Free Web NovelOf course, it could have been someone we knew.
Seok-hwan hyung might have come in through the door.
But none of the people holding our dorm key would just drop by unannounced.
And today is New Year’s Day—everyone else is off.
So most of the scenarios running through my head were bad ones.
Click—
The last lock clicked open, and I heard the door lock disengage.
Beep-beep-beep-beep—
At the sound of the door-lock keypad beeping, my brothers pressed in close beside me. Then came the familiar click of the lock opening.
Ziiiiing—
Ri-hyeok and Ji-ho clung to me, eyes wide.
My body trembled with sudden fear, so I wrapped my arms calmly around them.
But the intruder couldn’t open the door.
Clank-clank—
The inside-only deadbolt caught the door.
Was this the bolt Seok-hwan hyung had us install for a documentary shoot?
Now it was protecting our safety.
Bang! Bang!
With each rough shake of the door, my brothers held their breath.
The intruder tried again to undo the lock—apparently not knowing a deadbolt was there, thinking they’d simply failed to unlock it.
By then, I’d regained my senses.
I called softly to my brothers.
“Biju, call the managers and tell them what’s happening.”
“Okay, hyung.”
“Jung-hyun?”
“Yes, hyung.”
I handed the two trembling boys to Jung-hyun and said,
“Take them into the master bedroom. They’re too spooked—lay them on the beds and help them calm down.”
“All right.”
Jung-hyun carried my shivering brothers into the room.
“Hello?” Biju was already on the phone with Won-seok.
I moved toward the door. Biju shot me a worried look, but I shook my head—this was fine.
I pressed my eye to the peephole, determined to get a look at the culprit. In case we met again, I needed to remember faces and builds.
There wasn’t just one intruder.
Two people in thick padded jackets, hoods pulled down, masks on—both were women, judging by the hair spilling out from under their hoods and their builds.
...Stalkers.
Suddenly, my phone rang, and I jumped.
It was Seok-hwan hyung calling. The vibration must have been loud, because I heard loud footsteps outside the door—running, crashing down the stairs. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
I sighed at the vanished intruders and went to the kitchen to answer.
“Hello?”
“Woo-joo, don’t you dare open the door. No matter what you hear, don’t respond. And...”
“They ran off.”
“Thank God. We’ll alert the company people; ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) don’t do anything until Won-seok gets there. Don’t peek outside or open the door.”
“Got it. Thanks, hyung.”
When I said goodbye, my voice cracked.
After hanging up, I slid to the kitchen floor and leaned against the fridge.
Ah.
What was I feeling? Just a moment ago, we’d been about to eat grilled pork belly, but now reality felt gone. My body shook uncontrollably.
In the open, I could have scooped up my brothers and run, but in this closed space, a stranger trying to break in—that was pure terror.
Biju squatted before me. “Hyung, are you okay?”
“Uh—guess I just relaxed too fast.”
“Do you want water...? Where’s water?”
“On the balcony. The bottled-water box.”
“Then...”
“Don’t go out there. You’d be visible. And I’m okay.”
I forced a smile at my panicked brother, then drank a little tap water.
Steadying my shaking legs, I took a deep breath—if I panicked, they’d panic more.
“Let’s go check on them.”
I gave Biju a calm smile and went to the master bedroom. The three on the bed turned to me at once.
“Hyung, what happened? Did they leave?”
“They left. You don’t have to worry.”
“Ah...”
Our youngest collapsed back on the bed, all tension gone. Ri-hyeok sat close to Jung-hyun, swallowing hard. Even ever-easy Jung-hyun looked a bit on edge. Biju tried to smile beside me, but his Adam’s apple bobbed rapidly.
Watching my brothers tremble, I felt strangely calm.
That’s right—I needed to be their anchor.
“Come here, everyone.”
I stepped forward and opened my arms, drawing them into a hug on the bed.
...
Only soft breaths filled the room.
“Even if it’s uncomfortable, stay like this until the manager arrives.”
...
No one replied, but we pressed together without a word.
I patted their shaking shoulders and stared at the bedroom ceiling.
Suddenly, I missed Mrs. Kim Deok-soon.
After the incident, all the staff responsible for NewBlack gathered urgently.
