Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Song A-ram
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Song A-ram was now in her third year of high school.
She’d grown up without a mother since she was little, but she’d managed just fine, tough as nails.
Of course, she missed her mom sometimes, but it was bearable.
She had her dad, and they’d gotten by pretty happily in their own way.
Sure, some kids teased her for being the girl without a mom, but they were few and far between.
It was just light bullying, nothing major, so she brushed it off.
She had a bunch of close friends, and those happy days shattered five years ago—on that one day.
After the incident blew up, her life turned into hell.
Living became nothing more than enduring without dying, and Song A-ram could no longer feel anything like happiness.
Even with her dad around, the positive vibes she got weren’t true happiness.
Starting five years ago, Song A-ram picked up a nickname.
“Jinxed bitch.”
Just like it sounded—bad luck incarnate, stay close and it’d rub off on you...
The kids at school started spreading that nonsense and kept their distance.
She’d had real friends before, but even they drifted away bit by bit.
She didn’t really blame them.
The vibe had just shifted that way.
Hang with Song A-ram, and you’d be jinxed too.
She’d tried to fight it, of course.
But nothing worked.
She even went to a teacher, who said, “You’re not a little kid anymore—handle it yourself. If it’s really bad, I’ll step in.”
Fair enough, she got it.
She was in third year of middle school then—not a baby anymore—and the teacher promised help if it got too rough.
But the day she went back, desperate for real intervention, she overheard it.
“Probably because she doesn’t have a mom, she clings too easily to others.”
She had no idea what that had to do with anything—missing a mom making her overly dependent?
Whatever. The fact that the teacher thought that way hit her like a truck.
From then on, she stopped trusting adults.
The police were no different.
Five years ago, that incident...
If they’d looked even a little closer, they’d have seen it wasn’t just an accident.
But no—they slapped an “accident” label on it.
And let her get branded as the “momless jinxed bitch.”
Her distrust of adults—and the police—grew day by day.
No, to be precise... it was distrust of the world itself that swelled.
That’s why, staring at the man in front of her, Song A-ram couldn’t hide her bewilderment.
Had he followed her? Or was it pure coincidence?
Either way, he’d shown up out of nowhere, said a few words, and scared off the kids who’d tormented her for years.
What the hell...?
“They’re backing off just like that? For real?’
Those same punks had smirked through a teacher’s scolding for some nasty prank, then punched her in the gut right after.
And now they’d scampered off, spooked.
She could hardly believe what she’d just seen with her own eyes...
But it was real.
No choice but to accept it—and damn, it felt good.
For a moment, anyway.
The human brain learns.
Song A-ram, who’d survived by learning from repeated abuse and patterns, couldn’t help but feel anxious.
“They’ll just wait out today and come back worse. So why’d I feel good about it?’
They’d ramp it up.
Hating that they’d been caught off guard, they’d take it out on her.
She knew that, so why had she foolishly savored the thrill?
Lost in that small regret—
“Hey... how about we grab some ice cream and talk?”
The guy who’d just chased off her bullies spoke up.
Ice cream? Out of nowhere?
The thought flashed by, and for a split second, Song A-ram shot him a resentful glare.
The miserable days would loop again, probably worse.
And here he was, casually suggesting chit-chat like he didn’t know.
Was he clumsily trying to comfort her? Who knows.
The man’s face was calm, unreadable—what was he thinking?
Somehow, his nonchalance eased her unease a bit.
She couldn’t explain why.
He acted like it was no big deal, and it didn’t look bad.
Normally, she’d think, “Figures, doesn’t care since it’s not his problem,” and shut down.
Why not this time?
That calm vibe made her wonder if maybe he was better than the rest.
Didn’t he catch a murderer?
Taking down school bullies should be easier than killers, right?
Maybe he could fix this.
A faint hope stirred.
It might be pointless, but—
Song A-ram decided to cling to it.
She recalled the saying: the reason someone survives on a desert island isn’t the resources there—it’s the hope of rescue.
This man was her hope of rescue.
She let out a breath and spoke.
“Forget ice cream... buy me a coffee.”
A bit cheeky?
But he lit up, not offended at all.
“Coffee it is. Know a good spot?”
“Follow me.”
She didn’t know about “good,” but she knew a cafe the other kids avoided.
Song A-ram nodded and led the way.
Together, she and the man headed to the cafe side by side.
* * *
The cafe Song A-ram picked was tucked away in a more obscure spot than expected.
Down an alley so deep you’d wonder how it got any customers.
The interior was clean, though—probably drew some tourists now and then.
Lee Jae-hyun glanced around quietly, then turned to Song A-ram.
She stared down her warm latte, exhaled, and finally spoke.
“Mister.”
“Yeah, A-ram?”
Lee Jae-hyun nodded, ready for whatever.
She paused at his response, then pushed on.
“Ugh, just drop the formal talk.”
“...Like this?”
Her face screamed goosebumps.
In the end, Lee Jae-hyun switched to casual speech.
Too stiff and polite?
Or maybe she just found honorifics from adults weird.
Lee Jae-hyun shoved those thoughts aside and focused on her.
Only then did Song A-ram nod, like she could breathe.
“Thanks for the help, but... no idea how this’ll sound. You do clean A/S too, right?”
“A/S?”
Lee Jae-hyun tilted his head at her hesitant tone, not getting it at first.
A/S? What’s that?
“Yeah, honestly, I’m still scared. You saved me, so handle the follow-up too.”
She blurted it out.
Boldly demanding aftercare since he’d stepped in.
But her voice trembled faintly.
Lee Jae-hyun could tell: she was braver facing a stranger than enduring more bullying.
“Aftercare”—he got what she meant by A/S now.
And yeah, it was his job.
School violence doesn’t end with one intervention.
That’s why it’s so terrifying.
It escalates if you poke it wrong.
He knew that, stepped in anyway, planning to see it through.
Cops who don’t let go can end school violence.
It drags on because people quit midway.
No matter what, don’t quit, and it resolves.
Lee Jae-hyun nodded with that conviction.
“Not my jurisdiction, but I’ll handle it end-to-end. Call anytime something happens—I’ll be here in 30, 40 minutes.”
“...Jurisdiction? If it’s not yours, why come here?”
Song A-ram nodded slowly to his firm tone, then shot a puzzled look.
Music to Lee Jae-hyun’s ears.
He’d been mulling how to broach it, and she’d opened the door.
“Looking into that incident from five years ago.”
“Five years... the fall accident?”
She flinched at the mention, asking back.
Makes sense—she’d been through hell over it.
He wanted to tread lightly, but nabbing Park Chun-beom needed her help.
Lee Jae-hyun met her eyes and continued.
“Yeah. About that case... I think you could help with some parts.”
As he spoke, a red thread still shimmered faintly on his pinky, announcing its presence.
Song A-ram bowed her head at his words, staring at her latte.
The red thread linking her swayed lazily, then suddenly straightened, glowing sharper.
And.
She lifted her head slowly and spoke.
“One condition.”
“Name it.”
Lee Jae-hyun would do anything he could.
Sensing that, she laid it out.
“Make sure my dad’s shop doesn’t get hit.”
“I’ll do my best. All in.”
He answered with sincerity.
Song A-ram stared long and hard, then hesitated before opening up.
“It’s just... well...”
That day’s truth began spilling from Song A-ram’s lips.