The soft sound of her shoes faded into the distance.
I stood there for a few seconds, watching her back disappear under the streetlights.
As soon as she turned the corner, I followed quietly, keeping my distance so she wouldn't notice.
Ever since I found out that Choi Giryang had waited near her house just to see her, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that he might do it again worse, that he might actually try something.
My eyes scanned every alley she passed.
If that bastard shows himself again to Seolhyo…
Seolhyo walked slowly along the familiar sidewalk, her mind replaying everything she and Seojin had done that day.
A smile naturally bloomed across her face.
Then as she passed by an alley a voice called out to her.
"Hyorim."
She froze.
Startled, she slowly turned toward the alley.
A man stepped out from the shadows, his figure gradually revealed under the dim streetlight.
-
A few minutes earlier.
Choi Giryang impatiently stared at his phone, his fingers tightening around it.
Did he see it?
Then why isn't he doing anything?
Why isn't he leaving the house immediately to beat that guy like he did to me?!
Frustration twisted his expression.
There he saw them.
The girl he desired the most.
And the guy who had stolen her from him.
His eyes widened.
Under the streetlight, the guy leaned down and kissed her.
Giryang's teeth clenched so hard his jaw trembled.
"T-that fucker…!" he muttered under his breath, his voice shaking with anger.
How dare he…
I was supposed to be her first.
His gaze slowly shifted toward Seolhyo, his eyes darkening.
Without making a sound, he slipped into a nearby alley and waited.
If I can't have it first…
A faint, unsettling smile formed on his lips.
Then I might as well taste it.
At Seol Hyorim house.
Seol Minsu lying in his back at his bed.
After asking around about the kind of guy Hyorim's boyfriend was, everyone had said the same thing.
They didn't really know him.
But he was apparently quite famous on Cyworld for his looks.
"Judging by the fact that none of us know him and even our juniors don't either he doesn't seem like a troublemaker," one of them had said.
"But… with looks like that, he doesn't seem like the type to settle for just one girl."
Seol Minsu simply pressed two fingers against his forehead, massaging his temple.
He walked out of his room and headed toward the window, resting his arm against the frame.
This photo…
Whoever sent it
whatever their intention was at the very least, I don't really care.
Even I haven't seen this I have a vague idea that she already has a boyfriend..
His mind drifted back to the past few months.
Sometimes, even late at night, he would hear faint voices coming from Hyorim's room.
Curious, he had once leaned closer to her door.
There's no way I wouldn't notice something like that.
He opened the door.
Seolhyo was sitting on her bed, leaning against the wall, a phone pressed to her ear.
"I'm going out," I said.
Seolhyo startled immediately. She sat up straight and quickly hid her phone behind her back.
"Huh? Yeah!! Are you going to drink?!" she asked, panicking.
"Yeah."
But I didn't try to dig any deeper.
We had agreed not to control each other.
And at that point, I thought it would be selfish of me.
He took out a cigarette, lighting it slowly before taking a drag, then looked up at the dark sky.
-
Seol Hyorim's smile instantly vanished when she saw him.
"...Giryang oppa?"
Her voice came out nervous.
She instinctively stepped back.
Something about him felt different.
The way he was looking at her…
the smile on his face looked strange, unsettling sending a chill down her spine.
Slowly, she slipped her phone out of her pocket, glancing down as she nervously tried to dial Seojin's number.
But Giryang noticed.
His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.
He smiled at her something lewd and twisted in it.
"Hyorim… it's so late. Who are you calling?"
Seolhyo glared at him, trying to yank her arm free, but his grip didn't budge.
"Y-you!! Let go of me, you creep!!"
"Creep?" Giryang repeated with a quiet chuckle. "How can you say that to me, Hyorim? I'm just taking back what should be mine."
Before she could react, he pulled her toward the alley he had come from.
Seolhyo struggled immediately, hitting him with her free hand as he dragged her closer into the shadows.
But he was much taller and far stronger.
Just as they reached deeper into the alley
She suddenly drove her fist into his stomach.
"Ugh!"
Giryang sucked in a breath as his grip loosened.
Seolhyo stumbled back, finally free.
Giryang slowly looked up at her and chuckled under his breath.
"Hyorim… why would you hurt me like that?" he said softly. "I just want to talk."
Seolhyo quickly turned around and started walking away while dialing Seojin's number.
But suddenly Giryang grabbed both her wrists from behind.
"Why do you keep avoiding me?" he demanded, his voice turning sharper, more desperate. "You don't even reply to my texts."
His grip tightened.
"That guy your boyfriend… he's not right for you. You'd be much happier with me."
Seolhyo struggled, trying to pull away.
"YOU FUCKING FREAK!! LET GO OF ME!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU YAPPING ABOUT?!"
But Giryang ignored her, trying to drag her again.
"Forget about him, Hyorim. You don't belong with someone like that."
"Let go!" she shouted, fear beginning to creep into her voice as she realized he was trying to pull her deeper into the alley.
She pulled harder, but his grip only tightened.
Giryang leaned closer to her, his breath rough as he stared at her face.
Then he slowly licked his lips.
Disgust flashed across Seolhyo's face as she turned her head away.
"Why are you doing this?!" she shouted. "You could get arrested! Stop this now and I won't tell anyone!!"
But Giryang only muttered softly, his face close to her hair as he inhaled.
"Because you're mine… you were supposed to be mine."
The moment she felt him smelling her hair
Her entire body jolted.
With all her strength, she yanked her arm back and shoved him away.
"YOU FUCKING FREAK!!"
Then she ran.
Giryang immediately took off after her.
Seol Minsu stood by the window, smoking.
As he exhaled a thin stream of smoke, he noticed someone running below on the street.
His eyes instantly sharpened.
It was his sister.
Seolhyo was running, repeatedly glancing back while holding her phone in her trembling hand, trying to call someone.
Then he saw another figure chasing after her.
Minsu's expression hardened.
He immediately turned around and hurried out of the room, rushing downstairs.
Seolhyo ran as fast as she could, desperately trying to call Seojin.
Why is my hand shaking… of all times?!
Behind her, Giryang was quickly closing the distance.
He was just about to catch her
when suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.
Giryang frowned and looked back.
At the same moment, Seolhyo turned around when she heard the footsteps behind her stop.
"Seojin!"
Giryang turned his head.
Seojin was standing behind him, his hand gripping his shoulder tightly.
His eyes were completely devoid of emotion.
Veins throbbed visibly at his temples, his jaw clenched so hard it looked like it might crack.
Slowly, he muttered in a low, dangerous tone.
"You're dead."
The next second
His fist shot forward.
The punch landed cleanly on Giryang's cheek, sending him stumbling sideways, completely disoriented from the force.
Seojin didn't give him even a moment to recover.
A sharp blow slammed into Giryang's stomach, forcing the air out of his lungs as he doubled over.
Seojin stepped in closer.