The first light of dawn crept through the tattered curtains, washing the room in a dull gray. Seol-ah stirred, her body stiff from hours of restless sleep, her head heavy with unease.
For a brief moment, she convinced herself it had all been a dream: the photo, the shadow lingering on its edges, Eli sitting like a guard through the night. But as her vision cleared, there he was, still slumped in the chair, exhaustion etched into his face.
Her chest tightened. He hadn't moved at all.
She sat up slowly, careful not to wake him. The silence in the room felt wrong, too still, as if the outside world had paused. Her eyes darted to the nightstand. It was empty.
The Polaroid was gone.
Her heart raced.
Before panic could set in, Eli's voice broke the silence, rough from fatigue. "It's in my pocket."
She turned to him. His eyes were half-closed, dark from lack of sleep. His hand lay protectively over his jacket, as if guarding what was inside.
"Why hide it from me?" Her voice came out softer than she meant.
"Because the longer you look at it, the more power it has." His tone was calm, but there was something dangerous beneath it. "He doesn't just want you scared. He wants you to doubt me."
The air between them grew thick. Seol-ah swallowed hard. "What if it's working?"
Eli locked his gaze on hers, unblinking. A heavy silence filled the space — electric and tense. For the first time, she wasn't sure if it was safety or danger.
Then the sound came—thunk.
Both froze. Something slid against the floor near the door.
Eli moved quickly, crossing the room in three strides. He crouched and picked it up. His shoulders tensed.
"Another one?" Seol-ah whispered, her breath barely audible.
He didn't respond.
"Eli," her voice grew sharper.
Slowly, he turned the photo around.
Seol-ah's breath caught.
It wasn't the room. It wasn't her.
It was Eli.
Sitting in that same chair, same light, same weary tilt of his head. His eyes were closed, as if asleep.
And behind him—
The man in the hat, hand resting on his shoulder.
The image was too clear, too recent. It had been taken from inside the room.