CHAPTER 6

Author pov

Y/n stared blankly at her book, the lecturer's voice fading into the background. The words on the page seemed blurry, her mind far away. Yunhee, sitting beside her, kept glancing over. She had noticed something was wrong with Y/n for days now.

Y/n had been physically okay after a week of rest, but Yunhee knew better. Y/n's dad had asked Yunhee to keep an eye on her, and she'd gladly agreed. After all, Y/n was her best friend, and she couldn't shake the worry she felt.

With a quiet sigh, Yunhee looked at the lecturer, who was explaining the slides one by one. But Yunhee couldn't focus, not when Y/n seemed so distant. Gently, Yunhee nudged Y/n's elbow to get her attention.

"Y/n," she whispered softly. "Are you okay?"

Y/n blinked and glanced at her friend, forcing a small smile. She gave a thumbs-up, pretending everything was fine. But Yunhee wasn't convinced. She knew Y/n too well to believe that simple gesture.

Deep down, Y/n wasn't okay at all. Her body had healed, but her mind was a mess. She couldn't stop thinking about him-the man who had been following her. The memory of his red eyes still scared her. She didn't know if he was real or if she was imagining things, but the fear was eating away at her.

Y/n's hand tightened around her pencil, gripping it until it snapped with a loud crack. Startled, she looked down at her hand, now holding broken pieces of the pencil.

Yunhee's eyes widened. "Y/n," she asked again, more serious this time. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Y/n swallowed, feeling her heart race. She looked at Yunhee, unsure of what to say. Her hand was shaking, and she felt like she couldn't keep pretending.

Yunhee watched Y/n for a few moments, concern etched on her face. Then, suddenly, she stood up, capturing the attention of everyone in the lecture hall, including the lecturer.

The lecturer raised an eyebrow, adjusting his glasses as he peered over the edge of them. "Yes, Miss?" he asked, his tone curious.

Yunhee cleared her throat, her heart racing a little. "Excuse me, sir," she said, her voice steady but polite. "Y/n isn't feeling well. Can I take her to the medical center?"

Y/n's eyes widened in surprise, and she furrowed her brow, looking at Yunhee in disbelief.

The lecturer glanced at Y/n, then back at Yunhee. After a brief pause, he nodded, giving them permission to leave.

Without wasting a second, Yunhee grabbed Y/n's wrist gently but firmly, pulling her out of her seat. Y/n barely had time to process what was happening as Yunhee led her out of the lecture hall, bowing politely to the lecturer on the way out.

"W-wait, Yunhee-" Y/n tried to protest, but it was too late. They were already out of the classroom, the door closing behind them.

Yunhee didn't stop until they reached the girls' washroom. She closed the door behind them and crossed her arms, watching Y/n with concern.

Y/n moved to the sink, splashing water on her face, hoping it would calm her down. When she looked in the mirror, Yunhee's worried expression was still there, waiting for an answer.

Y/n knew there was no escaping this moment. Yunhee had dragged her here for a reason, and deep down, she knew her friend was right. She couldn't keep pretending everything was fine. Not anymore.

With a heavy sigh, Y/n turned off the tap and wiped her face with a paper towel. She turned around, leaning against the sink as she met Yunhee's gaze. Her heart pounded, but there was also a sense of relief knowing she didn't have to carry this burden alone.

"I guess you're not letting me out of here until I talk, huh?" Y/n said with a small, shaky smile, trying to lighten the tension.

Yunhee didn't smile back. She uncrossed her arms and took a step closer. "Y/n, I'm worried about you," she said softly, her voice gentle but firm. "You don't have to go through this alone. Tell me what's going on. Please."

Y/n's heart tightened at Yunhee's words. Tears she had been holding back started to fill her eyes, and her chest felt heavy with all the emotions she had tried to hide. She took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"There's... there's this man," Y/n began, her eyes dropping to the floor. "He's been following me for weeks. I keep seeing him everywhere, those red eyes... they're haunting me. I don't know who he is or what he wants, but I'm scared, Yunhee." She finally spilled.

Yunhee furrowed her brow, confused by what she had just heard. Should she believe this? It sounded too strange to be real.

"What?" Yunhee asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.

Y/n sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Yeah... he appears in front of me out of nowhere, and then vanishes. I don't know what to do, Yunhee. It's like he's haunting me."

Yunhee gave her a skeptical look, her doubt obvious. Who would believe something like this in the 21st century? She didn't know how to respond, so she just stared at Y/n, trying to make sense of it all.

"Are you sure it wasn't a dream or some kind of imagination?" Yunhee asked, hoping for a more rational explanation.

Y/n shook her head, her fingers nervously fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. "Do you think a ghost is haunting me? Or maybe... a devil?" she whispered, her voice trembling as she searched Yunhee's face for answers.

