CHAPTER 3

       Mike shuddered, watching him for a long time as he drew closer. Exactly as people say about the boy. His hair was neatly combed down like black straw. But there was a strand running up, out of the pattern. Mike's expectations of this boy were completely off the mark. He had expected to see the sight of an old cemetery in the boy's aura. But this strayed too far, the boy in his eyeballs looked natural like a normal human. However, a little bit familiar. 

       Slowly, Mike remembered the name of the young man in front of him. Since the first time he went to school there, many rumors had stuck to him. He was famous for it, and was almost never seen around the school. His name was also always mentioned in a whisper, so that all that remained in Mike's memory was only a vague one. 

       "Tan," he said, then choked on his own. 

        The man was surprised. Likewise Mike, his mouth worked before the short name came out of his mind. Tan hastily straightened his body. The man seemed quite disturbed by Mike's arrival. He was wary and seemed ready to kick Mike out at any moment. Mike overpowered his fright and naturally approached Tan's desk before being kicked out. Now he could more clearly see the appearance of the man in front of him. 

     "Hello. I've heard a lot about you. Exactly what other people say." Mike leaned his back against the wall stiffly. 

       "But you're more mysterious than I thought," he said again, much more quietly. 

       Tan didn't try to hide the discomfort between them, instead he let out a lazy sigh. When he saw the lean boy in front of him, he calmed down again. 

       "There's no need to be formal. I know you well. You were a student who used to be on the journalist team when we were in the same middle school. At that time you asked me for an interview at the festival because your articles weren't being looked at," said Tan, explaining at length. His prediction was right, as Mike can remember until now.

       Mike immediately sat across from him and remained silent. He praised this boy's memory. But beyond that, he realized that he had been careless by taking advantage of Tan's popularity in middle school. Then now was the second time they had met. 

       "You're a pretty good boy, wouldn't it be better if we got to know each other on good terms?" 

       "The way you open your introductions is very interesting. Do you usually do this?" Tan knot. Mike looked clueless. 

       "What?" 

       "Suddenly passed in front of my class, then walked in casually. Opened a conversation from what people said about me out there. And finally asked to meet. How complicated, you think this is a coincidence?" 

       The sentences then ended in silence. They both looked at each other. 

       "You think I planned all this? What a strange delusion." 

       Tan is silent. "People always come to me with reasons," he says, shrugging his shoulders. 

       "Impossible. By the way, my name is Mike, from grade 10-1. Since we're in the same middle school, I think it's a bit awkward not to know each other," he said with proper manners. He saw Tan sigh, uninterested in their chatter, then cleared his throat. 

       "Do you remember the molestation case when you were in middle school?" Mike asked, curious. 

Tan rubbed his eyes and nodded. "Of course. It was in the headlines of last year's paper." 

       "I first saw you then. You were directly involved in the case, weren't you?"