She dreamt of him again, like the all previous nights for the past two months. Her legs kicked frantically against the mattress as the flashback replayed itself like a broken record. Sweat coated her forehead as images of blood and rose petals flashed through her mind. She could feel his cold, meaty fingers pinching her shoulders, holding her still as he pointed a blood-tinted knife at her face. His piercing black eyes were psychotic as he drawled, “So freaking beautiful, just like Hyojin. You’re mine, Hyolim. You will always be mine and no one else’s.”

                As per usual, she woke up after his possessive confession. Sitting up, she screamed into the pitch-black room, her voice loud and shrill. It took her a couple of minutes to collect herself and realize he wasn’t actually with her.

                Swiping the sweat off her forehead, she the lamp light and checked the clock.

                It was 2:30 A.M. 

                Normally, she would wake up at 4:00 A.M. However, since she slept two hours earlier today, her nightmare ended at a different hour.

                When she switched over to the photo on her nightstand, Hyolim immediately teared up. Picking up the photo, she cradled it against her chest, her body rocking back and forth in silent prayer.

               Hyojin unni, Hyolim thought as she repeated her deceased sister’s name over and over again like a litany.

               It was no use. Hyojin wouldn’t come back to life. She was dead — murdered by him.

              He was obsessed with Hyojin. He “loved” her too much, but Hyolim knew it wasn’t love — it was obsession, possession…it was an unhealthy, murderous fixation disguised as love. Her sister had only met him twice but he fell head over heels for her instantaneously. He would send Hyojin a bouquet of red roses every afternoon; he would also wait outside her office after work just so he could follow her home. Her sister rejected him many times but he kept coming back; his passion growing with each passing sunrise.

               This went on for three weeks until Hyojin burst from frustration. One day after work, she threw the bouquet of flowers in his face and screamed at him, cursing him to get lost and get out of her life. With his head down, Hyojin thought he wouldn’t bother her anymore; but she was wrong. He broke into her house the next day, scattered rose petals all over her apartment and waited for her to return. The moment she entered the apartment, he lifted a knife to her face and demanded for her to marry him or else she would die. She refused…so he killed her.

               Unfortunately, Hyolim came home at the wrong time. She remembered crying as he sliced open her unni’s throat, her knees weakening as blood splattered over her white T-shirt and jeans. He saw her and fell in “love” as well because she resembled her older sister too much. Hyolim didn’t know how she survived…all she knew was that he was after her and that he would stop at nothing until she was his.

               I’m okay now. He won’t find me. He won’t find me. He won’t find me. The police will arrest him and I can return to Ulsan again, she told herself as she got out of bed, her steps feeble.

              Like many nights before, she boiled herself a cup of warm milk and curled against the sofa and watched late night reruns of sitcoms and cartoons. It didn’t feel quite right since this wasn’t her real home, but at least she was safer here than at Ulsan. Sighing, she wished she could go back to sleep but she knew she never could; she was too tense. Sniffing, she drank her warm milk and hugged the picture of Hyojin closer to her chest.

***

                “Did you hear that?” Sehun asked as he pushed the key into the keyhole of apartment 23A.

                “A girl screaming? Yeah, I heard it.” Suho said. He leaned his head closer to the adjacent apartment until his ear was pressed up against the wooden door, “I think it came from this door.”

                “Stop scaring me! No one lives there! It has been vacant for the past few months.” Sehun hissed, pulling his hyung toward their side again.

                “Maybe it’s a ghost.” Kai said in an abnormally low voice, making faces that looked more stupid than scary.

                Jongdae pinched his chin, “Or maybe we have a new neighbor.”

                The boys scoffed, shaking their heads.

                “Impossible. She must be somebody really important if she gets to stay in the Wanda Residential. These three buildings are sectioned off for the rich and famous only.” Sehun said as he pushed open the door and flicked on the lights. He raised his arms, “Dibs on the bathroom!”

                “You gotta stop doing that. We only have five hours to rest before we have to work again. I want to shower first so I can go to bed and doze off for a few hours.” Lay grumbled.

                “I’m the maknae! I get dibs!” Sehun pouted, running to the bathroom, giving himself a head-start.

                “No you don’t!” Lay shouted, racing after the younger boy, hoping he would get there first. Before he could step foot into the bathroom, Sehun slammed the door in his face and locked it.

                “Let him. You know he always get what he wants.” Jongdae said as he plopped down on the nearest sofa.

                “That boy is insufferable.” Lay grumbled, placing his hands on his hips.

                “You just noticed that now?” Kris asked, scoffing loudly as he took a seat next to Jondae.

                “I hope one of you buys him bubble tea now. He gets cranky without his daily dose of sugar.” Kai reminded his bandmates as he phoned his twin.

                Everyone looked at Jongdae.

                “I’ll go. It’s always me, anyway.” Jongdae grumbled, “Lulu, you wanna come?”

                Luhan nodded, “Sure. Kai, you want anything?”

                Kai shook his head and he placed a finger over his lips, mutely telling the guys to quiet down so he could talk to Jong In.

                “I like it better when Kai hates Jong In. At least back in those days he doesn’t call his twin nine thousand times a day. If you don’t know better, you would think he’s dating his twin.” Lay joked. The other boys laughed, clapping their hands in agreement.

                Kai covered the mouth piece and glowered at his best friend, “I heard that!”  

                Lay smiled impishly, flashing his famous dimples, “It’s true, though.” 

Author's Note:

I updated again because I'm bored since I have no school for the rest of the week.

Anyway, I know the names are confusing so I'll run through them again.

HyoLIM - she's the heroine of this story (18 years old)

HyoJIN - she's Hyolim's unni; the girl that was murdered (24 years old when she died)

P.S. Whenever you see "he" in itallics, I'm referring to the crazy stalker/murderer. He has a name but I don't want to reveal it yet. 

Hyolim and Sehun will meet soon...