But Yunhee couldn't help it-she laughed, the disbelief clear in her voice. "What the hell, Y/n? You're 24 years old! How could you think like that?'

Yunhee's laughter filled the room, but Y/n didn't find it funny. She rolled her eyes, scoffing at her friend's reaction. Of course, Yunhee wouldn't believe her. Who would?

Y/n crossed her arms, frustration bubbling inside her. She wasn't even sure herself if what she was saying made sense, but she knew what she had seen. "Yeah, laugh all you want," Y/n muttered. "But this feels real to me."

Yunhee's laughter softened as she saw the seriousness in Y/n's eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice more gentle now. "I don't mean to laugh, but... are you really sure? Maybe it's stress or lack of sleep. I just don't want you to be scared over something that might not be real."

Y/n knew deep down that no one would believe her story-not until they saw it with their own eyes. But at least telling Yunhee had lifted some of the weight off her chest, even if just a little. She felt lighter, even though the fear still lingered in the corners of her mind.

"Hm... Y/n," Yunhee said, breaking the silence. "After the lecture, can we go to that nearby café? Maybe it'll help you relax and get rid of some stress."

Y/n considered the idea, a small smile creeping onto her face. "I'm okay with that. But what about Jiyoo?" she asked, her brow furrowing slightly.

Yunhee sighed, a playful glint in her eyes. "I'll text him about us. Don't worry; he'll understand." With a reassuring smile, she reached for her phone, typing a quick message.

"Okay, let's do it." Y/n nodded, grateful for Yunhee's support.

With their plan set, they walked out of the washroom and made their way back to the lecture hall. As they stepped into the hallway, Y/n felt a little more at ease, knowing she had a friend who cared.

____

"Bro, how much longer do we have to sit here?" Jungkook muttered, sulking as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes glazed with boredom. He glanced over at Jimin, who, unlike him, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. Jimin was busy flirting with every girl who walked past their table, even slipping his number to one of them with a smug grin.

Jungkook cringed, shaking his head in disgust. "Really, hyung?" he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You're unbelievable."

Jimin didn't seem bothered by his friend's reaction. He leaned back, gazing out the window with a serious look. "Today we need to see her, Jungkook. We have to confirm she's the one we've been looking for."

Ever since Jimin had mentioned this girl, they hadn't been able to shake the idea. It wasn't just any girl-they needed to confirm something important, something that could change everything for them.

As mafia members, they had ways to uncover information about her life, where she studied, and even what she liked. After gathering the details, they chose this café near her university, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

The café door swung open, and two girls walked in. As usual, Jimin turned his head with a playful smirk, but the moment he saw one of the girls, his expression shifted. His eyes widened in recognition, causing Jungkook to raise an eyebrow.

"Is she the one?" Jungkook asked, noticing the sudden change in Jimin's demeanor.

Jimin nodded, his gaze fixed on the girl. "Yeah, that's her."

Jungkook followed his gaze, watching as the two girls took a seat at the table directly in front of them. One of them, Y/n, stood out instantly.

"Y/n," Jimin muttered under his breath, as if saying her name confirmed everything.

"She has the same features, the same eyes Taehyung was obsessed with," Jungkook murmured, eyeing her as she chatted with her friend. There was something magnetic about her, her beauty effortlessly drawing attention.

Jimin straightened in his seat. "We should go talk to them."

Jungkook nodded in agreement. Without hesitating, both of them stood and approached the table where Y/n and her friend were sitting. As they stopped in front of them, Y/n looked up, her eyes immediately recognizing Jimin. She seemed to remember him from the previous incident.

"Oh, hi, Jimin," Y/n greeted him, a warm smile forming on her lips. Her friend, Yunhee, looked between them, puzzled by the sudden interaction.

"Hey, Y/n," Jimin replied smoothly, flashing his signature eye smile. "We came here for lunch, but when I saw you, I figured I'd come say hi."

"It's good to see you again," Y/n said, her smile still in place as she exchanged a glance with Yunhee.

Jimin nodded and cleared his throat. "Is it alright if we sit with you?" he asked politely.

Y/n, not seeing any reason to refuse, smiled and nodded. "Yeah, sure."

With that, Jimin and Jungkook took their seats across from Y/n and Yunhee. Yunhee, still unsure about the situation, eyed them suspiciously but eventually shrugged it off.

"Actually," Y/n began, glancing at Jimin, "we're here for lunch too. I was going to treat today since you saved me the other day."

Jimin quickly shook his head. "No, no, you don't have to. I'll pay."

