MANIAC | SEOKSOO FF ✔️

PART 13

Settling into Seokmin’s house brought Jisoo a sense of calm he hadn’t felt in a long time.

The neat, organized space, along with Seokmin’s reassuring presence, provided him with a semblance of stability he sorely needed.

At home, he could almost convince himself he was safe. But outside, the paranoia clung to him like a shadow, a reminder that his invisible tormentor was never far behind.

Whenever he left Seokmin’s house—whether for school, to pick up groceries, or simply to get some air—the feeling of being watched returned, prickling at the back of his neck.

He’d find himself glancing over his shoulder more often than he liked, eyes searching the crowd for any familiar face or suspicious gaze. It made every outing feel like a test of nerves.

One evening, he stopped by the grocery store on his way home, hoping the short errand would be uneventful.

He grabbed the few items he needed, trying to shake off the anxious feeling creeping up on him. But as he placed his groceries on the counter, the cashier—a guy he’d seen a few times before but never really spoken to—looked him over with an unsettling smirk.

“Hey there,” the cashier drawled, scanning his items slowly. “Haven’t seen you around here in a while. Someone’s been hiding, huh?”

Jisoo stiffened, feeling the tension crawl up his spine. He forced a polite smile, trying to ignore the man’s overly familiar tone. “Just busy, I guess.”

The cashier chuckled, giving him a once-over that made Jisoo’s skin crawl. “Well, that’s a shame. Pretty face like yours shouldn’t be hidden away.” He leaned over the counter slightly, lowering his voice. “You know, you’re always welcome to drop by here more often… maybe we could keep each other company sometime?”

Jisoo’s discomfort flared into irritation. “I’m not interested,” he replied, his tone sharp, hoping it would end the conversation.

But the cashier only laughed, his smile widening as if he found Jisoo’s reaction amusing. “Playing hard to get, huh? Alright, I get it. But just so you know, guys like you shouldn’t be out there alone too often. This world’s got some real creeps in it.” He winked, the comment leaving a bitter taste in Jisoo’s mouth.

Jisoo felt a surge of anger but swallowed it, deciding it wasn’t worth causing a scene. He grabbed his bags, refusing to meet the cashier’s eyes. “Thanks, but I can handle myself.”

He walked out of the store, heart pounding, anger simmering beneath his skin. It felt like another reminder of how suffocated he’d been feeling lately, how nowhere felt entirely safe.

WHATTTTTTT!!!!!