Y/N'S POV

Walking out of my apartment, I was immediately assaulted by the familiar stench of the grungy streets I called home. The damp asphalt mingled with the metallic tang of city life, but it all seemed to dissipate the moment I turned the corner. There she was—my one true love, gleaming under the morning light.

My motorbike.

She wasn’t just a machine; she was my sanctuary, my escape. The day I bought her remains etched in my memory, one of the first things I spent my hard-earned money on, apart from my modest apartment. And even now, I’ve never regretted that decision for a second.

A 2007 GSX-R Suzuki motorcycle, sleek and elegant in midnight black with white wings meticulously painted along the sides. She was everything I’d dreamed of—raw power wrapped in exquisite design. Standing beside her, I felt a swell of pride, like she was an extension of me.

Pulling out my phone, I noticed a slew of messages indicating that everyone else was already on their way to school. Typical me—running late again. With no time to waste, I slid my helmet over my head, the visor tinting my view as I secured it. The engine roared to life beneath me, a familiar and comforting growl that sent a thrill down my spine. It was music to my ears, a melody only I could truly appreciate.

The slick roads, still glistening from last night’s rain, shimmered faintly in the morning mist as I sped onto the main street. The cold air stung my cheeks, though my smile was hidden beneath the helmet. Riding through Daegu, the city lights flickered past like fleeting memories. I revelled in the adrenaline that coursed through my veins, the kind that only the open road could provide.

As I approached a traffic light, the amber hue shifted to red, forcing me to brake. My chest heaved, the excitement still fresh, as I adjusted my mirrors. That’s when I noticed it—a black car sitting quietly behind me. It wasn’t just the size of the vehicle that unsettled me; it was the inexplicable feeling it stirred in me. Something about it felt... wrong.

The light flicked to green, and I eased the throttle, taking a sharp left and then a right. My instincts screamed at me to stay calm, but the car followed, unrelenting. My gut twisted with unease as I glanced back again. It wasn’t just following—it was tailing me.

I checked my watch, knowing I had little time before school started. I couldn’t be late. With my heart pounding, I made a split-second decision to turn into a narrow alleyway. The tyres screeched slightly against the wet ground as I pushed forward.

The alley stretched long before me, but my relief was short-lived. A brick wall loomed ahead, cutting off my path. My breath quickened as the reality of my situation set in. The alley was too tight for the SUV to follow, but I was cornered. My mind raced, scanning for options. Then I saw it—a wooden plank propped precariously against a garbage bin.

Desperation lit a fire in me. Without second-guessing, I sped towards it, letting instinct take over. The bike hit the plank, launching me over the wall with a jarring thud. My tyres hit the ground on the other side with precision, and I skidded to a stop.

I exhaled sharply, my body trembling from the rush of adrenaline. Behind me, the screech of tyres echoed, followed by the distinct slam of a car door. Footsteps sounded on the other side of the wall, heavy and deliberate. For a moment, I froze, staring at the barrier that separated me from whoever was pursuing me. I didn’t need to see them to know they were standing there, just as I was.

Then, I heard it.

A voice, cutting through the morning stillness like a knife.

“Y/N!”

My breath hitched, my palms slick against the handlebars as my heart thundered against my ribcage. They weren’t calling out some random name; they were calling me.

Not Yoona.
Not anyone else.
Me.

I didn’t wait to decipher the voice or its owner. Revving my engine, I sped off, the roar swallowing the turmoil in my mind. But even as I vanished into the city streets, their voice lingered, echoing in my ears, sinking into my very bones.

——

The gnawing pit in my stomach only deepened as I passed through the school gates, a dull ache that refused to fade. My eyes scanned the familiar courtyard, eventually landing on Jisoo, her face instantly lighting up with a mix of worry and relief.

“Girl, where have you been?” she exclaimed, her tone more accusatory than I had expected.

Sliding my helmet off, I ran a hand through my dishevelled hair and shrugged nonchalantly. “Oh, you know, just shaking off some idiot who thought it’d be fun to tail me this morning.” I tried to sound casual, but her eyes widened in horror.

