[ So they've all settled in at least a little bit, enough for the information overload to have at least decreases to an acceptable level.. So obviously this is the time to get down to business. To defeat the doctors.
Surprise, surprise, Mireu, it's the voice of your favourite person in the whole wide world in your head. ]
Kang Mireu. We need to talk. [ Yeah, because that doesn't sound omnious at all. ]
the last thing mireu ever wants is the sound of chihoon's voice boring directly into his brain. this telepathy thing can be pretty cool and useful, but this is a terrible, terrible use of it.]
You and I? What could there be that the two of us need to have a talk? [it does sound ominous, which means it has to be connected to something important.
well, it probably had to be anyway, since he doubts that chihoon would voluntarily come to him otherwise.]
[ At least he's got a point about that.. Chihoon would hardly ever come voluntarily to anyone, with as much of the Isolated Genius stereotype he is, lack of emotions included and all.
But this is too much of an important matter to just deal with by himself. Especially since it - in a way - involves Mireu as well. ]
It's about Park Muyeol and Jo Youngjae. [ Maybe Mireu will already know what the issue is from just that, but just in case, he decides to clarify.. ] Neither of them seem to recall the recent events back home. What is the last you recall?
[ He trusts asking Mireu that directly a little more than he would with the other two.. it truly is An Experience to consider Mireu the most mentally stable out of those three choices. ]
[initially, he doesn't know what it could be just from their names alone—at least, not with including youngjae. that guy was a colossal annoying ass to the end and pulled his fair share of dumb stunts—it's not like even after they banded together as a group, he trusts that youngjae wouldn't be a giant pissbaby when it's just the two of them.
muyeol on the other hand... well, it was almost instantaneous that mireu knew something wasn't right. he could sense the relative stability, though he didn't ask about timelines or memories—it wasn't even until a bit later that he'd even learned that time and timelines may not be congruent. which isn't to say it hasn't been on his mind since then, though chihoon is the one making the first move here. mireu's been more interested in finding out other things, considering there hasn't been much need to even talk about the situation back home.]
Dealing with a good old fashioned interrogation. [he says it without implying what the interrogation is, or what it's about. but if chihoon remembers what he does, then he'll know it was from the police investigation of yohan's death, and that everything was tying to their alibi. mireu's inclined to think he'll get it, because of the way he's wording it.
and even if he doesn't pick up on the social cues, there's something that adds up about it. chihoon has his own proof, and mireu could clearly see that muyeol was different than... well, since he's been since the end. especially since yoonsu's death and everything that spiraled from that news.
seriously, as if their situation hadn't been complicated and fucked up enough, all of this is just going to make it worse, isn't it? at least mireu knows when to be serious and not totally fuck around.]
[ Even if Mireu's suggestion leaves stuff open for interpretation, Chihoon is pretty sure that it must be the same thing as he remembers. It's not unthinkable that Mireu's had interrogation situations before with the stuff he pulled on a regular basis, but there shouldn't have been anything significant to him enough in such a sense that he'd mention it now.
So at least that means one thing - he and Mireu remember the same thing, while both of the others seem to only remember events up to a certain point.. it makes things easier that he's at least not the only one who knows about the whole incident, and it's also easier since it's Mireu. Sure, Mireu is.. Mireu, but he's reasonable and responsible where it counts.
If Christmas break has taught Chihoon anything about the other, it's that fact. ]
Me too. [ To indicate they're at least on the same line here. ] However, Jo Youngjae seemed to think that all of this was the doctor's work. Park Muyeol seemed to have similar thoughts about all of us still being stuck here.
[ So that should say enough, right? They don't know about any cliff shoving, or those last moments as Yohan was negotiating with the police, they don't know about anything afterwards or them all pushing Yohan off the roof together.
It makes things more complicated, that's for sure. ]
I have not given them any clues yet for them to think I don't remember the same things as they do. That's why I wanted to talk. [ Aka the reluctant parental unit here needs to be on one line.. are they going to tell them or not? Are they both going to keep it hidden? It wouldn't be too difficult, and telling them has both upsides and downsides..
.. not to mention that there's a whole lot of messy emotions involved with that sort of thing as well. It's probably the main reason why Chihoon went to Mireu over all this, since he at least knows that he's not always the most sensitive guy because of his own lack of them. ]
So you want to tell me not to spill the beans whenever I feel like it, right?
[because that's sort of the feeling he gets from this. ...not that he can really blame chihoon for that. mireu knows that his own unpredictability sets other people on edge (considering he does it on purpose), and that it's enough to feel like that sort of warning needs to be issued.
so he finds himself smirking as he responds, because it's just the feeling that he gets from this sort of situation, and he knows that he's brought it on himself. chihoon's a logical guy after all, even if this annoys him just as much as anything else that chihoon does. mireu may be reckless sometimes, and he may be an instigator, but he's not really very interested in sending muyeol into another fully unhinged state.
granted, he knows it's inevitable. they can't keep this kind of a thing a secret for very long, and once muyeol finds out that yohan not only fell by their hands, but won his own game by getting yoonsu to succumb, things are going to get very real, very quick. mireu's not that worried about youngjae, because he's a big baby and a bigger dumbass.
not like it matters—this is going to get ugly. it has to, because everything that relates to them and christmas break is ugly. it's annoying, how serious he's going to have to be for the duration of this. because even if he doesn't just blurt out what he knows and cause a disaster, they can't avoid the topic for very long. they're going to have to clear up the dissonance in memories sooner rather than later, even if it means creating a small emotional disaster.
which... is going to be very ugly, given how their emotions affect the things around them.]
We can't hide it from them for long. It'll be too annoying to deal with. [and muyeol will almost definitely flip his shit for not telling him sooner. so this is his silent way of asking "how do you want to deal with this shit?"]
Telling them right now might not be the best solution either.
[ And it's only "them" in this instance since Chihoon is 100% sure that Youngjae can't keep his mouth shut, not even on any important matter. He's learned the hard way by almost being offed because of that guy, okay.. ]
I don't know what he seemed like when he talked to you, but he was very on edge after he first arrived. [ Maybe understandably so to most people.. even a little understandably to Chihoon, even if it's not a feeling he really.. gets on a personal level. Just an abstract rational one that tells him people act that way when they get scared or worried. ] Telling him while he's like that would only aggravate the situation even more.
