Broken Paths || Wen JunHui

Chapter 22: Cracks in the Mirror

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍

The morning light filtered weakly through the closed curtains, casting a muted glow over Da-Rae's apartment. She hadn't slept much. Every creak of the building, every rustle of the wind against the window had kept her awake. The feeling of being watched, though irrational, clung to her like a second skin, seeping into every corner of her consciousness.

When her alarm blared, the harsh noise snapped her out of the light, fitful sleep she'd managed. She sat up, rubbing her eyes and trying to shake off the clinging fog of fear. It was just your imagination, she reminded herself. Nothing happened.

Yet, as she showered and prepared for work, the nagging sensation wouldn't fully leave. The thought of Jun—his obsessive gaze, his unsettling words—stayed lodged in her mind. She could feel the edges of something dangerous brewing beneath the surface, but she tried to bury it. Jun was just a patient. And she had a job to do.

At the hospital, the day moved slowly. Her colleagues chatted around her, but Da-Rae felt disconnected, as though she was moving through a dream. Her mind kept drifting to the previous night and to the question she had been avoiding: What if Jun had somehow been involved?

She had no proof, no logical reason to believe he was watching her, yet the feeling wouldn't go away. It was as if the air in her apartment had changed, carrying with it an invisible presence that lingered long after she'd left the room.

As she passed through the sterile corridors of the hospital, clipboard in hand, her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice calling her name.

"Da-Rae!"

She turned to see Hyun-Woo standing at the entrance of the hospital lobby. He looked sharply dressed as always, but there was a tension in his stance, his face set in a tight expression.

"What are you doing here?" Da-Rae asked, her voice laced with surprise. He rarely visited her at work unless it was something important—usually something related to his parents' disapproval of her job.

Hyun-Woo strode up to her, his eyes narrowed in a way that immediately put her on edge. "I've been trying to call you all morning. Why haven't you answered?"

Da-Rae fished her phone out of her pocket, realizing she had put it on silent after the restless night. "Sorry, I didn't hear it. What's going on?"

Hyun-Woo's expression darkened. "We need to talk. It's about your work."

Da-Rae's stomach dropped. Here it comes again, she thought. She'd been dreading this conversation for weeks now, the constant pressure from his family building to a breaking point.

She braced herself for another lecture about how her job was causing a rift between them, how she needed to start prioritizing their future. But something in his tone today felt sharper, more urgent.

"Hyun-Woo, I'm really busy—" she began, but he cut her off.

"No, Da-Rae. You can't keep avoiding this. My parents are furious. They've been hearing things about your work, how much time you're spending there, and it's unacceptable. You're supposed to be planning our future, not wasting time in this hospital."

Her face hardened, the familiar knot of frustration and exhaustion tightening in her chest. "We've been over this. I need to work. I can't just give it up because your parents don't approve."

Hyun-Woo's jaw clenched. "This isn't about what you need anymore. It's about us. About what my family expects. You know how important this is."

"I do know," Da-Rae snapped, her voice rising despite her attempts to stay calm. "But this is my career. My life. You can't just expect me to throw it all away."

Hyun-Woo stepped closer, his voice lowering to a dangerous edge. "I'm not expecting anything. I'm telling you. This has gone on long enough. You need to make a choice, Da-Rae. It's either your job or our marriage."

Da-Rae's breath caught in her throat. His words hung in the air like a threat. He had never been this direct before, never given her such an ultimatum.

"You can't be serious," she whispered, her voice trembling.

"I'm dead serious," he said, his gaze locking onto hers. "This isn't just about you anymore. My parents have connections—important ones. They've been patient, but they won't wait forever."

Da-Rae felt the walls closing in around her. The pressure from his family, her career, and now Jun's unsettling obsession all swirled in her mind, creating a storm of confusion and fear.

Before she could respond, Hyun-Woo reached out, gripping her wrist. "Come home with me tonight. We'll talk more there. My parents want to meet with you—discuss the wedding plans." Da-Rae yanked her arm away, her pulse racing. "I can't. Not tonight."

His eyes narrowed. "Why not? Are you working late again?"

"No... it's not that," she said, but she couldn't explain why the thought of going home felt even more suffocating than staying here. She couldn't tell him about the creeping dread that had wrapped itself around her like a cold embrace, or the fact that she wasn't even sure her apartment felt safe anymore.

Hyun-Woo's face hardened. "This is it, Da-Rae. You need to decide."

Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving her standing alone in the hallway.

As the day dragged on, Da-Rae tried to shake off the confrontation, but the weight of Hyun-Woo's words clung to her. His ultimatum had cracked something open inside her—something fragile that she hadn't wanted to acknowledge.

She knew she couldn't keep ignoring the reality of her situation. But even as she weighed her choices, a deeper, darker feeling loomed in the background.

And it was growing stronger.

That evening, as she approached her apartment, the familiar dread settled in her chest. The building was quiet, the soft glow of the streetlights casting long shadows over the entrance. Da-Rae took a deep breath and opened the door to her apartment. The stillness inside was palpable. She paused, her fingers brushing the light switch, but she hesitated.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up again, that unmistakable feeling creeping over her.Someone was here. Or still is.

Her heart raced, and her hand trembled as she reached for her phone. She scanned the room, eyes wide, the tension nearly unbearable. The shadows seemed to shift, to breathe.

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