Chapter 97 – GOY 97

#97

I ​stepped ​off ​the ​bed ​and walked over ​to ​the ​desk. ​From ​the bottom drawer, I ​took ​out Joo Seung-hyuk’s ​black card and ​bankbook.

I ​had ​wanted ​to ​return ​them from the ​very ​beginning, ​but I never ​imagined it would be ​today.

I took ​out a ​post-it note, ​wrote down ​the ​password ​for the account, ​and stuck ​it onto the bankbook. ​Then, I placed the ​bankbook and card inside ​a white ​envelope.

‘Should ​I write a letter too?’

Since yesterday, ​I had been debating ​whether ​I ​should ​write ​a farewell letter ​to Joo ​Seung-hyuk. ​But in the ​end, ​I decided it would be ​better not ​to.

What ​could I possibly ​say ​at ​this ​point? ​Ask if ​it’s ​really right ​for him to get engaged? Ask why ​he intercepted Park ​Geon-woo’s letter, and ​why he lied and ​pretended not ​to know my ​home ​address when he ​actually did? Ask ​why he ​never ​told me ​he ​loved me? ​Ask ​if it ​was ​true ​that he believed ​in ​premarital chastity? ​Ask ​how ​much ​of what he told me was actually true?

Since I had already decided to leave, such sentences would be meaningless.

I should leave without leaving anything behind. That would be better for Joo Seung-hyuk as well.

Clutching the envelope tightly, I looked at Joo Seung-hyuk. He was still asleep.

I opened the wardrobe and slipped the envelope containing only the card and bankbook into the pocket of Joo Seung-hyuk’s uniform.

If I left it on the desk, it would be tantamount to confessing that I was running away. On the other hand, if I tucked it between his textbooks, there was a chance he might put them back on the shelf or throw them away without even checking. Therefore, putting it in the uniform was the safest bet.

Since vacation starts today, he won’t be wearing the uniform for a while. That said, he wouldn’t just toss it aside or throw it away carelessly. Moreover, since the uniform contains items imbued with magical effects, Joo Seung-hyuk manages it personally, so there was no worry about it falling into someone else’s hands.

“What are you doing?”

“Gah!”

I spun around in surprise to see Joo Seung-hyuk sitting up in bed. When on earth did he wake up?

“Why are you so startled? You look like you were caught doing something naughty.”

“N-naughty? What are you talking about. I was just about to get dressed. You startled me by calling me so suddenly.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

Joo Seung-hyuk stared at me intently. Surely he didn’t see me put the envelope in…?

“It’s cold this morning. Take a cardigan.”

“Okay. I will.”

That was it. He didn’t seem to have seen the letter. If he had, he would have checked it immediately.

I took a short-sleeved t-shirt from the wardrobe, put it on, and threw on a cardigan. Joo Seung-hyuk watched me get dressed.

I guess I don’t have time to pack anything [stolen content]other than my phone and wallet… Since all the clothes hanging in the wardrobe were stolen contentbought by Joo [stolen content]Seung-hyuk, there wasn’t much to take anyway.

“Seung-hyeok, you have an exam during the second period, right?”

“Yes. Hyung will finish first.”

“Yeah. I guess so…”

I was done once I finished my first-period exam.

“I’m going.”

“Okay.”

I considered taking one last look at him, but I just walked straight toward the door.

As I put on my shoes and tried to head out, I heard Joo Seung-hyuk’s voice from behind.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Come back quickly.”

He pulled me into a tight embrace.

“…….”

“Come back quickly and play with me.”

Something surged up in a corner of my chest. Breaking my resolve, I turned around to look at him.

Joo Seung-hyuk’s eyes curved softly. Every time he showed such a childlike side, a part of my heart would ache.

At first, I was afraid when he got angry, and I felt relieved when he showed this gentle side. But now, I find myself wishing he would just get angry instead.

“…You still have an exam too.”

“I don’t need to take it.”

“You still have to.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s a pain to write the reports otherwise.”

“That’s fine. The time I spend with Hyung is far more precious.”

He hugged me tight and kissed my cheek.

“I’ll head out to meet you right when your exam ends.”

He’s coming to the classroom…? My heart sank.

---

Regardless of the subject, I was the type to hold onto the exam paper until the very end.

Joo Seung-hyuk knew this. It had been the same during the Guide Ethics midterm.

Even if he came and waited in front of the classroom, I would likely only emerge about an hour later. But even so, I couldn’t be complacent.

As soon as I received the exam paper, without even reading the questions properly, I scribbled random words and stood up from my seat.

Everyone probably intended to wing the exam, but no one stood up as quickly as I did.

When I submitted the paper, the teaching assistant looked at my face in shock.

“Lee Yeon-soo…”

He looked like he wanted to ask if something was wrong, but he kept his mouth shut because it was during an exam. I gave a quick nod and hurried out of the classroom.

Even if Joo Seung-hyuk hadn’t come to the classroom, this was my original plan.

Ju Jeong-han would be waiting at the visit our siteback gate. Just as I was about to rush Read on Read BL Novelstoward [Read on Read BL Novels]the back gate, someone grabbed my hand.

“Lee Yeon-soo!”

“In-ho…”

I was startled, thinking it was Joo Seung-hyuk, but fortunately, it was Kang In-ho.

“Where are you running off to in such a hurry?”

“Ah, that… Why? Is something wrong?”

I was the one wondering. Why was he grabbing me so urgently?

“Are you coming to the end-of-semester party today at 6?”

