EP. 6 [YERIN]

Evidence, proof that Baekhyun has indeed disappeared not of his own free will, is Yerin's top priority. Though the police may believe otherwise, the more she thinks about what Dal showed her, what his office looked like, the further she concludes that Baekhyun is hiding something. Whatever it is had him leave without saying a word to either her or her mother.

So, when Sunhee said she was going to visit Baekhyun's house, Yerin readily tagger along. Certainly, she would find some clue as to where he went and more about why.

Yerin and Sunhee stand outside on the stone pavement leading to Baekhyun's modern home. Everything is pristine. From the compact bushes lining the sidewalk to the mahogany door. It's the kind of hose Yerin has only ever seen through digital screens.

Of course, this isn't the first time she's been here. She's come to see Baekhyun on multiple occasions, but it still leaves her in awe every time.

The only thought circling her mind brings her back to the reason she's there. Sucking in a deep breath, she squares her shoulders and follows her mother to the front door. Not a few seconds later, Sunhee has placed the key in the lock and turned it, softly pushing the door inward.

Darkness encompasses the area nearby. With what little light the sun gives, they can make out the shelves where they switch out their shoes for slippers, but Yerin and Sunhee remain outside. Almost as if they're afraid to disturb Baekhyun's home, or maybe they're hoping he'll turn the corner at the end of the short hallway and greet them like he usually does, but neither of these cases are true. His home already feels strange, and there's no one there to welcome them inside.

After a moment, after they both muster up the courage, they go in. Sunhee reaches to the left of her to flip the switch. A warm glow spreads throughout the small space.

It's eerily silent. Another testament to Baekhyun's disappearance.

The cream colored walls and tawny floorboards oppose that fact. A combination that reminds Yerin too much of her brother's bubbling personality. He's not here, but his house still feels so much like him. The ache in her chest throbs.

She misses him, and she wants more than ever for him to be here. To be found and brought back.

Sunhee is the first to venture further into the house. She takes off her shoes, slides them into a cubby, and grabs a pair of slippers on the top shelf to cozy her feet into. It takes Yerin a minute before she does the same. Then, they're shuffling their way to the kitchen.

It's spotless. Untouched. No surprise there. Baekhyun wasn't much of a cook. If they were to open the fridge, there would be several takeout containers. After the kitchen, they head to the living room. It's there that Sunhee slumps on the brown, leather couch, pressing her face into her hands. She lets out a heavy sigh so full with distraught, Yerin can feel it from where she stands beside her mother.

Grasping onto Sunhee's shoulders, rubbing them slightly in comfort, Yunhee mumbles. "This is too much for you, eomma. You should go home. I'll search the rest of the house."

The heartbreak Sunhee feels is much different than the pain Yerin does. She's a mother, and her son has been taken away from her. Coming here so soon after getting the news is only doing more harm than good. Yerin knows her mother wanted some reassurance, but all it ended up doing was remind her that he's gone.

Sunhee places a hand on top of Yerin's and reluctantly nods. She has just gotten here, and now she's going to leave. She wants to do more, but Yerin is right. This will only further hurt her.

Rising, she turns to face Yerin with tears in her eyes. "You'll be okay here alone?"

Yerin forces herself to smile softly. It feels so wrong to smile at a time like this but for her mother's sake, she'll do it.

"I will."

"Be careful," Sunhee warns, gripping Yerin's hand tightly.

It's not likely anything will happen to her, but Yerin understands why her mother says it. She's lost one child. She doesn't want to lose another.

"Okay, eomma." Yerin reassures her.

She helps her mother to the door, trade out the slippers for her shoes, and through the open front door, she watches Sunhee get into the car and drive off. Once she does, Yerin is quick to close and lock it.

She would never say it to her mother, but she's been a bit paranoid. Very much due to her anxiety. It would help her stay safe though.

Yerin double checks the door before she retraces her steps to the kitchen. This time she goes in the direction her mother didn't have to heart to.

His bedroom.

The door to it is ajar. There's enough of an opening to catch a glimpse of Baekhyun's unkempt bed. Now that is definitely unusual. It should be as spotless as the rest of his house.

She widens the distance between the door and it's frame to get a better look. The comforter is thrown aside. Half of it dangles off the bed. Pillows are scattered across the floor. Those aren't the only things in disarray. The lamp that should be on his bedside table is shattered. The drawers below are haphazardly pulled out. Their contents strewn near it.

It's a good thing Sunhee left. She didn't need to see this. She didn't need to be even more terrified.

It's obvious from the mess that someone was looking for something. Whether they found it or not, Yerin doesn't know, but one things for sure.

She's more than worried about it.

Just what does he have that someone else so badly wanted?

She cautiously sits on the edge of his bed, her body and brain on fire from being so tense. Not that she would ever really relax so long as Baekhyun wasn't here, but finding his room like this is making her hyperventilate. As much as she tries to get her breathing under control, there are too many thoughts racing in her mind. All of them are focused on Baekhyun. Him being in danger. Him being physically hurt and bloodied.

Him dead.

She needs to calm down. She can't pass out here.

Frantically, Yerin searches the room for something, anything that'll distract her. Her eyes find the adjacent bathroom, and she knows just what'll do the trick.

She rushes as best as she can into the bathroom and practically throws herself into the shower. The curtain concealing it sways as she gets her hands on the knob centered below the faucet. And, she turns it just enough for cold water to hit her clothed body.

Yerin doesn't know how long she stands there, letting the chilliness soothe out the tension in her limbs and give her something else to feel aside from mindless panic. Freezing her skin off is definitely doing the trick.

Slowly but surely, her breathing returns to normal and her heartbeat has declined to a state that's somewhat natural for her.

When it has, she rotates the spigot to turn the shower off.

She's going to need a change of clothes. They're soaked but borrowing Baekhyun's doesn't sit quite right with her. He never let her wear his things before. Doing so now would just be wrong.

She could use his dryer.

Glimpsing down at her dripping clothes, Yerin knew she couldn't just walk out of the shower and leave a trail of water behind her. It would just create an even bigger mess. She'll have to take them off here.

Without a second thought, she slips out of her clothes and leaves them in a huddled pile in a corner of the shower.

Yerin pushes the curtain aside to grab a towel but she stops in her tracks. Staring right at her while she is wet and nude is a man she's never once seen before. His gaze remains on here despite her lack of clothing. He's not at all faze by her appearance. Like it's a normal occurrence for him to see a naked woman stepping out of the shower.

All Yerin can do is blink at him. Too paralyzed to panic or scream, but the fear trickles up her arms and legs, taking hold of her heart in one solid sweep. Everything within her is terrified of what the man will do, but all he does is smile.

"Welcome home, Yerin-ssi."

When he says her name, something in Yerin snaps, and she immediately closed the curtain to barricade herself.

She doesn't want to die. She's much too young. There's so much she still needs to do. Like bring Baekhyun home safe and sound.

"Would you like a towel?" The man's voice travels too well in the enclosed space. If the curtain wasn't the only thing separating them, it would be like he was next to her, speaking right at ear.

Yerin moves as far away from the lining as possible, thinking the further she is, the safer she'll be.

She's wrong.

He doesn't wait for her response.

And he's no longer outside the shower.

He's standing so close in front her, a towel hanging off one arm, and looks at her with that same stupid smile.

That's all it takes for her to finally scream.