The room was uncomfortable as soon as the door shut. The atmosphere was heavy, like it was holding its breath, as if an invisible thing that had just arrived was not willing to leave. The light from the lamp on the side table was dim and yellow and it seemed to take the long shadows from the walls and the floor. Every tiny noise was too loud, every faint movement too close.
Han Kyum was sitting on the bed, his fingers loosely curled against the blanket. Jin was standing near the wall and watching him, as if he could already know that Han Kyum was not going to say anything but that something was wrong.
"She is most definitely not normal," Han Kyum whispered.
Agreeing with him, Jin said, "Yeah, I got the same feeling."
Han Kyum clenched his jaw. "When her eyes were on me... I felt like someone was literally ripping my skin off."
Jin put his whole swallow down his throat. "The mouth was not what she used for the smile."
"No," Han Kyum said. "Her eyes were smiling."
The idea alone was enough to make his skin crawl. He moved a little bit, hoping to rid himself of this feeling that he was still being looked at, measured, and weighed.
"I am not hiding that from you," he said. "I don't like her."
Jin was pointing his head at Han Kyum. "If I am not mistaken, it is the first time you utter these words."
Han Kyum made a low sound with his mouth. "She is the one who gives me the chills."
Her words were heavier than the ones he had anticipated.
"It was when she came close to me that my body took over before my brain could realize it," he went on to say. "My hands became cold. A feeling of tightness descended upon my neck. My spine was being walked on, or at least that was the feeling I got."
Jin was gripping his sleeve fabric with more force due to his growing anxiety. "Do you think that she poses a threat to us?"
"Do you want to hear what I think?" Han Kyum asked. "More than just being dangerous she is, I am afraid, patient."
The longer he talked about her, the smaller the room seemed to be.
"Faith is often noisy," he continued. "But she is definitely not loud."
Jin was looking very uncomfortable. "Then what is she?"
Han Kyum's eyes were fixed on the floor. "She is a silent one. And quiet things tend to last longer."
He briefly shut his eyes. The memory of Hanrae's stare making its way into his thoughts, slow and not at all pleasant.
"The first time she called my name, it didn't sound like it was new," he said. "It sounded rehearsed."
Jin's voice was almost a whisper when he spoke. "That is really scary."
Han Kyum made a gesture of agreement with his head. "I think that she is definitely not someone I should ever turn my back on."
The light of the lamp was momentarily interrupted when it flickered.
The room seemed even smaller now.
The silence was heavier.
"Nor do I want her coming to us," Han Kyum said in conclusion. "Ever."
Jin did not disagree.
Because, he too, could not deny that he felt it.
Han Kyum without a thought, reached for his notebook.
The leather cover was torn, and the corners had been worn out from the times his fingers had grasped it during moments of anxiety. He sat down on the bed, opened it, and the slightly comforting scent of paper and ink came to his face. His pen was almost self-moving, it was like the lines of chemical symbols were emerging from his anxiety like they were his relief.
Jin noticed.
He moved to him, slow and cautious, as if coming up to a frightened animal.
"Still working?" Jin asked in a low voice.
Han Kyum didn't respond. "Not really."
Jin advanced his head anyway. He wasn't allowed to, but his curiosity brought him nearer. His sight wandered over the text.
Chemicals' names. Altered structures. Numbers of different reactions encircled and underlined repeatedly.
"Not even in our house, you are chasing with work," Jin whispered.
Han Kyum stopped. His writing instrument was perched halfway through a drawing.
"…I cannot bear it anymore."
Jin turned rigid. "What?"
After all, Han Kyum was the one who looked at him. His eyes seemed blacker than usual - they were tired, frightened, and he was not at peace with himself.
"We have to get out of here," he said quietly but firmly. "Before, that girl, causing trouble."
Jin looked confused. "You think she's going to do it that quickly?"
"Fast she doesn't need to be," Han Kyum responded. "Only giving her time."
The clock on the wall kept on ticking, every second seeming to last longer than it should.
Han Kyum turned over the leaf and scribbled more, this time it was messier and it seemed that he was engraving not formulas but warnings.
"She watches," he said softly. "She learns by heart. She doesn't hurry."
Jin put his hands together and leaned his elbows on them. "Then why are you writing this?"
Han Kyum was holding the pen more tightly than before.
"I mean, if something were to be happen," he uttered, "then the very least, someone would be able to understand what I intended to fix."
They didn't speak after that.
This room was seeming to be much colder than before.
The corridor outside the door was devoid of any sound.
Too quiet.
Jin moved more closely to him. "Are you sure she is even capable of such a thing?"
Han Kyum didn't waste any time with his reply.
"Absolutely."
Jin gulped.
Han Kyum put his notebook aside gently, as if he was hiding a secret.
"We are running short of time," he said, "and I would hate to find out her capabilities only when it is too late."
