Big Trouble (2)
The next day, the terrorist attack targeting the Academy—one that left two victims in its wake—sparked massive social outrage.
After the Hunter Association terror incident, the media—already fired up—pounced on the Academy attack. Ironically, rather than focusing on the terrorists' identities or motives, the press zeroed in on Min Soyeon, who had stood at the center of the event.
A few reporters even came to the hospital while I was there, asking for interviews. Every single one of them only wanted information about Min Soyeon. After agonizing over the requests for a long time, I finally asked the hospital staff to turn all the reporters away.
I hated the idea of my beloved daughter being dragged through the media.
Other than using a lot of mana, I didn't have any major issues, so I was discharged quickly. Only later did I learn that the Academy had covered all my medical expenses. I slightly regretted not at least getting an IV drip while I was there.
Strike while the iron is hot, as they say. Right after being discharged, I went straight to the investigation bureau with the person the Academy had sent and gave my testimony. I wasn't much help, though. The moment I saw those two bastards, I froze them solid—what was there for me to testify about?
The Academy said they'd contact me later and suggested I take a few days to rest. An unexpected vacation.
Once I got home, I immediately tried contacting Min Soyeon out of worry.
But no matter how long I waited, there was no reply. I even tried calling, just in case, but she didn't pick up.
“···.”
Maybe her phone got destroyed during the fight, or she turned it off on purpose because of the persistent media. They said she'd been discharged from the hospital too, so she was probably at home.
···Or maybe she went to her mother.
Thanks to that, I couldn't shake my worries about Min Soyeon. She was probably resting far better than I was, but I wouldn't be able to relax until I saw her with my own eyes.
After thinking it over for a long time, I finally made a difficult decision. I'd go see Min Soyeon in person tomorrow.
*
‘Soyeon.’
‘Just wait a little longer. I'll protect you.’
The warm voice echoing in my head made my eyes snap open. Yesterday and today. This was already the second day Yu Jihwan kept appearing in my dreams.
···It was annoying. For some reason, it just pissed me off.
When something like this was bothering me, gaming was the best solution. I got out of bed, stretched to wake up my stiff body, and headed for the computer.
Vrrrr—
Enjoying the sweet hum of the PC, I sank into the soft chair. The cold leather against my thighs made me shiver.
“Ugh, it's cold···.”
While I turned on the heater, the computer finished booting up. I shifted around until I found the most comfortable position, then grabbed the mouse, thinking of the ‘friends’ who would be waiting for me.
The moment the game finished loading, a login message popped up in the chat window.
The ‘friends’ who had been huddled together immediately greeted me.
It had only been two days, but seeing my ‘friends’ after so long brought a small smile to my face.
My friends were as cheerful as ever. They were the only ones who didn't care about age or jobs and just treated me comfortably. As we happily shared updates, someone suddenly brought up him.
I was completely thrown off by the sudden question.
“Uh···, uhh···.”
I'd turned on the game to forget about Yu Jihwan, but I never expected his name to come up.
“Ugh···.”
The chat window had turned into complete chaos in an instant. Overwhelmed, I unconsciously moved my fingers.
The chat suddenly fell silent. The thought that everyone was focusing on my story made me feel a little pressured.
I resented my past self for childishly bragging that some guy was interested in me. I kept typing and deleting, unsure how to start, when the others began talking on their own as if they understood my feelings.
“Ugh···.”
The girls, excited by the gossip, were going wild.
I was about to give a vague answer to calm the topic down when—
Ding-dong—
The doorbell suddenly rang.
“···Huh?”
I tried to think of anyone who might visit, but no one came to mind.
Ding-dong—
The doorbell rang again. I left a message in the chat saying someone was here and checked the intercom.
“···Huh?”
A man appeared on the intercom screen.
Ah. Hello. This is Soyeon's friend, Yu Jihwan.
It was Yu Jihwan.
“W-why is he··· here···.”
