The Taxidermied Heart
At the center of the gang stood Bae Seong-hyeon. No matter how hard I rubbed my eyes and looked again, nothing changed. The guy right in front of me was unmistakably Bae Seong-hyeon. He even had that scar on his left ear. No doubt about it.
Why the hell had he come to Florence Academy? No—how had he gotten in? He'd been expelled, which meant he wasn't supposed to set foot on campus. Had he snuck in wearing a uniform, pretending to be a current student? No way. With the ongoing Satanist purge, even someone just suspected of being an outsider got chased off by security the second they poked their head near the gates. There was no chance they'd let Bae Seong-hyeon in, not with his record of suspected ties to the Satanists.
For a split second, I wondered if he'd bribed the foundation for readmission, but that didn't make sense either. The incident he caused had dragged Kim Jin-seo into it too. Kim Chang-won, who treasured her like his own daughter, wouldn't approve something like that just for money.
"Hey, look who it is~ Do Seon-woo! Long time no see!"
While I was lost in thought for that brief moment, Bae Seong-hyeon casually extended his hand for a shake. I took it on reflex. His grip was so strong it felt threatening. When we let go, a red handprint lingered on my palm. I looked up and glared at his face. He was grinning ear to ear.
"So, how's the Charity Holy Mark treating you? Must be exhausting as hell, right? So much to do."
"I'm a bit tired today. But are we close enough for small talk?"
"Hahaha, do I have to be your buddy to ask how you're doing? After all this time, that's all you've got?"
Bae Seong-hyeon stared at me, laughing, his eyes brimming with blatant hostility that stabbed right into mine. I met his gaze without flinching. He let out a mocking scoff and turned to his gang.
"Her temper's gotten even fiercer, huh? What do you guys think?"
"Uh, yeah. I mean, um..."
"Ha, haha..."
He scanned the group, fishing for agreement, but they all averted their eyes and mumbled awkwardly. Once his lackeys, they'd gone quiet and focused on their studies after his big scandal and expulsion drew all the wrong kind of attention. No support came his way, and his face twisted in frustration. Then, just like that, he smoothed it over with a smile, acting like nothing happened.
"Things have changed around here while I was gone."
I glared at him as he glanced around, feigning sheepishness. He was too calm. Offering a handshake right in front of me without so much as a twitch, then glaring daggers. Something was off. I'd cursed him before—nightmares, memory crush, all sorts of nasty stuff. The effect was suggestion: just thinking of Voodoo would fill him with terror, followed by memory erasure. The memory vanished, but the fear lingered. So how could he face me, the Voodoo cult leader, without batting an eye?
The curse couldn't have worn off, and no way he'd overcome it with sheer willpower. My spells weren't that soft. So then... what the hell is that thing?
"Oh, Jeong In-ah's here too. Looking prettier? Lost some weight—"
"Hey."
Gu Jun-hyeok cut him off. He stared at Bae Seong-hyeon with heavy-lidded eyes—or maybe past him at something else. His gaze was unfocused.
"What the fuck are you crawling back here for?"
Gu Jun-hyeok's icy tone froze the air. Bae Seong-hyeon took a startled step back. The tension crackled like a fight was seconds away. His gang hemmed and hawed, trying to wedge between them, but Gu Jun-hyeok shoved them aside and closed in.
Chin.
He grabbed Bae Seong-hyeon's collar. Bae looked down at him coolly, unfazed.
"Straight to the collar grab... This Florence's standard now?"
"Expelled and you come back with that mouth still running. Why are you here?"
"Hahaha... No idea why you're so pissed. Let go already."
Bae Seong-hyeon pried Gu Jun-hyeok's hand off with brute force, then straightened his shirt collar and tie. Gu Jun-hyeok's eyes stayed locked on him. Jeong In-ah bounced her gaze between them, on the verge of tears from panic, her eyes already welling up.
"Hold on a sec."
Something was wrong on multiple levels. I pulled out my phone to call someone and slipped away—or tried to.
"H-Hey, where... where you going..."
Jeong In-ah clung to my wrist. No need to shake her off; her grip was so weak I barely noticed it at first. A gentle pull, and she let go limply, staring at me in dazed confusion.
I smiled at her. "Be right back."
I planned a quick check-in, then return. Keeping my distance, I waited for the call to connect.
Click. They picked up. I lowered my voice.
"Believer-nim, how is your son faring?"
*
"Coffee's hitting the spot. I'd have offed myself ages ago without it."
"Couldn't sleep last night either?"
Ha Ye-jin chided So Do-jin as he downed his Americano in one go and grabbed a second cup.
"What can I do, I never sleep. That's why I keep telling you to retire."
"Retire... I want to, but then I look at the paycheck..."
"Loving money's a sin too, you know. For a man of the cloth."