[ And Chihoon would appreciate it if his only barely healed leg could not suffer any fractures in the near future, thanks. ]
Do you really think he's going to relax anytime soon?
[as far as mireu's concerned, youngjae isn't remotely part of the discussion either. he's always a loudmouth and a baby. besides, they both know that even at his worst, he's less of a threat than muyeol. youngjae is dumb and reckless, but he's not quite unhinged in the same way, which makes him less of a wild card. they know what to expect from him, and mireu can shut that dumbass up without even having to say a word himself.
so muyeol is the issue here, and while chihoon is right, it doesn't mean very much. of course he's on edge, given the situation... and given the situation he came from, which is decidedly different than their own. muyeol's is as unstable as he is, really.]
It's going to get aggravated no matter what we do. Do you really think Park Muyeol's going to take it well when he finds out we've been hiding so much from him? [this time, he says it outright. he's sure chihoon has probably considered it, but it needs to be discussed.
...he seriously can't even believe they're having this conversation right now. how did things end up like this?]
[ Does Chihoon look like he knows a lot about relaxing?? Okay, maybe about relaxing, at least, but not about having to get to the point where you need to relax to begin with. Why else would he need Mireu for all this, he needs someone who can actually look at this from a more emotional point of view since Chihoon has no idea of that kind of stuff himself.
Which is why he knows that Mireu is right, even if what he himself is saying is logically right as well.. it just sounds like a situation they're going to burn their fingers on no matter which path they choose to walk down. ]
Do you think he's going to take it well when we do tell him?
[ Because how could anyone deal well with that story.. let alone someone as volatile as Park Muyeol of all people. ]
.. so instead of whether we should tell him, maybe the question is how we're going to make sure it doesn't get out of hand.
[ Because it's going to, one way or another. Whether they remain silent of say it, it's going to cause a stir. The only difference is whether it'll happen sooner or later. ]
Don't tell me you forgot what happened when you went with him to make a phone call. [he makes a dramatic sound from so deep within his throat—like extreme emphasis on that. he knows that chihoon couldn't have forgotten that he flew off the handle then at things that are much more minor than what is the bigger picture now.
because now they have to deal with the much bigger aspect of it. what happened with that asshole of a doctor, what happened to yoonsu, what they did. muyeol's really only holding onto shreds of stability by strings at this point, and dumping all of that on him, no matter how gently they do so, is going to make a mess. and they definitely have to make sure not to let youngjae in on it.
annoying, how closely they're going to have to collaborate to get this done. but that's life, huh? mireu is sighing heavily... oh so heavily and if there's a way to project that to chihoon, he's definitely doing so right now.]
Any ideas? Neither one of us is going to get an award for being able to handle this delicately. [maybe one of the others could have been able to, but mireu teeters between too blunt and incredibly evasive, and chihoon is undoubtedly direct. so, maybe unsurprisingly, mireu takes this a bit off course.] What do you think? A nice dinner, candles, flowers? Really set a mood before dropping that bomb.
In fact, this is already an example of how they're the least qualified people for this. Sure, they are probably the most reasonable people among their group, but even so.. neither of them is delicate, exactly just how Mireu put it. Chihoon doesn't really understand emotions, but at least he understands that him bringing this across to Muyeol in any way is going to end badly. He has the necessary experience he sure hasn't forgotten about to tell him that.
And Mireu.. well, despite Mireu being reasonable, he's also very theatrical. He's capable of being serious, but it's always dangerously close to slipping back to being way over the top - just like now.
It's just going to be bad no matter what. ]
Under different circumstances I'd suggest making sure to tell him in a low-risk area. [ You know, as in not right next to a fucking cliff. He's learned his lesson, even if it took broken leg. ] .. However.. there's no such thing in this place. Emotions influence our environment, so no matter where, the situation is capable of turning explosive.
[ You know. Literally. ]
So there is no way that'll make it easier. We'll just have to go for being direct. [ Not Chihoon's kind of it exactly, but-- ] .. and while I am willing to be present to handle the situation as well.. you should tell him.
[ This isn't really him delegating the task or anything.. it's not like Chihoon would mind telling Muyeol. It's not like he's scared of Muyeol despite what happened, either. Hell, his lack of emotion for the most part made him calmly deal with Yohan, then Muyeol who usually at least intents well somewhere deep down is nothing. No, it's that he knows the other guy is much more likely to take anything badly as long as it comes out of his mouth.
So you want to be there, but not in the line of fire. Ahh, really, Choi Chihoon. What makes you think I want to be the one taking the bullet when Park Muyeol flips his lid?
[mireu's salt is pretty damn real right now, considering that is a really tall order. but what annoys him most about it is the fact that chihoon is essentially making him the meatshield. it's not as if one of them is any more qualified than the other, after all. they're completely tactless in different ways.
(though really, if he wants to... mireu can handle it well enough. and he probably will, if only because he knows that his theatrics will absolutely not be fun in that situation. what a deciding factor, right?)
it doesn't matter though, whether or not he'll actually do it. he's getting sidetracked because he just doesn't like chihoon talking to him that way.]
Ahh, you better give me a good reason for being the chosen one, here. Or else... who knows? Maybe I won't cooperate very well at all. I have a lot I want to test out with these emotions, you know. [is it a threat? well, not really. because he's not really interested in letting chihoon see or realize the depths of his hatred. so he laughs instead.] It's going to be an explosive show either way. Should I make it a little more colorful?
[ It should be expected from Mireu, that kind of response. It's not like he's ever the type to cooperate willingly, or at least not without giving a lot of verbal resistance in advance. Chihoon knows that the other understands the gravity and importance of all of this very well too.
Enough to not play around with it.. Well, probably, anyway. ]
Isn't it obvious? [ Why Mireu should tell him and not Chihoon, that is. It's not like he's really just putting meatshield duty upon someone else's shoulders just to be rid of it. ]
Park Muyeol doesn't react well to things I tell him.
[ To put it lightly.. even if it took being shoved off a cliff to realise that to begin with rather than picking up social cues like most normal people would. But still, the point is there. He already reacts badly to Chihoon saying simple things, how do you think he's going to react if Chihoon tells him what happened?
Besides, he has figured out one thing that should at least work fairly well with Mireu -- he's not an idiot who would latch onto it even more easily like certain classmates of theirs (we won't name names here), but it might help a little. ]
excuse you, choi chihoon, but that is juts not an okay assumption to make here. like, at all. he laughs, completely incredulous.]
