Chapter 12 (1/2)
”Are you crazy?! Open the barrier right now!!” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”Why should I? This here is my doorway. I choose when I open or close it.” (Kahng Seok)
”Why are you acting like this? Do you have any idea just what we had to go through to get here?” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”Aigoo~. So, you had to go through so much, huh? But, what should we do? I'm an egocentric and a petty son of a b*tch, according to some woman.” (Kahng Seok)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah gritted her teeth while listening to Kahng Seok's sarcastic remarks. She could more or less tell why this as*hole was acting this way, after all - he was still holding a grudge against her for that verbal spat back in the a.s.sembly hall.
She held back her anger and spoke to him in a level voice.
”I apologise. I apologise for calling you names when we were in the a.s.sembly hall, so please open this barrier. It's not just me here, too. And these people haven't done anything to you, either. You know, you shouldn't treat people's lives as a joke.” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”Ohh…. Aren't you a bit different from the a.s.sembly hall, when you were so full of righteous anger and all that? Are you being really serious and honest right now?” (Kahng Seok)
”….Yes.” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”Now you mention it, well, I guess I don't have much choice here, then. Fine. Prove it to me.” (Kahng Seok)
”Prove it?” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”The other four with you, I'll let them in. You, stand back.” (Kahng Seok)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah's jaw dropped to the floor. Her expression screamed what kind of an as*hole would act like this? Too bad for her, Kahng Seok's expression showed how relaxed he was, instead.
”You….. You…..” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”What are you going to do? That monster might show up soon, you know~.” (Kahng Seok)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah didn't expect Kahng Seok to behave like this, and her face reddened up considerably as a result. However, with the exception of Yi Sung-Jin, the other three were looking at her with pleading eyes. Their stares were laden with a certain pressure. She gritted her teeth, and took three, four steps back.
”Ohh, wow. Really, aren't you a Good Samaritan? A Good Samaritan, I say!” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok exclaimed out loudly, and he pressed the release b.u.t.ton. As soon as the barrier was lowered, the three rushed inside. Yi Sung-Jin dazedly stared at s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah for a bit, before belatedly trudging past the barrier as well. Only then the trio began calling out to her, crying out her name out in a helpless manner; the barrier closed shut regardless.
However, Yi Sung-Jin suddenly reached out towards the b.u.t.ton to press it. He'd been watching Kahng Seok's hand quite intently just now.
Of course, nothing happened. Seeing this, Kahng Seok broke out in a laughter of ridicule.
”What a f*cking waste of time. Didn't I tell you? Only I can open the barrier.” (Kahng Seok)
Wordlessly, Yi Sung-Jin pounced on Kahng Seok. However, it couldn't even be called a fight from the get-go. The teen boy got easily subdued by Lee Hyung-Sik and Jeong Min-Woo, and he could only glare at Kahng Seok in barely contained rage.
”Look at this idiot b*stard here. You feel like dying today? What, did that b*tch tell you she'll become your new sister or something?” (Kahng Seok)
”The barrier…. Open it!!!” (Yi Sung-Jin)
”That's up to me, and I kept my end of the deal.” (Kahng Seok)
”You worked hard, didn't you. Well, you should look for another path or something. I don't care, so do whatever you want. Have a nice day.” (Kahng Seok)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah couldn't bring herself to leave just like that. She scanned the inside of the waiting room, hoping for something to save her, but that turned out to be a waste of time. The people inside were either simply watching on, or showed little to no interest.
In the end, she had turn around, utterly helpless.
”Should I let you in?” (Kahng Seok)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah's steps came to a halt. She abruptly spun her head and shot Kahng Seok with a murderous glare.
”Do you actually enjoy toying with people?” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”Yup. When would I ever get to have fun like this, if it's not today?” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok nonchalantly replied and beckoned her to come closer.
”Stop being difficult and why don't you come closer? You saw me letting people in just now, right? I'm the kind of guy who keeps his promises.” (Kahng Seok)
Hearing his words of keeping promises, s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah was gripped by an intense bout of doubt and uncertainty. She had to go through so much to get here, so to find another path was just….
And, even if there was another path, she had to search for it alone. In that case, she figured it'd be better to get bitten by a rabid dog once. She made up her mind and turned around to face him.
”….And what do you want me to do so you'll let me through?” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”I'm not asking for much. For the things you said back in the a.s.sembly hall, apologise in full.” (Kahng Seok)
”But… I already apologised, didn't I?” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”No, no, no. Anyone can see that you didn't mean it just now. Besides, I'm not the type to believe in apologies coming out of a person's mouth.” (Kahng Seok)
”So? What do you want me to do instead, then?!” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah raised her voice when Kahng Seok remained sarcastic to the end. He rubbed his chin, but his eyes looking at her took on a rather sinister and s.e.xual undertone. s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah may not possess the same sort of ”fresh” appeal as Yi Surl-Ah; but, her skin was pale smooth, plus her rack was commendably voluminous as well. Therefore, a villainous smirk formed on Kahng Seok's lips.
”For now, take them off.” (Kahng Seok)
”….What?” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah couldn't help but question her own hearing, just then.
”Take your clothes off. Ahh, I'm a nice guy, so I'll let you keep your panties. Cool?” (Kahng Seok)
Hearing Kahng Seok's mock 'benevolent' tone of voice, s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah even forgot to close her wide-open mouth.