Ha Ye-jin teased with a smirk. So Do-jin forced a grin, his dark circles heavy under his eyes.
"Got a mountain of mouths to feed. Starving 'em for piety would be the real sin."
"...Fair point."
"Got the day off today. Gonna crash hard tomorrow. Sleep deprivation's tanking my quality of life..."
So Do-jin trailed off, staring out. Ha Ye-jin tilted her head curiously. His gaze fixed on the middle of the sports field, where two boys faced off amid a crowd.
So Do-jin shifted his divine power to his eyes.
"...Those little shits."
It was Gu Jun-hyeok and Bae Seong-hyeon. Gu Jun-hyeok had a rep for trouble among the staff, fine. But the expelled Bae Seong-hyeon? What gall. His mess had tarnished Florence's name and nearly gotten Ha Ye-jin, the Charity Class homeroom teacher, disciplined. So Do-jin hated his guts.
He strode across the field toward them, planning to talk them down—or drag them out by force if needed.
"What's going on? My eyes must be bad, can't tell..."
"Looks like a fight. One's Bae Seong-hyeon."
"What? Why's he here?"
Ha Ye-jin followed, incredulous. So Do-jin glared at them stone-faced, no reply. He was pissed at brazen Bae, but Gu needed a warning too.
"Hey! All of you, scatter—now!"
So Do-jin bellowed at the onlookers. They hesitated, eyes darting. The standoff had heated up; the two pressed foreheads together, glaring venomously. One punch and it'd explode.
"You...!"
Hurrying forward, So Do-jin cut off as Do Seon-woo pushed through the crowd. Face etched with clear fury but eyes ice-cold, he wedged between them, staring down Bae Seong-hyeon.
Thud.
He shoved Gu Jun-hyeok back with an arm, breaking them up. Trying to stop the fight. So Do-jin eased his pace, relieved. Do Seon-woo outclassed them both; he'd handle it.
Then Do Seon-woo's arm began to glow. The Mighty Strength Blessing from his Charity Holy Mark investiture.
He drew a blessing circle.
"Huh? Strength enhancement..."
Ha Ye-jin muttered, watching from behind. Mid-grade? Low? Too far to tell. Using blessings to break it up by force?
No time for questions. Do Seon-woo condensed the blessing into his right arm.
Squelch.
He thrust it forward. His hand pierced Bae Seong-hyeon's chest. Pulling back, he held something. A heart. Bae Seong-hyeon's heart.
With one arm, he'd torn through skin, snapped ribs, and yanked it out. Veins dangling, it still pulsed in his grip.
"...Wh-what..."
Ha Ye-jin made a strangled noise, unwilling to believe it. Her face went white; she dry-heaved.
Bae Seong-hyeon, hole in his chest, crumpled dead. His corpse sprawled on the field. So Do-jin clenched his fists unconsciously.
Murder. Bae had Satanist ties, sure, but he was human. Humans weren't demons or beasts to slaughter casually.
So Do-jin channeled divine power to his legs.
Boom!
Hand on his sword, he leaped at Do Seon-woo. Blindingly fast, he landed and drew.
Whoosh!
He swung, momentum and weight behind it. But not the blade—the flat to knock him out. Answers after.
Thud.
Do Seon-woo didn't drop. He caught the blade casually, staring coldly. That face right after killing?
Chilling. So Do-jin tried to wrench it free.
"..."
It wouldn't budge. Do Seon-woo's grip was insane—not from the blessing. So Do-jin knew he was strong, but this?
Hiding his shock, he spoke. "Let go. Before I chop your fingers off."
"Hear me out first."
"We talk after I subdue you."
Scrape!
So Do-jin yanked hard. Blood sprayed from Do Seon-woo's palm to the ground.
He pressed the attack.
Slash...
This time the edge. It grazed Do Seon-woo's neck; he froze. Dark blood welled.
So Do-jin stared with manic eyes. "You... what the hell were you thinking, doing something like..."
"..."
"Clergy don't kill people. No one kills people. That's basic, but..."
Tears brimmed in So Do-jin's eyes. Speaking to Do Seon-woo—and himself. His sword hand trembled; blood dripped down the blade.
"...Teacher."
Do Seon-woo held up the heart. It had stilled, gone cold.
Splat.
He crushed it in his fist without mercy. So Do-jin squeezed his eyes shut. Nauseating sound.
Do Seon-woo was a total psycho. Maybe kill him now...
Opening his eyes, So Do-jin saw the impossible.
Thud thud.
Not just blood—sawdust poured from the burst heart. Mostly sawdust and stuffing, some blood.
Bae Seong-hyeon's heart was filled with sawdust and cotton. So Do-jin stared blankly, sheathing his sword.
"What I killed wasn't a person. It was a taxidermy doll."
Do Seon-woo shook blood from his palm, calm as ever.
(To be continued)