episode_0226

After Yeonminha’s sudden confession.

Rather than anger, a feeling closer to emptiness lingered in my head.

Mom, friends, hometown scenery,

All the things I love, but in the end, they are nothing more than that to the noble wizards.

For the purpose, it is okay to kill without any hesitation.

Moreover, now there is no way to even get half of the revenge.

The Yeonjeongmun, one of the perpetrators of the incident, has long since turned to cold ashes.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell you sooner… I was so, so scared… ”

The attitude was unresponsive and dejected throughout the pity.

A past incident came to mind. The time when I buried my head in Yeonminha’s chest and declared that I would kill all my enemies.

Her determination remains unchanged, but… Of course, if she had known that her father was the one involved, she would not have said it so openly.

Anyway, I lived my whole life longing for my father’s approval.

“… ”

My heart aches with anger that has no outlet.

But the work is long over.

But isn’t it true that you can’t drag the dead out of the grave?

It was a definite comfort to know that there was still someone I could take revenge on.

I felt like I could barely control my feelings if I thought like that.

“I’m sorry… I’m really… sorry… ”

She kept apologizing in a timid voice.

I wanted to wrap up this conversation for now. I think I need some time to calm my head down.

“It’s okay… ”

I was just about to look back at Yeonmin-ha.

Suddenly, she resolutely blurted out a word she could never tolerate.

“I am… not qualified… to be your woman… ”

***

“What did you just say… ”

Just one word made the blood in his body run cold. Lee Hyun forced open his mouth, which would not open, and barely managed to spit out a retort.

Maybe I misheard. Or maybe Yeonmin-ha misspoke.

Of course, I could have given you one more chance.

“… Sorry. I was being greedy and not on topic.”

But compassion still persisted in his claims.

“I think we need to take some time to rethink our relationship.”

“What the… all of a sudden!”

“… Let’s pretend the engagement never happened. Let’s stay apart for a while… ”

“Stop talking nonsense!!!”

Lee Hyun’s voice, unable to bear it any longer, rang out loud. Yeon Min-ha looked at him with surprised eyes, as if she hadn’t expected his reaction.

Lee Hyun, who had been lying down, suddenly sat up. Several thick needles were pulled out at once, causing blood to flow back, causing drops of blood to splatter here and there.

Yeonmin-ha, who saw him staggering to get up, hurriedly tried to stop him.

“Ah, you shouldn’t get up yet…! You need to rest a little more… ”

But Lee Hyun didn’t seem to hear her. He strode towards Yeon Min Ha, who was standing tall like a sparrow.

“Dare, dare… !”

His eyes were bloodshot and his breathing was rapid. Lee Hyun grabbed Yeon Min Ha’s shoulders, who were hunched over. It was as if he was absolutely determined to prevent her from running away.

He looked straight at Yeonmin-ha with a sharp gaze. When Yeonmin-ha, unable to bear it any longer, tried to avert her gaze, he roughly grabbed her chin and turned it in front of him.

“… Sigh.”

Yeonmin-ha moaned faintly. Then she tried to comfort Hyun.

“Hey, hey… ”

“You promised.”

Lee Hyeon pretended not to hear and muttered in a low voice.

“You clearly promised. No matter what happens… you will never leave… !”

“Wait a minute… Calm down… ”

“Senior, you said it yourself… !”

Before I knew it, I had become a pitiful rat stuck in a poison bottle, pushed against a wall. His eyes, staring straight ahead, were burning with a sticky emotion that I couldn’t tell if it was anger or obsession.

“And now you’re going to leave like that? Do I look like an idiot? Do you think I’ll just watch you like that?”

I could only listen to his words in pitying silence.

She had been disheartened after encountering the ugly side of her family, but now she felt a glimmer of hope.

But she quickly lowered her head.

“Ha, but… our family… is guilty to you… ”

“Shut up.”

But then a rough hand grabbed her chin and pulled her up again. Yeonmin-ha swallowed a hiccup without realizing it at the feeling of being restrained for the first time in a long time.

“… Hibap.”

Before she knew it, her two legs were trembling on their own. It was a feeling quite different from fear or dread.

We stood in silence like that for a long time.

And Lee Hyeon let out a deep, heavy sigh.

“… Let me ask you one thing.”

“What, what is it…?”

“2 years ago… What happened in our town… ”

He now seemed to have calmed down a little.

“Did your senior get involved in that as well?”

“No, no!! Absolutely not!”

Then Yeonminha shook her head fiercely and denied it.

“I had absolutely no idea… !”

No matter what the situation was, I absolutely did not want to be misunderstood like that.

