I do believe in your galaxy//KTH FF

3

Author's Note: This chapter contains scenes of violence. Readers sensitive to such content may wish to skip these portions.

Unknown POV

[Violence Begins]

Bound tightly to a chair with thick ropes, my attempts to shout are muffled by the tape over my mouth. Panic seizes me as I scan the cluttered room-old closet, scattered damaged books, and parcel boxes. It's suffocatingly dark here, devoid of any hope for escape.

The desire to cry overwhelms me. I wanted to scream, to blame myself for my situation-living with him. Then, the room briefly illuminates with a flash of light, and a new horгог unfolds: another girl, unconscious and tied, appears across from me.

The door creaks open, revealing him. He retrieves several sharp, unnamed metal tools from the closet and smirks menacingly at me, gesturing for me to watch. Approaching the girl, he splashes water on her face, awakening terror in her eyes as he revels in her fear.

With a chilling precision, he slices her right hand's vein. As she begins to cry, I shut my eyes, unable to bear the sight, but the silence of her scream forces them open again, I'm struck by the horror of a glass partition that separates us. He's not done yet; he slices vertically down her throat to her ribs. The girl is still alive, desperately screaming for help.

I watch, powerless and weeping, as he cruelly extracts her still-beating heart, methodically severing the veins. A pool of blood forms on the floor as her eyes dim into lifelessness. He stores the heart on a plate in the refrigerator, then returns to dismember her body, separating flesh from bone, packaging it meticulously.

He retrieves the heart, smiling grotesquely, and exits the room. The door creaks again, and I brace myself for the worst. He reenters, sits before me with a chillingly normal demeanor, and places a plate on the table-it bears the human heart.

He teases macabrely, "What would you like for dinner, Y/N, a heart?"

[End of Violence]

I wake up screaming. It was just a dream, that recurring nightmare that haunts me like a persistent shadow. My phone rings, jolting me back to reality. It's an unknown number.

"Hello," I answer coldly.

"Good morning, Ms. Choi Y/N. I am Choi Yeonjun from Veautiful Days," a sweet voice responds.

"What do you want?" I demand.

"I'm calling to invite you to our small get-together this weekend at the xxx hotel. It's a gathering for all major companies in Korea," he explains, maintaining his polite tone.

I pause, processing this. "So, you're

inviting me?"

"Yes, as a representative of Veautiful Days," he confirms. "I'll consider it," I mutter, still half

asleep. "Thank you, have a nice day," he concludes, and the call ends.

After calming my nerves from the unsettling dream, I glanced at my phone again, hesitating before dialing a familiar number. The phone rang twice before a warm, steady voice answered.

"Y/N, my child, it’s early for you. Is everything alright?" my father’s voice soothed through the line, instantly easing some of the tightness in my chest.

"Appa, I... I had that dream again," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper as I curled up on the edge of my bed, clutching a pillow for comfort.

There was a brief pause, and I could almost picture him adjusting his glasses, a habit when he was shifting into his thoughtful mode. "The same one with the... violence?" His voice was cautious, treading gently around my fears.

"Yes," I replied, struggling to keep my voice steady. "It feels so real, Appa. Every time it's like I'm really there. What if it’s a sign? What if I’m not doing enough to..."

"Y/N, you are doing everything you can. These dreams... they are just your mind’s way of trying to process your past traumas. It's okay to be afraid, but remember, it's not your reality now," he interjected firmly but with an undercurrent of empathy.

I took a deep breath, letting his words wash over me. "But what if I'm missing something? What if this dream is trying to tell me something important about what I’m supposed to do?"

"Life isn’t like the movies we used to watch, where dreams were prophecies or warnings," Appa explained, his voice a grounding force amidst the swirling doubts.

"Maybe you’re right. Maybe I just need to focus on what I can control," I conceded, feeling a bit more anchored.

"That’s my girl," he chuckled softly. "Now, tell me about your plans today. Aren’t you meeting Lisa and June? Those two always manage to cheer you up."

I smiled, a genuine one this time. "Yes, I’m actually getting ready to meet them now. We’re going to that new cafe by the river."

"Good. Enjoy yourself, my child. And remember, I am always here for you, in dreams and in reality," he said warmly.

"Thanks, Appa. I love you."

"I love you too, Y/N. Take care of yourself."

Hanging up, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. My father's words reminded me that while I couldn’t always control my dreams, I could control my actions and reactions. Refreshed and more determined, I finished getting ready, anticipating the comfort of friends and the normalcy of my day ahead.

I settled into the cozy ambiance of the cafe, the scent of freshly brewed coffee blending with the undercurrent of sweet pastries. As I took my seat opposite June and Lisa, their intertwined hands and loving gazes made the room feel smaller, almost intimate. I cleared my throat, feeling the need to break the tender moment that didn't include me.

"So, Lisa, why did you call me out here today?" I probed, trying to sound casual but with a hint of urgency that belied my true curiosity.

Lisa, ever the expressive one, blinked as if pulling herself out of a dream. "Oh, I just wanted us to spend some quality time together. You know you barely come out unless it's for an appointment," she responded with a light shrug, her eyes sparkling with mischief and warmth.

I nodded, accepting her reason, but there was something else on my mind. Hesitating only slightly, I ventured, "Actually, Lisa, there's something else... I received an invitation from Veautiful Days for a party this weekend. I’m not sure if I should go."

At this, Lisa’s demeanor shifted from relaxed to electric in a heartbeat. She practically bounced in her seat, the previous calm washed away by a wave of excitement. "You got what? An invite from Veautiful Days?" she squealed, nearly toppling her coffee in the process.

June, ever the stabilizer, reached out to steady her hand. "Calm down, babe. You’re making a scene," he chided gently, his voice a low rumble that contrasted with Lisa's high pitch.

Lisa, unabashed, leaned in closer, her voice a conspiratorial whisper now. "Do you realize that this means you could meet Kim Taehyung? Mr. Kim Taehyung himself—so talented and...," she trailed off, likely recalling a mental image of Taehyung.

June rolled his eyes but his tone softened, "Lisa, let's stay focused. Why are we hyping up some guy when I’m right here?"

Ignoring his comment, Lisa continued, her eyes alight with fervor. "Y/N, you have to go! Think about the connections, the exposure for your business. And, okay, yes, he’s very handsome. That deep, raspy voice of his could melt butter."

I couldn't help but smirk at her enthusiasm, though a part of me wondered if attending the event could indeed be beneficial beyond meeting any corporate bigwigs or celebrities. "I suppose it could be a good opportunity," I mused aloud, feeling the weight of her expectations mingling with my own calculated considerations.

"Absolutely!" Lisa beamed, finally settling back into her chair as June shook his head with a tolerant smile.

As the conversation drifted to other topics, my mind stayed partially tethered to the idea of the upcoming event. The possibility of networking and maybe, just maybe, seeing what all the fuss about Kim Taehyung was about, seemed increasingly appealing.