How Could You Do This to Me!
Hye-ji and Elsia had joined forces to finally subdue Jung Ayeon for good. This time, Elsia hadn't betrayed her. Using Elsia's thorn vines, they exhausted Jung Ayeon and bound her tightly. Then Hye-ji manifested a taser and knocked her out cold. It couldn't have gone more perfectly. Just to be safe, she zapped her again, but Jung Ayeon showed no further reaction. She was definitely unconscious.
Hye-ji stared at the unconscious Jung Ayeon, eyes twitching, and thought, Those fucking bastards! That was mine to begin with! She was claiming ownership that no one else would ever acknowledge.
At first, she hadn't been too worried. But then Elsia suddenly barged in, and now Jung Ayeon Coin was skyrocketing like crazy. She was done with any more competitors. I should've just confessed from the very start!
Yet every crucial moment kept getting interrupted. And whenever she tried to blurt it out normally, the words just wouldn't come. She stuck to Shinwoo whenever she could, trying to appeal to him, but that dense bastard Shinwoo never noticed a thing.
I'm the idiot for liking that guy.
It always circled back to a bit of self-loathing. Then her eyes landed on the unconscious Jung Ayeon again. In just a few chapters, that girl had strapped on rocket fuel and blasted off.
That sneaky little shit!
Out of nowhere, Hye-ji fired another taser shot at her. Half for confirmation, half to vent. It helped her mood a little.
Soon after, Hye-ji made up her mind.
"Hey, Canf. Wanna make a pact?"
"I'd love to, Hye-ji unni!"
She was choosing a slightly dangerous path. Teaming up with Elsia, who had already betrayed her once, didn't sit right. Plus, Elsia had that dangerously voluptuous chest Hye-ji could never possess in a lifetime. On the surface, she was a serious rival. However...
There's no way I can't beat that beast of a woman.
At best, she was a pink single-celled organism. A total pushover. That was why Hye-ji decided to truce with Elsia and plot Shinwoo's kidnapping.
You might wonder why kidnapping was necessary. But after seeing the current situation, Hye-ji figured a simple confession wouldn't be enough. How many kids are we having? To beat Jung Ayeon, she had no choice but to make things a done deal first. That left only one slightly violent option.
Just then, Caersi, who had been eavesdropping on their plan, slowly approached. She immediately pulled out a black card and handed it to Hye-ji.
"This looks fun-nya! Let me go wild-nya!"
"Thanks, you damn cat!"
"......At least call me Saintess at times like this-nya."
Caersi's expression looked oddly desperate. Either way, they now had capital. Hye-ji handed the black card to Elsia with a grim look and began the plan.
"Go get ready. I'll bring him to the designated spot."
"Don't worry!"
Elsia immediately started walking away, then shouted back with determination.
"With this, I'll buy a little Elf Coin and get ready!!!"
"Haaaaaaaagh!!!! You're dead-nya!!!!"
Caersi let out a beastly roar and chased after Elsia on all fours. Elsia, running on two legs, put up a decent fight, but there was no beating a four-legged damn cat.
"That hurts!!!!!!"
"You fucking bitch. Touch that stupid shit again and you're really dead."
"But it's actually going up!"
"Like hell it is, you dumbass!"
Abandoning all pretense, Caersi rained down cat punches on Elsia's head. After a brief execution period, Elsia finally departed obediently to prepare.
What they were about to do wasn't exactly honorable, but...
I'll think about it after I do it.
Just like Lee Shin flying in with Q, Hye-ji was the type to act first and think later. She steeled herself and approached Shinwoo.
After walking for a while, she finally found him.
"Shinwoo."
"Ah. You're here?"
Shinwoo's expression hadn't looked great, but it brightened the moment he saw Hye-ji. He tried to say something, but Hye-ji struck first.
"Shinwoo, wanna come with me for a bit?"
"Where to?"
"You'll see if you follow."
"Hey! Wait up!"
Hye-ji strode ahead toward the alley. Shinwoo followed behind her. The only sound between them was their footsteps. They walked in silence for a long time.
Before long, they arrived at a deserted, shady alley—the spot Elsia had prepared in advance.
Meanwhile, Shinwoo, who had been trailing Hye-ji, glanced at her and asked,
"There's nothing here, though?"
"......"
"Hye-ji?"
Instead of answering, Hye-ji secretly manifested a weapon in her hand. This time, it was a stun gun. She set the output to maximum for guaranteed results.
He wouldn't die.
......Probably.
Just in case, she decided to check the future first. She quickly thrust the stun gun at the approaching Shinwoo. But one wasn't enough. Even while being shocked, Shinwoo forced her hand away. Realizing the firepower was insufficient, she regressed and manifested another stun gun in her other hand.
That crazy bastard. Why is he so damn tough!
Right then, Shinwoo was right behind her. Thinking this was the perfect moment, she spun around and thrust both stun guns forward—
"Huh?"
Shinwoo had already moved to her right side. He naturally dodged the stun gun in her right hand. Then, with his left arm, he grabbed the inside of her right elbow and pulled. With his remaining right hand, he gently pushed her right wrist. The stun gun's target naturally shifted.
From Shinwoo to Hye-ji's own meager chest.
- Zzzap!
A sudden electric shock spread through her entire body. As the tingling sensation washed over her, Hye-ji finally remembered something she had overlooked.
Shinwoo could read the future of people nearby before they regressed.
I'm screwed!
Unable to withstand the shock, Hye-ji collapsed. Maybe the output had been too high. She felt like she was about to lose consciousness immediately.
Shit! I should've made it a little weaker!
But her body only twitched slightly and refused to move as she willed it. Her consciousness began sinking regardless of her will.
Looking down at the fallen Hye-ji, Shinwoo glared at her with a hint of hostility.
"This isn't Hye-ji. Hye-ji doesn't use toys like this."
No, you fucking idiot! It is me!
She wanted to say it was her. Did she really need to go through with the kidnapping? Regret was starting to creep in. But all that escaped her lips was a small, unintelligible groan.
"I'll just dump you somewhere random."
Shinwoo slowly reached out toward her. Watching his approaching hand, Hye-ji screamed a silent prayer in her heart.
Please move! It can't end like this!
But contrary to her prayer, her limbs showed no sign of moving.
***
Consciousness returned. She opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. When she sat up, she saw an unfamiliar desk and a warm yellow mood light. Finally, the bed she was lying on. Judging by the surrounding items, this was probably a hotel.
Then the last moment came rushing back.
"Fuck."
She could roughly guess who had brought her here. Since she was awake now, she tried to leave the room—
- Clink.
"Goddamn it."
Handcuffs had been placed on her hands and feet. They were thick enough that they wouldn't come off easily. But the person who put them on apparently thought that wasn't enough. The handcuffs were connected by chains pulled somewhat taut, like a dog's leash. A warning not to run too far.
Looking at them, a small sigh escaped her lips.
"I'm fucked."
Left with no choice, she lay back on the bed and looked around. Then, suddenly, a familiar object entered her view. A red-decorated smartphone. Fortunately, it was closer than expected. With trembling hands, she snatched the phone and began operating it. It was her only means of contacting the outside world that she had barely secured.
She couldn't just call the police or her family, though. It might blow up or get brushed off as nothing. Instead, with bound hands, she quickly operated the phone and sent a message. The recipient had been decided from the start.