Chapter 24: Yoon Sera

The soft morning light streamed through my curtains, warming my face as I slowly opened my eyes. The quiet hum of the city outside should have been comforting, but a strange unease sat heavy in my chest.

I reached for my phone, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I scrolled through my notifications. Emails, a few messages from friends, and then—

A new DM request.

I frowned, clicking on it.

It was from an unknown account. No profile picture. No posts. No followers.

Then I saw the messages.

"You should have disappeared when you had the chance."

 "You think you're safe now? You're not."

 "I'll come for you soon."

My blood ran cold.

I sat up abruptly, my fingers tightening around the phone.

I clicked on the account. Created yesterday. No trace of who it was.

But I already knew.

It had to be him.

My father.

Or the man who attacked me that night.

Whoever it was—they knew where I was.

A sharp knock on my door made me jump.

"Sera, breakfast is ready."

It was Soobin Oppa.

I quickly turned my phone off, taking a shaky breath before getting up. I couldn't let him notice.

At the dining table, I sat across from him, my plate filled with food I couldn't bring myself to eat.

I stirred my soup absentmindedly, the words from the message repeating in my head.

I'll come for you soon.

My fingers tightened around my spoon.

"Sera."

I blinked and looked up.

Soobin Oppa was watching me, his brows slightly furrowed.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

I quickly shook my head. "Nothing."

His expression didn't change. "You're lying."

I sighed, lowering my gaze.

He always saw through me.

"It's nothing serious, Oppa. Just—"

"Sera." His voice was calm but firm. "Tell me."

I hesitated, but the concern in his eyes made my defenses crumble.

Silently, I reached for my phone, unlocking it and sliding it across the table.

He took it, his face unreadable as he read the messages.

A long silence stretched between us.

Then, his entire demeanor changed.

His jaw clenched. His hand curled into a fist on the table.

"This… this is from him, isn't it?"

I swallowed hard. "It could be my father. Or… the man who attacked me."

Soobin Oppa exhaled sharply, setting my phone down.

"What are you going to do?"

I hesitated. "I don't know yet."

Soobin's expression darkened. "Are you going to tell Taesan?"

I bit my lip. "I don't want to worry him."

He frowned. "Sera. This isn't just a threat. It's a warning."

I knew he was right. But something about this made my stomach twist in unease.

Soobin leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. "We can't ignore this."

I exhaled shakily, my grip tightening around my phone. "I need to talk to Taesan."

Soobin nodded. "Good. Because if someone's coming for you—he won't let them get close."

I swallowed. Neither would you, Oppa.

But somehow, that didn't make me feel any safer.

I stared at my phone, my fingers hovering over Taesan's contact.

Should I tell him now?

My stomach churned as I re-read the messages, the words sinking deeper into my chest.

"I'll come for you soon."

A chill ran down my spine.

Soobin Oppa was still watching me carefully. "Sera, call him."

I exhaled, gripping my phone tightly before standing up. "I'll talk to him later."

Soobin's frown deepened. "Sera."

"Oppa, please." I looked at him, my voice quieter. "Just… let me think first."

He didn't argue, but his silence was heavy.

The rest of the day passed in a blur.

I tried to distract myself—cleaning the apartment, organizing my closet, even helping Soobin with some work. But the uneasy feeling never left.

And every time my phone buzzed, my heart skipped a beat.

But it was never another message.

Not yet.

By evening, I finally made up my mind.

I grabbed my phone and texted Taesan at evening.

Me: "Are you home?"

He replied almost instantly.

Taesan: "Yeah. What's wrong?"

I hesitated before typing,

Me: "I need to see you."

Taesan: "Come over."

When I arrived at Taesan's apartment, the door opened before I even knocked.

He was standing there, his eyes scanning my face.

"What happened?"

I bit my lip, stepping inside.

Jihyo was on the couch, munching on snacks, but when she saw me, her expression turned curious.

"Sera Unnie?"

Taesan glanced at her. "Go to your room for a bit."

Jihyo pouted. "Why? What's going on?"

"Jihyo." His tone was firm but gentle.

She sighed dramatically but got up, grabbing her snack bag as she left.

As soon as her door closed, Taesan turned back to me.

"Sera. Talk to me."

I hesitated for only a second before pulling out my phone and showing him the messages.

His expression darkened immediately.

He took the phone from my hands, reading each word carefully. His grip on the device tightened.

For a moment, he didn't speak.

Then—

CRACK.

The sound of his knuckles popping filled the room as he clenched his fists.

When he looked at me again, his entire demeanor had changed. His usual calmness was gone, replaced by something dangerous.

