POSSESSED 19

I concentrated my mana just like I did yesterday. I chased after the illusion of the puzzle I saw before, spinning the pieces until the gaps fit together perfectly. My eyes began to sting slightly, which meant the engine had successfully started.

As proof, Lee Sunghwan, who had been walking toward me with a brisk pace, became dazed the moment our eyes met. Like a person who had lost his soul, he simply waited for my instructions. Thank God. I let out a sigh of relief and whispered to the man.

“Number 721. The password is 0000. Go back as soon as you get the bag.”

Having said only what was necessary, I passed him by. I only pretended to leave; before long, I hid among the crowd to keep an eye on Lee Sunghwan.

Just as I had instructed, Lee Sunghwan approached the storage lockers and successfully retrieved the bag from spot number 721. I watched his back as he easily took the bag and headed out, and only then did I sink to the floor.

“Haah…”

With the tension released, there wasn’t a single spot on my body from head to toe that didn’t ache. From the moment I withdrew the money at the bank until now, the pain that had been suppressed by nerves surged back like an endless spring.

Still, it’s done. At least the immediate fire has been put out.

“Are you alright? Shall I help you?”

Suddenly, someone approached me and reached out a hand. Reflexively, I lifted my head to check who it was. It was a middle-aged man with a kind impression.

“I’m fine. I’m sorry.”

Oops. Worried he might see my eyes, I hurriedly lowered my head. Getting up on my own, I gave the man a quick bow and scrambled out of the station in a hurry.

🍥

I ended up having dinner with Baek Joomyeong and Yeonji. Originally, I intended to refuse, but I changed my mind and decided to join them to soothe Yeonji, who had been disappointed that I left work early yesterday; thus, I found myself back at the Wolhwa Guild cafeteria.

“Pardon?! Wh-what did you just say?”

However, I stopped mid-bite, my jaw dropping in shock. In all my life—including my life both before and after the possession—I had just heard the most absurd question imaginable.

“Were you dating that man back then?”

Look at him throwing out words like that without even using a blinker. I even stopped trying to scoop a full spoonful of the omelet rice that the child had chosen. Unable to hide my bewildered feelings, I asked Baek Joomyeong back.

“I… I was what, with who?!”

“I asked if you were dating the man who was waiting in front of the officetel back then.”

I was so flabbergasted that words wouldn’t come out. It seems Baek Joomyeong took medicine instead of food.

How could he come up with such a bizarre and monstrous assumption? That I’m dating a man? Fine, let’s say it’s possible to mistake me for someone who dates men. But even so, with that bastard?

To make matters worse, Baek Joomyeong was looking at me with pity, as if wondering why on earth I would pick such a person.

“I apologize if a question regarding your private life is offensive. However, I happen to know the man I saw back then.”

The thought that he seemed completely crazy, Baek Joomyeong or not, was only momentary. This time, my eyes flew wide open like lanterns.

“It’s Hunter Lee Sunghwan, right?”

Heugh. Air rushed in between my lips, which had parted in surprise. My heart didn’t just drop; it dug all the way down into the basement. It wasn’t just my heart that fell, either. Even the chopsticks in my hand dropped, making a noise on the plate before plunging to the floor and causing a scene.

Startled, Yeonji looked up at me wonderingly. Even though I knew I should check on Yeonji, I couldn’t take my eyes off Baek Joomyeong. Baek Joomyeong knows Lee Sunghwan. I lost my voice from this massive shock. My mind went blank instantly, rendering me unable to think.

“How does Hunter Baek Joomyeong know…”

“While passing by before, I happened to hear a story about a breakup or something similar. I thought it would be more polite to ask than to guess the relationship between the two of you on my own, so that’s why I asked…”

“Not that. How do you know Lee Sunghwan?”

“We’ve worked together before. Even from that brief experience, I know very well what kind of person that man is.”

“……”

“That’s why I asked out of concern. Among us, Lee Sunghwan is famous for being a hunter whose fists act before his brain.”

Baek Joomyeong knew the man waiting for me back then was Lee Sunghwan. Because he knew it was Lee Sunghwan, his gaze had lingered on him for so long that day. And he’d said my movements were sluggish and whatnot, but in the end, it was because of that man. Because the person waiting for me was Lee Sunghwan, Baek Joomyeong was certain that I had been beaten.

I’m the only one who looks like a fool now. Me, who made up the excuse about falling out of bed…

Even so, it doesn’t matter. The current problem wasn’t yesterday’s lie, but the present situation. What should I do? I never dreamed in a million years that Baek Joomyeong would know Lee Sunghwan.

He only knows Lee Sunghwan, right? He doesn’t know what kind of scam Jang Taeyeon pulled on Lee Sunghwan, or that Jeoksang is targeting him—he doesn’t know any of that, right?

Right! That’s why he’s asking that weird question about whether I dated Lee Sunghwan!

My mind became dizzy. If it weren’t for the soft voice calling me, saying, “Teacher…”, I might have fainted altogether.

“Sorry, Yeonji-ya. I startled you, didn’t I?”

Forcing a smile, I rolled the rice into a ball with the child’s spoon. Yeonji said she could do it herself, but when I brought the spoon to her mouth, she obediently opened her lips. She was like a baby bird.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yeees.”

I sank into thought while watching the child chew slowly and thoroughly. I can’t play innocent and pretend I don’t know Lee Sunghwan. I’ve already asked Baek Joomyeong how he knows Lee Sunghwan. That’s no different from saying that I know him.

I’m doomed. I should have asked who that was from the start. Fine, let’s admit that I’m an acquaintance of Lee Sunghwan. Let’s admit what needs to be admitted and deny what needs to be denied.

No, just the imagination gives me goosebumps. Dating Lee Sunghwan? When did I ever say I broke up? Truly, no matter how much he’s the lead of a BL novel, how could he imagine such a thing?

“I was absolutely not in a relationship with Hunter Lee Sunghwan.”

I spoke to Baek Joomyeong, who was calmly waiting for an answer. Unable to look at him, my gaze rolled around the top of the table.

“I happened to get to know Hunter Lee Sunghwan due to unavoidable circumstances… We aren’t in that kind of relationship.”

“Is that true?”

“It’s true, of course! Why on earth would I be crazy enough to date a guy like that?! I don’t date men…! Ah, no… my standards are a bit high, so that man doesn’t even qualify from the start.”

Even while agitated by the ridiculous deduction, I maintained my boundaries.

Since Baek Joomyeong meets Lee Kangseoo, he might be gay. Even now, he just might not show it outwardly, but he could have a preference for meeting men. So I had to be careful with my words.

Ignoring Baek Joomyeong, who was looking at me suspiciously, I gave the spoon to Yeonji. The child began to eat by holding the spoon herself, and I took a breath while watching her.

There’s no need to overreact. Let’s stay calm.

“Then those unavoidable circumstances…”

“That’s enough. Please don’t ask any more.”

Staying calm is only possible when Baek Joomyeong stops asking. I don’t have a ready-made excuse. No ad-lib comes to mind. So, when I firmly drew the line, Baek Joomyeong apologized and stepped back.

In addition, he picked up the fallen chopsticks for me and took out a new pair. I should have done it, but my mind was too scattered.

“Thank you…”

Baek Joomyeong replied to me with a faint smile.