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Chapter Eight: Whispers in the Dark
Days passed, but the weight of Ji-ho's disappearance pressed down on Na-young with every moment. The more she and Sophie searched, the more questions seemed to arise. Each lead they followed took them deeper into a web of secrets and lies. But still, no one had seen or heard from Ji-ho. The school buzzed with rumors, but Maya kept her mouth shut, remembering the chilling message she'd received: "Stay silent. Don't tell anyone."
Sophie had called the mysterious informant again, but even he had little more to offer. "The Yoon family has enemies," he'd said vaguely, his voice as slippery as oil. "But the person behind this? They're not leaving any footprints. Whoever they are, they're good."
Na-young's nerves were frayed, and every shadow seemed to hold a threat. She found herself glancing over her shoulder, waiting for the next warning, the next message. Her phone stayed eerily quiet. No updates. No demands. Just silence. Whoever had taken Ji-ho was waiting for something. But what?
One evening, as Na-young sat alone in her dorm room, going over everything she knew, her phone buzzed again. Her heart lurched, expecting another message from the kidnappers. But it wasn't.
Unknown Number: "You're closer than you think."
Her hands trembled as she stared at the message, dread curling in her stomach. Who was this? It wasn't the same as the kidnappers' messages. This felt... different. Like someone was watching her, guiding her, but from the shadows. She quickly typed a reply, her fingers shaking as she pressed send.
Na-young: "Who is this? What do you know?"
There was no immediate response. For several agonizing minutes, Na-young watched her phone, waiting, her mind racing. Finally, it buzzed again.
Unknown Number: "Find the red notebook."
Na-young's breath caught in her throat. The red notebook? What did that mean? Was it a clue? Did it belong to Ji-ho? She hadn't seen anything like that in his belongings, and he never mentioned it.
But she couldn't shake the feeling that whoever this was, they knew more than they were letting on. This wasn't a coincidence. They were connected to Ji-ho's kidnapping.
---
The next day, Na-young met Sophie in the courtyard, away from prying eyes. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the campus, but Na-young could barely focus on anything but the mysterious message.
"We need to find something," Na-young whispered urgently. "A red notebook. Someone texted me last night. They know something about Ji-ho."
Sophie's brows furrowed. "A notebook? That's pretty vague. Are you sure it's legit?"
"I don't know, but it's the only lead we've got," Na-young said, desperation creeping into her voice.
Sophie was silent for a moment, thinking. Then she nodded. "Okay. Let's start with his locker. If he was hiding something, that's the most obvious place."
---
They slipped into the school building, the hallways eerily quiet after hours. Sophie kept watch as Na-young hurried to Ji-ho's locker, her heart racing in her chest. She fumbled with the combination she had seen him use once before. After a few attempts, the lock clicked open.
Na-young's hands trembled as she rifled through Ji-ho's things. A few textbooks, sheet music, and a jacket were all she found at first. Nothing unusual.
Then, tucked between two books, she spotted something. A flash of red. Her heart skipped a beat. She pulled out a small, leather-bound notebook. It was worn, the edges frayed as if it had been handled many times.
She opened it, her breath catching in her throat. The pages were filled with hastily scribbled notes, addresses, and names she didn't recognize. But what stood out most was a symbol etched onto the inside cover—an intricate design that sent a chill down her spine. It was unlike anything she had seen before. Cryptic and unsettling.
"What is this?" Sophie whispered, peering over her shoulder.
"I don't know," Na-young murmured. "But it's connected to Ji-ho. I'm sure of it."
Sophie looked at the notebook, her face grim. "We need to figure out what that symbol means. It could be the key."
---
Later that night, as Na-young sat on her bed, staring at the notebook, she heard a knock on her door. Her heart raced as she opened it, expecting Sophie.
But it wasn't.
A small envelope was lying on the floor, with no sign of who had left it. She picked it up, her pulse quickening. Inside was a single slip of paper.
"You're getting too close. Stop now or face the consequences."
Na-young's blood ran cold. Someone knew about the notebook. Someone was watching her every move.
Suddenly, the lights flickered, casting strange, wavering shadows around her room. The silence of the night felt oppressive, and a sense of dread gripped her. The unknown figure behind all of this was closer than she thought. And they weren't done with her yet.