Minsu stared at the broken altar, her breath still unsteady. The night was silent now, unnervingly so, as if the world itself was holding its breath. The entity was gone. The curse was broken. And yet… the weight in her chest hadn't fully lifted.
Hyowon sat beside her, exhaustion visible in his posture. He wiped a hand across his face before glancing at her. "Are you okay?"
Minsu let out a soft, bitter laugh. "I should be. But I can't stop thinking about my aunt."
She turned her gaze to the dark forest beyond the clearing. If her aunt had left to escape the curse, where had she gone? And more importantly—why had she never returned, even after all these years?
Hyowon hesitated before speaking. "You saw something, didn't you? When you touched the altar."
Minsu nodded slowly. "Flashes of her. She was here, at this altar. She was trying to fight the curse, but… something else happened. I just don't know what."
Hyowon frowned. "If she tried to fight it, then maybe she found a different way to escape. Or—" he hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Or maybe she left behind a clue somewhere."
Minsu's heart pounded at the thought. Her aunt had vanished without a word. But what if she had left something behind, something Minsu had never noticed before?
She pushed herself to her feet, determination rekindling in her eyes. "Then I need to go back to my house. I have to look again—really look this time."
Hyowon stood as well, watching her closely. "You sure you want to do this tonight?"
Minsu glanced at the ruins of the altar one last time before turning away. "I've already waited years. I'm not waiting another night."
With that, she started walking back toward the village, her mind racing.
If her aunt had left a clue behind, it was time to find it.
Minsu walked briskly through the quiet village, her mind racing with possibilities. The market, once bustling during the day, was now empty, the dim glow of lanterns casting long shadows across the dirt paths. Hyowon followed beside her, his usual calm presence grounding her anxious thoughts.
As they reached her house, she hesitated at the door. It felt different now—like a place holding secrets rather than memories. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside.
The house was silent except for the faint creak of wood beneath her feet. She moved through the rooms with a new purpose, searching for anything she might have overlooked before.
Hyowon stood near the doorway, watching. "Where would she have hidden something?" he asked.
Minsu thought for a moment before her gaze landed on the old wooden chest in the corner of the main room. It had belonged to her aunt, untouched for years. Heart pounding, she knelt beside it and slowly lifted the lid.
Inside, a familiar scent greeted her—faint traces of dried herbs and aged paper. She carefully sorted through the contents: old clothes, a few trinkets… and then, at the very bottom, a bundle of letters wrapped in faded cloth.
Her hands trembled as she unwrapped them. The ink had faded slightly, but the writing was unmistakably her aunt's.
She read the first few lines aloud:
"To my beloved Minsu, if you are reading this, it means you've came looking for the truth."
Minsu's breath caught in her throat. Hyowon stepped closer, peering over her shoulder.
"What truth?" he murmured.
Minsu's fingers tightened around the letter. She didn't know yet. But she was about to find out.
Minsu swallowed hard and unfolded the first letter, her eyes scanning the faded ink under the dim lantern light.
"Minsu, my dear, I never wanted to leave you. But I had no choice. There were things that I couldn't explain, things that would have put you in dangerif I stayed. I hoped you would never have to know about them. But if you've found about this letter, then fate has led you here."
Her fingers trembled as she turned to the next page. The handwriting became slightly uneven, as if her aunt had written in haste.
"The entity you encountered—it is not the only danger tied to our family. There is something else, something worse. I tried to stop it, but I failed. That is why I had to disappear. Not because I wanted to abandon you, but because I was being hunted."
Minsu's breath hitched. Hunted? By whom?
Hyowon leaned in, his expression darkening. "This means she didn't just leave on her own… someone forced her."
Minsu nodded, flipping to the next letter. But before she could read further, a sudden gust of wind rushed through the room, making the lantern flicker violently. The temperature dropped, and a strange, heavy presence filled the air.
Hyowon immediately tensed, his hand moving to the small talisman at his waist. "Something's here."
Minsu clutched the letter tightly, her heartbeat thudding in her ears. The shadows in the corner of the room seemed to stretch and shift unnaturally.
Then—just for a moment—a voice, barely a whisper, brushed against her ear.
"You shouldn't have come back."
A cold shiver ran down Minsu's spine. She turned sharply, but there was nothing there.
Hyowon stepped protectively in front of her. "We need to leave. Now."
Minsu clutched the letters to her chest. Whatever secrets her aunt had left behind, someone—or something—still didn't want her to uncover them.
And she was only just beginning to understand how deep this mystery truly went.
Minsu's breath came in short gasps as she clutched the letters tighter. The air in the room felt thick, pressing against her chest like an unseen force. Hyowon's voice was firm but quiet.
"We need to move, now."
But Minsu shook her head, unwilling to leave so soon. "No. My aunt left these letters for a reason. If we leave now, we might never get another chance to read them."
Hyowon hesitated, eyes flickering to the shifting shadows in the room. "Then read quickly."
Minsu turned her attention back to the letter, forcing herself to focus despite the unnatural chill creeping up her spine.
"If you are reading this, Minsu, thenyou've likelyalreadyencounteredthe first warning. Do not be afraid. They feed on fear. But be careful. Some things do not want to be found, and the past is more dangerous than you realize."
The words sent another shiver through her. Was this letter truly meant for her? Had her aunt always known she would come looking?
Hyowon shifted closer, his presence steadying her. "There must be something more," he murmured. "Something she left behind that we haven't seen yet."
Minsu nodded and quickly flipped to the next letter. But before she could start reading, a loud thud echoed from outside the house.
Her heart jumped. She exchanged a look with Hyowon, who was already moving toward the door.
"I'll check," he said in a low voice. "Stay here."
Minsu wanted to argue, but something in his expression told her it wasn't up for debate. As he stepped out onto the porch, she turned back to the remaining letters.
But then—creak.
The wooden floor behind her groaned under the weight of unseen footsteps.
A chill ran down her spine.
She wasn't alone.