"Who sent this?" His voice was low, sharp.

I swallowed. "I don't know. It could be my father. Or the man who attacked me."

His jaw tightened. "And you waited this long to tell me?"

I looked away. "I didn't want to worry you."

"Sera." His voice was sharper now. "This isn't about worrying me. This is about your safety."

I exhaled shakily. "I know. That's why I'm here."

Taesan ran a hand through his hair, pacing for a second before stopping in front of me.

Then, suddenly—

He pulled me into his arms.

I blinked, feeling the tension in his body as he held me tightly.

"…You're not going anywhere alone from now on." His voice was quieter, but there was no room for argument.

I buried my face into his shoulder, feeling his heartbeat pounding against my cheek.

For the first time all day, I felt a little less afraid.

Taesan's grip on my wrist remained firm, his entire body tense with barely contained anger. His eyes, usually calm, were sharp and burning with something cold.

Then, without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

I watched as he placed the call, his fingers tightening around the device.

"Jihoon hyung." His voice was sharp, serious. "I need you to track something."

I froze.

Kim Jihoon.

I had only met him once, but his presence had been enough to leave an impression. He was older than Taesan, a high-ranking officer who carried an aura of authority and quiet intimidation.

The kind of man you didn't want to cross.

The moment the call connected, Jihoon's voice came through, steady and unreadable.

"What is it?"

Taesan didn't waste a second.

"An Instagram account. It sent threats to Sera this morning. It's new, no profile picture, no posts. I need you to track it."

There was a brief pause before Jihoon responded.

"Send me the username."

Taesan's fingers moved swiftly as he forwarded the messages.

I swallowed hard, my grip tightening around my sleeves.

This wasn't just me panicking alone anymore.

This was Taesan taking action.

A few moments later, Jihoon spoke again, his voice as calm as ever.

"It's a VPN-protected account. Whoever created it knew what they were doing."

Taesan's jaw clenched. "Can you still find a way around it?"

Jihoon exhaled. "It'll take time. But I'll get something."

Taesan's grip on his phone tightened. His next words sent a shiver down my spine.

"…Find out if it's him."

I knew exactly who he meant.

My father.

Jihoon didn't ask for clarification. "I'll call you when I have something."

The call ended, leaving a thick silence in the room.

Taesan exhaled sharply, setting his phone down before turning back to me.

"You're staying here tonight."

I blinked. "What?"

His expression didn't waver. "You're not going home alone. Not until we know who's behind this."

I hesitated. "Taesan, I don't—"

His gaze hardened. "No arguments, Sera."

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then, finally, I sighed and nodded.

Because the truth was… I didn't want to be alone tonight.

The weight of the threats still clung to me, no matter how hard I tried to shake them off.

Taesan had been silent since the call with Officer Jihoon, his fingers tapping against the table as he stared at his phone, waiting.

I knew his mind was racing.

I knew he was furious.

And I also knew—he was trying not to show it in front of me.

I exhaled, looking away.

"Taesan… you don't have to do all this."

His gaze snapped to me. "What?"

I swallowed. "I mean… I can handle it. It's just threats. Maybe they won't—"

"Sera." His voice was low, firm. "Don't say that."

I froze.

He set his phone down, leaning forward slightly. His expression was unreadable, but his voice was controlled.

"You think I'll sit back and do nothing?"

I opened my mouth, but he cut me off.

"Someone is watching you. Someone is trying to scare you. And you want me to pretend it's nothing?" His jaw clenched. "That's not happening."

I felt my chest tighten.

I knew he was right.

I knew this wasn't normal.

But I also knew that if I let myself accept it, then the fear would be real.

I lowered my gaze. "I just don't want you to feel responsible for everything."

Taesan exhaled sharply. Then—suddenly—he reached out, taking my hands in his.

I blinked.

His hands were warm. Firm.

Reassuring.

"I don't feel responsible for everything," he murmured. "I feel responsible for you."

My breath hitched slightly.

He held my hands tighter, his thumb brushing over my knuckles.

"Sera, I don't care how strong you think you are. You're not going through this alone."

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. "I know…"

His grip didn't loosen. "Do you?"

I hesitated.

I had spent so many years handling things on my own.

But here he was—not letting me.

And maybe… I didn't want him to.

"Yeah." My voice was quieter now. "I do."

His shoulders finally relaxed slightly, and he leaned back, still holding my hands for a moment before letting go.

Then, as if sensing the tension, he smirked slightly. "You're still staying here tonight."

I sighed, giving him a look. "Bossy."

He chuckled. "You love it."

I rolled my eyes, but my lips curled slightly.

Maybe I did.