumatized with this” he told her,
“What?” she asked,
“The intense and weird stares…” he replied,
“Ah, yeah, but I’m not doing anything wrong…” she replied smiling at him, “plus I don’t think this will be the last attention I will get” she added, Youngbin looked at her in wonder what she meant, she can feel the look youngbin is giving her and she smiled giving of the statement “you’ll find out eventually..” she told him, “by the way, where are going?” she asked, the other boys heard her and stopped in front of a fancy looking bar, “we are here!!!” Dawon exclaimed happily with both of his hands excitedly popped in the air showing the fancy bar named “Glorious Bar” Jaeyeon stopped and was surprised where they were, “a bar!?” she said questioned and exclaimed the place,
“Yup!!!” Dawon happily replied,
Some of the boys started going into the Glorious Bar, Jaeyeon looked around her and lowered her voice, “guys! What are you doing we’re still in high school to going in and we were supposed to do our group project!”
“But we are!” Jaeyoon responded calmly as he waited by the door holding the front door for her, Jaeyeon kept quiet for a while as she stared at her newfound friend,
She took her steps as she goes into the bar, “trust us! I know this place might be unusual but we can make our group project here peacefully no one in our age groups shows up, so no one will disturb us!” Jaeyoon said as he tried to convince her and as she walked in she was surprised at how elegant and fancy looking it is inside the bar, “we usually walked in the back but we can make an exemption today.” he added as he walked behind her, “wait, you guys said we can have a quick meeting on a family restaurant near your place?” she asked looking back at Jaeyoon, Jaeyoon smiled, “well we are here” he said with a clear amused face,
“Family restaurant?” Jaeyeon asked with an eyebrow up, “since when has a bar becomes a family restaurant?” she asked sarcastically,
“Well, that’s my fault I haven’t been clear...” Dawon buts in, “what I meant family-owned business!” he said with a satisfied smile on his face and pouting cutely, Dawon and Jaeyoon sat at a long table in the middle of the room while the others were not to be seen, she was looking around and she was indeed fascinated by the interior of the place,
“Family Business owned!?” she exclaimed, “This is one fancy bar...” she complimented in amazement.
“Yup… we've been in this business for generations..." he clarified.
"Really now!!" She exclaimed in amazement. "Anyways, do you guys, have any ideas on how we could start this project??" She asked, "any ideas or suggestions?" She added as she sat on the chair in front of Jaeyoon,
the boys starting to think for ideas as she amazingly scans the whole room when her eyes landed on a painting on the wall, "is that sorcerers?" she stood up, going to the painting in the center of the bar, both Jaeyoon and Dawon followed her with their eyes, "the Knight of the Rising Suns?" she said out loud which surprised the boys. out of now where, Youngbin grabbed her right shoulder, "how do you know?" he asked in pure curiosity and surprise, "you knew them?" he added, wondering what does this girl know about these 9 boys on the painting, she was surprised by Youngbin taking her off guard, looking back at him, she can't do say anything for a while but look at his surprise and curious expression, "well, yeah! I read the story somewhere before, though I can't remember the whole story..." she told them, "9 boys who were given to find a cure for their curses and the cause of their curses..." she added,
Dawon nodded in agreement, "well, she's not wrong..." he said in amusement
"Where did you read that story from?" Jaeyoon asked in curiosity.
"can't remember where but I knew I read it before in a library I guess..." she replied, unsure.
"Library?" Youngbin asked, "what library?" he questioned.
"Sorry, but I can't remember, it's been a long time and to be honest I can't even remember that day, except some of the stories...." she explained, Youngbin wanted to ask for more details but the tallest among all brother held his shoulder, "Hyung!" he called out, Youngbin let go and excused himself with their younger siblings while Dawon distracts her, "ok, I have an idea for this report..." he told her which was effective, "really what?!" she asked, excitedly.
"How about the Mago Oscuro?" he suggested.
"Mago Oscuro? the fiction character? Mago Oscuro: Story of the Greatest Warrior of the Dark Realms..." Jaeyoon clarify, Dawon nodded in agreement, "well, it's one of the bestselling books of our generation and I feel that Mago Oscuro isn't just a fictional character..." he explained,
"Oh really? then explain, how do you say so?" Jaeyeon asked,
"well, based on the book Mago Oscuro, he used to be an ordinary human that was cursed by witches to seal the darkness and save the humanity from the dark creatures lurking in the human world, with the magical book that he created with his magic and blood it was said that its power can create new magic, seal evil creatures or even create them and based on the book, he even created 6 magical creatures that can hide on the dark realm as spies. but like they said, with great magic comes great responsibility. as his powers grow many evil contenders from both realms, human and magical realms want his magical book and to prevent them from getting it, he destroyed his magical book with the 6 magical creatures he created with his magic to protect his magic and possible even the world and because of what he had done it was never seen or even heard off." Dawon told the story,
"You know what doesn't make sense of that story?" Jaeyeon asked,
"What?" Dawon asked,
"How did he destroy a magical book and him destroy his magical book does that mean he also destroyed his 6 magical creatures?" she questioned, the boys looked at her, wondering what she mean, "I mean, he has a reason why he destroyed it, but, at the beginning of the story the magical book wasn't really a magical book but just a normal book, where he writes his enemies strengths and weakness, the creatures he had an encounter like a journal but later as the story progress, it became a magical book and as far it goes, the magical book also became his source of power as his human form can't take it anymore, meaning destroying the book means he killed his own 6 magical creatures and himself, right? so, what if something from the dark realms returned to the human world who will save us? rather, protect us?" she questioned, "also, I don't think he destroyed it but instead he shattered it into pieces, which he gave to his 6 magical creatures to protect and when the right times came they would rise and gather to protect the human world..." she added. both boys were speechless for a moment and looked at her like she was right, she has a point "wow you seem gave a new meaning to the ending to the story...." Dawon complimented.
