✔ 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐖𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇

Chapter 36

The stranger laughed again, a shrill and sinister laugh that shook Gumi to the core. "Oh, Ttalgi, you don't have the right to work with Taehyun, let alone be with him. I've been with him much longer than you have! I was there when he became a trainee and I've watched him grow in his career. I can't let you take the credit."

Gumis struggled to organize her thoughts and come up with a solution. It was obvious that Eunbi wasn't going to let her go just like that.

"But you can't persecute others just because you've got your eye on Taehyun!" Gumi hissed, rubbing the spot where she had been grabbed roughly.

Even though she was afraid, she couldn't understand this woman's way of thinking.

"You have no idea what I can do!" Eunbi replied. She glared angrily at Gumi and took a step closer. Her dark eyes seemed to glow with fervor. "Taehyun will never know what you really are. A hypocrite! You can dress up as a singer and sing songs, but you'll never understand what it really means to be an artist. You'll never know what it's like to have the whole world watching you and paying attention to your every move. Or you'll never carry the burden that weighs on Taehyun."

"I know that!" Gumi now shouted at the top of his lungs. "You think I don't realize that? That's the risk you take when you want to become famous."

And even though Taehyun wouldn't have thought to attract something like a stalker with his career, Gumi was still willing to support him. She knew that life as an idol wasn't easy.

Eunbi ignored her words and stepped even closer, so close that Gumi could feel her breath. She made a discarding motion with her left hand and something flashed in the darkness. "If I make you disappear, Taehyun will come back to me. I can't just ignore you. You've become a threat, one that I must eliminate."

The danger posed by Eunbi was more than clear to Gumi and she tried to find a way out. Her thoughts raced, and then she remembered that she still had Taehyun on the phone.

He had probably overheard everything.

"What?" Gumi's voice was just a breath. "Eliminate? Have you taken leave of your senses." She tried not to appear anxious, but the sweat on her forehead made it clear how serious the situation was. She could hardly imagine what this woman was capable of and she could only trust Taehyun to get help. With everything he had overheard, that was all he had left to do. Her eyes wandered to the object in Eunbi's hand and with a deep breath, she grabbed the attacker's long hair, pulling her against the table with a strong tug.

Eunbi let out a surprised cry as she was pulled against the table unprepared. The muffled sound of her head hitting the wood was accompanied by the object in her hand falling to the floor and clattering on the tiles.

And Gumi didn't hesitate for a second, jumping to her feet and running for the door while Eunbi slowly recovered from the shock. She knew she had no time to lose, because Eunbi could recover faster than she thought. She panted with exertion as she rushed down the corridors, looking for an escape route. Her lungs burned as she traversed the endless corridors of the building. Her footsteps echoed in the silence and the darkness seemed to condense around her. The eerie, loud cursing of Eunbi haunted Gumi and drove her forward. She didn't know how long she could withstand this pursuit. That's why she couldn't stop struggling for breath.