Chapter 3
On a dark street, Ki In-hwa’s face is dramatically illuminated by the pale light spilling out of the shop and the sign glowing above. He always had that kind of face. A face that could be described as captivating, bewitching, enchanting, or anything similar. A strangely magnetic face.
His sharp eyes stare at me coldly with his dark pupils. I meet his gaze, filled with a newfound sense of awe.
The cigarette smoke Ki In-hwa exhales doesn’t bother me. Strangely enough, I didn’t mind it. It wasn’t disgusting, irritating, or even something that felt harmful to my health.
Rather... I liked it. I don’t know why, but I just did.
“Didn’t you call me because you had something to say?”
He flicked the ash off his cigarette with his fingertips and asked. His face remained expressionless, with an air of indifference, and boredom lingering over it.
Only then did I snap back into focus, pulling my loosened nerves taut. I needed to stay sharp. Just because I haven’t seen him in a long time, and just because everything about him was exciting and familiar, didn’t mean I could indulge in my own sentimental thoughts.
This opportunity wasn’t something I could seize whenever I wanted. Ki In-hwa wasn’t someone who was kind to everyone unconditionally, and he only maintained basic decency or morality as far as was necessary. His priorities were clear, and there were always two unchanging people at the top of that list.
Obviously, I wasn’t, and couldn’t be, included in that. If I failed now, things would get even harder going forward. My grand plans might turn into nothing, and I really couldn’t stand the thought of that.
The anxiety crept in as I thought about how much I didn’t want that to happen, but I masked it as best I could, nodding firmly as I answered.
“Yes. I do have something to say.”
“Then say it. I’m going inside once I finish this.”
It was as if he was declaring that the time he had to spare for me was just that limited.
But if I were the type to shrink at such an attitude, I wouldn’t have planned this huge endeavor in the first place.
I lifted my gaze again, which had momentarily dropped, and spoke with a strong voice.
“Feel free to speak informally. I’m your junior, and I’m younger too.”
And besides, you used to speak informally to me before.
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
“No.”
“I don’t have time.”
Ki In-hwa held up his half-burnt cigarette and slowly placed the filter between his lips, which looked almost blood-stained.
I already had a feeling about it, but this person has a surprisingly bad personality. Still, if you observe closely, he’s just as surprisingly kind. Look at him now. He’s dropping the formal speech just because I asked.
To this prickly yet kind person, to his cold yet warm heart, I was about to throw a stone.
First, I glanced around. I confirmed that all the members of the club were inside the restaurant, and no one nearby was paying attention to us. Then, after taking a deep breath, I opened my mouth.
“What I’m about to do... is blackmail. The target of the blackmail is you, Senior Ki In-hwa, and the subject of the blackmail is Senior Noh Joo-eun.”
Like I was giving a presentation, I started with the prepared introduction, then glanced at Ki In-hwa’s face.
Ki In-hwa lowered his gaze slightly without any change in expression. He seemed to be watching the cigarette in his hand burn. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, and he didn’t seem inclined to respond, so I moved on to the main point.
“From the winter of two years ago until last summer, Senior Noh Joo-eun was dating Professor Choi Hyung-joo from the English Department. Professor Choi is forty-five years old this year and married. He has two kids—one in high school, and one in middle school. So, the two of them were having an affair. They eventually broke up, but after that, Senior Joo-eun lied to the professor, saying she was pregnant. Because of that, Professor Choi gave Senior Joo-eun twenty million won on the condition that she get rid of the child. Senior In-hwa, you were in the military at the time, so you wouldn’t have known, but everything I’m telling you is one hundred percent fact. There’s not a single lie.”
I spit out the words I had memorized in a small but clear voice, then paused to catch my breath. I still had a lot to say, but my heart was already racing like it was about to burst, as if I had just sprinted a hundred meters.
I had known from the start that I was doing something terrifying. It was only natural to be nervous. But I hadn’t expected such an intense physical reaction, and it left me feeling a bit shaken.
