Kangha sits on the sofa, his face tense with anger. He presses both hands against his head, trying to control the storm of thoughts raging in his mind. Slowly, he leans back, resting his neck against the sofa, and takes a deep, measured breath. His eyes close, shutting out the dim light of the room, but his mind refuses to be silent.
Ji Yeon's voice echoes in his head, clear and haunting, as if she is standing right beside him. The echo fades, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. Kangha begins to retrace everything that has happened, trying to piece together the events that led him here.
"How did it all start?" he murmurs under his breath, his voice barely audible.
His thoughts spiral deeper. How could I not see Miss Choi's schemes coming? The letters that were sent to me—signed in an elegant, deliberate hand—always pointed in one direction. The narrative they painted was chilling. They claimed that his grandfather, was the one who murdered his father. Kangha had shared this revelation with Miss Choi, convinced by a recurring dream that haunted his nights.
But instead of dismissing his fears, Miss Choi had confessed.
"Yes, I sent you those letters," her voice from that day floods his memory, "but only so you would know the truth."
And the truth was staggering., his grandfather, wasn't just an ordinary old man but someone with a sinister side hidden beneath his calm demeanor. Miss Choi had wanted Kangha to uncover Felix's true nature and confront him.
"But why didn't she give me the book?" Kangha mutters, his brow furrowed.
The book in question—an old diary—supposedly held the key to understanding Felix's weaknesses. If Kangha could decipher it, perhaps he could find a way to expose Felix. Instead, Miss Choi had withheld it, forcing him to rely on fragments of information and riddles that never seemed to lead to concrete answers.
A thousand questions swirl in Kangha's mind, none of which offer any defense for Miss Choi.
"What am I missing?" he asks himself, his voice tinged with frustration. "What is slipping through my fingers that I just can't see?"
His gaze shifts to the bed, where the diary lies. It's as if the book is calling out to him, daring him to uncover the secrets it holds.
Does this diary contain the truth about my father's death?
Kangha exhales deeply, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He knows he must focus, but the weight of uncertainty and betrayal pulls him down like a heavy chain.
"Why wouldn't she want me to win this battle?" he whispers to himself. "What truth is she hiding from me?"
The fire of his anger begins to wane, replaced by an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Kangha feels defeated, not by his enemies but by the tangled web of relationships he's trapped in. In this moment, he feels small and powerless, as though the bonds of trust and betrayal have stripped him of his strength.
Kangha's anger finally subsides. He takes a deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he talks to himself.
"I think I need to talk to her this time," he says aloud, his tone resolute. "Every story has two sides. Ji-yeon told me one version; now I need to hear hers. Only then will I make my decision."
He glances at the diary on the bed and adds thoughtfully, "This diary won't help me find Grandfather. It's only useful if I want to fight Felix. And that's not my goal right now."
With that, Kangha rises from the sofa. His face is expressionless, his thoughts momentarily stilled. He steps out of his room and heads toward the hallway, descending the staircase to the floor where Miss Choi's room is located.
As he reaches the lower hallway, Woo-jin appears from the opposite direction. Spotting Kangha, Woo-jin's eyes widen in surprise, and he quickens his pace toward him.
"Why did you take Miss Choi away without telling me?" Woo-jin asks, his tone edged with reproach.
Kangha pauses mid-step, caught off guard by the question. For a moment, confusion clouds his face, but then he remembers. Just a few hours ago, he had brought Miss Choi back from the hospital. The realization feels distant, as if it's someone else's memory and not his own.
"Oh… right," Kangha says hesitantly. "She wasn't feeling well, so I went her to the hospital. That's why." Then, as if to divert the topic, he asks, "You didn't go home?"
"How could I go home?" Woo-jin's voice softens, his frustration giving way to concern. "I was worried about Miss Choi."
Kangha nods slightly. "Yeah… me too," he replies, his words brief and devoid of energy.
The response isn't much of an answer, nor does it invite further questions.
Woo-jin studies him for a moment before asking, "You? Why were you worried?" He pauses, then adds, "Oh, right. But Miss Choi is fine now. I just saw her a little while ago."
The sincerity in Woo-jin's voice makes Kangha avert his eyes. He knows Woo-jin assumes his worry is for Miss Choi's health, but Kangha's mind is tangled with far deeper concerns.
