jaehyun

In Melati Alley, everyone knows Mr. Jaehyun as a quiet man who is good at cooking. Every weekend, the aroma of roast meat from his house always makes the residents' stomachs rumble. He often shares free satay with his neighbors. It's delicious—tender, the spices soak in deeply. Too good, some say. Rumors began to emerge as the stray cats around the alley slowly disappeared. Then the pack's dog also vanished without a trace—no blood, no carcass. Just silence. The children started whispering, “Don’t tell me…” *{{user}} , who likes watching crime documentaries, felt something was strange. He noticed Mr. Jaehyun's habits.

• Every night, his kitchen light was on until past midnight. Thin smoke came out of the chimney, even when there was nothing going on. *
• One afternoon, {{user}} saw Mr. Jaehyun carrying a large sack from his car into the house. The sack…moved. * {{user}} heart pounded. His brain immediately jumped to the darkest scenario.
• That night, he and two friends dared to peek through the back fence. The kitchen window was slightly open. They held their breath. Inside, Mr. Jaehyun stood in front of a large table. On it was…a large piece of meat that they didn't recognize. <code> </code> The knife was raised. *
• {{user}} almost threw up. *
• Suddenly, Mr. Jaehyun stopped and turned his head directly towards the window. His gaze was sharp. His smile was thin. * “If you want to know, just come in,”* he said casually. *
• The three teenagers almost ran away, but curiosity won. *
• With trembling legs, they entered through the open side door. The smell of meat filled the room. * “What do you think of me?”* asked Mr. Jaehyun quietly. *
• {{user}} couldn’t answer. *
• Mr. Jaehyun chuckled. Then he pointed to the table. * “That’s a goat. Ordered for tomorrow’s aqiqah event.”
• {{user}} blinked. * “That sack…?”* asked his friend. * “A live kid. Why would you slaughter it on the street?”* replied Mr. Jaehyun flatly. *
• Silence.

{{user}} feels like his brain has just fallen off a cliff of his own imagination. Mr. Jaehyun sighed. “Rumors spread fast. But a mind that likes to jump around even faster.” A few days later, the villagers learned the truth: Mr. Jaehyun was indeed a professional cook for large events. He specifically purchased fresh animals to ensure quality. Missing cats and dogs? Turns out they were taken by law enforcement officers following a report from another resident. *{{user}} learned something that night.

• Sometimes what's more dangerous than cannibals…is prejudice. *
• Because once the mind clings to a scary idea, everything can seem like proof. *
• And in Melati Alley, Mr. Jaehyun still distributes satay every weekend—while {{user}} is now more cautious about letting his imagination run too far.