The days passed with a palpable sense of uncertainty. The mysterious message remained unanswered from both of us. Min-ah and I debated for hours about what to do. Part of me felt a gnawing curiosity, a need to know who was behind those words and what this "truth" they claimed to know was. But the other part, the more rational and cautious one, screamed danger. Min-ah shared my apprehension.
"It could be anyone, Ryu Hyuk," he'd told me, frowning as we went over the message for the umpteenth time. "It could be a trap from one of those organizations I told you about. Or even... another Marked with ulterior motives."
"But they could also be who they say they are," I countered, though my voice lacked conviction. "Someone who really wants to help us. Someone who knows more about all this."
"And if that's the case, why contact us so secretly?" Min-ah asked, pointing at my phone with a suspicious gesture. "If they really wanted to help, they could have done it in a more direct way."
Despite our doubts, we couldn't stop thinking about the message. The idea that someone else knew the truth about the Marked and the Troubles was too tempting to ignore completely. I decided to do some research of my own. I returned to online forums, looking for any mention of groups or individuals who might be connected to the message. I found nothing concrete, just more conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated rumors.
I also began paying more attention to the news, looking for any indication that something unusual was happening in the city. Sightings of Troubles had decreased in official reports, but stories continued to circulate on social media and among the public. The feeling that the authorities were hiding something grew stronger.
In my everyday life, I tried to act normal, but it was an increasingly difficult task. Every time I touched something metal, every time I heard a siren in the distance, I felt a chill run down my spine. The awareness of what I was capable of, and the dangers that lurked, was constantly with me.
One day in physics class, we were conducting an experiment with magnets. As I brought a powerful magnet close to a metal plate, I felt a surge of energy run through my arm—a much stronger connection than usual. For a moment, I lost control, and the metal plate lifted slightly off the table, just as the teacher walked past me. Luckily, he was distracted explaining something to another student and didn't notice. But my heart pounded, reminding me how close I was to revealing my secret.
Finally, after several days of deliberation, Min-ah and I came to a conclusion. We couldn't ignore the message completely. We needed to know who was behind it, even if it meant taking a risk. We decided to respond, but with extreme caution.
We prepared a short, ambiguous message, asking what kind of help they could offer us and what "truth" they were talking about. We sent the message and waited, feeling a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. The response wasn't long in coming.
"We have information about the origin of the Troubles and how to stop them," the new message read. "If you want to know more, you must be willing to meet with us. In a safe place. Away from prying eyes."
Min-ah and I exchanged a glance. This was getting more serious than we thought.
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