A Versace Trance

Chapter 9

"Ma'am, there seems to be a malfunction in one of the model's microchips." Bon-Hwa informed the psychopath. "Which model?" she asked, turning around on her chair.
"Hwang Hyun-jin, Mrs Giovanna."
A vile smile grew on her face. "Very well. I'll meet up with him today. Find his location."
"Yes, Mrs Giovanna."

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"I'm going insane, aren't I," Hyunjin thought to himself. 

"Me? Being controlled? Like that would ever happen. They're lying to me. I'm as normal as I'll ever be."

The sky hung low and heavy over the narrow streets of Seoul, cloaked in ominous clouds that promised a downpour. Hyunjin walked with uncertainty, his sleek leather villainous attire glinting dully in the dim light. "When did I even wear this?" he mumbled.
His gloved hands tucked carefully into the pockets of his tight pants, yet unease tugged at him like an unseen hand. There was a pulse of darkness in the air that he couldn't shake.

As he turned into a quieter lane, the oppressive atmosphere thickened, and suddenly, he heard it — a voice echoing in the caverns of his mind.

"Hyunjin. I'm not done with you yet."

It was familiar and yet achingly distant, like a haunting melody trapped between memories and nightmares.

He paused, brow furrowing in confusion. "Who said that?"

The words seemed to swirl around him, tantalisingly close, yet he could see no one. He waved his hands through the air as if to swat the sound away. The street felt empty, almost too quiet, an unsettling silence cloaking every corner. Yet a prickling sensation crawled up his back; it felt as though eyes were boring into him from the shadows.

He turned, scanning the street behind him, but all he could see were the cobblestones glistening from the threat of rain. Stepping forward, he tried to shake off the creeping dread, but the sensation of being followed clung to him like a shadow.

"I know you can hear me, Hwang Hyun-jin."

The voice, definitely female, smooth yet serpentine, echoed again, sending chills through his body. He stopped once more to glance around, heart racing. There was nothing.

But just as he turned back to continue, she appeared before him. It was as if she had materialized from the very fabric of his bewilderment. A figure clad in elegant but dark business attire, Mrs. Giovanna stood there, her presence impossibly imposing. Hyunjin stumbled back, the breath trapped in his throat.
"W-what are you doing here? Who are you?"

A soft chuckle escaped her lips, her eyes glowing with a haunting amethyst hue. "Aw, did you forget me already ? Then I'll help you remember!"

In a swift motion, she reached out toward him, her hand hovering above his head. A surge of energy coursed through the air, and before Hyunjin could react, a beam of deep violet light struck him, reaching into the depths of his mind. His eyes rolled back, the world around him distorting as he felt a weightless pull that left him breathless. All thoughts vanished, replaced by a void so profound that it felt painfully liberating and terrifying all at once.

As he collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath, the contours of his reality began snapping back into focus. The muted colours of the street returned, but the joy of clarity was suffocated by a heavy darkness. "Remember me now?" she crooned maliciously, watching with delight as Hyunjin heaved and writhed on the pavement.

"Mrs. Giovanna..." he groaned, the name slipping out like an involuntary confession. "What do you want from me?" The once-proud bravado of his voice had crumbled into a whisper, almost begging for mercy.