⍣15⍣

Jaeyun

I woke up in the dim light again, but this time, something felt different. The fog in my head had lifted just enough to make my thoughts clear. Heeseung had made his move, had played his games, but he had underestimated one thing: my ability to fight back.

He had me once, but not anymore.

I needed to act fast.

My body still felt sluggish, but I could feel my strength returning. My eyes darted around the room, soft, dark walls, heavy curtains, the scent of unfamiliar air. I wasn't in my place. I wasn't even sure if I was in the city anymore.

But I wasn't alone.

The sound of a door creaking open snapped my attention to the side, and I tensed, my heart rate quickening.

A familiar face appeared in the doorway.

"Jaeyun."

It was Sunghoon.

I didn't speak at first. My mind raced, trying to process how he had found me, why he was here. "What are you doing here?" I managed to rasp.

Sunghoon walked into the room, a knowing look in his eyes. "I couldn't let you handle this alone, hyung." He knelt beside me, offering me a small vial of water. "Drink this. It'll help."

I hesitated for a moment, but then I took it, swallowing the cool liquid, feeling some of the weight in my body ease. I looked up at him, my eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"How did you find me?" I asked, my voice low.

"I've been keeping an eye on you. On him," Sunghoon said, his tone sharp. "I wasn't going to let Heeseung pull you further into his web. He's been playing with you like you're a damn puppet, Jaeyun."

I clenched my jaw. "Then why didn't you stop him earlier?"

Sunghoon's expression faltered for a moment, a flicker of regret in his eyes. "I thought you could handle it. But now I see that Heeseung's taken things too far."

I looked at him for a long time, trying to make sense of everything. "Why are you helping me now?"

Sunghoon sighed, sitting down beside me. "Because I should've been there for you when you needed it. I don't want to see you lose yourself to him."

Just as I was about to respond, the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, and I froze. Sunghoon didn't react. Instead, he placed a hand on my shoulder, a silent warning.

The door opened, and another person stepped in.

Riki.

I blinked, not sure if I was hallucinating. Riki, the same kid who had been Heeseung's close ally, was standing there, looking at me with a hesitant expression on his face.

"Riki?" I whispered, unable to believe what I was seeing.

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, his eyes flicked between me and Sunghoon, then back to me. His gaze was full of something... unfamiliar.

"I'm here to help," Riki said, his voice low, almost cautious.

I shook my head, confused. "Help? After everything? After everything you've done for him?"

Riki clenched his fists, his eyes darkening. "I'm not doing this for Heeseung. I'm doing this for you. Because I know what he's capable of. He's dangerous, Jaeyun. You're too good for him."

Sunghoon looked at Riki, eyes narrowed. "This better not be another game, Riki."

Riki met Sunghoon's gaze, unwavering. "It's not. I know what's at stake here. I know how Heeseung works. He doesn't see people as people, he sees them as pawns. You're just another one of his toys to him, Jaeyun. I can't sit back and watch you lose to him."

I was still processing everything. The idea of Riki betraying Heeseung... it was a shock, to say the least. But something in his eyes told me this wasn't a lie.

"So, you're helping me now?" I asked, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

Riki nodded. "Heeseung never treated me like a real ally. He used me, manipulated me. But I see the truth now. You're the one who's worth fighting for. Not him."

I swallowed hard. This was too much to take in all at once. But there was no time to waste. Heeseung wasn't going to sit idly by.

"Okay," I said, my voice firm. "We need to move now. Heeseung's going to make his next move soon, and when he does, we have to be ready."

Sunghoon nodded, standing up. "We're with you, Jaeyun. All the way."

Riki gave a tight smile. "Count me in. Let's end this."

⸻

Heeseung

I stared at my phone, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips as I read Jaeyun's last message to me.

You can't control me.

He thought he had control.

He thought he could escape.

But he didn't understand.

I'd already won.

Or so I thought.

The silence of the room felt suffocating, and I paced, my mind working furiously. I had him under my thumb. He was weak. I had seen it in his eyes.

But then... I'd noticed something strange.

He was getting stronger.

⸻

Jaeyun

We weren't running anymore. We were coming for him.

The pieces were falling into place. I could feel it.

Riki had given us access to the information we needed. Sunghoon had always been a step ahead. And I had one thing that Heeseung would never have: the element of surprise.

As I stood at the edge of the building, looking down at the city beneath me, I felt a fire in my chest. The game was over.

Heeseung had underestimated me.

And I wasn't going to let him play me any longer.

-pt.15

They are giving me headache, Idk who is the real stalker between the two..

Quote of the chapter