Carrie had endured a long day of frustration, sharp glares, and muttered curses directed her way. By the time she returned home, exhaustion weighed heavy on her shoulders. It was already past 10 PM, and the moment she stepped through the door, an unsettling silence greeted her.
The house was eerily dark. Too dark.
Her fingers instinctively curled around the handle of the pocket knife in her jacket. The door had been unlocked when she arrived—was someone inside? A burglar? An uninvited guest? Her breath hitched as she stepped forward, her movements careful and deliberate.
Then, a whisper. A faint murmur drifting through the quiet air.
Carrie's heart pounded as she followed the sound, her pulse drumming in her ears. Jae-wook's room. The door was shut tight this time, unlike usual.
"Why does it always have to be his damn room?" she muttered under her breath, frustration clashing with concern.
Without hesitation, she gripped the door handle and swung it open.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips.
Jae-wook sat hunched in the corner, his figure bathed in the ghostly glow of her phone's flashlight. His body trembled violently, his lips moving in soundless whispers. The sight of him, usually composed and unreadable, now reduced to this state—it sent a shiver down her spine.
What the hell happened?
Snapping back to reality, she rushed to his side, dropping to her knees in front of him.
"Jae-wook!" she called, gently placing her palm against his damp skin. His temperature wasn't alarming, but the raw fear in his eyes was.
Her gaze darted around before spotting a glass of water on his bedside table. She hurriedly grabbed it and pressed it into his shaking hands.
"Drink," she ordered.
His hands were trembling so hard that the water nearly spilled, so she steadied them with her own.
"Do you have medicine?" she asked urgently.
With a weak gesture, he pointed toward the cupboard near his bed. Carrie wasted no time, dashing across the room, yanking it open, and retrieving the medication.
Minutes passed. His shaking eased, his breathing slowed. Only when she saw a hint of clarity return to his dark eyes did she let out the breath she had been holding.
"Did someone come in?" she pressed. "What happened?"
Jae-wook swallowed thickly.
"Get the lights." His voice was low, hoarse—barely a whisper.
Carrie hesitated for only a second before she dashed out, making her way to the electric box. Within moments, the power flickered back to life, chasing away the shadows that had consumed the house.
When she returned, she found Jae-wook sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor.
She studied him for a moment before speaking.
"Why won't you say anything?" Her tone softened slightly. "At least… do your parents know about this? Whatever this is?"
Jae-wook's hands curled into fists. A sharp exhale left his lips.
"Carrie, please…" He hesitated before muttering, "My parents are long dead. Can you stop bringing them up? The scars already hurt."
Carrie's stomach twisted with guilt.
"Oh my god," she whispered. "Jae-wook, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I would never have—"
"It's fine." He cut her off, shaking his head. "I appreciate your help tonight, and… I'm sorry about earlier today. But can you just… let me be? I need to be alone."
Carrie bit her lip, reluctant. But she saw the exhaustion in his eyes, the walls he was desperately trying to rebuild.
"Alright. I'll be in the living room if you need anything."
"I won't."
"Just in case."
With that, she left, shutting the door gently behind her.
---
Carrie collapsed onto the couch, her mind a storm of thoughts. She'd seen PTSD before—and this was exactly that.
But what had triggered it this time? Losing his parents? His sister? Was it something deeper?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door clicking open.
She turned to see Ava and Leo stepping inside.
"You're not mad anymore?" Leo asked, raising a brow.
"No," Carrie sighed.
Ava narrowed her eyes. "You look rattled—like someone just shook your soul." She plopped onto the couch beside Carrie, her expression sharp with curiosity.
Carrie didn't waste time.
"Leo, does Jae-wook suffer from PTSD?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Leo's expression dropped.
"What happened?" His voice had lost all traces of playfulness.
Carrie explained everything—the trembling, the muttering, the way he looked completely lost in his own mind.
Leo stiffened.
"Where is he now?"
"He locked his door," she admitted. "But… you already knew, didn't you?"
Leo let out a slow, deep exhale.
"Yeah. He's had PTSD since his parents died. It got better when he moved in with his uncle. But when his uncle passed… his wife—" he swallowed hard, his fists clenching, "—mistreated him."
Carrie felt a cold chill rush down her spine. "Are those the scars on his back?"
"Wait, what's happening?" Ava interrupted, eyes darting between them.
Leo ran a hand through his hair. "Whenever he's alone in the dark, it comes back."
Carrie's breath hitched. "The lights went out."
Leo's face paled. "And you left him alone?" His voice cracked, panic setting in. "What if he tried to—"
"Stop being dramatic."
The voice came from behind them.
They all turned sharply to see Jae-wook standing in the doorway.
Leo shot up from the couch and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"I thought I was going to lose you!" His voice was thick with emotion.
Jae-wook scoffed, trying to pull away. "Relax. I'm not dying anytime soon. Not until I deal with Na-eun."
Carrie raised a brow. "Your revenge plan is what's keeping you alive? Seriously?"
"You tell me," Jae-wook said, shaking Leo off.
Leo wiped his face with his sleeve, regaining his composure. "Why didn't you call me?"
Ava, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke. "I didn't know you went through so much. Even Carrie saw the scars, but I knew nothing."
Jae-wook's eyes darkened. "You told them?"
Leo hesitated. "I was scared. It just… slipped."
Jae-wook exhaled sharply. "Forget it. I'm going to bed." And with that, he disappeared into his room.
Ava blinked. "Wasn't I supposed to apologize?"
Carrie sighed. "I think you missed your window."
She turned back to Leo. "Tell me more."
Leo shook his head. "No."
"I want to help him."
"Not a good enough reason."
Ava crossed her arms. "Leo, you've been sitting on this for years and done nothing. Maybe it's time to let someone else help."
Leo's jaw tightened. "I'm done talking. Goodnight." He stood and left.
Ava huffed. "Did he just ignore us?"
Carrie stretched and sighed. "Don't take it personally. He's just being loyal."
Ava pouted. "So we're just going to sleep without answers?"
"For now." Carrie stood. "I'm just glad I came home when I did."
And with that, the night swallowed them in silence once more.