School is over and I don't seem to find Shinwoo aka CNU anywhere. I want an explanation for his behavior, because the way he's acting is killing me. However, I don't want to seem clingy, so if he wants to tell me anything, he'd come on his own. I'm not going to look for him anymore.

I said goodbye to my friends and proceeded to walk home with Haneul. Haneul usually comes to my house after school so we can study and hang out.

"Don't think I've forgotten. Tell me what has been bothering you this morning. You seemed so out of it, and you still do," Haneul said as we exited the school building.

"Jonghyun is gone. I woke up in the morning and he wasn't there. I looked everywhere and tried calling his cellphone and my parents' but no one picked up. I'm really worried," I said, trying not to burst into tears. I don't like crying in front of anyone, not even my bestfriend or my parents or Jonghyun. I don't like it when people see me weak.

"Where could he possibly go? And why?"

"I wish I knew," my throat closed up, a sign that I'm going to cry.

Haneul must have noticed because she stopped and put her arms around me. "It's okay," she said. "He'll be back."

Haneul's phone started ringing. She removed her arms from around me and retrieved her phone.

"Yeoboseyo?"

She listened for a second, her eyes widening. "What?! Are you sure? Okay, I understand. I'll be right over. Alright. Bye."

She hang up and looked at me. "My mom. She's in the hospital. I think she had a heart attack, I have to go."

"I'm coming with you."

"No. Only family members are allowed to visit. Thanks, though."

"Call me and tell me how she is, okay? And if you need anything, I'm available."

"I will. Thanks. I don't know what I could've done without you," she said, hugging me.

I smiled. "Me neither."

She ran in the other direction toward the hospital and I continued walking home. I really like Haneul's mother, she always treated me as if I were her own daughter. She was like a second mother to me. Dear God, please help her. And please watch over Jonghyun. Make sure he's ok, wherever he is. A silent tear streaked down my cheek but I quickly wiped it away, even though there was no one around.

Suddenly, all I wanted was to get home as fast as I can and just sleep. There is a shortcut that I can take but I promised Jonghyun that I would never take it because it's always dark and deserted. It was rumored that dangerous gangs hang around there, but I knew better than to believe it. I've actually been there before and found no one.

I turned left into a dark alley that would take me directly from the street I'm in to the street where my house is. As soon as I stepped in, I was engulfed in darkness, as if I stepped into a whole another world. The sound of my footsteps echoed loudly as I walked. I kept walking for the next three minutes when I thought I heard another set of footsteps echoeing behind me. I stopped, and the footsteps stopped too.

"Hello?" My voice echoed. I turned around, trying to see if someone was there.

No one answered.

I started walking again, I didn't hear any footsteps behind me anymore, maybe it was just my imagination. I sighed in relief. I walked for the next five minutes or so when I heard the footsteps again.

"Okay, whoever it is, show yourself. It's not funny."

No answer. But even as I stopped, I kept hearing the sound of footsteps echoeing. Maybe I should've followed Jonghyun's advice, maybe this isn't safe after all. Stay calm, whoever it is is probably just playing a prank on you. Don't give them the satisfaction of seeing you scared, I told myself silently. I took a deep breath and kept walking. I could barely see anything, but I knew that, in order to reach my destination, all I had to do was walk straight forward.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand caught my waist and slammed me to a body, and another covered my mouth. I started squirming, trying to wriggle myself out of the strong grip that hand had on my waist. I tried screaming, but my voice was muffled against the hand that covered my mouth.

"Shhh," a voice whispered. "Don't struggle. It would make this easier for both of us."

I bit on the hand, the person let out a little groan but didn't let go. He started dragging me. I couldn't tell which way we were going. I started kicking and flailing my arms, but all my struggles were futile. Suddenly, the person released me and I was sent tumbling to the floor. I heard something hitting something, then I heard a loud scream that echoed even louder, then footsteps, then whispers, and then nothing.

A hand, softer and gentler this time, grabbed my arm and helped me up. My heart was beating so fast I was sure it was going to burst out of my chest.

"Who are you? What's going on?" I asked, trying to not let my voice show that I was as freaked out as hell.

No answer. Instead, the hand slid down my arm and took hold of my hand and the person started walking silently, taking me along with him or her.

I could see faint light now, which means that I was close to my destination. When we reached the other side, which is my street, I looked at the owner of the hand that was holding mine.

I gasped.

It was Shinwoo.

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Thanks guys for reading!!! I really hope you enjoy my story~ ^__^