|THE CURSED FOREST|

4

Yeonjun slowly regained consciousness, his head hanging down as he looked up with a weak gaze, his breaths coming in heavy and labored.

He tried to move his arms but found that he was bound against the tree, it was enormous, its dark, gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal fingers, its thick trunk looming over him like a menacing giant.

His wrists were tied in a tight knot that dug into his skin. He could feel the rope chafing against his skin as he struggled to free himself.

His dark hair was damp with sweat, and his shirt was sticking to his skin, as he struggled against the restraints. He looked up and tried to take in his surroundings.

"Where am I?" The barren forest was filled with dead trees, the branches of which seemed to reach for the sky. The moonlight illuminated the scene, making the huge, gnarled trees look even more terrifying.

Struggling in the tightrope his breath hitched as he saw a massive tree in front of him covered in thick vines, and its branches were twisted and bent into sinister shapes. It was a truly frightening sight. The atmosphere was oppressive, making it hard for him to breathe.

"So you woke up." The voice sounded mysterious and unfamiliar, causing Yeonjun to feel an uneasiness that made him slowly turn his head towards the source of the noise.

He tried to untangle himself from the rope, but it was too tight. He could feel the sweat dripping down his face.

Yeonjun saw the tall figure wearing a long black coat approaching him from the shadow of the massive tree in front of him.

His expression tensed at the sight of a familiar face. Yeonjun's eyes squinted as he realized he was Taehyung from Micha's hospital who she never liked.

The man said in a deep, menacing voice, "You can't escape me now," as he grinned evilly and continued walking towards Yeonjun.

"Where's Micha..." Yeonjun ignored the building confusion in his mind as he glared over Taehyung whose visible smugness announced his supposed victory.

"Micha? Oh she is where she belongs." Taehyung threw his head back and smirked, giving a satisfied chuckle

"She is dead."

Yeonjun gasped in shock, his mouth agape with surprise. His eyes bulged with disbelief and he stood motionless, unable to comprehend what he had just heard.

Micha, his Micha dead? In no world he could believe it. Her worry had been palpable the last time they met and it weighed heavily on his heart that he couldn't understand it before. He felt a heavy weight in his chest as he remembered her expression.

"MICHA IS DEAD!" Taehyung screamed and laughed hysterically in his victory.

The lightning illuminated the dark knight, adding a dramatic ambiance to the thunder crackling in the sky. The lightning lit up the horizon, signaling the storm's imminent arrival.

"No.. NO!" Yeonjun shouted in agony, desperate to break free as he felt his breath becoming shorter and shorter. He felt like he was being suffocated, his chest tightening and his heart racing. His tears flowed freely and his eyes burned from the intensity of his emotions. He was struggling to stay afloat in a sea of overwhelming fear and distress.

"Oh yes, she died. I killed her." Taehyung's arrogance was evident in his posture and the mischievous glint in his eye. He seemed to be enjoying the situation, as he walked closer to Yeonjun whose eyes were seething with pain and anger, and his face was flushed with fury. His jaw was clenched tightly, and his hands were balled into fists.