Dare You To Death: Solve the Mystery, See the Death.

Special episode 1

 

It was a period that seemed both short and long for the four years that Jay had been admitted to a mental hospital. As he dragged his suitcase out of his room, the memories of his four years there came flooding back. He had to go to therapy every day, taking medicine in the morning and evening, and seeing the doctor, but the nightmares didn't go away. His friends didn't disappear from him; they just changed from images of gruesome deaths to sitting and staring at each other without saying a word in his dreams.

 

Jay reached out to grab the doorknob, which felt cold all over his palm. The image of the door slowly closing overlapped with the image of his seven friends standing in each corner of the room, forcing Jay to say his goodbyes.

 

“I won’t forget. I really won’t forget.”

 

At this moment, Jade was standing, wearing tea-colored sunglasses, leaning against his own luxury car, watching his younger brother walk out the door with a bag, his face as unblemished as when he first came here.

 

“Thank you for always taking care of me.”

 

"Congratulations, Mr Jay. Return home safely and without any worries."

 

"Thank you," Jay said goodbye to his personal doctor before walking towards his brother with a smile on his lips.

 

"Isn't Brother Min coming too?"

 

"Min isn't here."

 

“Where is he going?”

 

"Going to work in Bangkok," Jay nodded in understanding.

 

The two of them got into the car and headed home. Even though Jay had been in the mental hospital, his brother would visit once or twice a week; they would only see each other for a few hours before they had to go their separate ways. When they finally had to go home together, neither of them knew what to say to the other. 

 

The sound of Jay's phone rang amidst the silence. Jay glanced at his brother's screen for a moment before turning to look out the window. He hadn't been outside in four years, but it seemed like nothing had changed at all.

 

"What's up, Min?"

 

[Have you picked up Jay yet?]

 

“I received it.”

 

[How is he?]

 

“Ask him.” Jade handed the phone to the person sitting next to him.

 

"Hello, Brother Min."

 

[Sorry, I couldn't pick you up, Jay.]

 

"It's okay. Did you hear P'Jade  tell P'Min that he’s going to work in Bangkok?"

 

[Yes, but then he returns in the evening.]

 

"Then, Brother Min, drive carefully."

 

[See you at home.] Jay handed the phone back to his brother before turning to look out the window.

 

"What time will you be back? I miss you."

 

[Maybe it's five o'clock]

 

“What do you want to eat?”

 

[Just ask Jay. That's all for now. I have to attend a meeting with the special investigation unit.]

 

"Don't mess with Leo too much. He'll bite you."

 

(Leo isn't a dog. That's all for now, Jade. See you at home.) Jade hung up before looking at his younger brother, who was staring blankly outside.

 

“What do you want to eat?”

 

“Me?”

 

"Yes"

 

"I want to eat steak."

 

"Then I'll go out and buy it this afternoon."

"P' Jade."

 

"That?"

 

"Do you really think I should come out?" 

 

The whole car fell silent again. Jay turned to look at his brother, waiting for an answer. But in reality, it was a question that didn't need an explanation.

 

“Why do you want to go there, Jay? To heal yourself or to feel like you’ve been punished? Something like that,” Jade said in a flat tone, his sharp eyes fixed on the road ahead. “It’s a mental hospital. You can live your life there, eat three good meals a day, walk around, and read whatever you want. It’s not a prison; it’s not a prison cell. So even if you choose to stay there, it still won’t be a punishment.”

 

Jay pressed his lips together tightly. His brother was right. The moment he decided to go to a mental hospital, it was because guilt had eaten away at his soul. He wanted to feel like he was being punished for what he had done. But…

 

When he actually went in, it was the opposite of what he had imagined. He wasn't suffering while there. He felt as if he were being healed. He felt like he was about to escape from the bad feelings he had inside.

 

The two brothers didn't say anything until they returned home. Jay looked around before he could smile. Everywhere was full of traces of his brother Khamin. It was clear how serious his brother was about this love.

 

“Are you hungry?”

 

“Not much. I’ll just take my bag upstairs first.”

 

“Yeah,” Jade watched his brother carry his bags up the stairs. He wasn’t the type to talk nonsense, but if Jay needed help, he’d know he was still here and hadn’t left.

 

Jay walked up to his room. Everything was still in the same place. From the cleanliness and the fragrant smell, he guessed that his brother must have cleaned it before picking him up. Jay put the bag down beside the bed before lying on his back on the familiar bed. His sharp eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. 

 

Before this, he had many plans for his life. Graduated, got a job in a private company, worked continuously to gain experience and then started his own small company. Had a lover, a house, and went out with friends once a month. But now, he had nothing.

 

There was nothing left in his mind right now. It was his life, but he didn't know which direction to take. It was like every path he was about to choose was wrong. He was wrong. He was wrong. He was wrong. He was wrong. These words swirled in his head instead of living another life.

 

Knock knock

 

“Come in.”

 

“I’ve changed my mind. Let’s go out and buy some food and cook it.”

 

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Jay sat up and looked at his brother, who was leaning against the door frame.

 

"I'll have something to do," Jade said just like that before walking away, leaving only the younger brother whose mouth slowly lifted into a smile, knowing that his older brother was worried. At least his future life plans included his older brother; he had always had.

 

The supermarket was not crowded during the day. Jay took responsibility for choosing what to bring home. If he had chosen, he would have gone home ten minutes ago.

 

"What would you and Min eat?"

 

"Take the same thing."

 

“I haven’t asked you since you left. Are you okay?”

 

“It’s good, but it gets used a bit too much.”

 

“Are you using it?”

 

"Yeah, having a boyfriend who's a police officer means following the rules, so he gets more work than anything else." His brother's annoyed expression made Jay laugh.