“I told you… I only found out a few weeks ago after finding my father’s diary at my parents’ house… ”

“… ”

“Sol, to be honest, I didn’t really care about the lives of the commoners… but even if I were a country, I would never have stopped that… ”

“Okay, then.”

“Uh, uh… ?”

“It worked.”

The person who was bewildered by the simple answer felt pity for her. And Lee Hyeon continued to confirm his statement despite her question.

“Senior, you can’t leave me. No matter what happens. Never.”

“But… ”

“I told you to shut up.”

“Hehehe… ”

Yeonmin-ha swallowed hard. Soon, Lee Hyeon’s long, straight fingers reached for her hair.

He gently combed it and then gently caressed her cheek.

“Sigh… ”

Yeonmin-ha flinched slightly at the feeling, which was as cold as ice.

“Don’t ever say those words again. Like you’re leaving, or you need to take some time… ”

“… ”

“That’s all for nice words. If you bring up that kind of talk again… ”

His hand, which had been running down her neckline, finally stopped when it reached her waist. Then, he gently grabbed her and pulled her in, whispering softly.

“I know how to make it so you can’t leave by force.”

“… Hibap.”

The word ‘force’ that he uttered seemed to give a strong sense of stability. And only then, with pity, could I be freed from his strong grip.

I felt extremely regretful, but at the same time, I felt incredibly light, as if I had broken free of heavy chains.

I felt like an idiot for worrying so much about being abandoned these past few days.

I felt pity and wanted to jump into his arms right away and enjoy the feeling of being restrained just now.

But she still couldn’t do it.

Because I just found out another thing a while ago.

And because that was the most important source of anxiety.

Of course, the underlying affection was natural, but on the other hand, the obsession he was showing towards her could be seen as a fragment of something he had experienced in the past.

Yeonmin-ha, who was about to reach out, pulled her arm back and lowered her head.

“Really… ”

Then he carefully opened his mouth again.

“Really… you won’t leave me… ?”

“That won’t happen. Even if my senior abandons me.”

“What if Baek Seo-yeon… deceived you on purpose…?”

Then, Lee Hyeon’s previously unstoppable movements became steadfast.

And he closed his eyes tightly in pity.

That dramatic reaction was precisely the possibility of something that Yeonmin-ha had been so worried about.

Lee Hyun had a confused look on his face. It seemed like he couldn’t understand what Yeon Min-ha was talking about.

“Suddenly… why that name…?”

“I’ll explain from there.”

And then suddenly, someone else’s voice was heard from the entrance of the hospital room.

Lee Hyeon turned his head and was able to immediately recognize his identity.

The chief’s long-time friend and assistant, Mok Jin-woo, the branch manager of the Information Bureau, was scratching his beard with embarrassment.

“Branch manager?”

“See you again.”

After exchanging a quick greeting with Lee Hyeon, he turned his gaze to Yeon Min-ha and gave her a quick greeting.

“This is rude to the red lady.”

Then Yeonmin-ha glared at him. It wasn’t hostile, but it didn’t seem like she had any good feelings about it either.

It could be said that it was a natural reaction, since he was the one who gave her new worries.

Mok Jin-woo, who had passed her gaze indifferently, continued speaking.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your cozy time, but… Could you please step out for a moment? I have something to talk about with that guy.”

“… ”

He looked somewhat dissatisfied and compassionate, but he eventually nodded.

She tidied up her appearance one by one and turned her gaze towards Lee Hyeon.

And he said hesitantly.

“Think deeply… ”

“Wait a minute… !”

In order to avoid being caught by Lee Hyeon, she quickly ran out the door and disappeared.

Lee Hyeon, who had been standing there blankly for a moment, turned his head to Mok Jin Woo who had come in.

His eyes, looking at Lee Hyeon, were filled with complex emotions.

On the one hand, sadness and pity, and on the other hand, a playfulness to cover him up.

“Hey, Hyun, this guy… This is so powerful… ”

When the two of them were left alone, Mok Jin-woo opened his mouth and giggled excessively.

Hyun, who had now completely regained his senses, avoided his gaze as if embarrassed.

“… Did you hear that?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t eavesdrop on you on purpose. Your voice was so loud… I could hear it in the hallway… ”

“I hope you forget. And… ”

-Phuong! Bang!

Lee Hyeon was just about to change the subject.

The conversation was interrupted by an unidentified loud noise coming from near the capital.

Only after everything around him had become quiet did he open his mouth again.

“… And what on earth does that mean? The explanation is also… ”

“I think it would be better to calm down and lie down.”

Mok Jin-woo tried to stop him in his tracks.

“Let’s do them one by one. Aren’t there a lot of things you’re curious about anyway? Right?”