Broken Paths || Wen JunHui

Chapter 53: A Shadow in Plain Sight

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The day of Hyun-Woo's funeral arrived, draped in somber gray skies. The air was cold and biting, carrying a weight that settled heavily on Da-Rae's chest. She stood by the gravesite with her family, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Every detail of the past few weeks—the engagement, the arguments, Hyun-Woo's sudden and violent death—felt like a blur, a surreal nightmare she couldn't escape.

The service was subdued, the mourners gathered in a tight cluster. Hyun-Woo's mother sobbed openly, clutching his father's arm as the officiant recited words meant to bring comfort. Da-Rae's stomach churned, not from grief but from the suffocating guilt that she couldn't mourn him properly. Hyun-Woo hadn't been perfect, but he hadn't deserved to die like this.

The crowd shifted as the ceremony drew on, and Da-Rae's gaze wandered to the edges of the cemetery. She hadn't meant to look, but something caught her eye—a figure standing apart from the others, far back under the shadow of an old tree.

Her breath hitched. It was Jun.

Dressed in black, he stood motionless, his face calm and unflinching, as if he were just another mourner. But his eyes told a different story. They were locked on her, unblinking, piercing through the distance between them.

Panic surged through Da-Rae's veins. Her heart raced as she quickly turned away, hoping he hadn't noticed her staring. She felt like a thousand eyes were on her, even though no one else seemed to realize Jun was there.

The ceremony ended, and the mourners began to disperse, murmuring quiet condolences to Hyun-Woo's grieving parents. Da-Rae remained rooted to the spot, her legs trembling beneath her. Her hands fumbled for her phone in her coat pocket, the device slipping against her shaking fingers as she hurried to unlock it.

She couldn't ignore this. Jun's presence here wasn't just eerie—it was a threat. Hyun-Woo had died under suspicious circumstances, and Da-Rae knew deep down who was responsible.

She opened a message thread with the detective assigned to Hyun-Woo's case. Her fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before she began typing.

"This is Da-Rae. Jun Hui Wen is here at Hyun-Woo's funeral. He's standing under the tree near the eastern edge of the cemetery. He killed Hyun-Woo. Please, you need to act now before he hurts someone else."

Her thumb hovered over the send button, her chest heaving as fear warred with hesitation. But then she saw him again.

Jun had moved closer now, weaving through the dispersing crowd with unnerving ease. He didn't approach her directly, but his movements were deliberate, purposeful. She could feel his presence like a shadow pressing down on her, and that was all it took.

She pressed send.

The message went through, and the tiny confirmation gave her a sliver of relief. But the relief was short-lived as Jun's eyes found hers again. This time, he smiled—barely, just a faint quirk of his lips—but it was enough to make her blood run cold.

Without waiting for anyone to notice, Da-Rae backed away, muttering a quick excuse to her family before heading toward the parking lot. She didn't want to stay and find out what Jun might do next.

As she hurried to her car, her phone buzzed with a reply.

"We're dispatching officers to the cemetery now. Stay safe and keep your distance."

Da-Rae exhaled shakily, gripping her phone like a lifeline. But even as she drove away, the weight of Jun's gaze lingered, etched into her mind like a scar.

He had come to Hyun-Woo's funeral, bold and unafraid, as if to taunt her. And now, more than ever, she knew that he wasn't done. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

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