The earlier situation at the cafe had been resolved without much confrontation, but it still left its mark. Once Jihoon's shift ended, the manager pulled him aside with a sigh.
"Jihoon," he said, rubbing his temples in frustration. "I don't know what's going on between you and that guy, but we can't have incidents like this every day. You need to handle it."
Jihoon listened in silence, not bothering to defend himself. After the scolding, he quietly packed up his belongings, preparing to leave for the night.
But as he reached for the door handle, a familiar wave of dread settled over him.
He had felt watched for the past few days–an unsettling presence trailing just out of sight. His gut told him this wasn't just paranoia.
What if Hyunwoo was still out there?
The thought made his grip tighten around his bag. He hesitated at the door, unsure of what to do.
Where could he go? Who could he turn to?
For the first time in a long while, Jihoon felt completely alone.