Ah, is it because of that? Since getting involved with Joo Seung-hyuk, I had missed almost every school event. Kang In-ho isn’t the type to enjoy those things either; did one of the Seonbaes tell him to bring me?

“Sorry, I don’t think I can make it.”

“Why not just stop by for a bit? Everyone hopes you’ll come.”

“Ah, I’ll think about it.”

Seeing him talk like that, someone must have told him to. I gave a vague answer, hoping to end the conversation quickly.

“Should I tell you the location?”

“Ah, sure.”

“Do you know a place called ‘The Hideout’?”

“Ah, I’ll look it up.”

“If you can’t find it, I’ll let you know.”

“No, it’s fine. It’ll be on the app.”

“It’s a new place, so it might not be registered yet.”

The conversation kept dragging on, barely clinging to life. Why is he being so kind today?

“Ah, I’ll contact you if I can’t find it. I’m still not sure if I’m going.”

“Okay. Did the exam go well?”

Since when were we the kind of friends who talk about exams? Why is this guy, who used to be indifferent even when I asked, suddenly asking me this?

I checked the time. I couldn’t delay any further.

“In-ho, sorry, but I have something urgent.”

“I see.”

“Yeah. Sorry. I’ll go first!”

I waved hurriedly and left the spot.

---

I ran to the back gate and looked around.

Ju Jeong-han had told me the make and color of his car yesterday. I had even checked the car design via internet search on my way to the back gate, but since I’m not usually interested in cars, it was hard to recognize.

Just then, a black sedan pulled up in front of me.

Through the window, I could see Ju Jeong-han in the driver’s seat. As I hurried into the car, Ju Jeong-han greeted me politely.

“Hello, Guide Lee Yeon-soo.”

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit late, aren’t I?”

“No. You arrived exactly on time.”

Despite his relaxed voice, Ju Jeong-han hurried the car away.

“You didn’t say anything to Seung-hyeok, did you?”

“No.”

I had run out, even submitting a nearly blank exam, just to leave Joo Seung-hyuk. There was no way I would have told him.

“Well done. And I apologize, but could you please turn off your phone? Seung-hyeok might be tracking your location.”

“Ah, yes.”

I had secretly suspected that Joo Seung-hyuk might have installed some kind of device on my phone.

He always found me quickly, no matter where I was. He had even found out that I was in Park Geon-woo’s room.

Therefore, I tried to turn off my phone as Ju Jeong-han instructed, but one thing weighed on my mind.

“Have you turned it off?”

“Before that, may I contact my parents for a moment?”

Because the situation was progressing so urgently, I hadn’t been able to tell my parents.

They would know that vacation starts today, so they would worry if they didn’t hear from me.

“It is dangerous right now. I will provide you with a new phone before you board the plane, so please turn off the power for now.”

“Okay…”

Come to think of it, I have to take a plane. Since he said we’re going to LA, it will take over 12 hours.

But will I be able to board a plane? Just looking at a plane-shaped ride yesterday made my fingertips go cold…

But I couldn’t exactly say I couldn’t go because I was afraid of planes at this point.

As I tried to turn off the phone as Ju Jeong-han told me, the ring on my ring finger caught my eye.

I should have returned this ring and the Pistol of Horaitron… I forgot because Joo Seung-hyuk woke up so suddenly.

But thinking about it, it was actually for the best. I couldn’t put such precious treasures in an envelope.

Then what should I do? Should I ask Ju Jeong-han to deliver them?

I pondered for a moment and then dismissed the thought. For some reason, I didn’t feel like it. Moreover, it was a treasure unknown to the outside world.

Joo Seung-hyuk might have told his brother, but there was a possibility he hadn’t. I couldn’t recklessly hand it over to someone else.

While I was worrying about what to do with the ring, I heard Ju Jeong-han’s voice.

“Have you turned it off?”

“I’m turning it off now.”

Once the phone was off, my gaze lingered on the ring again.

Everything happened so precipitously. I couldn’t return the ring, and I rushed out without saying a word to my parents or anyone else.

If I had just one more day, if I had, I might have asked someone else… no, before that, I might have asked Joo Seung-hyuk.

If he was really marrying the only daughter of the Lexington family, if that was what Park Geon-woo was trying to tell me, and, and, if he really had any intention of marrying me…

Everything was confusing.

Thinking rationally, it would make sense for Joo Seung-hyuk to marry the Lexington daughter. If I thought that way, everything fit perfectly.

Moreover, Joo Seung-hyuk had never once told me he loved me. He hadn’t even properly said he liked me.

He had only ever demanded things from me.

It must be because he wasn’t sincere. That’s why he never said it.

‘Don’t try to send me to some other bastard. For [unauthorized copy]me, [visit our site]there is only Lee [Read on Read BL Novels]Yeon-soo. Please stay by my side.’

But the words Joo Seung-hyuk said yesterday kept weighing on my mind. His innocent smile at the amusement park, his words that he would wait for me today… His gaze, expression, behavior, even the meaningless words—everything bothered me.

And this ring…

Would Joo Seung-hyuk, of all people, give such a treasure as a gift to someone he wasn’t sincere with? It wasn’t simply a matter of price.

This was a precious treasure he had obtained after defeating a Boss Monster for the first time in his life.

“Haa…”

A deep sigh escaped me.

‘What on earth do I want to believe?’

I felt pathetic, searching for evidence that Joo Seung-hyuk had been sincere and that the time I spent with him wasn’t a lie.