Ch.21Episode 6. The First Turning Point (1)

“Eugene… What a strange person.”

Yoo Ari murmured the name of the man who had been with her until just moments ago.

Her first impression of Eugene was simply that he was a handsome instructor. Aside from his superior looks, she thought he was no different from any other teacher or instructor.

There had been plenty of teachers who showed passion and determination not to give up, even before Eugene arrived. Every single one of them had said they would guide her well and asked her to open her heart and follow them.

However, due to her complete disregard for everything and the uncontrollable Yeon Muhui’s collaboration, they all eventually gave up before a month had passed.

The instructors, in particular, tried to suppress them with force when they wouldn’t listen, only to be beaten by Yeon Muhui and have their pride crushed.

Yoo Ari thought Eugene would be no different from the others, showing only mild curiosity about how long he would last, without any expectations.

But contrary to her thoughts, Eugene decisively defeated Yeon Muhui in a sparring match.

Not only that, but after class, he always stayed close to the students, teaching them how to develop their abilities. He never held back praise when they did well and consistently showed interest in them.

In a way, his actions seemed natural since he had volunteered to be their guide.

But that wasn’t the only thing that bothered her.

She sensed a strange “certainty” in all of Eugene’s actions.

Most teachers and instructors struggle with teaching even regular students. Teaching a special class full of problem students would naturally require even more attention.

Yet Eugene approached the students without hesitation from the beginning. As if he had planned every action from the start.

This wasn’t because he was simple-minded, but because he had confidence that his actions were not wrong.

Just look at how he brought her rose tteokbokki and banana milk. He claimed he liked them too, but Yoo Ari knew it was obviously a lie.

If he really liked them, he would have suggested sharing the tteokbokki or bought two banana milks.

But Eugene just quietly watched her eat. As if enjoying just watching her eat, with a subtle smile.

‘This means he knows something about me, right? Come to think of it, he seemed to know about my past too… Then, that incident as well…’

Yoo Ari bit her lower lip.

What does he think? If he really knows about the past, why doesn’t he ask?

Her mind suddenly became tangled in complexity. As she groaned and held her head, her attention was drawn to the smell of tteokbokki that tickled her nose.

She picked up a rice cake with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.

Chewing slowly.

It was delicious indeed. Eating tteokbokki made her feel a little calmer amid her complicated thoughts.

‘If he approached me knowing everything… could he really be someone who understands my innocence? Is it really okay to rely on him?’

Just as she was feeling excited by the hopeful thought forming in her mind, she shook her head.

‘No. That can’t be. I…’

Because I killed someone.

‘Even if there was a reason, I’m still a murderer…’

Teachers, friends, and even parents who distanced themselves from her, calling her a murderer…

As memories of being pointed at by people around her surfaced, she dropped her chopsticks on the floor.

She raised her feet onto the bench while sitting and buried her face in her knees.

The sudden wave of depression made her want to die.

“I… I, I was just trying to protect myself… Why won’t anyone be-believe me?”

Even as she voiced her grievances, she couldn’t help but think:

That they might be right.

The guilt created by the thought that no matter what reason she gave, killing someone was still killing someone, pushed her deeper into the abyss.

Her breathing became rough and tears leaked out from the unbearable depression. Though she knew she should take the depression medication in her bag, for some reason she didn’t want to.

Should I just die like this?

Although she had entered the academy through a special admission process recommended by the association chairman, she didn’t think anything would change even if she developed her abilities and became stronger.

Just as the worst imaginings were swirling in her mind, she suddenly remembered what Eugene had said while holding her shoulder.

“Anyway, I’ll scold you when you do something wrong, but I’ll never give up on you or abandon you. No matter what situation arises. So I hope you’ll trust and rely on me.”

I hope you’ll trust and rely on me.

Yoo Ari had never heard such words since being branded a murderer.

Even while thinking that Eugene could say this because he didn’t know about her past, recalling his understanding attitude and gestures, she couldn’t entirely believe he was unaware.

‘What if he really knew but still said it…?’

The possibility that he had said those words while knowing about her past kept whispering hope to her.

‘Maybe I can trust Eugene? But if I’m abandoned again, I really won’t be able to endure it…’

Not wanting to experience being abandoned again, she always refused to grasp the outstretched hand. She thought that once they knew about her past, they would abandon her like her parents and friends did.

Rather than that, she decided to cut off human relationships first. At least then she wouldn’t get hurt.

But contradictorily, Yoo Ari desperately craved human attention.

Every time she lay down on her cold bed to sleep, she missed human warmth so much.

She wanted to be comforted when tired, and needed someone to rely on when things got tough.

She had always desperately wished for what others took for granted. Even knowing it was a luxury.

“Eugene…”

Yoo Ari closed her eyes gently and recited the name of the man who had reached out to her.

“Ca-can I trust you?”

* @ *

Moonlight streams through the glass windows, illuminating the interior of the house.

Like an art studio, various paintings hung on the walls, and antique wooden furniture created an old-fashioned atmosphere.

Beyond the window stretched a wide beach. The beach, visible without stepping onto the veranda, glowed blue in the moonlight.

A white-haired man staring blankly at the scenery spoke softly.

“How did planting people in the academy go?”

Just before his words scattered into the air, a person suddenly appeared in the empty space.

He knelt on one knee behind the white-haired man, bowing his head.

“I’ve planted them all as you instructed. They will move whenever you give the word.”

The man answering wore a mask, with two swords attached to his back.

“Well done. The execution will be at lunchtime on April 4th. Use the time when students move around freely.”

“Understood.”

“And there’s one thing to be cautious about.”

“…What is it?”

Without turning around, he threw a piece of paper in front of the man. The paper, floating in the air, landed precisely in front of him.

“Instructor Eugene…?”

He picked up the paper with Eugene’s profile written on it.

“He’s recently become the instructor in charge of the special class. It’s been nearly a month already. He seems to be getting along well with the students.”

“Is that so?”

“Moreover, he seems to have connections with the association chairman. I can’t quite figure out his identity.”

“Would you like me to look into it?”

“Yes. Find out within two days whether he might become a variable in our plans.”

“Understood.”

He answered while looking down at Eugene’s ID photo. After staring at it for a while, he felt something strange. It felt familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

“By the way, Moonlight sir. May I ask one thing?”

The white-haired man called Moonlight glanced sideways at him.

“What is it?”

“Why are you using such a cumbersome method? With our forces, couldn’t we just destroy the academy itself?”

At this simplistic question, Moonlight’s face wrinkled.

“Destroying the academy is one of our goals, but there’s no need to rashly destroy it now. It would only result in losses to our forces. Now is the time to build up Akcheon’s strength.”

He said calmly, looking at his reflection in the window.

“I see. Thank you for answering my question. I will thoroughly investigate everything about Instructor Eugene within two days.”

Before Moonlight could respond, the man with swords on his back disappeared.

“Hmm.”

The white-haired man only moved several minutes after his subordinate had vanished. He spread out documents on the table and checked the list.

“Special Class Personnel”

Moonlight, scanning through the profiles of the special class students, stopped at the photo of a white-haired female student.

“Jung Iyeon…”

Another variable besides Instructor Eugene.

“I was planning to bring this one into Akcheon someday, but to enter the special class on her own… What is she thinking?”

He looked down with displeasure before tossing it carelessly onto the table.

“Well… I don’t need to know right now. After all, the target of this operation isn’t Jung Iyeon… but this one.”

Saying this, he picked up another profile paper. On it was a photo of a female student covering one eye, staring at the camera with an anxious gaze.

“The perpetrator of the river dismemberment murder, Yoo Ari.”