After coming inside to sleep, my phone buzzed sharply beside me.
Jan.
Her name glowed on the screen.
"Jina," she said quickly the moment I picked up, "can you come meet me at a supermarket? I need your help choosing my birthday gift."
I squinted at the time on my phone.
6:00 p.m.
I sat up immediately.
How could Jan still be outside by this time? And why now, when the school rules were strict about evening movement?
"Which supermarket?" I asked.
She mentioned a name I barely recognized.
"It won't take long," she added cheerfully. "Please."
"Okay," I said. "I'm coming."
I dressed quickly, threw on a hoodie, and carefully sneaked out of the school without being seen. At the gate, a taxi was already parked, engine running.
Almost too convenient.
I said to my self
I entered and gave the driver the address Jan mentioned. He nodded once and drove off.
At first, the road was familiar. Streetlights. A few passing cars. Shops closing for the night.
Then, slowly, the surroundings began to change.
The streetlights thinned out. Buildings disappeared. The road narrowed. Bushes grew taller, darker, swallowing the sides of the road.
My heart began to pound.
Five minutes passed.
Ten.
Fifteen.
We were still driving.
The silence in the car felt heavy, unnatural.
"Sorry," I said, leaning forward. "Are we not there yet?"
No response.
The driver's eyes stayed fixed on the road.
A cold feeling crawled up my spine.
I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed Jan.
She picked up immediately.
"Jina, are you not there yet?"
"Jan," I said, my voice shaking despite my effort to stay calm. "That's why I'm calling. I've been in this cab for almost twenty minutes. Where exactly is this supermarket?"
There was a pause.
"A cab?" Jan repeated slowly. "Jina… the supermarket is just across the road. Opposite the school."
My blood ran cold.
"What?" I whispered.
"Why would you enter a cab?" Jan continued, panic creeping into her voice. "Where are you going?"
My heart slammed against my chest.
"Jan, hold on," I said quickly. "I'll call you back."
I ended the call and immediately dialed the emergency number—112.
Before the call could connect, a rough hand snatched my phone away.
"Hey!" I screamed.
The driver locked the doors with a sharp click and pressed harder on the accelerator.
"Stop the car!" I screamed, pounding on the glass. "Stop it!"
The car sped deeper into darkness until it finally screeched to a halt in an open clearing surrounded by tall, ancient trees. No houses. No lights. Just forest.
The driver stepped out calmly, unlocked my door, and yanked me out.
I struggled, kicked, screamed—but his grip was like iron.
From his pocket, he pulled out a chain-like object, dark and jagged. The moment it wrapped around my wrists, pain shot through my body like electricity. My strength vanished instantly, my knees buckling.
I fell to the ground.
Then they emerged.
From behind trees. From bushes. From shadows.
Men. Ladies.
Their faces twisted, eyes glowing faintly, mouths stretched unnaturally wide to reveal sharp, blood-stained teeth. Fingers elongated, nails like claws.
Monsters.
Blood-sucking creatures disguised as humans.
Tears streamed down my face as fear crushed me.
I don't have my powers…
I can't fight…
"This is the end," I whispered, closing my eyes. "At least… my mother is safe."
Then—
WHOOSH.
The sound of rushing air.
Leaves exploded upward as if a storm had descended from the sky.
Heat washed over my face.
I opened my eyes.
A figure descended from above.
A tall young guy, dressed in black, wearing a mask that concealed his face. Flames danced around his hands—not wild, uncontrolled fire, but sharp, focused, obedient.
He moved like something unreal.
With a single motion, he thrust his palm forward.
BOOM.
Fire burst out, slamming into one of the creatures, incinerating it instantly. Ash scattered into the air like black snow.
Before the others could react, he leapt—flew—from the ground, landing lightly on a tree branch.
Another strike.
Another explosion of fire.
The creatures attacked him from all sides, but none could touch him.
He spun mid-air, fire trailing his movements like wings. Each punch, each kick was precise, deadly. Flames wrapped around his legs as he delivered crushing blows, turning enemies to dust.
One tried to leap at him from behind.
He didn't even look.
A flick of his wrist—and a blade of fire sliced through the air.
Gone.
The driver ran.
The masked man landed in front of him in a flash, fire glowing beneath his feet.
The driver barely had time to scream before flames engulfed him, reducing him to ash carried away by the night breeze.
Silence fell.
The forest stood still again.
The masked man turned slowly toward me.
I tried to stand, but my legs trembled.
I took one step toward him.
"Who… are you?" I whispered.
He turned fully, his masked gaze locking onto mine.
The world spun.
Everything went dark.
I woke up on my bed.
Safe.
Warm.
My heart raced as I sat up.
"How did I get here?" I whispered.
My wrists stung.
I looked down and saw faint wounds—proof it wasn't a dream.
The window was open.
Cold air drifted in.
He brought me back…
I grabbed my phone and checked the time. No missed calls from Jan.
I quickly dialed her number.
"Jina!" she screamed the moment she picked up. "Where are you?"
"I'm in my room," I said. "I'm okay."
She went silent.
Then, "I'm coming now."
Minutes later, Jan burst into my room, rushing toward me.
"What happened to you?" she asked, inspecting me anxiously.
"I was kidnapped," I said softly. "But someone saved me. A guy… wearing a mask."
Jan froze.
"You don't know who he was?" she asked carefully.
"No. He didn't want me to see his face."
She stared at me for a moment, then hugged me tightly.
"I'm so glad you're safe," she whispered. "I'm so sorry, Jina. I should have given you proper directions."
"It's okay," I said, hugging her back. "I'm just tired."
"Do you want to eat?" she asked gently.
"I just want to sleep."
"Okay," she said. "I'll shower and join you."
She left the room.
I lay back down, my head sinking into the pillow.
My mind replayed the fire.
The speed.
The strength.
The masked man.
Who are you…?
As sleep pulled me under, one thought lingered—
Someone was watching over me.
And whoever he was…
He wasn't a human