Before anything else, Happy New Year, readers! Thank you for sticking with me and this story. I know it's not always cohesive, and the updates are rather irregular, which is why I'm even more grateful to all of you for reading, subscribing, and commenting. Thank you again, and may you have a great year ahead of you!

The fabled musk deer
searches the world over
for the source of the scent
which comes from itself.

-Ramakrishna

Seulgi watches in horror as the doorknob before her turns. She begins to take cautious steps back until her fingers brush against a corner of Seungwan’s bed. She rushes towards Seungwan’s closet and squeezes herself in, backing up into the darkest corner of the closet and rearranging the hanging jackets to cover her top half.

And stops breathing when she hears the calm tapping of shoes on the floor.

She hears a dry laugh, the sweep of leather shoes across carpet. “This place, wow,” she hears Taek say in his mildly amused voice, “are we really not paying them enough?” Papers are crushed underfoot as he canvasses the small apartment. Fingers brush against the wooden doors of the closet Seulgi is hiding in, and she presses herself as much as she can into the back wall of the closet.

She squeezes her eyes shut when the door is slowly pulled open… and nearly heaves a sigh of relief when it is shut again. 

“Fascinating. She’s actually quite good at research, aren’t you, Son Seungwan?” Taek murmurs as he plucks a sheet of paper off the bulletin board. “A clever girl, made into a fool by love. Such a cliche.” He lets the paper drop onto the floor and sticks his hands in his pockets. From one of his pockets he draws out a simple lighter and a receipt, and neatly arranges them on Seungwan’s work desk.

His easy-going tuneless humming sends shivers down Seulgi’s spine. She closes her eyes and prays for his departure, and is rewarded when she finally hears the apartment door shut with a quiet click. Seulgi pushes the closet door open inch by inch. She sticks her head out first, making sure that the coast is clear, then carefully steps out of the closet. 

She immediately spots the polished metal rectangle on top of the table and reaches out for it. “Hold on a minute.” She pulls her hand back at the last second and takes out a small handkerchief, then picks the lighter up with it. “He put this here, the bastard.” Leaning over, she examines the receipt left with the lighter. “Two lighters purchased,” she reads out. She connects the dots easily, and calls Joy.

“Seulgi! Are you okay? Did you see Taek?” Joy’s frantic voice touches something in Seulgi.

“Yeah, I’m fine. He came in here just now, but I don’t think he realised I was here. Look, he planted some fake evidence here. One lighter with a receipt for two. I think he’s going to Joohyun’s laundromat after this, going to leave the other lighter there in some really obvious place for the authorities to find. They do that, it’ll be the last nail in Seungwan’s coffin.”

“Then we should try and intercept him.” It is Joohyun speaking now, calm tones masking the ice underneath. “Be careful on your way out, Seulgi. We haven’t seen Taek exiting the building yet.”

“Okay.” Seulgi hangs up and tucks her phone back into her pocket. She steals one more glance around the apartment before opening the front door, and freezes at the sight of Taek leaning against the wall next to the elevators.

Sensing Seulgi’s presence, he looks up and bares his teeth. “Oh, hello. I was just waiting for you. Miss Kang Seulgi, am I right?”

“Yes, yes I am.” Steeling her nerves, Seulgi draws in a deep breath and tries her best to look unfazed. “Who are you, and how do you know me?”

“My apologies. You may call me Taek. I’ve seen you around Chairman Park’s - that is, Park Joong Won’s - office, and was informed that you’re a very efficient PA to his daughter.” When Seulgi neither confirms nor denies it, Taek continues. “He sent me here on a little errand, and, well, I don’t believe I was informed that you would be here as well. In fact,” he says as he approaches her, “I wasn’t even aware you knew the tenant of this apartment.”

The corners of Seulgi’s lips curl up. “That’s not surprising. It’s not possible for someone to know every single thing in the world, is it?”

Taek shifts closer until he is looming over Seulgi. “Unfortunately for you, it’s my job to know things. So tell me, what are you doing here coming out of this particular apartment?”

He knows, Seulgi realises. He knows, and he’s toying with me. She assumes a relaxed posture and looks up to meet his gaze. “I’m here on my boss’s orders.” Keep it distant, formal. “Someone hurt her friend and she’s looking for who did it. She suspects the tenant of this apartment did it. I’m here to prove it.”

“I see.” Taek studies Seulgi with such intensity she can feel the sweat pooling at the base of her spine. “And did you also know that the person who stays here is also a suspect in stalking and attempted murder? Oh, no, in fact,” he says as a small smirk plays on his lips, “she’s definitely a stalker, and no doubt had dangerous designs on certain people.”

“Well, glad to know that my boss was right, then. Now, if you don’t mind.” Seulgi angles her body and starts to move past Taek, but he grabs her wrist to stop her.

“So, did you find anything of use? For example, is there anything in that bag of yours?”

Seulgi twists her wrist out of his grasp in one quick motion. “I’m a PA, Taek. There are always things in my bag.” Her phone starts to ring just in time. “And that would be my boss. She’s very demanding, and very determined to get what she wants.” Seulgi gives him a fierce grin as she enters the elevator. “Goodbye, Taek.”

Seulgi strides out of the apartment building in brisk steps, beckoning at Joy and Joohyun to follow her. Only when she feels that they are a safe distance away from the apartment, and from Taek, does she stop and crouch down into a squat.

“Oh God,” she breathes out. “Oh my God.”

“What’s wrong?” Joy’s hands immediately shoot out to take Seulgi’s. “Did he hurt you anywhere?” she asks even as she checks Seulgi for any injuries. 

“No, that isn’t it.” Seulgi takes Joy’s searching hands in hers. “It’s just… He was terrifying. It’s like he knew I was there, what I was there for. He was toying with me, like some kind of hungry cat.” She shivers at the memory. 

Feeling safer now that she is with Joy and Joohyun, she remembers what she had pilfered from Seungwan’s apartment. “Let’s go back to the hospital first. There’s something I need to show both of you.”

*

A tall, slim girl with long black