Ambush (3)
"Whew."
After parting ways with Lee Ho-yeon, Moon Sulin stopped by the training grounds first. She still couldn't calm the excitement from their meeting.
'He said if it's someone I know, I could send a photo.'
He'd even asked her to let him know when she got home safely.
Didn't that mean send a photo in exchange for a reply?
"Hoo, hee hee..."
Moon Sulin chuckled to herself all the way home.
"Hm? The AC's on. Oh well, whatever."
She was pretty sure she'd turned it off when she left... but that could happen. She must've forgotten.
Humming a tune as she hung her jacket on the rack, Moon Sulin suddenly paused in thought.
"Isn't this... you know? That flirty phase? Are we in the talking stage right now?"
They'd met up, eaten together, exchanged photos. Checked in on each other. And that subtle tension flowing between them.
This had to be it. Definitely the talking stage.
Moon Sulin stomped her feet in giddy excitement, all by herself.
Thinking back, it had been like this from the start. She'd felt drawn to Lee Ho-yeon since their first meeting. Sure, his looks matched her type... but the more she saw, the more she liked everything about him, inside and out.
Talented, tastes that aligned with hers. To be in the talking stage with a guy like that.
"Hee hee. Hoo hoo."
Moon Sulin grinned, smoothing her hair as she checked herself out in photo mode on her smartwatch, posing this way and that.
'Not bad at all.'
Not that she should say it herself... but she wouldn't lose out anywhere. She could hold her own against any other pretty girl.
Click, click.
Quite pleased with the shots she'd taken, Moon Sulin headed to her room, unable to hold back her smile.
Lee Ho-yeon's words about sending photos to people she knew—she wasn't letting that slip.
Whatever she did, it had to feel natural. Casually check in on him... by sharing her own update first.
Pretend to confirm she'd gotten home safe with a photo, then get one from him in return. Perfect plan.
'Wait, is this too forced?'
They'd never exchanged photos before. Sending one out of the blue now might seem weird.
"No. We're in the talking stage, so it's fine."
She pondered it briefly but soon rationalized it away. That's what the talking stage was for—anything goes between a flirty pair.
Hee hee hee.
Moon Sulin picked up the photos of Lee Ho-yeon from her desk. She'd been planning to toss her collection today... but since he'd said it was okay, she figured she'd put them back up as decor.
Anyone seeing her room might freak out. Photos everywhere.
She'd only planned to keep the best ones of him, but they all turned out great, so the collection had grown too big.
She'd even recorded his voice on her phone, stored safely on her smartwatch.
"Hee hee... hee hee hee... Ah, I should wash up first."
Lost in thoughts of him, she hadn't even washed her hands. Not like her usual self, who always cleaned up right away for hygiene.
Moon Sulin started undressing to head to the bathroom.
Then.
"Who could that be?"
The message had arrived with sender ID restricted—and it contained a single photo. Of her entering her house from behind.
"...What the hell."
Moon Sulin's mood soured instantly. Paparazzi? No, this was stalker territory. Sasaeng fan.
But none had gone this far before. A photo was one thing, but how the hell did they get her number?
"...."
As Moon Sulin frowned at her smartwatch, another message pinged. This one a video.
She played it—and couldn't believe her eyes.
Her living room was being filmed from inside the house. A man wandered around, poking into everything. He sat on the couch, turned the TV on and off. Switched on the AC that had been off, rummaged through her closet, even sniffed her clothes.
"...."
Gulp.
Goosebumps prickled up Moon Sulin's arms.
What the fuck was this? No ordinary sasaeng. This was... she needed to call the cops. Now.
The man circled the house a few times before heading into the bathroom and shutting the door. End of video.
"3:40?"
The living room clock as the intruder entered the bathroom.
Moon Sulin checked the time on her smartwatch.
- 3:43.
"...Huh?"
Three minutes ago. This had been sent right after filming.
Realization hit her like ice water. She locked her bedroom door immediately.
If she hadn't been lost in thoughts of Ho-yeon... if she'd gone straight to the bathroom to wash up...
Gulp.
Moon Sulin swallowed hard.
"Cops... I need to call the cops..."
Not the time for anything else. Call first...
Knock knock knock.
Her tapping fingers froze on the watch.
A polite knock at the front door. Which shouldn't be audible from inside with it closed.
Moon Sulin quickly messaged the academy security team. They'd be here in five minutes, probably.
Knock knock knock.
The problem was surviving those few minutes...
"Won't you open up?"
"...Who are you?"
Moon Sulin tried talking, buying time. Just a little longer, and security would handle it safely.
Crack—
But the intruder didn't wait. A massive hole punched through the top half of the solid wooden door. He'd drilled through with a finger, then ripped it open wide.