“Those damn idiots,” the head of management growled.
“There has to be a line you don’t cross. This is way over it—who does this kind of garbage on New Year’s Day?”
“What’s courtesy to stalkers? If courtesy existed, we wouldn’t be here,” Seok-hwan replied.
The director asked, “The boys okay? No injuries?”
“They’re really shaken, but okay. Won-seok’s waiting at the dorm; they’re still not great, apparently.”
He nodded. “Of course. If I’d been in their shoes, I’d’ve fainted.”
홍서영 from PR spoke up, “Someone got a key, guessed the door-lock code... lucky we had that deadbolt. If not, things could’ve gotten real bad.”
“Thankfully they weren’t after the boys. They bolted as soon as they heard someone inside.”
Reconstructing the story from Woo-joo’s account, they guessed the stalkers intended burglary—empty-house break-in or to hide inside. The former seemed likeliest. If the boys had been the target, they’d have demanded entry, not fled.
The director shuddered. “Where did they get a key? This villa uses key cards, right?”
“I think the code is creepier. When you mentioned it before, I didn’t think it was possible to guess like that...”
“I felt weird about it back then,” Seok-hwan said wryly.
Last summer, when the door-lock battery died, the repairman said: “Why is this so worn? Up-down too much? Look—worn right through.” We installed the deadbolt then, just in case.
The director tapped the table. “Let’s focus on cleanup next.”
Seok-hwan added, “We’ve sent managers to stabilize them. Checking if any internal leaks could explain this.”
홍 said, “We noted their descriptions. Tomorrow, staff will review event videos and photos to match clothing or features.”
“Their judgment is incredible—they sometimes outshine adults,” someone said.
“But even if we identify them, aside from blacklisting or banning at events, what can we do? The law only goes so far.”
A fine at most for illegal entry. Seok-hwan sighed. “If punishment were real, TNT or Teen Spirit would’ve done it first—they’re real targets.”
“True,” the director agreed. TNT and Teen Spirit faced unbelievable stalker incidents: pop out mid-shower, follow them into public restrooms, stage minor collisions to get close.
Seok-hwan said, “PR should be more cautious receiving packages.”
홍 nodded: “We already are—last year someone sent a box of cutter blades as a ‘gift.’” She showed a thin scar on her hand; the others grimaced.
Seok-hwan shifted topics: “We can’t keep them in that dorm now, can’t guard them 24/7. We need temporary housing until the move.”
“Right. They’re shaken—somewhere for about a week...”
But no suitable place existed. Hotels cost too much and are easier to break into. We can’t ask staff to open their homes. Returning to family was out—parents would worry.
Just then, the director’s phone buzzed. “It’s the CEO...?”
Had it been reported? As they wondered, he answered:
“...Yes, CEO. Oh? Really?”
His face brightened. After the call, he relayed the news, and everyone breathed easier—no place was more secure.
“Wow...”
We gaped at the place our manager dropped us off.
“It’s a house? A castle?”
“Clearly a house.”
“Ri-hyeok seems okay now—hyung’s relieved.”
“Don’t touch me,” Ri-hyeok swatted my arm, but without his usual objection.
Jung-hyun pressed the doorbell. After we introduced ourselves, someone inside said to open. The manager relaxed.
“All right, I’ll go then.”
“Thank you so much for today.”
“Any time—call me if anything comes up. I’ll be there.”
We bowed deeply as the manager drove off. Watching his car disappear, we surveyed our surroundings.
An upscale neighborhood in Pyeongchang-dong: tall walls, grand gates, garages. The house we stood before was the largest.
Clunk.
The automatic gate opened, and we walked up the steps.
“Wow.”
Four simultaneous gasps: a green lawn, a few trees with birds—serene.
Our youngest made a funny face. “Feels like coming home. Just needs a fountain—there’s only a pond.”
...
“Hey, why are you staring at me like that?” he asked, excited.
I just laughed—relief showed on his face compared to earlier. Today, we’d all trembled for nearly an hour, calling our families. I’d called Mrs. Kim in Gunsan—thankfully, she was fine.
“Seriously okay? Your face looks wrecked.”
“...”
“Gosh, that’s bad. You only have your face to show off.”
