Street Cred

Chapter 7

Byeol stopped breathing as she heard the all too familiar voice of Yeonjun. He sounded closeby, but not directly in front of her. The girl took a deep breath and hesitantly reached in front of her. She touched a mirror and sighed in relief as she began to feel her way around the mirrors.

"Where'd you go sweetheart? I just wanted to talk."

Yeonjun's voice was beginning to sound farther away as Byeol moved along the mirrors and worked her way towards an exit. She saw the exit sign through a mirror and smiled knowing she was close to getting out. Just as Byeol reached the door and was about to push it open, someone grabbed the back of her sweatshirt and pulled her back into a chest. She screamed and voices were immediately heard on the other side of the door.

"I'm not done with you," Yeonjun whispered into her ear just as the door opened and light flooded the room.

"Byeol!" The girl looked up and ran to Jeongin as he entered the room.

She crashed into his chest while breathing hard. His arms wrapped around her body and he rubbed her back until she pulled away, her eyes filled with fear. Jeongin laced their fingers together as he held her hand and walked out of the maze and to a nearby bench. He sat down and pulled Byeol down next to him.

"What happened?"

"I-I was trying to find the exit, and then the lights went off. I called out your name, but you didn't respond. And then I heard him. Yeonjun was in there with me. I had just reached the door and was about to leave, but he pulled me back and I screamed. He said he wasn't done with me, and then you came and I guess he left." Byeol looked at Jeongin with tears covering the surface of her eyes. "Jeongin, I'm scared. What if he really wants to hurt me?"

The boy scooted closer to Byeol and pulled her into his chest as he rubbed her back again. "Let's meet up with the others and tell them what happened. We can decide what to do then, okay?"

Byeol nodded her head and wiped the few stray tears as she pulled away. Jeongin pulled her up and held her small hand in his as he dialed a number on his phone. He told whoever he had called that they all needed to meet now. Jeongin led her to a food place in the park and the two sat down at a table as they waited for the others to arrive.

Changbin and Seungmin arrived first, followed by Hyunjin and Jae, and finally Jisung and Minki. The two girls came to sit with Byeol as Jeongin left to talk with the guys.

"Byeol, what happened? Jisung only told me that it was an emergency, but he wouldn't tell me what happened. Are you okay?" Minki checked Byeol over for any injuries before pulling her best friend into a hug.

"I'm fine, Minki. Just a little shaken up. Jeongin and I were trying to race each other out of the mirror maze when the lights suddenly went out. I freaked out and called for Jeongin, but I guess he had already left. Then I heard Yeonjun. I freaked out more and eventually I made it to the exit. Yeonjun pulled me back, I screamed, Jeongin opened the door, and then Yeonjun was gone. I'm fine, I promise." Byeol smiled at her friend, but it wasn't convincing.

Jae sensed Byeol's uneasiness so she brought in a new topic. "Hey, do you guys want to have a sleepover at my house tonight? After the race of course."

The table shook as Jae's face showed pain and Minki gave her a 'shut the fuck up' face.

"What race?" Byeol looked between the two girls confused.

"Uh... We w-were going to go play Mario Kart back at Hyunjin's tonight." Jae smiled but Byeol could tell that there was more. Before the girl could say anything, the guys rejoined them and Hyunjin began speaking.