Chapter 1 - Secret Admirer
Natalie’s POV
I took a few big breaths when the music stopped playing. My lungs hurt from the intensive work they had made. The sweat ran down my body and I stood in one position smiling at the audience.
After I graduated from high school over a year ago, dance studio in the city nearby my hometown gave me the position of choreographer and dancer.
We made the videos of our work and post it online. My choreographies quickly got popular and many people wanted to go to my classes.
Felix also worked there with me. He was also really popular but I honestly think it was because of his looks...kidding...the boy was just a really talented dancer. We were a really close friends because we had only known each other when we first came here. Kate and Camille had studied journalism in another city but they quickly moved to the university that was placed near the studio I was working in.
Jisung, Changbin and Chan were working with music in a small company in the city. Changbin was one of the reasons why Kate had moved there. Camille...probably didn’t want to be alone. In this way we were all together again.
Unfortunately, there were also other old friends that moved there. Seulgi and Hwasa. They were the only people in the world that I couldn’t get along with at all. They were in the same company as Jisung. I really didn’t like the thought of him and her being in the same building for days and nights without me. But I trusted him.
“Whao, that was great, Natalie!” Felix exclaimed as we exited the stage. His red messy hair and childish grin made me smile with him.
“Yeah, I know...my performances are always great,” I responded sassily gaining a chuckle from the boy.
“You mean...our performances, right?” he stated putting his arm around my shoulder pulling me in a side hug. I quickly pushed him away laughing along with him.
“Yeah, yeah, right...” I answered. Me and Felix became a really good friends. We saw each other everyday. Beside we liked to collaborate from time to time. And fans loved it. We were called the best couple in town...thought we weren’t a thing and everyone knew about it. That’s why Jisung was never jealous. He knew Felix and I were only friends.
I went into my dressing room to find it empty. There was no one beside me and a package on the table. Fans often gave me various presents. From hats and scarfs in the winter to small notes of how they love me and the letters where they had written about their dreams.
But that kind of gifts were always sent to the studio...and boxes like that one on the table weren’t anything new to me, but weren’t also pleasant.
I slowly made my way to the table looking around making sure that the person who had left it there wasn’t in the room. I took the small box in my hand and read the note that was stick to it.
I love your style princess, but I would love to see you in something like that.
Secret Admirer
I closed my eyes in frustration. I knew it wouldn’t be something nice. That kind of ‘gifts’ were usually something gross and perverted. Those weren’t present from funs, but from psychos. And they always were from a ‘secret admirer’ with the same handwriting what made me guess that it was from the same person.
He started with innocent love letters but with time their got more...inappropriate to say it gently.
I carefully opened the box and my jaw dropped down. He hasn’t gone that far yet...
I take out the content and sigh deeply as the wave of disgust attacked me. It was a really provocative lingerie in a deep sexy shade of red.
I breath sharpened and I crushed the box aggressively. I threw it into a trash along with the underwear. I screamed out of irritation and kicked the trash gripping my hair tightly.
A moment after door bursted open and a panicked Felix ran inside.
“What happened? Are you okay?” he asked as he came closer to me and I sigh deeply shaking my head. He knew about ‘secret admirer’ so there was no point in pretending that everything was okay.
I nodded my head gesturing him the overturned trash. I closed my eyes once again taking big breaths in attempt to calm myself down.
“Don’t you think he went too far this time? Why don’t you go to the police with it?” he asked making me laugh bitterly. Police?...As if...
“And what? Do you think they will help me? They will just say that it’s my fault that the guy acts like this...he didn’t hurt me physically...so they won’t care,” I declared and the boy shook his head.
“Are you like that because of Jennie?” he asked coming closer to me and taking me by my shoulders.
Jennie...she was my cousin. Not long before I had graduated from high school she had moved to my hometown. She was attending the same class as me and she was also in the same dance studio. But not long after some random and unknown guy got interested in her. But what he was doing...wasn’t something that normal person would do. He was perverted in his letters and we went to the police with it. But they ignored her...they said that it was her fault and that was how it ended when you went to clubs illegally. But she wasn’t that type of a person. She was pure and talented young girl with dreams. Soon after I graduated...she disappeared...and police ignored us once again.
That’s why I had moved. I wasn’t planing to but I didn’t want to stay in that place.
“Yes Felix...she’s still missing...do you believe that she ran away like police said?!” I yelled hitting him hard on the chest. Warm tears ran down my still hot cheeks after the performance. Felix slowly pulled me closer into a hug. I griped his shirt as I cried hard on his shoulder. The boy patted my back trying to calm me down.
I couldn’t forget about Jennie. She was my family. She wasn’t something that could be easily forgotten...or something that could be forgotten at all.
“Don’t go home alone today, call Jisung and tell him that there is this situation again,” Felix stated and I nodded my head. “You know I would really love to take you home but my mom-”
“I know. You need to take care of your mom, don’t worry...she needs you more than I do,” I said truthfully and patted his shoulder.
“Thank you, Natalie. But call Jisung...or Chan if Jisung won’t pick up. Chan always picks up his phone no matter what,” Felix declared going out of the room leaving me alone.
I took out my phone and dialed Jisung’s number. I put the phone near my ear waiting impatiently for the boy to pick up.
Nothing.
I called once more and again, the only thing I talked to was myself.