Meanwhile, Ki In-hwa, as if existing in a completely different world, exhaled smoke leisurely and dropped his cigarette to the ground, asking impassively, “So?”
Already disoriented, I was momentarily stunned by Ki In-hwa’s unexpectedly calm response.
So? What do you mean, ‘so’? Right. There’s more to say. I have to stop resting and quickly continue with the next part.
But, as if it were all a lie, I couldn’t remember the next part. It felt like I had been hit with the very stone I had thrown, like I was giving a well-prepared presentation only for a single question from the professor to ruin everything.
While I floundered, repeating, “So... so... what I mean is…”
Ki In-hwa picked up the cigarette butt he had discarded.
“You said you were going to blackmail me. What do you want?”
“......Ah.”
Thanks to his helpful nudge, I managed to recover my memory and continued mechanically, without having fully gathered myself.
“Yes, right. Moving on... I came to know this information purely by accident, through an unfortunate incident. I can’t explain how I found out right now, but I’ve always thought I’d tell you someday, Senior In-hwa. And, since I know now, I figured I should use it to my advantage. Because affairs are something that society and morals frown upon, and, especially because money was exchanged between Senior Joo-eun and Professor Choi, if you reject my proposal, I plan to report this to the school. I’ll also write an anonymous article. If that happens, Senior Joo-eun’s future…...”
“Hey.”
I snapped out of my daze at the sudden interruption of his cold voice.
“Yes?”
“So, what is it that you want?”
I was just about to get to that part, but he couldn’t wait and interrupted me. I barely had a moment to feel disappointed before I realized the time limit of ‘as long as it takes to smoke a cigarette’ had already passed. I quickly responded.
“To date you, Senior.”
My heart, which had been racing as if it was going to burst, truly felt like it did the moment I said the final word ‘you,’ and now there was a ringing in my ears.
‘To date you, Senior.’
I finally said it. It wasn’t smooth, but somehow the plan was set in motion. Now the ball was out of my hands and in Ki In-hwa’s court. With desperate anticipation, I stared at his face, waiting for a verdict. Even though I had cornered him with a threat, my hands trembled as if I had completely forgotten that.
I stared blankly, desperately, my eyes fixed only on his lips, waiting for the judgment to be pronounced. That’s why I saw it.
In that brief moment, I caught a clear sneer flicker across his lips. It was just a fleeting second, but I saw it, and I cursed myself for noticing.
“For how long?”
But that was that, and this was this. Since he had given a positive sign, I had to answer before he changed his mind. And while I was at it, I needed to push for as much as I could.
Still bleeding from the heart, I put on the mask of a cold negotiator and made my offer.
“For life…”
“No.”
Yeah, I knew that wouldn’t work.
“Until I graduate…”
“Not happening.”
Right, this doesn’t really make sense from Ki In-hwa’s point of view either. He doesn’t know when I’ll graduate.
“For two years…”
“That’s too long.”
That’s too long? Well, sure, two years is quite a long time.
“Then, one year.”
“......”
I felt like crying under Ki In-hwa’s silent, rejecting gaze. I had already compromised so much; this was too much. It felt like my threats weren’t working at all. All the preparation and deliberation I had done over winter break felt like they were going to waste.
Half in despair, I said, “Six months. I can’t go any lower.”
At that, Ki In-hwa concluded the negotiation with a threat of his own, “Six months, starting from today. As long as you don’t interfere with my life. And if you go back on your word after that, you won’t be able to stay at this school. I’ll make sure of that.”
Starting today? But today is almost over. He’s bleeding me dry. This is really too much.
Resentment surged over me like a tsunami. I bit my lip and bowed my head, feeling like I might cry. I gripped the long, drooping sleeve of my jacket, squeezing it tightly. Without even realizing it, my palms were drenched in cold sweat.
This is too much. Seriously.
As I kept staring at the ground, thinking those thoughts over and over, Ki In-hwa’s steady voice came down firmly on the crown of my head.
“Answer me if you understand.”