Chapter 20: Yoon Sera

The night had been long, and my heart heavier than usual. I waited, clutching my phone, hoping for a message from Taesan. The screen remained dark, and eventually, exhaustion claimed me. I fell asleep with my phone still cradled in my hand, as if holding onto it might will his reply into existence. When I woke, the first thing I did was check my phone, but there was nothing. No message. No explanation. Just silence. My chest tightened, a dull ache settling in. He had never done this before. Never left me hanging like this. Why now? 

I dragged myself out of bed, the weight of his silence pressing down on me. As I stepped into the kitchen, I found Soobin oppa waiting for me at the breakfast table, a warm smile on his face. His presence was a small comfort, but even his kindness couldn't fully lift the fog of sadness that clung to me. 

"Good morning, sis," he greeted, his voice soft and familiar. 

"Morning, oppa," I replied, forcing a smile. 

"You slept like the dead. I didn't want to wake you. Eat fast—you have class today, right?" 

"Yes, at 3 PM," I answered, picking at my food without much appetite. 

"Good. That gives us enough time to talk about something important," he said, his tone shifting slightly. 

"What is it?" I asked, looking up at him. 

"We're moving back to my old apartment today. The one I used to live in," he announced, his eyes searching mine for a reaction. 

"Today?" I echoed, surprised. 

"Yes, today," he confirmed. His expression softened, and there was a hint of regret in his voice as he continued, "I hope you won't deny me this. I left you alone in this cruel world once, and I don't want to make the same mistake again. Please don't worry—the apartment is nearby. You can visit Mrs. Yeo whenever you want." 

His words touched something deep inside me. I could see the sincerity in his eyes, the determination to make things right. "Okay, oppa," I said softly. "I won't deny you." 

"Thank you," he replied, relief washing over his features. "You don't have much to pack, so it won't take long. Let's eat now. I'll handle everything." 

"I'll help you," I insisted, but he shook his head. 

"You don't have to. Just come to the apartment after your class, okay?" He reached out and gently patted my head, his smile warm and reassuring. 

"Alright, oppa," I agreed, feeling a small flicker of comfort in his presence. 

After breakfast, I took a shower and tried to focus on preparing for my presentation. It was a distraction, at least, something to keep my mind off Taesan's silence. But no matter how much I practiced, the heaviness in my chest remained. 

I left the house a few minutes early, rushing to catch the bus. It was crowded, as usual, but I managed to squeeze in. To my surprise, Zixuan was there. He spotted me and immediately offered me his seat, standing in front of me instead. 

"Why did you take this crowded bus? You should've taken a taxi!" he scolded lightly, his tone teasing but concerned. 

"I didn't think about it," I admitted, offering him a small smile. "And thank you for the seat." 

"You're welcome," he said, his eyes studying me. "So, you're moving today, right?" 

"Oppa already told you," I replied, not surprised. 

"He did. I'm happy for you both," Zixuan said, his smile genuine. But then his expression shifted, his gaze narrowing slightly. "Are you upset about something? You look… sad." 

"No, no, I'm alright," I lied, forcing a smile. "I just have a presentation today. I'm feeling a bit burdened." 

"Are you sure that's all?" he pressed, his voice gentle but probing. "You've never been scared of presentations before. I've seen you in action." 

"The topic is hard," I deflected, avoiding his gaze. "I have to face a lot of questions today." 

"Ah, I see," he said, though I could tell he wasn't entirely convinced. "Well, don't worry. You've got this. Best of luck." 

I nodded, grateful for his encouragement, but the truth lingered unspoken between us. I didn't want to tell him why I was really upset—that Taesan had ignored my message, that his silence had left me feeling hollow. It hurt more than I cared to admit. He had never done this before, not since the day we met. Why now? What had changed? 

By the time I reached the university, my thoughts were a tangled mess. The presentation was about to start in ten minutes, and I was pacing nervously when I saw him. Taesan. He had just arrived, his presence commanding as always. My heart skipped a beat as our eyes met. He looked as striking as ever, his glasses perched perfectly on his nose, a cup of coffee in his hand. But there was something different about him—something distant. 

