Chapter 16

The Red Notebook — Episode 16: (The Birthday)

11:59 PM.

Yuri sat on her bed, staring at the clock.

She had spent the entire night thinking about the USB, Mrs. Han, her father, and the mysterious messages.

Then the clock changed.

12:00 AM.

Yuri blinked.

“Oh…”

She suddenly remembered.

It was her birthday.

She was eighteen.

Before she could even smile, there was a knock at the door.

Yuri frowned.

“At midnight?”

Another knock.

She slowly opened the door.

Her eyes widened.

Ji-hun.

He stood there with his hands in his pockets, looking completely calm.

Yuri stared at him.

“You've got five seconds to explain why you're standing outside my house at midnight.”

Ji-hun raised an eyebrow.

“Nice to see you too.”

Yuri crossed her arms.

“Ji-hun.”

He smiled.

“Happy birthday.”

He held out a small black box.

Yuri took it suspiciously.

“What is this?”

“A gift.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“Because if I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have brought a gift.”

Yuri gave him an annoyed look.

“That's not exactly reassuring.”

Ji-hun laughed.

“Just open it.”

Yuri opened the box.

Inside was a small silver keychain shaped like a red notebook.

She tried not to smile.

“You remembered.”

Ji-hun shrugged.

“I remember important things.”

Yuri looked at him.

“Since when are you this mysterious?”

“Since you started asking dangerous questions.”

Her expression immediately changed.

“Wait.”

She pointed at him.

“The messages.”

Ji-hun's smile disappeared.

“Yes.”

Yuri's eyes narrowed.

“You were the unknown number?”

Ji-hun nodded.

Yuri stared at him.

“YOU?”

“Yes.”

“You sent me all those creepy messages?”

“Technically, they were warnings.”

“They gave me nightmares!”

“Then they worked.”

Yuri stared at him in disbelief.

“You are unbelievable.”

Ji-hun laughed.

“Thank you.”

“That wasn't a compliment.”

“I know.”

Yuri folded her arms.

“Fine. Explain everything.”

Ji-hun became serious.

“Your father asked me to keep an eye on you.”

Yuri's expression changed.

“Why?”

“Because he knew the old case wasn't finished.”

Yuri went quiet.

“He told me about the HAN file. The USB. Mrs. Han.”

Yuri immediately interrupted.

“Then how did you know what I was doing?”

Ji-hun hesitated.

“Your father gave me access to an old security system in your house.”

Yuri's eyes widened.

“You were watching me?”

“Only to make sure you were safe.”

Yuri glared at him.

“You could've just told me!”

“And would you have listened?”

Yuri opened her mouth.

Paused.

“…No.”

Ji-hun smiled.

“Exactly.”

Yuri rolled her eyes.

“Don't look so proud.”

“I can't help it.”

Before Yuri could reply, her mother called from downstairs.

“Yuri! Come down!”

Yuri looked at Ji-hun.

“What now?”

Ji-hun smiled.

“Birthday surprise.”

They went downstairs.

The lights suddenly turned on.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

Yuri's parents were standing beside a cake covered with candles.

Yuri's face lit up.

“You guys!”

Her mother hugged her.

Her father smiled proudly.

“Eighteen already.”

Yuri laughed.

“Don't make me feel old.”

Ji-hun stood nearby, quietly watching the celebration.

Yuri noticed him.

“Ji-hun! Come here.”

He pointed at himself.

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

He joined them.

For a while, everything felt normal.

They laughed.

They ate cake.

Yuri's mother kept embarrassing her with childhood stories.

Yuri covered her face.

“Mom! Please!”

Ji-hun laughed.

Yuri pointed at him.

“Don't laugh.”

“I'm trying.”

“You're failing.”

After the celebration, Yuri noticed another small gift beside her plate.

She looked at Ji-hun.

“Another one?”

He nodded.

“Open it.”

Inside was a red bookmark.

Four words were written on it:

KEEP LOOKING. TRUST CAREFULLY.

Yuri looked at him.

“Seriously?”

Ji-hun shrugged.

“Good advice.”

“From the guy who secretly watched me?”

“Exactly.”

Yuri shook her head.

“You're impossible.”

“And you're stubborn.”

“I prefer determined.”

Ji-hun smiled.

“Fair enough.”

Then Yuri's phone buzzed.

She looked at the screen.

Unknown Number.

Her smile disappeared.

Ji-hun's expression changed too.

Yuri looked at him.

“Was this you?”

Ji-hun slowly shook his head.

“No.”

Yuri opened the message.

Only one sentence appeared:

“Happy 18th, Yuri. Now you're old enough to know what happened in the locked room.”

Yuri's eyes widened.

She slowly looked toward her father.

He had seen the message.

His face had gone completely pale.

Ji-hun noticed too.

He stepped closer to Yuri.

“Don't reply.”

Yuri looked at him.

For once, she didn't argue.

She looked back at her father.

“Dad…”

He didn't answer.

Yuri's expression hardened.

“What's in that locked room?”

Silence.

Her father looked away.

And Yuri finally realized—

Her eighteenth birthday hadn't started a new chapter.

It had opened an old one.

To be continued…