Chapter 42
"D-don't you know it's a criminal offense for a hunter to attack a civilian?"
"Will there be any evidence left?"
Park Hyeon-ju's face turned deathly pale at Seong-jun's mocking expression.
"..."
To avoid unnecessary problems, Seong-jun had surveyed the entire surrounding area before confronting Kim Jong-ha.
"Being in a corner of the department store, there are no passersby and no CCTV cameras around. What evidence could possibly remain?"
Originally, this space was likely found to bully Seo-yun without complications.
But now, that space had become a noose around their own necks.
"..."
Park Hyeon-ju's expression changed moment by moment as she finally grasped the reality of the situation.
She turned pale, then startled, and at times trembled in fear.
One common emotion was present in all these varied expressions.
Primal fear filled Park Hyeon-ju's mind.
Confident there would be no further resistance, Seong-jun spoke again.
"But before that, I'll give you a special chance. Sincerely apologize to Seo-yun properly. Of course, you don't have to if you don't want to. But if you don't..."
At Seong-jun's icy gaze, Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra hurriedly ran to Seo-yun.
"S-Seo-yun, we used to be close friends before, right?"
"I only did what Hyeon-ju told me to do. I really liked you, you know that, right?"
Despite Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra's words pouring out, Seo-yun didn't give any response.
She just lowered her head and trembled.
"...Is that all you have to say to me? Aren't you sorry?"
"Of course we're sorry! We're really sorry!"
"I really did wrong, I'll sincerely apologize! So please..."
For a brief moment, the two women's gazes turned to Seong-jun before returning to Seo-yun.
"Please forgive us just this once."
"We're begging you like this."
Seo-yun clenched her fist tightly, suppressing her anger as she watched the two women begging desperately.
Three years that were like hell.
She couldn't show it at home, but throughout high school, she had been terribly bullied.
Clearly, at the beginning, they had a relationship that could be called friendship.
But from some point, a strange atmosphere began to flow, and gradually she started to be ostracized.
There was no special reason.
Their relationship twisted due to what's commonly called "politics," and the bullying began as a result.
At first, she was treated like she didn't exist, and soon after, her belongings started disappearing or being thrown in the trash.
Not a single person reached out to help.
Everyone was a bystander.
No, this side was rather okay.
There were those like Kim A-ra who laughed and enjoyed the situation, adding to the bullying.
That's how she gradually became isolated in the society called school.
She was scared and wanted to run away.
She had tried asking teachers for help, but the only punishment given was a mere verbal warning.
Rather, the bullying intensified with the added reason that she had tattled.
She was terrified, and at one point even contemplated standing at the edge of a cliff.
But it was too unfair.
That she should die because of these inhuman trash.
It was too sad.
Thinking of the faces of the family she would leave behind.
So she forcibly endured.
It would end soon anyway.
Everything would end once she graduated from school.
She endured with that one thought, and finally achieved it.
So at the graduation ceremony, she was so happy and proud.
She even felt admirable of herself at times.
But looking back now, she realized how foolish she had been to fear trash like Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra in front of her.
'...They were really nothing after all.'
The Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra she had been so afraid of were just true weaklings who bullied others because they themselves were weak and worthless.
That's why she couldn't forgive them even more.
Because they were trash who looked down on and hurt others to cover up their own weakness.
"No matter what you say, I have no intention of accepting your apology. But..."
Seo-yun bit her lower lip hard.
"I'll forgive you because I don't want to become the same kind of person as you. But don't ever appear in front of me again. If you do, I don't know what I might do to you."
Despite the outpouring of criticism and threats, Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra, who had long since thrown away their pride, kept bowing their heads and expressing gratitude.
"Thank you! Really, thank you!"
"Really, really, I'll never forget this kindness for the rest of my life."
Seo-yun shook her head vigorously as she looked at the disgusting expressions of the two, and immediately left the place.
However, Seong-jun was still staring at Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra with cold eyes.
"Remember, this is the last mercy granted to you."
Seong-jun briefly shifted his gaze to Kim Jong-ha sprawled on the floor.
"You understand what I mean, right?"
"W-we'll keep it in mind."
"We'll absolutely make sure not to even accidentally run into Seo-yun!"
After confirming Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra nodding repeatedly, Seong-jun also left without hesitation.
Now all that remained in that place were Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra, unable to control their bodies due to fear and shedding tears, and finally, Kim Jong-ha lying unconscious on the floor.
* * *
After giving a clear warning just in case.
Seong-jun, who had followed Seo-yun who left first, found his sister sitting on a nearby chair, crying.
