Learza

Chapter 2: Triad

Chaewon woke up to a familiar ceiling. She was in her own room, cuddling her soft pillow and curled up in her own cozy duvet.

"When did I..." She sprang up her bed with a quizzical look, almost falling down and rolling on the floor when everything that happened last night flashed before her eyes again.

Wasn't I being chased by a psychopath last night? Why am I home? Was it only a nightmare? But it's all too realistic to be considered a dream.

She took a look at her clothes.

It was her black pajama, not the outfit she had worn yesterday— as if last night was indeed only but a nightmare yet the vivid memories of the incident were intricately carved into her head. There's the smell of damp air filling in her lungs, the metallic taste spreading in her mouth, the numb feeling of her already heavy legs as she went past her limits, even the eerie expression of the man chasing after her and his hideous laughter played like a broken record in her mind...

And the girl...

"You're awake?"

Snapping out of her anxiety-filled trance, Chaewon found herself gasping for air, cold sweat drenching her body as tears were silently crawling down her cheeks. Her right hand was tightly gripping the cloth over her chest, her knuckles turning white, nails digging in her palm.

She whipped her head towards the direction of the soft voice, barely stopping her eyes from bulging out of their sockets at the sight of a stranger beside her bed.

"W-who are you?!"

"It's okay, you're safe." The girl tried to reassure Chaewon. Each of her words were sweetly spoken as if her voice was lathered with syrup, an expression of worry painted all over her face but then it clicked for Chaewon.

It was the same girl who apparently saved her life...

...and killed a person.

Once again recalling the event, she felt her stomach churn. Chaewon's face contorted in fear, pulling up the sheets to hide from the stranger.

"D-don't come near me!"

The girl, who stood up with the intention to comfort and assist her, froze in her place. Her expression softened, brows furrowing in sadness and guilt.

"I swear, I won't hurt you.... I'm sorry I ended up doing something... something barbaric and traumatizing in front of your eyes. I wasn't able to get him before he tried hunting you down... because of me, now you're suffering... I'm so sorry."

There was a minute of silence... maybe it was two... or maybe even five... She didn't know but there was only silence between the two of them for who knows how long. Chaewon took a peek at the girl from her blanket. She stared at her, taking in every detail of the girl's face while reading her emotions.

Her beautiful almond eyes with dark chocolate orbs, almost black but they exude mysterious kindness and sympathy, there was a glint of curiosity but for the most part, she could see the genuine concern for her being reflected on them. Chaewon also noted her nose, unbelievably sculpted into perfection while her lips were cherry red and plump yet their corners were slightly downturned, indicating the negativity the stranger was feeling at the moment.

Chaewon sighed.

She tried composing herself, taking deep breaths and clearing her mind, arranging her thoughts properly; using her logic, not her emotions just like how her parents had taught her.

Control the raging emotions inside you and don't let it control you.

She chanted in her head.