Chapter 5 The Line Between Fear and Trust

The silence in the room was deafening after the stranger disappeared into the shadows. Mia's knees buckled, and she sank onto the edge of her bed, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Min-ho crouched in front of her, his sharp eyes scanning her face.

"Mia," he said softly, though his tone held an edge of urgency. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "No... but he knew my name. How does he know my name?"

Min-ho's jaw tightened. "That's what I'm going to find out."

Ji-yeon rushed into the room, her face pale with worry. "What happened? I heard shouting!"

Min-ho stood, his presence commanding. "That man from the hilltop was here. He was standing outside her window."

Ji-yeon's eyes widened, and she grabbed Mia's hand. "What? Mia, are you okay? Did he try to hurt you?"

Mia shook her head again, trying to steady her breathing. "No... he just... he said he'd see me again."

Ji-yeon looked at her brother, her voice rising. "Oppa, this is serious! You can't just let this slide."

"I know," Min-ho said firmly. He turned back to Mia. "From now on, you're not going anywhere alone. I'll talk to some people and see what I can dig up about him."

"What people?" Ji-yeon asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.

Min-ho glanced at her briefly. "People I trust. Don't worry about it."

Ji-yeon frowned but didn't press further.

---

The next morning, Min-ho left early, his expression grim as he promised to return with answers. Ji-yeon insisted on keeping Mia close, refusing to let her out of her sight.

"I don't care if you're just going to the bathroom," Ji-yeon said half-jokingly. "I'm coming with you."

Mia managed a small laugh. "Thanks, Ji-yeon. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Please, you'd do the same for me," Ji-yeon said with a grin, though her eyes betrayed her worry.

The two spent the day at home, trying to distract themselves with cooking and watching movies, but the tension lingered like a dark cloud. Mia kept glancing out the window, her heart skipping a beat at every shadow or unexpected movement.

---

Min-ho returned in the evening, his face set in a grim mask.

"Did you find anything?" Mia asked, her voice trembling.

Min-ho hesitated before nodding. "His name is Do-hyun. He's... connected to some dangerous people. No one knows exactly what he's after, but he's not someone you want to cross."

Mia swallowed hard. "Why would he be interested in me?"

"I don't know yet," Min-ho admitted. "But I'll find out. Until then, you need to trust me and follow my instructions. No going out alone, no talking to strangers, and if anything feels off, you call me immediately."

Ji-yeon crossed her arms. "Oppa, this is serious. Shouldn't we go to the police?"

Min-ho shook his head. "Not yet. This kind of man... he doesn't leave trails. If we go to the police without evidence, he'll disappear, and we'll lose any chance of stopping him."

Mia felt a sinking dread in her stomach. "So what do we do?"

"We wait," Min-ho said, though his tone betrayed his frustration. "And we stay vigilant."

---

That night, Mia struggled to sleep again. Every creak of the house, every whisper of wind against the windows sent her heart racing. She lay in bed, clutching her phone like a lifeline, ready to call Min-ho at the slightest hint of danger.

Hours passed, and the house was silent. But just as she began to drift into an uneasy sleep, a faint noise reached her ears. It was a soft scraping sound, like fingernails against glass.

Her eyes flew open, and her breath hitched. The sound was coming from the window.

Summoning every ounce of courage she had, Mia reached for her phone and dialed Min-ho's number.

"Min-ho," she whispered as soon as he picked up. "He's here."

"Stay where you are," Min-ho said, his voice sharp. "Lock the door. I'm coming."

Mia hurried to the door, turning the lock before retreating to the farthest corner of the room. The scraping continued, slow and deliberate, as if the stranger was toying with her.

"Mia," Min-ho's voice came through the phone. "I'm outside. Don't open the door for anyone until I say it's safe."

A loud crash from downstairs made her flinch. She clutched the phone tighter, her pulse racing.

"Min-ho," she whispered. "I think he's in the house."

There was silence on the other end for a moment, then Min-ho's voice, low and deadly. "Stay hidden. I'll handle it."

---

Mia huddled in the corner, her heart pounding as footsteps echoed through the house. She could hear Ji-yeon shouting, her voice a mix of fear and anger, but she couldn't make out the words.

Suddenly, her door burst open, and she screamed-only to see Min-ho standing there, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Come with me," he said, his voice tight.

She hesitated. "What about Ji-yeon?"

"She's safe. Come on."

Mia followed him out of the room, her hands trembling as she clung to his arm. They made their way downstairs, where Ji-yeon stood near the door, her face pale but determined.

"Oppa, what's going on?" Ji-yeon demanded.

Min-ho didn't answer. His focus was on the front door, which hung ajar, the lock broken.

"He was here," Min-ho muttered, his hands clenching into fists. "But he's gone now."

Ji-yeon's eyes widened. "Who? That man?"

Min-ho nodded, his expression dark. "He's escalating. We need to be ready."