Attraction | Ateez

Chapter 4: Reflection

Reluctantly, she reached out and picked up the shirt. They smelled as though they had just been freshly laundered. She started to take her shirt off, but suddenly became aware of the idea that there could possibly be cameras that San was watching her from. She looked around and changed her shirt only after she confirmed the absence of cameras. Careful not to touch the cuts on her wrists, she quickly changed into the rest of the clothes, setting her dirty ones on the chair.

She ran the brush through her hair, undoing the many tangles that had formed since the last time she brushed it. It calmed her down a bit and helped her think straight. She took a deep breath and glanced around the room again.

A soft knock at the door startled her, making her drop the brush. It opened and San peeked his head inside. He stepped in, closing the door and leaning back against it, looking at her. He walked up to Hyejin and picked up the brush from off the floor and motioned for her to turn around. She began to panic again, but did as he said, fearing that disobeying him could result in her dead body being found lying in a ditch somewhere.

He gently ran the brush through her long shiny black hair, smoothing it down with his hand. She was frozen in place and her lips were pursed to prevent her from screaming out. "Relax," he said, but she couldn't. A tear slipped down her cheek and landed on the ground by her foot.

She felt him take a step closer to her so his body was almost pressed against hers. She started forward but he put his arms around her waist, stopping her. Her heart raced remembering back to when she was in her house, just after Seonghwa had left, washing dishes, when he did the same thing.

"You know, I shouldn't have been so foolish." He said. "I should've have got you when I had the chance. You were right there, but I didn't...how stupid of me. It's okay though. I have you now. Now we can be together, alone." Hyejin tried to process his words, but all she could think of was Seonghwa.

Seonghwa...He'll find me...

Hyejin moved her arm forward and slammed her elbow back as hard as she could into San's stomach, knocking him down on the ground. She ran for the door and pulled it open, running down into a dark hallway. She could hear San cussing and yelling and his footsteps running after her, but she didn't dare turn around. She continued forward, running her fingertips on the walls to find any doors or windows.

She nearly fell when her foot hit a step in front of her, sending her flying forward. She caught herself and ran up the steps, twisting a door handle and letting the door fly open in front of her, the harsh sunlight partially blinding her. As soon as she stepped forward, however, a hand wrapped itself tightly around her ankle, making her fall hard and hitting her chin on the floor. She tasted blood.

She cried out and reached desperately for something to grab onto while kicking her other foot. There was a harsh thump and a terrible crunch sound as her foot came in contact with San's nose. The hold on her foot loosened, but it was still too strong for her to get away.

He cursed loudly and pulled her down towards him. He struck her on the head and everything went black.

"Does she drive?" The officer asked. Seonghwa shook his head, "No, she commutes on the train and bus." The officer jotted down something on his notepad and typed something on his computer. Seonghwa glanced down at the nameplate that sat proudly on his desk. Officer Song Mingi it read.

"And you said the last time you saw her was Saturday night around 2 AM?" Seonghwa nodded. "Can you tell me what you guys were doing?"

Seonghwa straightened. "I got off work at around twelve and she texted me and asked me if I could come over, so I did. We ended up watching a movie together, but we fell asleep. I woke up about two hours later at around two and told her I was going to go home and I left." Officer Song typed as Seonghwa spoke. Seonghwa stared at his hands as he watched him type things he couldn't see. It was quiet in the room except for the light tapping of the computer keys and the occasional click of the computer mouse.

"Did she ever talk about leaving or visiting someone?"

Seonghwa shook his head, "Not to me." The officer nodded. Seonghwa leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Was she acting strange at all? Saying or doing things she doesn't usually do?"

"No." Officer Song sat back in his chair, reading over the notes he wrote down. 

"She's your girlfriend, correct?" 

Seonghwa blushed slightly, "Uh, I mean, she's...she's my friend...who is a girl..." The officer raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. "I mean, she's...we're just friends. That's all. We're not exactly...dating. Just w-" 

Officer Song raised his hand, silencing Seonghwa. "Okay, I get it." Seonghwa looked down at his hands, embarrassed by himself. "Girlfriend, got it." The officer muttered under his breath as he typed something. Seonghwa began to protest, but Officer Song cut him off.

"Have you received any other messages about Hyejin from anyone? From San?"

"No, that was the only one."

"Do you know if Ms. Young and Mr. Choi have had prior contact? Did they ever know each other or talk or anything like that either in the hospital or before?"

"She works in the wing San resides in. Depending on her schedule, she sometimes had to work on the floor San was on to help distribute medications, but she barely interacted with him. There was an incident last week where he scared her. He wouldn't take his medications unless Hyejin gave it to him, but when she did, he kissed her hand and scared her. She ended up taking a week off of work. As for before, no."

"How long have you known her?"

"About seven years. We went to college together at Kyung Hee University." Seonghwa was beginning to get impatient. It would only be a matter of time before San would kill her, and that was what he feared most.

Officer Mingi drummed his fingers lightly on his desk, re-reading what he typed. After a short pause, he looked up at Seonghwa. "I'm gonna talk to the other officers and we're going to find her as soon as possible. We already have police out looking for him." 

Seonghwa frowned. "Officer, he has her. You saw the picture. What if it's too late? He's insane." Seonghwa forced back the tears that threatened to well up in his eyes, but he couldn't stop his voice from shaking. 

"I know, but there is only so much we can do. We have no idea where he's at right now, but we're trying and our officers won't stop till they find them."

 Seonghwa sighed and stood, running his fingers through his hair. There was so much he wanted to say, but the words just couldn't come out. Seonghwa turned and started for the door.

"Wait, Mr. Park. Don't worry. We're going to find her. I promise you we will." There was a change in the officer's voice. Determination, sympathy. Seonghwa nodded his head and exited the office, closing the door softly behind him.

He made his way silently to the car, turning over the words Officer Song said to him before he left. Frustration and anger surged through his body. San had Hyejin with him at that very moment and there was nothing he could possibly do. He stared at his reflection in his car window before getting in.

He drove himself home, re-picturing the image of Hyejin and San in his head. San disgusted him. Just hearing his name made him sick.

When he got to his apartment, he quickly unlocked his door and stepped inside, tossing his jacket on the couch. His arms hung limply at his sides as he made his way to the bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror. His face was pale, his lips were chapped and he looked like he was barely holding on.

A burst of anger pushed its way out of Seonghwa's body. He punched the mirror, yelling out loudly and shattering it into a million little pieces. Tears streamed steadily from his dark eyes. Blood dripped from his knuckles, creating tiny little dark circles on the floor by his foot. He stared at the broken fragments, his face reflecting back at him in hundreds of places. He slid his back down the wall, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes and cried on the bathroom floor until he drifted off to sleep filled with happy memories twisted into dark nightmares that felt all too real.