Surveillance

Upon entering her unit, Da-Eun promptly scanned the area for any unfamiliar or suspicious objects that might have been placed there by that pervert. Fortunately, she found nothing out of the ordinary, which provided some relief.

All that searching made her physically tired, but she couldn't afford to rest just yet. She's already fatigued because of the exams, after taking her last test she needed to directly meet up with friends. Eating, drinking, and singing had taken their toll, leaving her physically and mentally drained. Adding the effects of the alcohol she had consumed earlier left her feeling parched, and the burning sensation in her throat intensified. She coughed so badly that she hurried to her kitchen and reached for a glass of warm water. 

As she held the glass, she couldn't help but notice that her hands were trembling. She couldn't let go of the unnerving feeling that had settled in her stomach since discovering the small, inconspicuous camera on her apartment door. 

Remembering what Do-yun told her, she's torn to whom she should inform this incident first, to her mom or father?

After ten minutes of writing and deleting the message on her phone, she finally sent it to her father first. She was concerned that if she shared this with her mother, it could potentially disrupt her mother's business activities. She assumed her father might be asleep, considering it was already 2:30 a.m., and didn't anticipate an immediate response. Her primary goal was to inform him, with the hope that he might assist her in the coming morning.

With her phone clutched tightly in her trembling hand, Da-Eun made her way to the apartment's administrative office. It was quiet, and the corridor was dimly lit, casting eerie shadows on the walls. She couldn't help but glance nervously at the nearby fire exit, half-expecting the mysterious stalker to reappear.

As she approached the administrative office, Da-Eun took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She knew she had to report this immediately. The safety and privacy of her home were at stake, and she couldn't afford to be complacent.

Upon entering the office, she was greeted by the tired-looking building manager, Mr. Kim. He was a middle-aged man with thinning hair, always buried under piles of paperwork or soothing the problems of the tenants.

"Good evening, Miss Choi," he greeted her with a weary smile. Looking at the clock, "It's an ungodly hour. Did something happen? What can I do for you?"

Da-Eun hesitated momentarily but she quickly composed herself and replied, "Mr. Kim, I need to report something urgent."

The building manager raised an eyebrow, "Please, have a seat and tell me what's troubling you."

Da-Eun recounted her encounter with Do-yun and the discovery of the secret camera outside her door. She explained how it had left her feeling violated and unsafe in her own home.

Mr. Kim's tired expression gradually turned serious as he listened to her story. "I see," he said. "This is a grave matter, indeed."

Da-Eun could feel a glimmer of hope that something would be done about the situation. Mr. Kim reached for his phone and dialed a number. "I'm going to contact our building security immediately," he assured her. "We'll review the security footage and try to identify the person responsible for this intrusion."

Relief washed over Da-Eun as she watched the building manager take swift action. She knew that her safety might still be at risk, but at least someone was taking her concerns seriously.

Within minutes, two security personnel arrived at the office. Mr. Kim explained the situation to them, and they assured Da-Eun that they would investigate thoroughly.

As they left to inspect the area outside her apartment, Da-Eun couldn't help but feel grateful for the support she was receiving. She was left with Mr. Kim and the kind admin told her, "Once they come back we will check the CCTV footage. Don't worry Miss Choi, we won't let such a thing happen again."

Half an hour passed, and Da-Eun anxiously awaited the security team's return. She was really tired but she needed to know if she'd be able to fix this issue before her mom came home. When they finally reappeared, their faces wore a mix of concern and frustration.

"We checked the area and there was nothing suspicious. But we are sure that the culprit used the fire exit to reach your floor. As you know only tenants and employees have the card that can use the elevator." one of the security personnel said.

Da-Eun nodded. It was indeed true that only tenants or employees could use the elevator. For guests, the concierge will call the unit owner to confirm if they have guests. Once it's confirmed, guests need to leave their names to the concierge and they will be given a guest card where they can use the elevator.

"Let's go to the security office. We will check the footage together."

The office was only a floor lower and they took the stairs instead of using the elevator. They chatted on the way and told Da-Eun that they would do everything to find the culprit.

Once they entered, a female security staff was alone and reviewing the footage. They already told her through their radio phone to check the incident.

They began their surveillance at the 12 PM mark, and as time ticked by, the culprit finally appeared on the monitor at 1:34 AM. It was clear it was a man due to his tall, slightly lanky build, pale complexion, and likely in his early 20s. He wore a gray hooded jacket and dark blue faded jeans, but his face remained hidden behind sunglasses.

"Who wears shades at night?" one of the security personnel remarked, prompting laughter from the group.

The suspicious man seemed to survey the area first, even inspecting a potted plant used as decoration in the corridor. Eventually, he positioned himself in front of Da-Eun's door and retrieved something from his bag to her door handle, just as the elevator chimed a loudly "ding".

Quickly, the culprit stood beside Da-Eun's door and pulled out a phone, pretending to wait for her. Do-yun appeared on the monitor, and he clearly gave the suspicious person a curious glance.

"Are you a guest of my neighbor?" Do-yun's question can be heard in the footage.

The suspicious person confidently replied, "Yes. I'm waiting for her to come out."

Do-yun's gaze shifted to the closed door. "That's strange. It's clear she's not home. How did you even get here without her permission?" He was referring to the visitor protocol.

Upon hearing this, the culprit quickly retreated. He didn't run, but his guilt was evident in his actions.

On the monitor, Do-yun could be seen checking the door and removing something from the handle. A few seconds later, at 1:42 AM, Da-Eun finally appeared on the screen.

"Hmm... most likely an outsider. But he might be a tenant too, just using the fire exit to avoid scrutiny from us," Mr. Kim commented after reviewing the footage. "I don't usually spend much time at the concierge, so I don't remember most of the tenants. We can check with the guards to see if they recognize him."

"If he's an employee, we'll inform you, Miss Choi. There are over 50 employees in this 30-storey building, so it might take a few days to get information from all of them," the female security officer stated.

"This might take some time, Miss Choi. But don't worry, once we identify this person, we'll let you know immediately. You can file a police report on Monday, and please inform us when you do so that we can cooperate with the authorities," Mr. Kim kindly advised.

Da-Eun's heart sank upon hearing this news. She had hoped for a swift resolution, but it appeared that her stalker was more elusive than she had initially thought. The investigation would indeed involve questioning many individuals.

Mr. Kim assured her that they would continue to monitor the security cameras and take additional measures to safeguard the building's residents. 

Leaving the administrative office, Da-Eun felt a renewed determination to protect her privacy and reclaim her sense of security. She knew the road ahead would be challenging, but she was no longer willing to be a victim of unwanted surveillance. Later, when her father visited her, she planned to ask him to purchase a CCTV camera she could install inside her unit.

It took Da-Eun a while to fall asleep due to her anxiety. Just when she finally entered deep slumber, her mobile phone began ringing, startling her awake. She answered quickly.

"Da-Eun baby, I'm outside your unit," her father, Choi Man-Shik, affectionately called her. Before leaving the security office, Da-Eun had informed Mr. Kim that her father would be visiting her early in the morning. She had requested they provide him with a guest card since she might still be asleep when he arrived.

Still in her pajamas, she hurriedly opened the door for him.

"Morning, Dad. I didn't expect you to come at 6 a.m.," Da-Eun said as she rubbed her sleepy eyes and let out a yawn. She realized that she had only managed to sleep for two hours.

"What kind of father wouldn't rush to his daughter when he receives a text message like that?" Her father pinched her cheek and showed her the breakfast he had brought. They sat down to eat together as Da-Eun recounted the events that had transpired.