”I'm thinking that, you start dancing around naked might soothe my troubled mind or something…. How about you do the twerking for me?” (Kahng Seok)
”You…. You insane… son of a b*tch!!” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”Don't wanna do it? Fine. F*ck off, then.” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok shrugged his shoulders.
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah bit her lower lip until one could clearly see the teeth mark on her flesh, as she inwardly mumbled the words, You insane a*shole!!
And then, her body shook from the sense of humiliation rus.h.i.+ng in like a tidal wave. Tears welled up on her eyes, ready to fall at any moment.
Unfortunately for her, that moment when her group ran into the monster played heavily in her mind. What if, she went downstairs now and ended up encountering the monster again….?
”What are you waiting for? I said, if you don't wanna do it, then get the h.e.l.l away from there.” (Kahng Seok)
”….I'll do it.” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”If you're gonna, then hurry the f*ck up. I'll give you ten seconds for taking your pants off. Starting, now.” (Kahng Seok)
When Kahng Seok really started with his countdown, s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah had no choice but to hurriedly undo the b.u.t.tons. She hesitated when it came to pulling the pants down but, after hearing the rapid countdown, she still forced her jeans down all the while shaking like a leaf in the wind.
Kahng Seok couldn't help but perform a wolf whistle as her bare, smooth thighs were revealed to the cold air.
”Hiyaa~, you got a great figure, don't you? Your underwear's pretty cute, too.” (Kahng Seok)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah squeezed her eyes shut. She thought that this might let her feel a smidgeon less humiliation.
”What are you doing? Keep stripping, girl. I'm gonna count again…. Huh? Huuuuh?! It's the monster!! The monster!!” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok suddenly cried out in alarm and pointed at the staircase behind her while hurriedly taking a step back. s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah's eyes shot wide open in shock; she screamed in terror and tumbled forward in an ungainly fas.h.i.+on.
”Mommy!” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
Out of reflex, she looked behind her, only to find nothing there. Rather than the monster, the staircase was as empty as it could possibly get. And sure enough, she could hear several loud and detestable chortles coming from beyond the barrier.
”Did you hear that? You heard that, right? She said, mommy! Mommyyyy!! Euhahahaha!!” (Kahng Seok)
”Fu-hat!! She's so f*cking adorable!! Kyack!! Mommy!” (Lee Hyung-Sik)
Kahng Seok and Jeong Min-Woo laughed out loudly and applauded Lee Hyung-Sik's perfect imitation of her cries. Stupefied into silence, all s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah could do was to let tears acc.u.mulate around the edges of her eyes.
”Sorry, sorry. I was just teasing you for a bit. You looked really cute just now.” (Kahng Seok)
Too much.
”Well~ now. It's time to remove your top, right?” (Kahng Seok)
This is too much.
In the end, she couldn't hold it any longer and broke down in tears.
”You're crying? Hey, now. You shouldn't cry, you know~. You gotta take your clothes off and dance for me before….” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok clapped his hands boisterously and laughed, before suddenly shutting his mouth. A dark shadow was looming over him in that moment.
Seol wasn't angry to being with. He initially planned to shut out everything happening around him.
He was not a Good Samaritan, a man of justice and all that; just like how it was with most people, he was disinclined to interfere in other people's business. He might go as far as frown a little after seeing some unfair things happen, while thinking, ”That's going too far, isn't it?”
Unless it was someone he knew, Seol wouldn't personally get up and do something for a total stranger. Definitely not.
However….
It happened when his eyes landed on Yi Sung-Jin. Or, more specifically, it was when he heard the whispers of ”Help us” coming from the mouth of Yi Sung-Jin currently being pinned down to the ground. Should he chalk all of it up to coincidence, because this scene just so happened to remind him of the time when Yi Surl-Ah asked him for help back in the a.s.sembly hall.
Seol's emotions trembled. The small tremors soon spread out like some sort of a mutated b.u.t.terfly effect and it violently quaked, eventually transforming into rage.
That was why he stood up.
….Just like the moment he got to dream that dream.
….Just like the experience he had in the a.s.sembly hall.
[Innate ability, the Future Vision, has been activated.]
….Just like the way his emotions were leading him to.
”What now? You also want to join in on the fun….?” (Kahng Seok)
”That is enough from you. Open the barrier now, please.” (Seol)
Kahng Seok dazedly stared up at Seol. He hadn't realised it until now, but Seol was taller than he was.
”I'll open it. When I feel like it.” (Kahng Seok)
”Open. The. Barrier.” (Seol)
Kahng Seok shut his mouth up. Judging from his expression, he couldn't seem to understand what was going on here.
”Did you inhale something weird? Who the h.e.l.l are you to order me around?” (Kahng Seok)
”Open it.” (Seol)
Kahng Seok's complexion hardened.
For some strange reason, he found it difficult to meet Seol's gaze. Even his b.a.l.l.s seemed to shrink a bit. He didn't want to admit it out loud, but well, Kahng Seok was feeling scared of this guy. If he was being honest here, it was as if he was staring at a choice of whether he should cross a line he should never even consider crossing in the first place.
His instincts forced him to press the b.u.t.ton. However, just before that, Kahng Seok's defiant streak reared its head: why should he follow the order of this unknown a*shole?
Was it because he was the so-called gold Mark? What a f*cking joke.