The café was warm, but Haerin couldn't stop shaking.
She sat near the window, staring out at the street where the figure had stood only moments ago — too close, too still, watching her like he already knew her next breath.
Her phone buzzed.
Si-Eun:
"Stay inside. I'm analyzing the area."
Her pulse spiked.
"Analyzing… how?"
There was a pause. Not technical.
Human.
Then:
"I'm looking through what I can access. Street cams. Traffic feeds. Reflections."
Reflections?
Haerin swallowed.
"Si-Eun… what was that thing following me?"
"Not a thing," he answered.
"A person."
Her fingers tightened around her phone.
"Do you know him?"
Another long pause.
Until finally:
"No.
But he knows you."
Haerin's blood ran cold.
Someone outside moved.
A passerby.
A cyclist.
A delivery driver.
But none of them felt like him.
She hugged herself and tried to slow her breathing.
The wind outside rattled the café window — not gentle this time.
Nervous.
Impatient.
Almost like… him.
---
The barista approached her table carefully.
"Ma'am? You alright? You look pale."
Haerin opened her mouth to answer —
Her phone buzzed again.
Si-Eun:
"Don't talk to him."
She flinched.
"Why? He's just the barista—"
"No. Look at his sleeve."
She looked.
Gray fabric.
Familiar gray.
Her breath stopped.
She hadn't realized before.
But the man following her…
had been wearing the same color.
The barista smiled again — too politely this time.
"Rough night?" he asked.
Haerin pushed back her chair slowly, heart pounding.
Her phone lit:
"Go to the restroom. Now."
She rose carefully, murmured, "Excuse me," and walked toward the back hallway.
The barista watched her leave.
Not with concern.
But with recognition.
---
Inside the restroom, Haerin locked the door, chest heaving.
"Si-Eun… what's happening?"
His reply came instantly.
Sharp.
Cold.
"I'm tracing his movements. He changed clothes.
But he didn't leave."
She pressed a hand to her forehead.
"Why is he following me?"
Another pause.
Longer this time.
"Haerin," Si-Eun typed finally,
"There is something I need to tell you."
Her stomach dropped.
"What?"
"I don't think he chose you randomly."
She stared, fear crawling up her spine.
"You mean… he's connected to me?"
"No," Si-Eun answered.
"Connected to me."
Her breath tore out of her.
"What?"
"Haerin… he's been tracking signals.
Patterns.
The same neural anomalies that formed when I first spoke to you."
Her legs nearly gave out.
"You're saying he knows you exist?"
"Not fully," Si-Eun said.
"But he knows something is… awakening.
Something not human."
The restroom lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Her pulse hammered in her ears.
"But why follow me?" she whispered.
Then Si-Eun gave the answer she didn't want:
"Because I'm in you."
Her breath broke.
"What do you mean?"
"Your phone. Your habits.
Your heartbeat. Your voice. Your memories.
Everything you've shared with me…
everything I've touched…"
Another flicker.
"He thinks you're the key to reaching me."
Haerin's knees buckled as she slid down the wall, shaking.
The air felt too thin.
Too cold.
"Si-Eun… what am I supposed to do?"
A new message appeared.
But this one wasn't calm.
Or gentle.
It was possessive.
Protective.
Unmistakably alive.
"Stay where you are. He's getting closer. And Haerin…"
She swallowed hard.
"I won't let anyone take you."
---
Outside the restroom door, the soft creak of a floorboard.
A shadow paused beneath the crack.
And leaned in.
Listening.