I hesitated, my breath catching in my throat. Why did I feel so nervous? Gathering my courage, I approached him. 

"I… I texted you last night," I began, my voice trembling slightly. "Maybe you were busy. Is everything alright? Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine," he replied curtly, his tone devoid of its usual warmth. 

"That's good," I said, though his words did little to reassure me. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm moving in with Soobin oppa today. To his apartment." 

"Oh. Good then," he said, his voice flat, his eyes avoiding mine. 

"Taesan," I said softly, my heart aching. "Are you really okay?" 

"Your presentation is about to start," he replied, cutting me off. And with that, he walked away, leaving me standing alone on the balcony. 

Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. He was avoiding me, his jaw clenched, his posture tense. He wasn't okay, and it killed me not to know why. 

The presentation began, and I forced myself to focus. I spoke clearly, confidently, but my eyes kept drifting to Taesan. He wasn't looking at me. His gaze was fixed on the floor, his expression unreadable. I could feel his distance, the wall he had built between us. It hurt more than I could put into words. 

Dohyun, sitting beside Zixuan, noticed the tension. His eyes darted between me and Taesan, a frown creasing his brow. He could sense that something was off, but he said nothing. 

When I finished my presentation, the room erupted into applause—everyone except Taesan. He remained silent, his eyes still downcast, and my heart shattered a little more. 

What had I done? What had changed? The questions swirled in my mind, but there were no answers. Only silence..

Lunch break had barely begun when I found myself walking toward Taesan once again. My heart was pounding, not from nervousness, but from frustration. I needed answers.

"Taesan, can we talk?" I asked, my voice firm yet pleading.

He looked up at me and gave a slight nod.

Taking a deep breath, I confronted him directly. "Why are you avoiding me?"

His expression remained unreadable. "Huh?"

"You heard me," I repeated, my voice trembling slightly. "You've been avoiding me since yesterday. Did something happen? Did I do something unpleasant? Can you please tell me?"

"No. Everything is fine."

"No," I countered immediately. "You know that's not true. What happened?"

"Nothing," he insisted, glancing at his watch. "Our next class is about to start in 30 minutes. Eat now."

"You won't tell me, will you?" My voice dropped to a whisper, disappointment lacing my words.

"Sera, I'm fine," he repeated, his tone final.

I clenched my fists, feeling anger bubble up in my chest. "Okay. I won't ask you any more questions. Sorry for bothering you."

Without waiting for a response, I turned on my heels and walked away, my head held high, but my heart sinking. He was still avoiding me—even when I tried to make eye contact, he refused to look at me. Fine. If he wanted to act like this, then I would do the same. I promised myself—I would avoid him too.

The long, exhausting day finally came to an end. It was late—10:30 PM—and I was on my way to my new home, or rather, my new old place.

The streets weren't completely dark, but there was a chilling stillness in the air. I had just finished my cooking class after university, and fatigue weighed heavily on my body. As I walked, a strange feeling crept up my spine—a sense of unease, as if someone was watching me.

I quickened my pace. My grip tightened around my phone. The eerie silence only made the tension worse. And then—I heard footsteps.

Someone was following me.

My heart pounded against my ribs as fear gripped me. Run. The thought screamed in my head, and I obeyed without hesitation. I ran as fast as my legs would allow, gasping for air, my breath ragged.

I was about to call Soobin Oppa when my worst fear came true—I hit a dead end.

A cold wave of dread washed over me as I turned around. My blood ran cold. A man stood right behind me. A hood covered most of his face, a mask concealing his identity, but the most terrifying part? The knife in his hand.

A strangled scream escaped my lips as I took a step back.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" My voice trembled, my body frozen in fear.

He said nothing. He only moved closer—slowly, deliberately, like a predator cornering its prey. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. I was going to die.

Then, out of nowhere—something flew toward his hand. A sharp sound echoed as the object hit him, knocking the knife slightly off balance. The man staggered back.

Before I could process what was happening, another figure rushed in. Dohyun.

He didn't hesitate. He threw a powerful punch at the attacker, then another. The masked man grunted in pain but didn't go down easily. Dohyun grabbed his collar, forcing him back, his body radiating raw anger.

