Dive // Jaeyi x Seulgi

Chapter 7

Jaeyi wasn't the type to waste time on social media—unless it was about Seulgi. She scrolled mindlessly, barely paying attention, until she saw Seulgi's latest post.

Seulgi, standing against a hazy backdrop, the soft lighting accentuating the sharpness of her gaze. God, she looked good.

Jaeyi lingered on the photo longer than she should have.

She swiped.

Another shot. This time, Seulgi was smiling.

Swipe.

Then her mood instantly shifted.

The next picture? Hyeri, standing too close—way too close to Seulgi. The way she leaned in, the casual hand on Seulgi's arm, the familiarity of it. It was nothing dramatic, but Jaeyi's face remained unreadable as a small flare of possessiveness sparked inside her. She didn't react outwardly, but her grip on the phone tightened slightly.

She stared at the photo for a second longer before locking her phone and exhaling through her nose.

It was fine. She wasn't jealous.

Her body said otherwise.

Just as she set the phone down, her screen lit up with a message from an unknown number.

If you don't want her to die, I suggest you hurry.

Attached was a grainy security camera photo.

Seulgi—locked inside a freezer.

Her mind worked fast. Whoever it was, they weren't lying. Jaeyi quickly opened the tracking app on her phone—one she had secretly installed on Seulgi's device.

A quick flashback hit her.

The dimly lit room of her childhood home. The faint glow of Seulgi's phone screen as it rested on a dusty table. Seulgi had been looking around, her attention elsewhere, as Jaeyi's fingers moved swiftly—installing the tracker in seconds.

She had done it not to spy but because she knew her father. He was dangerous. Seulgi was always in danger just by knowing her.

And now, the tracker was leading her straight to Seulgi.

Jaeyi bolted out the door.

She needed a vehicle—fast.

Her eyes landed on her neighbor, an old man who often left his car keys hanging on a hook near his doorway. He was sitting outside his unit, lighting a cigarette, when Jaeyi approached.

"Ahjussi," Jaeyi said, her voice firm but respectful. "I need your car."

The old man exhaled smoke, eyeing her warily. "Why should I—"

"It's an emergency," she cut in, her expression sharp. "I don't have time to explain, but I swear I'll bring it back."

He studied her for a second, then sighed. "You always pay me back when you borrow things." He took the keys off the hook and tossed them to her. "Don't crash it."

Jaeyi caught them without hesitation. "Thanks."

The car's tires screeched as she sped down the road, weaving through traffic with a precision that came from years of careful control. Her motorbike would've been too slow—this was the only way.

The tracker's dot blinked—Seulgi was still in the hotel, but not in her room.

Jaeyi pulled into the parking lot with a hard stop, jumping out and leaving the car slightly askew. She didn't bother locking it.

Inside, she moved fast, her sharp eyes scanning every hallway.

"Excuse me," she said to a hotel staff member. "There's a guest—Seulgi. She hasn't been seen in hours. Can you check the cameras?"