The message remained on Do-hyun's screen.
Now that Ji-hoon is awake, you have very little time.
Yerin stared at it.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
The hallway suddenly felt colder.
"How do they know?" Yerin whispered.
Do-hyun locked his phone.
"I don't know."
"But they know he's awake."
"I know."
Yerin looked toward Ji-hoon's room.
"Someone is watching us."
Do-hyun's expression hardened.
"Probably."
Her eyes widened.
"Probably?"
He immediately softened his tone.
"I mean... we don't know that for sure."
"But you think it."
He didn't answer.
Yerin folded her arms around herself.
"What are we supposed to do?"
"First, we don't panic."
"I'm already panicking."
"I know."
She looked at him.
"Then what?"
"Then we become careful."
He took a screenshot of the message and saved the number.
"I'll keep this."
Yerin nodded.
"Should we tell Mom?"
Do-hyun thought for a moment.
"Not tonight."
"Why?"
"Because everyone is already exhausted. Your mother just got her son back."
Yerin looked toward the room.
He was right.
For the first time in days, her family had something to be grateful for.
She didn't want another fear taking that away.
"Okay."
Do-hyun looked at her.
"But if anything happens, you tell me immediately."
She nodded.
"You too."
"Deal."
The Next Morning
The hospital felt different the next morning.
There was still the smell of antiseptic in the air, and nurses continued moving through the corridors, but the heaviness that had surrounded the family for days had slightly lifted.
Ji-hoon was awake.
And that was enough to make everyone breathe a little easier.
Yerin entered his room carrying a cup of water.
"Morning."
Ji-hoon slowly opened his eyes.
"You again?"
Yerin smiled.
"Unfortunately."
He gave her a weak smile.
"Can't get rid of you."
"You were unconscious for two days and you're already annoying me."
"I'm recovering."
"Apparently."
She helped him sit slightly higher against the pillows.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired."
"That's because you're lazy."
Ji-hoon looked at her.
"Did you just call someone who was shot lazy?"
"Yes."
He smiled.
For a moment, things felt normal.
Almost like before.
Then Ji-hoon looked toward the door.
"Where's Dad?"
Yerin's smile faded slightly.
"He had to go abroad."
Ji-hoon's expression changed.
"He left?"
"Yesterday."
"Why?"
"Work."
Ji-hoon stared at the ceiling.
For a moment, he didn't say anything.
Then quietly—
"That doesn't make sense."
Yerin looked at him.
"What doesn't?"
"He wouldn't leave."
"Why?"
Ji-hoon closed his eyes.
"I don't know."
Yerin sat beside him.
"Ji-hoon."
He looked at her.
"Do you remember something?"
He hesitated.
"A little."
"What?"
His eyes moved toward the window.
"I remember being followed."
Yerin's heart tightened.
"Before the attack?"
He nodded.
"Someone was there."
"Did you know him?"
"I'm not sure."
"Did you see his face?"
Ji-hoon frowned.
"Not clearly."
Yerin leaned closer.
"Then how do you know he was following you?"
"I could feel it."
She didn't smile this time.
"Did he say anything?"
Ji-hoon remained silent.
Then—
"Yes."
"What?"
"He knew my name."
Yerin froze.
"He called you by your name?"
Ji-hoon nodded slowly.
"How would he know you?"
"I don't know."
Yerin looked toward the door.
Do-hyun had just entered.
He had heard the last sentence.
"Who knew your name?"
Ji-hoon looked at him.
"The man."
Do-hyun walked closer.
"What did he look like?"
Ji-hoon shook his head.
"I don't remember."
"Anything?"
"Dark clothes."
"Anything else?"
Ji-hoon closed his eyes.
"His voice."
"What about it?"
"It sounded familiar."
Do-hyun exchanged a glance with Yerin.
"Familiar how?"
"I don't know."
Ji-hoon suddenly looked uncomfortable.
Do-hyun noticed.
"That's enough."
Yerin looked at him.
"But—"
"He needs rest."
Ji-hoon gave Do-hyun a grateful look.
Yerin sighed.
"Fine."
She carefully adjusted Ji-hoon's blanket.
"You sleep."
Ji-hoon closed his eyes.
Then suddenly—
"Yerin."
She turned.
"Hm?"
"Don't tell Dad."
Her expression changed.
"Don't tell Dad what?"
Ji-hoon stared at her.
"That I remember."
Yerin didn't know what to say.
"Why?"
Ji-hoon looked toward the door.
"I don't know."
The Photograph
A few hours later, Yerin stepped outside the room.
Do-hyun followed.
"Did you hear what he said?"
"Yes."
"Why doesn't he want Dad to know?"
"I don't know."
Yerin looked at him.
"Do-hyun."
"Yeah?"
"Show me the photograph."
He looked at her for a moment.
Then took out his phone.
The old photograph appeared.
Their fathers stood together in the center.
And the circled figure remained in the background.
Yerin stared at it.
"Ji-hoon."
"What?"
"He saw this person before."
Do-hyun's eyes narrowed.
"Are you sure?"
"I think so."
They went back inside.
Ji-hoon was awake.
Do-hyun showed him the photograph.
"Do you recognize anyone?"
Ji-hoon's eyes moved across the picture.
He looked at the two fathers.
Then the background.
Then—
he stopped.
His face changed.
