Juwon started having nightmares about a month after Hyerim’s death. The fact that someone with such ominous intentions had lingered around Juwon for ten years sent shivers down her spine.

“Juwon didn’t have nightmares ever since I started living with him. If the problem was really with the underwear, everything makes sense now.”

When Hyeju woke up in the morning, Juwon often hadn’t worn anything. No, he hadn’t worn anything without exception every day.

Once she teased him if he was a primitive man, and Juwon responded that even primitive people covered that part. He suggested enjoying beautiful things without unnecessary words.

“That’s right. When we sleep together, he never wore underwear.”

The unfolding development made Hyeju clench her fists. Of course, it was embarrassingly awkward, but it wasn’t important right now.

“It won’t do. Whether it’s certain or not, I need to tell oppa about it.”

Hyeju immediately called Juwon. Even though it was time for him to have arrived and even after several attempts, he didn’t answer the call.

“Please answer, please…”

She called two, three times, but the call wouldn’t connect. Worried that something might have happened to Juwon, Hyeju left a separate message and decided to return home.

Taking a taxi back home, it was almost close to midnight.

“Why isn’t he answering when the time to arrive has passed?”

Trying to call again, Hyeju became increasingly uneasy when the call didn’t connect.

“Could something be wrong with oppa?”

[Star Icon] At the moment when Hyeju was desperately making a call to Juwon, Juwon was receiving intravenous therapy in a hospital in Hong Kong.

[Dash] Temporary fainting symptoms due to hyperventilation. It seems the patient was in a state of excessive anxiety or excitement.

The doctor’s voice coming from right beside felt distant, almost like it was coming from another planet. It was difficult to move even a finger as if the body was stretching out like a piece of taffy.

[Dash] First, let’s observe the condition. Have you contacted the guardian?

[Dash] The person in charge at the local corporation is coming as the guardian.

[Dash] That’s fortunate.

A while later, a person from the local corporation, someone Juwon knew from the HR team when he worked at the headquarters, arrived. He recalled the name Edward upon hearing the voice, but he couldn’t lift his eyelids.

Juwon gave up moving and sprawled out his body. The events that occurred on the plane just kept replaying like a loop in his mind.

‘Damn it…’

Yes, he might have let his guard down. Perhaps he wanted to believe that the nightmares had completely disappeared since he hadn’t dreamt at all during the time he was with Hyeju.

However, he didn’t anticipate witnessing something this dreadful.

About an hour had passed since the plane took off. Juwon, who had been working on his laptop and had blinked off to sleep, felt a bit exhausted, perhaps due to pulling an all-nighter from dawn.

How much time had passed?

In the sensation of someone pulling at his clothes, Juwon opened his eyes abruptly and was bewildered by the darkness. It was common to dim the cabin lights during long flights, but this level of darkness was abnormal. Absolutely.

The cold air was familiar. It felt like everything was flowing slowly as if trapped in viscous mucus.

‘Again, that thing.’

Juwon calmly began to move his fingers. There was no response, as if they were pressed by scissors.

Still, he didn’t give up and slowly untangled each joint of his fingers.

‘I can escape. Let’s not panic.’

He wanted to close his eyes, but even that wasn’t free. With bloodshot eyes, he glared at the front seat while exhaling rough breaths. Even though one finger wouldn’t move, sweat formed on his forehead.

In the midst of suffocating terror, Juwon thought of Hyeju’s face.

White cheeks, a round forehead, eyes of a slightly lighter color. Sweet lips as if they would melt upon contact.

Twitch.

The tip of his finger moved. Inwardly calling for encouragement, Juwon exerted effort to move the other fingers. That was the moment.

Swish.

The condensed air moved right beside him. When the lips with a cold sensation, like a snake, touched his ear, Juwon almost screamed.

‘Be with me.’

‘Ugh…!’

‘Let’s go together, Juwon…’

The scream that didn’t escape his mouth expanded inside Juwon. His head ached as if it would explode, and his eardrums were filled with a buzzing sound.
A horrifying terror rose from beneath. Black liquid spread across the cabin floor. It was a sticky and unpleasant liquid, emitting a scent as if tires had melted.

It gradually rose, covering Juwon’s ankles. A premonition struck him that he wouldn’t survive if covered by the black liquid.

‘No!’

Juwon desperately moved his fingers to search his pocket. Fortunately, the coin Hyeju gave him was in his pocket. Just holding it seemed to brighten the pitch-black sight a bit.

Yes, I must survive. I have to escape from here and meet Hyeju.

With all his strength, Juwon screamed.

As the suppressed roar within him erupted outward, passengers in the front rows, one after another, turned their heads.

Swish.

White faces, eyes filled with veins, and pale, trembling lips…

Dozens of Won Hye-rims simultaneously opened their lips and screamed.

‘You can’t escape from me!’

The moment Juwon met those revenge-filled eyes, he lost consciousness.

He clenched the one-hundred-won coin tightly in his hand.