✨ Emerald Standard ✨

9 - A little bit of Paranormal Investigation.

As they sat there, lost in their love bubble, a sudden chill ran down Han Jae's spine.

She tried to brush it off as mere paranoia, but the feeling only intensified, like a creeping shadow lurking in the corners of the café.

Park Eun noticed her unease and tightened his hold around her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he whispered, his voice laced with concern.

Han Jae hesitated, unsure how to articulate the sense of dread that had settled over her. But before she could respond, a loud crash echoed through the café, followed by the sound of shattering glass and screams.

The lights flickered, and the music screeched to a halt.

Min-soo's guitar fell silent, and Yuna's voice was frozen in mid-sentence. Eun's sister's eyes went wide with terror as she stared at something behind Han Jae.

Slowly, Han Jae turned around, her heart racing with a sense of impending doom.

And that's when she saw it: a figure, tall and imposing, loomed in the doorway, its face twisted into a grotesque grin.

The figure took a step closer, its eyes fixed on Han Jae with an unblinking stare. Park Eun's grip around her tightened, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from the horror that was unfolding before her.

The figure's grin grew wider, its lips curling up like a macabre smile. And then, in a voice that sent shivers down Han Jae's spine, it spoke:

"Welcome, Han Jae. I've been waiting for you."
_____________

Han Jae's mind raced as she tried to process what was happening. Who was this creature? And how did it know her name?

Park Eun's grip around her tightened, and she felt his heart pounding against her back.

The figure took another step closer, its eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity. Han Jae's friends were frozen in terror, unable to move or speak.

Suddenly, Eun's voice broke the silence.

"Leave her alone," he growled, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination.

The creature's grin faltered for a moment, and it regarded him with a curious expression.

"Ah, the brave boyfriend," it said in a voice that sent chills down Han Jae's spine.

"How quaint."
__________________

With a sudden movement, the creature lunged at Park Eun, its long fingers grasping for him like claws. Han Jae screamed as Eun pushed her aside, putting himself between her and the creature.

But to her horror, Eun's body began to contort and twist, his limbs elongating like rubber. His face stretched into a grotesque mask, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"Park Eun!" Han Jae screamed, her voice echoing through the café.
"No, please!"

The creature's laughter was like a knife cutting through her soul.

"You should have stayed out of this, Han Jae", it taunted.

"Now, you'll never be able to escape me."

And with that, the creature vanished, leaving behind a trail of destruction and Eun who was no longer recognizable.

Han Jae's world came crashing down around her, leaving her with only one thought: she had to save Eun, no matter what it took.

She became abruptly lightheaded due to her mind becoming overly occupied with her ideas.

And next, Han Jae's world went dark as she felt herself falling, her body crumpling to the ground. She heard Eun's voice, distant and panicked, calling out her name.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a hospital bed, surrounded by Eun, Yuna, Minsoo, and Eun's sister. They looked relieved and worried, their faces etched with concern.

"Han Jae, oh my god, you fainted!" Eun exclaimed, holding her hand tightly.
"We were so scared."

Han Jae's mind raced as she tried to process what had happened.

The café, the creature, Eun's transformation - it all felt so real.

"It was just a dream, right?" she stammered, her voice shaking.

Yuna nodded. "You must have dozed off in the middle of our conversation. We were so caught up in our own chat that we didn't even notice."

Han Jae let out a sigh of relief, her body relaxing into the bed. It was just a dream, she told herself. But the memory of it lingered, haunting her like a ghostly presence.

As they chatted and laughed, trying to reassure her, Han Jae couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. That dream had felt too real, too vivid. And the creature's words still echoed in her mind:

"You should have stayed out of this, Han Jae."

What did it mean? And why did she feel like she was being watched, even now, in the safety of the hospital room?

__ After some time........

As they prepared to leave the hospital, Han Jae couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.

She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see the creature lurking in the shadows.

Eun noticed her distress and pulled her close.

"Hey, it's okay. You're safe now. That was just a weird dream."

But Han Jae knew what she saw, and it felt too real to ignore.

She decided to confide in Eun, telling him everything - the creature, its words, and the feeling of being watched.

To her surprise, Eun listened intently, his expression serious. "I believe you," he said.

"And I think we should investigate further."

Together, they started digging into the mystery, scouring the internet for any clues. And that's when they stumbled upon a strange website, hidden in the depths of the dark web.

The site was dedicated to paranormal occurrences, and one section caught their attention - a forum discussing creatures like the one Han Jae saw.

As they read through the threads, their hearts raced with a mix of fear and excitement. They realized that Han Jae's dream might not have been just a dream after all.
______________