Scared? Me? Yah... have you forgotten who you're talking to? [he's kang mireu, dammit. there's no way that he wouldn't do something because he's scared of it. if anything, being scared of something is going to push him to face it head on even more.
it's less fear, and more an annoyance and and a legitimate worry. they've already had to see muyeol go off the deep end once, and while they can cope with him just fine after that breaking point... driving him to it directly again just isn't something he wants to take the major hit on. it's not just adding fuel to the fire, it's like dumping the whole oil refinery on it, then lighting a second match.]
Maybe I just want to make it even more fun for you and the Plague to deal with.
[ God, let's just leave Youngjae out of this equation. That's something Chihoon doesn't want to deal with at the same time, really - they'll have their hands full with Muyeol, he's sure, no need for an impulsive coward to be there as well to make stuff harder.
Besides, he knows Mireu's issue isn't what he's saying. He might be oblivious as hell to some stuff, but this is one thing he's caught onto. ]
That's why I said I'll be there too. I can't guarantee anything [ especially with how unpredictable this place is and all.. ] but it might cancel some of it out, at least.
[ Since even if Muyeol is like a whirlwind of emotions, Chihoon is like the big black hole that voids any sort of emotion. He doesn't think it could deal with all of the emotional ravage Muyeol could potentially cause, but it might be enough to at least keep the two of them out of the worst of it.
It's a little odd, and he's still not entirely used to it, but.. he does feel a sense of responsibility towards the others after what they've all been through together. Enough to offer this much. ]
[leave it to chihoon to be able to come up with a plan so calculated and pragmatic that mireu isn't sure whether he wants to be impressed or incredibly pissed off about it.
on one hand, it makes the most sense. chihoon is the least reactive of them—he may be the least reactive person in the entire city, for all they know. he probably could offset muyeol's outburst with his own neutrality to minimize a good portion of the damage. it's not something mireu can do himself, and youngjae can't be trusted with even tasks for preschoolers, so there isn't anyone else to do it. but chihoon's failing is tactfulness... mireu isn't really any better in some ways, but one of them is definitely much more well equipped to handled social situations and interactions better than the other. logically, they make a solid team even if it agitates mireu to his very core.
but the flipside of that, of course, is the fact that chihoon thought of it first. mireu's been one-upped again, and for all the things he may have been forced to let go thanks to the events of christmas break, there's still a lot to hold on to. especially at times like this, where he wants and needs to figure out ways to have the upper hand, even as they work towards the same goals. he just doesn't want to be second or third to choi chihoon. even if muyeol ranked above them, it would be fine as long as he could be above chihoon. it's quite the complex, isn't it?]
So you want to bank on something with no guarantees. That's how it is. [he lets it sound sarcastic and disdainful, but it's not as if mireu doesn't know that they can't predict how things will happen. even with trying to practice manipulating his own emotions to pull off cool tricks, the thing with emotions is that they spike and waver, and even when they can control themselves, they can't make those guarantees for others.]
There's probably no other way, huh? Not without Park Muyeol causing more damage than we can afford to pay back right now.
[ It's a good thing that Chihoon never takes those sort of tones personally, huh. Then again, there's always the question of just how much of it he understands with his limited perception of things.. life is hard when a part of your brain only barely functions, really.
So he replies just as calmly as ever to what the other is saying, although there's a hint of some gravity to it. Chihoon understands fully well just how terrible this situation can end up, but like Mireu said--
There's no other choice. ]
Not any I can see. [ And probably nothing he'll be able to figure out in the future either.. or at least, not before it's already too late to inform him anyway. And then shit will already be hitting the fan.
.. a small pause, and-- ]
My leg only just healed. I don't feel like getting it broken again either.
[ It's.. sort of an attempt at some levity, maybe..?? Or a joke that doesn't quite hit the spot.. Who knows, Chihoon is still fucking terrible at stuff like this, but he's been trying at least a little bit to be more socially capable after the whole incident. It just isn't easy when you've never been that way before and have a hard time putting yourself into anyone else's shoes thanks to limited emotional capabilities. ]
[well, this is a surprising turn of events! and definitely enough to cause mireu to veer off the track of the very serious conversation they're having. which... well, may be for the better, even if only for a bit. things were a little too real and too serious there for a bit.
and mireu doesn't really like that all too much, especially not when he's dealing with chihoon. sure, they're in the middle of a pretty serious situation that they need to deal with, and he's not going to avoid that much... but still. they need to break it up a little. or at least, mireu thinks so.
but he doesn't really care if chihoon disagrees. he's going there anyway.]
Did Choi Chihoon just make a joke? Wow, this situation must be pretty serious!
[ Don't you make fun of his attempts at trying to be a slightly more normal functioning social individual, Mireu.. he's trying, okay. In his own stupid emotionless way.
Which means that small pause that falls might actually have a slight hint of self-consciousness in it. So. Yeah. Stop that. ]
When you get serious, someone else might have to start joking to restore the balance. [ .. that's actually more serious than a joke. Mireu's like a volcano, when you can't see it errupt, you can only wonder when it's going to happen... ] I'm the only person talking to you right now.
[okay, no. it's still really strange to see chihoon actually joking around a little. even if it's in his own strange, deadpan sort of way. if this was anyone but mireu, they'd probably be a bit endeared by the attempt.
but it is mireu, so while he's definitely amused, it's definitely not changing his opinion of things anytime soon.] I didn't know you worried so much about how I would take things! There was a time when you'd barely remember who I was.
[which was the worst. how dare you??? everyone needs to know and remember kang mireu, dammit.]
[ It's a little more serious. And it's not even really a promise or anything sappy as much as it's just a statement of the facts. He won't say out loud why, since he knows Mireu gets it too. After going through what their whole group went through.. well, you don't just easily forget those people anymore.
