POSSESSED 14

Even so, beyond the feeling of regret, it might be true that I am lonely. It’s not as if I’m living that life where I did nothing but work anymore. Since a small hole has formed in the life I used to live so busily, loneliness has been seeping in bit by bit.

“Maybe… I should make something, or whatever, before Christmas.”

After lightly muttering to myself, I swallowed a yawn. Being in the car made me feel tired and lethargic. Just as I was about to lean back comfortably and close my eyes, Yeonji opened his eyes.

“Teacher…”

I pulled my body forward and looked at the child. The child blinked his sleepy eyes and asked quietly.

“Your lips… did they go ouchie a lot…?”

“Hmm? Teacher’s lips?”

“Yees…”

“They went ouchie, but they’re okay now. Because Yeonji kept worrying about me today, they healed right away.”

I knew he would ask eventually. Even today, he was the child who had wrinkled his eyebrows while looking at the bandage on my lips several times.

When I even went so far as to tap them to show they really didn’t hurt, Yeonji opened his mouth in a square shape as if he could feel the pain himself. He was just adorable. Baek Joomyeong must have been curious about us whispering softly in the back. He glanced at us through the rearview mirror and smiled faintly.

Before long, we entered the path leading to my house. I pulled my body closer to the driver’s seat and pointed toward the officetel.

“You can drop me off over there. I live in that officetel…”

A man is standing in front of the officetel. At first, I thought a resident had come out to smoke. But the man looked very familiar. He seemed like someone I knew.

Who is it? After staring blankly for a moment and confirming the man’s identity, I hurriedly made a request.

“No. Please stop here.”

You have to let me out here. Right here. This spot, right now.

Baek Joomyeong didn’t get flustered by the sudden request to get out right here, less than a second after I’d asked to be dropped off over there, and brought the car to a halt.

“I’m sorry. The road gets narrow if we go further. If you turn right at this corner, the main road will appear.”

I used the alleyway that appeared at just the right time as an excuse. Then I apologized to him, who must have been somewhat surprised despite looking calm, and also apologized to the startled child, saying, “Yeonji-ya, I think Teacher has to get out now.”

“Thank you for today. For the delicious dinner and the guild tour.”

“Not at all. If it is alright, I can go as far as that officetel…”

Baek Joomyeong looked at me, busy preparing to get out from the back, and then looked toward the officetel. In that split second, I could tell from the slight tilt of his head. This man had also discovered the man standing in front of the officetel.

Right now, he won’t know if I’m acting like this because of that man, so he’ll probably think nothing of it. I thought so, but Baek Joomyeong’s gaze lingered on the man longer than expected. Feeling anxious, I hid my urgency as much as possible and said goodbye casually.

“Hunter, please get home safely! Yeonji-ya, see you tomorrow!”

With that final farewell, I opened the back door without looking back. Even if I didn’t know about Baek Joomyeong, I felt like if I saw Yeonji’s teary eyes, I wouldn’t be able to get out and would just drag out the time, creating an even bigger disaster.

As long as Lee Sunghwan is standing in front of the officetel right now, there’s no other choice. I have to send them away first. Because I don’t know what that man might do if he sees Baek Joomyeong.

Once I got out of the car, my composure vanished even more. I gave a quick nod toward the car and turned around. Forgetting the terrifying memories of the man, I ran toward him at once.

“It should have been enough that you hit me and left. What are you doing here?”

Narrowing the distance by going straight to Lee Sunghwan, I demanded an explanation point-blank.

“What did I do? I’ve done nothing but wait for you, Jang Taeyeon.”

“That’s the point. We’re not friends, and we’re not in a relationship that ended, so why are you waiting here?”

“This brat… I came because I have something to talk about.”

“Whatever you have to say, I with you—”

“Teacher…! Goodbyeee!”

What a startle.

Surprised by the delicate voice coming from nearby, I trembled and turned around. It was a disaster. The car, which I thought had gone out to the main road, was passing behind me, and Yeonji, who had rolled down the car window, was saying goodbye to me with teary eyes.

Goodbye, take care. I couldn’t say the words and only waved my hand. Desperately hoping that the smile I managed to force looked like it usually did.

Baek Joomyeong’s car passed at a somewhat slow speed, oblivious to my feelings. While I watched the car until it grew distant in a state of tension, I also stayed alert in case Lee Sunghwan did something foolish. Fortunately, he stayed still. However, like me, he watched the receding car.

“That girl just now… I’ve seen her somewhere…”

It seemed Lee Sunghwan had seen Yeonji’s face. Well, if I saw her, there’s no way he wouldn’t. I blamed Baek Joomyeong, unable to understand why he passed behind me and why the window on Yeonji’s side was rolled down.

Why are you passing behind me so dangerously. And why was Yeonji’s face visible again. It’s a huge relief that Baek Joomyeong didn’t show his own face, but…

Ah, it would have been fine if you’d just gone out through that alleyway!

The man continued to look uneasily in the direction the car had disappeared. I must quickly draw the attention of the man, who is distracted by Yeonji, back to me. Even if it means I get hit again.

“What is it you have to say? Are you going to tell me to hand over Hunter Baek Joomyeong again?”

“Yeah. Do what you were paid for.”

“I refuse. I’ll give back the money I received, too.”

“You’re giving the money back? Hey, Jang Taeyeon.”

Lee Sunghwan approached me, his face wrinkling. I reflexively cringed at the threatening atmosphere.

At this distance, there is absolutely no avoiding a punch. It was a position where I could easily get hit once or more. I had braced myself for getting hit once, but honestly, looking at the fist where sparks were flickering on and off, my heart trembled so much that my resolve kept crumbling.

“You know my whole situation—do you think that’ll be enough? And do you think I’m doing this shit, hunting you down, just to get the money back?”

“……”

“For your information, you’re already in the same boat as me. You either stay on the boat or jump off and die. Fuck, don’t you get the situation?”

It’s strange. I saw a peculiar gap within his attitude as he threatened me. If my guess was right, the man should have hit me right at the moment I said I’d return the money. Just last time, he struck my face immediately without giving me a moment’s grace.

But right now, the sparks flickered and stopped, as if he were pressing a switch on and off. He didn’t swing his fist point-blank. For some reason, he was being cautious about hitting me.

It’s clear. Just as I am wary of this man, this man is also wary of me.

As soon as I noticed that fact, my fear lessened. I don’t need to be so scared. I’m not a hunter, just a lowly daycare teacher, but don’t I have abilities just like this man?

“I am reflecting a lot. I’m truly sorry for taking the money and disappearing. I’m also really… really sorry for swindling you. That wasn’t my intention. I think I was just a bit crazy.”

“What kind of trick is this now?”

“It’s not a trick, I’m sincerely apologizing to you. And I won’t breathe a word about your situation anywhere. If you’re anxious, we can even write a contract. Or you can plant a wiretap and monitor me.”

From this man’s perspective, he’s probably wondering what kind of shameless bastard I am. Even if I didn’t hear the words of criticism, his ferociously wrinkled face conveyed it. Still, there’s no other way. Since I don’t want to be involved with this violent hunter any longer, I had to successfully cut ties so that I wouldn’t be entangled in this kind of unpleasant aftermath anymore.

“I’m really sorry. I apologize. I’ll return the money exactly as it is, so please show some leniency. I’m begging you. We don’t need to be involved with each other to this extent.”