The Moving Black Shadow
Choi Ara had been trembling with nerves from the morning until her date time with Park Jun-hyun drew near. Today was the day she was going out with her boyfriend. They'd been on dozens of dates before, but this one wasn't like the others.
"What underwear should I wear?"
The reason she was so excited she was even fussing over her lingerie was that her one-year-younger boyfriend was entering the same university as her today. Park Jun-hyun had shown such passionate, burning love by following her to the same school.
"Is this too sexy?"
Choi Ara held the black sexy lingerie set against her body, preparing for whatever might happen tonight. They were finally both adults. Given her conservative views on sex, Park Jun-hyun also had a pretty rigid mindset. They'd been dating since high school, sharing light kisses and skinship, but they'd never gone all the way.
But they were a young man and woman in the prime of their sexual prime. On their first date as adults, it would be weirder not to expect something steamy.
Am I going to lose my virginity just like this today?
It was a special milestone, sure, but wouldn't it be better to give away the virginity she'd cherished so preciously in a more romantic setting? She let her fantasies run wild.
Expecting a proposal might be too hasty, right?
A proposal on their first adult date, followed by a hot night in a fancy hotel. Choi Ara's face flushed beet red like a dreaming schoolgirl.
"Time to get ready and head out."
She'd pulled out every piece of clothing she owned, leaving the room a mess of scattered outfits. No wonder time was short—she'd tried on and discarded them all repeatedly.
"For underwear, something a bit sexy it is. Hehe!"
She slipped into the bold black set with sheer mesh that let her skin peek through. She might not reveal it tonight, but from now on, she'd always be prepared. She dressed for the date: a pastel sky-blue dress with a crisp white knit cardigan draped over it, artfully casual, exposing a bit more skin than usual.
"This should be fine, right?"
The dress had a modest V-neck that showed just a hint of cleavage, but on her ample chest, it revealed far more upper breast than expected, looking surprisingly sexy. The hem fell to her knees, but below it, her youthful twenties thighs and shapely calves traced perfect lines.
Spritz, spritz. She misted on a feminine peach-scented perfume, not too much, and stepped out.
Clutching her chest swollen with excitement like it was her first date ever, Choi Ara hurried to the meeting spot.
"Ah, did I dawdle too long?"
She rushed to the rendezvous point, but she was definitely going to be late at this rate. She checked her watch obsessively, walking as fast as she could, but arriving on time seemed impossible.
"I don't wanna run."
She'd dolled herself up perfectly; she didn't want to show up sweaty or panting. A girl's heart wants to look pretty for the one she loves. Even if women take time to get ready, being late for a date was unforgivable to someone as diligent and responsible as her.
"This should be the shortcut, right?"
Choi Ara hesitated at the narrow alley between two buildings on the right. Sticking to the main road would make her late for sure, but cutting through this narrower, deserted path might get her there on time. She rarely used it because it felt so poorly maintained—dirty, like a service road for staff only, with hardly any foot traffic.
"Better than being late to our first adult date."
Her boyfriend wasn't petty enough to mind a little lateness, but her pounding desire to see him sooner and her strict standards for herself pushed her toward the wrong path.
"…"
As Choi Ara stepped into the narrow alley, a hooded figure followed, pulling the hood low over their face.
Click-clack, click-clack, click-clack.
Entering the narrow alley, the artificial city noise faded, leaving only the echo of her high heels. Voices conversing nearby should have been close, but today they felt impossibly distant. She advanced slowly through the dimly lit gloom, without a single streetlamp.
Did I take this way for nothing?
The alley reeked of stale rot. After spraying perfume, she worried the stench would ruin it. Regret already crept in for entering.
About midway through the alley sandwiched between towering buildings, thud, thud, thud. Another set of footsteps joined her clicking heels.
Someone?
Whenever she'd used this alley before, it had been with her childhood friend Kim Il-woo. They'd grown distant lately, but back in their tomboyish childhood days, with him, even deserted alleys held no fear. The sudden footsteps spiked her wariness.
"Gulp…"
Tension dried her throat; she swallowed hard and quickened her pace without making it obvious.
Click-clack, click-clack, click-clack. Thud, thud, thud.
The two rhythms oddly harmonized. Knowing the straight alley from here had only one proper exit, she figured the person had no choice but to keep coming, but fear was fear. She tried ignoring the presence behind her, not turning around. In this day and age, better not to invite trouble. Her heart pounded wildly.
Just a bit farther, and there's that side exit, right?
The main exit was still distant, but midway, there was a back door into one of the buildings. She'd used it with Kim Il-woo as kids and gotten scolded by the security guard—a lucky memory now. She veered naturally into the side path toward it.
Thud, thud, thud.
The man's presence behind faded beyond the alley fork. "Haa…"
Choi Ara let out a small sigh of relief and headed for the back door. Better to exit via the building to the main road than linger in this creepy alley.
"Still there."
At the dead-end, just wide enough for one person—like it was built solely for this building—stood the small door, unchanged in her memory. Discarded trash and broken furniture littered it now, but not blocking the way.
Clunk.
"…Huh?"
She tried the back door, but it wouldn't budge—locked. "It's… locked?"
Of course it was. No reason to leave a back door open for security or hygiene when no one used it.
"Haa… damn."
No choice but to backtrack. Tension rose again at the fork.
"He's gone, right?"
She cautiously peeked toward the exit where the stranger had vanished. The alley still cloaked in thick gloom. No footsteps, no sign of the mystery person.
"Phew…"
She exhaled softly and stepped out carefully, hand smoothing her racing heart—when two long arms snaked from the shadows like serpents, snatching her in an instant.
"Wha…?!"
Her body yanked backward; she couldn't even scream properly, just blurting a dazed sound. Darkness flooded her vision—not her eyes failing, but cloth smothering her entire face, realized a beat too late.
Before her mind caught up, instinct as a woman, as a living being, screamed danger. She shrieked.
"Kyaaaah…?!"
Squeeze.
"Guhk?!"
The cloth over her face had a drawstring like a rubber band. The assailant yanked it tight around her neck the moment she cried out. Panic surged from the biting cord and choking breath; she flailed wildly, but couldn't shove him off.
"Hnn… guh, ha… ah, aaah…?!"
Gasping pathetic moans as air dwindled, she thrashed—clawing behind to push him, kicking off a heel—but time favored the attacker. No touch on him, vision whitening from oxygen deprivation, she blacked out limp like a puppet with cut strings.
The assailant confirmed her slack body, loosening the cord just enough for breathing but keeping the cloth secure. "..."
Staring at the motionless Choi Ara—no, Kim Il-woo ensured she could breathe, then hoisted her over his shoulder. He strolled leisurely back into the side path.
The dead-end with broken furniture and old mattress. As if prepared, he laid the unconscious Choi Ara on the filthy mattress.
Kim Il-woo rummaged the broken furniture, pulling out his prepped items for her: camera, ropes, blindfold, and more.
Clunk, clunk.
He first mounted the camera on a tripod, starting the recording. A memorable day—he set up multiple for various angles.