{A shadow in the dark~ ILLIT} P1

Instructions

The hallway backstage was colder than usual, the shadows stretching long as if they were alive. The low hum of the lights overhead flickered in a strange, rhythmless pattern, making the darkened space feel even more haunted. Iroha pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders as she and the other members of ILLIT made their way to their waiting room after their rehearsal. It had been a long day of practice, and though they were excited for the show, there was an uneasy feeling hanging in the air. Every creak of the floorboards, every distant sound of something moving, made them look over their shoulders. “I swear, the place feels like it’s haunted,” Moka murmured, her voice a little too quiet. Iroha forced a laugh, trying to shake off the tension. “It’s just the stage lights acting weird, Moka, don't worry But even she wasn’t so sure. As they reached the waiting room, Yunah reached out to turn the doorknob, but just before she did, the lights above them flickered and went out. Everything was plunged into darkness. “Did we blow a fuse?” Minju asked, her voice high with uncertainty. Before anyone could answer, they heard it. A faint sound. Tap… tap… tap… Slow and deliberate, as if something,or someone,was walking toward them from the far end of the hallway. Iroha’s heart skipped a beat. “Did you hear that?” she hissed, her voice barely above a whisper. Everyone nodded. The tapping continued, getting louder, closer. Then- A faint jingle. As if a bell was jingling from a collar. But no one wore collars in the group, obviously. The sound wasn’t from them. Iroha’s stomach twisted into a knot. “Who’s there?” she called out, her voice wavering. The girls huddled together in the dark, their phones in hand, the dim flashlight beams casting strange shadows along the walls. The sound stopped. But only for a moment. Then… shff. A soft rustling, as if something was dragging on the floor. Iroha froze, holding her breath. The others were silent too, waiting, listening. A small noise. A whisper. It was coming from behind them. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the loud bang of the door behind them slamming open, and they all spun around, startled. But it wasn’t the door that made them stunned. It was the small black cat, sitting at the entrance to the hallway. Wonhee blinked in surprise. “Wait, is that. . .?” It was the same cat they had seen earlier that day in a small alleyway at the mall in Hongdae. But this time, it wasn’t just sitting there. It was staring directly at them, its eyes glowing in the dark.