Stepping inside the cab, I took a deep breath.
The driver looked normal—too normal—as he turned and smiled at me through the rearview mirror. There was nothing strange about him, nothing that made my instincts scream danger. The atmosphere felt calm, almost comforting.
I leaned back against the seat.
Surprisingly, my spirit felt light. Too light.
The cab moved smoothly through the road, passing familiar streets, then unfamiliar ones. I watched buildings fade into quieter spaces, until the city noise slowly disappeared. Still, nothing felt wrong. No strange heaviness. No sense of danger.
Finally, the cab stopped in front of a building.
The driver nodded slightly.
"We're here."
I stepped down, glancing around. The place looked ordinary—just another building standing quietly, as if it had always been there and always would.
Before I could turn back, a young lady approached me.
She wore a face cap pulled low over her face, hiding her features. Without a word, she beckoned for me to come closer.
I hesitated only for a second.
Then I followed her.
As we walked, I tried to catch a glimpse of her face, but the cap was well placed, casting shadows that refused to reveal anything. She walked confidently, as if she knew the path by heart.
We passed through a lonely stretch of land, quiet and empty. The silence was unsettling, but still—nothing screamed danger.
Soon, we reached an open space.
A boat was already waiting.
"Jina," the girl finally spoke, her voice calm.
"You don't need to be afraid. I stayed this far because I wanted to be safe."
"Yen?" I called out, stopping abruptly.
She didn't answer.
Instead, she turned slightly and motioned toward the boat.
I followed her onto it, my heart beating faster now. The water beneath us was dark and still, reflecting nothing. As the boat moved, she avoided eye contact completely.
The journey was long and quiet.
Eventually, the boat stopped in front of a lonely building standing by itself, surrounded by emptiness. It was the only structure in sight.
Before I could ask anything, the boat sped away.
I turned back sharply.
She stood there, smiling beneath the cap.
"Come on," she said gently.
"Let's go inside."
She led the way into the building.
Inside, the place was small and almost empty. A single chair. A table. Nothing else.
"Sit, Jina," she said.
"We have a lot to talk about."
I sat slowly, still scanning the room. Strangely, I felt normal. No fear. No warning bells. Maybe because she was the only one here.
"Jina," she said again, her voice softer now.
"Nice meeting you, roommate."
"Yen?" I called, staring at her covered face.
She said nothing.
"Before we start," she continued, standing up,
"take some water first. What would you like? Should I get food for you?"
She handed me a bottle of water.
"No, Yoon," I said absentmindedly, taking a sip.
"I'm fine with just water."
She paused slightly.
"Okay, Jina," she said calmly.
"I wasn't dead, as they said."
My eyes stayed on her.
"I was kidnapped, and the—"
Suddenly, my vision blurred.
The room spun.
I looked down at the bottle of water in my hand, then back up at her.
My body felt heavy.
Before I could speak, my knees gave way.
Darkness swallowed me.
When I woke up, a sharp headache pulsed through my head.
Everywhere was dark.
Only a tiny line of light slipped in through what looked like a locked door. My hands were free—no ropes, no chains—but my body felt weak.
Confused, I stood up and rushed to the door.
Locked.
Suddenly, the door opened.
"Jina."
The same woman stepped inside.
This time, her face was uncovered.
She wasn't as young as I had imagined.
"Yen?" I called weakly.
She smiled.
"Stop it, Jina," she said coldly.
"Yen is gone."
My heart skipped.
"What do you mean?" I asked, startled.
"Welcome back," she said casually,
"from your three-days sleep."
"Three days?" I shouted, grabbing my phone.
My breath caught.
Three days had really passed.
I turned back to her, panic rising.
"What happened to me? How did I sleep for three days?"
She smiled wider.
"Well," she said, glancing at her wrist,
"feel free to talk—for about two more minutes before you fall into another three-day sleep."
Fear finally struck.
I rushed toward the door, but instantly, a force like a strong breeze threw me backward.
I hit the floor hard.
"You don't need to worry about escaping," she said calmly.
"There is nowhere to go. This place is in the middle of nowhere."
She walked closer.
"Since it's difficult to kill you," she continued,
"I'm here to drain you… slowly. Until you give up."
She checked the time again.
"You'll enter another three-day sleep. And when you wake up…"
She smiled.
"That will be your last three days before the final goodbye."
She lifted my face with her fingers.
"You're already draining," she whispered.
Then she opened the door slightly.
"See that empty space?" she asked.
"That's where you'll be buried."
My body trembled.
"Oh, and don't bother hoping for the masked human," she added.
"Every trace has been cleared. He won't be able to find you."
She smiled proudly.
"He doesn't even know you're missing."
She turned to leave.
"Sleep well."
Before I could scream—
Darkness took me again.