Chapter 4: Ryu Taesan

The air felt thick as I stumbled into my apartment, gasping for breath. My mind was racing, every step heavy with disbelief. What had happened just a few minutes ago felt impossible—like a twisted echo of my dreams from a few days before. Could it really be happening? My heart pounded wildly in my chest, an unsettling mix of fear and confusion gripping me. I rubbed my eyes, which burned with exhaustion and something far more unsettling—terror.

I needed to sleep, to escape whatever this was, but my thoughts wouldn't settle. The images from my dreams kept colliding with the events that had just unfolded, like two different realities merging into one. How was it even possible? My pulse quickened as I remembered the dream—her face, the girl from the bridge. She had come to my house. She was here.

The moment I saw her, standing there, disheveled and vulnerable, my heart raced out of control. How was it that I was connected to a stranger I didn't even know? She was just a random figure in my dream, yet now she was here, flesh and blood, standing in my apartment like a ghost brought to life.

Did she recognize me? She couldn't have. The way she acted, she didn't realize I was the one she had seen on the bridge. My hands trembled as I replayed the dream over and over in my head—the one that had come true. Days ago, I had cried and screamed in that dream, overwhelmed by a pain that I couldn't explain. And then, here I was, living out that nightmare.

In the reality, I had lost my father. My mother had abandoned me soon after, leaving me alone on a cold, rainy night. I was drenched, standing on an empty road, crying out for someone—anyone—to hear me. Then in dream, i saw myself in bridge alone, crying, then she came, handed the umbrella to me and she jumped, i couldn't save her that time. But in reality it happened too but I did save her in reality. I dreamt about her, the unknown girl I had never met before it actually happened in reality. What was happening? Had i gone crazy? The dream didn't make sense back then, but now, every detail had become terrifyingly real. Was I cursed? Possessed? How could I have seen the future when I was still living in the past?

I shut my eyes, feeling the weight of everything that had happened over the past few days. Five days ago, I had lost my father in a car accident—an accident I had caused. It was my first time driving after getting my license, and I could barely remember what happened. There was a flash of light—a truck, maybe—and then darkness. The sound of crushing metal, the scream that left my throat, and then… nothing. The memory was too painful, too fresh. I didn't want to think about it anymore. The guilt gnawed at me, a shadow that lingered in every corner of my mind.

But now, all I could think about was her. Sera. The girl who had come to me for shelter. I didn't know why, or what had driven her to flee her own life, but none of that mattered. All I knew was that I wanted to protect her. It was a strange feeling, this overwhelming urge to shield her from whatever horrors she had faced. I didn't even know her, yet there was something in her eyes, in the way she trembled, that made my heart ache.

I didn't ask her what had happened. I didn't pry or push for answers, because deep down, I knew how fragile she was in that moment. Any question might break her, and I couldn't bear to see that. Instead, I did the only thing I knew how—I took care of her. I made ramen and coffee, setting them down quietly before retreating into my room. I couldn't face her, not yet. The weight of the dream, the reality of my father's death, it was all too much. So I locked myself in my room, trying to silence the chaos in my mind.

But even there, I couldn't escape her.

When she finally fell asleep on the sofa, I found myself standing over her, watching in the dead of night. She was so still, so quiet, but her face was etched with pain. My eyes were drawn to the bruises on her skin, the cuts and scrapes that marred her arms. Someone had hurt her. Someone had tortured her, and the thought made my blood boil. How could anyone do this to her?

I clenched my fists, anger surging through me. I couldn't tolerate it. Seeing her like this—broken and vulnerable—made something snap inside of me. I needed to help her, to get her out of this place and away from whoever had done this to her. Without thinking, I grabbed my phone and called Dohyun.

It was past midnight, but I didn't care. My voice was low but urgent. "Dohyun, I need a favor. There's a girl... She needs a place to stay. Can you help?"

Dohyun didn't ask questions, and didn't hesitate. "Of course. Bring her over. She can stay as long as she needs."

