Chapter 93
Thinking about it made Han Yaseong a little anxious. Getting tangled up with Eun-a sunbae felt like it could only lead to trouble. In that instant, she seemed like a walking disaster, as perilous as the forests beyond the safe zones in her world. Something ominous hung in the air—he absolutely couldn't bring her home.
"I think it's better if you don't come."
He backed off just like that. Somehow, Eun-a sunbae felt overwhelmingly intimidating. She was the real daughter of a chaebol family. It was best to keep things at the level of club seniors and juniors—nothing as close as inviting her to his house.
But that rubbed Jang Eun-a the wrong way.
"Why?"
In that moment, he sensed her wariness. It was clear as day that Han Yaseong was trying to push her away. She couldn't fathom why his attitude had flipped so suddenly.
"You said your dad is scary, right? I don't wanna die."
He said it half-jokingly. But there was a sharp edge to the humor. From what Choi Yujin had told him, the chaebol family Eun-a belonged to dominated oil refining, distribution, electronics, food, media—the works. If she was their daughter, this wasn't a laughing matter. He couldn't treat her as anything more than a sunbae. Deepening the relationship would be dangerous.
That was Han Yaseong's survival instinct kicking in. He never charged headlong into peril.
Jang Eun-a saw right through it, and it soured her mood terribly.
"So you hate me now? Or are you just scared? You're all the same, huh?"
"What do you mean?"
Her sharp retort stung Han Yaseong a bit. There was no reason for her to overreact like this. He just wasn't inviting her home—what was the big deal? No need to get so prickly.
But Jang Eun-a had her reasons.
"When I was little, I talked about my family just once. To my close friends. After that, they all started avoiding me. They'd hang out among themselves and leave me out. Whenever they saw me, they'd whisper behind my back. I didn't understand why back then. Why was I the one getting ostracized? It wasn't until later that I figured it out. I was different. That's when I realized I could never blend in with others, never fit. If I didn't hide who I was, I couldn't make friends. Once they knew, they got burdened. And they all drifted away."
Jang Eun-a stared at Han Yaseong with emotionless eyes.
"Just like you're doing now. Cowards without the guts."
"......"
He could feel the anger radiating from her. Eun-a sunbae was furious right now. It showed in those eerily calm eyes—like the eye of a storm. The pupils were still, but a chill swirled around them. The fresh-faced, bespectacled sunbae was gone; in her place emerged the aura of high society.
The old Han Yaseong would have apologized immediately. But he'd changed. After fingering Choi Yujin's pussy and rimming her ass, he'd grown bolder long ago.
"Is that so? Then if you're okay getting raped, come along. Think you can handle it?"
He shot back defiantly. Your move. He tossed the decision back to her like handing over the hilt of a knife.
Now it was Jang Eun-a who faltered. She'd expected an apology, not this pushback. She didn't know how to respond. She couldn't say she'd risk rape just to follow him, but turning back now would bruise her pride.
As she hesitated, Han Yaseong pressed on.
"I never even thought about raping you, but you scared me off first, sunbae. So yeah, you're intimidating. I'm pent up with frustration right now too. Can't bring you home like this."
"......"
Jang Eun-a had nothing to say, so she listened in silence.
"Plus, your family's no joke. What if I get caught? Touch you wrong, and my life's over. Of course I'm wary. It might piss you off, sunbae, but from my side, it's only natural. So, what now? You coming to my place or not? Your call."
Jang Eun-a let out an involuntary sigh. He's no different after all, she thought. No sign of the specialness Yujin had raved about. Just a kid. No point observing him further.
She reined in her agitation and slipped back into her role as the composed president of the Mystery Club.
"Sorry. I got worked up over nothing. I'll head back."
"......"
Only then did Han Yaseong feel a pang of regret. He'd vented his built-up frustrations on her unfairly.
"I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention... Guess it's best we stick to how things were, sunbae."
Meaning: no more getting closer.
Jang Eun-a acknowledged it. Trying to get close had sparked the fight. If they never tried, there'd be no conflict.
But as she thought it over, something felt off. She'd never argued like this before. It was the first time since childhood she'd let her emotions flare into anger.
Why? Why did I snap at Yaseong?
She couldn't make sense of it.
As Jang Eun-a pondered that mystery, Han Yaseong sighed and turned to leave.
"I'll get going. Sorry about earlier."
He walked off, takeout bags in both hands. She watched him blankly. Yaseong, wait. The questions aren't answered yet.
She wanted to call out, but the words wouldn't come. Her head screamed to stop him; her heart held her back.
All she could do was stare as Han Yaseong grew smaller, takeout in hand.
"Weird."
Han Yaseong, heading home, wondered if he'd overreacted. Why had he pushed back at Eun-a sunbae like that? It didn't add up. They'd never clashed emotionally before. No fights, no arguments. Not even a hint of friction.
Back then, they were just club seniors and juniors—surface-level, no deep feelings to collide.
But one all-night phone call, and boom—conflict. It felt like they'd crossed into each other's territory. Before, they stayed outside those boundaries. Now, one foot in, and tempers flared.
That was his guess, but it didn't quite fit. He'd gotten way closer to Choi Yujin without ever snapping or rebelling.
With Eun-a sunbae, though, anger bubbled up, along with defiance. Probably because they were different types. Choi Yujin commanded absolute obedience; Jang Eun-a sparked an urge to dominate, to manage her. Or make her submit.
Complicated, anyway. One thing was clear: she was nothing like Choi Yujin sunbae.
Getting close to Jang Eun-a sunbae would mean constant fights. And yet, he felt sorry. Strange emotions.
Han Yaseong realized women were damn tricky. Better stick to physical sex, avoid emotional entanglements.
Of course, every woman was unique. A thousand women, a thousand shades. No two with the same personality.
Still, he'd learned something valuable today: they're all different. That was his takeaway.
"Gotta portal in and train soon."
With nightfall nearing 7 PM, he grabbed his takeout bags and jogged home leisurely.
"Why the hell did I get mad?"
Jang Eun-a sat in the driver's seat of her car in the school parking lot, mulling it over. There was no reason to snap, yet she had.
She hated how Yaseong pushed her away. It felt like jealousy. Close to Yujin, but shoving me aside? That must've triggered it.
Odd. Why jealousy? Why the hurt and rage?
She couldn't grasp it. She'd meant to observe him, but ended up exposing her own nature. Showing it.
She always wore glasses and played the calm girl for others. Never revealed her true self. Even her closest friend, Choi Yujin, probably didn't know.
She'd suppressed it, packaging only the polished version. Bland, unassuming, steady, nice-girl vibes. No fights, no anger, no emotional clashes. Always a wall between her and the world.
Then, in a flash, the wall cracked—and she lashed out at Yaseong. First time since childhood.
"Haha..."
A laugh escaped. Han Yaseong had seen the real her, the side no one else had.
Why him? What charm did that kid have?
Yujin was right. He's no ordinary guy. He'd drawn out her hidden true self. Unleashed the emotions she'd bottled up.
That alone proved he was special.
What had she wanted from him? A d'Artagnan to her musketeers? A savior? Someone to shake up her terrifying home?
She'd expected something, no doubt. And when it fizzled, anger surged.