𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 🌹(18+)

𝟓𝟎:- 𝐀 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

Min-ah walked up the stone path leading to Yoona's house, her footsteps echoing faintly in the quiet evening. The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of burnt orange and fading blue. Something felt off, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. The house seemed unusually silent-too silent.

She knocked on the door, her usual brisk, confident rhythm, and waited. No response. Frowning, she knocked again, louder this time. After a pause, the door creaked open, revealing Yoona's mother.

Min-ah's breath hitched. Yoona's mother looked the same as always-well-kept, her face calm-but there was a heaviness in her eyes that made Min-ah's stomach twist.

"Min-ah," Mrs. Kim greeted softly, stepping aside to let her in. Her voice was polite but carried an unfamiliar edge.

"Hi, Mrs. Kim," Min-ah said, stepping inside hesitantly. "Is Yoona home? She wasn't answering my calls."

Mrs. Kim shook her head, her lips twitching upward, though the attempted smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "She went out earlier."

Min-ah frowned. "Went out? With whom? She usually tells me when she's going somewhere."

Mrs. Kim hesitated, her hands fiddling with the hem of her cardigan. "She didn't say. Just mentioned she'd be back soon."

The response didn't sit right with Min-ah. "And... Mr. Kim? Is he here?"

This time, Mrs. Kim's hesitation was more pronounced. "He's out as well. Didn't tell me where."

Min-ah crossed her arms. "Seriously? Come on, Auntie Kim. You don't expect me to buy that, do you? Yoona might fall for this, but I'm thirteen now. I'm not a kid anymore."

Mrs. Kim's expression faltered, her attempt at a reassuring smile crumbling into a hesitant grimace. "Sometimes things happen," she said quietly, almost to herself.

"Things like what?" Min-ah pressed, her voice sharper now. "Is everything okay?"

Mrs. Kim didn't answer right away. Instead, she gestured to the living room. "Sit down, dear. I'll get you something to drink."

Min-ah didn't move. Her gaze swept over the room. The house was dimly lit, the shadows creeping unnervingly across the walls. Mr. Kim's usual chair was empty, his folded newspaper sitting on the side table untouched. The whole place felt... off.

"I'm fine," Min-ah said finally, her tone laced with suspicion. "I don't need a drink. I need answers. Where is Yoona?"

Mrs. Kim's face stiffened, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. "She'll be back soon. There's nothing to worry about."

Min-ah wasn't convinced. The evasiveness, the uneasy demeanor-it all screamed that something was wrong. "You're not telling me the truth, are you?"

Mrs. Kim opened her mouth to respond but stopped abruptly when Min-ah's gaze fell on a corner of the room. A faint smear of something dark was visible on the floor near the baseboard.

"What's that?" Min-ah asked, pointing.

Mrs. Kim quickly moved to block her view, her voice suddenly firmer. "It's nothing. Just an old stain. We should really get it cleaned."

Min-ah narrowed her eyes, her suspicion growing by the second. "An old stain? Looks pretty fresh to me."

Mrs. Kim's lips tightened, and for a moment, it seemed like she might snap. But then her shoulders slumped, and she took a step back, her expression unreadable.

"You should go home, Min-ah," she said, her tone final. "It's getting late."

"I'm not leaving until I know what's going on," Min-ah shot back. "Where is Yoona? And where is Mr. Kim?"