Lesson Learnt

Fighting Shadows

As Minji tried to hide the letter from Haerin, she couldn't help her curiosity and ended up grabbing the note. Her eyes scanned over the words, her grip on the paper tight. "Minji-" Haerin began, but Minji interrupted her, her voice tinged with concern. "What is going on?" Minji questioned, her eyes fixed on Haerin.

Haerin hesitated for a moment before deciding to share the truth with Minji. "Um... my family and I have a history," she admitted, her voice filled with uncertainty. Minji stayed quiet, giving Haerin the space to open up.

"When I told him I wanted to go to Seoul to be a professor, he was furious," Haerin continued. "He told me to stay home and carry on his studies, but I didn't listen and came here." She paused, gathering her thoughts. Minji's encouraging gaze urged her to continue.

"Before I left, he gave me an ultimatum," Haerin revealed, her voice trembling slightly. "It was either stay with him and the family or choose my aunt, my mother, who you met. My mother is dead." Haerin's words weighed heavily in the air, and Minji's heart ached for her.

"He's obsessed with money and power," Haerin continued, her cheeks flushing with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "And whenever he sees that I'm happy without him, he becomes eager to take me away." A tear fell from Haerin's eye, and she wiped it away with frustration.

"Why haven't you told me about this before?" Minji inquired, her eyebrows furrowing with concern.

Haerin looked up at Minji, her eyes filled with vulnerability. "Because I knew that it'd be too late," she confessed. "I wanted to protect you from this burden, but now... he's coming for me"

Minji's heart softened as she saw the pain in Haerin's eyes. She reached out and gently wiped away Haerin's tear. "You don't have to face this alone," Minji reassured her, her voice filled with determination. "We'll handle this together. I won't let anything happen to you."

Haerin nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. But eventually she knew that this would have to end.
-
Minji took care of Haerin, reassuring her after their heartfelt conversation. They went to bed, seeking comfort in each other's arms. When Minji woke up the next morning, she noticed that Haerin was gone. Normally, this wouldn't have been a cause for concern, but considering the circumstances, Minji couldn't help but feel worried.

She called Haerin's name, but there was no response. She checked the kitchen, but there was no smell of cooking or running taps. Frantic, Minji tried calling Haerin's phone, but there was no answer. She ran around the house, searching for any sign of Haerin, but she was nowhere to be found.

Finally, Minji opened the front door and saw Haerin sitting on the porch with earphones in. Minji let out a sigh of relief and closed the door again. They spent the day trying to unwind and relax, watching movies to take their minds off the unsettling letter.

As night fell, they cuddled up in bed and decided to watch a horror movie. Minji couldn't handle the scares and buried her head under the covers, while Haerin laughed at her reaction, finding horror movies not so scary.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, interrupting their movie night. "I'll get it," Haerin said, getting up from the bed. Minji didn't reply, still too focused on hiding from the scary scenes in the movie.

Minutes passed, and Minji wondered what was taking Haerin so long. She went down the stairs, her heart pounding in her chest. To her dismay, she saw another letter on the welcome mat, but there was no sign of Haerin. Panic washed over her as she realized Haerin was missing again.

Minji picked up the letter with trembling hands, her mind racing with fear and uncertainty. As she read the contents, her worst fears seemed to be confirmed. The letter was filled with ominous words and threats, leaving Minji with a chilling sense of dread.
-
Cordelia sat on Minji's couch, trying to comfort her. "She couldn't have gone far," Cordelia said, hoping to reassure her friend. "She wouldn't just walk away from us."