Tae Hoon immediately turned around, stepping towards So Hyun with a worried look in his eyes. For a moment, his eyes traveled all over So Hyun's body to see if she was really okay.
So Hyun knew very well the meaning behind the look Tae Hoon was giving her. Her heart instantly became calm and peaceful. The plan was for So Hyun to meet Tae Hoon as soon as her work was done. But who would have thought that the two of them would meet here. Isn't this fate?
So Hyun hoped so.
"I'm fine," So Hyun said as if answering all the questions behind Tae Hoon's gaze. She gave a warm smile as proof of her statement.
A sigh of relief escaped Tae Hoon's mouth. Earlier he was very sure that the man named Kim Ha Min was not a good man. He thought that So Hyun had sharp instincts and judgment, but why did she let him stay with her?
Tae Hoon really wanted to ask that, but he realized that he didn't have the right to ask about So Hyun's personal matters right now.
"You're really bad," So Hyun said out loud, which successfully brought Tae Hoon's thoughts back to the surface. It took about two seconds for Tae Hoon to digest what So Hyun had just said, after which he replied with a frown.
"What do you mean?"
"You always go out with other women whenever I'm not around."
Tae Hoon really did not understand. What did So Hyun mean by saying that? Didn't she have nothing to do with who Tae Hoon would go out with? So Hyun said it with confidence as if Tae Hoon was her lover, and had just scolded him for getting caught cheating.
"She's Hyunwoo's little sister. I'm just helping her study because I promised Hyunwoo!" retorted Tae Hoon, not to be outdone like a man trying to clear up a misunderstanding with his girlfriend.
So Hyun tilted her head. She gave him a look of disbelief as she folded her arms haughtily. To be honest, she was really enjoying this situation. She wasn't sure if Tae Hoon was really innocent or not—seeing the reaction he gave just now, it really looked like a lover who was upset about being misunderstood.
"E-excuse me..." Yi Hyun said softly and stammered—successfully breaking up the drama between So Hyun and Tae Hoon.
"Tae Hoon didn't lie. He's just helping me study," added Yi Hyun who looked worried about what was happening between the two arguing individuals.
Honestly, Yi Hyun had no idea that Tae Hoon already had a girlfriend. If you say jealousy—of course she was jealous considering she had feelings for Tae Hoon since high school. But that didn't mean she would become jealous and spiteful of the boyfriend of a guy she liked.
Yi Hyun didn't have such a narrow heart that she had to turn into an antagonist just because her love was already possessed by someone else—then bullying the woman secretly behind, locking her in a storeroom or spreading malicious rumors about her. No, Yi Hyun was not that kind of person.
Yi Hyun wanted to clear up this misunderstanding immediately. She did not want their relationship to end just because of her.
"Th-that..." Yi Hyun's lips kept opening and closing several times—she was unsure of what words were appropriate in this situation. But before she could finish thinking about it properly in her head, So Hyun was already looking at her, accompanied by a sweet and friendly smile.
"Don't worry. I was just joking. You look scared." So Hyun chuckled when she saw the panicked and anxious expression on Yi Hyun's face.
Yi Hyun was stunned. She was confused—not understanding the situation here.
"We're not lovers. Not yet, to be precise," So Hyun said again as if to answer the confusion in Yi Hyun's mind. "I didn't realize that his heart was so hard to melt," she continued, this time ending with a wink.
Yi Hyun still couldn't understand what happened just now. While her mind was spinning, So Hyun and Tae Hoon were already back in their seats—facing each other. The food they ordered had also arrived. There was samgyeosal, beer and jjajangmyeon.
"After this, what do you want to do?" asked So Hyun as her hands took one by one the food on the table and placed it on her plate.
"I don't know. I only promised to help Yi Hyun study," Tae Hoon replied flatly as he ate his food one by one.
"Then, how about we go play at the haunted house?"
"No, thanks." Tae Hoon replied quickly and clearly showed no interest at all in So Hyun's proposal.
"What about you, Yi Hyun?"
"H-huh?" Yi Hyun wasn't even finished with her thoughts yet she was already given another question by So Hyun. Moreover, the smile given by that woman somehow warmed her heart. The calm feeling she felt at first glance made her lose control until she unconsciously answered So Hyun's question.
"O-okay! I want to go!"
-
-
-
And they ended up here—a pretty famous haunted house ride in Lotte World Seoul. There were several levels of difficulty in each room. So Hyun immediately chose the difficult mode without discussing it first. Of course, the unilateral decision made Tae Hoon angry. How would they have trouble getting out later? Tae Hoon didn't want Hyunwoo's sister to have anything to do with it since he loved his only sibling so much.
The first thing they encountered when they just entered the room was white smoke billowing throughout the dark room. Only a cell phone flashlight served as their medium of illumination.
Tae Hoon walked with Yi Hyun, because the girl was very timid. Yi Hyun had been hugging Tae Hoon's left arm for protection, while So Hyun walked behind them. So Hyun didn't mind at all, she wasn't jealous. In fact, she enjoyed the three of them being together like close friends.
Along the hallway, not so many creepy things appeared. At most, they were only startled by a scary-faced figure from the side or from the window. Tae Hoon and So Hyun weren't scared at all, only Yi Hyun kept shaking in fear there.
The journey continued until they reached the second room. There were two doors facing each other. Tae Hoon and Yi Hyun observed the first door, while So Hyun observed the second door.
"Tae-Tae Hoon... when will this end?" said Yi Hyun who was trembling. All of this was too scary for her. Even though there were two adults accompanying her, the atmosphere around her was still very scary.
