Yujin's heart raced as he opened the message from Hajun. His hands trembled, and his breath caught in his throat. It was an image of Hajun, making his heart drop in an instant.
Hajun was tied up, blood smeared on his face, bruises marking his body, and he was slumped under a bridge.
The area seemed desolate, shrouded in shadows and damp from the moisture of the river below. Hajun was close to the bank, and the current seemed unkind. Yujin's head was filled with horror as dangerous possibilities ran through his mind.
The message was brief but horrifying.
"Come alone or he dies." Yujin wanted to think it was exaggerated. How could a high school student kill someone? But if those bastards left Hajun on the riverbank and the water rose, Hajun might get swept away and drown.
Then, his death wasn't entirely that fault—that's probably what they would think. They'll free themselves from guilt.