Hyejin walked briskly through the dimly lit university corridor, the faint hum of fluorescent lights filling the silence. Her eyes scanned the empty hallway as she gripped her sketchbook tightly. The once-bustling art department was now a ghost town at this hour, perfect for her to finish her work undisturbed. She smiled faintly, her thoughts already spiraling into the next masterpiece—one that would evoke fear and fascination alike.
As she turned into the studio, her footsteps echoed, and she noticed a shadow shifting near the entrance. Pausing, she listened, her senses heightened. "Someone's watching," she thought, but when she turned to look, the corridor was empty.
She shrugged off the feeling and entered the studio, locking the door behind her. The dim light of a desk lamp illuminated her workspace. She reached under the desk, pulling out a hidden sketchpad filled with grotesque, eerily detailed paintings—each inspired by her crimes. Her fingers traced the lines of her latest creation: a woman adorned with jewels, suffocating under their weight.
As she worked, a faint knock echoed through the room. She froze, her pulse quickening. "Who could it be at this hour?" she murmured. Slowly, she approached the door but found no one there. A chilling breeze slipped through the cracks, sending shivers down her spines.
Seo Jun's Obsession Deepens
Seo Jun couldn't get her out of his mind. Hyejin's distant yet piercing gaze, her enigmatic aura—everything about her was intoxicating. He leaned back in his chair, scrolling through her social media profile. There wasn't much to see—Hyejin had always been reserved online—but her eerie paintings from class haunted his thoughts.
"THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT HER," he muttered, staring at one of her self-portraits. The eyes seemed to follow him, filled with secrets he desperately wanted to uncover.
Determined to learn more, he began tailing her subtly. He observed her habits: her late-night walks, her tendency to disappear into the art studio, and her knack for avoiding social interactions. Every move she made only deepened his obsession.
Min Jae and Yeon Woo: A Growing Alliance
She went to see Hyejin and then Outside Hye Jin's classroom, the bustling hallway was filled with students talking and laughing in small groups. Yeon Woo stood near the entrance, waiting for Hye Jin to finish her lecture. She tucked her hair behind her ear, clutching her notebook tightly.
As she waited, she overheard a group of students whispering a few steps away.
"Did you see Hye Jin today?" one girl said, her voice was low but sharp.
"Yeah, she's so... creepy. Always so quiet, with that cold stare. She gives me chills," another chimed in, her tone laced with disdain.
"She's like a ghost," one boy added, laughing nervously. "I swear, every time I pass by her, it feels like she's staring into my soul."
Yeon Woo's face tightened as she listened to their cruel remarks. She glanced toward the classroom door but froze when she noticed someone else nearby—Min Jae, Hye Jin's brother.
Min Jae had been walking past when he caught snippets of the conversation. His jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened with a mix of anger and unease. Before Yeon Woo could react, he grabbed her wrist gently but firmly, pulling her away from the scene.
"Let's go," Min Jae said tersely, his voice low.
Yeon Woo glanced at him, surprised by his urgency. "Min Jae, wait. Did you hear what they were saying? About your sister?"
"I heard," he replied sharply, his grip tightening slightly before he loosened it. "But they don't know her. They don't know anything."
Yeon Woo stopped walking, forcing him to turn toward her. "Min Jae, I'm not saying they're right. But don't you think there's something... different about her lately? She's not the same person she was."
Min Jae looked away, his expression conflicted. "She's been through a lot. Our father's death... it changed her. That's all."
Yeon Woo stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Min Jae, listen to me. What if... what if there's more to this? What if she saw something? Something that traumatized her and made her like this?"
He shook his head, his voice trembling slightly. "She didn't. She wouldn't hide something like that from me."
"How can you be sure?" Yeon Woo pressed, her gaze unwavering. "What if she's the only living witness to something terrible? Or worse... what if she's connected to it in a way we don't understand?"
Min Jae's breath hitched. He wanted to defend his sister, to dismiss Yeon Woo's words as baseless speculation. But deep down, a nagging doubt had already taken root. He had noticed the changes in Hye Jin—the coldness in her eyes, the way she seemed to disappear into her own world, the unsettling aura that clung to her like a shadow.
"She's not like that," he said finally, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "She's just... struggling. She's my sister, Yeon Woo. I know her."
Yeon Woo placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "I know you love her, and I'm not trying to accuse her of anything. But don't you think we should at least try to understand what's going on? If she's in trouble, we need to help her."
Min Jae's shoulders sagged, the weight of her words pressing down on him. "I don't know..."
"Let's find out," Yeon Woo said firmly, her determination is clear. "Together. If nothing's wrong, then great. But if she's hiding something—something dangerous—we need to know. For her sake."
Min Jae hesitated, torn between his loyalty to his sister and the growing unease in his heart. Finally, he nodded. "Fine. But we're doing this carefully. I don't want to upset her."
Yeon Woo smiled faintly, sensing his reluctance but grateful for his agreement. "We'll figure it out. Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
As they walked away, the shadows in Min Jae's heart grew heavier. He couldn't shake the feeling that Yeon Woo might be right—that Hye Jin was keeping secrets. And the thought terrified him....and Hyejin Heard the conversation of both Yeon woo and Min jae and says "IT'S GOING TO BE TOO MUCH FUN...."
The Third Victim
Later that night, Hyejin's focus shifted back to her next target. The third victim, a man named Kim byung hoo, was a frequent visitor to the campus library to see her girlfriend...He had a reputation for being friendly, but Hyejin knew better. She had seen him berate a classmate in the art department over a trivial matter. To her, he represented arrogance—a trait she despised.
She followed him for days, learning his routine. Kim byung hoo, always stayed late at the library, studying in a corner far from prying eyes. One night, she slipped into the library unnoticed, her movements calculated.
As she approached, she noticed a note on his desk. Curious, she glanced at it: "Meet me at the studio at midnight. We need to talk." Hyejin smirked. Someone else was playing their game tonight.
She hid in the shadows, waiting to see who would arrive. Time ticked by, her heart pounding with anticipation. At the stroke of midnight, the door creaked open.
"Who's there?" Kim byung hoo called out nervously.
Hyejin watched as a figure emerged from the darkness. Her eyes widened as she recognized Seo Jun.
"Why are you here?" Kim byung hoo asked, his voice trembling.
Seo Jun smiled coldly. "I could ask you the same thing."
Hyejin's grip tightened on the blade hidden in her sleeve. The tension in the room was palpable. She leaned forward, her lips curling into a sinister smile... " You're lucky tonight...."
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