Chapter 48: I like you, a lot

He didn’t seem suspicious.

I had been on edge, but his reaction seemed genuine.

Perhaps I was overthinking things.

‘He really doesn’t remember.’

There was no hint of doubt in his expression, and it seemed he’d simply accepted my words.

Perhaps my changed appearance and demeanor made it impossible for him to connect me to his deceased friend.

He truly seemed to cherish our past friendship.

I hadn’t expected him to be so affected by my supposed disappearance.

I felt a pang of guilt again.

What should I do? Should I continue with this charade?

I briefly considered revealing the truth, but I quickly dismissed the idea.

It was too risky.

That would only create more confusion.

‘This is driving me crazy…!’

He abruptly stood up and paced around the room.

He seemed genuinely distressed.

I had to say something.

“Master… I’m sorry, but I really don’t remember anything from that time…”

I spoke hesitantly, feigning a troubled expression.

“Huh?!”

He stopped pacing and stared at me, his eyes wide with surprise. He seemed shocked by my words.

“I… I hit my head really hard when I was little… and…”

I trailed off, pretending to be searching for the right words.

“Bang—!”

He slammed his hand on the desk, making me flinch. He seemed to be struggling to contain his emotions.

“I… didn’t mean to say that… you really don’t remember anything about him…?”

He spoke in a low voice, his tone laced with disappointment and concern. I nodded slowly, my expression reflecting his emotions. I was getting caught up in my own lie.

“Remember! Anything you remember, even the smallest detail! Please!”

“Were you perhaps very close…?”

‘Yes..?’

He seemed genuinely curious. I hesitated, unsure how to respond. He was observing me closely.

I couldn’t reveal anything that would expose my true identity. I needed to maintain this facade.

‘He’s probably mistaken me for someone else.’

I continued to act confused. I needed to create more distance between my current self and his image of his deceased friend. I had to be careful.

“No… I don’t think so…?”

He looked disappointed.

“Really…? You were…”

He trailed off, as if lost in thought. He was probably trying to reconcile my current behavior with his memories.

“…but you don’t remember anything at all?”

“Yes.”

I kept my answer brief, trying to discourage further questions. He sighed softly.

“Master… is something wrong?”

He seemed lost in thought. I asked cautiously, trying to gauge his reaction.

“Master…? Are you okay…?”

He seemed startled by my question, but quickly recovered.

“It’s… nothing…”

“Is it really nothing?”

He looked away, avoiding my gaze. This was unusual.

“Master… what’s wrong…? Can you please tell me?”

‘This doesn’t feel right…’

He was acting strangely.

I was starting to feel uneasy.

“Master…”

He finally looked at me, his expression filled with a mixture of sadness and concern.

“Is it… something about Kim Yu-won..?”

He nodded slowly, confirming my suspicions.

“Really…? But what could be wrong…?”

“If it’s not something I can share, then that’s fine, but…”

He seemed to be wrestling with his thoughts. He wanted to share something, but he was hesitant.

“You don’t need to tell me everything. Just… a little bit will do. Please?”

‘Please tell me…!’

I urged him internally, my curiosity growing.

“Alright…”

He looked at me intently, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

“There’s something… I need to tell you…”

‘Tell me… what is it?’

I leaned in slightly, anticipating his revelation.

“He… was more than just a friend to me… Is… is that something you can understand?”

He seemed to be hinting at something more than friendship. I nodded slowly, pretending to understand.

“Yes… of course…”

He seemed relieved by my response.