𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧. ; 𝐤.𝐭𝐡

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨. 𝟐

"𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫."

; 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐲𝐥𝐞

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Hye-Jin's face pales as a wave of dread washes over her, she reads the note once. Twice. Again and again, letting each line sink deeper into her mind. Her heart pounding in her throat as she grips the note tightly in her hand and the ink smudges under her fingers. 

Panic settles into her chest and her breath hitches as she whispers to herself, "This can't be happening..." She thinks back on memories from her daily life that now seem tainted, each one a potential clue to this sick game.

As the realization continues to set in that someone has been stalking her, a feeling of fear mixed with anger ignites within her. "Who do you think you are?!" She cries out to no one in particular, the note feels like a challenge and terror grips her.

Feeling scared and defeated she sits on her couch, her cat jumps up lovingly to join her, oblivious to the chaos surrounding them. Hye-Jin strokes the cat softly as she thinks to herself, "I can't let this stalker have power over me, but what can I do?"

Her fear begins to turn into determination, and she takes a deep breath, steeling herself. "I will find you first," she vows, her mind beginning to race with plans and strategies. A sense of purpose fills her as she decides to confront the darkness that looms ahead. 

But she can't do it alone. 

Hye-Jin knows she can't wait for the police or sit idly by. She decides to take matters into her own hands and reaches out to her two neighbors - and good friends- the Choi brothers who live next door. 

Gathering her cat and a few belongings, she rushes to the brothers' door. Taking a deep breath, she knocks, and a tall disheveled looking boy opens the door with a yawn. Confusion is written on his face as he looks at the girl standing in front of him, "Hye-Jin?" the girl looks up at him and no longer being able to hold it in bursts into tears. 

The alarmed boy ushers Hye-Jin inside doing his best to comfort her as he sits her down on their couch. "What's going on, is everything okay?" he sits down next to her with a concerned look on his face as another boy rounds the corner, "What's all the commotion, do you know what time it is?" he scowls.

"Shut up, Yeon-Jun." the boy begins to rebuttal before noticing the crying Hye-Jin. The two boys concerned for their friend listen as she explains the series of events that happened that night. 

Soobin, the elder brother who opened the door, is a lawyer, and Yeon-Jun, the younger, is a tech enthusiast. Soobin is initially skeptical but concerned, while Yeon-Jun is eager to help with his tech skills. The brothers listen to Hye-Jin's story and agree to help. They discuss possible strategies and ways to ensure Hye-Jin's safety.

"It's a threat. It says, 'I know your secrets, and I'm watching you. You can't hide.' I'm really scared, and I don't know who to trust." Hye-Jin confides, Yeon-Jun leans forward, "That's messed up. Do you have any idea who could be behind this?" the girl shakes her head in response.

Soobin clears his throat, "Alright, let's think this through. First, we need to make sure you're safe. We can't just sit here and hope for the best."

"I can set up some security cameras around your place. It might help us figure out who's lurking around." Yeon-Jun chimes, "Good idea, Jun. And I'll look into any legal measures we can take—like filing a police report or getting a restraining order." Hye-Jin is filled with relief as she listens to the boys intently. 

"Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without your help."

Soobin smiles softly at the girl, "You're not alone in this. We'll get through it together. But we need to stay vigilant. The person who wrote this might be closer than we think."

"I'll get on the cameras right away. If there's anything unusual, we'll know." states Yeon-Jun. 

"Thanks, both of you. I really appreciate it."

The tension in the room is palpable as they start discussing their plan. The note lying ominously on the table hinting at the danger that lies ahead.

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word count : 729

a/n ;

Thank you for reading!

- han <3