Chapter 24

It was one of those quiet, crisp nights where the moon hung high above, casting a silvery glow over the empty streets. I had decided to go for a run, to clear my mind from the chaos that had been swirling around me. It was supposed to be just a peaceful jog, a way to escape, but little did I know, that night would lead to a much darker encounter.

As I ran down the deserted street, my footsteps echoing in the silence, however I came to a sudden halt.

Ryeowook...

Standing there, waiting. His posture was relaxed, but the air around him was thick with danger. It was as if he had been expecting me.

For a moment, neither of us said anything. The tension between us was palpable. His cold, calculating gaze was fixed on me.

"It's been a while, Hera," Ryeowook said, his voice low and full of something I couldn't quite place—resentment? Malice? A mixture of both.

I stood frozen, unsure of how to react. "Ryeowook..." The name left my lips in a whisper, a mixture of disbelief and fear creeping through me. "What are you doing here?"

His lips curled into a mocking smile. "What do you think? I've been keeping an eye on you." His gaze flicked up and down my body, like he was studying me, and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. "Why are you here?"

Ryeowook's smile faded, and a shadow crossed his features. "You don't get it, do you? My brother, Dong-Wook, is dead. And it's all because of you and Han-Wool." His eyes burned with fury, his voice rising with each word. "You both failed him."

I felt like the ground beneath me was sinking. Dong-Wook. The mention of his name sent a shock through my body. I had tried so hard to move past it, to live with the pain, but now it felt like it was all crashing back down on me.

"Dong-Wook..." I whispered, my voice barely audible. It felt like my throat was closing up. "I didn't—"

"No," Ryeowook interrupted, his voice growing sharper. "You didn't protect him. You let him die. He wanted you to help him, Hera, but you didn't. None of you did."

I wanted to scream, to tell him it wasn't true. But it was like every word he spoke was a stab to my chest. I could feel the anger rising inside me, the helplessness threatening to overtake me.

"It wasn't my fault!" I shot back, trying to hold onto some semblance of control. "I didn't want him to die. You think I wanted this?"

Ryeowook's expression twisted with rage. "I don't care about your excuses. You didn't do what you should have. And now you're going to pay for it." His eyes darkened, his fists clenched at his sides. "Both of you—Han-Wool and you—you failed him. You failed my brother."

Before I could respond, his body shifted, and before I knew it, he lunged at me. I barely had time to react as his fist swung toward my face. I blocked it, but he was relentless, throwing punch after punch. I tried to defend myself, but I could feel his power and anger in every movement.

"You think you can stop me?" Ryeowook sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "You never could protect him, Hera, and you can't protect yourself now."

As I parried another blow, a wave of memories hit me—memories of when we were all just kids, before everything fell apart. Before his brother died. For a split second, I hesitated, lost in the past. And that's when it happened.

Ryeowook caught me off guard. His fist connected with my face, the impact sending me stumbling back, pain blooming in my cheek. I barely had time to react before he was standing over me, a twisted smile curling on his lips. He leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear.

"This isn't over," he hissed. "I'll make you pay for what you did. I won't stop until you're broken."

I could barely comprehend his words as I struggled to get back on my feet. I could feel the blood running down my lip, but something inside me snapped. He wasn't going to win. He wouldn't break me.

I stood tall, my fists clenched at my sides, but Ryeowook turned and walked away, his back to me. "We'll see each other again, Hera," he called over his shoulder, his voice echoing in the stillness of the night. "And when we do, you won't be so lucky."

The next day, I walked into school with my face still sore, the bruise already forming. I tried to ignore the burning pain, but the looks from my friends were hard to miss. They could tell something was wrong.

As I entered the study group room, Ga-Min immediately spotted me. His eyes narrowed as he scanned my face. "Hera," he said, his voice laced with concern, "what happened?"

I tried to brush it off, but I could see the worry in his eyes. "It's nothing. I ran into someone last night."

"Who?" Lee-Joon asked, stepping closer. His usual playful demeanor was gone. "Are you okay?"

I hesitated for a moment, then let out a deep breath. "It was Ryeowook," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

The group froze.

Se-Hyun's eyes widened. "That's crazy!"

I clenched my fists, anger bubbling up inside me. "He's not hiding anymore."

Ga-Min's expression darkened. "So he really is here. What did he do to you?"

I told them everything. How he had shown up in the night, how he blamed me for Dong-Wook's death, how he tried to fight me.

Ga-Min's fists clenched, his jaw tight with fury. "I'm going to kill him," he growled, but I grabbed his arm, stopping him before he could say anything more.

"No," I said firmly, looking him in the eyes. "I don't want you to fight him. We can't give him that satisfaction."

Lee-Joon nodded, his voice serious. "We're not letting him get away with this, though. We'll stand by you, Hera. All of us."

But I could see it in their eyes—the worry. Ryeowook's return meant trouble, not just for me, but for all of us. And I knew it wasn't over. Not by a long shot.