Matter of Harmony || Oneus Seoho

Drown in Someone Like You (24)

Xion PoV

The sun has set a while ago. Hours ago all I cared about was my plan. The plan to make Yuri fall for me, and present her to my family so they would get off my back about being an insolent player, to convince my grandpa to give my credit cards back. None of that matters now. I was so close to having her in the middle of my palm but I missed her. The plans shatter away like a house of cards and the only thing that matters is her. The sun has set a while ago and the wind blows in directions I can not fathom.

It's hard to register how things have gone so terribly wrong. She was wearing the necklace I gave her then and the bodyguards I hired were protecting her. Where exactly did I go wrong? Is there one thing I could change to stop this from happening? Go after her when she left, warn the bodyguard of her early departure? Save her from her mother when she cornered her in the party, don't go to the party at all? Don't reveal Seoho to her sister? Don't threaten the stalker? How far back would I need to go to stop today from happening?

The first thing I did was making Hongseok send men to check the Stalker's house. Of course, they were not there... I was furious when Seoho went against me to call the police because now we need to keep ahead of them as well to not be slowed down. We chase a disappearing trail like footsteps in a windy desert. The only way to keep up with them is to not slow down. They are two hours ahead of us.

But I have to admit if it wasn't for him there wouldn't be a chase at all. Yuri called him— not me... We found out about the first gas station through the police radio. As if led by the delicate hand of fate he keeps doing the right thing while I stumble.

He's always been the one to save her, he's the safe harbor and I am a distant sun, shiny and glorious but always so far away. The sun has set a while ago...

Another miracle happens. Pulled by fate's red thread, Seoho abruptly stops and turns back to the trash can. He pulls out a paper bird, just like the one in the time capsule Yuri buried under the tree in front of our houses. Just like the ones, Seoho would always make for her.

Once we have the paper it's no trouble finding the note written inside. Written in haste, diagonally over the print of the prospectus. The stalker is taking her to his dad's house. It's a good thing we already had a file on the guy. In a few minutes, Hongseok has the address.

Can we trust the information? How does she know?

I call for a helicopter. Now we can get ahead of them. If this is where they are going we can get there before the stalker, and set a trap.

The trail is swept away in the crisscrossing of wind but a red thread appears out of nowhere. I thread that pulls Seoho to her. I decide to trust it and follow. There is not much else I can do anyway.

Seoho's Pov

The wind whips my hair around in a fury, the whoosh of the blades of the helicopter and the rushing lights beneath us makes me feel like this is all a dream. A horrible nightmare. But a nightmare could not hurt this much. An inferno burns my heart away to ash. I close my eyes and try to imagine her, safe and happy.

She always meant the world to me. But I had to suppress my budding feelings... Whenever my heart raced at a simple touch, a smile, a scent, whenever I got jealous, whenever I missed her so much I couldn't think about anything else... I told myself it was impossible. That it would hurt too many people. That I couldn't be that selfish. That I couldn't afford to lose her. A dam made of what-ifs trying to hold the weight of a boasting spring. I came close to being undone on several occasions but reality would come in like a strong gust of wind and blow the kindling hope before it could become a fire. Until now.

Now, as the inferno rages in me I can't stand still. I can't lie to myself anymore. I love her. I love her more than I can fathom. She's not just a good friend. My world revolves around her—I confess. I couldn't take the deal because I can't live without her. The past month nearly drove me mad with longing.

I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. I'll choke the life out of that bastard with my hands if it comes to that. The note she left is left damp and crumpled in my squeezed fists. I open my eyes again and notice we are about to touch the ground.

Xion's PoV

During the flight, I shake away the somber mood I got into. It's not like me to be sentimental like this. I quickly scan the area, the house he's taking her to is on the riverside. Despite the cloudy night, it's clear no one has been living here for some time. Weeds and moss cover the shaky wooden fences. Hongseok walks the perimeter and finds a backdoor to the garden. There aren't any other houses for quite a distance, this is the perfect place for an abduction. No soul would know a thing.

I give Hongseok and Seoho the two electric teasers I asked the helicopter pilot to bring. The chopper is in a clearing some distance away hidden from view. I send Hongseok to watch the backdoor and Seoho and I find a place to hide near the front door.

The cool night air chills me and the gravity of the situation makes me shiver a bit. Sungho is not just delusional, he knows what he's doing. The car he's using is a stolen one and the nature of this place is no coincidence. "We need to be very careful." Seoho turns to me and gives a tight nod. We sit silently—waiting, both of us tense as a drawn bow for some minutes. Despite all my intolerance towards him, I feel a comradery waiting together like this.

"You should know, I alerted the police again." He confesses. Rage alights in my chest "Before you go off, I only gave them the address of the town nearby. I know seeing the police can tick off the stalker. I thought this through, I am not as dumb as you take me." I grit my teeth."Just hope that he doesn't go into the town. This all seems too organized to be just an impulsive kidnapping. I think he planned this in detail." We fall silent again but the comradery is gone.