🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 23
“Definitely a college junior, you said…”
“What are you looking at?”
Startled, Juhong snapped the newspaper shut as if she’d been caught misbehaving by her mother, then lifted her head.
And then she froze again.
She had already been surprised, but this time it was several times greater.
Was it because this was the library? For the briefest instant, the man standing before her looked like someone else entirely.
Her lips parted slightly as Juhong blanked out for a moment. But reality came rushing back almost immediately.
“You okay?”
It was Seo Taejo.
Not that person—but Seo Taejo.
She had known from the start that it was Seo Taejo, so why on earth had she thought for even a second that it was someone else?
“I’m fine.”
Finally erasing the dazed look from her face, Juhong looked him straight in the eye.
“But this… is it a coincidence?”
Mistaking Seo Taejo for that man was absurd enough, but finding him here of all places was just as shocking.
“No, I came here to see you. Went by your house, and they said you’d come here.”
Then, with a touch more formality, he bowed slightly. As if he had come all this way for no other reason than to say this one thing—with his whole heart.
“If I’d been just a little later, it could’ve been a disaster. It’s all thanks to you.”
Her chest felt strange.
Something itched in her throat, and her heart gave an odd thump for no reason.
But she didn’t want him to notice. She was afraid he might throw another sharp remark her way.
“It’s fine.”
Keeping her voice calm, Juhong rose from her seat.
“I wasn’t looking for thanks, so don’t worry about it.”
With that, she picked up the newspaper and turned her back.
It felt like heat was rushing to her cheeks. Were they red? That would be bad.
With that thought, she walked toward the newspaper rack. Was her stride awkward? Was her back straight? Every little thing felt suddenly important.
Behind her came the steady, heavy sound of footsteps.
Step. Step. Seo Taejo was following her.
By the time she reached the rack, he was standing beside her, leaning against the wall.
He was close—too close. His sharp, handsome face was right there, and even his faintly sensual scent tickled at her nose. Her chest fluttered as though a breeze had slipped inside.
“Why aren’t you leaving…?”
Her words carried a trace of resentment.
Why on earth was she feeling these things toward a man who always stabbed her with words like knives whenever they met? How pathetic could she be?
Glancing at him, Juhong muttered under her breath.
“Just go already.”
He looked down at her, his eyes lingering.
“Were you… reading my article here?”
His voice was softer than usual. Her hand trembled slightly as she fiddled with the newspapers.
Her chest prickled. Maybe that’s why her reply came out sharper than intended.
“No, I wasn’t!”
Pure self-defense.
With a frosty look, she tightened her grip on the newspaper.
She bit down on her lower lip, hesitated, then finally spoke again.
“But I am curious.”
“About what?”
“That day at the funeral. Why did you come?”
She opened the newspaper she’d been reading earlier.
“…He really was your junior?”
Her finger pointed at the photo of the deceased.
For a fleeting moment, Seo Taejo’s eyes looked hollow, like an empty well—dark, vacant. But almost instantly, the cold, polished light returned.
“Yeah.”
He even gave a small nod and a faint smile.
Gathering courage, she pressed further.
“What kind of junior? From… the same department?”
She couldn’t remember ever meeting such a senior. Not in her department, not in any club—nowhere.
But his answer was:
“A library junior.”
Her heart plummeted. Her palms tingled.
“A… library junior? Is there such a thing?”
“There is. We’d save seats for each other and things like that.”
He smiled brightly, more sincerely than she’d ever seen. But then, the smile disappeared, replaced by a piercing gaze.
“But why do you care?”
What was she supposed to say?
That it was her? But she had no memory of him.
That the one who had saved her seat in the library wasn’t him?
Should she say that?
Her hand shook so badly she dropped the stack of newspapers. They knocked into the others, sending them toppling like dominoes.
The sudden noise in the quiet reading room was loud. A librarian rushed over immediately.
“I’ll take care of it.”
Bowing her head in apology, Juhong slipped out of the periodicals room. Seo Taejo followed slowly behind.
“Yoo Haein.”
Even though it wasn’t her name, hearing it directed at her made her heart twitch.
She stopped walking.
Turning around quickly, her face flushed, she blurted:
“I was just curious, that’s all.”
A belated answer.
“And I’ll accept your thanks too, okay?”
A belated reply.
Her mind was in turmoil.
Was this man really that senior?
No, they couldn’t be the same.
The height, the hands, even the scent were similar—but their personalities were utterly different.
If souls had colors, that man’s would have been a soft green, while Seo Taejo’s was a deep, cutting violet.
Completely different.
‘Then is he the Helper?’
It wasn’t certain, but the chances seemed high.
With only thirty-four days until the second night, the Helper’s appearance would be a critical clue in identifying the Mafia.
‘But Seo Taejo hates Yoo Haein.’
Not just dislike—he despised her.
Scorn that bordered on contempt.
Whenever their eyes met, his words dripped with venom.
So he couldn’t possibly be the Helper. Maybe Seo Jungwook, but not Seo Taejo.
And yet, why did she want him to be? Was she really that spineless?
Because he reminded her of that past memory?
Annoyed at herself for getting emotional, Juhong forced her expression into seriousness.
“My intentions are clear. I won’t marry you. I’ll make sure your family and my brother know exactly where I stand. That’s why I went to your house yesterday—to say I wouldn’t marry you.”
Her words were sharp, but her voice shook. Even her nose stung as if tears wanted to rise. She had no reason to feel this way.
“I’ll date too.”
Nonsense tumbled out.
“If those bodyguards weren’t always tailing me, I’d probably already be seeing someone.”
Pointless words kept spilling from her lips.
“What I mean is, you won’t have to worry about me anymore.”
Why was she acting like this?
Today, he had come with nothing but a kind face and a word of thanks.
No biting remarks. No cold glare. Nothing unpleasant.
And yet here she was, being petty. Maybe it was because the little time she had left made her heart narrower.
Or maybe she was just afraid of being hurt again, and so she built her defenses high.
Today, his black eyes carried no blade—but who knew when he’d unsheathe it again? And she knew how deeply it cut.
“Anyway, you don’t need to worry. From here on, it’s completely over…”
She declared the farewell first.
“Let’s just go our separate ways.”
Then she gave a polite bow.
“Take care.”
But instead of relief, her stomach churned. It felt like she might vomit.
Worse still, even as she rushed out of the library as if fleeing, her mind stretched backward, toward him.
His warmth, his scent, his breath, the subtle presence of him.
She hated herself for clinging to them, and pitied herself too.
She realized he wasn’t following—the soft echo of his steps was gone.
And that, too, felt bitter.
‘I’ve lost it. Absolutely lost it. You’re not seriously thinking he’s that senior, are you?’
She shook her head.
No. Absolutely not. Picture that senior’s face. It wasn’t—
Juhong froze.
‘I can’t remember.’
She couldn’t remember his face.
‘How… how can this be?’
Panicking, she spun around to look for Seo Taejo. But in that instant, she collided hard with someone’s shoulder.
“Ah!”
The pain made her yelp, and she staggered. A large hand caught her.
“Are you okay?”
It was a tall man with a gentle face, wearing glasses that gave him an intelligent look.
