Shameless (Hwang HyunJin)

05 | Strange Encounters

A small sigh escapes my lips as I rub my tired eyes; I look back at the computer screen anxiously. I've been in the office all morning; Mr. Hwang and Hyunjin have been breathing down on everyone's neck for the launch of the new product. It had everyone on the edge of their seats, knowing that Mr. Hwang wanted the product launched a week or two before the end of September.

After encountering Hyunjin in the elevator, he has been bossing me around all day; who knows how many times I've edited and redesigned the products. Almost every five minutes, he disapproves of the design, suggests an idea, and then sends me to redesign. I let out a yawn, feeling more tired. I pick up my mug, bringing the rim to my lips. I felt disappointed and gloomy, realizing I had run out of coffee. I groan softly, getting up from the chair and stretching out my limbs; I look at the time: six-thirty PM.

I left my office to see everyone else had gone home; I felt cold and shivered. I rushed to the employee lounge room; I noticed a fresh hot pot of coffee sitting under the coffeemaker. I look around the lounge, but not a single employee is in sight. I exhale softly and pour some coffee into my mug. I shivered once again, but this time, I twitched a little, feeling a weird sense of disturbance. I shook it off and took a small sip of the coffee; the sound of a door creaking open had my mind racing with every possibility that it could be anything; what ifs ran through my brain as the creaking stopped.

I held my mug tightly and hurried out of the lounge room; I noticed the lights were off except for the desk lamps. I gulped and rushed into my office. Closing the door behind me, I sat back at the desk. I let out a breath, and my eyes kept glancing at the door and the computer screen. I was paranoid and cold; I shook the nonsense thoughts away and continued to work on the product design.

By seven-forty PM, I was yawning even more; I waited for the paperwork to finish printing. I finished my coffee and gathered my things while waiting for the printer. I heard a thud from outside the office; I looked at the door. The papers were done; I grabbed them and slid them into the black folder. I slipped on my wool coat and turned off the computer screen.

I turned off the lights in the office, leaving the desk lamp on; I grabbed my bag and walked out of the office. I hurried to the elevator, feeling like I was being watched. I pressed the down button and felt eager to leave this floor; my mind was now playing tricks on me. The creaking was closer; the whole hall felt cold. I looked around, feeling scared now; the elevator was taking its sweet time. My best decision right now was the stairs; I rushed down the stairwell feeling like I was being chased.

I could hear footsteps aside from my own; I was panicking now. I began to run down the stairs; I could hear someone curse softly. I reached floor one and ran out of the stairwell. I looked back, but there was nobody. I bumped into something and fell on my ass, dropping the folder; my nerves were all over the place. I was terrified and paranoid now; I picked up the scattered papers.

"Are you okay? Lexie? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" That something I bumped into was Hyunjin; I looked at him. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked. I looked at the stairwell again, "Lexie?" Hyunjin whispered, grabbing my hands. I look at him, "S—I'm sorry, I'm just paranoid.." I said, pulling my hands out of his grasp and fixing the folder.

"Paranoid of what? Lexie," Hyunjin said, pulling the folder away from me, "It's nothing...it was probably just my mind playing tricks on me, but I felt like someone was watching me and began to chase me out of the floor three." I whispered, looking back at the stairwell door. Hyunjin seemed concerned and helped me up; he turned his gaze to the door. Hyunjin lets go of my hands and walks over to the stairwell, "Hyunjin, it was probably my tired mind hallucinating." I said. But that didn't stop him from walking into the stairwell; I sighed, defeated, and followed him. 

"How could you be sure it was just in your head? Maybe there's still some of the staff messing with you." Hyunjin said as we walked up the stairs, "I'm not positive about anything," I said. A faint sound came from the third floor; I stopped walking. Hyunjin looked at me worriedly, "What's wrong?" he asked. I gave him a perplexed, "You don't hear that?" I said. Hyunjin stood still and looked up at the stairs, "It's just music," He said. Hyunjin continued walking; I bit my lip, feeling anxious, but I followed him anyway.

We reached the third level; the music was coming from one of the offices inside.  Hyunjin smirks lightly, "And I bet you're going say that you didn't leave the radio on." He said. I gave him a look clearly showing signs of distress; I shook my head, gripping my bag tightly. Hyunjin sighed as he opened the door, and we walked inside the hall. The music was louder and more evident, and I followed closely behind Hyunjin. I love horror movies and the paranormal, but I would never want to live and experience that. Yet here I am, glued to Hyunjin as he looks around the desks and offices, and he stops walking. 

"That's your office..." Hyunjin said. I turned to where he was looking; the door was wide-opened. The music was coming from my office, which made it more creepy and uneasy was the choice of song. 'I Only Have Eyes for you' by The Flamingos was slightly distorted, "I locked that door," I told Hyunjin. "Someone is definitely messing with you." He whispered and walked to the office; I stayed close to him. Hyunjin stopped me from further walking into the office; I gave him a confused look. "What is it?" I asked. Hyunjin blocks the doorway. "Don't look; you'll only make it worse." He said. I let a small chuckle, thinking he was messing with me, too.

But he wasn't; there was no devilish smirk on his lips. Hyunjin was serious and brooding about what he saw, "Come on, what is it?" I said, trying to get through. I was able to get a glimpse of the office; I felt my blood run cold and my heart beating rapidly. Hyunjin grabs me by my arms and pulls me towards the elevator, "I told you not to look," He said. I look at him, "Tho—those are photographs—of m—e." I let out. I wasn't sure of what to think about, so Hyunjin sighed and pulled me closer to him. "I'll have George come and investigate this sick joke," Hyunjin said his words sounding like a promise. Tears were ricocheting, "H-Hyunjin those are photographs of me...sleeping, doing daily life how-" I whispered.

Hyunjin cups my face in his hands, "Listen to me, Lexi, I'll have someone look for the person that this. Try to remain calm and—look at me Lexie." He said. I look at him, "I need you to keep me posted about where you are, what you're doing, and with whom you are. This is serious Lexie." Hyunjin said. I was crying out of fear, and he holds me tightly. He was trying to get me to calm down but my mind was running with millions of 'if the creaking due to the person being in here for a reason 'What if they were trying to hurt me maybe even worse'.