Seo-yoon didn't sleep that night.
Every time she closed her eyes—
She saw them.
Memories.
Not hers.
She sat at her desk, staring at the notebook in front of her.
Her fingers hovered over the page.
Then slowly, she began to write.
"I am not losing my mind.""Something is happening.""And it's connected to me."
Her hand paused.
A sharp breath left her lips.
Because in that moment—
The room shifted.
The air grew colder.
Quieter.
Heavier.
Seo-yoon slowly looked up.
"…Hello?"
No response.
But she knew.
Something was there.
Watching.
A faint reflection appeared in the window.
Behind her.
A silhouette.
Her heart stopped for a second.
Then—
She turned quickly.
Nothing.
Silence.
Seo-yoon narrowed her eyes.
"…I know you're there."
Still nothing.
But then—
A voice.
Soft.
Not from outside.
From inside her mind.
"You finally noticed."
Seo-yoon froze.
"…Who are you?"
A pause.
Then—
"Someone who remembers… just like you."
Her breath slowed.
"…That's impossible."
A faint, almost amused tone:
"Is it?"
Seo-yoon clenched her fists.
"…Show yourself."
The room grew darker.
And for a split second—
She saw it.
A figure.
Not fully formed.
Not fully real.
Like a memory… that hadn't been completed yet.
And in that instant—
A flood of images hit her.
A young girl.
Same age as her.
Standing alone.
Crying.
Writing.
Hiding something.
And then—
Gone.
Seo-yoon gasped, grabbing her head.
"Stop—!"
The images disappeared.
Silence returned.
Her breathing was uneven.
Her heart pounding.
"…What was that…?"
The voice returned, quieter now.
"A warning."
Seo-yoon's gaze hardened.
"…Warning for what?"
A long pause.
Then:
"If you keep remembering… you will become like us."
Seo-yoon's eyes narrowed.
"…Like who?"
Silence.
Then, slowly:
"The ones who couldn't escape."
The room felt smaller.
Tighter.
Seo-yoon stood up slowly.
Her voice steady now.
"…I won't be like them."
A faint echo:
"That's what they all said."
And then—
Everything went silent.
The presence vanished.
Just like that.
Seo-yoon stood alone again.
But something had changed.
On her desk—
A single note.
That hadn't been there before.
Her breath stopped.
Slowly… she picked it up.
The handwriting wasn't hers.
It read:
"They are watching you.""Don't trust what you remember.""And most importantly…"
"Don't let them know you've woken up."
Seo-yoon's fingers tightened around the note.
Her eyes darkened.
"…Then I'll wake up anyway."