Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Haeun felt a surge of determination as she walked through the empty streets. The sun had long since set, leaving the city cloaked in darkness. Only a few late-night workers passed by, heading home after long shifts. Perfect. She was alone, just as she'd promised herself. Naeun was safe at the mansion with Taeyong. This had to be her moment.
As she moved, she kept her head low, scanning shadows and alleyways, careful not to be recognized. Jisung's house was close by, and she knew the neighborhood well enough to navigate without drawing attention. Her pulse was steady, her breathing measured, though tension coiled tightly in her chest. She had planned for this, and there was no room for hesitation.
One mistake and it won't just be him—anyone nearby could be at risk. I have to stay focused.
A sudden slam made her freeze. A door at Jisung's house had burst open, revealing a man in his mid-forties, gripping a golf club like a weapon. On the ground in front of him, Jisung crouched defenseless. Haeun's stomach tightened, her hands balling into fists.
The man swung at the boy. Instinct took over. Haeun vaulted over the low fence into the garden, landing silently. Her boots barely made a sound on the grass as she crept closer. From here, she could hear the man's angry shouts and the woman's frightened protests.
"You disappoint me! How dare you talk back?!" the man yelled, his voice sharp and cruel.
Haeun's mind raced.
"Honey, you've hurt him enough!" the woman shouted.
"GET OFF, WOMAN!" He shoved her backward. The woman stumbled, and Haeun tensed. Her eyes flicked to Jisung, who squeezed his eyes shut, awaiting the strike.
The swing of the club slowed in her perception, every movement drawn out. Haeun lunged, catching the club just inches from Jisung's head. Pain shot through her palm, sharp but bearable compared to the surge of adrenaline and fury coursing through her.
The man froze, eyes widening in shock. "Who—are—you?!"
"I'm someone who will call the police if you don't drop that weapon," Haeun said, her voice low and controlled. Inside, her heart pounded, but she refused to let it betray her.
He yanked at the club, trying to wrest it free, and swung one hand toward her. She caught his wrist easily. The man's face twisted in disbelief.
"Not only are you facing child abuse charges, but now assault and attempted battery. And that—" she glanced at the terrified woman behind him, "—is marital assault."
Confusion and rage flickered across his face. "Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?!"
"I'm someone who refuses to stand by and watch," Haeun said. "Step back. You know what happens next if you don't."
He hesitated, fists clenching, eyes darting, and Haeun seized the moment. She grabbed Jisung's arm and helped him to his feet. The boy leaned against her, shaken, his face streaked with blood and bruises.