Relief washed over me, but it did little to soothe the storm raging inside. I had done what I could for her, but the truth was, I didn't know how to protect her from the shadows chasing her. I didn't even know if I could protect myself from my own.

..

The first day of university had an unfamiliar buzz to it—students swarming the area, tents set up for different departments. Our department had one too, and Dohyun, as usual, dragged Sera along with us. She was still wearing the same clothes from last night, the ones she had on when I found her on the bridge. She didn't know that the shirt she was wearing now was mine, one I had given her when I didn't let her to ruin her life in the bridge. There was something fragile about her, something that made my chest tighten every time I glanced her way.

Dohyun leaned closer, whispering so that Sera wouldn't hear him. His voice was laced with concern.

"Did something happen? You still haven't told me how you met her. You owe me an explanation."

I swallowed hard, unsure of how to explain the chaos of the night before. "She just showed up last night on my rooftop. I heard a noise, went to check, and found her there. She asked for my help, so I gave it to her. That's it."

Dohyun's brows furrowed. "That's it? Why did she run away? Do you even know?"

"I don't know," I muttered, feeling the weight of his questions, questions I couldn't answer.

Just then, a girl and a guy approached us, bowing politely. We mirrored their bows, and the guy introduced himself.

"You guys must be in Business Administration too. I'm Shin Yujin."

"And I'm Chae Jiwon," the girl added, smiling brightly.

We introduced ourselves, and I could see Dohyun eyeing Sera. He took her by the wrist gently, pulling her closer to our group. She looked tense, her discomfort clear in the way she fidgeted, trying to discreetly smell her clothes as if worried they still carried the scent of last night's rain. Her clothes had been drenched, and I could see the unease in her eyes.

She offered a small, quiet smile. "Hello, I'm Sera. Yoon Sera."

Jiwon's eyes lit up. "That's a beautiful name! You're really pretty, Sera."

Sera's shoulders tensed at the compliment, her discomfort among people like a weight pressing down on her. I studied her face closely—she wasn't used to this, not to the attention or the crowds. She looked like she wanted to disappear.

I turned to Dohyun, feeling the need to take her away from all this. "How much time do we have until the program starts?"

Dohyun checked his watch, casually shrugging. "About an hour. Maybe a bit longer if they're running late, which is pretty normal."

I nodded and then looked at Sera. "Come with me."

Dohyun didn't ask questions; he already knew what I intended. He always understood without me having to explain. Sera looked confused but didn't argue.

"Where are we going?" she asked softly.

"Our living area isn't far. I'll take you there."

We quickly made our way to her new apartment, where she hadn't even unpacked yet. Dohyun had dragged her along without giving her a chance to settle in. We reached in about five minutes, and I immediately set to work. I grabbed some soap and shampoo I had picked up for her earlier, handing them to her.

"Go take a shower, get dressed. I'll wait here," I said, my tone a bit more abrupt than I intended.

She looked taken aback, her eyes wide with shock at my straightforwardness. Maybe she thought I was being too forceful, but I couldn't help it. I just wanted to help. There was no room for hesitation, not when I had already lost so much. I couldn't let myself regret anything, not like I did with my sister.

After what felt like an eternity, Sera emerged from the bathroom, wearing a simple brown frock. Her hair was damp, and she looked almost hesitant, as if unsure of how she appeared to me. She mumbled, "Do I look okay?"

I glanced at her, my gaze softening. "Far enough. We can't be late. Let's go." Then, almost as an afterthought, I added, "And..."

She raised her brow, curious. "And?"

"I'll arrange some furniture for your place. Can you work at a convenience store?"

"Huh?" Her confusion was evident.

I repeated myself, more patiently this time. "Can you work at a convenience store?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good," I replied, feeling some sort of invisible weight lift off my shoulders. At least she wouldn't be entirely alone.

With that, we headed out, side by side, as the rest of the world carried on around us, completely unaware of the storm both of us were trying to survive.