Broken Paths || Wen JunHui

Chapter 34: A Shadow Lurking

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The morning after Da-Rae announced her leave of absence, she felt a strange sense of detachment as she prepared for her day. The hospital corridors, usually bustling with a comforting rhythm, seemed quieter, their sterile silence amplifying her thoughts.

Her decision to marry Hyun-Woo weighed heavily on her, but she had convinced herself it was for the best. Fighting had only drained her, and she craved the stillness that surrender promised—even if it came at the cost of her happiness.

As she moved through her routine, she couldn't shake the faint unease that had settled over her since the night before. It was an intangible thing, like the sensation of being watched in an empty room.

Jun, meanwhile, sat in his room, his face a mask of calm but his mind a chaotic whirlpool. Every sound in the hospital, every creak of the floor, seemed magnified as he waited. He didn't have a clear plan yet, but he knew one thing with certainty: Hyun-Woo couldn't have Da-Rae.

He had spent the night pacing, imagining scenarios, each more visceral than the last. The thought of Hyun-Woo's smug face made Jun's blood boil. If he's gone, she'll see how much she needs me.

The door to his room opened, and a nurse entered with his breakfast tray.

"Good morning, Jun," she said cheerfully, setting the tray on the table.

Jun looked up at her, his expression unreadable. "Morning," he replied, his voice even.

"You seem quiet today," the nurse observed.

"I'm just thinking," Jun said, offering a small smile that didn't reach his eyes.

The nurse nodded, oblivious to the storm beneath his calm exterior. As soon as she left, Jun pushed the food aside, uninterested. His focus was elsewhere.

Da-Rae spent her afternoon finishing paperwork and ensuring her patients were handed off smoothly. The staff gave her polite smiles and congratulations when they heard about her upcoming marriage, but she could see the faint scepticism in their eyes.

When Eun-Ji approached her during lunch, Da-Rae braced herself for the inevitable conversation.

"So, how are you feeling about everything?" Eun-Ji asked, her voice careful but probing.

"I'm fine," Da-Rae replied, avoiding her friend's gaze. "It's just... a lot to process."

Eun-Ji leaned in, lowering her voice. "You don't have to do this, you know. If you're not happy, it's okay to say no."

Da-Rae smiled tightly. "It's already decided. I just want to get through it."

Eun-Ji frowned but didn't push further.

That evening, as Da-Rae walked home, the unease from earlier returned. She glanced over her shoulder more than once, the feeling of being watched growing stronger with each step. The streetlights flickered, casting long shadows on the pavement.

When she reached her apartment building, she paused at the entrance, her keys clutched tightly in her hand. She turned around once more, scanning the empty street behind her. Nothing.

Shaking her head, she entered the building and made her way to her apartment. But even as she locked the door behind her, the sense of being observed lingered.

Da-Rae didn't know that Jun had spent the day formulating his plan. That he had decided the next move he needed to make.

And that she was at the center of it all.

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