**The Darkness Beneath**

As Sangwoo's gaze continued to hold Jason in place, the group grew increasingly uneasy, sensing that they needed to extricate themselves from this situation as quickly as possible. Lacy tried to intervene, glancing at her watch and feigning a sudden urgency. "Guys, I'm so sorry, but I really need to go. I have an appointment I just remembered about." Rage nodded in agreement, trying to build on Lacy's exit strategy. "Yeah, me too. We should probably all get going." He edged closer to Jason, his eyes darting between Sangwoo and his friend. But Sangwoo didn't seem to take the hint. His eyes never left Jason's face as he replied, "It was nice chatting with you all, but Jason and I were having a nice conversation. I think we'll just stay here for a bit longer." His voice was smooth, but there was an undercurrent of menace that made Jason's skin crawl. Max tried another tactic, attempting to distract Sangwoo. "Hey, Sangwoo, check out that new food stand over there. I heard they have amazing Korean BBQ." Sangwoo's gaze didn't waver. "I'm not hungry, thank you," he said, his voice dripping with politeness. As the group's attempts to leave were consistently rebuffed, their frustration grew. They started to exchange worried glances, sensing that Sangwoo's behavior was becoming increasingly erratic. Adapt tried a more direct approach, reaching out to grab Jason's arm. "Dude, let's go. This guy is seriously creeping me out." But as soon as Adapt's hand closed around Jason's arm, Sangwoo's demeanor changed. His eyes flashed with anger, and his voice took on a possessive tone. "Don't touch him," he growled, his words low and menacing. Adapt, taken aback by Sangwoo's reaction, hesitated for a moment before trying to pull Jason away. But Sangwoo's response was immediate and intense. "You don't get to touch him," he spat, his face twisted in a snarl. "He's mine." The group's eyes widened in shock as Sangwoo's anger boiled over. Ron stepped forward, his fists clenched. "Dude, back off. You're being seriously weird." But Sangwoo just laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You think you can take him away from me? I don't think so." His eyes locked onto Jason's, and for a moment, it seemed like Jason was trapped in their depths. As the situation escalated, the group realized that they needed to get Jason out of there, and fast. But as they tried to intervene, Sangwoo's possessiveness became clear, and Jason began to wonder if he was in grave danger.