Shadows of Doubt
In the chairman's office, Shin Daeyong, Jeon Nando's secretary, spoke in a heavy voice.
“...Director Gong has passed away.”
Director Gong. One of the board members from the Hunter Association, an old acquaintance Jeon Nando had known for roughly seventeen years. Faced with the sudden news of his longtime friend's death, Jeon Nando closed his eyes slightly, his face clouded with complex emotions.
“...Cause of death?”
Shin Daeyong slowly recited the report he'd received, his own expression equally troubled.
“It was an ambush. He was robbed by a pair of hunters. They took only a small amount of cash and left everything else untouched. ...However, there's something strange about the incident.”
“...What is it?”
Shin Daeyong cleared his throat lightly and glanced at Jeon Nando before speaking with caution.
“...There were no signs that Director Gong resisted.”
Jeon Nando startled and pressed him immediately.
“Explain in detail...!”
“...The bodyguards' corpses showed clear traces of combat. But on Director Gong's body, there wasn't a single mark.”
Director Gong had been one of the first-generation hunters who pioneered the Gates. That was why Jeon Nando had trusted him and acknowledged his abilities enough to elevate him to the board. No matter how old he had grown, the idea that he could have been killed by a mere pair of robber-hunters without any resistance was simply impossible.
If there truly were no signs of resistance on Director Gong's body, only two conclusions made sense. Either the opponent had been overwhelmingly strong, or from the very beginning, Director Gong had never intended to fight back.
Jeon Nando let out a low groan, then fixed Shin Daeyong with a piercing gaze.
“...The Gujae Church?”
Shin Daeyong was slightly flustered by the subtle question. Who exactly was Jeon Nando calling the Gujae Church? Director Gong? The pair of robbers? Or... both?
After a brief moment of thought, Shin Daeyong offered the best answer he could.
“...I will look into it.”
It was early morning. As usual, I had claimed my spot in the back corner of the classroom and was slumped over my desk. I kept letting out weak groans, inwardly cursing my wife for reducing me to this state, when Min Soyeon, seated beside me, quietly spoke up.
“...Are you okay?”
I forced my exhausted body upright and looked at her. Her face held an anguished expression like she might burst into tears at any moment, and her warm eyes brimmed with what seemed to be pity or sympathy. She'd been like this since earlier.
“I'm fine.”
She then spoke again, her face serious and her voice careful.
“...If something's troubling you, tell me.”
“...Thanks.”
Once again, I was thrown off by Min Soyeon's inexplicable kindness.
...Why is she acting like this? This same exchange had already happened three times. She kept saying it was okay to tell her, that she'd help... and now she was openly telling me to talk to her if I had any hard times.
Did I really look that worn out...? Come to think of it, there was one thing that might explain it. I'd told her yesterday that I had a part-time job, so she probably assumed I was exhausted from grueling work.
...It really had been brutal, though.... I hadn't slept properly and had spent the time until early morning tangled up with my wife. What could possibly be more exhausting? Thanks to the various things my wife had prepared for me before I headed to school, I was slowly recovering, but right after leaving the hotel my legs had been trembling so badly I could barely walk.
Because of that, I'd unintentionally shown a bit of fatigue in front of Soyeon, but I never expected her to worry about me this much.
Still, I couldn't reveal that I was meeting with my wife. If she found out I was working under her mother, Soyeon might feel deeply betrayed. We'd only just grown close. I didn't want to create unnecessary distance.
...How should I explain this away....
I pretended not to notice Min Soyeon's occasional glances and searched for words that might reassure her. At that moment...
“...Are you going to work again today?”
Min Soyeon asked, her voice laced with concern.
Work? Yes, I was going. From tonight through the weekend I planned to stay at my wife's house. Since my wife had come to Seoul, I'd have more time to look after Soyeon. I could spend the evening with her and leave a little later. It would be perfect.
“I'm going, but I plan to head out late.”
“...Late?”
“If I eat dinner with you, hang out for a while, then leave, the timing should be just right. What do you think?”
Min Soyeon seemed to mull something over, then changed the subject with a satisfied expression.
'If I eat dinner with you, hang out for a while, then leave, the timing should be just right. What do you think?'
Jihwan's words about spending time together before leaving sank deep into my chest. No matter how violently my body and heart had been violated, no matter how I suffered under the temptation of filthy money, those words proved that his feelings for me remained pure.
Just as I thought. Jihwan wasn't selling his body because he wanted to. He had no choice but to do it for me, for this Min Soyeon alone.
There was only one reason he would go this far for someone who wasn't even family, but a complete stranger.
...Because he loves me....
Me.... Min Soyeon....
