promises | ahn sooho

[10]

Harin's bus pulled into the terminal at Seoul Airport just as the midday sun peaked. She woke with a start, her body stiff from the long ride and her mind sluggish from the lack of sleep. She rubbed her eyes and stretched, trying to shake off the grogginess.

Stepping off the bus, she pulled out her phone, the familiar buzz of notifications snapping her back to reality. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw a message from Seokdae that came in an hour ago.

"I thought you were handling the issue? Why is your boyfriend meeting with Gilsu?"

Panic surged through Harin, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. She quickly typed a response: "Where are they?"

Her fingers trembled as she hit send, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. She couldn't afford to lose more time. Her phone buzzed again with Seokdae's reply: "Abandoned theme park, near the old Ferris wheel."

Without wasting a moment, Harin flagged down a taxi, reading the address to the driver. The driver glanced at her curiously but nodded, pulling into traffic with practiced ease. The ride seemed to stretch on forever, each passing second amplifying her anxiety. She clutched her phone tightly, her thoughts a chaotic whirlwind. She had to get to them in time. She had to stop whatever was happening.

When the taxi finally pulled up to the abandoned theme park, Harin thrust a handful of bills at the driver and leaped out, not waiting for change. The entrance loomed ahead, the once-grand archway now rusted and overgrown with vines. She spotted an SUV and several other cars parked haphazardly near the gates, their presence confirming her worst fears. She slipped between the partially open gates, her heart pounding in her chest.

The theme park was eerily silent, the only sound being the distant creaking of old rides swaying in the breeze. Harin moved cautiously, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of her friends. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she made her way deeper into the park, her footsteps echoing on the cracked pavement. Harin rummaged in her backpack as she walked looking for the taser she had taken from her father's office and tucked it in the unoccupied back pocket.

Then she heard it—a harsh, guttural voice carrying through the still air. Gilsu. Her pulse quickened as she moved closer, her body tense with fear and determination. As she peaked around a corner, the scene came into view.

Gilsu stood with a menacing grin, his arm raised as he backhanded Seokdae across the face. The dull thud of skin hitting skin echoed in Harin's ears, making her flinch. Behind Gilsu were five teenage boys, their postures aggressive and ready for trouble. Her eyes quickly scanned the area, landing on Sooho, who was barely conscious, slumped against a broken-down ride. Beomseok was tied up next to him, his face pale and eyes wide with fear.

Harin's heart ached at the sight of Sooho, his normally vibrant energy reduced to a fragile state. She had to do something, but she was vastly outnumbered. Her mind raced as she tried to formulate a plan.

Harin winced as she watched Seokdae try to ram Gilsu to the ground and get thrown off instead. The older boy all but flew into an old carousel tiger. Gilsu picked him right back up as the boy was momentarily stunned and rammed both his knee and his fist into his vulnerable stomach repeatedly. Seokdae managed to turn around the situation in an instant as he picked himself up from the situation he was in and threw Gilsu into a pile of trash.

"Stop it before I beat you more, you trash."

It only took a few seconds before the scene switched again. Gilsu stood tall, his face twisted into a cruel grin now. In his hand was a glinting knife. Seokdae was on the ground, clutching his leg, blood pooling out of the wound. Gilsu had managed to cut him, the injury causing Seokdae to writhe in pain. The teenage boys behind Gilsu stood around, their faces a mix of anticipation and cruelty.