Jin was a bit nervous but he agreed by saying yes with his head.
And for the first time, he moved his hand in the direction of the door lock.
Just to be sure.
Hanrae was at the door, quietly and motionlessly. It is something that she didn't have to find out from seeing them, in fact, she already knew what was going on inside.
"He's anxious," she said in a low voice, almost inaudibly, as if talking only to herself. "He thinks he can outlast me... thinks he can predict me."
After a while, she let a small smile play on her lips while she was hearing them. "One day, One of you," she spoke very softly to herself, "will be useful."
After that, she left, not making another sound, her figure disappearing among the other darks there outside. The place was left with the quietness of the tension that was there because of what had just been overheard.
________
Meanwhile the van was following the twisting road, the tires making a quiet crunching sound with the gravel, and gradually, the forest was getting thinner. The in-between were filled with the quiet of night and the air inside was heavy with a mix of fatigue and the still lingering tension. Jaeheon was gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were white, but still, he kept silent. He was looking out the road in front of him which was dark, rearview mirror was flicking, and as if he was waiting for Han Kyum to appear at the next turn, he was there with anticipation.
Ms. Gael moved in her seat next to the driver. Her voice came to them, breaking the silence which was there since long. It was serene but decisive. "Driver, where are we at this moment? Would you mind telling if we are on the correct way?"
The driver was tapping the tablet kept in front of him and a frown formed on his face with the signal getting weak. "I… I am not able to take that risk, ma'am. The map keeps freezing, and the GPS is not pointing to a clear direction."
Jaeheon laughed through his teeth, and it was a sound of his frustration. "Certainly not," he said, almost to himself. "Everything is just going to pieces when we are at our worst."
Ms. Gael sighed quietly, and placed her hand gently on the board. "We will get there anyway. At the moment, we have to stay on the main road and get out of the wood. That's all the work we can do this night. Tomorrow, if the map is working, we'll go on. Safety first."
He was not answering. His clenched jaw, and the fingers of his one hand drumming in a very restless manner on the steering wheel gave a clear signal of his impatience. He detested it to wait, to be slowed down and the thought of Han Kyum being somewhere and alone he hated even more. But for now, he decided to keep quiet.
Ms. Gael was looking at him, and her voice was more gentle than before. "Jaeheon, I understand your concern, but we cannot take that risk. Drive along the road, be cautious, and tomorrow we are going to carry on. This is the only way of getting out of this situation safe and sound."
His teeth were clenched together. No words came out of his mouth. Not even a nod of affirmation. The van was moving with a constant pace, with the forest's shadows passing by the windows, the night being silent apart from the sounds of tires on the gravel and the engine's low hum.
Time was passing and the forest was finally behind them with lights visible far off. Dwellings. Streetlamps. Signs of city lights but far. Jaeheon was still holding on to the wheel tightly, but he did loosen it a little.
Ms. Gael was again leaning forward, and her voice was sounding more like that of a person with practical sense. "Driver, is the main road near? Are we there already?"
The driver gave a positive answer, and at last, there was a little bit of relief in his voice. "Yes, madam. We are close to our destination. The GPS signal is quite good here though I still can't give a hundred percent accurate location."
Jaeheon took a broad breath through his nose, keeping it for a while, then letting it out slowly and quietly. "Good enough," he said very softly. "We are stopping here for the night. Nothing more can be done."
Ms. Gael was looking at him for a long while before she herself decided to let go of the tension. "At last. It is about the time for putting an end to the danger we put ourselves in. Tonight, rest. Tomorrow, we get going again but only after we've made the necessary preparation."
The van kept on moving after leaving the thick forest. The red lights on the back of the vehicle were no longer visible as the road was straightening and the only thing that could be heard was the sound of the engine. Everyone was leaning backwards in their seats, very tired but alive, and Jae heon was thinking of Han Kyum, as always.
____
The early light of day came through the tall windows of the lab, with tiny bits of dust floating around in the rays. Han Kyum, after adjusting his gloves, came closer to the table, measuring the chemicals with very exact movements, and his total focus was evident.
Jin was walking like a shadow along with him, watching. "You are extremely focused today," he said quietly, not wanting to interrupt the silence.
Without looking up, Han Kyum replied, "Just… do it right. Every little thing counts." While one of his hands was moving at a great speed to write in his notebook, the other one was carefully taking the glass vials.
The lab had a very slight odor of chemicals and metal, which was sharp with fresh morning air. There was a certain rhythm to their work—glass being clinked, a pen being used, and the low sound of the machine which was turned on.
Jin got nearer, his eyes lit with the flame of curiosity. "Is everything ready?"
Han Kyum was caught off guard for a very short moment, then he breathed out slowly. "Yes, but we are not allowed to stay longer than we should. So let's work till the end, clean up, and go."