“You’re joking, right?” she gasped, clutching my arm. “Yoons, you need to report things like that. What if—”

I cut her off with an incredulous look, waving a hand dismissively. “Honestly, Jisoo, it’s not that serious. Just some random weirdo, I handled it. Anyway, we’re already late for class.”

Her expression was a mix of disbelief and exasperation as she huffed, clearly dissatisfied with my nonchalant attitude. But she grudgingly followed me towards the building, muttering under her breath about how reckless I was.

The first class of the day was with most of my usual group, a small mercy considering how exhausting mornings could be. As we slipped into the room, I spotted Taehyung already seated, his dark eyes scanning the room lazily. I dropped into the seat next to him with a sigh, plonking down my things with little care.

His gaze shifted to the stack of papers I’d brought along, his brows furrowing in mild disbelief. “What on earth is that?” he asked, the amusement in his tone unmistakable.

“Notes,” I replied curtly, arching a brow.

“Looks more like a small novel,” he quipped, smirking slightly.

Rolling my eyes, I scoffed. “Oh, please. Don’t start. What do you want, Tae?”

He didn’t respond immediately, instead sliding a sheet of paper across the desk towards me. “Help me with this,” he said, his tone bordering on sheepish.

I barely glanced at it before shoving it back in his direction. “Absolutely not. Maybe you could, I don’t know, do your own work for once?”

His groan of frustration was almost theatrical, prompting a small laugh from me.

“Fine,” he muttered, slumping back in his chair dramatically.

“Don’t worry, though,” I added, my tone teasing. “I’ll be here to offer moral support. That counts for something, right?”

His dark eyes narrowed at me in mock annoyance, though the faint twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement. Moments like these—light, fleeting, and entirely unserious—were the ones I treasured most. Despite the unease that lingered from my encounter earlier, this simple exchange felt like a balm, grounding me in the familiarity of my routine.

——

After a while, I finally caved to Taehyung's relentless pestering and helped him with his work. The grin of relief and gratitude he shot my way was annoyingly charming, but I refused to admit it. Before long, the bell rang, and we gathered our things, heading towards the bustling hall for lunch.

As we approached the tables, I spotted my usual group already seated. I sighed, knowing full well what awaited me. My gaze immediately locked onto Jisoo, her eyes narrowing as she spotted me. Her glare was piercing, and I braced myself for the inevitable.

The cacophony of chatter at the table was overwhelming, but Jisoo, never one to be deterred, cleared her throat with dramatic flair, silencing the group. Everyone turned their attention to her, and I lowered my head, staring intently at the surface of the table.

“So, Yoons,” she began, her tone sweet yet accusatory. “Care to share what happened this morning?”

I groaned internally, casting her a sharp look before glancing at the others. Their curious faces made it clear there was no escaping this. “I just got followed by a car,” I mumbled, barely audible over the din of the hall.

The table fell silent for a fraction of a second before gasps erupted from all around. I groaned aloud this time, dragging a hand down my face.

“Are you serious?” Jessi, who was seated beside me, grabbed my arm and began inspecting me as if she’d find a hidden wound. “Are you okay? Did they do anything? Are you hurt?” Her questions came rapid-fire, and I nodded mechanically, plastering on a tight, plastic smile to appease her.

While Jessi fussed, my attention drifted to Taehyung, who sat across from me. His usual laid-back expression had darkened, and his jaw was clenched tightly. His anger was palpable, radiating off him like heat.

“Why haven’t you reported it yet?” he demanded, his voice sharper than usual. His intense gaze bore into me, but I met it with a blank stare.

“I just don’t think it’s worth the drama,” I replied with a casual shrug, though my tone lacked conviction.

Taehyung let out a humourless laugh, shaking his head. “Yoona, we all know you hate drama, but this is serious. You can’t just brush it off.”

“He’s right, Yoons,” Yunjin chimed in, her voice softer but no less insistent. “This isn’t something you can ignore. You need to report it.”

