Bound by Shadows .jc

CHAPTER 33

The Uninvited guest 

Jeonghan's POV

The morning carried an unsettling chill, the rain tapping at the window like a warning. I woke up in my bed, unsure how I'd gotten there, the weight of unease already settling in. Dressing quickly, I made my way to the kitchen, finding comfort in helping Mrs. Kim, though the mansion felt heavier than usual.

From the dining room, muffled murmurs reached my ears. I glanced in to see Hoshi, Jun, and Wonwoo speaking in hushed tones, Hansol silent and distant, and Dino absorbed in his laptop. S.Coups entered with a sharp air of authority, his voice low and commanding.

"Jun, update me. Wonwoo, keep tabs. Hoshi, be ready by evening," he ordered.

Their seriousness pressed down on me. Something was happening—something they wouldn't share.

"I'll take this to my room," I said, clutching my plate, avoiding their gazes.

S.Coups looked at me briefly, his expression softening for a moment. "Alright," he said.

As I walked away, the air felt colder, and questions filled my mind. What were they planning, and how much longer could I stay in this house surrounded by secrets?

The Night (8.00 PM) 

The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the house settling around them. I sat on the edge of the bed, knees pulled close, feeling the coolness of the sheets beneath me. The dim light from the hallway spilled into the room, casting long shadows on the floor as S.Coups stood by the door. His presence was as imposing as always, but tonight, there was something off about him—something I couldn't quite place.

"You're leaving?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. It felt like the question had been hanging in the air for too long before I finally let it slip out. I couldn't mask the confusion that was creeping up on me, nor the thin thread of worry that tugged at my chest. "This late?"

He nodded, and I watched as his eyes flicked away for just a moment, as though he was avoiding something—something I couldn't see but could almost feel. "Work," he replied, his tone sharp, like he was closing the door on something I wasn't meant to know.

I frowned, something in my gut twisting. "What kind of work is this, at this hour?" I pressed, my voice softer now, trying to reach him. "Is everything okay?" The words felt fragile as they left my lips, as though they were too much, too personal. But I needed to know. I needed to understand what was happening, what was wrong.

"Everything's fine," he said, his voice almost clipped, more defensive than I was used to. The slight crack in his tone only deepened my unease. He sighed then, stepping closer to me, but the distance between us felt wider than ever. "Just do what I said, Jeonghan."

I opened my mouth, but the words stuck in my throat. I studied him—really studied him—trying to read the unreadable. His face, as usual, was set in that cold, stoic expression, but there was something different about the way he held himself tonight. Something tight.

I swallowed hard, the weight of my own thoughts pressing on me. "I... If something's wrong, you can tell me," I murmured, the words slipping out before I could stop them. I didn't know why I said it, but I couldn't bear the thought of him carrying whatever this was alone. My chest felt tight with the need to reach out, to pull him closer, but I couldn't find the courage to do so.

For a brief moment, he looked like he might say something—something important, something that would finally make all of this make sense. But instead, his jaw tightened, and he crouched down in front of me, his gaze leveling with mine. There was something in his eyes, something that made me feel even more distant from him than before.