Both of them kept up with their work, not uttering a word, their hands showing the utmost precision and their eyes reflecting the same. The sun had already moved and the shadows were getting longer on the benches, but their attention was not drawn away. At present, the lab belonged to them alone, and that is all that mattered.
Han Kyum was intensely focused on his notebook, making notes while he measured the chemicals, and Jin was watching his every move, silently offering his support.
The tranquility was shattered by the opening of the door. Hanrae entered the room, the effect of her being was very powerful and purposeful. She didn't make an announcement—her eyes simply scanned the room and finally landing on Han Kyum and Jin.
Han Kyum continued writing. He didn't acknowledge her. His hands were moving with the same precision and his eyes were still locked on the task.
Hanrae gave a half smile. "Interesting," she said barely audible, almost a sing of irony in her smooth and even voice. She came closer with the same confidence as before, going around the lab, barely noticeable that she was disrupting them by tapping a beaker here, pushing a test tube there but they were too preoccupied to see it, however, the break in their work was quite apparent.
Jin looked at her but kept quiet. Han Kyum's face was like a rock, but his shoulders showed a bit of strain.
Hanrae cocked her ear in their direction and spoke with a quiet voice, "You are a good team, but I doubt that is the best of your performances." She was close to them and her fingers barely brushing the surface of the table, she moved just a little to change the situation but without saying a word of it.
Han Kyum clenched his teeth. He didn't answer. He was aware of the interruption but he still concentrated on the chemicals and pretended that she was not there.
Jin, on the other hand, could not stop himself from looking at her several times and though he was not quite sure what was wrong with her, he was moving towards understanding.
Hanrae was just looking with a slight smile on her face, not uttering a word and letting the discomfort dominate the atmosphere while she was slowly moving around them.
Hanrae extended her arm and took the flask, her fingers gently wrapping around it.
"You can't really do that… ma'am," Han Kyum said, somewhat irritatingly, very sarcastic.
"Why not?" she inquired, tilting her head, conducting the conversation in a very relaxed manner, and even going as far as to say that she was teasing him. "Well, isn't this just one of the chemicals?"
Han Kyum looked very bright to her, his jaw being the tightest part, his frustration being visible by the clenched fists. "It's not about the chemicals only. Precision is what matters. You can't—"
She just smiled, as if she were not really there, and was merely holding the flask in a very light manner naturally, like she was testing his impatience.
Han Kyum reacted to it by an small groan, and he rubbed his temple with his hand. "Whatever," she said, giving up in the end.
She returned the flask to its place softly and he was still bent over his notebook, with the tension being clearly visible in his shoulders.
Elijah entered the room as if the world revolved around him but without uttering a single word. His eyes wandered from Han Kyum to Jin and after that, he briefly stopped on Hanrae. "Well, well… interesting. She's hardworking," he said in a low voice and at the same time a little smile appeared on his face.
Han Kyum's writing utensil was suspended in air between writing one word and another. He said under his breath, barely audible, "Working hard, my ass."
Without looking up from his notebook, Han Kyum gripped the pen more tightly and tried to concentrate on the chemical formulas written.
Elijah was entertaining the idea with his raised eyebrow. "what did you say han kyum?" he said in a light tone although he was already aware of the fact.
Han Kyum shook his head slightly and spoke softly, "No, it's nothing," only to himself. His mind was going a mile a minute. I cannot withstand here any longer… we have to get away before that girl does something bad. His fingers were clenched tightly around the pen, and although Hanrae's presence seemed like a shadow that was enveloping them, he was still writing.
Jin looked at him with interest but decided to keep quiet. Han Kyum pretended to concentrate on the task he had at hand, however, every step that Hanrae took even though it was from the door, caught his attention. His body was very tense and all of his senses were very sharp. Writing was the only thing that could be heard from the room which was an attempt to break the silence.
At the doorway Hanrae gave Han Kyum a taunting look. "Han Kyum, see you later," she said in an unruffled manner and finally spun around and left. The door closed after her, but the sensation she left was deep and it was crawling over Han Kyum like a chilly shadow. He massaged his temples and whispered to himself, "Unbelievable..."
His glance was again toward the notebook, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
Elijah who was still there, noticed Han Kyum's condition and stayed focused on him. "Come with me," he said in a low voice and although he was not moving too close, he was firm enough that Han Kyum got the point. With a reluctant nod, he went after Elijah to the hallway.
Exiting the office, Elijah looked at Han Kyum. "I have to tell you something," he said softly. He was not in a hurry, but his tone was serious, like every word was important.
Han Kyum was walking with him, his fingers lightly curled, at his side. He was not talking, not even questioning. The silence between them was so intense, you could almost say it was suffocating with the expectation that filled it. With every step, Hanrae's presence seemed to haunt him, a cold he couldn't get rid of.
