⤷MASQUERADE || Jeon Jk FF ♡

part; ²⁸

Jisoo's breath came in shallow gasps as she fumbled with the key, her fingers trembling slightly. The dimly lit corridor only added to her anxiety, and every creak or distant sound made her flinch, her eyes darting back to check the empty hall. When she finally unlocked the door, the click echoed in the silence, sending a shiver down her spine. She pushed it open carefully, stepping into the darkness.

The room was cold, the air heavy with the scent of old paper and dust. It was the private archive, a place not even the regular staff could access. Rows of metal shelves stretched out in the small space, each crammed with files and boxes, their contents holding years of secrets and confidential information. Jisoo wasted no time, her phone’s flashlight casting a weak beam as she swept the light across the shelves, her heart racing.

"Come on... where is it?" she muttered under her breath, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes scanned the labels, her hands hurriedly shifting through the folders. Time felt like it was slipping away, and every second she spent in that room felt dangerous, like she was balancing on the edge of a knife.

Her hands paused as she spotted something. A thick, worn-out file with a faded label. Her pulse quickened as she pulled it out, her fingers brushing against the rough surface. She flipped it open and immediately recognized the documents inside.

"Ahh, got it!" she whispered triumphantly, her voice barely masking her relief. But her victory was short-lived. Just as she tucked the file under her arm, she heard a faint noise. Her body froze.

Footsteps.

Someone was outside.

Panic surged through her as she quickly turned off her phone's flashlight, plunging the room into darkness.

~~~

Jin sat across from Y/N, his gaze soft but sharp, watching her as he always did during their sessions. She sat with her head bowed slightly, her hands gripping the edge of the couch, knuckles white. He could tell by the slight tremor in her hands and the tension in her shoulders that she was holding something back, something dark that had been weighing on her heavily.

"So," Jin began, his voice gentle, "you’re getting the nightmares again?"

Y/N let out a long, deep sigh, her chest rising and falling as if she were carrying a burden too heavy for words. "Yes, Jin," she said quietly, her eyes downcast, avoiding his gaze. "And they've gotten worse... I can’t sleep at night. Every time I close my eyes, it’s like I’m back there. All I see is that horrific night." Her voice quivered slightly, betraying the fear she tried so hard to suppress.

Jin nodded, leaning forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees as he tried to meet her eyes. "It’s not your fault, Y/N," he said softly, yet firmly, trying to anchor her in the present. "That night... it was an accident. You couldn’t have known what would happen."

She shook her head, her breath catching in her throat. "But still, Jin," she whispered, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her pants. "I shouldn’t have run. I should have stayed, done something... maybe—maybe if I had, he would have been..." Her voice broke off, the words she couldn’t say hanging in the air, suffocating her. Her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe, her eyes clouded with guilt and doubt.

Jin handed her a glass of water, his movements calm and deliberate. "Take your time," he said gently, watching as she took a small sip, her hands trembling slightly. He had been her psychiatrist for years, and in that time, he had come to know everything about her—the things she couldn’t say aloud, the fears that haunted her, the deep-seated guilt she carried like a shadow. And he knew how to guide her through it, even when she didn’t have the strength to face it on her own.