Chapter : 24
Na-eun said, shoulders hunched, as she looked around.
The shortcut from the pier to the health center was dark and eerie, with no streetlights.
Bamboo groves stretched along both sides of the path, rustling in the wind, and the sound was rather creepy.
The three of them walked, relying on the light from Na-eun’s phone.
“Someone’s following us. You must have misheard,” Jun-pil muttered, carrying Yi-seol on his back.
“At first, I thought so too, but something feels off. Just now, I heard a growling sound,” Yi-seol replied.
“This isn’t a path we’ve only been on once or twice. Why suddenly act so jumpy?”
Jun-pil grumbled, but Na-eun stopped him.
“Something’s different tonight. Listen carefully.”
From somewhere came a rustling sound.
It mixed with the bamboo swaying in the wind.
Even while drunk and dizzy, Yi-seol heard it.
Could someone really be following them?
No way… Tae-shin?
No, that’s impossible.
“Is it just a stray cat?”
“A stray cat?”
At that moment, a black cat dashed out of the woods and ran away.
“Ah! You scared me. My heart almost jumped out because of that cat!”
Startled, Na-eun dropped her phone.
Fortunately, it fell on the dirt path and was unharmed.
“We should’ve taken the main road even if it was a bit longer. The bamboo groves here feel especially creepy at night,” Na-eun muttered, hugging her arms.
“If we go back, it’ll take at least another 30 minutes. How are you going to carry Yi-seol along that path?”
“……”
“Senpai, please put me down. I think I’m going to throw up.”
Yi-seol got off Jun-pil’s back and sank to the roadside.
Being jostled on his back made her stomach churn.
On top of that, his back wasn’t comfortable.
Unlike Tae-shin, he couldn’t support her firmly, and somehow, it felt awkward, so she couldn’t lean against him properly.
“You see, you kept sipping even though you’re bad at drinking,” Jun-pil scolded as he patted her back.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m scared. Let’s go quickly.”
Na-eun tugged at Jun-pil’s arm, urging him forward.
Then, from the darkness, something black suddenly appeared.
“Ah!”
“What is that?”
Na-eun fell in surprise, and Jun-pil instinctively pulled Yi-seol behind him.
“What are you doing here?”
It was Tae-shin’s voice.
Why did hearing his voice bring such relief?
Yi-seol pushed Jun-pil aside and stood up.
“Tae-shin… sir?”
Na-eun also got up and asked.
“Why do you appear all of a sudden? You scared me. Wearing all black, you blend in with the darkness,” Na-eun said.
Indeed, he was dressed entirely in black from head to toe.
Only his handsome face could be barely seen in the dark.
Could he have been following us all this time?
But since he appeared from the opposite side, probably not.
Yi-seol approached him and grabbed his arm.
“Tae-shin, perfect timing. Could you carry me?”
“Whoa. Yoon Yi-seol, are you crazy?”
Na-eun said in disbelief.
“Are you drunk?”
Yi-seol nodded slowly.
“Yi-seol, it’s fine. Let me carry you,” Tae-shin offered.
“Yes, Yi-seol. Even if you’re drunk, this is too much. Imagine how confused Tae-shin must feel,” Na-eun said.
“I’m fine. I’ll be carried,” Yi-seol insisted.
Despite Jun-pil and Na-eun’s objections, Tae-shin lifted Yi-seol onto his back.
He moved lightly, as if carrying a child.
Resting on his broad, strong back was comfortable and warm, allowing her to fully relax.
Her queasy stomach gradually settled, and sleepiness overtook her.
Yi-seol leaned her head against his back and closed her eyes.
“You may not know me, but I’m Park Na-eun, the English teacher for second-year students. I’m also a senior of Yi-seol at school.”
“I’m Lee Tae-shin,” he replied.
“I know. But what brings you here?” Na-eun asked.
“I was exercising,” he said.
“Hah,” Jun-pil snorted quietly.
“…You were really impressive today,” Yi-seol mumbled lazily, her voice still thick with alcohol.
