Chapter 6 (Continued)

 

Se-Ah smiled slyly as if she had been waiting for this question.

 

“Would it be too vague if I said ‘a little late’?”

 

The Anomia subway kidnapping incident.

 

Woo-jin had likely been monitoring Se-Ah long before that incident occurred.

 

So, saying “a little late” was essentially acknowledging Woo-jin’s skills.

 

“No… that’s sufficient.”

 

Woo-jin understood Se-Ah’s meaning. It was a compliment that it was difficult to detect his surveillance methods.

 

However, the misunderstanding was that Woo-jin took “a little late” to mean “during the surveillance through the expressionless junior from the first year.”

 

‘Our expressionless junior did quite well. For Se-Ah to say “a little late,” that’s impressive.’

 

Woo-jin nodded in satisfaction.

 

For Lee Se-Ah, the future big shot of the underworld, to give such praise.

 

Even though his surveillance had been discovered, everyone makes mistakes. The expressionless junior was surely a promising member of the Disciplinary Committee.

 

“But senior.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Why were you monitoring me? It seems tiring for both of us.”

 

Quite a direct question.

 

Se-Ah looked up at me, tilting her head while pointing at her cheek with her index finger, smiling like a fox.

 

“Did you perhaps fall for me?”

 

As if.

 

“Not a chance.”

 

“Considering how meticulous you are, I wondered.”

 

“You know the reason, don’t you? Is there a need to answer that?”

 

“Haha.”

 

Of course, her earlier question was a joke.

 

Se-Ah looked down at her can of coffee.

 

Why would someone like the Disciplinary Committee Leader monitor her?

 

It was likely that Woo-jin could see through organizations like Anomia with ease.

 

The reason he was monitoring her must have been because he discovered her plan to take over the black market.

 

Given that Anomia’s plans had been exposed, it made sense that her plans would be no exception.

 

Se-Ah smirked.

 

She really couldn’t beat this man.

 

She needed to recruit him as an ally.

 

“Senior, can I get your number?”

 

“……?”

 

Se-Ah held out her smartphone with a bright smile.

 

Woo-jin tried to discern her intentions for a moment.

 

“Why?”

 

“To get closer from now on. If you’re uncomfortable, we can exchange CoconutTalk IDs.”

 

CoconutTalk was a messenger app used by most citizens of Neo Seoul.

 

There was no problem with that.

 

In fact, staying in contact with Se-Ah might allow him to gather useful information from her.

 

Considering this advantage, Woo-jin took Se-Ah’s smartphone.

 

“Thank you, senior!”

 

Se-Ah couldn’t hide her happiness when my ID was added to her friends on the messenger.

 

‘She just looks like a cute junior like this….’

 

In a normal relationship, she would have been the kind of junior he would have gotten close to, even breaking his poker face a bit.

 

But thinking about the inevitable confrontation with Se-Ah, and her sudden death that would eventually come, made him not want to get closer to her.

 

* * *

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Dun-dun!]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Lee Se-Ah]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Is!]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Here!]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: What’s up, Se-Ah?]

 

……

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Senior!]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: What are you doing right now!?]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: Why?]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Just curious]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Wondering if you’re stalking me right now]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: (Emoticon of a person laughing sneakily with hands over mouth)]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: …Go to sleep. It’s late.]

 

……

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Senior!]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Senior!]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: I have an emergency!]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: A really big problem!]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: ?]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: What’s up? What happened?]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: I think]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: I’m really bored, which I think is a huge problem!]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Can I come to the Disciplinary Committee room to hang out? Haha]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: (Emoticon of someone pleading with sparkling eyes)]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: ….]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: No. Only members are allowed.]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Oh, how stingy]

 

……

 

[Lee Se-Ah: LOL]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: (Photo)]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: I caught a picture of you eating lunch, Senior!]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: It turned out really funny]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: LOL]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: When did you manage to take that…?]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Senior]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Eating instant food all the time is bad for your health]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: (Emoticon of someone glaring seriously with sparkling eyes)]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: If you want to keep stalking me, you need to take care of your health first, right? LOL]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: …I’m busy.]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Haha]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Shall we eat together next time?]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: No, I’m fine…]

 

“Leader, would you like me to make some coffee?”

 

In the Disciplinary Committee office.

 

I looked up to see the smiling face of the deputy head, Oh Baek-seo. It was her usual serene smile.

 

“Sure. But could you make it tea instead?”

 

“Got it.”

 

Baek-seo walked into the break room next door. It was an open space without a door.

 

As I resumed texting with Lee Se-Ah on CoconutTalk, I could hear Baek-seo opening the cupboard.

 

“By the way, boss.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Who have you been messaging so much lately?”

 

Hmm?

 

Suddenly, the gentle tone from the break room pierced my ears like a sharp knife.

 

Though her voice was kind, it felt as if a blade was at my throat.

 

…It must be my imagination.

 

“You’re not usually one for texting, are you? You’ve been doing it quite a lot lately.”

 

“Have I?”

 

“Yes, you have.”

 

Baek-seo replied firmly.

 

‘I haven’t been doing it that much…’

 

Lee Se-Ah frequently sent me messages on CoconutTalk.

 

Even though I tried to reply slowly to keep some distance, Se-Ah’s immediate and friendly messages somehow made me feel a sense of guilt.

 

I needed to maintain contact with Se-Ah anyway, so I had merely reduced my response speed. It might be an excuse to assuage my guilt, though.

 

In any case, it wasn’t accurate to say I texted a lot.

 

“It’s just someone under surveillance. One of them.”

 

“Ah, I see. Part of the job then? Who is it?”

 

“Lee Se-Ah.”

 

For a brief moment, the sound of rummaging through the cupboard stopped.

 

“…Diligent as always. Given she’s a surveillance target, that makes sense.”

 

Baek-seo nodded in understanding.

 

Soon, she brought the tea over.

 

“Thanks…”

 

…?

 

Baek-seo’s fingers holding the tea cup were red and steaming. It was clear she had just gotten burned.

 

“Baek-seo, your hand…!”

 

“This? It’s fine. I must have poured the water wrong.”

 

Isn’t that a bit too casual…?

 

“Doesn’t it hurt…?”

 

She looked like she had poured boiling water directly on her hand.

 

How does one even manage to do that?

 

Even I couldn’t maintain my poker face. I was deeply concerned about Baek-seo.

 

But she just smiled gently as if it was nothing.

 

“Boss, I’m going to the infirmary.”

 

“Uh, yeah, go quickly….”

 

Baek-seo headed towards the exit.

 

As she pushed one of the double doors open, she accidentally bumped her forehead against the other door, which hadn’t opened.

 

I couldn’t help but stand up in shock.

 

“Baek-seo!?”

 

“I’m fine. No problem.”

 

Baek-seo smiled at me with her forehead turning red, then left the room.

 

Is she not feeling well today?