"Why won't you open up?"
"Hng...."
Chills wracked her body at the creepy voice. The face appeared.
Moon Sulin felt goosebumps explode across her skin. Terror peaked, stealing even her voice.
All she could see through the shattered door: a grotesque skull mask.
Skull mask...
"Skull mask?"
Familiar. She couldn't forget it.
"Ho-yeon..."
The same mask the attacker who ambushed Lee Ho-yeon had worn.
"Ho-yeon? Ah, Lee Ho-yeon. We sent one there too. Probably over already."
"...."
Moon Sulin's mind went ice cold at the mine's words.
This wasn't fear. Rage.
Like how extreme terror silenced screams, peak fury brought eerie calm.
She'd felt both today.
'I have to go to him.'
To Lee Ho-yeon. Save him fast as possible.
The fear, shock, panic drained from her body. Only one task: reach him.
"Keh heh, shouldn't you be worrying about yourself right now?"
"...."
Crack—
A fissure split the mine's skull mask, cleaving it in two.
"...When did you...?"
An S-rank mine like him hadn't noticed. Something was wrong...
Snap, crunch—
"Guh...?!"
Pressure crushed in from all sides. Every object in the house hurtled at the skull mask.
Household items wouldn't dent him, but the mana enveloping them? Flying at insane speeds, infused with physical force.
And the intensifying pressure threatened to shatter bones.
Escaping it? Near impossible.
"What the hell is this..."
Nothing like the intel. If this strong, they'd have ambushed full-force, client be damned.
"Die."
Moon Sulin hadn't noticed, but her awakening had begun.
No dramatic epiphany. She was a genius by nature. Her realm was ready; she just needed the trigger.
The student council president's burdens, the spotlight's weight—always crushing her.
But something more important appeared, letting her shed it all.
"You touched what you shouldn't have."
They were just starting their flirty phase. Who gave them permission to touch her Ho-yeon?
*
With Rebecca's help, I raced to the dorms. Accelerating space inside her Rune Barrier—an absurd trick that slashed travel time.
"...Looks normal from outside."
The dorm appeared fine at first glance. But closer... I sensed it.
Liliana's mana.
"Barrier's up. That's mana I don't recognize."
Rebecca frowned, sensing it too.
"Yeah. It's someone I know. We need to get inside fast."
I hurried to the dorms.
> Incoming message from: Liliana!
"Liliana! Da-eun!"
I flung the door open—no time for shoes—and rushed inside.
What I saw: devastation hidden by the barrier outside.
Smashed windows and walls. Shredded beds, TV, fridge—all household appliances in ruins. Fridge and wardrobe bisected clean.
But the real shocker: in the living room center, a limbless mine bound in Liliana's mana.
A familiar skull mask lay discarded beside it.
"...What the."
I couldn't hide my confusion, staring at the two standing nearby.
Liliana, relatively clean but splattered with blood. Nam Da-eun, drenched head to toe.
"Oh, you're here? We took him down. Pretty good, right?"
"...Don't look too close. Blood makes it gross."
"...."
Was I worried for nothing? No, rushing over was still right.
"Thank god."
I sighed in relief, approaching them.
"Phew, really. I was so worried."
"Hee hee. Like I'd lose."
"You're bloody. Don't hug..."
I ignored Nam Da-eun and pulled them both into a tight embrace.
We'd come this close to disaster. So grateful they were alive.
"Where's Da-hee?"
"...Too gruesome, so Liliana put her to sleep with magic."
"Yeah, not great for her education. Anyway, seriously—thank you. You both did amazing."
"If you're grateful... tonight, you know~?"
Liliana poked my chest, shooting a sultry glance.
"Yeah. Do whatever. Whatever you want."
Hearing her joke around, she must be unhurt.
"...Me too."
"Of course. You too, Da-eun."
I didn't forget Nam Da-eun slipping in slyly.
As I held them, relief washing over me—
"Does that mean I can join tonight too?"
Rebecca spoke up from behind.
"Gyaaah! Who the hell's that?!"
"...Hoyeon. Over here."
They jumped at Rebecca's sudden appearance. Liliana hid behind me; Nam Da-eun yanked me close.
Fair enough—sudden red-haired witch popping out of nowhere would startle anyone.
"It's fine, girls. She's an acquaintance."
"Acquaintance? What does she do?"
Liliana still sounded spooked, peeking from behind Nam Da-eun.
Rebecca. How to introduce her? We just met today, really.
"Uh... my magic mentor."
"I need your boyfriend's semen."
"...Don't say it like that."
I'd been racking my brain, and she just blurts that?
Not like she's a semen thief or something.
"Why? It's true."
Sigh. I started explaining Rebecca to the wide-eyed Liliana and Nam Da-eun.