𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟐: 𝐒𝐔𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐀𝐍

The incessant buzzing of her phone echoed in (Y/N)'s ears, a cacophony of unwanted intrusion. Eugene's calls, a relentless demand for her attention, went unanswered deliberately. The glowing screen mocked her as it flickered with his name, each call an unspoken plea she chose to silence. She refused to let the rhythmic pulse of her phone dictate her actions; the urgency in Eugene's calls clashed with the weight of something far more pressing.

The butler's polite interruption brought an unwelcome reminder of Eugene's persistence. "Miss (Y/N), Mr. Eugene has been trying to reach you," he stated, a messenger delivering news she had no intention of receiving. Her response was curt, dismissing the intrusion with a raised hand and a cool dismissal. "I have more important matters at hand," she declared, words laden with the unspoken truth that Eugene's concerns held no relevance in the grand scheme of her priorities.

The unrelenting storm outside mirrored the turmoil within (Y/N). The distant thunder clashed with the ringing in her ears, a symphony of conflict. Ignoring Eugene's calls became a statement, a rebellion against the expectations that sought to bind her. It wasn't merely a rejection of his attempts at communication; it was a declaration of independence, a silent war waged against the encroaching storm that threatened to unravel the carefully woven threads of her world.

The sun bathed the day in warmth, offering a deceptive comfort that lulled (Y/N) into a sense of freedom. A rare moment when the shadows of bodyguards and maids didn't trail her every move, allowing her to blend seamlessly into the bustling street, clad in a hoodie, indulging in the simplicity of street food. The distractions of the busy surroundings momentarily eclipsed the looming presence of Eugene in her thoughts.

As (Y/N) savored a bite, her focus shifted to the ground where her food met an untimely demise. Time seemed to halt, suspended in the gravity of a collision. A stranger, blond hair and sharp eyes, stood before her. The pain of impact was secondary; what seized her attention was the fallen food, a silent casualty that stoked an unexpected hostility within her.

"(Y/N)..." The familiarity in the guy's murmur clashed with her defensive glare. His sharp eyes softened, but (Y/N)'s response was a sudden surge of hostility. Suspicion crept in as she scanned her surroundings, questioning if he was one of Eugene's sentinels. A chill ran down her spine, and a bead of sweat trickled down her face. Behind the blond stranger, she discerned a mature figure adorned with tattoos and a child-like presence with curly yellow hair-a trio that intensified the unease etched across (Y/N)'s sharp-eyed gaze.

(Y/N) clenches the guy's collar forcefully, navigating through the crowd before veering into an alley. There, against the cold brick wall, she shoves him, oblivious to the fact that Hudson willingly allowed her to seize him.

"How do you know my name?" (Y/N) barks, her expression twisted with paranoia and anger. She throws a punch at the wall beside the guy's head, a futile attempt at intimidation that leaves the surface unscathed.

"From my dream. But it's different-your face, still beautiful," the guy responds, his gaze unwavering. (Y/N)'s guard tightens as he reaches out, caressing her face with an unsettling straightforwardness.

"Hudson!" one of his goons hollers, revealing the guy's name. Hudson.

(Y/N) eases her grip but doesn't release him entirely, caught in the web of suspicion. Could this encounter be linked to Eugene's strange behavior? The unanswered questions hang in the air, a tension as palpable as the city's hum around them.

Concerned for her safety amid Eugene's mysterious actions, (Y/N) turns to Hudson, the only source of insight into the unfolding enigma.

"When did these dreams of yours start?" (Y/N) questions skeptically, studying him with a heavy dose of suspicion.

In the midst of their tense exchange, she senses one of Hudson's henchmen poised for an attack. Hudson's glare halts the impending aggression, a clear command to cease.

Doubt creeps into (Y/N)'s thoughts. Without the comforting guidance of the system, she feels like a child left to navigate a complex world alone. It's a stark realization that echoes her lifetime pattern of deferring decisions to authority figures. From her parents in her youth to the system that merged with her, she's been more follower than leader. Now, without the system's guidance, she grapples with the weight of autonomy, reminiscent of a dog awaiting its owner's command.

Her parents had molded her into this obedient shape, a puppet designed never to defy them, an entity waiting for a puppeteer's command.

Moisture welled up in her eyes; she was an adult now, yet the weight of accountability remained. It was time to take ownership of her actions.

Witnessing tears forming at the corners of (Y/N)'s eyes, Hudson couldn't bear it. As if compelled by an unseen force, he found himself moving to wipe away the tears. "A few years ago," he mumbled, succumbing to the urge to unveil the full details.

(Y/N) turned into a statue, frozen in shock. The revelation aligned precisely with the date her system merged with her, a realization that etched itself into the stone-cold reality surrounding her.

An invisible cascade of icy realization doused (Y/N), stirring questions about the hidden truths the system had shielded from her. Why the secrecy? What had it concealed, and why?

"(Y/N) (L/N)," Hudson uttered, a name that had been buried in the recesses of silence for years. "Come with me. I'll protect you."

The proposition carried a tempting allure, a promise of safety. Yet, yielding to it meant forsaking faces she held dear – Mira, Zack, Daniel, and countless others. She hadn't even attended DG's concert, despite their friendship.

"It was tempting but no," she asserted, a steely determination coating her words. "If I keep running away from my problems, they might pile up and haunt me one day." The weight of her decision settled, anchored in the resolve to confront rather than evade.

[UNEDITED]