Chapter 4 : THE CHALLENGE
when jiwon saw Hyejin under the hoodie, he was silent for a moment.Hyejin braced herself,expecting him to scold her. Instead, he gently hold her hand,guiding her to a nearby bench.
'' I knew it was you,'' Jiwon said, his voice calm."You're like me.i can see it in your eyes-You love the smell of blood, the thrill of watching them struggle. But Hyejin, you're still weak. You can't kill Humans yet.Next week, you'll turn into 12 and Minjae will be 10. You both have time to decide your paths, but i need to see if your brother will follow in my Footsteps instead."
Hyejin clenched her fists, her anger rising."What do i have to do to prove I'm the one Who's more like you ? I hear voices in my head, They tell me to kill. I think about it all the time-Killing that mouse, that cat, even that girl at school. I dream about making them struggle just so i can enjoy it ,it gives me relief."
Jiwon's eyes darkened. "Alright. if you're really like me...can you kill me right now?"
Hye jin froze. The thought of killing her father never crossed her mind..
"You see? You hesitate," Jiwon smirked. "you're not ready. You're not strong enough to kill someone."
Hye jin's voice trembled, but not from fear. "i'll show you. i'll prove that I'm stronger than you think."
Jiwon leaned back, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. "Good. But remember this, Hye jin-self control is everything. Without it, you i"ll never succeed. You're not strong physically either. Work on that first, and then we'll talk."
Hye jin stood firm. "Fine. Let's make a bet. if i get stronger- if i can control myself- then you have to teach me everything."
Jiwon smiled. "Deal."
From the next morning, Hyejin started training Hyejin . She pushed herself harder than anyone could have expected. Her mother, Eun Mi and Min jae watched her from a distance , curious but confused. "Is she training for sports academy to join or something?" Min Jae joked, and they both laughed, brushing it, but he was pleased with her progress.
As Hye jin sharpened her skills, there were others who began notice. One Teacher at school, Ms.choi, found Hye jin unsettling. Hye jin had always a quiet girl, but lately, she had become even more distant, her eyes cold and unblinking. Ms.choi noticed how Hye jin would stare at other students, as if calculating something, and it made her uneasy.
One AFTERNOON, Ms.choi pulled Hye jin, aside after class. "Hye jin, is everything alright? you seem....different lately."
Hye jin stared at her teacher, how different Ms.choi? and laughed i am just kidding "i'm fine, Ms.choi."
"You know, if you ever need someone to talk I'm here ," Ms.choi said gently. I"ve noticied how much time you spend alone. I just want to make sure you're okay."
Hye jin's lips curled into a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. " Thank you, Ms.choi. but I'm really fine."
Ms.choi watched Hye jin walked away, a chill running down her spine. Something wan't right about that girl, but she couldn't quite out her finger on it.
That night, Hye jin sat in her room, her mind replaying the conversation with Ms.choi. She knew the teacher suspected something. it excited her, worried about her, made the voices in her louder. WHAT IF I KILL HER ? Hye jin thought. WHAT WOULD HER FACE LOOK LIKE AS SHE BEGGED FOR HER LIFE ? WHAT WILL BE HER LAST SENTENCES ?The thrill of it sent shivers down her spine.
But no, she wasn't ready yet. should i tell dad about Ms.choi are should i KILL HER WITH MY OWN HANDS...not until i proved myself to my father, and kill her with my own hands..
As the days passed, Hye jin became more obsessed with her goal. she followed her father's every move, studying how he walked, how he spoke, how he remained so calm no matter what and why he bath always cold water but on weekend hot water. she wanted to be like him-no,better than him.
By the time she turned 17 and Min jae turned 15, their paths had become clear.
One day she announced that she wanted to be a doctor but jiwon says No you can't Hye Jin .Hye Jin says why not, ji won says No Hye Jin you have no warmth in your eyes and you have don't care about humans . Min jae will be a doctor as I planned. Think what I said about it .
A doctor would have to hide too much of what she really felt. "Fine I"ll become a painter instead".
Jiwon nodded. "That suits you better. Min jae, on the other hand, will follow the path i had planned. He'll study surgery."
But Hye Jin wasn't done. She hadn't forgotten the bet she made with her father all those years ago. As she painted, her mind wandered to darker thoughts. Is Ms. Choi still suspicious of me? she wondered. Hye Jin asked her friend, Kim Young, "Did Ms. Choi ask anything about me?"
Kim Young nodded. "Yes, she asked me if you've been behaving differently."
"And what did you say?"
"I told her no, and she just said, 'Okay, that's it.' Why do you ask?"
Hye Jin replied calmly, "No reason."
But inside, Hye Jin felt a deep, unsettling anger boiling. Ms. Choi had been keeping an eye on her for too long, asking too many questions. She doesn't know what I'm capable of… Hye Jin thought to herself, her grip tightening on the paintbrush.
A small smile played on her lips. Not yet. But she will.
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