IRENE BIT HER lips, the taste of anxiety mingling with the salt of her tears as she walked back and forth in the sterile, fluorescent-lit waiting area of the police station. Time seemed to stretch infinitely as she anxiously awaited any updates on Seulgi, her heart pounding in rhythm with each anxious step. Every five minutes, she approached the detectives, her voice trembling with desperation, asking for news. Each time, the detectives would respond with a calm but firm insistence to “calm down,” their expressions betraying a mix of sympathy and frustration. It was maddening; how could they remain so composed when her world was spiraling into chaos? The Kangs had spared no expense in hiring the best agents, the most skilled detectives, to locate Seulgi. Yet, despite their resources and expertise, the sense of helplessness gnawed at Irene like a relentless predator.
The last coherent memory Irene had of Seulgi was etched in her mind with painful clarity. Seulgi had left her bag with Irene before they parted ways, a seemingly innocuous decision that now loomed over Irene like a dark cloud—a haunting reminder of her failure to protect the one person she held dear. The regret of that choice felt insurmountable, a weight that pressed heavily on her chest. She had spent countless sleepless nights waiting for updates, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. Each time it rang, her heart would leap in her chest, only to plummet into despair when the voice on the other end delivered yet another piece of devastating news or nothing at all.
The phone finally rang, shattering the tense silence that enveloped the room. Irene's heart raced as she answered, her breath catching in her throat. She had put the call on speaker, and the detectives’ words rang out like a lifeline thrown into a stormy sea: “We found her.” Irene jumped, the adrenaline surging through her veins. “Where is she? Where is she?” she demanded, her voice trembling with urgency. The detectives exchanged solemn looks, their faces etched with the gravity of the situation, before they turned back to her.
“She was rushed to Gachon Hospital in Incheon.” The words struck Irene like a physical blow, and she felt the ground beneath her shift. Her world felt as though it was collapsing around her; she had failed Seulgi when it mattered most.
In a haze of panic and determination, Irene rushed to the car and instructed the butler to drive to Incheon, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. The journey felt interminable, each passing moment heavy with dread. Upon arriving at the hospital, she sprinted through the corridors, her heart pounding in her chest, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. She pushed through the double doors of the emergency ward, her eyes scanning each bed frantically until they landed on the one that held Seulgi.
The sight that greeted her sent a wave of nausea crashing over her. Seulgi lay there, a pale figure against the stark white sheets. An oxygen mask obscured her face, while IV drips and a blood bag surrounded her. Irene's knees buckled beneath her as she took in the sight of her beloved friend in such a vulnerable state. A rush of guilt flooded through her veins, and she quickly dialed her parents and the Kangs, urging them to come once Seulgi was transferred to a VIP room.
Once they were in the VIP room, Irene refused to leave Seulgi's side. She held onto her hand tightly, her heart heavy with sorrow as tears streamed down her cheeks. The Kangs burst into the room, Mama Kang's expression one of horror as she clutched her mouth with trembling hands. Her eyes filled with tears, and Papa Kang rushed to support her, bracing her as she leaned against him, nearly collapsing under the weight of the shocking reality before them. The sight of their daughter in such a state was too much for them to bear.
Soon after, the Baes arrived, their faces etched with shock and disbelief. Irene's parents stood in stunned silence, unable to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Irene's mother, overwhelmed by emotion, leaned against Papa Bae, tears streaming down her cheeks as she struggled to process the cruel fate that had befallen her daughter’s friend.
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RED STRING || 1
FanfictionDue to certain circumstances, the Kangs have to make a deal with the Baes to have their company acquired by them or that they would totally lose all their investment in a blink of an eye. They have had to come up with a solution.
