---
Na-young stood frozen in the empty courtyard, her heart hammering in her chest. The image of Ji-ho being dragged into the car replayed over and over in her mind. She could still hear his voice, the panic in his words: " Na-young, run!"
But she hadn't run. She had stood there, helpless, watching as the car disappeared into the night. Her legs felt weak, but she forced herself to move, stumbling toward the music hall where they had planned to meet. Her hands trembled as she pulled out her phone, dialing Ji-ho's number.
No answer.
She tried again. Still nothing.
Her mind raced. Who were those men? Why had they taken Ji-ho? And more importantly, why had he been so afraid to involve her?
Na-young didn't know where to start. The school felt too quiet, the shadows in the hallways suddenly more menacing than before. She hurried back to the dormitory, her thoughts swirling in a whirlwind of fear and confusion. She had to talk to someone, but who could she trust? Sophie? The girl had only been at the school a short time, but she seemed sharp. Maybe she'd know what to do.
As Na-young reached the dorm, her phone buzzed again. A new message.
"If you want to see Ji-ho again, stay silent. Don't tell anyone."
Her blood ran cold.
Hands shaking, she stared at the text, reading it over and over. Stay silent. Whoever had taken Ji-ho was watching. They knew where she was, who she might go to for help. The thought made her feel exposed, vulnerable. But there was no way she could just do nothing. Ji-ho was in danger, and every second she wasted might be crucial.
She typed out a message to Sophie, hesitating only briefly before pressing send: "Meet me at the library. Urgent."
---
Na-young paced outside the library, glancing nervously at the darkened campus. Every shadow felt alive, every rustling leaf made her jump. When Sophie finally arrived, her sharp eyes immediately noticed something was wrong.
"What happened?" Sophie asked, her voice low.
Na-young swallowed, still unsure how much she could reveal. " Ji-ho's in trouble," she whispered, her voice trembling. "He was... he was taken."
Sophie's eyes widened, and for the first time since they'd met, Na-young saw a flicker of genuine concern. "What do you mean, taken? By who?"
"I don't know," Na-young said, her voice breaking. "But they sent me a message, telling me not to tell anyone. Whoever it is, they're watching."
Sophie's face hardened. "That's serious. We can't just sit here and do nothing. Did Ji-ho say anything before he was taken? Anything about who these people are?"
Na-young thought back to Ji-ho's words, the fear in his eyes when he mentioned his family. "He said... it had something to do with his family. Something dangerous."
Sophie was quiet for a moment, thinking. " Ji-ho's family is one of the wealthiest in the country. If someone's targeting them, it's serious. We need more information."
Na-young nodded, but she couldn't shake the feeling that whatever they were dealing with was way out of her league. "But how do we find out more? It's not like we can just ask his family."
Sophie's eyes glinted with determination. "We might not need to. Rich families like his—they leave a trail. Secrets, rumors. There's always someone who knows something. We just have to find the right person."
Na-young frowned, unsure of what Sophie meant. "What are you suggesting?"
Sophie leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I've heard some things about Ji-ho's father. Shady business deals, connections to people who aren't exactly above board. If we can dig into that, maybe we'll find out who's behind the kidnapping."
Na-young felt a chill run down her spine. Sophie was right, but the idea of diving into the dark world of Ji-ho's family made her stomach turn. Still, she had no other choice.
"What do we do first?" Na-young asked, her voice barely audible.
Sophie looked around to make sure they weren't being overheard. "There's a guy I know. He's... let's just say, good at finding things out. He's not a student here, but he hangs around the city. If anyone knows what's going on, it's him."
Na-young's anxiety spiked. "Can we trust him?"
Sophie hesitated for a moment. "Trust is a strong word. But he's useful, and he won't ask too many questions if we pay him enough."
---
The next day, Sophie took Na-young to a part of town she had never been to before. It was far from the pristine, gated world of Willow Heights. The streets were lined with old buildings and worn-down shops, a stark contrast to the luxurious life most of the students at school were used to.
They walked through an alleyway until they reached a small, nondescript café. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of coffee and cigarettes. At a corner table sat a young man, dressed in a leather jacket with a hood pulled low over his eyes. He looked up as they approached, his gaze lingering on Sophie before shifting to Na-young.
"This is him?" the man asked, nodding toward Na-young.
Sophie nodded. "She's the one."
Na-young's stomach twisted. She wasn't sure if she liked the idea of being described as "the one," but there was no turning back now.
The man leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're looking for information about Ji-ho Yoon's family, right? I hear his dad's been in deep with some dangerous people."
Na-young nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. "He was kidnapped last night. I need to know why."
The man smirked, though there was no humor in his eyes. "You sure you wanna go down this road, sweetheart? Once you start digging into the Yoon family's business, you might not like what you find."
Na-young's breath caught in her throat, but she forced herself to stay calm. "I don't care. I need to know who took him."
The man studied her for a long moment before finally speaking. "Alright. But this'll cost you. And if I were you, I'd keep my head low. People who cross Ji-ho's father tend to disappear."
Na-young's blood ran cold. She exchanged a glance with Sophie, who gave her a slight nod.
"Deal," Na-young said quietly, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins.