Chapter 66

A trivial problem had arisen.

It took me a while to realize, but there was no food waste bin.

I had thrown away what I was holding when I was chased by those strange men claiming to be reporters, so I couldn’t retrieve it. It was truly a trivial issue. Even without a trash can, I could just store the waste in a suitable container and throw it away later.

Moreover, ever since the day the article was published, I hadn’t ordered delivery food properly in case of any risks, instead making do with the few ingredients and instant foods I had at home. Naturally, the food waste was much less.

So, not having a food waste bin was a really trivial problem.

Therefore, I didn’t go back outside to retrieve it. Maybe someone had already picked it up and disposed of it anyway. If that were the case, there would be no point in going out.

I had plenty of excuses not to go out.

It was also a good excuse to hide the fact that I was just too scared to step outside.

In any case, I had been attacked by an unidentified person. Asking someone for help immediately was the right call.

The fact that I chose to endure was solely an online matter, and the old me never thought something like this would happen in reality. That’s why I was even more flustered and frightened.

Anyway, since the strange men claimed to be reporters, I contacted Gu Ji-ye first. After explaining the situation to her, she said she would look into it, but advised me not to expect too much.

At the same time, Gu Ji-ye suggested that if the move she had previously mentioned was realistically impossible, I should consider staying at a friend’s house.

I said I understood and ended the call.

That night, I couldn’t sleep properly. Having nightmares would have been preferable. While dreams of being attacked came while I was asleep, waking up to an actual attack was reality.

I pulled an all-nighter and barely fell asleep. No, to be more precise, I was closer to collapsing from exhaustion. I suffered from the relentless nightmares, but it was still better than not being able to sleep at all.

However, even that brief respite was hardly granted to me.

The doorbell rang.

I woke up immediately. Cold sweat was pouring down my entire body. The doorbell obviously rings occasionally. It rang when salespeople or religious people came, as well as when acquaintances visited.

But the timing felt suspicious. At least, there shouldn’t be any acquaintances visiting me right now. If there were, they would surely have informed me.

I swallowed hard and looked at the intercom.

There was no one there.

To be precise, there was no person in front of the door.

There was a box.

I worried someone might be hiding in a place not visible via the intercom and listened intently, but I felt no presence. Still unable to relax, I waited for a while before opening the door, keeping the chain on. There was indeed just a small box left, and no person in sight.

Feeling relieved, I opened the door wider and brought the box inside. What could it possibly be? There were no markings on the box, and it wasn’t wrapped. It wasn’t wise to open something like this without knowing its origin, but it wasn’t sealed either, and I couldn’t ignore it since it must have been left intentionally.

Slowly, I opened the box in front of the door, and I felt the horror seep into my body.

Inside the box was a book.

The book I had thrown away earlier, the one by Lee Cheon-eun.

No, in fact, I didn’t know for sure if it was the book I had discarded. I merely assumed it was the book by Lee Cheon-eun that had been right on top. There could be another book underneath, and it was more likely to be a different book than the one I had thrown away.

But the mere fact that there was a book by him sent chills down my spine and filled me with dread.

The intention was too clear.

Until now, I had been half in doubt, but now I was certain. The one threatening me right now was indeed Lee Cheon-eun. If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t send something like this.

I immediately closed the box and threw it back outside the door. I heard the sound of the box hitting the ground, but I shut the door firmly.

I had to run. Gu Ji-ye was right. Staying in this house was dangerous.

Though I had previously said I wouldn’t run away, I couldn’t be stubborn in this situation. It was an entirely reasonable judgment.

Even this wasn’t a fear felt specifically because I was a young girl. Anyone who experienced this would surely feel afraid.

I needed to find someone to help me right away. This wasn’t a situation where I could afford to take my time.

But I felt lost.

I knew Hwa-won would willingly help me if I reached out, but he was currently in the United States.

I tried contacting Ham Yejin next, but perhaps due to work, she didn’t answer. She hadn’t detailed anything to me, so I had no idea what was going on, but it was clear that there was no time for her to help, considering it was a matter related to the National Intelligence Service. I left a message, but no response came. I wanted to slap the past version of myself for being relieved that she was busy.

I couldn’t use either of my best options.

I couldn’t afford to impose on Ji Kang-hyeon again, and Gu Ji-ye’s support was only going to be passive.

If Muk Ha-neul were here, she would surely help me without hesitation, but I was somewhat reluctant to inform her of what was happening. To explain the situation properly, I would have to mention my encounter with Lee Cheon-eun, and that was something I absolutely didn’t want to do.

But I couldn’t be stubborn even in this situation. I took a deep breath and called Muk Ha-neul.

…She didn’t answer.

Looking at the clock, it was not the time for her to be sleeping. Was something wrong? This was the worst timing. I sent her a message to ask her to contact me back as soon as she could, but I had no idea when she would reply.

