The Voyeur
After eating pasta for breakfast, we prepared to head out.
"No way."
"It’s too hot. Let me at least wear a short-sleeved shirt."
"Absolutely not. It has to be long sleeves and long pants. Or wear a jacket over it."
It was the end of March, but due to abnormal climate patterns, the weather had been quite warm since the morning. I’m the type who runs hot, so I wanted to wear short sleeves, but Hanna was dead set against it.
"You can just protect me, right? Huh?"
"Sigh... how did we decide to get to the law firm?"
"Well... neither of us has a car, so we’re taking the subway..."
"And you’re going to wear that? Do you *want* to get sexually harassed?"
"...Fine."
I thought Noona was being overly protective, but since this was something I had asked her for help with, I decided to follow her lead.
"Okay. Wait a second."
I went back inside and changed my clothes.
"...No."
Hanna Noona frowned as she looked at my new outfit.
"No! Why not this time!? I’m wearing long sleeves!"
"It’s... it’s too thin."
"Noona, I’m genuinely curious, do men not have summer clothes in this world?"
"..."
"Look, I know you’re worried about me, but we’re going to be late. Let’s go."
"Just put on a jacket..."
"*Tsk.* Do you want to see me melt to death? Let’s just go."
"...Fine. But you have to stay right next to me, okay?"
It’s not like I’m a child... I nodded vaguely and headed down the stairs.
My current outfit consisted of a hat, a mask, a black long-sleeved shirt, and black pants—I looked like some kind of criminal.
"Noo... mph!"
"No... don't talk."
As I tried to call out to her, Kang Hanna forcefully covered my mouth with her hand.
"Use messages. Got it?"
I nodded to show I understood.
"Bear with it. We’ll be at the subway soon."
"No? This actually draws less attention. Let’s go."
"No. Who knows what that woman might have done to her car? You’re not getting in there."
"...Can't trust that either."
For some reason, Hanna Noona’s overprotectiveness was getting worse.
Chatting in such a peculiar way, we soon arrived at the nearby subway station.
"Right. Usually, men ride in their girlfriends' cars. So, people probably don't even think of you as a man."
Contrary to what she said, I could feel people’s gazes gravitating toward me. Someone was even approaching me right now...
"Excuse me? Are you perhaps a man?"
A woman asked me.
"No. She’s a woman?"
However, Kang Hanna spoke up for me and clarified.
"Really? For a woman, your physique and vibe..."
"She is a woman. Don't be suspicious and just go your own way."
"No, it's just that I saw a man who looked similar on the news... are you really a woman?"
"I told you, she is! She has severe social anxiety, so please just go."
"Hmm... okay, I get it."
She walked away, still doubting me until the very end. It felt like she would have lunged at me the moment I opened my mouth.
I sent a message of gratitude.
"...Forget it. Let’s get on."
As the subway arrived, Kang Hanna quickly ushered me on.
"Luckily, there are plenty of seats. Let’s sit over there."
Even though it was rush hour, it was a less popular line, so there were plenty of seats. Kang Hanna sat me in a corner seat and took the one right next to me.
"We have to ride for 30 minutes, so get some rest. I’ll wake you up when we arrive."
I put on my earphones, listened to music, and closed my eyes. Since I hadn't slept a wink, drowsiness hit me immediately.
At some point, I felt a weight on my shoulder, accompanied by a soft *thud*.
"Miru?"
Miru had fallen fast asleep, likely from exhaustion. 'Well, he did say he didn't sleep at all...' He must have been under a lot of stress, too. That woman had even approached him earlier...
'What would he have done without me...' Hanna was deeply worried about Miru.
A few minutes later—
"*Click.*"
A shutter sound echoed from somewhere. When Hanna looked up from her phone, someone in the seat in front of her hurriedly shoved their phone into their pocket.
"Excuse me."
"Y-y-yes?!"
"Sigh. Unbelievable. What are you doing?"
"M-me... me?"
"Yes. I asked what you were doing."
"I... I didn't do anything?"
"I heard the camera sound clearly, what are you talking about?"
"I-I just took a screenshot! Why?"
"Sigh... don't be a nuisance, hand over your phone."
"I-I don't want to! That’s an invasion of privacy!"
The subway car became noisy in an instant.
"What’s going on? What happened?"
"I’m not sure, didn't she take a secret photo?"
"Hey, what is there to take a picture of in a subway full of women..."
"Wait, isn't that a man?"
"Is it? I’m not sure."
As eyes turned toward Baek Miru and the incident escalated, Kang Hanna made a decision.
"Miru."
She gently tapped his shoulder to wake him.
"Hmm? Are we there alre... mph."
She covered Miru’s mouth as he spoke out of habit, then turned to the voyeur.
"For now, let’s get off at this station. If you didn't do anything, I’ll take full responsibility."
"What? I-I don't want to! Why should I?"
The woman resisted fiercely.
"If you don't want to commit a serious crime, get off now. This is your last warning."
