Chapter 139: Where Do You Think You're Running Off To!

TL: Aniea

After discovering the eighth hidden victim along with Kim Hee-tae, the case was wrapped up so neatly that it almost felt anticlimactic.

"The prosecution and police have agreed to completely cover up this case. Likewise, Woo-ju ssi has never even met Kim Hee-tae."

"Should I be relieved by that..."

"It's a relief that it ended like this."

Kim Eun-ha dismissed my words with a look that seemed to say, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

With nothing to say in response, I had no choice but to silently endure that gaze.

"What about the bereaved family?"

"It was decided that the body would be cremated separately and only the ashes would be delivered. After all, it's too much to convey the situation as it is."

"...That's true."

I nodded obediently.

As someone who had witnessed that devastating scene firsthand, I knew all too well that simply telling the truth wasn’t always the right answer.

Even the bodyguards, who wouldn’t bat an eye at most things, had gagged at the sight. If it had been the bereaved family, they would surely have fainted on the spot.

"We explained to the bereaved family that the remains were discovered and that they belonged to a hidden victim of the Kim Hee-tae case, and asked for their understanding."

"Did they accept it?"

"I also heard this from Seo Baek-ho ssi, but he said they cried, saying they were grateful just to have the remains returned."

"...I see."

I nodded with a bitter heart. They must have waited, hoping the person would return alive no matter where they were. How much guilt must they have placed on themselves.

Kim Eun-ha, who was not someone who would fail to imagine their feelings like I could, also wore a rather unsettled expression.

"...It may not be much comfort, but I decided to provide some personal support. It seems they lost both their job and health while searching for the victim."

"Didn't you mention there was a younger sibling before?"

"That's right. They entered high school this year. Actually, they had been a bit rebellious for a while... but after hearing about their sister, they changed their mind. They said they wanted to become a prosecutor."

"A bold kid. Just like someone I know."

Zzzzt-!

Feeling like the atmosphere was getting too heavy, I tossed out a light joke, and Kim Eun-ha glared at me with a terrifying look in her eyes.

But as if to prove that my effort hadn't been in vain, she spoke in a slightly softer tone than before.

"...Maybe a real [Kang Ba-ram] will be born. Anyway, I also decided to provide full support so the younger sibling can focus solely on their studies."

"You’re doing a lot of good work."

"As if I didn’t before?"

"Hey, of course I know."

Come to think of it, Kim Eun-ha was the type to donate frequently even in everyday life. While much of it was done through the group, she also invested a lot of personal time in places like the orphanage.

As I made a light joke, Kim Eun-ha shook her head side to side as if to say she couldn’t deal with me.

"And one more thing."

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, Kim Eun-ha raised her right index finger. I looked at her wondering what it was, and she lifted the corners of her mouth so high they almost reached her ears.

That expression, Kim Eun-ha only made it when she was executing some wicked(?) plan, made me shudder involuntarily.

"...What are you scheming?"

"Hoohoo. It’d leave too bitter a taste if we just ended it like this, don’t you think? So I did something personal to 'that guy'."

"If you mean... don't tell me?"

"Of course, I mean Kim Hee-tae."

Her tone made it sound like, "Why even ask when you know?" and I was momentarily at a loss for words.

I did have a feeling that Kim Eun-ha wouldn’t just leave things alone, but there were so many eyes watching her that I thought surely not...

"...What exactly did you do?"

"I wouldn’t go as far as to call it a scheme. I just made the same request to the prison that was done for you."

"The same thing as for me?"

What could that possibly be?

The thought barely crossed my mind when a realization suddenly struck me, freezing my entire body.

"...No way?"

"Exactly that no way. I arranged it so the bereaved families could enjoy a very special visit with Kim Hee-tae. Should be quite a sight, don’t you think? Hoohoo."

"What if someone dies in there!?"

Kim Hee-tae and the bereaved families would be gathered in one place. And not even with a glass partition between them.

Given that neither side was in a mentally stable condition to expect a civil meeting, there was a ten out of ten chance that blood would be spilled.

‘Of course, Kim Hee-tae would be restrained...’

There was no way Kim Eun-ha would let them be in the same place without any precautions. Naturally, Kim Hee-tae would be restrained by his hands, feet, or both.

That would naturally lead to a one-sided assault from the bereaved families, whose anger would boil over at the sight of him.

“Well, then, it can’t be helped.”

“What!?”

“He killed so many people. Did you think he did it without being prepared for the possibility of getting it back one day? He’s just reaping what he sowed.”

“No, still, I mean...”

There’s no way something like that should be allowed.

I clearly understood that in my head, but since we were talking about that Kim Eun-ha, a creeping unease settled in that something beyond common sense might actually happen.

‘It doesn’t matter what happens to Kim Hee-tae...’

No, actually, it would be far more satisfying if that bastard ended up disabled from a beating or even died.

But who would take responsibility for the secondary consequences that might arise from it? Even for someone like Kim Eun-ha, this wasn't something that could be handled quietly.

When I gave her a look full of these thoughts, Kim Eun-ha responded with a playful smile.

“More importantly, don’t you think you should be worrying about yourself right now, Woo-ju ssi?”

