Chapter 1
Stella walked home from school, the sun beginning to set, casting long shadows on the quiet street. As she approached her house, she noticed a sleek black car parked outside. “Aunt Sarah must be visiting,” she thought, a small smile forming on her lips.Opening the front door, she stepped inside and called out, “Mom, I’m home!“Expecting to see her aunt, Stella was surprised when she saw her mom sitting in the living room with a young man who looked to be about 26. He had a bright, friendly smile on his face as he chatted with her mom.
“Stella, you’re home! Come here and meet your new tutor,” her mom said, waving her over.
Stella’s smile faded, replaced by a look of frustration. “Mom, I told you, I don’t need a tutor.“Her mom sighed. “Stella, we’ve been over this. Your grades need improvement, and Mr. Kim here is going to help.“The young man stood up, extending his hand. “Hi, Stella. I’m Kim Taehyung. Nice to meet you.“Reluctantly, Stella shook his hand, noticing his warm, confident grip. “Nice to meet you too,” she muttered, her initial apprehension not easing.Her mom beamed, clearly pleased. “Mr. Kim is here to help you with your grades. I’m sure you’ll get along just fine.”
Stella nodded, but her mind was racing with ways to convince her mom to cancel the sessions. Little did she know, behind that bright smile lay dark secrets waiting to unfold.
Stella stood there, feeling trapped as her mom and the new tutor, Mr. Kim, continued to chat.“I think it would be more comfortable and effective if you came to my home to study,” Mr. Kim said, his smile unwavering. “There, you can study with other students too. It creates a good learning environment.”
Stella’s frustration bubbled up, but she bit her tongue, not wanting to make a scene. “We’ll see,” she said, trying to sound neutral.After Mr. Kim left, closing the door behind him, Stella turned to her mom. “Mom, I really don’t want to do this. I don’t need a tutor, and I definitely don’t want to go to his house.“Her mom sighed, looking at her with a mix of concern and determination. “Stella, this is for your own good. Your grades have been slipping, and we need to do something about it. Mr. Kim seems very capable and kind. I think this will be good for you.“Stella clenched her fists, trying to keep her voice steady. “But, Mom, I don’t feel comfortable with this. Why can’t we find another way?”
“No, Stella,” her mom said firmly. “This is the best option right now. Give it a try, and if it really doesn’t work out, we’ll reconsider.“Stella knew there was no arguing further. Her mom had made up her mind.The next day, reluctantly, Stella found herself standing outside Mr. Kim’s house. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell. The door opened almost immediately, and there stood Mr. Kim, that same bright smile on his face.
“Welcome, Stella. Come on in,” he said, stepping aside to let her in.Stella stepped inside, her unease growing as she entered the home of the man who held far darker intentions than she could ever imagine.
Stella stepped into Mr. Kim’s house, immediately noticing how well-maintained it was. Despite its cleanliness, there was an unsettling air about it. The walls were painted in dark, muted shades, and the furniture, while stylish, was draped in deep, somber colors. The atmosphere felt heavy, almost oppressive.As she walked further into the living room, she saw Mr. Kim sitting on a large, dark leather sofa. He patted the seat next to him, signaling for her to come and sit down. “Come on, Stella. Let’s get started,” he said, his smile still in place.She hesitated, feeling a cold shiver run down her spine. But with a sigh, she pushed aside her discomfort and walked over to the sofa, sitting down next to him. The leather was cool and smooth under her fingers.
Mr. Kim leaned in slightly, his presence overwhelming. “Good. Now, let’s begin with some basic math. I want to see where you’re at.“Stella nodded, trying to focus on the material he presented, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong. As the session progressed, she forced herself to concentrate, determined to get through it, all the while planning how to convince her mom to let her stop coming here.
Stella took out her math book, her hands trembling slightly. She knew she was bad at math and dreaded showing her weaknesses. As she opened the book to a marked page, she noticed that Taehyung’s demeanor had changed. His smile vanished, replaced by a stern, almost cold expression, as if he had never smiled in his life.
The shift was so stark that Stella felt a flicker of confusion. Who was this person sitting next to her? But she quickly pushed her thoughts aside, focusing on the equations in front of her.“Let’s start with these problems,” Taehyung said, his voice now devoid of its previous warmth. “Show me what you know.”
Stella nodded, trying to steady her nerves. She worked through the first problem, her mind racing. She made a mistake, and Taehyung corrected her sharply, his tone almost harsh.“Pay attention, Stella,” he said, his eyes boring into hers. “You need to focus.“She swallowed hard and tried again, feeling his intense gaze on her. The room seemed to grow darker and more oppressive with each passing minute, but she forced herself to concentrate on the math problems, determined to prove herself, if only to escape the unnerving atmosphere as quickly as possible.
Stella carefully followed Taehyung’s method for solving the math problem, and to her surprise, she succeeded. She looked up at him, hoping for a hint of encouragement or praise, but his expression remained cold and impassive.“Okay,” he said flatly, as if her success meant nothing.Her heart sank, confusion swirling in her mind. Why was he so harsh? She had done well, yet there was no acknowledgment, no smile. It was as if he didn’t care at all.
