The sun had just started to dip below the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue across Queen's apartment. Her laptop screen glowed dimly in the quiet room, where she was buried in revisions once again. Her mind was swirling, trying to balance the pressure of her novel with her university studies and the growing list of tasks as an assistant to her own assistants, Fika and Mey. Her world was spinning, and everything felt heavier with each passing day.
But today, something was different. Queen had been distracted by the constant barrage of messages from the secret admirer. Every time she tried to focus on her work or studies, her phone buzzed with a new message, or sometimes, even a package would arrive at her doorstep. It was starting to get overwhelming, and she was losing patience.
Just as Queen was about to open the document for another round of revisions, her phone buzzed again. She sighed, already knowing who it was before even looking at the screen.
"I hope you're having a great day, Queen. Your latest chapter is beautiful, as always. I just wanted to remind you that I'll always be here, supporting you."
The familiar mix of warmth and unease surged through her as she read the message. Queen gripped the phone tightly and glanced toward the corner of the room, where Fika and Mey were working quietly at their desks. She couldn't involve them in this. They already had enough on their plates with their own writing projects and assisting her with revisions.
Queen's mind flicked to Jihoon—her reluctant, though somewhat necessary, partner in this whole publishing ordeal. The deadlines, the constant pressure, the reports—it all kept piling up, but none of it had prepared her for this constant, uninvited attention from someone who clearly wanted more from her than she could give.
"I don't need this. I don't want to deal with this right now."
She typed the words quickly, the phone in her hands feeling heavier with each keystroke. Her finger hovered over the send button, hesitating.
"I appreciate your support, but I'm not interested in anything more. Please stop sending these messages."
With a quick exhale, she sent it, hoping this would finally end it. She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes, her mind racing. But just as she thought it was over, the phone buzzed again.
"I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable. I just want you to know how much I admire you. I'll respect your wishes, but my admiration won't fade."
The message hit her harder than expected. The constant push, the refusal to accept her boundaries, made her stomach turn. Her hand trembled as she placed the phone back on her desk. She couldn't escape it. No matter what she did, the admirer seemed determined to get closer.
The knock on her door made her jump slightly. Fika's voice echoed from the hallway. "Queen? You okay in there?"
Queen quickly wiped away a stray tear before walking to the door. She forced a smile. "Yeah, just a little tired," she said, trying to shake off the moment of vulnerability. She couldn't let Fika see her like this—not when her friend had enough of her own worries.
Fika raised an eyebrow but didn't push it further. "You sure? You've been glued to that desk for hours. Anyway, dinner's ready, and Mey's about to blow up the kitchen if I don't stop her."
Queen's stomach growled in agreement. She hadn't eaten properly all day, caught in a cycle of work and stress. She smiled faintly. "I'll be right there."
As Queen followed Fika to the dining area, her mind was still elsewhere. The secret admirer's messages lingered in her thoughts like an unwelcome shadow. She couldn't keep avoiding it. But what could she do? If she tried to confront the admirer, would they even listen?
Mey was already sitting at the table, happily munching on some snacks. "So, Queen, you're still alive! I was starting to wonder if you had become one with your desk," she joked, but Queen could see the concern in her eyes.
"I'm fine," Queen replied softly, taking a seat at the table. "Just... a lot to do."
Fika exchanged a glance with Mey, but neither of them said anything more. They knew Queen wasn't one to talk about her feelings, especially not when it came to something like this. They let her have her space, though the silence between them spoke volumes.
After a moment of eating, Fika glanced at Queen, a question brewing on her mind. "You've been distracted lately. Is it about the book? Or is it something else?"
Queen hesitated before answering. She didn't want to burden them, not when they already had their own struggles with their writing. But she also couldn't keep everything bottled up inside.
"It's... a message from someone," Queen started, unsure of how to continue. She didn't want to say too much, but she couldn't lie either. "Someone who keeps sending me things and messages. I don't know who it is."
Fika's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Someone? Like a fan or…?"
"Not just a fan," Queen replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's someone who knows too much. They know where I live, what I'm working on… and it's getting to the point where I can't focus anymore."
Mey looked up, her expression turning serious. "That's... creepy. Have you told anyone?"
Queen shook her head. "I don't know how to deal with it. I've tried asking them to stop, but they keep sending me messages. It's like they won't take no for an answer."
Fika leaned back in her chair, thinking. "Maybe you should talk to someone about it—someone who can help. I know it's scary, but this isn't something you should try to handle alone."
Queen's eyes darted to the phone on the table, the device that held the secret admirer's words. She didn't want to involve anyone else, especially not Jihoon. The thought of him getting involved made her stomach twist in frustration. But Fika was right—this was more than just an annoyance. It was becoming a threat, and she couldn't keep ignoring it.
"I'll think about it," Queen said softly, her gaze lingering on the phone. She couldn't shake the feeling that this situation was only going to get worse before it got better.
The conversation shifted to something else, but Queen remained lost in thought. It was hard to focus on anything else when her mind kept drifting back to the admirer. She didn't want to live in fear, but it was becoming harder to deny that this person wasn't just a harmless admirer.
Later that night, after Fika and Mey had gone to bed, Queen sat in the dim light of her apartment, her laptop open in front of her but ignored. Her fingers drummed anxiously on the desk as she replayed the conversation with Fika in her mind.
The secret admirer wasn't just a nuisance—they were a threat, someone who wasn't respecting her boundaries. Queen could no longer pretend it wasn't a big deal.
Suddenly, a message popped up on her phone, shaking her from her thoughts. Her heart sank as she saw the name—Secret Admirer.
"I know you're upset, but I'll always be here for you, no matter what. You don't have to carry this burden alone."
Queen swallowed hard, her chest tightening. This was no longer just about her work or studies. This was about her safety and her peace of mind.
She knew, deep down, that something needed to change. But where did she even begin?
Her phone buzzed again, a new message from the same person. This time, though, something inside Queen snapped.
"Enough."
Her fingers moved quickly, typing out a final message to the secret admirer.
"I don't need your support. I don't need anything from you. Please, leave me alone."
She hit send before she could second-guess herself. But even as the words left her fingers, she knew it wouldn't be that easy. The battle was far from over.