The moment I saw his face, my heart began pounding wildly on its own.
“What, what's going on? Why, no···.”
I was so flustered that my head wasn't working properly. Then Yu Jihwan, who had been looking at the camera, spoke again.
···Is no one home?
He leaned in closer, tilting his head to examine the camera from different angles.
“Ah···.”
The moment his face filled the screen in close-up, the memory of being held in his arms flashed through my mind. Before I knew it, a pitiful sigh escaped me.
Not here···?
Just as he was about to give up and turn away, I reflexively reached out and pressed the ‘open’ button.
Beeeeep—
The door unlocked, and Yu Jihwan, who had turned around, cautiously stepped inside. Only after his figure disappeared from the intercom screen did I realize what I'd done.
“Kyaaaaak!”
A scream burst out of me as my mind spun wildly. W-what do I do? Why the hell did you open the door, you crazy bitch! And I haven't even showered! The house is a mess···.
Buried under a mountain of thoughts, completely frozen, one idea suddenly surfaced.
“···I'll send him away.”
This wouldn't do. No, I shouldn't have let him in to begin with. I'd just greet him properly and send him off. With that firm resolution, I headed for the front door.
*
Stepping into Min Soyeon's house, I looked at the small yard spread out before me and started to worry a little. Was the security really this lax? It looked like there was at least a barrier, but I still didn't like it···.
While I grumbled internally and waited at the entrance, the door finally opened with a click.
“Sorry for showing up out of nowhere. Are you feeling o—.”
I was in the middle of apologizing and asking how she was when I noticed what Min Soyeon was wearing. Dolphin shorts that revealed her entire thighs and a loose, sloppy gray tank top. Seeing her dressed like this in this weather, it seemed she really had been resting comfortably. She must have been so relaxed that she'd even thrown off her underwear.
Our ‘eyes’ met, and I quickly looked away, speaking carefully.
“Ahem···, y-you seem to have been resting well···.”
Unfortunately, the gray color of her clothes made everything stand out even more. She must have sensed something odd in my reaction because she finally looked down at her own outfit.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”
Her face flushed bright red as she let out a sharp scream and bolted back inside the house.
Left standing alone at the entrance, I fell into a serious dilemma. Should I go in or not···?
It was clear that Min Soyeon lived alone. If not, her mother would have come out to greet me. That meant this house was Min Soyeon's independent space.
Even though she was still young, she was at that age where puberty was in full swing. Even if she'd opened the door for me, entering without the owner's explicit permission was something I should avoid.
“···.”
I was gradually leaning toward the idea of quietly waiting here when I noticed the trash bags piled up in a corner beyond the entrance. They weren't even sorted for recycling—just haphazardly mixed and only half full. Looking at that miserable sight, the experiences from the past two years of tightening my belt to save on living expenses whispered to me.
Could I really say she was living well after seeing that?
It was just trash bags, but I was starting to get a rough idea of what Min Soyeon's daily life was like. If there had been a housekeeper, it wouldn't look like this, so she must have been doing it herself. That also meant her mother didn't live here.
If a child who couldn't even throw out the trash properly was living alone, how healthy could her life possibly be?
I unconsciously took a step inside, craning my neck to look around the house, when I suddenly remembered all the things Min Soyeon had bought in bulk at the mart. Every single one of them was unhealthy instant food. With no housekeeper to prepare meals, she must have been getting by with that stuff all this time.
“Ah···.”
My mind grew dizzy as a heavy sigh escaped me. At an age when she should be eating well, instant food···? Seeing the chicken chain logo stuffed into the trash bag, it was clear her best meals were delivery. Living alone··· smoking··· and now instant food on top of it.
Just what was that mother doing to neglect her daughter like this?
I started getting angry at my irresponsible wife. Before I knew it, while fuming, I found myself standing inside the entrance.
“···.”
···Yeah, it would be rude to leave the door open like that.
After rationalizing it to myself like that···
Thud—
I closed the front door behind me.