Broken Paths || Wen JunHui

Chapter 30: Shadows Closing In

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍

The sound of her apartment door shutting behind her was supposed to be reassuring, a barrier between Da-Rae and the turmoil outside. But tonight, it felt like a flimsy shield against something far more sinister. She stood in the entryway, keys still in her hand, listening to the silence as though it might whisper answers to her rising unease.

The light in her living room flickered, casting fleeting shadows on the walls. Her breathing was shallow as she walked toward the couch, her eyes scanning the corners of the room. It was irrational, she told herself, to feel like someone was there when she had checked every lock.

And yet, the feeling of being watched persisted.

Da-Rae sat down heavily, pulling her phone from her bag. She opened the messaging app, staring at the texts from earlier. "You promised you'd come back."

Her thumb hovered over the call button, but she hesitated. What could she say to him that wouldn't make things worse?

Instead, she scrolled to Hyun-Woo's number and called.

"Da-Rae," he answered after one ring, his tone clipped. "What's going on? I thought you were coming back to my place tonight."

She swallowed hard, trying to push down the frustration his words ignited. "Hyun-Woo, I just needed to be alone for a while. It's been... a difficult day."

"You're always using work as an excuse. What about us? What about our future?"

"Hyun-Woo," she interrupted, her voice sharper than intended. "This isn't about work. It's about me needing space. Can we not do this right now?"

There was a long pause on the other end, and when he spoke again, his voice was quieter but no less insistent. "You can't keep running away from me, Da-Rae. I'm trying to help you. To protect you."

Her grip on the phone tightened. "I don't need protecting, Hyun-Woo. What I need is understanding."

Before he could respond, she hung up, tossing the phone onto the coffee table. The tension in her chest refused to ease, and she leaned forward, pressing her hands to her temples.

The room was too quiet, too heavy with the weight of her thoughts. She glanced at the window, the curtains half-drawn. For a moment, she thought she saw movement in the glass—a flicker of something in the darkness.

She stood abruptly, moving to the window to pull the curtains shut completely. Her heart raced as she looked out, scanning the empty street below. There was nothing there, just the faint glow of streetlights and the occasional passing car.

But still, the feeling lingered.

From his vantage point in the shadows, Jun watched as the light in her living room flickered out, leaving only the faint glow of a lamp. He could see her silhouette through the curtains, pacing, her form tense with unease.

He hadn't meant to frighten her. He had only wanted to feel close to her, to remind himself that she was real and not just a figment of his unravelling mind.

Jun leaned against the cold metal of the lamppost, his hands shoved deep into his pockets to keep them from trembling. He had thought about going to her door, about knocking and telling her he was there. But he knew she wasn't ready.

Not yet.

He had seen her on the phone, her expression tight with frustration. He knew it was Hyun-Woo. The thought of that man—so arrogant, so undeserving—ignited something dark and consuming in him. Hyun-Woo didn't understand Da-Rae like he did. He couldn't see the beauty in her strength, the quiet vulnerability she hid from the world.

Jun stepped back into the shadows as her figure disappeared from view. His heart ached with longing, with the need to comfort her, to hold her and promise her that everything would be okay.

He pulled his phone from his pocket, his fingers ghosting over the screen. He could text her again, remind her he was thinking of her. But he knew it wouldn't be enough.

No, he needed to be patient. To wait for the right moment.

Jun slipped further into the night, the faint hum of the city his only companion. He would give her space, just like she wanted. But he would always be there, watching, waiting.

She couldn't push him away forever.

Da-Rae turned off the last light in the living room and retreated to her bedroom, hoping the quiet of the night would finally bring her some peace.

But as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the unease refused to fade. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone was out there, just beyond the edges of her awareness.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, the screen illuminating the dark room.

A new message.

"Goodnight, Da-Rae. Sweet dreams."

Her breath caught, and she stared at the screen in horror.

The sender's number was blocked.

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