Besides, considering one of them is already dead now.. it'd feel cruel even to Chihoon to forget anyone by now - even if it was his original "sin". ]
So for the situation concerning Park Muyeol, won't you at least trust me? [ To not bail on Mireu when shit gets tough, that is. It's just something they both have to do, even if it's going to be a pain. People who kill together, stick together.. or something like that. ]
[of course, he has to say it like that. sure, now he won't forget, not after all they've been through. even chihoon couldn't deny that it's something that had changed them, because to go through that totally unfettered would really make them the monsters yohan hoped for.
it's annoying, of course, that chihoon even has to ask this of him. despite the sour feeling his harbors, the situation had changed him too; even mireu had shreds of caring towards chihoon that he hadn't really realized until things got bad. when they though he was dead, when he was suffering as a hostage with that broken leg—it managed to get under mireu's skin and eat away at the deep-seated hatred. of course, that makes him bitter in some ways, and he's not keen to admit any of that aloud...
but he does have trust in chihoon and his intentions.] Did I say I wouldn't? Dealing with Park Muyeol's not going to be easy.
[ It's sort of indirect and abrusive, but he's come to expect that sort of thing from Mireu by now.
So Chihoon knows that even if he's saying it this indirectly, Mireu will trust him on it. Which is something they'll at least need if they want to make this whole dumping the truth on Muyeol thing work even remotely.. there's already enough things that can - and probably will - go wrong with it that they don't need to add that factor to it as well.
So there's just a mental sound of confirmation. Yeah, it's not going to be easy. Sucks to be them, etc, etc. ]
[it's not like he really has all that much more to say on the matter. it wounds his precious dumbass pride enough to have to admit (even indirectly) how much trust he has in chihoon's plan. he wants to be the mastermind himself, he wants to be making the rules and not taking orders.
but chihoon is right here, and mireu isn't stupid enough to try and fight that when they have a much bigger, more explosive problem on their hands. when they're the only ones that really know how destructive muyeol can be, that leaves them in a situation where he's got little room but to do just that. not that mireu has to like it. so of course, he doesn't want to keep discussing it any longer than in necessary.]
[ See, this is about as much of a cooperation as they need going here.. even if there's still no full plan, since Chihoon doesn't see the merit in telling Muyeol this quickly when he's still getting accustomed to the idea of being stuck here at all. Just let him settle a little bit more, and then they can risk it--
.. not like he knows though that all this shit is going to get in their way of actually telling him for a while, but.. hey, they're geniuses, not fortune tellers. ]
Yes. I'll tell you when the opportunity comes.
[ That's as much of a "Chihoon outtie" as there could be. ]
[this is definitely not how mireu wants to deal with this situation. he knows it was going to have to come up sooner or later, but he didn't think it would be muyeol who got to it first.
which is kind of a problem. mireu's enough a man of his word to not hold to what he agreed with (even if it was grudgingly) with chihoon. so that means trying to deflect and work around this until it can be handled the right way.]
Do you always just barge into people's heads to ask questions like this, Park Muyeol?
[ Took too long to get around to it and see what happens now?
The hard part in all of this is the fact that unlike Youngjae, Muyeol isn't an idiot. The banter isn't that unusual for him, and doesn't raise any immediate warning flags for him, but it isn't something he wants to deal with right now. ]
I'll try to warn you next time.
[ Can a thought sound sarcastic? That one kind of did. ]
But since you already know I'm here tell me... what do you remember last before coming here?
[it does sound sarcastic, but when has that ever actually deterred mireu ever? it hasn't before, and it sure as hell isn't going to now. he's got a plan, and he fully intends to stick to it.
he may be a guy that seems pretty selfish or careless at times, but right now? he's acting in the interest of everyone else's safety. and perhaps a little but of muyeol's sanity, even if it definitely doesn't show.]
This and that, what a mess Christmas break's been. Ah, really though. Shouldn't this be something we talk about with Choi Chihoon too. That guy is annoying, but even he might feel left out sometimes. [it's kind of clear here: he doesn't really care whether or not chihoon feels left out on a personal level, but it's still something they need to deal with as a group because of how it affects things.
youngjae not included, because he's a lil shit and would definitely only make the situation worse, regardless.]
[mireu knows it's plainly obvious, but what can he do? there's no good way to deflect this when he's being asked a trying question so directly.]
You really want to complicate things, don't you, Park Muyeol? [somehow, he manages to project his heavy sigh—whether or not it was possible for someone to really mentally sigh, mireu pulls it off.
sorry, but this is already a messy situation, and youngjae is definitely going to make it worse.]
[ That tells him enough to know something bad happened. He goes quiet for a moment.
If something really awful happened he doesn't doubt for a second that Chihoon would be able to keep quiet about it, and go on about his day as usual. Even Mireu seems like he could put on a mask and act like he usually does if he needs to. But what about Youngjae? That one seems more doubtful, Youngjae isn't the best at keeping his negative emotions capped up, wouldn't he have already spilled something to Muyeol?
But still, the fact that Mireu refuses to answer this simple question... ]
What happens?
[ He's trying to keep his tone calm, but it's hard. Just tell him. He needs to know. Does the doctor escape? Does everyone even make out of the school in one piece?! ]
[really, muyeol. this is enough of a hassle as it is—there's no good reason to further complicate this by making mireu reveal everything this way.]
Wait until we're all there to get on the same page. Are you the one who wants to make things less complicated?
[not that this will actually make things less complicated, but it's easier to play it off that way—if they only have to clear this up once, it's easier than potential multiple emotional disasters. he'd still much rather leave youngjae out of this. okay, maybe mireu is already mentally mapping out how to tell muyeol with chihoon there but without youngjae, some other way. no matter what, it's going to get ugly...]
[ He's positive that something bad happened now, and he doesn't want to wait. He doesn't want anyone to break the news to him softly. He just wants to know what is in store for him when he finally gets them all home, and if he can do anything to change it. This hiding information game that everyone seems to be doing right now has him frustrated beyond reason, and he's about to snap.
Ironically, the very thing Mireu was trying to prevent by not telling him. ]
What happens?!
[ Can you yell inside someone's head? Well, apparently. Muyeol seems to be managing anyway. ]
[yeah, he's definitely getting the idea here that there's not going to be any way to placate muyeol, but that isn't going to change his mind, either. mostly because he knows it's for everyone's good that he doesn't just spill the beans.]
Was Park Muyeol really always this impatient? I already said it. We'll do this when everyone's together. [despite the air of exasperation in his tone, it's clear that mireu's serious enough about it. he's actually not fucking around for once in his life, and that's because he knows this is little more than damage control right now.]