Pushing her thoughts aside once again, Stella forced herself to focus on the next problem. She couldn’t afford to let his demeanor distract her. She had to get through this, no matter how unsettling it was.As the session continued, she worked through each problem with growing unease, all the while wondering why her tutor was so different from the man her mother had spoken to just the day before. The oppressive atmosphere of the house seemed to close in around her, but she kept pushing forward, determined to make it through the lesson.
As Stella worked through another problem, a sudden, piercing scream echoed through the house. She froze, her pencil slipping from her fingers.Taehyung’s expression remained unchanged as he glanced toward a closed door down the hallway. “It’s nothing,” he said calmly. “Just my friend. He probably saw a cockroach. Wait here; let me go check.“Stella felt a wave of awkwardness and unease wash over her. She nodded slowly, trying to focus on the math book in front of her, but the scream continued to ring in her ears.Taehyung stood up and walked toward the door, his footsteps unnervingly silent on the dark wood floor. He opened the door and slipped inside, closing it behind him with a soft click.Inside the room, a young girl was huddled in the corner, tears streaming down her face. She looked up as Taehyung entered, her eyes wide with terror. “Please,” she sobbed, “let me go. I won’t tell anyone, I promise.“Taehyung’s expression darkened, his features twisting into a mask of fury. He stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face, the sound echoing through the room. The girl cried out, clutching her cheek.“Do you want to die now?” he hissed, his voice low and menacing. “Because I can make that happen.”
The girl’s sobs grew quieter, her body trembling with fear. Taehyung watched her for a moment, his eyes cold and devoid of any mercy. Then he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.Returning to the living room, he found Stella still sitting on the sofa, her eyes downcast, trying to focus on the math problems. He forced a smile back onto his face, though it didn’t reach his eyes.“Sorry about that,” he said smoothly, resuming his seat beside her. “Shall we continue?“Stella nodded, though the unease had settled deeper into her bones. She pushed her growing sense of dread aside, trying to focus on the task at hand, all the while feeling the oppressive atmosphere close in around her.
It was now 8 PM, signaling the end of her tutoring session. Stella started packing her bag, eager to leave the unsettling house. As she zipped up her backpack, she suddenly felt Taehyung’s presence close to her. She looked up, stunned and shocked to find him inches from her face, staring at her with an emotionless expression.Her heart raced, a mix of confusion and fear gripping her. She didn’t know what to say or do, the oppressive atmosphere making it hard to breathe.After a long, tense moment, Taehyung’s lips curled into a smirk. “I was joking. Don’t be scared,” he said, his voice eerily calm. Then, just as abruptly, his expression turned cold again as he stepped back.
Stella forced a nervous laugh, trying to mask her unease. “Right,” she muttered, finishing her packing as quickly as possible.“See you next time, Stella,” Taehyung said, his tone flat and detached.“Yeah, see you,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She hurried out of the house, the chilling encounter replaying in her mind. The dark, oppressive atmosphere seemed to cling to her as she walked away, desperate to reach the safety of her home.
Stella stepped out of Taehyung’s house, the cool night air a stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere inside. She felt a wave of relief wash over her as she took a deep breath. As she walked down the front steps, she couldn’t resist the urge to glance back.Taehyung was standing near the door, his cold eyes fixed on her. The intensity of his stare made her feel even more uneasy. Awkwardly, she forced a smile, hoping to diffuse the tension.
Taehyung returned her smile, but it was a hollow, fake expression that only deepened her sense of unease. Without another word, he slowly closed the door, leaving her alone in the quiet, dark street.Stella quickened her pace, eager to put as much distance between herself and Taehyung’s house as possible. As she walked home, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just narrowly escaped something far more sinister than she could fully comprehend.
Stella finally reached her home, her heart still pounding from the unsettling experience. As she walked through the door, her mom looked up from the kitchen, smiling warmly.“How was your first session with Mr. Kim?” her mom asked, her eyes full of hope.Stella forced a smile, trying to hide her true feelings. “Yeah, it was good,” she replied, her voice a bit strained.“That’s great to hear,” her mom said, satisfied with the response. “I knew he would be a good fit for you.”
Stella nodded and quickly made her way to her room. Once inside, she closed the door behind her and let out a deep sigh. She dropped her backpack on the floor and sat on her bed, her mind racing with thoughts about everything that had happened.She replayed the evening in her head—the scream, the unsettling house, Taehyung’s sudden change in demeanor, and his cold, emotionless stare. She shivered at the memory of him getting so close, his fake smile sending chills down her spine. And then, that scream... it still echoed in her ears, making her feel even more uneasy.
Lying back on her bed, Stella stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of her feelings. Her intuition screamed that something was very wrong, but she didn’t know how to convince her mom or what to do next. For now, all she could do was try to calm her racing thoughts and prepare herself for whatever lay ahead.
TO BE CONTINUED.......
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