Through the Lens
636 Words
🌑 Unknown Location – Midnight
A dimly lit room. Only the glow of a laptop screen pierced the darkness. Fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard, lines of code flickering in green and white on the screen.
The cursor blinked on a login page. A camera feed briefly flashed, then disappeared. Files were being pulled, encrypted walls breaking one by one.
The hacker’s face wasn’t shown — only their silhouette. Their breathing was steady, calm, practiced. On the desk lay several scattered photos, barely visible under the screen’s light: blurred images of Ayan, Hanuel, Chang Wook, and Euntak.
The system dinged softly — access granted.
A list of private messages, emails, and call logs appeared. The hacker leaned closer, scrolling slowly, as if searching for something specific… or someone’s secret.
The screen glitched for a second before stabilizing. The cursor hovered over Hanuel’s name.
The scene cut to black.
⸻
SCENE 13 — “The Photo Album & The Hidden Face”
Ayan walked out of the bedroom with a soft pink face mask on, holding their wedding photo album tight against her chest.
Euntak was in the sitting room, deeply focused on a soccer match.
Ayan: “Babe…”
Euntak (answers immediately, eyes still locked on the TV)
“Yes, my wife…”
Ayan sat beside him and opened the album.
Ayan: “Seems you forgot we snapped some pictures on our wedding day.”
Euntak (laughs, still watching the ball)
“Nah, how can I forget? I knew once you found it, you’d bring it straight to me.”
He finally turned his eyes to her face mask, then to the album in her hands.
“Girls always want to be prettier… even when they already are.”
Ayan laughed, and Euntak took the album from her hands, ready to flip through it.
Ayan quickly reached to take it back.
Ayan: “But you’re busy with your ball. Maybe when you’re done we can watch it together.”
Euntak caught her wrist gently and guided her until she fell softly onto his lap.
Euntak: “I can never be too busy for you, my wife.”
Ayan blushed under her mask.
“I know.”
They laughed together as they looked at the photos — teasing each other about awkward poses, surprised expressions, and the photographer’s random timing.
Then Euntak’s smile faded slightly.
He pointed at someone in the background.
Euntak: “Ayan… didn’t you notice this guy? He seems to be avoiding the camera.”
Ayan leaned forward, flipping back to the previous photos.
The same guy appeared again — always turned away, head down, or slightly off frame.
Ayan: “Maybe it’s coincidence. And besides… I know him.”
Euntak: “Coincidence, hmm…? So who is he?”
Ayan: “He’s my colleague. Chang Wook. More like a brother, honestly. So I don’t know why he’d avoid the camera.”
Euntak nodded slowly… too slowly.
Euntak: “Do you have any pictures or videos of him?”
Ayan raised a brow teasingly.
Ayan: “You look curious.”
She smiled and opened her phone.
“See this one — I took it without him knowing. He’s always unaware. He’s kind of a sociopath who doesn’t mingle.”
As she scrolled through the pictures, Euntak’s eyes widened for a split second the moment he saw Chang Wook’s face.
A flash of recognition.
Something sharp.
Something he quickly buried.
He straightened his posture and forced a calm expression.
Euntak: “…He’s cute.”
Ayan (smiling proudly)
“Yes, he has many crushes at work. And people respect him a lot… he’s respectful too.”
Euntak only nodded and smiled —
a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
They returned to the album, turning page after page…
but Euntak’s mind was far from the photographs.
- Writer