[ He's not in the mood for this. How is stalling going to help things? Why is he hiding something from Muyeol? What does Mireu do that he's so nervous about Muyeol finding out about?
Mireu was the one to bring Yohan's companion into the school...
But no, he also helped them. He was the one that saved them from him in the first place. This couldn't have possibly been that well thought out and preplanned on Yohan's part. Could it?
Muyeol feels sick right now running through all the various possibilities of Mireu secretly being some sort of traitor. It's kind of scary how easy it is to break his trust. ]
I'll get them together now then.
[ Can he trust the other two though? Is this even a good idea? ]
[wow, rude. that's so rude, muyeol, even if mireu does seem questionable at best sometimes, he's never had a reason to betray everyone. even when he's a shit, he was willing from the moment it was decided to take yohan down.
some thoughts are better kept to himself, and it's likely for the better that those ones aren't the ones that leak. not that mireu can't figure out that something like that may cross muyeol's mind—he's more than aware how unstable the guy is, after all. but he'd rather not think about it; they'll have it sorted soon enough.
at whatever cost that may end up being.]
Alright, alright. Just wait that long... don't be so impatient, and don't break the city in the meanwhile. Got it?
[ Oddly enough, this isn't even part of his instability-- well, it's not part of what made him crack and kill Yohan. This is the kind of paranoia a guy feels after someone pokes at his mind one too many times. The kind of paranoia that caught Kangmo, and caused him to ruin Chihoon's plan to take the doctor down the first time, or worse, the kind of paranoia that led Muyeol to go on a witch hunt for Kangmo down the halls of their school in the first place.
Muyeol tried so hard to trust his classmates as much as he could after that, but with Mireu trying so hard to hide something for him, he's already leaping to the worst case scenarios. Bracing himself for the worst outcome that there could be.
It's all racing through Muyeol's mind, but fortunately enough kept locked up tight. If Mireu isn't part of Yohan's schemes? He doesn't need to know Muyeol is suspecting him right now, and if he is...? He definitely doesn't need to know then.
He doesn't say anything else to Mireu, or more, he doesn't think anything else directed at him. No promises not to break the city, no light hearted jokes along that nature. He's too frustrated by this entire situation for that. He wants to get this done as fast as possible, no matter what it is he finds out. ]
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empatheias
telepathic;
To defeat the doctors.Surprise, surprise, Mireu, it's the voice of your favourite person in the whole wide world in your head. ]
Kang Mireu. We need to talk. [ Yeah, because that doesn't sound omnious at all. ]
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the last thing mireu ever wants is the sound of chihoon's voice boring directly into his brain. this telepathy thing can be pretty cool and useful, but this is a terrible, terrible use of it.]
You and I? What could there be that the two of us need to have a talk? [it does sound ominous, which means it has to be connected to something important.
well, it probably had to be anyway, since he doubts that chihoon would voluntarily come to him otherwise.]
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But this is too much of an important matter to just deal with by himself. Especially since it - in a way - involves Mireu as well. ]
It's about Park Muyeol and Jo Youngjae. [ Maybe Mireu will already know what the issue is from just that, but just in case, he decides to clarify.. ] Neither of them seem to recall the recent events back home. What is the last you recall?
[ He trusts asking Mireu that directly a little more than he would with the other two.. it truly is An Experience to consider Mireu the most mentally stable out of those three choices. ]
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muyeol on the other hand... well, it was almost instantaneous that mireu knew something wasn't right. he could sense the relative stability, though he didn't ask about timelines or memories—it wasn't even until a bit later that he'd even learned that time and timelines may not be congruent. which isn't to say it hasn't been on his mind since then, though chihoon is the one making the first move here. mireu's been more interested in finding out other things, considering there hasn't been much need to even talk about the situation back home.]
Dealing with a good old fashioned interrogation. [he says it without implying what the interrogation is, or what it's about. but if chihoon remembers what he does, then he'll know it was from the police investigation of yohan's death, and that everything was tying to their alibi. mireu's inclined to think he'll get it, because of the way he's wording it.
and even if he doesn't pick up on the social cues, there's something that adds up about it. chihoon has his own proof, and mireu could clearly see that muyeol was different than... well, since he's been since the end. especially since yoonsu's death and everything that spiraled from that news.
seriously, as if their situation hadn't been complicated and fucked up enough, all of this is just going to make it worse, isn't it? at least mireu knows when to be serious and not totally fuck around.]
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So at least that means one thing - he and Mireu remember the same thing, while both of the others seem to only remember events up to a certain point.. it makes things easier that he's at least not the only one who knows about the whole incident, and it's also easier since it's Mireu. Sure, Mireu is.. Mireu, but he's reasonable and responsible where it counts.
If Christmas break has taught Chihoon anything about the other, it's that fact. ]
Me too. [ To indicate they're at least on the same line here. ] However, Jo Youngjae seemed to think that all of this was the doctor's work. Park Muyeol seemed to have similar thoughts about all of us still being stuck here.
[ So that should say enough, right? They don't know about any cliff shoving, or those last moments as Yohan was negotiating with the police, they don't know about anything afterwards or them all pushing Yohan off the roof together.
It makes things more complicated, that's for sure. ]
I have not given them any clues yet for them to think I don't remember the same things as they do. That's why I wanted to talk. [ Aka the reluctant parental unit here needs to be on one line.. are they going to tell them or not? Are they both going to keep it hidden? It wouldn't be too difficult, and telling them has both upsides and downsides..
.. not to mention that there's a whole lot of messy emotions involved with that sort of thing as well. It's probably the main reason why Chihoon went to Mireu over all this, since he at least knows that he's not always the most sensitive guy because of his own lack of them. ]
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[because that's sort of the feeling he gets from this. ...not that he can really blame chihoon for that. mireu knows that his own unpredictability sets other people on edge (considering he does it on purpose), and that it's enough to feel like that sort of warning needs to be issued.
so he finds himself smirking as he responds, because it's just the feeling that he gets from this sort of situation, and he knows that he's brought it on himself. chihoon's a logical guy after all, even if this annoys him just as much as anything else that chihoon does. mireu may be reckless sometimes, and he may be an instigator, but he's not really very interested in sending muyeol into another fully unhinged state.
granted, he knows it's inevitable. they can't keep this kind of a thing a secret for very long, and once muyeol finds out that yohan not only fell by their hands, but won his own game by getting yoonsu to succumb, things are going to get very real, very quick. mireu's not that worried about youngjae, because he's a big baby and a bigger dumbass.
not like it matters—this is going to get ugly. it has to, because everything that relates to them and christmas break is ugly. it's annoying, how serious he's going to have to be for the duration of this. because even if he doesn't just blurt out what he knows and cause a disaster, they can't avoid the topic for very long. they're going to have to clear up the dissonance in memories sooner rather than later, even if it means creating a small emotional disaster.
which... is going to be very ugly, given how their emotions affect the things around them.]
