'He's not responding – why did he stop so abruptly and is crying like that?' Emma's voice carried a mix of concern and alarm.
Anya's plea was soft and urgent, 'Sangwon... why aren't you answering? Huh... what happened?' Her eyes searched his face, but Sangwon's gaze seemed lost in torment.
Without warning, Sangwon turned and started walking – almost fleeing – into the twilight shadows. 'Sangwon... Sangwon...' the group's desperate calls followed him like echoes in the night. 'Where is he going?' Min-Hyuk's question hung in the anxious air.
Anya lunged to stop him, but Sangwon pushed her aside with an unsettling force, as if driven by some unseen compulsion. Then, with jarring suddenness, he halted.
'He's stopped – but oh no, I think that's the edge of the hill!' Wendy's voice cracked with a sharp gasp.
'Sangwon....' Anya's scream sliced through the tension, 'what's happening to you?' Her fear was palpable as everyone sprinted toward him.
'It must be this cursed magical world,' Anya's thoughts raced, 'something's terribly wrong with Sangwon – he's not himself.'
Sangwon's tortured words spilled out, 'It hurts... don't say anything. I'm happy where I am now, so why are you saying this?' The haunting voice persisted in his ears, relentless: 'What if you're not... you're always busy... you don't even have time for your family.' The words probed like daggers, twisting Sangwon's anguish into something darker.
The night seemed to close in around them, heavy with foreboding – Sangwon teetered on the precipice, body taut like a bowstring, as the unseen voice wrought chaos in his soul.
"'This world's got you trapped,' Anya said, her voice edged with worry. 'It's playing on your doubts, Sangwon.'
"Die... why don't you die? You sacrificed athletic prowess for the fleeting allure of stardom, choosing being an idol over being an athlete – a trade that left you hollow. Consumed by the pursuit of fame, you've forsaken family, love, a true life," the voice sliced ruthlessly into Sangwon's psyche, weaponizing every choice against him.
Tears streamed down his face as he moved forward slightly, unsettled.
'Sangwon, don't!' The group's alarm rang out sharp.
'Sangwon! It's this world messing with you – don't let it!' Anya said urgently, holding his hands with a gentle firmness, her eyes pleading into his. 'You don't have to listen to it.'
'The voice... it's saying I'm wrong to pursue this... I'm always busy... some people make fun of me for putting everything into being an idol,' Sangwon whispered raggedly, like he was lost in painful thoughts. He shifted forward a bit more, distress clear in his movements.
'Sangwon... stop!' Anya's voice was fervent. 'You're strong – don't let those words hurt you.'
The air was thick with tension – Sangwon stood fragilely close to the edge, the taunting voice still slicing into his mind... but Anya's grip seemed to hold him back from the brink, a fragile thread of connection in the dark.
Holding his hands tightly, Anya's voice poured out like a passionate prayer, "Sangwon, look at me! You're living your dream – you're shining as an idol! Think about those ecstatic moments with your members, the bond you share – they're your family, forged in music and madness! Your fans scream your name, they cheer for you with hearts on fire, they root for you like you're their beacon in the dark! Yes, there are haters out there, shadows trying to dim your light... but your supporters love you with crazy devotion! And Sangwon, you might be the spark that lights up someone's entire world – you have that power! You're so much more than this cruel voice wants you to believe. It's twisting words, it's manipulating you like a puppet on dark strings! Don't listen, Sangwon – don't let it steal your spark!"
Her eyes blazed into his like wild stars, her grip on his hands a fierce anchor against the torment swirling in his mind. "You are wanted, you are loved, you are needed – don't let the darkness fool you into doubting that dazzling truth!"
The words were a fervent cascade, meant to cut through the poisonous whispers eating at Sangwon's soul, meant to remind him of the brilliant threads connecting him to joy, to love, to purpose.
Anya's plea burst forth like a desperate heartbeat, "If shadows loom, light exists too – just like every dazzling feast leaves dishes to scrub! Balance is cruel like that, Sangwon!" Her voice shattered on the edge of tears as she begged, "So please... don't do anything crazy, okay?" The words were a breathless prayer, and then she launched herself into his arms, clinging like her very soul hinged on holding him safe.
