A Letter from Mr. Grim

Shin Woo called a meeting with the board of directors for the plans in a massive audition this coming next month. He wanted to add more talented rookies and shaped their talents for the world to see. Shin Woo wanted to help them reached their dreams just like ASUS.

After an hour, the meeting was adjourned and the BOD went to their respective places. Pauline was clearing her things on the table when Shin Woo walked towards her and held her elbow.

"What?"

"Go to the practice room first and wait for me. I'll call all the trainees and also ASUS members to assemble them. I have an announcement to make," he instructed.

Pauline just nodded. "Okay."

After cleaning her things, she went off first to her office and put her things on her desk. She informed Min Ji to arrange her schedules for this day and made her way to the practice room. When she entered, she was the only person in the room. While waiting, she got her phone from her purse. Her mind drifted in the parking lot when she was close on finding Mr. Grim but in the end, she was caught on another loop of puzzle Mr. Grim had placed on her.

She exited the app game she was playing and clicked the contacts on her phone. She scrolled down and stopped as Mr. Grim's name appeared on the screen. Her thumb hovered on his name whether to press his number or not. But something compelled her to press his phone number to a dial and waited for his phone to connect. And her heart stopped when she heard the line ringing.

As she waited, she heard somewhere in the distance like a ringing tone going near her. She froze as she listened as the sound became clearer into her ears. The sound was nearer and nearer in her direction until it reached through the door in the practice room.

Her heart momentarily stopped as the door slowly and dramatically opened. The sound of the ringing tone became rich into her ears. Pauline's eyes were glued at the door and when "he" finally entered, her breathing stopped.

The phone he was holding still kept on ringing. Pauline was immobilized and couldn't move a single nerve on her body. Her heart was hammering so hard she could feel it through her ears.

"Y-your phone..." she stuttered.

Bin Young looked down on his phone and swiped it off. The ringing stopped and Pauline felt her phone vibrated.

Pauline slowly approached him. "Bin Young..."

He looked at her impassively, unable to say a single word.

"I-is that your – "

Pauline was cut off as the other members entered the room, laughing and joking. They momentarily stopped when their eyes landed on hers.

"Are you alright, Miss Pauline? You looked pale," Seung Joon asked worriedly at her.

Pauline opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She was in a state of shock and she could feel her hands trembling. She could feel the signs of her migraine attacking her head like a sledgehammer. She held her head to stop the pain.

"Miss Pauline!" they shouted in unison.

She held her hand, stopping them. "I'm alright, boys. Don't worry."

She walked pass them and stopped. "Tell Shin Woo I have some important matters to do. Tell him I couldn't make it with his announcement."

Before she leave, her eyes shifted on Bin Young's. He stared at her with cold eyes and looked away, avoiding hers.

The moment she left the room, Pauline ran at the nearest lavatory room and threw up immediately on the basin. Her head was throbbing so hard it would about to explode and her nausea intensified even more. She bent deeply on the basin as she continued throwing up until she finally felt the nausea dissipated. Pauline slowly raised her head to the mirror and looked at her reflection.

Pauline could still feel her tremors trembling as she recollected the earlier events at the practice room. Thinking about made her head burst in excruciating pain. She couldn't believe what just happened.

Impossible...

When she made her way out from the lavatory room, Pauline saw a familiar paper lying on the floor. Dizzy, she picked up the paper and read.

Dear My Pauline,

The end is near, my Cherie.

Waiting,

Mr. Grim

Pauline went back to the basin and threw up once more.

******