I sighed deeply, my shoulders slumping under the weight of their concern. But they didn’t understand. Reporting it would only draw unwanted attention, and the last thing I needed was my face plastered on the news.

“Fine,” I relented with a groan, though the words felt hollow. My friends exchanged satisfied nods, their chatter quickly shifting to other topics.

As the conversation faded into background noise, I stared out the window, my thoughts spiralling. What if it wasn’t just a random incident? What if it was him—or worse, one of his men? My heart began to race at the mere possibility, and I clenched my fists under the table.

No, I told myself firmly. If it were him, he would’ve come straight to the school. He wouldn’t hide behind a car. But the thought did little to calm me. Images of him flooded my mind—his piercing eyes, the cruel set of his lips—and a shiver ran down my spine.

“Yoona!”

The sharp voice jolted me back to reality. I turned to see Jisoo staring at me, her brows furrowed in concern.

“Why do you keep zoning out today?” she asked, tilting her head. Then, with a huff, she added, “You know what? Never mind!” She grabbed my hand, tugging me to my feet.

“Sorry, Jisoo,” I said quickly, forcing a weak smile. “I think the whole car-following thing just got me a bit dazed.”

Her expression softened, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Exactly why you need to report it to the police!” she said, her tone shifting back to exasperation.

I chuckled, nodding as we began walking towards our next class. “Will do,” I murmured, though the unease in my chest refused to dissipate.

——

The final bell rang, releasing me from class, and my stomach twisted as I glanced at the time. I was already late for my shift at the café.

Stuffing my books haphazardly into my bag, I threw a hurried goodbye over my shoulder to my friends and bolted out of school. The familiar growl of my motorbike roared to life beneath me as I sped off, weaving through traffic with a single goal in mind.

When I pulled up to the café, my heart sank. Through the large front window, I could see it was packed with customers, the kind of crowd that made a busy shift feel like a marathon. My coworker Rose was already behind the counter, juggling orders with the precision of someone far more prepared than I was.

Pushing open the door, I rushed inside, quickly tying on my apron as I slipped into work mode. The noise of clinking mugs, hissing steam, and overlapping conversations filled the air as I darted from table to table, taking orders and delivering drinks.

But amid the chaos, a strange feeling settled over me—a prickling awareness that someone was watching me. My eyes scanned the room, but the crowd made it impossible to single anyone out. Shaking off the unease, I forced myself to focus on the task at hand.

The rush eventually subsided, and with a grateful sigh, I retreated to the staff room for a much-needed break. Slumping into a chair, I let my head fall back against the wall, savouring the brief silence.

The door suddenly burst open, and Rose stumbled in, his expression frazzled as he clutched a note in one hand.

“What is it?” I asked, sitting up straighter. His dishevelled appearance immediately put me on edge.

“There’s this crazy rich guy sitting in a booth,” Rose began, his words tumbling out in a rush. “When I went to serve him, he handed me a fifty-dollar tip—just like that—and said, ‘I’d like Ms Choi as my server.’” His voice dropped into an exaggerated imitation for the last part.

My brows knitted together in confusion. A mix of suspicion and irritation bubbled up, but I forced myself to stay calm. Rising from my chair, I brushed past Rose, ignoring his whispered questions about who the man might be.

As I approached the booth, I noticed the stranger sitting with his back partially turned, his face obscured as he gazed out the window. The glare from the glass only added to his mystery, and I hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping forward.

Notebook in hand, I kept my eyes down, refusing to acknowledge the unease creeping up my spine. “What can I get for you?” I asked, my tone deliberately casual.

The man’s voice stopped me cold. Deep, smooth, and familiar, it sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.

“Five minutes of your time,” he said.

My head snapped up before I could think better of it, my eyes locking onto his. His gaze was sharp, almost predatory, as it met mine. There was a glint of something unreadable in his eyes—a mix of intrigue and intent that sent my heart racing.

For a moment, I was frozen, notebook clutched tightly in my hands as my mind scrambled to process what was happening. There was something about him—something that felt like a warning and a challenge all at once.

Words— 2474
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