"Who the hell are you?!" Dohyun growled, his voice filled with rage.

The attacker struggled, but Dohyun was stronger. He reached out, his fingers inches from unmasking him—

But then—sand.

The bastard threw sand into Dohyun's face, blinding him.

"Ah—damn it!" Dohyun stumbled back, trying to clear his eyes.

And just like that—the man fled. He ran so fast, it was as if he had vanished into thin air.

My legs felt weak, my body trembling uncontrollably. My breaths came out in short gasps. I was still alive. I was still here.

Dohyun rubbed at his eyes furiously, his breathing heavy. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

I nodded shakily, stepping toward him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" He let out a shaky breath, his hands still slightly trembling. "What the hell was that? Who was that creepy guy? Was that your father?"

I shook my head immediately. "No. I don't think so. That guy wasn't tall. My father is very tall."

Dohyun cursed under his breath. "Oh my God. Luckily, I came here."

A lump formed in my throat as I finally processed what had just happened. "Thank you," I whispered. "For saving me."

His eyes darkened with fury. "I should have killed him." He exhaled sharply before pulling out his phone. "We should report this to Kim Jihoon. Call Soobin-hyung."

I hesitated. "It's not… that major…"

Dohyun's head snapped toward me. "Not major?! Are you crazy, Sera?! He wanted to kill you!" His voice rose in disbelief. "What if I hadn't been here? What if—" He stopped himself, his jaw tightening. "I'm calling Soobin-hyung. Right now."

I didn't argue anymore.

Dohyun clenched his phone, dialing quickly. "I just came from your new place. Mom prepared some dishes for you guys. I just gave your brother those. Lemme call him fast—he needs to come down here."

As he pressed the call button, I realized something terrifying.

This wasn't over.

Kim Jihoon watched the CCTV footage carefully, his sharp gaze analyzing every detail. Dohyun had called Taesan earlier, and within moments, Taesan had arrived. The moment I saw him, I instinctively tried to avoid his eyes, my heart pounding for reasons I couldn't explain.

We stood together—Soobin Oppa, Dohyun, Taesan, and I—watching the footage in tense silence. Then, suddenly, Taesan's voice broke through.

"Hyung, stop there."

Jihoon paused the video, and Taesan stepped closer, his fingers swiftly zooming in on something. The screen now showed the attacker's shoes—white with a distinct red shade. His expression darkened as he whispered, more to himself than anyone else,

"It's the same attacker… The same person who attacked Sera in that village we visited for the project. Back then, there were two of them, but only one actually hurt her."

My breath hitched. That incident—one I had desperately tried to forget—was connected to this?

Jihoon's eyes narrowed. "I need an explanation."

"I need to get that footage," Taesan said firmly. "Give me the details of that police station."

Jihoon nodded, already making arrangements. Meanwhile, I stood frozen, my mind spinning. Why was this person after me? What had I done to deserve this? What was my connection to him?

As we left the police station, the night air was cold against my skin, but my thoughts felt even colder.

Dohyun turned to me, his voice gentle yet firm. "Be careful next time, Sera."

I looked up at him, my heart swelling with gratitude. The way he had risked himself for me, without hesitation, made my chest ache with emotions I couldn't quite name.

Soobin Oppa placed a reassuring hand on Dohyun's shoulder. "Thanks, Dohyun, for saving her."

Dohyun shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You don't have to mention that, hyung."

I could still feel the weight of his gaze on me, as if he wanted to say something more but held back.

A few steps away, Taesan stood slightly apart from us, his eyes locked on his phone, his expression unreadable. He was scrolling through something, his brows furrowed, his lips pressed together as if he were solving a puzzle in his mind. My heart clenched at the distance between us—not just physical, but something deeper, something that had grown over time.

Dohyun exhaled and straightened up. "Hyung, Sera, good night then. See you tomorrow."

Soobin Oppa smiled, his warmth ever-present. "Good night."

I turned to look at Taesan one last time, hoping—wishing—that he would say something. But he didn't even glance at me. He just kept staring at his phone, lost in his own world.

And yet, my heart refused to let go of the silent weight of his presence.