The poisonous whispers in Sangwon's mind finally faltered into stunned silence, his tears still carving rivulets of raw pain down his face. "I think he's snapping back to us!" Emma exclaimed with hushed relief.
"Anyaaa..." Sangwon whispered her name like a lifeline, and he crushed her against him, his hug fierce and yearning. The two of them melded together like they'd collapse without each other's gravity.
"You're alright now... right?" Anya asked, her voice a tender murmur against his chest.
"Hmmm," Sangwon murmured back, the sound hesitant but warming like sunrise cracks in darkness.
Wendy's voice sliced through the charged air, "LET'S GET OUTTA HERE – WE're TOO CLOSE to this CRAZY hill!!"
Gyeon-Wo barked sharply, "Everyone – MOVE. Don't let this psycho world's vicious whispers burrow into your skull. SHIELD yourselves."
Sangwon's eyes flickered focus back bit by bit. "It's TRYING TO STOP US, PLAY MIND GAMES with us!" he growled, sparks of defiance igniting in his gaze. As they edged cautiously away from the nightmare hill, Sangwon's look swooped tenderly to Anya – and he beamed a breathtaking, fragile smile. Emma caught that tender flash and her own lips curved up in a soft, conspiratorial smile.
"Wendy's voice was a tiny plea as she sighed, 'How much more must we walk? I'm sooo tired!'
Gyeon Wo's response was a calm murmur, 'We'll push on until we find something – a clue, a spark, a secret!' Min-Hyuk nodded beside her, 'I'm exhausted too.'
Emma burst out with a giggle, 'Ohhh, my adorable teens are totally drained! Cute crisis mode activated!' She teased with a sly grin, 'And Min-Hyuk, I've been noticing you're super caring towards Wendy. Hmm, maybe you're her ultimate buddy – you're definitely super sensitive about her, yknow!' Wendy and Min-Hyuk exchanged a quick look and kept trekking forward. Sangwon spoke softly, almost to himself, 'There's another path...'
Anya's breath caught in a squeal, 'Ohh the same GORGEOUS blue butterfly is flitting down that path! Like a tiny mystical messenger!'
Gyeon Wo frowned thoughtfully, 'But wait – what if it's a trick? What if that lovely butterfly's a sneaky pawn of the voice that's been tormenting us?' Sangwon murmured quietly, agreeing, 'He's right.'
Anya said with hesitant hope, 'But the butterfly's been a good omen before – it helped us! Maybe it'll lead us to awesome stuff if we follow.'
The gang chimed in unison with bubbly determination, 'Okay, let's give it a go!' Wendy cooed adorably, 'Awww, our little winged guider's here!'
'The butterfly's swooping into that mysterious hollow!' Emma exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with wonder. Sangwon's soft warning drifted like a whisper, 'Be careful, everyone.'
As they slipped through the shadowed aperture, a colossal ancient tree unfurled before them like a green sentinel.
Min-Hyuk's voice tinged with curiosity, 'Ohhh, the butterfly's vanished again!' Anya's thoughtful murmur held conviction, 'Then there must be something significant – the butterfly led us here for a reason, I'm sure of it.'
A wicked whisper SLITHERED into Wendy's ears like a poisonous snake, 'Wendy, you're STUNNING – come to me, or I'LL CRUSH your mom!' The voice was a DARK DEMON inside her head, screaming only for her tortured heart.
Wendy's breath SHATTERED into CRAZY sobs, 'NOOO... don't hurt her... PLEASEEE!' Her words MORPHED into HEARTBREAKING tears.
Min-Hyuk's face CONTORTED with WILD worry, 'Wendy... WENDY... what's GOING ON?!'
Anya's instincts FLAIRED like a BLAZING warning, 'I think something EVIL's GRABBING her – like Sangwon's dark stuff!'
Emma's voice was EDGE-OF-PANIC shrill, 'What do we DOOO? What if she does something CRAZY because of this?!'