Yerin immediately noticed.
"Ji-hoon?"
He slowly raised his hand.
His finger pointed toward the circled figure.
"That man."
Do-hyun stepped closer.
"You know him?"
Ji-hoon nodded weakly.
"I've seen him."
"Where?"
Ji-hoon struggled to remember.
"Before..."
He closed his eyes.
"Before the attack."
Yerin's heartbeat quickened.
"Was he following you?"
Ji-hoon shook his head.
"No."
"Then what was he doing?"
Ji-hoon opened his eyes.
"He was meeting someone."
"Who?"
"I couldn't see."
Do-hyun looked at Yerin.
"Are you sure?"
Ji-hoon nodded.
"He was talking to someone."
"Did you hear what they said?"
Ji-hoon remained silent.
Then his eyes slowly moved toward Yerin.
"They were talking about our family."
Yerin's stomach dropped.
"What did they say?"
"I don't remember."
She wanted to ask more.
But Ji-hoon looked exhausted.
Do-hyun gently lowered the photograph.
"That's enough."
Yerin nodded.
"Rest."
Ji-hoon closed his eyes.
The Name
That afternoon, Do-hyun went back to the old records.
He had been searching through them for hours.
Most of the information was useless.
Some records were incomplete.
Others had been removed.
But one document caught his attention.
It was an old company record.
Two names were listed at the top.
Hwang.
Choi.
Do-hyun's eyes narrowed.
Both families had been connected to the company.
But there was a third name.
He stared at it.
The same name appeared in another document.
And another.
Someone had been connected to both families long before Yerin and Do-hyun ever met.
Do-hyun took a screenshot.
He immediately called Yerin.
She answered.
"Hello?"
"Can you come outside?"
"Why?"
"I found something."
She didn't ask another question.
A Difficult Truth
Yerin found him sitting on a bench outside the hospital.
"What did you find?"
Do-hyun handed her his phone.
She read the document.
Her eyes slowly widened.
"Who is this?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out."
"He's connected to both families."
"Apparently."
Yerin stared at the screen.
"And Ji-hoon saw him."
"Before the attack."
She looked toward the hospital.
"What if this is why Dad left?"
Do-hyun shook his head.
"We don't know that."
"But his reaction..."
"I know."
Yerin sat down.
She rubbed her temples.
"I'm tired."
Do-hyun sat beside her.
"Of what?"
"Everything."
She looked at him.
"I feel like my whole life has been decided by people who never bothered to tell me why."
Do-hyun remained quiet.
"My marriage."
"My family."
"Ji-hoon."
"The things our fathers are hiding."
She swallowed.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm living inside someone else's plan."
Do-hyun looked at her.
"Then stop letting them write it."
She looked at him.
"What?"
"Whatever they planned..."
He paused.
"They don't get to decide what happens next."
Yerin stared at him.
"You're serious?"
"Completely."
She smiled faintly.
"You're surprisingly good at saying the right thing sometimes."
"Sometimes?"
"Don't get too proud."
He laughed quietly.
For a moment, the tension disappeared.
Then Yerin rested her head against the back of the bench.
"I don't know what I'd do without you right now."
Do-hyun looked at her.
"You won't have to find out."
She turned toward him.
Their eyes met.
Neither said anything.
Then Yerin looked away first.
The Final Question
That evening, Do-hyun returned to Ji-hoon's room.
The lights were dim.
Yerin had stepped out to speak with her mother.
Ji-hoon was awake.
Do-hyun pulled a chair beside the bed.
"Can I ask you something?"
Ji-hoon nodded.
"That person."
Ji-hoon's expression became serious.
"The one in the photograph."
He paused.
"Did he hurt you?"
Ji-hoon stared at him.
Then slowly—
he shook his head.
"No."
Do-hyun frowned.
"No?"
"He didn't hurt me."
"Then why was he there?"
Ji-hoon swallowed.
"He was trying to warn me."
Do-hyun froze.
"Warn you about what?"
Ji-hoon looked toward the door.
His expression suddenly changed.
"Someone was coming."
"Who?"
Ji-hoon opened his mouth.
Before he could answer—
the monitor beside him suddenly began beeping faster.
Do-hyun immediately stood.
"Ji-hoon?"
The door opened.
A nurse rushed inside.
"Doctor!"
Yerin appeared in the doorway.
"What happened?"
"Please step back."
Yerin's face went pale.
"Ji-hoon!"
Do-hyun immediately moved toward her.
"Yerin, wait."
Doctors rushed into the room.
The monitor continued beeping.
Yerin stood frozen outside the room.
She could see Ji-hoon surrounded by doctors.
Her heart pounded.
"What's happening?"
Do-hyun didn't know what to say.
He simply stood beside her.
Inside the room, Ji-hoon's eyes remained open.
For one brief second—
his eyes met Yerin's through the glass.
And his lips moved.
Yerin couldn't hear him.
But she could read the words.
"Run."
Her face went completely pale.
Then the doctors blocked her view.
And the door closed.
Yerin turned toward Do-hyun.
"Do-hyun..."
He looked at her.
"He told me to run."
Neither of them moved.
Because suddenly, they understood something terrifying.
The person in the photograph might not have been the danger.
He might have been the warning.
And somewhere outside the hospital—
someone was waiting for them to discover the truth.
...To Be Continued...