“Huh? What do you mean...”

Flinch-!

Suddenly, Kim Eun-ha leaned her face in close, and startled, I instinctively took a step back.

She took a step forward without missing a beat, maintaining the distance between us.

She locked eyes with me persistently, and I froze, unable to figure out how I was supposed to react.

“Hmph. Are you feeling shy?”

“...Of course I am.”

“Why? Just a few days ago, you were all like this! Holding my cheeks and saying, ‘I like you’, and leaning in close. And now all of a sudden? Why?”

“No, back then...!!”

“Back then?”

“.......”

Faced with the assertive side of Kim Eun-ha, I chose to remain silent. No matter what I said here, I wasn’t going to win.

“But I’ve got something I want to ask you, Woo-ju ssi.”

“Please don’t ask.”

“When did you start liking me?”

“.......”

Didn’t I say don’t ask.

To show I didn’t want to answer, I turned my head sharply, but she leaned her upper body in to follow. With a smile full of amusement on her lips.

When I turned my head the other way,

She followed again.

“I have a shoot coming up soon...”

Thud-!

Unable to endure any longer, I tried to move away, but she blocked the path with her left arm, slamming it against the wall.

Thud-!

I immediately turned to the other side, but as if expecting it, her right arm was already in place.

“...Why, why are you doing this?”

“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

Just like that, I was trapped between Kim Eun-ha’s arms. Of course, I could break out by force if I really wanted to, but I had no confidence I could handle the aftermath.

Besides, there was an even more serious problem: the height difference between us was quite significant.

‘...We’re way too close!’

For her to do what people call a ‘kabedon’ to me, she had to reach up quite a bit.

And to keep her hands touching both sides of the wall, that meant the distance between us had to shrink accordingly.

Thanks to that, our bodies were now dangerously close, so close they were barely touching, if at all.

And that wasn’t all.

The closer distance meant Kim Eun-ha’s intense pheromones were tickling my nose, and my entire field of vision was filled with only her.

‘Until the East Sea’s waters dry and Mount Baekdu wears away...’

It hits me anew, Kim Eun-ha is an incredible beauty. For a healthy man in his twenties, it’s only natural that bad(?) thoughts would arise in this kind of situation.

Once that switch is flipped, my body slowly escapes reason and crosses into the realm of instinct.

And once it goes that far, another part of me will rise, completely outside of my own will.

‘...That absolutely must not happen!’

Right now, the relationship between Kim Eun-ha and me is truly ambiguous. I ended up confessing somehow, but there hadn’t been any real progress over the past few days.

At the time, Kim Eun-ha had just stared blankly and gone into her room, and it wasn’t until the afternoon of the next day that she finally came out.

-Did you sleep well?

-Ah, yes. Um...

-Sorry. I have to go to work now. Let’s talk more later.

After that, I got the feeling she was openly avoiding me. It was like she was deliberately trying not to be alone with me.

So, I figured that maybe she had kissed me because of the situation, but once her rationality returned, she was trying to keep her distance from me.

“Hmm? Since when? I won’t scold you. Just be honest with me. Quickly.”

“.......”

And now, one week later. For her to suddenly charge in like this so assertively.

That too, in the middle of a serious conversation, so suddenly, it left me unsure of how to position myself.

“Are we going to stay like this all day?”

“Then please let me go now.”

“Answer first.”

“Let go first.”

“Answer.”

“Let go.”

Still, I couldn’t just keep getting dragged along at her pace, so I met Kim Eun-ha’s gaze directly without avoiding it.

She also didn’t look away. Our staring contest continued indefinitely.

How long had we been like that?

Kim Eun-ha let out a sigh first.

“...If I let you go, will you answer?”

“Of course.”

“Keep your promise.”

Swoosh-

As soon as Kim Eun-ha lowered her hand, I spun around like lightning to get away from her. Or at least, I tried to.

“I knew you’d do this.”

Smack-!

Suddenly, Kim Eun-ha’s hands were gripping both of my cheeks. Through the contact, I could feel her warm touch and a faint tremble.

“Where do you think you’re running off to?”

“E-Eun-ha ssi!?”

“You’re not seriously thinking of stealing my lips twice and then running away, are you? Oh? So you liked me from back then already?”

“Uuugh!?”

Kim Eun-ha tugged at my cheeks as she pressed me for answers. Maybe because I’d tried to run, her gaze now carried clear disapproval.

“How hard can it be to tell me just that one thing? I need to know it to give you a proper answer or not. Isn’t that right?”

“Then whash aboush you, Eunah sshii?”

“Huh?”

Jolt-!

Like a car with broken brakes, Kim Eun-ha had been charging ahead, but now her body froze.

Though she was gripping my cheeks tightly and my pronunciation wasn’t clear, it was more than enough for her to understand.

“Then when did you start liking me, Eun-ha ssi?”

“.......”

As I used that moment to free myself from her hands and threw the question at her with clear pronunciation, she darted her eyes around, flustered.

“Oh, I just remembered something urgent...”

“Where do you think you’re running off to!”

“Kyaaaah-!”

I caught hold of Kim Eun-ha as she tried to sneak away, and like that, we wrestled back and forth for quite a while.

*****

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