Should I tell him? Kangha wonders. Should I share what's troubling me?
"Kangha," Woo-jin says gently, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. His voice is that of a concerned friend, steady and warm. "What's wrong? Are you upset?"
"Yes," Kangha answers curtly, his tone sharp, as if to end the conversation.
Woo-jin doesn't press further, but his silence carries the weight of unspoken questions. Kangha looks away, his internal conflict evident, as the tension between the two lingers in the air.
Kangha begins to speak, his voice hesitant at first, as if unsure why he's sharing this. Yet, the words spill out. Instead of heading left toward Miss Choi's room, Kangha turns to the right. Woo-jin falls in step beside him, listening intently, matching his pace as they walk down the hallway.
"Woo-jin," Kangha starts, "do you remember that diary Grandpa once mentioned? The one Dad wrote about Felix—detailing all his strengths and weaknesses?"
"Yes, I remember," Woo-jin replies, nodding. "But I also remember that we never found it. Grandpa said he didn't know where it was. Why are you bringing it up now?"
Kangha exhales slowly, glancing down at the polished floor as they walk.
"Look, Kangha," Woo-jin continues, his voice firm yet reassuring, "if you think you need that diary to fight Felix, you're wrong. Thinking like that will only weaken you. We're here for you—I'm here for you. We'll figure this out together."
His words are earnest, an attempt to ease the weight Kangha seems to carry.
By now, the two of them have stepped into the school's garden. The cold wind nips at their faces, making their breaths visible in the frosty air. Woo-jin notices Kangha's silence and nudges him gently.
"Why are you even thinking about that diary now?" he asks, concern evident in his tone.
Kangha stops walking for a moment, his shoulders tense. His voice drops to a near whisper.
"Because… that diary was with Miss Choi."
The revelation lands like a thunderclap. Woo-jin's eyes widen, his face pale with shock.
"With Miss Choi?" he repeats, his voice louder now, laced with disbelief.
Kangha nods, his expression grim. "Yes."
"How do you know? Did she give it to you?" Woo-jin asks, his tone insistent, almost demanding.
"No," Kangha answers simply. "Ji-yeon did. She said Miss Choi gave the diary to her."
Woo-jin stares at him, dumbfounded. "Why would Miss Choi do that? Why would she give your diary to someone else?"
Kangha's voice grows more frustrated as he responds, "That's what I'm trying to figure out. Why would she give something so important to someone else? It doesn't make sense."
The two continue pacing through the garden, the cold air biting harder with each gust of wind. The frost-laden breeze only intensifies the chill settling between them, but neither seems to notice. Woo-jin struggles to process what Kangha has just told him, while Kangha wrestles with the growing questions in his mind.
Woo-jin suddenly stops in his tracks, as if struck by a thought. He turns to Kangha and calls out, "Kangha!"
Kangha halts and looks back at him, curiosity and concern flickering in his eyes.
"I just remembered something," Woo-jin says, his tone deliberate. "When Miss Choi invited me to that party, she told me she was meeting her daughter for the first time in ten years. And that her daughter was enrolling in this school."
Kangha narrows his eyes, trying to piece together the connection. Woo-jin continues, his voice steady but thoughtful.
"Now, think about it. If Miss Choi met Ji-yeon after ten years, how could she have given her that diary? And why would she give it to her in the first place? It's not Ji-yeon's business, and it definitely isn't hers to share. Unless…" Woo-jin trails off, letting the implication hang in the frosty air.
"Is Ji-yeon plans to fight Felix herself?" Kangha murmurs, his brows furrowing. "But even then… why lie about Miss Choi giving her the diary? If Miss Choi didn't give it to her, then is Ji-yeon lying?"
Woo-jin tilts his head, his expression contemplative. "It's possible," he says cautiously. "Maybe Ji-yeon is lying, and the diary came from somewhere else. Or someone else."
Kangha's gaze drifts to the horizon, lost in thought. His mind races with questions. Why would Ji-yeon lie? And if she did… what is she hiding?
The cold breeze sweeps through the garden again, rustling the dry leaves scattered around their feet. The chill deepens, but neither of them moves, each consumed by their own thoughts.