We can't hide it from them for long. It'll be too annoying to deal with. [and muyeol will almost definitely flip his shit for not telling him sooner. so this is his silent way of asking "how do you want to deal with this shit?"]
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[ And it's only "them" in this instance since Chihoon is 100% sure that Youngjae can't keep his mouth shut, not even on any important matter. He's learned the hard way by almost being offed because of that guy, okay.. ]
I don't know what he seemed like when he talked to you, but he was very on edge after he first arrived. [ Maybe understandably so to most people.. even a little understandably to Chihoon, even if it's not a feeling he really.. gets on a personal level. Just an abstract rational one that tells him people act that way when they get scared or worried. ] Telling him while he's like that would only aggravate the situation even more.
[ And Chihoon would appreciate it if his only barely healed leg could not suffer any fractures in the near future, thanks. ]
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[as far as mireu's concerned, youngjae isn't remotely part of the discussion either. he's always a loudmouth and a baby. besides, they both know that even at his worst, he's less of a threat than muyeol. youngjae is dumb and reckless, but he's not quite unhinged in the same way, which makes him less of a wild card. they know what to expect from him, and mireu can shut that dumbass up without even having to say a word himself.
so muyeol is the issue here, and while chihoon is right, it doesn't mean very much. of course he's on edge, given the situation... and given the situation he came from, which is decidedly different than their own. muyeol's is as unstable as he is, really.]
It's going to get aggravated no matter what we do. Do you really think Park Muyeol's going to take it well when he finds out we've been hiding so much from him? [this time, he says it outright. he's sure chihoon has probably considered it, but it needs to be discussed.
...he seriously can't even believe they're having this conversation right now. how did things end up like this?]
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Which is why he knows that Mireu is right, even if what he himself is saying is logically right as well.. it just sounds like a situation they're going to burn their fingers on no matter which path they choose to walk down. ]
Do you think he's going to take it well when we do tell him?
[ Because how could anyone deal well with that story.. let alone someone as volatile as Park Muyeol of all people. ]
.. so instead of whether we should tell him, maybe the question is how we're going to make sure it doesn't get out of hand.
[ Because it's going to, one way or another. Whether they remain silent of say it, it's going to cause a stir. The only difference is whether it'll happen sooner or later. ]
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because now they have to deal with the much bigger aspect of it. what happened with that asshole of a doctor, what happened to yoonsu, what they did. muyeol's really only holding onto shreds of stability by strings at this point, and dumping all of that on him, no matter how gently they do so, is going to make a mess. and they definitely have to make sure not to let youngjae in on it.
annoying, how closely they're going to have to collaborate to get this done. but that's life, huh? mireu is sighing heavily... oh so heavily and if there's a way to project that to chihoon, he's definitely doing so right now.]
Any ideas? Neither one of us is going to get an award for being able to handle this delicately. [maybe one of the others could have been able to, but mireu teeters between too blunt and incredibly evasive, and chihoon is undoubtedly direct. so, maybe unsurprisingly, mireu takes this a bit off course.] What do you think? A nice dinner, candles, flowers? Really set a mood before dropping that bomb.
[mireu, no.]
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In fact, this is already an example of how they're the least qualified people for this. Sure, they are probably the most reasonable people among their group, but even so.. neither of them is delicate, exactly just how Mireu put it. Chihoon doesn't really understand emotions, but at least he understands that him bringing this across to Muyeol in any way is going to end badly. He has the necessary experience he sure hasn't forgotten about to tell him that.
And Mireu.. well, despite Mireu being reasonable, he's also very theatrical. He's capable of being serious, but it's always dangerously close to slipping back to being way over the top - just like now.
It's just going to be bad no matter what. ]
Under different circumstances I'd suggest making sure to tell him in a low-risk area. [ You know, as in not right next to a fucking cliff. He's learned his lesson, even if it took broken leg. ] .. However.. there's no such thing in this place. Emotions influence our environment, so no matter where, the situation is capable of turning explosive.
[ You know. Literally. ]
So there is no way that'll make it easier. We'll just have to go for being direct. [ Not Chihoon's kind of it exactly, but-- ] .. and while I am willing to be present to handle the situation as well.. you should tell him.
[ This isn't really him delegating the task or anything.. it's not like Chihoon would mind telling Muyeol. It's not like he's scared of Muyeol despite what happened, either. Hell, his lack of emotion for the most part made him calmly deal with Yohan, then Muyeol who usually at least intents well somewhere deep down is nothing. No, it's that he knows the other guy is much more likely to take anything badly as long as it comes out of his mouth.
Let alone this. ]
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[mireu's salt is pretty damn real right now, considering that is a really tall order. but what annoys him most about it is the fact that chihoon is essentially making him the meatshield. it's not as if one of them is any more qualified than the other, after all. they're completely tactless in different ways.
(though really, if he wants to... mireu can handle it well enough. and he probably will, if only because he knows that his theatrics will absolutely not be fun in that situation. what a deciding factor, right?)
it doesn't matter though, whether or not he'll actually do it. he's getting sidetracked because he just doesn't like chihoon talking to him that way.]
Ahh, you better give me a good reason for being the chosen one, here. Or else... who knows? Maybe I won't cooperate very well at all. I have a lot I want to test out with these emotions, you know. [is it a threat? well, not really. because he's not really interested in letting chihoon see or realize the depths of his hatred. so he laughs instead.] It's going to be an explosive show either way. Should I make it a little more colorful?
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Enough to not play around with it.. Well, probably, anyway. ]
Isn't it obvious? [ Why Mireu should tell him and not Chihoon, that is. It's not like he's really just putting meatshield duty upon someone else's shoulders just to be rid of it. ]
Park Muyeol doesn't react well to things I tell him.
