Minsu's breath caught in her throat. The voice was soft yet chilling, as if spoken by someone who knew her—someone who had been waiting for this moment.
Hyowon's grip on her wrist tightened. He moved silently, positioning himself between her and the window.
The whisper came again. "Minsu… you finally came back."
Minsu swallowed hard. Her mind raced through possibilities. Who could it be? No one in the village should have known she was here—except for Hyowon and Baek Ilho.
A long silence stretched between them. Then, a slow tap, tap, tap against the wooden door.
Hyowon gestured for her to stay back before carefully creeping toward the entrance. He pressed his ear against the door, listening.
No other sounds. No movement. Just the endless stillness of the night.
Minsu's pulse hammered. She wasn't sure if she was more terrified or desperate for answers.
Finally, Hyowon called out in a low voice, "Who's there?"
A beat of silence. Then—
"You're looking for the wrong person."
A shiver ran down Minsu's spine. The voice sounded calm, knowing.
Hyowon hesitated before unlocking the door and pulling it open just an inch.
Nothing.
The night stretched out before them, empty and quiet. No footprints, no signs of movement—only the darkened village beyond.
Hyowon scanned the surroundings before shutting the door again, locking it tight. He turned to Minsu, his expression unreadable.
"They're playing with us."
Minsu clenched her fists. "Who are 'they'? And what do they mean, 'the wrong person'?"
Hyowon exhaled sharply. "I don't know yet. But we need to find out—before they find us first."
Minsu nodded, determination rising despite the fear curling in her chest.
Whatever this was, whoever was watching them—it was only the beginning.
The silence inside the mill grew heavier, wrapping around them like an unseen force. Minsu's pulse pounded in her ears as she struggled to make sense of what just happened.
Someone had been outside. Someone who knew her name. Someone who spoke as if they'd been expecting her.
Hyowon exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "We can't stay here. If they know we're here, they'll be back."
Minsu nodded, forcing herself to stay calm. "Where do we go?"
Hyowon glanced at the window again. "There's an old shrine deeper in the woods. It's abandoned, but it should be safe for the night."
Minsu hesitated. The idea of wandering through the forest at night unsettled her, but staying in the mill felt worse.
She took a deep breath. "Let's go."
Moving quickly, they stepped out into the night. The village was eerily quiet, the streets empty as if no one had ever lived there. The wind carried the faint scent of damp earth and distant firewood, but nothing else stirred.
They followed a narrow path leading away from the village, their footsteps crunching softly against the dirt. The deeper they went, the denser the trees became, their branches stretching overhead like twisted fingers.
After what felt like an eternity, Hyowon finally stopped in front of an old shrine. The wooden structure was weathered, its roof sagging slightly, but it still stood. Stone lanterns lined the entrance, covered in moss.
Minsu stepped inside, her breath visible in the cold air. The space was small but surprisingly intact. A faint scent of incense lingered, as if someone had been here recently.
Hyowon shut the door behind them. "We'll rest here for now."
Minsu sat down, hugging her knees. Her mind kept replaying the whisper from earlier.
You finally came back.
You're looking for the wrong person.
A terrifying thought crept into her mind.
What if the person they were looking for—wasn't her aunt?
What if it was her?