"Yi Hyun, hang in there. Soon we'll—"
"KYAA!"
The loud shouting voice startled Tae Hoon so much that he turned around quickly to see what was happening to So Hyun. His eyes rounded perfectly when he realized that So Hyun had disappeared from sight.
Only one possibility was on his mind, which was that So Hyun had been dragged into the room and locked in there. Tae Hoon walked over to the door and banged on it a few times while shouting So Hyun's name and asking how she was.
But no sound came from behind the brown door. The door couldn't open either because it was locked. To be able to open it was that he had to solve the riddle written on it, or the person trapped inside could also come out if he solved the riddle.
Solving riddles was not a difficult thing for So Hyun. It's just that right now she wasn't doing well. Ever since she was suddenly dragged inside, she had been in a panic and her breathing was ragged. She looked left and right to find something that could calm her mind.
So Hyun could feel her breathing becoming labored and her body relaxing. She even had to lean against the wall to keep from falling. With all her might, she tried to clear her mind and focus on solving the puzzle at hand. But her hands were shaking so much that she couldn't even hold objects properly.
Her condition became more and more chaotic. The dark memories of the past that she desperately wanted to forget now began to reappear one by one, gnawing at her head until it felt like it wanted to break. Even though she had buried those bad memories very deeply, who would have thought that the incident she was experiencing now would successfully revive the trauma she had felt at that time.
So Hyun didn't know how long it had been. She hoped that this horrible situation would pass quickly. Tae Hoon was also waiting outside the room, or even that man was trapped in the other room. That's why she had to get out of here and help Tae Hoon.
So Hyun was so worried about Tae Hoon that she forgot that she was the one in the worst condition here.
Such persistence and determination strengthened her to move towards the riddle paper on the wall. She struggled on even though her whole body was shaking, her breathing was labored and her head was starting to feel dizzy.
"Tae-Tae Hoon..." So Hyun's fingers moved slowly towards the passcode at the bottom of the door knob—pressing one number after another very slowly.
"Tae..." Just as her energy was running out and her consciousness began to fade, the door suddenly opened. The first thing So Hyun saw was Tae Hoon's presence whose breathing was also labored.
"So Hyun, are you okay?!" Tae Hoon shouted loudly as his eyes carefully examined So Hyun's body condition. He was about to touch So Hyun's shoulder, but suddenly Yi Hyun appeared from behind and hugged So Hyun's body tightly.
"Thank goodness you're okay!" she shouted with a small cry.
During the process of solving the puzzle, Yi Hyun tried to eliminate her fear in order to free So Hyun from the room. She was very worried because there was no sound at all coming from inside. Meanwhile, So Hyun was still in shock. Her eyes slowly moved and examined the surroundings, as if gathering her consciousness back.
So Hyun hurriedly adjusted her expression so as not to be caught by the two of them. She raised both corners of her lips, smiling meaninglessly to hide the fear she felt earlier.
"I'm fine. Thank you for helping me get out of here." So Hyun managed her voice as best she could so as not to stammer.
Once again, Tae Hoon was amazed at So Hyun who could still remain calm despite having gone through such an incident.
"Next time you should be careful," Yi Hyun said as she broke the hug. Her eyes looked sad and full of worry, like a duckling missing its mother. So Hyun couldn't help but feel anxious watching her.
"Let's go back." Tae Hoon opened his voice. Then the next second, their eyes met—giving each other a look with different meanings.
Yi Hyun moved from there and hugged Tae Hoon's arm tightly again. "Let's go back," she said as she tugged on Tae Hoon's arm—signaling him to get out of this place.
Before leaving, Tae Hoon once again checked So Hyun's condition carefully. Tae Hoon had only seen So Hyun's smile a few times, but he knew very well the meaning behind it. It was a genuine smile that was not forced. But the smile that So Hyun gave earlier, seemed stiff and forced.
That clearly made him feel awkward. As his eyes moved to observe, he found So Hyun's right hand trembling. Honestly, Tae Hoon was surprised.
If he looked closely, So Hyun was currently trying to restrain herself from trembling in fear. Tae Hoon could see the small tremors from So Hyun's body.
Now he knew that all this time, So Hyun was just trying to look strong in front of him, or in front of everyone. Tae Hoon, who thought that So Hyun was a strong and resilient woman, actually had a weak side like this.
"Tae Hoon, let's go out." Yi Hyun once again pulled Tae Hoon's arm forcefully. Tae Hoon relented and let himself be pulled by Yi Hyun considering he was Hyunwoo's younger sister, and should be taken care of properly.
But before that, he turned back for a moment to extend his other hand to So Hyun—intending to help her. At least Tae Hoon hoped that his helping hand could slightly reduce the feeling of fear running through So Hyun's body.
At the sight of the helping hand, So Hyun's eyes rounded. Looking up, she saw Tae Hoon's face that looked so worried about her. She felt like crying, while she was desperately trying to survive in that dark and claustrophobic room—hoping that no one would know her weak side, Tae Hoon unhesitatingly extended his hand, as if he knew what suffering she had gone through.
There was no reason for So Hyun to refuse. In fact, right now she desperately needed that man's helping hand in order to survive until the end. In fact, she was so happy that she felt like crying.
Every step she took while holding Tae Hoon's hand was soothing. Slowly, the dark feeling began to fade until it disappeared completely.
So Hyun recalled the moment when Tae Hoon reached out to her. It felt like deja vu.