 

"What about P'Min?"

 

"He's good. I see him when I wake up and when I go to sleep. It's so relaxing." Even though it's a normal-sounding sentence, to Jay, it sounds like he's falling in love with the same person over and over again every day. But that's what a married couple should have.

 

“I’m glad you’re happy like this.”

 

"Waiting to be happy for you, too," Jade said as his siblings' conversation was interrupted by a phone call. "What's up, Sergeant? Assault? File the charges. A husband brought a gun to shoot his wife at the police station?! Alright, alright. I'll go in. Keep people away and protect the target properly."

 

Jade, who had just received the emergency notification, immediately turned around because if he left Jay now, this kid wouldn't have a way back.

 

"It's okay. Go ahead. I'll take a taxi back by myself."

 

"Are you sure?" Jade took out his wallet and handed the credit card to the person in front of him.

 

"Yes, I'd like to go for a walk in the park too."

 

"So what will you do with the stuff?"

 

“I can carry it.”

 

"Then if you have anything, call me. I'll come pick you up if the case is resolved quickly." Jay smiled at his brother before looking at his brother's back as he ran away.

 

Jay spent some time walking around, looking at things. There were things he hadn't seen before. Some brands were changing their packaging, and some were releasing new products. The world was moving forward, while he was still standing there, living with past mistakes.

 

Before he knew it, the supermarket was already bustling with people. Jay hurried to pay because he had been away from so many people for a while and was starting to feel uneasy. Judging from his temples that were starting to get sweaty and his hands that were beginning to shake, he knew he shouldn't be here. While he was waiting for a car to take him home, a group of students bumped into him.

 

"You're standing awkwardly"

 

"Hey, you're a foul-mouthed animal, Pete."

 

“Sorry, bro. My friend just got dumped.”

 

"My heart is broken, my heart is broken." The laughter from the group of children in front of him made Jay think back to the past. Were they like this before?

 

"Jay

 

“You are wrong.

 

“Why did you survive alone?

 

“You abandoned me.

 

Suddenly, behind the group of children in front of him, his dead friends appeared, looking disappointed and angry, their faces covered in discolouration.

 

Everything in Jay's hands fell to the ground. He felt like he had forgotten to breathe for a moment. Both his knees gave out. Jay tried to breathe, no matter how difficult it was. People started to gather around. The whispers, laughter, and conversation made Jay feel even more pressured. No matter how hard he tried, no air could enter his body.

 

“Step back, step back.” A pair of hands landed on his shoulders. Jay didn't know who the other person was, didn't know why the person in front of him had come to save him, but the faint fragrance, mixed with the scent of Nicodin, seemed to blend strangely. Jay could feel the gentle breeze and the cool hands stroking his face. 

 

“Breathe slowly. There's no one here except you and me.”

 

The deep, cool voice calmed Jay down. His heart, which had been pounding wildly, began to beat normally. The fear from the people around him began to ease. At least now he could breathe a little.

 

Before he knew it, he was already in a luxurious car. Jay glanced at the person beside him and then back at the road ahead. The vehicle moving in a familiar direction made him frown before he started a conversation.

 

“Where are you taking me?”

 

"Home."

 

“Home? Who are you?” 

 

Behind the wheel was a well-built man, probably around the same age as his brother. His jet-black hair was left loose and sloppy. His silver glasses complemented his high nose, sharp jawline, and beautiful tan skin, which matched his jet-black shirt, unbuttoned to reveal his thick chest.

 

"Little brother sent me." When he was in a quiet place with cool air blowing on his face, Jay's turbulent mind and panic attacks calmed down. "Drink some water.

 

A bottle of water at room temperature was held out to him. Jay glanced at the person behind the wheel for a moment before taking a sip of the water and asking the question he wanted to know.

 

“Thank you. Who are you? Did Brother Jade send you to follow me?”

 

"Um"

 

“Ah…” Jay nodded in understanding. Whether it was because he was worried or because he was afraid that he would go crazy again, he couldn’t help but be angry. Right now, he was like a huge burden to Big Brother Jay.

 

“I’m a doctor,” the deep voice said calmly. “A psychiatrist.”

 

"Brother Jade, you know how to send people here," Jay laughed pitifully, not for anyone else, but for himself.

 

“He came to consult me ​​about your condition and treatment, so I volunteered to come and take a look.”

 

“How long have you been friends with P'Jade? Why don’t I know you?”

 

“Three years since the murder.”

 

“So that means you know me, but I don’t know you at all.”

 

"Yes"

 

"I know you. I came to help with a serial murder case three years ago because the perpetrator had multiple personality disorder, so he needed a medical specialist to help. We were working together on the case at the time, so we talked a lot."

 

“Ah, it's like this.”

 

"Why do you ask?"

 

“No, I just… just think he’s a little weird.”

 

“It’s not strange. He’s not usually a talkative person.”

 

Jay excused himself to go upstairs to tidy up his things. He looked at the picture frame on the table and muttered to himself.

 

“Is it possible to be someone who has a reason to live?”

 

How could he be? He had no idea. Jay glanced at the business card beside him, picked it up, and dialled a number. The call waiting rang for a while, and Jay thought about giving up. But just as he was about to lift the phone from his ear, a deep, mellow voice rang out.

 

[How is it going?]

 

"Mr Chomthap... I'm Jay."

 

“I don’t know what stories Brother Jade told you about me, but I’m really beyond help.”

 

[I will be the one to decide that.]

 

"What if I can't be the person I want to continue living with?"

 

[It's possible if you want.]

 

The confident tone of voice, as if he had complete confidence in him, made Jay's eyes feel hot. He wanted to be that person, someone who had a goal in life, not someone who just sat around waiting for death to come.

 

“See you tomorrow.”