Blue Flame: I

The silence was oppressive, a heavy blanket that suffocated the air from the room. The flickering fluorescent light above us stabilized, casting an eerie stillness over the space. Hae Won's emerald eyes gleamed like lanterns in the dimness, her gaze fixed intently on me.

The abandoned warehouse loomed before us, its crumbling brick façade a stark contrast to the gleaming skyscrapers of downtown Seoul. The air reeked of decay and rust, and the only sound was the distant hum of the city's nightlife.

"Hae Won, what do you think that'd be?" I asked my voice firm, trying to pierce the unsettling calm.

Her eyes narrowed, her voice low and even. "How would I know that? Just get ready."

I steeled myself for the unknown. The minutes ticked by, each one stretching like an eternity. Time passed by, more than an hour had passed by, nothing was heard, no presence was felt, just the vivid silence.