She might just be busy with something for a moment. I figured I’d get a response within a few hours. But even that brief wait was something I couldn’t endure right now.

I scanned through my limited list of contacts. I saw the Director’s number, but I ignored it. It wouldn’t be a place from which I could get protection, and it could instead become a burden if I went there.

There was only one choice left.

Seo Jae-Ah.

To be precise, it was Professor Seo.

Jae-Ah was still a student, so she was undoubtedly living in her parents’ house, Professor Seo’s. Therefore, asking for help from anyone wouldn’t make much difference.

I dialed Professor Seo’s number. My hands trembled as I pressed the button.

During the ringing, I became extremely anxious. Please, please, please answer.

After a brief wait, thankfully, the call connected.

“…What is it?”

“Um, this is Seol-guk. Professor, I’m contacting you because I urgently need a favor.”

“You, you bastard. You run away without a word, and suddenly you call me out of the blue to say this?”

“I’m sorry. But I did send you a text before, just so you know.”

“What? Just wait a moment.”

I hadn’t called, but I had definitely sent an apologetic message. I hadn’t received a reply. Surely… After a moment of silence, Professor Seo continued speaking.

“It’s true.”

“…Did you not see it?”

“If you don’t get a response, you should let me know separately! You’re really losing your mind.”

“…I’m sorry. I was in a rush.”

“So what’s going on?”

“…Did you happen to see my article?”

“Yeah, the one about Ji Kang-jin’s kid? Or the lawsuit? Either way, I don’t think I can help with that.”

“That’s not the issue. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Um, could you let me stay at your place for a few days, just until everything calms down?”

Professor Seo paused at my sudden request. He probably couldn’t understand what kind of nonsense I was talking about.

“What’s going on? Did those kids go and terrorize you?”

For a moment, I hesitated. Was it right to tell him about Lee Cheon-eun?

Of course, Professor Seo was my mentor, and we had quite a special relationship. But would he actually help me when an issue arose with Lee Cheon-eun?

I trusted his abilities, but I didn’t think he had especially good character. He was not a villain, but he certainly displayed a certain snobbish quality. I didn’t know he was a homophobe until Hwa-won mentioned it, but I certainly wasn’t completely ignorant of it.

Professor Seo was kind to his side but treated those he disliked with discrimination, and he didn’t even attempt to hide that. He would never do anything that could harm himself.

He respected freedom of thought because he was a misogynist and a misandrist at the same time, someone who mocked the young and hated the old, oppressing the disabled and homeless while hating the rich and geniuses. He claimed that beliefs were the right to justly and rightly hate someone.

The scariest part was that he openly revealed such thoughts in his writings yet behaved in a very gentlemanly manner in reality.

Was it really the right choice to talk about what happened with Lee Cheon-eun to someone like him?

Professor Seo had been my mentor and had helped me a lot, but I knew very well that all that help wouldn’t have come if I hadn’t provided him with profit and glory in return.

I pondered for a long time, but it felt quick. I hid my trembling voice and concealed the truth.

“Yes, it’s similar. Reporters keep coming, which is a bit troublesome. All the people I could ask for help are busy right now, so I’ll be relying on you for a while.”

“Hmm….”

Was he weighing something? As Professor Seo took his time, I became increasingly anxious. Soon he opened his mouth with an unexpected statement.

“You’re not taking private lessons because you’re preparing a new work, right?”

“Uh? Yes, for now.”

“If you’ve been sued and your contracts have been terminated, don’t you have a little time to spare?”

“That’s right.”

“Then come over and help me with some of your lessons.”

I wasn’t so foolish as to not understand that he was implying permission through that statement. I immediately thanked Professor Seo with a loud voice.

“Thank you!”

“Tch, my house isn’t a boarding house…”

“Um, can I ask for one more favor?”

“What is it?”

“…I might run into the reporters, so could you perhaps come to pick me up…?”

“You really are pushy. Stop babbling and come to the school office. I’ll take you home when I leave. I’ll send Jae-Ah, so you can come with her.”

Even so, was this too much? Still, I was relieved that he was sending Jae-Ah. Even though she was still a student and a minor, it was much better than going out alone. Plus, it wasn’t as early in the morning as it had been yesterday, so there would be more people on the street watching. I was thankful that Jae-Ah was skipping school.

The call soon ended, and I let out a sigh of relief. I now had a safe place to retreat. First, I should gather my things. There wasn’t much to pack apart from clothes, so it was easy to gather my stuff. I stuffed clothes into the only bag I had.

The mere thought of escaping this house made me feel a little reassured.

Time passed, and I received a message from Jae-Ah saying she was waiting downstairs.

I put on my bag and a hat. It felt a bit heavy.

I opened the front door and stepped outside.

Soon, I froze once more.

The box I had thrown away earlier was nowhere to be seen.