They finally came to a stop at a location further down the hall that was more secluded. Elijah facing him said in a low voice, "Listen to what I say."
"The thing I will say is going to be understood completely only by you. There should be no interruptions."
Han Kyum gave another nod, with his eyes squinting, and his concentration being solely on Elijah now. Nothing of the notebook, the laboratory or even the slight laughing of Hanrae could be seen by him as he was completely engrossed with Elijah.
Han Kyum let the air out of his lungs step by step and the muscles in his shoulders were getting even more tense. He recognized its significance and quite for a change he experienced a dual emotion of anxiety and curiosity.
The door closed with a click behind them and Elijah went to the wall, leaned his shoulder against it, and with his arms crossed, he almost looked like he was about to challenge the world with a sharp glance from his eyes. "Tell me...who is Jae Heon?", he demanded.
Han Kyum was shocked and his fingers on the table trembled a bit. "Not your business," he answered, voice low but firm.
Elijah was not to a put-off by the motherly tone of the refusal but to his surprise, his smile only made more captivatingly curious than to the contrary. "Ah... it's my business though. Would I be asking that if I wasn't?"
Han Kyum tightened his teeth and clenched his fist. "I will not," he said, "You won't hear that from me. I won't give it to you." "and.. how did you even know that.."
Elijah turned his head away from Han Kyum but kept his murder gaze. "remember? you and jin where talking? of course. I heard his name, thats why im curious.."
Han Kyum groaned and his scowl deepened. right... tskk. He slowly exhaled and his eyes were fixed on the table.
What does he want this for? Han Kyum puzzled, his thoughts going in all directions. Does he really need to know? Or is it just his curiosity? His hands were on the table, the skin of which was quite smooth, and he was closing and opening them. I definitely can't answer that question right now. Yet, I am here and it's not the right person for that. I just wish I could say no.
Elijah, on the other hand, did not utter a word but was eyeballing him steadily. The time Han Kyum was under this heavy but purposeful stare, he felt the pressure more and more.
Concentrate. Do not reveal any more information than necessary. Just... work was what going through his mind as he reluctantly glanced at the notebook lying on the table, acting as if the questions hadn't stung his thoughts at all.
Elijah looked at the notebook that Han Kyum was holding. He suddenly and lightly took it out of Han Kyum's hand and raised it just enough so that Han Kyum could see. "While I'm asking you, you need to be my full focus. Look, I need your full attention," he said, his voice being calm but sharp.
Han Kyum's clenched his teeth. He can't just—
"Okay," Han Kyum finally said in a low voice, throwing the frustration he had been suppressing. "What do you really want from Jae Heon?"
Elijah's mouth was shaped into the tiniest of smirks. "That's what I want to know. Why does he matter so much to you?"
Han Kyum looked daggers at him but didn't respond right away. His fingers were tapping against the side of the table. this man is so hard to talk.. what the hell does he even want from him
The only thing that could be heard in the room was the faint humming of the ventilation. Han Kyum felt it hard that Elijah was looking at him with a very intense stare and, expecting an answer, he still didn't give it to him. He, however, held his ground and spoke just enough not to reveal too much.
Han Kyum's voice got louder than he intended and his annoyance leaked out. "He is my friend," he said, stopping, with the stuff that annoys and defend him being felt in every syllable of his words.
Elijah was astonished, and he tilted his head a bit while putting his finger on his chin. "Friend, huh? Being one doesn't justify why you are so… agitated about him," he uttered in a half whisper which sounded like a slight mockery.
Han Kyum grabbed the corner of the table with both of his hands and tightened his grip. "You mean restless? I assure you, that is not your business," he retorted, trying to calm himself down. He can't know how much I care… he can't.
Waiting a bit, Elijah got more space as Han Kyum moved his body in the opposite direction, but he didn't miss a thing with his eyes which were focused and interrogative. "Contemplating it," he said quietly and almost to himself, "yet you are here, uttering words as if you can't take your eyes off Jae Heon. Tell me about it?"
Han Kyum clenched his teeth and felt his throat tightening. I can't… I just can't explain it to him. It won't work… He got rid of a short, sharp breath by shaking his head a little. "It's… only a thing of loyalty, that's all."
Without any hurry, Elijah scrutinized Han Kyum's face and his gaze was quite steady and knowledgeable which signified that he was picking up on what Han Kyum was thinking but not saying. "Loyalty," he said again in a slow manner, quite amused by the situation and a very slight smile appearing on his lips. "Most commendable. However, normally loyalty isn't accompanied by so much… discord."
Han Kyum was visibly displeased having to admit that he was acting. "I am not in the mood for this. I have some work to be done," he stated, definitely, he snatched the notebook is elijah hands, "i will go now, if you want questions ask me, just don't ask questions like this"
elijah smirked while he walks away in the room "feisty..huh..."
(omgfffff its starting yall!!)