Manager Park grabbed her shoulders.
"Are you hurt?"
Soorin shook her head.
Couldn't speak.
Her phone was still on the floor.
Screen cracked but intact.
Her mom's voice carried through the speaker.
"SOORIN! ANSWER ME!"
Park picked it up.
"Mrs. Han, she's okay. We're handling it."
Soorin heard her mother sobbing.
"Put her on. NOW."
Park handed her the phone.
"Mom—"
"Are you hurt? Did he touch you? What happened?"
"I'm fine. I'm okay."
"You're not okay. I heard you scream."
Soorin's voice cracked.
"Mom, I'm fine. Really."
But she wasn't.
Her hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Her leg throbbed where he'd grabbed her.
She could still feel it.
His fingers digging in.
The foam on his lips.
"I'm alerting your father," her mom said.
"No—"
"Don't argue with me, young lady!"
The line went dead.
Soorin stood there.
Numb.
Manager Park's voice cut through.
"Everyone back to work. Building's on lockdown until we sort this out."
Staff scattered.
Whispering. Worried.
Daehyun appeared.
"Jesus. Are you okay?"
She nodded.
But her legs gave out.
He caught her.
"Whoa. Let's sit you down."
He guided her to a chair.
She collapsed into it.
"What the hell was that?" she whispered.
"I don't know. But security's reviewing footage."
"There was someone else. In the lobby. Wearing a coat and hat."
Daehyun frowned.
"Did you see their face?"
"No. They ran."
"Shit."
He rubbed his face.
"This is bad."
"You think?"
Her sarcasm was weak.
But it was all she had.
★☆★☆★☆
The LUMEN members arrived an hour later.
Practice had been canceled.
They crowded into the lounge.
Jisoo's eyes were wide.
"Noona, are you okay?"
She nodded.
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine," Taekyung said bluntly.
"Thanks, Kyn. Very comforting."
Minjae knelt beside her chair.
"What happened?"
She told them.
Voice flat. Mechanical.
The man. The figure. The foam.
When she finished, silence.
Doyun looked pale.
"He took poison?"
"I think so."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Haejin stood by the door.
Arms crossed.
Expression unreadable.
But his eyes.
They hadn't left her face.
"We should call the police," Minjae said.
"Already done," Park replied. "They're reviewing security footage now."
"And the mystery person?"
"Gone. No cameras caught them clearly."
Haejin's jaw tightened.
"This wasn't random."
Everyone looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Park asked.
"He said he was following instructions. That he's a pawn."
Haejin's gaze finally shifted.
Landed on Soorin.
"Someone sent him here. For a reason."
Her stomach dropped.
"You think I'm the target?"
He didn't answer.
But his expression said yes.
★☆★☆★☆
The police arrived.
Asked questions.
Took statements.
Soorin repeated her story.
Over and over.
Until the words felt meaningless.
An officer showed her photos.
Security footage stills.
The man's face. Blurry but recognizable.
The mysterious figure. Too obscured.
"Do you recognize either of them?"
"No."
"Has anyone threatened you recently?"
She hesitated.
The texts. The photos.
But those stopped weeks ago.
"No," she lied.
The officer didn't look convinced.
But moved on.
By the time they finished, it was dark.
The building slowly emptied.
Staff leaving in groups.
Nervous. Shaken.
Soorin sat alone in the lounge.
Staring at nothing.
Daehyun had offered to stay.
But she sent him home.
Needed to think.
To process.
'Why me? What did I do?'
The questions circled.
No answers.
Just fear.
Cold. Creeping.
Her phone buzzed.
Her father.
She answered.
"Appa—"
"Are you still at the building?"
"Yes."
"Listen carefully. Don't leave through the main entrance."
Her stomach tightened.
"Why?"
"There might be cameras. Press. People watching."
He paused.
"We can't have them connecting you to our family. Not yet. Not like this."
Understanding hit.
Her wealth. Her identity.
If reporters dug into her background...
"What do I do?"
"There's a service exit on the east side. Third floor. Meet me at the convenience store two blocks south. I'll have the car waiting."
"Okay."
"And Soorin?"
"Yeah?"
"Be careful. Trust no one."
He hung up.
Soorin sat there.
Processing.
'He's right. If they find out who I really am...'
Everything would change.
The scrutiny. The assumptions.
She'd wanted to be normal.
Just a staff member.
Not a rich girl playing pretend.
Footsteps approached.
She looked up.
Haejin.
"You're still here."
"So are you."
He sat across from her.
