Chereads / STIGMA : BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE / Chapter 2 - Nightmare

Chapter 2 - Nightmare

Jungkyu kept cursing all the way home, regretting the decision he had made earlier. Jungkyu didn't think he would lose the argument and ended up taking Hyunji to his place—an apartment in the Gangnam district.

Unlike Jungkyu who looks like a zombie due to extreme regret, Hyunji immediately threw her body onto the long sofa in front of the TV. She looked comfortable hugging the sofa pillow even though the hoodie she was wearing was a little wet from the snow. That's cold of course. Hence, she immediately curled up like a caterpillar, trying to warm herself.

She was not joking when said that she was slightly stricken with hypothermia. She rarely gets sick, but that doesn't mean she can't. Moreover, spend a lot of time under the snow like before made her body shiver with cold—even though it wasn't very obvious.

"Hey!"

Jungkyu's voice accompanied by a sudden heavy feeling on her head made Hyunji wake up and immediately got up from her position. Her gaze fell on the object that had hit her head. One thick blanket along with a sweater and dark training pants.

"Change your clothes first. I don't want to accommodate sick people here," said Jungkyu who suddenly came with two cups of warm chocolate in his hand.

Hyunji squinted. "I guess now you are showing your true self. Where did your kindness that you showed earlier go, huh?"

"Gone. Carried with the wind," said Jungkyu randomly.

Hyunji glanced at Jungkyu while sneering.

She took off her mask and hat. Not paying attention to Jungkyu who was sitting nearby and sipping his hot chocolate, Hyunji was already gripping both sides of her hoodie at the bottom, about to take it off.

Noticing Hyunji's movements made Jungkyu glaring in surprise. "Wait! Are you crazy?!"

"What else now?!"

"I am here!"

"Then?"

"You ...." Jungkyu blinked a few times. At a loss for words, he really didn't understand what Hyunji was thinking at this moment. "You almost took off your clothes in front of a guy and you still act like nothing happened?! Are you stupid?!"

Hyunji rolled her eyes. "Stop it. You're overreacting. I don't care if you want to look further or not, but there's one thing you need to know. If you dare to mess with me, I'll hang you alive."

After that, Hyunji resumed her activities which had been delayed. Didn't give Jungkyu a chance to protest because he had already turned his gaze in the opposite direction.

This is really his very fatal mistake. From the start, he shouldn't have offered to help Hyunji--the strange girl that he just met on the bridge earlier. He did not expect his good intentions to be like a boomerang for him at this time.

"I'm done."

The chirp made Jungkyu turn his head slowly. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Hyunji was sitting quietly while holding a cup of hot chocolate in her oversized sweater and training. Even though he was very sure had chosen the smallest size clothing, but his clothes still looks too big if Hyunji wears it.

Hyunji put the empty cup back on the table. "Ah, I'm so sleepy! Good night, Jungkyu." She reached for the thick blanket that Jungkyu had given and immediately closed her eyes. Soft snoring slowly sounded not long after.

Jungkyu didn't give any response. He just stared at the girl in silence before grabbing the empty cup on the table and strolling away from there.

***

Hyunji gasped. Her sharp gaze circulated in all directions. Staring one by one the victims who lay covered in blood. There was no movement from them. She exhaled roughly. Feeling sorry for killing them so quickly, even though she still wanted to play much longer.

The phone vibration caught her attention. She reached into her pocket, then took out her phone from there. Mr. Lee, that's how it appears on the screen.

Hyunji spat to get rid of the remaining blood in her mouth, before pressing the green icon and holding her phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"So, how is it? Have you done?"

Hyunji glanced at someone lying right at her feet. She kicked him once to make sure he was still moving or not. "I guess so. Looks like I went a little too far because they died in such a short time."

"Then, your work is done. You can go home now. I'll tell some people to come and burn their bodies."

"Hm, okay."

Hyunji disconnects the call unilaterally. She put her phone back in her pocket, then walked away. But she only took one step when she felt someone grab her ankle.

Then a voice sounded in her ears. "Y-you! Damn you!"

Hyunji raised her eyebrows. "Can you raise your voice? I can't hear it well." She crouched down and looked at the man's condition.

The cut marks on the cheek and forehead, one eye that was swollen and blackened so that it couldn't open, the bleeding temples, bluish bruises all over the body, and the leg with a gunshot wound lodged in the thigh. Quite sad.

"Any last words?" ask Hyunji

"Die! GO TO THE HELL!"

One corner of Hyunji's lips lifted. "Nice to hear that. Actually, I also want the same thing. But in fact, no matter how often I endanger myself, I'm still breathing until now."

She tilted the man's chin up with her index finger. Noting how sharp that gaze was drawn to her even with just one eye. "By the way, sorry for hurting your face. Moreover, I noticed that you are quite handsome."

"Shut your damn mouth!"

Hyunji shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. She glanced at the watch on her wrist. If her estimate was correct, then the people her boss sent might be arriving in a moment. In other words, she had no longer left and had to step aside to let them finish their job.

Hyunji considered for a moment, before saying, "Look, there will be a lot of people here soon. If they find out you're still alive, they'll kill you right away. So before they come, I want to give you two choices." Her gaze sharpened. "Go or die here."

The man frowned slightly. "Why did you say that to me?"

"I know you were not involved in 'this case'. I only killed people who were on my target list, you are not included."

Hyunji's words actually made the man's forehead creased even more. The gaze was still as sharp as before, but it seemed he was confused. While the man was still wondering, Hyunji approached him and stole a short kiss on his lips. "Leave before I change my mind."

Right after saying that, Hyunji immediately got up and ran outside. Leaving the abandoned old building that witnessed her murder that night. Together with five corpses and someone that she left alive.