"...I told you I didn't! Can you take responsibility for this? Turning a normal woman into a criminal! Huh! This is false accusation and... whatever, you’re going to get punished!"
"I get it! Just get off!"
Baek Miru, who had just woken up, was dazed by the sudden argument.
'What is going on...?'
Eventually, the three of them got off at the next station.
"W-what are you going to do?"
"For now, don't touch your phone and stay still. I’m calling the police."
"P-police?"
"Yes."
"Noona, what happened... mph."
"You, just stay quiet for now."
A few minutes later, the police arrived, and Hanna Noona explained the situation. Only then did I understand the full story.
"So, the person who was reported? May I check your phone?"
"N-no? I can't let you."
"...Sigh. This is obstruction of justice. It would be better to confess now. That’s my sincere advice."
"W-well then! That! Right! I did take a picture of that side, but does that even matter?! I didn't cause any harm, did I?!"
"...For now, let’s head to the station."
"That..."
As I tried to speak, Kang Hanna’s hand moved toward my mouth again. But I grabbed her hand and continued.
"Can I call the lawyer I know? We were supposed to meet today anyway..."
"Ah. Yes. That’s fine. Let’s all head to the station together."
With the police’s permission, I called the lawyer.
"Hello?"
"Yes. Miru, what’s going on? Are you unable to make it?"
"No, it’s not that..."
I told her everything I knew about what happened on the subway.
"I’ll be there right away. Just a moment."
"Ah. Yes. Take your time."
"*Click.*"
"Right. Now, let’s go to the station and talk."
After the call ended, we all went to the police station together.
Life in this world wasn't as smooth as I had thought.
'I was sure that if I just worked hard on my streaming, everything would be fine...' Why does a new incident happen every single day...
"Sigh..."
At the station, Kang Hanna and the voyeur were arguing, while the police were trying to calm them down and recording their statements.
"Baek Miru?"
Suddenly, the station door opened and a woman walked in.
"Lawyer?"
"Yes. Nice to meet you. I’m Lawyer Lee Hyojung. This is our first time meeting in person."
She naturally reached out to shake my hand.
"Yes. Hello. I’m Baek Miru."
I shook her hand without suspicion and greeted her back.
"Ah. So this is the lawyer. You’ve heard the situation, right?"
"Yes. Let’s wrap this up quickly."
"What?! Ha. Did you think I’d be scared just because a lawyer showed up? I can get a lawyer too!"
"Just admit it, you idiot, and go to jail!"
"And who is this?"
"Ah. She’s... a Noona I’ve been hanging out with. We were going to the law firm together today."
"...So you weren't coming alone."
"Yes? Ah, was I supposed to come alone?"
"No, that’s not it. But you mentioned before that you didn't have a girlfriend..."
"I recently got close with Hanna Noona, too."
"I see..."
Lee Hyojung seemed to be organizing her thoughts for a moment.
"What is the defendant’s name?"
"Yes? It’s... Seo Yeji."
"Yes. Ms. Seo Yeji, I will now explain the punishment you are about to face."
With that, she began rattling off various legal terms, deeply engraving the fact that "you are ruined" into the woman’s mind.
"Besides that..."
"I get it! I get it, so... the leniency! How do I get leniency?"
Realizing she was looking at a potential life sentence, Seo Yeji begged for leniency.
'Wait, isn't leniency something I grant?'
"Leniency must be requested from the victim. However, as I am Baek Miru’s attorney, I will handle the negotiations."
"No. Forget it."
"Baek Miru?"
"Could it be...?"
"Miru?"
At my words, Hyojung and Hanna looked at me with doubt, while the voyeur looked at me with hope.
"Just send her to jail. I don't need her money."
"Ah. If that’s the case, I understand."
"What? Hey! I said I’d pay you!"
"You need to maintain your distance. If you approach any further, your sentence could increase."
"So what! It’s a life sentence anyway! Hey, did you say your name was Miru?"
"Why?"
"Ha. Damn it, do you think you’re something special? The women next to you are all the same!"
"Oh, seriously."
"*Thud! Crash!*"
Unable to hold back any longer, Kang Hanna grabbed Seo Yeji by the collar and threw her to the ground.
"Shut up. Just go to the detention center."
"Ha. You’re the same. Aren't you just desperate to get into that guy’s pants?"
"I said shut up!"
"Stop it!"
The police rushed in to stop them, but their emotions were at a breaking point.
"Hanna Noona."
"Huh?"
At my call, Kang Hanna flinched and loosened her grip.
"I’m fine, so come here. Don't waste your time with that woman."
"But this bitch..."
"Come on!"
"Sigh..."
Eventually, Kang Hanna returned to my side as if she had no other choice.
"Ha. Have a nice life. Do you think you two will last long?"
"Yeah."
"What?"
"We’re going to last a damn long time, have plenty of kids, and raise them well, so you can just rot in prison."
Everyone in the police station was stunned by my statement.
"Let’s get out of here."
"O-okay."
I grabbed Hanna Noona’s wrist and walked out of the police station. I’m sure the lawyer will handle the rest, right?