Jisung was really passionate about his job. Passionate enough to ignore my calls from time to time. Of course, he always said sorry the next day with a bouquet of flowers and my favourite chocolate. It was tiring but what could I do...he was my boyfriend after all. And he loved me. At least that’s what I thought.
After few times I gave up and went out. It was already about 10PM and the sky was dark. The only source of light were the dim street lights. I hug myself as I shiver from the cold breeze of early spring. The thin black letter jacket wasn’t enough to keep me warm.
Nonetheless I made my way to my house. I didn’t even try calling Chan. I didn’t want to disturb him. He usually made things that Jisung was supposed to do. I would say...Chan was kind of a boyfriend assistant? He had helped me so many times already and I didn’t even say thank you. So I had no right to call him and ask for a lift home at that hour because of a stupid box.
I was walking down the empty street trying not to fall asleep while listening to music. After what happened to Jennie I wasn’t sleeping well and I was working hard. Working was distracting me from things I wanted to forget...but they always came back when I lied down on my bed late night.
I was living alone since Kate and Camille lived in a campus. Jisung was practically living in the company with the boys and Felix with his ill mother to take care of her.
I never complained...I liked living alone. The morning were peaceful and I didn’t have to tidy up my things so my roommate wouldn’t had to yell at me...because I didn’t had one.
Suddenly I saw a man wearing all black. He was walking in the opposite way as me so that meant that sooner or later we would pass each other. Because I was a kind of a person that didn’t trust easily, I turned of the MP3 but didn’t take the earphones off.
I watched too many action movies and after what happened to Jennie I started to be really careful while passing strangers late at night.
The man got closer and I noticed the gold bracelets on his shoes. He was at least 20 cm taller than me. He wasn’t fat but he was big. He would definitely killed me with one punch.
I carefully watched and listen to his every move. The strange noise of creak hit my ears and I started to wonder what was it. I had never heard this kind of sound before and it was definitely that man who was the source of it.
My heart stopped for a short moment as the man passed me by. I breathed out the air I didn’t know I was holding in and sped up my pace. As I was about to turn on my MP3 once again I heard the man stopping in his tracks not far away from me.
This time I took off the earphones and put it in my pocket. The footsteps that once had been getting father started to get closer.
Natalie...there are two options...one: he forgot something so he’s going back for it...and two: he’s following you...
There was a way to check it. The man came from my left so I need to go right...
I did as I had planned it in my head. The footsteps still could be heard behind me. He was following me for sure.
I couldn’t go home, because this way I would tell him were I live and there was a chance that he didn’t know it. But I also couldn’t turn into some dark alley when no one would see me. That would be a great opportunity for him to attack.
There weren’t any pedestrians on the streets but from time to time some car drove pass me. If that man hadn’t cared if I could see him, he would have done something to me before he passed me. But he wanted me to get somewhere, where there was no one...or he just wanted to know where my house was.
I knew I could lose him only in a place that could be full of people. But what place could be fool of people after 10PM on Wednesday. Even pubs weren’t crowded. Hospital would be a good option, but I was at the outskirts of the city. Hospitals weren’t usually placed in that areas.
I cursed under my breath trying to think of other place. The footsteps didn’t get nearer or futher. He was keeping the same distance. He didn’t know I knew he was after me.
It didn’t make me feel any better and with time I started to feel more pressure. My heart wasn’t really good when it came to stress. So I knew I probably faint after it all would end. I just hoped it wouldn’t happen sooner than I wanted it to.
That creak sound could be heard again giving me shivers.
I didn’t know how long I was wandering in random directions but I knew that I got lost. I didn’t know where I was at all. I didn’t live in that neighbourhood and the only way I knew, was the one to the bus station from the building I was performing in, where the vehicle would take me home.
To my bad luck cars started to vanish from the road. It was getting more empty with every minute and my follower didn’t seem to stop at all. He was still behind my back keeping the same distance.
If I had taken my phone out randomly, he would have thought that I knew about his existence. He would have thought that I was trying to call the police and I didn’t want it, but I had to check the time and my location.
Suddenly, an idea popped to my mind.
I took out the phone and quickly checked the time. 10:30PM. I had been walking for a long time already and I didn’t even pass any shop. I tried to find my location but GPS didn’t want to cooperate.
Great...
I heard the footstep getting faster so I quickly put the phone to my ear.
“Yeah, Jake what’s up?” I came with the random name and pretended that I was talking with someone.
The footsteps slowed down and I breathed out slowly.
“Where are you?” I continued but I ran out of ideas. I liked talking to myself, but it was a totally different situation.
“How come you end up there?” I asked again and look around looking for help. Oh heaven help me, please...
Suddenly in front of me I found not too big building. It looked old from the outside but it still could be used by people. The light could be seen through the small windows and there was ‘Police station’ written above the door.
A bit ironic but thank you anyway...
“You’re lucky I’m close to this police station and I can take you out!” I said pretending to be irritated by the imaginary Jake and quickened my pace.
When I got close to the station the footsteps went dead. I opened the door and walked inside. Not caring about anything I just came up to the window.
The men was standing near the building with his head down. The big black hoodie was covering his face. I didn’t know if he was looking at the ground or at the station but I could only guess that it was the second option.
After some time he finally gave up and walked away. I breathed out loudly holding my hand over heart. I started to feel weaker as the adrenaline level was getting lower.
Suddenly a different creak sound could be heard again. Gun?
“Who are you?”
