THE DEATH BELL ⨳ [Taehyung]
Chapter-1
"Extermination will begin in one minute"
Her hands busied with the lock, her skin peeling off everytime she scraped her fingers across the rusted metal.
She was so determined, so determined to be the first one to break the rules.
Her heart beat faster with every beep that echoed through the chamber, it was like a time bomb in her heart, each second making it pump a little faster.
Her eyes were squeezed shut, her teeth sinking onto her lips as she felt one cut after another, the fresh blood leaking onto the chains.
She cursed under her breath, her fingers shaking as she stuck the pin into the lock, twisting it in all directions, in the hope that she could free herself.
She heard the sound of a click that released her hands. Her eyes snapped open, her heart pumping with urgency.
She urgently slammed her body against the glass door. She was going to make it, she thought.
With one final push, the chamber shattered with a shower of little glass droplets.
Her eyes then immediately darted towards him, her 13 year old brother, crying and shrieking over the threatening beeping.
This was a risk, but she still bolted towards him, the pin securely in her hand as she did the same process again....but this time, it wasn't as easy.
Her breaths began to become shallow with each passing second, her hand stained from her own blood.
She yanked the lock, her eyes flickering between her screaming brother and the lock.
There it was, the click. She pulled the door open, watching the death machine getting closer and closer to her brother's body.
She grabbed the chains, and with the same pin, she stuck it in...but there was no time left...
"The extermination shall begin"
Her hands stopped, her breathing stopped, her heart stopped.
She looked up and all she could see was the bloody remnants of her brother.
Blood trickled through the cracks, the crimson liquid dripping onto her hand...the blood of her brother that she failed to save.
He was gone...one droplet of water leaked from her eyes.
Perhaps the touch of his blood was the last thing she will ever come in contact with.
AUTHOR
This was basically just the past of...a character in this story.
AUTHOR
Okay let me introduce the characters here...although there's no need for that, but since I like to be extrA so-
Kim Taehyung as Kim Taehyung, a brat who just wants to be loved.
Chou Tzuyu as Ahn Jangmi, who just wants to stay away from trouble, and thus avoids any sort of interaction with anyone.
Jeon Jungkook as Jeon Jungkook, one of the smartest kids, who's desperately trying to escape from this living hell called 'school'.
AUTHOR
Uh...yeah I know the introduction sucks. Anyway...
AUTHOR
Thank you for giving this story a chance. I'm no expert at writing so please notify me of any mistakes. I'll do my best to correct them.
AUTHOR
Hope you'll enjoy reading! ❤
Chapter-2
ʀᴜʟᴇ 𝟷- ᴀʟʟ sᴛᴜᴅᴇɴᴛs ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴏʙᴇʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʀᴅᴇʀs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ ʜɪɢʜᴇʀ ʀᴀɴᴋ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪᴇʀᴀʀᴄʜʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɪғ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғғᴇɴᴅs ᴛʜɪs, ᴘᴜɴɪsʜᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴀᴄᴄᴏʀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ ᴏғ ᴏғғᴇɴsᴇ.
[𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧]
Jangmi
[she grasped her folder to her chest, her head bowed down as other students passed by]
This happened everyday, the same cycle of trying to get back to her dorm.
But on this particular day, everyone didn't seem to move out of the way at the sight of her, Instead everyone crowded in one large cluster.
Student-1
A new student? In exam season?
Jangmi
[stopped on her tracks]
Jangmi
*Whoever this is, he's crazy*
Exam season was the most stressful time of the year, especially for students enrolled in YLH. And no one dared to enroll now, it was a free ticket to hell.
This exact time, is where all students watch their friends leave them, getting dragged down an empty hallways, screams and hollows of resentment reverting off the walls...and all they could do was to listen.
Student-2
He's so good looking!
Student-1
I pity he's probably going to be put in the chamber in two weeks.
Student-3
Let's just appreciate him while he's still alive!
Jangmi
[rolled her eyes and continued walking]
It was known, he was going to die sooner or later.
But luckily for the girl, she didn't really have any people she cared about.
She was so caught up in her thoughts, that she didn't realise a finger tapped on her shoulder.
She turned around, her eyes digging a hole into the stranger.
She has never seen him around. But then again, she didn't really look at that many people.
Unknown
Oh right. Okay...do you know where registration is? [asked with a giant smile plastered across his face]
Jangmi
[looked at his hair]
Jangmi
*Blue. A strange colour to have as a student of YLH*
She judged every part of his body. He stood out like a sore thumb amongst all the students here.
