Chapter 2: A World Beyond Shadows
The next day at school, Jin Soo couldn't focus. The memory of the shadow creature and the mysterious woman haunted him. He kept glancing over his shoulder, half-expecting another creature to appear in the daylight. Every shadow seemed longer, darker.
During lunch, Min Jae joined him, looking just as uneasy. "Jin Soo, about last night… Are we going to talk about it?"
"I don't even know what to say," Jin Soo replied, pushing his food around. "Who was that woman? And that… thing?"
Min Jae shook his head. "Maybe we imagined it. Some kind of prank?" But he didn't sound convinced. They both knew what they'd seen.
Later that evening, Jin Soo decided he needed answers. He returned to the clearing alone, clutching a flashlight and hoping, somehow, that the woman would reappear. The quiet of the woods pressed in on him, every sound amplified in the silence. For a while, there was nothing—just him and the gentle rustle of leaves.
Then, a familiar chill crept over him.
From the shadows, the woman emerged again, as if she'd been waiting for him. She looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and frustration.
"Why are you here, Jin Soo?" she asked, her tone edged with impatience.
Jin Soo took a shaky breath. "Who… are you? And what was that thing last night?"
She studied him for a moment, then sighed. "My name is Eun Ha. I'm a Shadow Walker. That thing you saw last night was a shadow creature—a being from the Shadow Realm." Her gaze darkened. "And they're drawn to you, Jin Soo. You're different from others."
"Different… how?" Jin Soo asked, feeling a knot of fear tighten in his stomach.
"Let's just say you're a rare case—a human who can sense the Shadow Realm. You have the potential to move between our worlds, and that makes you valuable to… certain forces." Eun Ha paused, glancing around as though watching for something lurking nearby.
"This doesn't make any sense," Jin Soo said, his mind spinning. "Why would they come after me?"
"Because your presence disrupts the balance," she replied. "Most people live their lives blissfully unaware of the shadows that exist around them. But you… you're a bridge between worlds. And the creatures of the shadows will do anything to stop you."
Eun Ha took a step closer. "Listen, Jin Soo. You have to stay hidden, stay quiet. Don't try to see into the shadows. They're coming, and the more you use your power, the easier it will be for them to find you."
Jin Soo wanted to argue, but he knew she was serious. "What should I do, then?"
"Stay alert," Eun Ha said. "And remember: the shadows are always watching." With that, she disappeared into the night, leaving Jin Soo alone once more.
As he walked home, Jin Soo's mind was racing. He had so many questions. But one thing was clear—his life was no longer ordinary.
To Be Continue....