In that moment…
Min-so felt as if the walls were slowly closing in around him.
Even the air itself became heavy.
Suffocating.
Then it appeared again.
That familiar presence.
The blue jay.
It stood on top of the recording cabinet in the corner of the dark room, slowly shaking its bright blue feathers in an unsettling rhythm. But its face…
was not the face of a bird.
It was something distorted—half-human, half-creature.
Sunken eyes in an unnatural way.
A twisted smile.
And a pale gray skin, like an old corpse.
Min-so's pupils trembled violently.
And then…
the bird began to laugh.
A sharp, broken laugh mixed with disturbing chirps that made his skin crawl.
Then a voice began whispering inside his head:
"Sin…"
"Blood…"
"Things you forgot…"
"Things you buried yourself…"
Min-so pressed his palms against his ears until his fingers turned red.
He raised his head toward the ceiling, eyes wide with terror.
— "You bastard!"
His voice came out broken and suffocated.
— "Aren't you tired of showing up every time?!"
He gasped violently, then screamed again:
— "Did you come here just to watch me break?!"
He tried to stand.
But his knees betrayed him immediately.
He stumbled and fell halfway to the ground.
His breathing came out in painful, broken gasps.
Slowly, he lifted his head again toward the bird.
The blue jay was still watching him.
Smiling.
Min-so's hand trembled as he grabbed the coffee cup from the nearby table.
Then he threw it with all his strength.
The cup flew straight through the bird's image.
And hit the wall.
Glass shattered violently.
The sound of breaking glass…
felt exactly like something cracking inside his chest.
A brief silence fell.
Then
The bird slowly turned toward him.
And its beak opened unnaturally.
Wider…
and wider…
until it became a black void filled with endless rows of dark teeth.
Min-so staggered backward, shaking.
Then the room exploded with hysterical laughter mixed with the sharp sound of the jay's chirping.
— "I am not real…"
— "I am only inside your head."
— "Oh… Min-so."
A long, twisted laugh.
— "Do you hate me that much?"
The voice moved closer.
— "But I am part of you."
Min-so suddenly bent forward.
He began shaking his head violently.
Covering his ears even harder.
— "Please stop…"
His voice came out crying this time.
— "It's not me…"
— "I didn't do it!"
He lifted his head toward the void.
— "I am not a criminal!"
Outside the house…
Himi had arrived as usual after every trip.
She always came to check on him and hear updates about the group, with the excitement of an old fan.
But this time…
something was wrong.
She stood at the door and pressed the bell.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
No answer.
Her eyebrows furrowed in worry.
She had called him earlier, and he told her he was home.
She quickly pulled out her phone and called again.
It rang…
but no answer.
A cold wave of fear slowly crept into her chest.
— "Oh God… not again."
She called again.
And again.
Silence continued.
Now real panic set in.
She didn't wait anymore.
She entered the security code and opened the door.
She rushed inside without even removing her shoes.
Her footsteps echoed through the marble halls as she ran.
— "Min-so?!"
No answer.
Then…
she heard it.
Broken sobbing.
And muffled screaming.
The sound led her straight to the studio.
She pushed the door open hard.
And froze.
Min-so was collapsed on the floor.
Hair messy.
Face pale beyond recognition.
And his eyes…
filled with pure terror.
She ran to him immediately.
Crouched down and pulled him into her arms without hesitation.
She placed his trembling head against her chest while her hand rushed through his hair.
Then suddenly she looked toward an empty corner of the room.
Her eyes filled with anger.
— "Get out of here!"
Her scream tore through the silence.
As if she were confronting something she could also see.
Min-so clung to her clothes like a frightened child.
He lifted his tear-covered face.
— "Himi…"
His voice trembled.
— "Tell him to leave…"
His body shook harder.
— "Please…"
Then he whispered in real fear:
— "Tell him to stop his whispers…"
He shut his eyes tightly.
— "My life has become hell because of him."
In that moment…
Himi broke inside.
She, who was used to seeing him at his worst…
could not bear this sight.
Her eyes filled with tears instantly.
She began crying silently while holding him tighter.
How could this person…
the star who smiled so calmly on screen…
look so fragile?
Her voice trembled as she tried to calm him:
— "Listen to me…"
She placed her hand on his cheek and forced him to look at her.
— "Don't listen to him."
Her eyes were completely tear-filled.
— "Look only at me."
Min-so struggled to breathe.
And she continued quickly, as if pulling him away from a cliff:
— "He is the only criminal here… not you."
She shook her head stubbornly through tears.
— "Criminals don't cry like this."
— "Criminals don't feel guilt even before knowing the truth."
Her lips trembled.
— "You donate half your income to hospitals and orphans…"
She smiled through broken tears.
— "Your heart is purer than most people's."
But Min-so kept looking around in fear.
As if he still saw that thing in the room.
She grabbed his face with both hands.
Forcing him to focus only on her.
— "Look at me."
His trembling eyes finally locked onto hers.
— "I am the truth."
She lowered her voice.
— "Everything else is just emptiness."
Silence fell for a moment.
Then she whispered with a sad smile:
— "Did you forget our childhood promise?"
He blinked slowly.
She continued:
— "We are family… even if we don't share blood."
She gently pressed her forehead against his.
— "And I will stay by your side forever."
Little by little…
his shaking began to calm.
But—
something glinted under the table.
The necklace.
Min-so's eyes widened instantly.
His entire body stiffened.
His face turned even paler.
Himi followed his gaze, but before she could see anything…
he slowly moved his foot.
And secretly pushed the necklace under the carpet.
He swallowed hard.
Then looked away quickly.
He lowered his head and whispered, exhausted:
— "I am not in a state to receive anyone right now."
Himi raised her eyebrows in confusion.
— "What?"
— "Just leave."
She looked at him in disbelief.
— "Min-so—"
He rubbed his face harshly with trembling hands.
— "I'm tired."
Then added in a lower, colder tone:
— "Himi… don't make me be rude to you."
Silence fell.
Then she said stubbornly:
— "No. I'm not leaving."
She stepped closer again.
— "You are not okay."
Suddenly—
he stood up violently.
Grabbed her wrist hard.
She gasped in pain.
He dragged her toward the door, breathing in anger and chaos.
— "I said leave!"
He opened the door forcefully.
Then shoved her outside and slammed it shut.
Silence.
Himi stood in the hallway, shocked.
Tears filled her eyes as she stared at the imprint of his fingers on her wrist.
Inside the house…
Min-so stood staring at the door for a long time.
His breathing was unstable.
Then slowly turned back.
Lifted the trembling edge of the carpet.
And looked at the necklace.
The letter "W" reflected in his trembling eyes.
He picked it up slowly.
As if it were alive.
Then whispered to himself, barely audible:
— "How do I get rid of you…?"