LOVE THE WAY YOU'RE

The sky had dimmed into soft twilight by the time Haan Sung Hung dragged herself home. Her bag hung heavy on one shoulder, her shoes scuffed from a long day of running between classes and activities. Pushing the door open, she exhaled slowly. “I’m home, Mom…” Her voice was barely above a whisper, fragile and tired. From the couch came her mother’s sharp, impatient tone. “Why are you so late? You said you’d cook dinner.” Sung Hung’s shoulders slumped. She set her bag down, rubbing her forehead in exhaustion. “I know, I’m sorry. Class ran late today…” She moved toward the sink, rolling up her sleeves. “I’ll make something quick.” Her lips curved into a small, polite smile that hid her fatigue. Her mother didn’t glance up. “Just make it fast. I don’t have all night.” “Okay, Mom.” Sung Hung bowed slightly, a gesture of respect she had mastered over the years, before turning to the stove. --- Later, while cleaning the dishes, she glanced at the clock. Nearly ten o’clock. Her heart sank. “Homework… I haven’t even started.” Her mother’s voice came from the living room, firm and sharp. “Finish the dishes and then go to sleep. Wake up at 5:30 tomorrow — I have a lot to do.” Sung Hung whispered to herself, barely moving her lips. “But I already wake up at six… why earlier?” She swallowed and said softly, “Okay, Mom.” A plate slipped from her hands, shattering against the floor. The loud crash echoed in the small kitchen. Her mother appeared instantly, face twisted in fury. “Can’t you do anything right? What kind of daughter did God give me?!” The shouting lasted almost half an hour. Sung Hung stayed frozen, silent, eyes cast down, her hands pressed to her lap as if to hold herself together. To her mother, she had always been just a responsibility — never a daughter to be loved. --- Finally, the house quieted. Sung Hung retreated to her room, collapsing onto her bed. “I can’t rest… not even for a moment,” she whispered. Her gaze drifted to the small picture of God on her wall. Tears slipped down her cheeks, soft and warm. “Why does this keep happening? Mom… you don’t even love me. I know you can hear me… so why…?” Her pillow trembled as she clutched it, whispering to the dark. “You’re supposed to be my best friend… but I’m so alone.” Her sobs were quiet, trembling, swallowing the room into darkness. Loneliness had been her constant companion — tonight, it felt heavier than ever. --- Then came the sound — faint, metallic, coming from the basement. Thunk… click… clank… Her body froze. A cold shiver ran down her spine. “…What was that?” she whispered. “From the basement? But I’m on the first floor…” Her instincts screamed at her to stay put. The sound grew louder, more insistent. Clank… clunk… creak… She thought of waking her mother, but the bed was empty. No stirrings. She bit her lip. Slowly, almost trembling, she reached for the basement door. Her hand shook as she unlocked it. Each step down the creaking wooden stairs echoed in the quiet. She flipped on the dim basement light. Dusty shelves and boxes came into view, nothing more… until a voice rumbled from the shadows. > “I’m here.” Her breath caught. The voice was deep, calm, and undeniably human — yet unlike anyone she had ever known. From the darkness, a figure emerged. Tall, broad-shouldered, silent. His face half-hidden, the edges blurred in shadow. Sung Hung’s voice trembled. “Who… who are you? How did you get into my house?!” The man’s response was soft, deliberate: > “You called me.” She froze, confusion and fear warring inside her. “What… I called you? How?” In a reflex, she grabbed the nearest broom and swung — it snapped in two. Heart pounding, she bolted up the stairs, slammed the basement door, and locked it tight. Peeking into her mother’s room, she saw her still asleep. Relief and fear tangled inside her. Back in her room, she wrapped herself in blankets, tears still rolling silently. “Was I hallucinating? What’s happening to me?” she whispered. What had begun as just another lonely night had shifted — subtly, chillingly — into something else entirely. --- 😍 End of Episode 1