Chapter 58 - You are acting like my girlfriend

After some hours of sleep, she still feels jet-lagged. She walks around the apartment once as if she is looking for something. Do Sejin watches her quietly, asking nothing. After some time, she wears her shoes and walks out of the apartment.

Jung Kwang-soo asked her to come to the office the next day. He wonders where she could be going. He follows her and sees her entering the mall. She picks up some clothes and other necessities. Then, she makes a stop at her old apartment building. It's really being redeveloped. She sighs and takes a cab back to his place. Her actions won't seem suspicious to anyone. It makes him more suspicious.

At the door, she realizes that she doesn't know the passcode. She calls him right away. Do Sejin hangs up.

"Mentor, I am here." He grins at her and punches the code. "I went out to buy dried persimmons. The code is 9387."

It's her birthday. She doesn't make a comment. She goes to her room and tosses the bags of clothes on her bed. She stares out of the window for a while. She gets up to change her clothes. Her movement seems robotic and restless at the same time. When she gets ready to leave again, Do Sejin calls her.

"You must try these dry persimmons."

"You are acting like my girlfriend." She turns away from him.

He steps in front of her. "Hana, where are you going?"

"Don't call me that." She takes a deep breath. "I am older than you."

"Don't be too formal." He shoves a dried persimmon in her hand. "Call me if something happens."

She leaves with the persimmon in her hand. She walks for a long time. The sun is about to set. People recognize her easily and take her pictures. Her eerie aura repels everyone at some distance. She looks like a living ghost.

Do Sejin watches her put down the dried persimmon where Seol A died. She doesn't leave immediately. It's getting dark. Hours pass. She doesn't make a move from the spot. He clenches his fists. She is waiting for the magnolia killer.

No one appears in the street.

***

It's been a week. Since her return, the internet is in the uproar. The seemingly dead case is revived again. The case has been transferred to the prosecution. There has been no movement from the magnolia killer.

She sits in the chair and reads the new case. A high school bullying case. The defendant is accused of attempted murder. 10 students have testified that he was bullying the victim. The victim is at the hospital, breathing on the machine.

"Knock. Knock." Jung Kwang-soo grins at her. "It's Lunchtime."

"I will skip it." She smiles at him. "I am heading out to meet the defendant. "

"You can go after eating." He makes a face. "I will call Do Sejin to accompany you."

"I am not a kid." She sneers at him. Since she returned, both of them are taking turns in babysitting her. It's annoying to death. She nearly has no privacy. "If you call him, I will resign and go to another place to work."

Jung Kwang-soo's fingers are frozen on the screen. "It's still dangerous."

"The killer hasn't reappeared. So," She picks up her purse. "Don't be alarmed for no reason. I need to live a normal life."

Jung Kwang-soo gives her a nod, but he isn't convinced. He texts Do Sejin. Ahn Hana reveals the shadow of a smile as she walks out of the office.

***

"You are not that pretty." He smirks. "To make someone commit 39 murders, I thought that you would be a world-class beauty."

Ahn Hana rests her hands on the table. It's not unusual for the high school kids to be interested. "Confess your crimes. I will talk to the prosecutor for reducing your sentence."

"I want to be acquitted." He leans forward, lowering his head a bit. "I didn't push him off the roof."

She has a dull expression. "Your student ID was found in his hand. Some students saw you threatening him earlier."

"He stole it." Corner of his lips curls down. "I might have bullied him a bit, but everyone in the class did it. Why I am the only one blamed? Besides, I didn't push him. I would never go that far. He probably jumped on his own."

Ahn Hana sighs. "If you lie to me, I can't help."

"I am telling the truth." The boy wrinkles his forehead. "I didn't push him. I was at the club when he jumped."

She chuckles. "Your friends are not saying those words."

"I don't know why they would do that." He cusses and slams the table. "I was with them at the club. I am being framed. You have to help me. My parents told me that you are good. If you can help Baek Han Sol, why can't you get me out of here?"

"Alright."