The empty apartment
540 Words
Min-jun stood outside Apartment 304, holding the silver suitcase tightly in his hands. The hallway was silent except for the distant sound of rain tapping against the windows. He knocked on the door once.
No answer.
He waited for a few moments before knocking again, this time more loudly.
Still nothing.
Min-jun looked around uneasily. The old apartment building felt strangely deserted. The lights flickered occasionally, casting long shadows across the hallway.
Just as he was about to leave, he heard footsteps approaching from the far end of the corridor.
He turned quickly.
To his surprise, it was the young woman from the bus.
Her dark coat was damp from the rain, and a few strands of wet hair clung to her face. The moment she saw the silver suitcase, relief washed over her expression.
"You found it," she said, breathing deeply.
Min-jun nodded and handed the suitcase to her.
"You left it on the bus."
The woman accepted it carefully, almost as if it contained something very valuable.
"Thank you," she said sincerely. "You have no idea how worried I was."
Before Min-jun could reply, voices suddenly echoed from the staircase below.
The woman's expression changed immediately.
She stepped closer to the apartment door and listened carefully.
The voices grew louder.
Several people seemed to be climbing the stairs.
"We should go inside," she whispered.
She quickly unlocked the door and motioned for Min-jun to enter.
The apartment was small but neat. Bookshelves lined one wall, and a laptop sat open on a desk near the window. Everything looked ordinary, yet the woman seemed unusually nervous.
A few seconds later, footsteps passed through the hallway outside.
Min-jun peered through a small gap in the curtain.
Three men dressed in dark clothing walked slowly past the apartment.
They appeared to be searching for something.
Or someone.
After several tense minutes, the hallway became quiet again.
The woman finally relaxed.
"My name is Hana," she said.
"Min-jun."
Hana thanked him again for returning the suitcase and offered him a cup of tea.
As they talked, Min-jun learned that she worked for a large technology company in Seoul. She explained that she had recently been involved in an important project.
Although she avoided giving too many details, it was obvious that the suitcase was connected to her work.
Min-jun noticed that she frequently glanced toward the window.
"Are those men following you?" he finally asked.
Hana hesitated.
"I hope not," she replied.
The answer sounded uncertain.
After finishing his tea, Min-jun stood to leave.
It was getting late, and he knew his parents would be worried.
Before he left, Hana handed him a business card.
"If I ever need to contact you, would that be okay?" she asked.
Min-jun smiled.
"Sure."
As he walked home through the quiet streets, he kept thinking about the strange events of the evening.
Who were those men?
Why had Hana looked so frightened?
And what was so important about the silver suitcase?
The next day seemed completely normal—until his phone buzzed during lunch break.
A message had arrived from Hana.
Attached was a photograph of the silver suitcase.
Beneath it was a short message:
"Min-jun, I think I'm in trouble. I need your help."
- Writer