[ To put it lightly.. even if it took being shoved off a cliff to realise that to begin with rather than picking up social cues like most normal people would. But still, the point is there. He already reacts badly to Chihoon saying simple things, how do you think he's going to react if Chihoon tells him what happened?
Besides, he has figured out one thing that should at least work fairly well with Mireu -- he's not an idiot who would latch onto it even more easily like certain classmates of theirs (we won't name names here), but it might help a little. ]
.. are you scared?
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wow?
excuse you, choi chihoon, but that is juts not an okay assumption to make here. like, at all. he laughs, completely incredulous.]
Scared? Me? Yah... have you forgotten who you're talking to? [he's kang mireu, dammit. there's no way that he wouldn't do something because he's scared of it. if anything, being scared of something is going to push him to face it head on even more.
it's less fear, and more an annoyance and and a legitimate worry. they've already had to see muyeol go off the deep end once, and while they can cope with him just fine after that breaking point... driving him to it directly again just isn't something he wants to take the major hit on. it's not just adding fuel to the fire, it's like dumping the whole oil refinery on it, then lighting a second match.]
Maybe I just want to make it even more fun for you and the Plague to deal with.
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Besides, he knows Mireu's issue isn't what he's saying. He might be oblivious as hell to some stuff, but this is one thing he's caught onto. ]
That's why I said I'll be there too. I can't guarantee anything [ especially with how unpredictable this place is and all.. ] but it might cancel some of it out, at least.
[ Since even if Muyeol is like a whirlwind of emotions, Chihoon is like the big black hole that voids any sort of emotion. He doesn't think it could deal with all of the emotional ravage Muyeol could potentially cause, but it might be enough to at least keep the two of them out of the worst of it.
It's a little odd, and he's still not entirely used to it, but.. he does feel a sense of responsibility towards the others after what they've all been through together. Enough to offer this much. ]
It's the best we can have in this situation.
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on one hand, it makes the most sense. chihoon is the least reactive of them—he may be the least reactive person in the entire city, for all they know. he probably could offset muyeol's outburst with his own neutrality to minimize a good portion of the damage. it's not something mireu can do himself, and youngjae can't be trusted with even tasks for preschoolers, so there isn't anyone else to do it. but chihoon's failing is tactfulness... mireu isn't really any better in some ways, but one of them is definitely much more well equipped to handled social situations and interactions better than the other. logically, they make a solid team even if it agitates mireu to his very core.
but the flipside of that, of course, is the fact that chihoon thought of it first. mireu's been one-upped again, and for all the things he may have been forced to let go thanks to the events of christmas break, there's still a lot to hold on to. especially at times like this, where he wants and needs to figure out ways to have the upper hand, even as they work towards the same goals. he just doesn't want to be second or third to choi chihoon. even if muyeol ranked above them, it would be fine as long as he could be above chihoon. it's quite the complex, isn't it?]
So you want to bank on something with no guarantees. That's how it is. [he lets it sound sarcastic and disdainful, but it's not as if mireu doesn't know that they can't predict how things will happen. even with trying to practice manipulating his own emotions to pull off cool tricks, the thing with emotions is that they spike and waver, and even when they can control themselves, they can't make those guarantees for others.]
There's probably no other way, huh? Not without Park Muyeol causing more damage than we can afford to pay back right now.
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So he replies just as calmly as ever to what the other is saying, although there's a hint of some gravity to it. Chihoon understands fully well just how terrible this situation can end up, but like Mireu said--
There's no other choice. ]
Not any I can see. [ And probably nothing he'll be able to figure out in the future either.. or at least, not before it's already too late to inform him anyway. And then shit will already be hitting the fan.
.. a small pause, and-- ]
My leg only just healed. I don't feel like getting it broken again either.
[ It's.. sort of an attempt at some levity, maybe..?? Or a joke that doesn't quite hit the spot.. Who knows, Chihoon is still fucking terrible at stuff like this, but he's been trying at least a little bit to be more socially capable after the whole incident. It just isn't easy when you've never been that way before and have a hard time putting yourself into anyone else's shoes thanks to limited emotional capabilities. ]
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[well, this is a surprising turn of events! and definitely enough to cause mireu to veer off the track of the very serious conversation they're having. which... well, may be for the better, even if only for a bit. things were a little too real and too serious there for a bit.
and mireu doesn't really like that all too much, especially not when he's dealing with chihoon. sure, they're in the middle of a pretty serious situation that they need to deal with, and he's not going to avoid that much... but still. they need to break it up a little. or at least, mireu thinks so.
but he doesn't really care if chihoon disagrees. he's going there anyway.]
Did Choi Chihoon just make a joke? Wow, this situation must be pretty serious!
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Which means that small pause that falls might actually have a slight hint of self-consciousness in it. So. Yeah. Stop that. ]
When you get serious, someone else might have to start joking to restore the balance. [ .. that's actually more serious than a joke. Mireu's like a volcano, when you can't see it errupt, you can only wonder when it's going to happen... ] I'm the only person talking to you right now.
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[okay, no. it's still really strange to see chihoon actually joking around a little. even if it's in his own strange, deadpan sort of way. if this was anyone but mireu, they'd probably be a bit endeared by the attempt.
but it is mireu, so while he's definitely amused, it's definitely not changing his opinion of things anytime soon.] I didn't know you worried so much about how I would take things! There was a time when you'd barely remember who I was.
[which was the worst. how dare you??? everyone needs to know and remember kang mireu, dammit.]
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[ It's a little more serious. And it's not even really a promise or anything sappy as much as it's just a statement of the facts. He won't say out loud why, since he knows Mireu gets it too. After going through what their whole group went through.. well, you don't just easily forget those people anymore.
Besides, considering one of them is already dead now.. it'd feel cruel even to Chihoon to forget anyone by now - even if it was his original "sin". ]
So for the situation concerning Park Muyeol, won't you at least trust me? [ To not bail on Mireu when shit gets tough, that is. It's just something they both have to do, even if it's going to be a pain. People who kill together, stick together.. or something like that. ]
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it's annoying, of course, that chihoon even has to ask this of him. despite the sour feeling his harbors, the situation had changed him too; even mireu had shreds of caring towards chihoon that he hadn't really realized until things got bad. when they though he was dead, when he was suffering as a hostage with that broken leg—it managed to get under mireu's skin and eat away at the deep-seated hatred. of course, that makes him bitter in some ways, and he's not keen to admit any of that aloud...
but he does have trust in chihoon and his intentions.] Did I say I wouldn't? Dealing with Park Muyeol's not going to be easy.