“...Hang up?”
My grandmother’s insults calmed me, as always.
Though the shock remained, this unfamiliar scene helped erase the memory.
We entered the huge two-story mansion. The automatic door swished open.
“Wow...”
A black-and-white interior so pristine it took my breath away.
“This is insane...”
“So clean. I love it. Perfect.”
“Is that a waterfall?” Jung-hyun pointed to a glass wall like in a department store, water cascading down.
The living room’s six-meter ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows screamed wealth.
Just then, a man in a housecoat with a mug descended the stairs.
“You’re here?”
It was Director Jo Gyu-hwan, smiling gently. We bowed.
“Hello, Director!”
“Thanks for coming.”
“No, thank you,” I waved my hands. “Thank you for letting us stay.”
“Nonsense. I live alone and get bored—I’m glad for the company.”
The director had offered his too-large home as temporary lodging—a big gesture, especially for someone who loves staying in.
“Come on through. I’ll show you around.”
Like newcomers to a strange world, we followed Director Jo throughout the house, taking nearly forty minutes—and exclaiming every few seconds.
“This is the gaming room—you like games, Ji-ho? Come play anytime.”
“Director, I love you!”
Our youngest explored like a dog marking territory after a walk.
Meanwhile, Director Jo whispered with a hand over his mouth:
“I built this room because my nieces ran wild here during holidays.”
“Does it work?”
“They never want to leave, except for meals.”
We all smiled.
Next, the first-floor fitness room.
“Use it anytime, as long as it’s not before work hours.”
“Unreal...”
Top-of-the-line equipment made Jung-hyun’s eyes gleam.
Then the kitchen—two refrigerators, an oven, every gadget. Biju’s eyes lit up.
“Use it whenever you like. Biju, you hear that?”
“This is heaven.”
We all laughed at Biju’s bright-eyed delight, slightly embarrassed under Director Jo’s amused gaze.
Then, “Whoa!!!”
“Aaah—hyung, what’s wrong?”
We rushed downstairs to the basement workshop.
My jaw dropped at all the latest equipment. The others’ recoiling reactions didn’t matter.
“This... this is...”
“Hard to get in Korea. I ordered them special from overseas.”
“These precious things...”
Heat flushed my face with excitement. Jung-hyun tilted his head:
“Is that so expensive? From the outside...”
“Hey!”
I shoved his hand away as he reached for a console. “You don’t touch that without washing your hands—what if you get oil on it?”
“Wow, did you see the fire in his eyes?”
“He’s always like this. Give him anything music-related and he turns weird.”
I stroked the console reverently—Jung-hyun said, “You know who that reminds me of?”
“Huh?”
“That humanoid creature from Lord of the Rings... oh, I remember.”
He pointed at me. “Gollum.”
“Uh...”
Only then did I snap out of it like a Frodo discarding the One Ring.
“Ahem.”
I cleared my throat, regaining dignity, but Director Jo’s gaze had shifted, stepping a little back.
Yet the most over-the-top was someone else entirely.
Every time he saw a new room, his pale face flushed crimson—Ri-hyeok, looking at each perfectly organized space like viewing a masterpiece in a museum.
“Director, who does all the cleaning here?”
“Mostly my housekeeper.”
“May I ask her name?”
Ri-hyeok carefully typed “Choi Young-ja” into his phone, as if to memorize his new master.
After touring the house, we reached one conclusion.
“Hyung...”
“Guys...”
We nodded and smiled at each other.
“This is heaven!”
On New Year’s Day, we’d arrived at our very own paradise.
“Woaaah!”
Watching us, Director Jo’s face flickered with regret for the first time.
“Uh... kids.”
“Then we’ll unpack our things in our room!”
“Let’s bring the bags!”
“Hyung said to bring the bags!”
“Woaaah, I’ll get the bags!”
“Whatever, it’s fine.”
With a resigned step, Director Jo headed upstairs—when he heard someone call from behind.
“Um... Director.”
“Ah, Woo-joo.”
I looked up at him, overly polite, as if to thank him again.
‘Woo-joo’s the only normal one...’
But then a sweet voice pierced his thoughts.
“What’s the Wi-Fi password here?”
...Could this week get any stranger?