Elbows on his knees.
"Are you really okay?"
"Everyone keeps asking me that."
"Because you're lying."
She laughed.
Bitter. Broken.
"Maybe."
Silence stretched.
Finally, Haejin spoke.
"This isn't your fault."
"Isn't it?"
"No."
"Then why does it feel like I'm being hunted?"
His expression darkened.
"I don't know. But we'll figure it out."
"We?"
"You think I'd let you handle this alone?"
Something in his voice.
Protective. Fierce.
It made her chest ache.
"You don't have to—"
"Yes, I do."
His eyes met hers.
Intense. Leaving no room for argument.
"Whether you believe it or not, I care. About your safety. About you."
Her breath caught.
"Haejin—"
She stood abruptly.
"I need to go."
He stood too.
"I'll walk you out."
"No."
The word came out sharper than intended.
He frowned.
"Soorin—"
"I'm fine. Really."
"You're clearly not."
"I just need to get home."
She grabbed her bag.
Started toward the door.
He followed.
"At least let me walk you to the bus stop."
"I can go myself without trouble."
"Then how—"
"I'm meeting someone nearby."
His eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes."
She stopped.
Turned to face him.
"Haejin, I appreciate your concern. But I can handle this."
"Can you?"
Anger flashed.
"I'm not helpless."
"I never said you were."
"Then stop treating me like I am. I think what you feel is guilt that it might be connected to you, but I'm fine."
His jaw clenched.
"I'm trying to help."
"I know. But right now, the best thing you can do is let me go."
She moved toward the elevator.
He grabbed her wrist.
Gently.
"Soorin, please."
She looked at his hand.
Then his face.
His eyes were desperate.
"Just... be careful. Okay?"
She softened.
"I will."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
He released her.
Reluctantly.
She pressed the elevator button.
The doors opened.
She stepped inside.
Turned to face him.
"Haejin?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. For caring."
The doors started closing.
But not before she added.
"There are eyes everywhere. Be careful who you trust."
His expression shifted.
Understanding.
Warning.
The doors closed.
Soorin leaned against the wall.
Exhaled shakily.
'That was close.'
★☆★☆★☆
She found the service exit.
Dimly lit. Grimy.
Definitely not meant for public use.
She pushed through.
Into the alley.
Cold air hit her face.
She walked quickly.
Head down. Bag clutched tight.
Two blocks felt like two miles.
Every shadow made her jump.
Every sound echoed too loud.
Finally.
The convenience store.
Fluorescent lights. 24-hour sign.
A black sedan idled at the curb.
Tinted windows.
The back door opened.
Her father.
She climbed in.
He pulled her into a hug immediately.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
He pulled back.
Studied her face.
"Your mother's losing her mind."
"I figured."
The car pulled away.
Smooth. Silent.
Her father's expression was grim.
"Tell me everything."
She did.
The man. The figure. The poison.
The police. The questions.
When she finished, he was silent.
Finally.
"This is escalating."
"I know."
"We need to increase security."
"Appa, I already have four bodyguards."
"Now you'll have eight and within your bubble radius."
"That's excessive."
"Someone tried to attack you today."
His voice was steel.
"Excessive is the minimum."
She wanted to argue.
But didn't have the energy.
"The bodyguards reported everything," he continued. "And your mother saw it happen on video call."
Guilt twisted.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. None of this is your fault."
He ran a hand through his hair.
"But we need to be smarter. More careful."
"What do you mean?"
"No more main entrances. No more visible pickups. We keep your identity separate."
She nodded.
"I understand."
"Good."
They rode in silence.
Finally pulling into their neighborhood.
Expensive. Gated. Secure.
The car stopped.
Her mother rushed out.
Pulled Soorin into a crushing hug.
"Don't ever scare me like that again."
"I won't, Mom."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
Inside, her mother fussed.
Made tea. Checked for injuries.
Asked a million questions.
Soorin answered.
Mechanically.
Still processing.
Her father made calls.
Voice low. Urgent.
To security. To lawyers.
To people Soorin didn't know.
Finally, her mom sat beside her.
"Talk to me, baby."
"I don't know what to say."
"Are you scared?"
Soorin nodded.
"Why me, Mom? What did I do?"
"Nothing. You did nothing wrong."
"Then why does it feel like someone wants to hurt me?"
Her mother's eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know. But we'll protect you. Your father and I. We won't let anything happen."
Soorin wanted to believe her.
But the man's words echoed.
"Just a pawn..."
If he was a pawn.
Who was the player?