Chapter 10 - Chapter 10

🌑 Chapter 10: The Secret in the Petals

The wind at Namsan felt colder than before.

Or maybe—

It was just her.

Hana stepped back.

Away from him.

Her fingers tightened around her phone.

The message still open.

The image—

Burned into her mind.

“I’ll take a taxi.”

Her voice was quiet.

Almost fragile.

Ji-hoon frowned slightly.

“Hana-ya, it’s late.”

A step forward.

“Don’t be stubborn.”

She looked at him.

Really looked this time.

“Is it stubbornness…”

A pause.

“…or survival?”

Silence.

Her voice dropped even lower.

“I need to breathe.”

Her chest tightened.

“…without you around me.”

For a moment—

He said nothing.

And somehow—

That silence hurt more than anything else.

She turned.

Walked away.

He didn’t follow.

But she could still feel him.

Watching.

The next morning—

Insadong was quiet.

Peaceful.

Deceptive.

Hana sat inside a small traditional tea house.

Steam rose slowly from her green tea.

Across from her—

An older man.

Tired eyes.

Sharp mind.

“…You said you had information,” he muttered.

Hana didn’t answer.

She slid her phone across the table.

The photo.

He looked at it.

And froze.

His face lost color.

“…Where did you get this?”

“Just tell me,” Hana said.

Her voice steady.

“Who is she?”

A long silence.

Then—

“Seo-yoon.”

His voice dropped.

“The Blue Bird of Seoul.”

Hana leaned forward.

“Ten years ago…”

He exhaled slowly.

“Her voice…”

A pause.

“…could break you.”

Hana’s heart tightened.

“What happened to her?”

The man hesitated.

Then—

“She was his.”

Silence.

“Ji-hoon’s first… muse.”

Hana’s fingers curled.

“He gave her everything.”

“Jewelry.”

“Stages.”

“Power.”

A pause.

“But she wasn’t like you.”

Hana blinked.

“…What does that mean?”

“She wanted freedom.”

Silence.

“And he…”

The man looked at the photo again.

“…doesn’t understand that word.”

Hana’s breath slowed.

“One day…”

A pause.

“…she disappeared.”

Silence.

Heavy.

“And after that…”

“Black orchids.”

Hana’s stomach dropped.

“Every year.”

A whisper.

“On the day she vanished.”

Two hours later—

Kang Global Tower.

Hana didn’t stop.

Didn’t wait.

She walked straight through the lobby.

Past the reception.

Ignoring the voices calling her name.

“Miss Lee—you can’t just—”

She didn’t listen.

The elevator doors opened.

Closed.

Silence.

Her reflection stared back at her.

“…Am I next?”

The office doors burst open.

Ji-hoon stood by the window.

Back turned.

The city stretched below him.

“I knew you’d come.”

His voice was calm.

Hana didn’t answer.

She walked forward.

Fast.

Pulled out her phone.

And slammed it on his desk.

The photo stared back at him.

“Who is Seo-yoon?”

Silence.

Slowly—

He turned.

His eyes dropped.

To the image.

And for a moment—

Everything broke.

Just for a second.

Pain.

Real.

Raw.

Hana froze.

“…So it’s true.”

His expression hardened again.

Like nothing had happened.

“She didn’t know how to wear it.”

Hana frowned.

“…Wear what?”

His eyes lifted.

Locked onto hers.

“The black silk.”

A chill ran through her.

“Are you here to judge me?”

His voice dropped.

Colder.

Sharper.

“…or are you afraid?”

He stepped closer.

His presence filled the space.

“Afraid…”

A pause.

“…you’ll end up like her?”

Hana didn’t move.

Didn’t step back.

But her heart—

Was racing.

“Because if you were afraid…”

His voice lowered.

Almost a whisper.

“…you should’ve run.”

A beat.

“When I told you to.”

Silence.

The city outside continued to shine.

Unaware.

That something between them—

Had just shifted.

Into something far more dangerous.