"…Found… you."
The voice didn't sound human.
It was dragged, distorted, like it had to force itself through something it didn't belong to.
Hae-joon's stomach dropped instantly, a cold wave settling deep in his chest as his fingers curled slightly at his sides.
"…Yeah," he whispered, his voice tight, almost breathless. "Definitely not a mouse."
Arthur didn't respond.
He had already stepped forward, placing himself between Hae-joon and the thing without hesitation this time. There was no pause in him now, no uncertainty, just a quiet, unwavering intent that felt heavier than anything before.
"…Stay behind me," he said, his voice low but firm.
Hae-joon swallowed whatever argument was rising in his throat.
The thing moved again.
Not fast this time.
Slow.
Its form flickered with each step, like it couldn't fully exist in one place, its outline breaking and reforming in unnatural jerks that made it hard to focus on.
"Hidden...for so long...time to come home!" The voice whispered.
Hae-joon's chest tightened.
"…What..?" he said under his breath, in utter confusion..not knowing what it meant, "Arthur...please tell me you actually have a plan."
There was a brief pause.
Arthur didn't turn.
"…I do."
A flicker of hope.
"…And?"
Arthur's gaze remained fixed ahead, unblinking.
"…Run when I tell you to."
The hope died instantly.
Hae-joon let out a short, disbelieving breath, something between a laugh and a protest.
"…That's not a plan, that's a death wish—"
He didn't get to finish.
The thing lunged.
This time..fast.
Too fast.
It crossed the distance in a blur, its form snapping into clarity just for a split second as it reached for them..
And Arthur moved.
Not just fast--
inhuman.
He stepped forward and caught it mid-air, his hand locking around it with a force that echoed through the entire building. The impact rang out, sharp and violent, sending dust scattering from the ceiling.
Hae-joon froze.
"…What the—"
He didn't even finish the sentence.
Arthur's grip tightened, his posture shifting as something about him changed, subtle, but undeniable. The air around him felt heavier now, charged with something darker, something that didn't quite belong to the person Hae-joon had been arguing with just moments ago.
When he spoke again..
his voice wasn't the same.
Lower.
Colder.
"…Run."