17 DAYS TO GO | KWON SOONYOUNG

44

Kang Hana

Between.

I blinked.

"You’re not dead," Jiyoon clarified gently. "But you’re close."

A chill crawled up my spine.

So it was true.

The accident. The blood. The unbearable pain.

I was dying.

I tried to process the thought, but my mind was already racing.

"Soonyoung," I choked out. "I—"

"You still have a choice," Jiyoon interrupted, stepping closer. "I didn’t."

Her voice was steady, but there was a weight to it—a sorrow that settled deep.

My breath hitched.

"You’re saying I can go back," I said.

Death nodded. "But it won't be easy."

A slow, mocking clap echoed through the mist.

The air turned frigid.

A new presence seeped into the space, slithering through the shadows.

Jiyoon stiffened. Death’s gaze sharpened.

A figure emerged from the fog, stepping forward with an air of amusement.

"Well, well," a voice drawled. "Look who’s causing trouble again."

My stomach twisted.

Havoc.

His dark coat billowed as he walked, his presence suffocating.

"Death, you really should keep a closer eye on your little projects," Havoc mused, tilting his head toward me. "She’s quite the nuisance."

I tensed.

Death’s expression didn’t change. "Havoc."

Havoc grinned. "Still so cold, brother. You should lighten up."

Brother.

I clenched my fists.

Jiyoon moved closer to me, her posture protective. "You shouldn’t be here," she said, her voice firm.

Havoc feigned a wounded look. "Neither should you, dear Jiyoon." His grin sharpened. "But here you are."

Jiyoon’s jaw tightened.

I forced my voice out. "What do you want?"

Havoc turned to me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, you already know, don't you?" His gaze darkened. "You think you can change fate, little girl?"

The words struck deep.

I had changed things. I had stepped into a story that was never mine to rewrite.

"You think you can stop Soonyoung from ending up like his sister?" Havoc continued, his voice almost mocking. "How naive."

My breath quickened.

Jiyoon’s hands curled into fists. "She’s not like me," she said. "She still has time."

Havoc chuckled. "Time?" He scoffed. "You believe in such foolish things."

He took another step forward, the mist seeming to twist and tighten around us.

"But let me remind you something, Hana," he murmured, his voice dropping into something more sinister. "I hate seeing love win."