"I felt that the story isn't finished..." she replied,
"I feel the same..." he agreed,
"Well, it seems that we have a book report now..." Jaeyoon told both as they nodded in excitement.
"Why don't you both get the idea together as I get out laptop and printer for our report' Jaeyoon offered, both agreed and as they brainstormed,
Inside their study room, "Hyung, what was that?' i thought we are laying low?" the tallest brother questioned his older brother's action a while ago,
"I know, I'm sorry..." Youngbin apologies, " i start feeling weird when she called out our alias" he said, "a weird burning sensation within me..." he explained,
Jaeyoon entered in the middle of a small argument from the brothers, “me too. I felt the same presence from her previously…” Jaeyoon buts in, the brothers look at them in a weird manner as if they were just making nonsense excuse,
“there’s really something about her…” Jaeyoon told everyone as he proceeds in taking the materials, he needed along the book that they agreed to be the topic for there group project. Bring all the needed materials he saw both Dawon and Jaeyeon were having fun, it was a first for him seeing Jaeyeon smiling and laughing her heart out and the reason was Dawon, it somehow made him feel a small pinch within him.
“You both seems got close fast…” Jaeyoon halfhearted complimenting them as he places the materials on the table,
“Well, Jaeyeon isn’t half bad…” Dawon complimented her as he looks at her smiling,
“You’re not so bad yourself, Dawon” she complemented back writing some stuff on the paper. Jaeyoon just looked at both of them when she saw the book, they were talking about above the laptop that Jaeyoon just placed on the table. “Oh! Hey!” she said as she reaches out for the book,
“Well, I saw this while picking up the laptop and printer, might bring it along as we can read and add more on the report…” told her, Jaeyeon nodded and smiled. He quietly observes her as she starts to read, “you guys won’t mind if I borrow this for a while?” she asked, looking both Dawon then to Jaeyoon. Dawon nodded while Jaeyoon paused for a little while staring at her and notice something different about her eyes but kept quit and nodded, “yeah sure!” he replied looking at Dawon then back at her again. Dawon opened the laptop and begun typing away with the report while Jaeyeon quietly read the book, Jaeyoon stood up as he set up the printer and secretly taking peaks at her, silently observing her, remembering the weird burning sensation he felt with meeting her previously and what his older brother just shred a while ago.
“she’s no normal girl…” he thought to himself, “was her eyes color gray?” he added, he twists his head to the left. Dawon saw him getting glimpse of her and kept silent as he also observes his older brother getting weird about Jaeyeon. They ended the project successfully and she was offered to have a meal with them before the bar open up with Taeyang’s cooking and Jaeyoon offered to walk her to the bus stop.
“So, have you guys been running the bar?” she asked looking at him as they walk down the sidewalk.
“Well, yeah…” he replied with both hands on his pocket, “we have our own task...” he added,
“aren’t you guys a little to young to run a bar on your own?” she questioned,
“Um, maybe but, it’s a family business we need to keep it going…” he told her looking at her, “it’s our bread and butter...” he told her, looking at her eyes she saw a weird color again which he couldn’t stop himself to ask, “are you wearing contact lens?”
Jaeyeon stopped and looked at him, “contact lens?” she questioned,
“Sorry but your eyes, they have different color…” he told her stopping as well, concerned,
“You notice huh...” she replied bowing a bit as she smirk, “it look weird huh...” she commended, Jaeyoon was caught off-guard, maybe he should have commented on her eyes he thought as he’s starting to panic and thinking a topic to distract her, “they said it’s because of an accident when I was younger.” she added looking at him with a smile,
“Accident?” he asked, surprised.
“Yeah! I had an accident when I was 10, a car accident, me surviving is a miracle …” she response in a sad tone. Jaeyoon just looked at her in a concerned way as she continues with her story, “to be honest I can’t remember much what happened that night, but my guardians said it took a lot of life from my relatives…” she continues, taking glance at him as they continue walking, “my parents, relatives...” she explained.
“Why?” he asked, curiously.
“My guardians said probably because of stolen heirloom.” She answered with an unsure tone of voice, as they arrive at the bus stop. Silence was in the air he wasn’t sure if it was okey to ask but he asked anyway, “they got it?” Jaeyeon was taken off guard with his question, “what?” he said looking at Jaeyoon surprised.
“Your family’s stolen wealth?” he elaborates.
“Um, to be honest I really don’t know…” she replied raising both of her shoulders, showing she was unsure. “But my brot-” she paused, “...I mean guardians said, they really don’t care what heirloom it might be as long I survived and grew up healthy...” she corrected herself, looking at him showing a smile.
Jaeyoon atomically also placed a smile on him showing his dimples, her seeing Jaeyoon’s cute dimples took her defenses slightly down as the bus came, they bid their goodnights and along they ways.
But along the way Jaeyoon suddenly felt dizzy leading him to kneel with one knee down, grabbing his throbbing head as he closes his eyes, he saw human blood staining a concrete floor, human blood stench was air, cars tumbled around with windows smashed, hearing wheels stretching. Opening his eyes, cold sweats begun to drop down catching his breaths, gasping for air, he kneeled in his all fours, trying to calm himself which he successfully did, he took himself up and went home without telling his brothers what he just happened nor heard from Jaeyeon’s past, he himself wasn’t sure what really happened but one thing is for sure, “Jaeyeon isn’t an ordinary girl.” He whispered as he enters there entrance back door.
>> End chapter <<