Not as the 'Sword Empress's daughter'..., but as me, Min Soyeon...!
A friend once told me that love blinds a person. Yes, Jihwan had gone blind. He loved me too much. He liked Min Soyeon so deeply, wanted to cherish me so much, wanted to do everything he could for me, that his vision had clouded over. That was why he'd ended up making such a terrible choice.
Yu Jihwan, you idiot. You fool....
Of course I could understand his feelings. He simply didn't want to show any weakness to the girl he liked... the girl he loved. The 'friends' who were experts on men had said so, so it must be true.
The important thing was that once we got married later, my money would become his money. My assets would become his assets. There was no way Yu Jihwan didn't know that, so why had he made such a stupid decision? Why sell his precious first experience for a handful of pocket change?
It was all because he lacked confidence. Confidence that he could marry me!
They said every man is overcome by instinct when he sees an attractive woman, yet Yu Jihwan had never once shown such desire. It meant he treasured me that much....
“... .”
At that moment, a disturbing thought flashed through my mind. Jihwan had never once looked at me with sexual eyes. It wasn't as if I'd been covering myself up completely, yet not even once.
...No way.... Could it be that I don't look attractive to him...?
Ah, no.... That can't be....
I quickly shook my head, brushing away the useless thought. To love me without feeling any attraction at all? He wasn't a saint. No such man existed in this world. Then why did he like me? Did he like the way I smoked...? But he didn't like it when I smoked.
...Or did my cursing look sexy? Every time I swore, his reaction had been poor.
Damn it, what is it then.... Even when I thought about it myself, I couldn't come up with a single reason why he would like me.
Then. The words my friend 'Midori' had said came floating back.
'The whole love-at-first-sight thing is real. The moment I saw my boyfriend, my heart went all kyung-kyung, you know?'
T-this was it...!
Yu Jihwan had fallen for me at first sight. Like it was destiny!
Yes, destiny. Nothing else could explain his goodwill. Love achieved through fate. Could there be any words more thrilling than that?
Having understood Yu Jihwan's heart, I was finally able to relax.
“...Haa....”
I forced down my soaring emotions and steeled my resolve to save him.
...Just as Jihwan had saved me, I had to save Jihwan too....
...Why is she acting like this...? Something must have happened to Soyeon. She'd been lost in thought since earlier, and now she was telling me to go to the house first. Worried that I might have misunderstood, I asked her again.
“...You want me to go to your house first? Alone?”
She nodded with a perfectly casual expression.
“...I have some business to take care of.”
...What kind of business would make her send me home ahead of her? It wasn't the supermarket, at least. Dinner tonight could be made with ingredients already in the house, so there was no need to stop by the market. Besides, if she were going to the market, there would be no reason to send me on ahead.
Could it be something she didn't want to show me? She was in the middle of puberty, after all. It was normal to have one or two private secrets.
...It was probably best to pretend I didn't notice and move on.
I told her I'd head over first, received the passcode from her, and made my way to the house. I wondered if it was really okay to give the passcode to just anyone, but the fact that she felt comfortable enough to do so left me feeling rather pleased.
On the other hand, it also meant she might freely give her passcode to anyone she felt comfortable with. What if some guy started coming and going from Soyeon's house as he pleased? Absolutely not. I could never allow that until the guy was strong enough to defeat my wife.
Today I had no choice but to let it slide, but it looked like I'd need to give her a proper lesson soon.
After parting with Min Soyeon, I headed straight for her house.
Before long, I stood in front of the familiar gate. I opened it, walked through the entrance, and...
“...Excuse me....”
I spoke awkwardly and stepped inside with care. Unlike usual, every light was off, leaving the house dark. The gloom felt strangely cold.
I quickly turned on every light in the house, then quietly sat down on the living room sofa.
“... .”
What could you call a house without Soyeon in it...? It was terrifyingly silent and profoundly unfamiliar. The dark hallway seemed to stretch on forever, and the spacious living room and kitchen were so quiet that even the rustle of clothing would sound loud.
To think Soyeon had been living alone in a house like this.... Feeling a fresh wave of pity for her, I once again concluded that my wife and Soyeon really should live together.
I turned on the TV and waited blankly for Soyeon. Then...
Beep— Beep-beep-beep—
The sound of the lock disengaging came from the entrance.
I rose from the sofa and walked over. Min Soyeon had already finished her business and was taking off her shoes.
“Did everything go okay?”
“...Yeah.”
When I spoke lightly, she answered in a small voice and slipped her feet into the slippers.
But....
...What was that?
In Min Soyeon's hand, she gripped an unknown object tightly. It looked exactly like a money envelope.