Hana stared at the photograph on her phone.
Ji-ah.
She was standing outside a small café, wearing a dark coat and carrying a bag over her shoulder.
The picture looked recent.
Very recent.
Someone had been watching her.
Min-jae took the phone from Hana and studied the photograph.
"When was this taken?"
"I don't know."
He zoomed in.
"There."
Hana leaned closer.
A street sign was visible behind Ji-ah.
Min-jae recognized it immediately.
"This isn't near the train station."
"Then where is it?"
"The old shopping district."
Joon-ho looked at the photograph.
His expression changed.
"I know that place."
Hana looked at him.
"Do you know where she is?"
"I know where she was."
"That isn't the same thing."
"I know."
Min-jae handed the phone back to Hana.
"We're going there."
Joon-ho shook his head.
"No."
Min-jae looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because whoever sent that message wants us to go there."
"Maybe."
"And if it's a trap?"
Hana crossed her arms.
"Then we don't go alone."
Joon-ho stared at her.
"You're really not afraid, are you?"
Hana smiled nervously.
"I'm terrified."
Min-jae looked at her.
"But I'm not going to let fear make every decision for me."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Joon-ho nodded.
"Fine."
---
The three of them reached the shopping district after school.
The streets were quiet.
Most of the shops had already closed.
Hana looked around.
"Where exactly was the café?"
Joon-ho pointed across the street.
"That one."
The café was small, with warm lights glowing through the windows.
They entered.
A woman behind the counter looked up.
"Can I help you?"
Min-jae showed her the photograph.
"Have you seen this girl?"
The woman studied it.
"Yes."
Hana's heart jumped.
"When?"
"This afternoon."
"Did she say where she was going?"
The woman shook her head.
"She only stayed for a few minutes."
"Was she alone?"
"No."
Min-jae exchanged a glance with Hana.
"Who was with her?"
The woman hesitated.
"A man."
"Do you know him?"
"No."
"Can you describe him?"
She thought for a moment.
"He was tall. Dark hair. He wore a gray coat."
Joon-ho suddenly went silent.
Hana noticed.
"You know someone like that?"
Joon-ho didn't answer.
"Joon-ho?"
He looked at Min-jae.
"I think I know who it was."
"Who?"
"Mr. Kang."
Hana's eyes widened.
"The teacher?"
Joon-ho nodded.
"But why would Mr. Kang meet Ji-ah?"
"That," Joon-ho said quietly, "is exactly what we need to find out."
---
They left the café and walked toward the end of the street.
Hana noticed a small alley beside an old bookstore.
"What's that?"
Joon-ho looked.
"Nothing."
"You hesitated."
He sighed.
"There used to be an office there."
"Whose?"
"Mr. Kang's."
Min-jae stopped walking.
"What?"
"Before he became a teacher, he worked for a youth education organization. That office belonged to them."
Hana stared at the building.
"So he knew Ji-ah before she left."
"Yes."
"And you knew all this?"
"I knew some of it."
Min-jae shook his head.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know who to trust."
Hana looked at the dark windows of the old building.
"Maybe we're finally getting close."
A light suddenly appeared inside.
All three of them froze.
Someone was in the building.
Min-jae stepped toward the entrance.
Hana caught his sleeve.
"Wait."
A shadow moved behind the window.
Then the light disappeared.
Joon-ho whispered,
"Someone knows we're here."
They backed away from the building.
Hana's phone vibrated.
Another unknown message.
She opened it.
There was a single photograph.
This time, it wasn't of Ji-ah.
It was of the three of them standing outside the café.
The photograph had been taken only moments ago.
Hana's blood ran cold.
Beneath it were seven words:
YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO THE WARNING.
Min-jae looked around the empty street.
"Someone is nearby."
Joon-ho's phone suddenly rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face turned pale.
"Who is it?" Hana asked.
Joon-ho didn't answer.
He slowly held the phone out so they could see.
The caller's name was displayed clearly.
JI-AH.
And beneath her name was a message:
DON'T ANSWER.