Na-eun added, “Tae-shin, you were amazing today. I’ve never seen anyone take down Hwang In-woo so decisively.”
Yi-seol continued, “You wouldn’t know how relieving it felt. It’s like eating dozens of sweet potatoes and then chugging a soda… Nobody wanted to mess with him…”
After that, she fell asleep, and whatever Tae-shin replied or what conversation followed, she didn’t hear.
How embarrassing it would be the next day was another matter entirely.
A few hours earlier.
When he returned home from the library, Jae-hyuk was preparing dinner, and Yu-shin was sitting at the table peeling tangerines while solving problems.
“Hey, you’re back? Today’s menu is spicy rockfish soup. Jae-hyuk went out on the boat and caught it himself, so it’s incredibly fresh.”
Tae-shin had rented a fishing boat for a year, and Jae-hyuk was learning navigation from the captain so he could operate the boat himself.
Tae-shin checked the time: 6:00 PM.
Yi-seol should be leaving school and heading to the restaurant by now.
Jun-pil would accompany her, but Tae-shin didn’t trust anyone.
In fact, Jun-pil was the least trustworthy.
The way he looked at Yi-seol was far from innocent.
She didn’t seem to realize it.
“What’s wrong? Something happened?” Yu-shin asked.
“No. I’ll just step out for a bit after dinner.”
“Weren’t you with Yi-seol? You must be worried because she went somewhere,” Yu-shin guessed by reading the situation like a hawk and watched Tae-shin’s expression.
“Where are you going? To drink?”
“Haha. Something like that,” Tae-shin didn’t answer Yu-shin’s question, and Jae-hyuk laughed.
Tae-shin ignored Yu-shin, who looked ready to tease him, and helped Jae-hyuk set the table.
The fresh rockfish sashimi and spicy soup looked delicious, but his mind was entirely on Yoon Yi-seol.
“I’ve heard about Hwang In-woo. I’m already looking into his gang. Shall I tell you what I’ve found so far?”
“Go ahead.”
“Hwang In-woo grew up with a single mother, and his maternal uncle, Choi Moo-kwang, acted as a father figure. Choi Moo-kwang is the head of the Mirae Credit Jeonnam branch and is notorious for being cruel and ruthless.”
Mirae Credit was a loan company based in Gyeongsang-do, founded by the Mirae faction, which consolidated various organizations in the area.
In just a few years, its power had grown rapidly, even pressuring Seoul.
“Unlike typical thugs who rely on strength, he’s intelligent and has excellent business acumen. He was promoted to branch manager at a young age. You know the guys who confronted Yi-seol’s grandmother’s shop that day? They were from Mirae. Recently, rumors say Mirae is involved in drug production and distribution, centered around the Doso area.”
The prosecutors probably knew about this issue too.
“How did Yi-seol end up borrowing money from such dangerous people?”
Yu-shin, who liked sashimi, asked while picking at his food.
“According to Shin Kang-hoon’s research, Yi-seol’s father ran several sizable franchise companies in Seoul.”
Shin Kang-hoon was one of Tae-shin’s trusted subordinates.
“He overextended his business, had the companies taken by a private equity fund, returned home to restart, and borrowed loans. But he injured his leg in an accident, leaving the debts unresolved.”
“So that’s what happened. Somehow, I didn’t think her grandmother or she would be the type to borrow loans.”
“Bae Young-seop from Class 2 has a father who owns half the land on the island and dozens of fishing boats, traditionally acting as a landlord. Since the father resolves everything with money, the son follows the same. Kim Hee-rok from Class 3 was raised by his grandmother after his parents divorced; otherwise, there’s nothing notable.”
“We need to monitor what those guys are planning.”
“The cleanest and simplest way is to plant spyware on their phones,” Yu-shin said.
“Think about how we’ll plant it.”
“Got it.”
Yu-shin was skilled with computers and hacking, so they decided to entrust this task to him.
After finishing dinner, Tae-shin didn’t hesitate and headed to the restaurant Yi-seol had mentioned. The place was packed with people.