He had the biggest smile ever. Everyone else was either frowning or stone cold, everyone had black or brown hair, but he was different.
Jangmi
No. [turned around to leave]
Unknown
Hang on- [placed a hand on her shoulder]
Jangmi
[violently jerked it away]
Her breathing turned heavy, her heart pumping at an abnormal pace...
There it was, her condition. It's getting worse and worse each day...
Unknown
Can you atleast tell me who to ask-
With that, she raced down the corridor, her fists clenching together to try and maintain her blood pressure before she blacks out again.
Jangmi managed to arrive back at her dorm without any sort of interaction, which means today was going to be a good day for her.
Jangmi
[As soon as she got back, she pulled out her revision notes and started studying for exam]
If she doesn't start revising soon, it's either 100% or nothing.
The students in YLH are beyond smart, everyone strives to get that 100% or even 99.95%, or else they would be put into the chamber, cameras pointed at them as the gory scene that follows will be displayed in the classroom projectors.
Then, all you would heard is loud cries of their loved ones.
Jangmi wouldn't dare to make any connections with anyone. Plus, she couldn't. She'd black out if anyone touches her...
The system of exams are very orderly, one mark off your exam, and you're dragged away and locked inside a cell with nothing but a window for food until the day of your extermination.
0.5% marks off, and you're given another chance. You're placed in a glass room, a single question on your table.
If you complete it, it's a raw full marks and you're free. If you fail with one inch of a mistake, you're forced into the chamber/cell and the process continues.
Jangmi
[her eyes trailed down to the ring her brother had once begged her to give him]
It was a beautiful emerald, silver carvings engraved around the frame of the emerald.
It reminded her of the memories, where her brother had chased her around hollowing and shouting at her to give the ring to him to try on.
Jangmi
*It's been 4 years and it still feels like yesterday*
She had a room all to herself, ever since her brother had passed away, the bed in her dorm had always been vacant.
She was happy about it though, no roommates means no interactions.
Though sometimes she would imagine her brother there sitting on his bed, studying till the peak of dawn.
YLH could care less about gender problems, if there's a vacant room, anyone can take it. Their top priority is education and will always be education.
Suddenly a loud obnoxious knock caught her off guard...
Jangmi
[walked towards the door and slightly opened it]
Jangmi opened the door further to be greeted by the same blue-haired boy she had bumped into before. He wasn't welcomed here, at least not around her dorm.
Unknown
Um Hi, I'm- oh it's you! Hi!
Unknown
[smiled as he bowed his head a little]
Jangmi
[rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut]
Unknown
Oh you won't let me enter?
Unknown
Nevermind then...bye!
Taehyung
It's Taehyung by the way! Kim Taehyung! [said excitedly before walking away]
Jangmi
*Taehyung...as if I care!* [scoffed]
Chapter-3
ʀᴜʟᴇ 𝟸- ɪғ ᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴄᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ᴄʜᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴀᴍ, ᴀ ᴘᴜɴɪsʜᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ ᴏғ ᴘᴜɴɪsʜᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅᴇᴘᴇɴᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ; ᴘᴜɴɪsʜᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴄᴀɴ ʀᴀɴɢᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴄʟᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ 𝟹𝟼𝟶 ɢʟᴀss ᴄʜᴀᴍʙᴇʀs ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠɪɴɢ ᴏɴᴇ's ʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴅᴜɴᴋᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴏʟ ᴏғ ɪᴄᴇ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ ғᴏʀ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ 𝟸 ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇs.
[𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧]
Jangmi
[ignored him and kept on walking]
Taehyung
Yah! Wait for me!
A body appeared next to her, that body belonged to the one and only Taehyung.
Taehyung had one single book under his shoulder, his eyes glistened with joy. On the contrary, Jangmi had a stack of books hugged to her chest and her lips were turned down into a steep frown.
Taehyung
I didn't catch your name last time, what's your name?
Jangmi
[rolled her eyes and walked just a little bit faster]
Taehyung figured that she wouldn't reply, so he leant towards her and peeked on her name that was written on her school uniform.
Jangmi
[jumped away from him in shock]
It was going to happen, she knew it...her hands were going to shake uncontrollably and her veins were going to start to bulge out, and then she was going to turn into a monster...
That's why everyone stayed away from her...because she was a monster.
