BANG!
Seonhwa flinched inside the closet, her hand snapping up to cover her mouth before the sound could escape. Her teeth knocked together, the sharp click echoing painfully in her head, and she pressed her palm harder against her lips, fingers digging into her cheek.
Her knees hit the floor, the impact muted by the pile of shoes beneath her. She didn't remember lowering herself down. Her body simply gave in.
Her chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven pulls of air, each breath scraped thin as she fought to keep it quiet. Tears spilled freely, soaking into her sleeve while her shoulders shook, her whole frame folding inward.
The closet smelled of dust and old fabric. Coats brushed against her hair and shoulders, heavy and close, as if the space were shrinking around her. She squeezed her eyes shut, but the sound of the shot continued to echo in her mind, louder there than it had been in the room itself.
She heard footsteps of more than one person.
They moved outside the room, boots striking the carpet in uneven rhythms. A few stopped just beyond the door while others passed by, the noise layering until it felt like it was pressing in from all sides.
Seonhwa bit down on her knuckle to keep from sobbing, the taste of salt and blood blooming in her mouth.
Voices murmured on the other side of the door. One spoke, then another answered.
Creak…
A door opened with a slow, careful creak, wood dragging softly against the frame.
Seonhwa curled tighter, pressing her forehead into her knees. Every muscle in her body strained to stay still. She shook hard enough that she feared the closet itself would give her away.
A single set of footsteps drew closer, the sound soft against the carpet, measured enough that Seonhwa couldn't tell whether it was meant to reassure or terrify her. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears finally spilled over, sliding down her cheeks and dripping silently onto her sleeve. Her breathing stuttered, chest aching as she fought to keep it from breaking loose.
The footsteps stopped right in front of the closet.
Seonhwa pressed her face into her knees, fingers tightening against her mouth, her whole body braced for the sound of discovery.
The closet door opened.
The hinge gave a soft click, then a quiet pull, just enough to let light spill inside.
…
Nothing happened.
Trembling, Seonhwa opened her eyes.
Dara stood in front of her, hand still on the closet door.
She was unharmed. No blood, no visible injuries, but her eyes were wide, glassy with fear, the terror in them raw and unmistakable. And yet her face remained eerily composed, expression flat, almost lifeless, like she was holding herself together by force alone.
"Seonhwa," Dara said quietly. Her voice didn't shake, even though her eyes did.
"Come with me."
Seonhwa stared at her, frozen.
Dara stepped back slightly, making room.
Seonhwa's gaze drifted past her and the room came into view.
Hajoon lay face-down on the floor in front of the door. Blood had spread beneath his head, soaking into the carpet and pooling across the tiles near the bathroom.
Seonhwa's breath finally broke.
Her eyes widened, her body going numb as the world tilted, the sight burning itself into her vision.