Anya's brain SPUN with fierce thoughts, 'We gotta UNLOCK the TRIGGER – what's UNLEASHING this MADNESS?'
Min-Hyuk's eyes TURNED DARK like stormy night, 'There's a GUY in her hood – OBSESSED crazy with her. He tried to KILL her mom and KIDNAP her! I think THAT'S the MONSTROUS voice hurting her now!'
Emma stared at a SHADOWY FORM, 'WHHHHAT'S that GHOSTLY thing – a person SWATHED in black?! I can't see its FACE – it's a TERRIFYING SHADOW!'
Sangwon's voice was a LOW GROWL, 'It's CREEPING closer to Wendy.' Wendy SHRIEKED with FRANTIC fear, 'GET AWAY! Why're you DOING this?! LEAVE me and Mom ALONE, PLEASE DON'T!' Her words DIED into BREAKING sobs."
The sinister voice SCREAMED in Wendy's mind like a RAVENOUS monster, 'Wendy, you're GORGEOUS – come live with me, and I'll SPARE your mom's life! Be my sweet captive, COME TO ME, HAHHAHA!' The dark words ENDLESSLY ECHOED in her terrified soul as the SHADOWY FORM SLITHERED closer, like a BLACK PANTHER stalking its prey.
'Shhh...' Emma's frantic whisper was FUTILE against the shadow's hypnotic advance.
'Maybe it's a mere shadow – that's why our efforts are USELESS,' Anya murmured, her eyes narrowed in thought.
Min-Hyuk's face CONTORTED with DESPERATE alarm, 'But it's CREEPING CLOSER to Wendy! We MUST ACT NOW, FAST!' Min-Hyuk's hands GENTLY COVERED Wendy's ears, his urgent whisper a soft murmur, 'Don't hear anything... I'll protect you and your mom.'The others FRANTICALLY fought to halt the shadow's MESMERIZING glide toward Wendy. Her eyes were WILD POOLS of FEAR, her breath catching in SHORT, PANICKY gasps. The shadow KEPT COMING, like a dark, voiceless HUNTER closing in on its terrified target.
Anya UNLEASHED a PIERCING SHRIEK as the shadow HURLED her across the darkness like a ragdoll.
'It's FEROCIOUSLY POWERFUL!' Emma and Gyeon Wo CRYED OUT in agony, their bodies BRUTALLY KICKED and TOSSED by the shadow's CRAZY force.
Sangwon THREW himself like a LIVING SHIELD to protect Wendy and Min-Hyuk, but the shadow SWATTED him aside with CALLOUS ease. 'Wendy... you're MESMERIZINGLY BEAUTIFUL, HAHHAHA!' The voice DRILLED like a VENOMOUS SPIKE into her terrorized mind.
Wendy's voice DISINTEGRATED into DESPERATE PLEADING, 'Just END it... PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T TOUCH my mom!'
The shadow WRAPPED its DARK, CHOKING grip around Wendy's throat, SQUEEZING her breath into PANICKY fragments.
'NOOOOO! WENDY!' Min-Hyuk's ROAR was a PRIMAL BLAST of fury. 'WE MERGE OUR POWERS NOW – TOTAL UNLEASH!' Anya SHOUTED with WILD determination.
Fusing their energies in a BLAZING surge, Emma rasped, 'Min-Hyuk'll CHARGE with TATTOO-FUELED BRAWN! I'll TELEPORT him INFERNO-fast with my mark!' Anya's thoughts WHIRLED, 'I'll GRAB control of Wendy's mind – SHATTER that voice's cruel hold!' Gyeon Wo vowed swiftly, 'Sangwon and I AMPLIFY his SHIELD TATTOO – forge an INVINCIBLE FORCEFIELD!'
Min-Hyuk UNLEASHED a DEAFENING 'YAA!' as he HURTLED himself at the shadow like a HUMAN STORM. Anya WORKED MAGIC on Wendy's brain – instantly Wendy's eyes FLASHED clear, her chaos subsiding into bewildered calm.