Jangmi
[quickly she hid her hand behind her back, dropping her books in the process]
Taehyung
Woah calm down... [dashed to pick up the books]
Taehyung
Here. [handed her the books]
Taehyung
Your name is Ahn Jangmi right?
Jangmi
[she didn't answer his question and snatched the books away from his hands, making a brief skin contact with his hands]
Jangmi
[hurriedly stood and bolted towards the library]
Taehyung watched her scramble away, his hand stayed in the same position, without moving a single muscle...
Taehyung
[looked at his hand, touching his fingertips together]
A smile spread in his lips, his heart racing just a little bit faster...
He was one who doesn't deny anything and accepts whatever he thinks is coming at him, though this particular feeling he did not expect...
Taehyung
Slow down Taehyung. [laughed silently and ran after Jangmi]
Jangmi
*He touched my hand...he touched my hand*
She stuck out her hand, scrunching her eyebrows and staring at it as if it was so foreign object to her.
Jangmi
*No bulging veins...no shaking...what's happening?*
Jangmi
*This doesn't make any sense...*
Jangmi
Don't find me ever again. [walked away]
Taehyung
Where are you going? I'm coming too!
At this point, she had given up on trying to shrug him off.
But the worst thing was that, she was getting more attention than she wanted. Taehyung was very good-looking which led to many head turns from screaming fangirls.
Jangmi
[buried her head down lower]
Taehyung
[clenched his teeth] Will you guys shut up?!
The whole room went silent immediately, surprised by Taehyung sudden outburst.
Jangmi
Taehyung...stop. [pulled on his sleeve]
Taehyung
[shook her hand off his sleeve]
Taehyung
Who gave you any right to speak about her like that?! [scoffed while looking at those girls]
The crowd began to whisper and take photos, flashes began to swarm towards Taehyung and Jangmi...
Jangmi
Taehyung! [nudged him on the side]
Taehyung
Listen here, I don't care who you are or what type of social status you have, but if you EVER talk about her-
Jangmi
KIM TAEHYUNG! [grabbed his hand and yanked him towards her]
Jangmi
You better shut up now or else I'm going to kill you. [let go of his hand]
She quickly got up and raced off to that one place where no one ever went to, a place she had always ran to when she was stressed or tired of everything; the attic.
It has always been dark and quiet and not a single person was brave enough to walk down those set of stairs that lead to an unknown murky place.
That's why Jangmi liked it, it was good for her to just relax and not care about others' criticism.
Taehyung had chased her down, reaching the flight of stairs before stopping and staring down at the abyss of darkness...
Taehyung
Uh...Jangmi, are you down there? [nervously walked down one stair]
Jangmi
[rolled her eyes] Yeah.
Taehyung
But...how do you manage to get down? It looks...sketchy.
Jangmi
Just leave. [sighed and began studying]
Taehyung
I'm coming! Wait for me!
He stepped into another stair, a scary creak echoing from beneath as his feet hit an unstable plank...
Taehyung
Taehyung, don't look down, don't look down, don't look down... [took another step with his eyes squeezed shut]
(About 15 minutes later...)
Jangmi
[looked around the room] *He's still not down here? Did he actually run off?*
She stood up and approached the stairs.
Taehyung
Uh huh... [whispered in response]
Jangmi
*How is this boy so fragile?*
Jangmi
Oh my god hurry up and get down you idiot. It's been 15 minutes already.
She took a few steps up the stairs to be greeted with a curled up Taehyung with his eyes tightly shut, he was just on the third step down.
Jangmi
Oh God... [pulled his arm]
Taehyung
[snapped his eyes open and stood up]
Taehyung
I-I can do it... [laughed nervously]
Jangmi
[shrugged and began heading back down]
Taehyung
No wait! [grabbed her arm]
As that was happening, he had lost his balance and so did the girl; let's just say the stairs weren't very stable.
Both of them stumbled down the stairs, Taehyung screeching for his dear life as they both tumbled onto the floor, Jangmi's hand pressing against the hard wooden floor next to his head, their bodies pressed together...
Their hearts beat with a new syncopation, their eyes washed with a new wave of curiosity as well as understanding.
Their eyes locked together, it was a strange feeling, never to be described into simple words, but only to be felt in the heart.
Taehyung
I-isn't it...meant to be the other way around..? [laughed nervously]
He pointed a finger at himself. Infact HE was lying under HER...
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