It was an unfamiliar sight for Seong-jun, who had only seen her smiling.
That's why it hurt his heart even more.
He wanted to go back to them right away, hear about the past, and give them a fitting revenge.
However, this decision was made directly by Seo-yun, the person involved.
Any further action would just be unnecessary meddling.
So Seong-jun sat down silently next to the crying Seo-yun without saying a word.
Afterwards, he left a text message to his father, Lee Soo-hyeok, saying that Seo-yun's throat was dry so they came to the basement cafe together for a moment, and not to worry.
After confirming the reply "Okay, I understand" that arrived shortly after, Seong-jun put down the smartphone he was holding on the bench.
After about 5 or 10 minutes of heavy silence had passed.
"Really... I didn't want to show this side of me to my family."
Seo-yun raised her head with a bitter smile.
Tears were still welling up in her eyes.
"When I first entered school, I was close friends with Hyeon-ju, A-ra, and another girl named Min-seo. But around the midterms of my first year, Min-seo suddenly moved away..."
Seo-yun's story was somewhat disjointed, but Seong-jun listened silently without saying a word.
"Suddenly Hyeon-ju started hanging out with just A-ra, and then they started playing politics with me. To be honest, I still don't know the exact reason."
It was a story that was somewhat difficult for Seong-jun to accept.
But having occasionally seen women's power struggles and politics for matching in the Thousand Continent, he understood clearly.
"At first it really wasn't much. There were just ridiculous rumors going around, so I just ignored it. But the other kids didn't ignore it. Rather, the rumors kept growing until I suddenly became a real b*tch in everyone's eyes."
"..."
"After that, they started bullying me more severely, as if they had become some kind of justice warriors. But I just couldn't tell my family..."
Seong-jun's eyes shook greatly.
He understood why his sister, Seo-yun, couldn't tell her family.
The time when Seo-yun was in high school was right after Seong-jun had just become an adult.
And at that time, Seong-jun had been fighting and causing a lot of friction with his father.
Of course, how could Seo-yun, who had been watching all this, possibly lean on her family?
"As I'm talking about it, I remember. Do you remember that day I said I lost my gym clothes and school jacket? Actually, they had thrown them in the trash, so I couldn't find them."
Seo-yun's calm expression as she continued speaking stabbed at Seong-jun's heart.
The incident from that time came back clearly.
It must have been the day when he got angry, saying she couldn't even take care of one thing properly when the family situation was already bad due to mom's medical bills.
Not only had he neglected his sister in her adolescent years when he should have given her more attention and care because they were struggling financially, but he had even hurt her more.
"I'm sorry."
"You don't have anything to be sorry for, oppa. Or rather, you know I didn't tell this story to hear such words."
"Still..."
"It's fine. I've been suffering alone all this time, but you not only resolved it cleanly but even listened to my story silently like this. Rather, I'm so grateful to you."
By now, a bright smile had spread across Seo-yun's face.
"Thanks to you, I was able to get rid of all the lingering resentment. Thinking about it now, it's really simple. Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra were just trash, that's all."
"Are you really okay with just this? If you want, even now..."
Seo-yun nodded with a smiling face at the voice mixed with anger.
"Yes, I'm really okay. As I told Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra, I absolutely don't want to become the same kind of person as them."
How could one go against this firm and admirable resolution?
Naturally, a smile similar to his sister Seo-yun's spread across Seong-jun's face.
"Thank you."
"Suddenly, for what?"
"For growing up so wonderfully despite having such an inadequate brother like me."
"What are you saying?"
For a moment, Seo-yun's face turned red and she quickly stood up.
"Stop talking nonsense and let's go now. Mom and Dad will be waiting."
"...Okay."
Seong-jun no longer showed pity towards his sister.
No, it didn't make sense to pity her in the first place.
The back of his once small sister now looked more admirable than anyone else in the world.
'Indeed, forgiveness is harder than revenge.'
It wasn't for nothing that grudges continued endlessly in the Thousand Continent. It took great courage and determination to break that cycle.
His sister, Seo-yun, had accomplished that difficult task.
'You've really... become an adult.'
Seo-yun was no longer the little child who needed protection.
She had become a proper adult, excellently walking her own path.
Without a doubt, she would become a far more admirable person than Park Hyeon-ju and Kim A-ra whom they had just seen.
'So... What I need to do now is.'
Not petty emotions like revenge or pity, but to be a strong support for his one and only precious sister, Seo-yun, to continue walking on the right path.
With a smile on his lips, Seong-jun made a firm resolution in his heart.