Dani and Jae's Ballistic Adventure

Chapter 8

***JAE POV***

The past few days had blurred into a miserable, monotonous mess. Each morning, I woke up hoping everything was a nightmare, but reality hit me like a cold punch to the gut. Dani was gone, and no matter how many times I replayed that day in my head, nothing changed. She blocked me. She really thought I was still with Hyeri.

I threw myself into training, hoping it would numb the pain. I split my time between the university Taekwondo team and the national team, pushing my body to the limit. But nothing felt right. My kicks lacked precision, my movements were sluggish. It was as if my body had forgotten what it was like to be alive.

My university teammates were the worst. They saw the hacked posts and assumed I'd gotten back together with Hyeri. When one of them made a casual comment about it, I wanted to scream. I could feel the anger bubbling up inside me, so strong it was almost unbearable. But I knew better. Martial artists are taught to control their emotions, to channel them, not let them take over. So instead, I forced myself to breathe through the rage, my jaw clenched so tight it hurt.

I tried to explain, my voice calm but strained, that I'd been hacked and that Hyeri and I weren't together. I could tell they didn't fully believe me, and it took every ounce of self-control not to snap. It felt like I was drowning in frustration, but I kept my head above water. Barely.

Even Coach noticed. During one of our sessions, he pulled me aside and said I needed to get a grip. I couldn't afford to be distracted, especially with Nationals coming up. His words stung, but they didn't matter. All I could think about was how I'd never get to see Dani's smile again, how I'd never hear her laugh or feel her hand slip into mine. The thought made me sick.

And then, just when I thought I couldn't sink any lower, Heechul burst into my room, his voice cutting through my fog of despair.

"AYO! I GOT A LEAD!"

I immediately sat upright. "Hyung, what are you saying?"

"Detective Park knows who the hacker is! We need to get our asses over to the station right now!"

That was all I needed to hear before my brother and I dashed into his car, a police vehicle. It was cool getting a ride in a police vehicle, as all the cars would let us go past them.

We pulled into the station, the weight of anticipation and dread settling in my stomach. Heechul and I rushed inside, finding Hyeri already waiting in the lobby. Her eyes were wide with a mix of exhaustion and anxiety.

Detective Park wasted no time, gesturing for us to sit down. "I've seized both of your Instagram accounts and deactivated them," she began, her tone serious but reassuring. "Security was breached, and we needed to take immediate action."

Hyeri and I exchanged a glance, relief and frustration mingling together. At least the accounts were out of the hacker's reach, but it felt like a part of my life was suddenly severed.

"Now, I need to show you something." Detective Park slid a photograph across the table. A girl's face stared back at me—sharp eyes, a calculated smile. The kind of expression that sent a chill down my spine.

"This is Min Sohee," she said, watching my reaction closely. "Your stalker, Jae."

"What the—" I barely managed to get the words out, my mind reeling. Stalker? I knew some fans were intense, but this...

"We found hundreds of your photos and memorabilia in her apartment, and when we went through her credit card information, we discovered something disturbing."

Hyeri's hand tightened into a fist, her knuckles white as my stomach dropped to the floor. "What did she do?"

"Three weeks ago, Min Sohee booked a flight to Astana for the World Championships," Detective Park said, her voice grave. "And not only that—she reserved a room right next to yours in the hotel."

I felt my heart plummet. Memories from the World Championships flooded back—the strange feeling of being watched, the unease I couldn't shake off. Dani and I... she had been there. Sohee had been there, right next to us, watching everything.

"Sh-she was there?" My voice came out strangled. I could hardly breathe, the room spinning around me.

Detective Park nodded. "Yes, and she documented everything. Your movements, your interactions. She even had photos of you and Dani together—intimate moments. She's obsessed, Jae. This wasn't just a hack. It was a calculated attack on your life."

My stomach churned, nausea rising. "How... how could I not have noticed?"

"And that's not even the worst part," Detective Park sighed, her expression grave.

"What do you mean?" Hyeri asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Detective Park hesitated before continuing. "When we went to her apartment to arrest her, she was already gone."

I felt a wave of disbelief wash over me. "What? How is that even possible?"

Heechul's face turned pale, and I could see the fear mirrored in Hyeri's eyes. The weight of the situation pressed down on us like a heavy fog. Detective Park held up her hand for silence, and we leaned in, desperate for answers.

"We tracked her credit card activity," she said slowly, letting the words sink in. "Two days ago, she booked a flight to Austin, Texas."

The room fell silent as we all gasped in unison. My heart raced, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. Austin? That's where Dani lived.

"Is she... is she going to hurt Dani?" I trembled, my voice barely above a whisper.

Detective Park met my gaze, her expression firm yet reassuring. "We've sent Korean officers to Austin to ensure her safety. Dani is a world taekwondo champion and can handle herself if worst comes to worst."

But even her words of reassurance felt hollow. I could feel the panic rising inside me. "What if Sohee finds her first? What if she's already there?"

Heechul stepped closer, trying to ground me with his presence. "We need to get to Dani. We can't just sit here."

"Detective Park, please," Hyeri added urgently. "We need to contact her. Make sure she knows what's happening."

"I'll make sure the officers on the ground have all the information they need," Detective Park said, her tone resolute. "They'll do everything in their power to stop Sohee."

I nodded, but the fear gnawing at my insides wouldn't go away. I felt like I was losing control again, the same helplessness creeping in that had consumed me when Sohee first hacked my life. Dani deserved better. I had to do everything I could to protect her.

"Why did that idiot block me?" I shook my head. "I can't even warn her that my stalker's trying to kill her now."

"She blocked me too," Hyeri shook her head.

"Hyung," I said, turning to my brother. "Let me text Dani through your number. Please."

Heechul sighed, giving me his phone. "Shoot your shot."

My fingers trembled as I typed Dani's number into my brother's phone and messaged her.

"Dani, this is Jae. I'm typing through my brother's phone. I know you hate me. But I wasn't lying about Hyeri and I getting hacked. I'm not with her at all. You're the only one in my heart. We went to the police and found out we were hacked by my stalker, Min Sohee, who flew to Austin 2 days ago to try to hurt you. Korean officers are on their way to protect you. Go to the US cops too. Be safe. Please."

I wanted to type "I love you", but I didn't know if it was the right moment.