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So Chihoon knows that even if he's saying it this indirectly, Mireu will trust him on it. Which is something they'll at least need if they want to make this whole dumping the truth on Muyeol thing work even remotely.. there's already enough things that can - and probably will - go wrong with it that they don't need to add that factor to it as well.
So there's just a mental sound of confirmation. Yeah, it's not going to be easy. Sucks to be them, etc, etc. ]
We'll deal with it then.
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[it's not like he really has all that much more to say on the matter. it wounds his precious dumbass pride enough to have to admit (even indirectly) how much trust he has in chihoon's plan. he wants to be the mastermind himself, he wants to be making the rules and not taking orders.
but chihoon is right here, and mireu isn't stupid enough to try and fight that when they have a much bigger, more explosive problem on their hands. when they're the only ones that really know how destructive muyeol can be, that leaves them in a situation where he's got little room but to do just that. not that mireu has to like it. so of course, he doesn't want to keep discussing it any longer than in necessary.]
You just tell me when, and we'll make it happen.
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.. not like he knows though that all this shit is going to get in their way of actually telling him for a while, but.. hey, they're geniuses, not fortune tellers. ]
Yes. I'll tell you when the opportunity comes.
[ That's as much of a "Chihoon outtie" as there could be. ]
telepathic
No warning. Just suddenly Muyeol's voice in Mireu's head. ]
Kang Mireu. What were your last memories of home?
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which is kind of a problem. mireu's enough a man of his word to not hold to what he agreed with (even if it was grudgingly) with chihoon. so that means trying to deflect and work around this until it can be handled the right way.]
Do you always just barge into people's heads to ask questions like this, Park Muyeol?
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The hard part in all of this is the fact that unlike Youngjae, Muyeol isn't an idiot. The banter isn't that unusual for him, and doesn't raise any immediate warning flags for him, but it isn't something he wants to deal with right now. ]
I'll try to warn you next time.
[ Can a thought sound sarcastic? That one kind of did. ]
But since you already know I'm here tell me... what do you remember last before coming here?
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he may be a guy that seems pretty selfish or careless at times, but right now? he's acting in the interest of everyone else's safety. and perhaps a little but of muyeol's sanity, even if it definitely doesn't show.]
This and that, what a mess Christmas break's been. Ah, really though. Shouldn't this be something we talk about with Choi Chihoon too. That guy is annoying, but even he might feel left out sometimes. [it's kind of clear here: he doesn't really care whether or not chihoon feels left out on a personal level, but it's still something they need to deal with as a group because of how it affects things.
youngjae not included, because he's a lil shit and would definitely only make the situation worse, regardless.]
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I am. Jo Youngjae too. And I'm not talking about the general memory. If you were before Christmas break it would have been obvious.
[ Sort of like how the fact that Mireu's trying to not answer his question seems to be pretty obvious at the moment. What's going on here? ]
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You really want to complicate things, don't you, Park Muyeol? [somehow, he manages to project his heavy sigh—whether or not it was possible for someone to really mentally sigh, mireu pulls it off.
sorry, but this is already a messy situation, and youngjae is definitely going to make it worse.]
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If something really awful happened he doesn't doubt for a second that Chihoon would be able to keep quiet about it, and go on about his day as usual. Even Mireu seems like he could put on a mask and act like he usually does if he needs to. But what about Youngjae? That one seems more doubtful, Youngjae isn't the best at keeping his negative emotions capped up, wouldn't he have already spilled something to Muyeol?
But still, the fact that Mireu refuses to answer this simple question... ]
What happens?
[ He's trying to keep his tone calm, but it's hard. Just tell him. He needs to know. Does the doctor escape? Does everyone even make out of the school in one piece?! ]
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[really, muyeol. this is enough of a hassle as it is—there's no good reason to further complicate this by making mireu reveal everything this way.]
Wait until we're all there to get on the same page. Are you the one who wants to make things less complicated?
[not that this will actually make things less complicated, but it's easier to play it off that way—if they only have to clear this up once, it's easier than potential multiple emotional disasters. he'd still much rather leave youngjae out of this. okay, maybe mireu is already mentally mapping out how to tell muyeol with chihoon there but without youngjae, some other way. no matter what, it's going to get ugly...]
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Ironically, the very thing Mireu was trying to prevent by not telling him. ]
What happens?!
[ Can you yell inside someone's head? Well, apparently. Muyeol seems to be managing anyway. ]
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Was Park Muyeol really always this impatient? I already said it. We'll do this when everyone's together. [despite the air of exasperation in his tone, it's clear that mireu's serious enough about it. he's actually not fucking around for once in his life, and that's because he knows this is little more than damage control right now.]
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Mireu was the one to bring Yohan's companion into the school...
But no, he also helped them. He was the one that saved them from him in the first place. This couldn't have possibly been that well thought out and preplanned on Yohan's part. Could it?
Muyeol feels sick right now running through all the various possibilities of Mireu secretly being some sort of traitor. It's kind of scary how easy it is to break his trust. ]
I'll get them together now then.
[ Can he trust the other two though? Is this even a good idea? ]
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some thoughts are better kept to himself, and it's likely for the better that those ones aren't the ones that leak. not that mireu can't figure out that something like that may cross muyeol's mind—he's more than aware how unstable the guy is, after all. but he'd rather not think about it; they'll have it sorted soon enough.
at whatever cost that may end up being.]
Alright, alright. Just wait that long... don't be so impatient, and don't break the city in the meanwhile. Got it?
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Muyeol tried so hard to trust his classmates as much as he could after that, but with Mireu trying so hard to hide something for him, he's already leaping to the worst case scenarios. Bracing himself for the worst outcome that there could be.
It's all racing through Muyeol's mind, but fortunately enough kept locked up tight. If Mireu isn't part of Yohan's schemes? He doesn't need to know Muyeol is suspecting him right now, and if he is...? He definitely doesn't need to know then.
He doesn't say anything else to Mireu, or more, he doesn't think anything else directed at him. No promises not to break the city, no light hearted jokes along that nature. He's too frustrated by this entire situation for that. He wants to get this done as fast as possible, no matter what it is he finds out. ]