trouble ¦ lee jeno (UNDER REWRITING)

ch ; 21

.・。.・゜⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽ 21 ☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅・゜・。.

S

eojin walked alone towards her residence's street, the darkness of night enveloped the streets, punctuated only by the dim glow of lampposts and the silvery light of the moon. She did her best to distract herself with lighthearted thoughts to quell the rising unease of walking alone at night. Pulling out her phone, she quickly typed a message to her parents: Eomma/Appa, I'm near Eundong Ave., walking home now, don’t worry about me.

Her phone buzzed with a reply from her mother: OK. Sweetheart, PLS be safe. OK? Turn on your tracker, just in case. PLS. I love you.

Seojin smiled and responded, Copy! I’ll be walking on one street, so if my tracker says otherwise, you’ll know! I love you too!

Feeling slightly reassured, she turned on the tracker her parents insisted she install after a recent kidnapping incident. She understood their concern and knew she would feel the same if the roles were reversed.

Keeping her eyes forward, she took note of her surroundings, ears pricking up at the faint thud a few feet away. A chill of fear ran down her spine as she wondered if someone was following her, but she tried not to panic, aware that other pedestrians were nearby.

Suddenly, a tap on her shoulder made her scream, but a hand clamped over her mouth before any sound could escape. She froze, feeling a heavy object press against her head. Her eyes darted around in terror, noticing the oblivious passersby.

She was dragged into a dark corner, the barrel of a gun still against her head. Hot tears blurred her vision as she was shoved against a wall, her face smashed against the rough surface.

"P...Please! Let me go!" she pleaded, but her cries were muffled.

The grip on her head tightened, and a sharp pain shot through her skull. She tasted blood. Her assailant was strong and unrelenting. In the corner of her vision, she saw him remove his mask, revealing a younger face. He finally spoke, "What do you know about Park Aeri?"

Seojin's heart skipped a beat. She recognized the voice—it was the 'Ahkyon' Jeno mentioned that was following him earlier, Aeri and Ah-in's brother. What did he want from her?

"I-I...I don't know her!" she croaked, but Ahkyon grabbed her scalp and slammed her head harder into the wall, drawing a whimper of pain from her. Blood trickled from a cut on her brow, and her head swam with dizziness.

"Don't you fucking lie! I overheard you!" Ahkyon snarled.

Seojin felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, her vision blurring from the pain and pressure on her head. The gun pressed harder against her skull. "Tell me! Or I will blow your brains out!"

Despite the pain, Seojin forced herself to think. Her hands were free, but any sudden move could result to him pulling the trigger. She knew she had to try something—because doing nothing would surely lead to her death as well.

Fear turned into desperation. She had to think fast. The gun pressed against her head was a constant reminder of her vulnerability.

She closed her eyes, focusing on the shaking of the gun in Ahkyon's hand. He was inexperienced, she realized. A chance, however slim, presented itself. She had to take it.

Seojin took a deep breath, her lungs burning with exertion. Gathering the last remnants of her strength, she acted. In one swift motion, her elbow connected with Ahkyon's wrist. The gun clattered to the ground, and he stumbled back, clutching his arm. Seizing the opportunity, she kicked him in the chest, creating some distance between them.