Chapter 19

Chapter 19 — (Come Alone)

The next morning, everything seemed normal.

But Miho couldn't stop thinking about Soo-ah.

The deleted message.

The student who had died.

The girl Soo-ah had been seen with.

And the unknown messages.

She was sitting in class when her phone suddenly vibrated.

UNKNOWN: Miho.

She stared at the screen.

Another message appeared.

UNKNOWN: I know what you're looking for.

Miho's heart started beating faster.

She quickly looked around.

Nobody seemed to notice.

Another message arrived.

UNKNOWN: You want to know what really happened to Soo-ah?

Miho typed:

MIHO: Who are you?

The reply came almost immediately.

UNKNOWN: Someone who knows the truth.

Miho frowned.

MIHO: Then tell me.

A few seconds passed.

Then:

UNKNOWN: Not over messages.

Another message appeared.

UNKNOWN: Come to the old café near Soo-ah's house after school.

Miho hesitated.

Then the final message appeared.

UNKNOWN: Come alone. Don't tell Seo-jun. Don't tell Han-seok. Don't tell Me-yongi.

Miho stared at the screen.

Why specifically Me-yongi?

She typed:

MIHO: Why?

The reply came:

UNKNOWN: Because you'll understand when you get here.

The messages stopped.

Miho slowly put her phone away.

She looked toward Seo-jun, Han-seok, and Me-yongi.

She almost told them.

But something stopped her.

After School

Miho waited until everyone had left.

Then she quietly walked toward the café.

She kept looking behind her.

Nobody followed.

When she reached the café, she saw someone sitting inside.

Soo-ah's sister.

Miho froze.

She walked inside.

Miho: “It was you?”

Soo-ah's sister nodded.

Soo-ah's Sister: “Sit down.”

Miho sat across from her.

Miho: “Why did you message me like that?”

Her sister looked nervous.

Soo-ah's Sister: “Because I couldn't tell you this in front of the others.”

Miho frowned.

Miho: “Tell me what?”

Soo-ah's sister took a deep breath.

Soo-ah's Sister: “I lied to you before.”

Miho's eyes widened.

Miho: “About Soo-ah?”

She nodded.

Soo-ah's Sister: “I knew more than I told you.”

Miho leaned forward.

Miho: “Then please tell me.”

Her sister looked around before speaking.

Soo-ah's Sister: “The student who lived near our house… he wasn't the only person who saw Soo-ah that day.”

Miho's heart sank.

Miho: “Who else?”

Her sister hesitated.

Soo-ah's Sister: “I saw someone too.”

Miho waited.

Miho: “Who?”

She looked directly into Miho's eyes.

Soo-ah's Sister: “A girl.”

Miho immediately thought about everything they had discovered.

Miho: “Was it someone Soo-ah knew?”

Her sister nodded.

Soo-ah's Sister: “Yes.”

Miho's voice became quieter.

Miho: “Who was she?”

Her sister didn't answer.

Instead, she said:

Soo-ah's Sister: “I need to show you something.”

She took out her phone.

There were several photographs.

Miho looked at them.

Her expression slowly changed.

Miho: “What…?”

Soo-ah's sister quickly put the phone away.

Soo-ah's Sister: “Not here.”

Miho stared at her.

Miho: “Then where?”

Her sister looked frightened.

Soo-ah's Sister: “Tomorrow.”

Miho: “Tomorrow?”

She nodded.

Soo-ah's Sister: “I'll tell you everything tomorrow.”

Miho waited.

Then her sister whispered:

Soo-ah's Sister: “But you have to come alone.”

Miho nodded slowly.

Miho: “Okay.”

Soo-ah's Sister: “And don't tell your friends.”

Miho hesitated.

Miho: “Why?”

Her sister looked terrified.

Soo-ah's Sister: “Because once you hear everything… you won't be able to look at one of them the same way again.”

Miho's heart dropped.

That Night

Miho returned home.

Han-seok immediately messaged her.

HAN-SEOK: Where were you?

Miho stared at the message.

She typed:

MIHO: I had some work.

She didn't tell him.

She didn't tell Seo-jun.

And she didn't tell Me-yongi.

For the first time since the investigation began, Miho kept something from her friends.

She looked at her phone.

Tomorrow, Soo-ah's sister would finally tell her everything.

And Miho had no idea that the truth waiting for her would change their entire group forever.

To be continued…