Shouldn’t Have Been There
I knew I messed up the moment it got quiet.
Not normal quiet—this kind pressed in on you. Like the building was aware. Like it had already decided something about me.
I should’ve left.
But I didn’t.
How I Got Here
Three weeks ago, I was nobody.
Small jobs. Deliveries. Messages. The kind of work where no one looks at you twice—and that’s how you survive.
Stay invisible.
That was the rule.
Then I heard a name.
Not loud. Not direct. Just whispered—like saying it wrong might get you killed.
Power. Violence. Control.
And a place.
An abandoned building no one went near.
So I went.
The Building
From the outside, it looked dead.
Inside?
Too clean.
No dust. No mess. No signs anyone had ever left.
That’s when I knew
This wasn’t abandoned.
It was controlled.
Still, I kept going.
One hallway. Then another. Then stairs leading down.
Each step made the air heavier.
Quieter.
Like I was going somewhere I wasn’t meant to come back from.
Then I found the room.
Dim lights. Expensive furniture. No one there
But it didn’t feel empty.
It felt watched.
Him
A step behind me.
I turned slowly.
And he was already there.
No sound. No warning.
Just… there.
Tall. Relaxed. Hands at his sides.
Like none of this mattered.
But his eyes—
Cold. Sharp.
Finished with me before I even spoke.
...You shouldn’t be here.
My body locked up.
Every instinct screamed:
Run.
But I didn’t move.
Because I knew
I wouldn’t make it.
The End—Or So I Thought
He stepped closer.
The air tightened around me.
My chest felt heavy, like something invisible was crushing it.
I understood immediately.
This is where I die.
No fight.
No escape.
Just a mistake I couldn’t fix.

I Shouldn’t Have Been There
I knew I messed up the moment it got quiet.
Not normal quiet—the kind that settles when a place is empty. This silence felt deliberate. Heavy. Like the building itself had noticed me and decided I didn’t belong. I should’ve left right then. Instead, I kept walking.
How I Got Here Three weeks ago, I was nobody. Small jobs. Deliveries. Passing messages between people who didn’t want to be seen together. The kind of work where your biggest strength is being forgettable. Invisible. That was the rule. Stay invisible, stay alive. Then I heard a name gitae kim.
It wasn’t said loudly. It slipped out between hushed voices, like even speaking it carried risk. A name tied to power, violence, and people who disappeared without explanation. Along with it came a place.
An abandoned building no one went near.
Naturally, I went anyway. The Building
From the outside, it looked dead. Broken windows. Rusted metal. Nothing worth a second glance. Inside told a different story.
It was clean. Too clean. No dust. No debris. No signs of time passing. That’s when I knew it wasn’t abandoned.
It was maintained. Hidden in plain sight.
Still, I didn’t turn back. One hallway led to another. Then a staircase down.
With every step, the air felt heavier, like I was sinking into something deeper than just a building. Quieter, too. Until even my breathing sounded wrong..Then I found the room..The Room Dim lighting stretched across polished floors. The furniture was expensive, untouched, placed with intention.
No one was there. But it didn’t feel empty.
It felt occupied in a way that didn’t require a person present. That’s when I heard it.
A single step behind me. Him
I turned slowly. Not because I wanted to, but because my body wouldn’t move any faster.
He was already there. No sound. No warning. Just there, like he had always been part of the room. Tall. Relaxed. Hands resting loosely at his sides..But his eyes—
Cold. Focused. Completely uninterested in anything except the fact that I existed where I shouldn’t. ...You shouldn’t be here.
His voice was calm..That made it worse.
My instincts screamed at me to run. But I didn’t move..Because I knew I wouldn’t get far..He stepped forward..The air shifted instantly. Pressure built around me, tightening in my chest, making it harder to breathe. I understood immediately. This was it..No fight. No escape. Just the end of a mistake I couldn’t undo. I clenched my fists anyway, grounding myself in the feeling.
If you’re going to kill me, I said, my voice unsteady, just do it. He stopped.
Close enough now that I could see faint marks on his hands. Evidence of violence that didn’t need explanation. He was going to do it. There was no hesitation in him.
No emotion. Just certainty. Something Different …You’re not begging. The words caught me off guard. What?
Most people do. I swallowed. Would it" matter? A pause. …No.
He stepped closer again, until he was right in front of me..Then why aren’t you?
I hesitated before answering. …Because I knew what I was doing when I came here. Silence followed. Heavy and suffocating.
…So you’re not stupid.I let out a weak breath. That’s debatable. For a moment, nothing happened. Then he laughed.
Short. Quiet. Real.
And somehow, that was worse than everything else so far. The Shift
The pressure vanished. I could breathe again. My legs felt unsteady, but I stayed upright. He walked past me as if I no longer mattered. Leave. Relief hit instantly. I didn’t question it. I didn’t hesitate. I turned and started walking. One step. Two. “Stop. My body froze. Slowly, I turned back. He was watching me again. But something had changed. Kept …Actually, he said, you’re not leaving. My stomach dropped. What?
He tilted his head slightly, studying me with a new kind of focus. You came here knowing the risk. A step closer. You didn’t run.
Another. You didn’t beg. Now he stood in front of me again. That’s rare. I forced my voice steady. So what? His gaze sharpened. Now I’m curious. The word sent a chill through me. Not anger. Not annoyance. Curiosity. Like I had become something worth examining. I took a step back without thinking. He noticed immediately. In an instant, he was in front of me again. I hadn’t even seen him move. Don’t. One word. Quiet. Final. My feet stopped. Not by choice.But because I understood exactly what would happen if I didn’t. …What’s your name? I hesitated. Every instinct told me to lie. But under his gaze, the truth came out before I could stop it. I told him. He repeated it once, like testing it. Then gave a small nod. You came here for a reason, he said. Curiosity, I replied.
A faint smile touched his expression. Curiosity gets people killed. …I figured.
Another pause. Then he spoke again. Good. I frowned. Good? You’re aware, he said. You understand where you are. He stepped closer. And you’re still here.
His eyes locked onto mine, sharp and unwavering.