But after a lighthearted back-and-forth, they finally agreed to let Y/n treat them. Soon after, they ordered their food, and the atmosphere at the table felt lighter, though there was an undeniable tension beneath the surface that only Jimin and Jungkook were aware of.

Suddenly, Jungkook felt something warm in his pocket. He looked down and noticed the ring he was carrying was glowing. His eyes widened in surprise. He quickly nudged Jimin and showed him what was happening. Jimin's breath caught when he saw the soft glow coming from the ring.

Meanwhile, Y/n was unaware of what was happening. She chatted happily with Yunhee, enjoying her meal like nothing was wrong.

Jungkook and Jimin exchanged nervous glances. The ring wasn't supposed to glow unless the owner was nearby. But now, seeing the soft light coming from it, they knew. This confirmed it she was the owner of the ring.

It meant one thing: Y/n was Taehyung's soulmate.

Jungkook's hands shook as he quickly pushed the ring back into his pocket, hoping it would stop glowing. His heart raced, unsure of what to do next. Both of them sat there quietly, their thoughts racing, stealing glances at Y/n while pretending to eat.

Y/n, catching their sudden silence, raised an eyebrow. "Are you guys okay?"

Jimin forced a smile, though his mind was racing. "Yeah, we're fine," he said, his voice a little too calm, a little too steady.

Y/n smiled, though her eyes lingered on them for a moment longer, sensing something off. But she shrugged it off and continued chatting with Yunhee.

Jungkook and Jimin exchanged another nervous glance. They knew things were about to get a lot more complicated.

Y/n pov

After finishing lunch with Jimin and Jungkook, I headed home, feeling a bit lighter than usual. It was surprisingly nice to have a conversation with them. Honestly, I don't usually talk to strangers, especially guys. But I couldn't ignore Jimin-he helped me out when I was in a tough spot.

Plus, my dad really seemed to like him. He even took Jimin's number and chatted with him like he was an old friend, like he'd known him for years. Jimin and Jungkook were both really nice, so I figured treating them to lunch was the least I could do.

Once I got home, I slipped into the bathroom for a quick shower. The warm water felt amazing, washing away the day's events. I wrapped a towel around my damp hair, feeling refreshed as I stepped out.

With a deep sigh, I made my way over to the bed, towel still in hand, when my phone suddenly rang, startling me.

I glanced at the screen. Appa.

I smiled and answered, "Hello, Appa."

"Are you home already?" came his familiar voice, a hint of tiredness in his tone.

"Yeah, I just got home," I said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Good. Actually, sweetie, I won't be able to come home tonight," he sighed heavily. "I'm stuck with a lot of work at the office."

"Appa," I said, a little concerned, "don't overwork yourself."

I heard him chuckle softly on the other end. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just need to finish these files before tomorrow's big meeting. I wanted to let you know I already cooked some food for you. It's in the fridge. You can heat it up for dinner."

"Okay," I replied, though my tone was still a little stern. "But make sure you eat too, alright? No skipping meals."

"Yes, yes, my little missy," he laughed, sounding a bit more cheerful. "I'll make sure to eat something. You take care and don't forget to lock all the doors and windows."

"I will, Appa. You take care too. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sweetie."

I hung up and glanced at the clock. It was already 9:00 PM. My stomach grumbled, reminding me I hadn't eaten since lunch. I got up and made my way to the kitchen, pulling out the food Appa had prepared. He had cooked my favorites-kimchi stew and some grilled fish.

Smiling to myself, I heated the dishes, the smell filling the kitchen as the steam rose. I leaned against the counter, waiting for everything to warm up.

After finishing my dinner, I walked to the living room and turned on the TV. I ate while watching, trying to relax. Once I was done, I cleaned up and headed to my bedroom, ready to go to bed.

But as I walked down the hallway, something felt off. My chest felt tight, and my heart started beating really fast. I stopped for a moment, swallowing hard, trying to calm down.

What's this feeling? I thought, taking slow steps toward my bedroom door.

I reached for the doorknob and turned it. My hand was shaking a little as I opened the door, but what I saw made my stomach drop.

The room was completely dark.

I was sure I had left the light on before I went to the kitchen. Why is it off? A cold shiver ran down my spine, and my heart raced even faster. I stepped into the room carefully.

Suddenly, before I could take another step, a strong hand grabbed me and slammed me against the wall. I gasped, a scream ripping from my throat as I felt my back hit the hard surface. My breath hitched as fear took over, and the door to my room shut with a loud bang on its own.

I could feel hot breath against my face, sending shivers down my spine and making my heart race faster. With trembling hands, I slowly opened my eyes, and the sight before me made the world around me feel like it was collapsing.

The man with red eyes was staring deeply into mine, his gaze intense and unyielding. I felt trapped in his strong arms, unable to move.