Chapter 1 — The Key
The rain had been falling for three hours when Jae-min found the key. It was lying beneath the old wooden bench outside Studio 17, half-covered in mud. A small silver key. No label. No name. Just one word carved into its surface: REMEMBER.
Jae-min stared at it. He should have left it there. Instead, he picked it up. That was his first mistake.
Studio 17 had been abandoned for almost five years. Everyone in the building knew the story. A producer named Seo-jin had disappeared one night without leaving a single message. After that, the studio was locked permanently.
People said different things. Some said he ran away. Some said he had discovered something he wasn't supposed to know. Jae-min never believed rumors.
Until tonight.
He slipped the key into the old studio door.
Click.
The lock opened.
The room smelled of dust, old paper and rain. Nothing had been touched. A piano stood against the wall. A broken microphone hung from its stand. And on the desk was a cassette recorder.
Jae-min slowly approached it. There was already a tape inside.
He pressed PLAY.
Static filled the room.
Then a voice.
Calm. Almost whispering.
“Jae-min…”
He froze.
The recording continued.
“If you're hearing this, they haven't found the key yet.”
Jae-min's breathing stopped for a moment. He looked toward the door.
Nobody.
The voice continued.
“Don't trust anyone in this building.”
A pause.
Then three words that made the room suddenly feel much colder.
“Especially not me.”
The tape clicked off.
Jae-min stood completely still.
Because he knew that voice.
Everyone did.
It belonged to Seo-jin.
The man who had disappeared five years ago.
And according to every official record, Seo-jin had been dead for four years.
Outside, thunder shook the windows.
Then someone knocked on the studio door.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Jae-min slowly turned around.
A shadow stood behind the frosted glass.
And then a familiar voice spoke from the hallway.
“Jae-min.”
His blood ran cold.
“Open the door.”
It was Seo-jin's voice.
Exactly the same as the recording.
And the worst part?
Jae-min had never met Seo-jin before tonight.
Author nim already hooked!!! The cliff hanger tho 😭 love your writing style 🤌🏻💗