Light Between Shadows

Chapter 7: Torn Between Two

Hyesoo stared at her phone, the message from Seven flashing in front of her. The words rattled in her mind: "Don't trust V."

Her pulse quickened as she glanced up at Jihyun, who was standing in her living room, tension radiating off him in waves. She had no idea who to believe.

"What did Seven tell you?" Jihyun asked, his voice calm but laced with urgency.

She swallowed, trying to keep her cool. "He said not to trust you."

Jihyun closed his eyes for a moment as if he had expected this. When he opened them again, there was a sadness there that made her heart twist. "Seven's trying to protect you in his own way, but he doesn't understand the whole picture. This isn't just about hacking. There are people watching us, dangerous people, and Seven's actions have only made it worse."

Her mind raced, piecing together the bits of information she had. Seven was hiding something, and so was Jihyun. She could feel the weight of their secrets pressing down on her, suffocating her. And in the middle of it all was her—stuck between them.

"What aren't you telling me?" she demanded, her voice sharp as she tried to take control of the situation. "Both of you are keeping things from me, and I'm not playing your game unless I know what's going on."

Jihyun's jaw tightened, but before he could answer, her phone buzzed again. Another message from 707.

707: "Please, Hye, don't let V pull you into this."

The words sent a shiver down her spine. She could almost hear the desperation in Seven's voice through the text, a tone she had never seen from him before. He was always joking, always hiding behind a facade of humor. But this... this was different. This was real.

Her head spun as she processed everything. Seven was clearly worried about her—worried about what V was getting her involved in. But why? What was so dangerous?

And why did her chest tighten at the thought of Seven worrying about her?

She had never seen him in that light before. Seven was always the playful one, the friend who made her laugh, who lightened the mood whenever things got too heavy. But now, something had shifted. There was an edge to his messages, a deeper connection she hadn't noticed until now.

Could it be possible that Seven cared for her in more than just a friendly way?

She shook her head, trying to clear the thought. Now wasn't the time for this. She needed answers.

"Tell me the truth, Jihyun," she said, her voice firm. "Why does Seven think you're dangerous?"

Jihyun took a deep breath and met her gaze, his eyes filled with a mix of pain and regret. "Because I've made mistakes. I've been involved in things I shouldn't have, and now I'm trying to fix them. But Seven... he's scared I'll drag you into the darkness I've been trying to escape."

Hyesoo's heart clenched. There it was again—that deep sadness in Jihyun's eyes, the weight of his guilt and the burden he carried. But even so, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story, that neither of them were being fully honest with her.

"Tell me everything, or I'm out," she said, crossing her arms over her chest, her green eyes flashing with determination.

Before Jihyun could respond, the doorbell rang.

Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't need to ask who it was.

She opened the door to find Seven standing there, his usual playful grin nowhere to be seen. His amber eyes were filled with an intensity she had never seen before, and for a moment, she didn't recognize him.

"Hye," he said softly, his voice almost pleading. "Can we talk?"

Jihyun stepped forward, his expression unreadable as he glanced between the two of them. The tension in the room was palpable, thick with unspoken words and hidden emotions.

Hyesoo's mind raced. This was it—the moment where everything would change. She was caught between two men, two sides of a story she still didn't fully understand. But one thing was clear: both of them cared for her in ways that went far beyond friendship.

The problem was, she didn't know who to trust.