Chapter 186
“The person who wrote this post probably isn’t the cautious type.”
Da-eun initiated the conversation.
“They wrote the post based solely on assumptions, and their way of handling the situation feels impulsive, doesn’t it? Someone like that would definitely take the bait.”
‘Impulsive’ and ‘strong need for recognition.’
Individually, neither word feels particularly positive. But when combined, they create a significant synergy that’s hard to ignore.
According to Da-eun, this was likely why the person had taken secret photos and posted them on an online community for countless people to see.
“Oh…”
That’s unexpected.
If I said it like this, Da-eun might think I was dismissing her.
But I wasn’t trying to disregard her opinion—I was just stating the truth.
The Da-eun I know isn’t the type to coldly judge others like this.
If anything, she seems like someone who trusts people too much, to the point it might cause problems.
“…That’s what the lawyer said.”
“Of course.”
“…Of course? What’s that supposed to mean? Like, ‘Oh, that explains it?’”
“It means I’m relieved that you’re still the Da-eun I know.”
“…Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?”
“Is that really what’s important?”
“It’s important to me!”
I tilted my head in confusion while Da-eun nodded fervently.
“If it’s a compliment, I’ll give you a pat on the head. If it’s an insult, I’ll pat you even harder!”
“…?”
Wasn’t that just an overly roundabout way of saying she’d fulfill her desires regardless?
“If I had to choose between the two, I’d say it’s a compliment.”
“If it’s a compliment, it’s a compliment. What’s with ‘I’d say it’s a compliment?’”
“Well, I like that part of you, Da-eun.”
What if Da-eun didn’t have that kind of personality?
I know there’s no point in adding a “what if” to the past, but if she didn’t, she’d probably be living a completely different life now.
And since I’m relatively content with the life I’m living now, I don’t see a reason to think negatively about Da-eun’s personality.
“…Ugh.”
Da-eun turned her gaze away slightly.
“Suddenly saying something like that is cheating….”
“?”
“That’s what I mean. Normally, you act all stoic, but then you suddenly say something heart-fluttering….”
“Heart-fluttering?”
I don’t think I said anything that would make her heart flutter.
Well, if she says so, I guess that’s how it is.
Da-eun, clutching her chest and taking deep breaths, opened her eyes slightly.
“Don’t say things like that to others, okay? Especially not to guys.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. I only say those things to you, Da-eun.”
To be precise, it’s more like I don’t really talk to other people at all. But anyway, it’s true that I don’t say those things to anyone else.
When I said that, Da-eun clutched her chest again.
“…Are you feeling unwell?”
“It’s because of you, Kana…. Where on Earth did you learn to say such dangerous things?”
“Oh, I see. It’s just the usual Da-eun.”
“What do you mean, ‘the usual Da-eun?!’ That’s too much!”
It’s not like she’s a pigeon on the street or something!
Although Da-eun shouted that, I had my own reasoning.
Even I know that there are a lot of pigeons on the streets of Seoul.
But since I rarely go outside, I end up seeing Da-eun more often than pigeons. So, isn’t it natural to use the word ‘Da-eun’ when describing something as familiar?
Da-eun yelled and protested but calmed down a bit after hearing my logical explanation.
“…I guess that makes sense.”
“Right, it does.”
“Yeah, it does…”
Crumple!
The paper in Da-eun’s hand was suddenly crushed into a mess.
“…Or not! How does that even relate to this?!”
“Oh no, she’s getting aggressive again.”
“…I told you to stop talking like you’re watching a wild animal!”
I thought my explanation made perfect sense, but unfortunately, it seemed Da-eun didn’t quite understand me.
Well, that’s her karma for acting so bizarre all the time.
If she didn’t usually say strange things, I wouldn’t respond like this either.
Even though she told me not to treat her like a wild animal, Da-eun started jumping around like an angry boar. Unable to watch any longer, I forced her to sit down.
“So, what’s your point?”
“…The operation was a success, Commander.”
“I’ve never had a subordinate like you, Da-eun.”
“So, you mean you think of me as an older sister rather than a subordinate?”
“You can interpret that however you want.”
So, she set the stage for such a grand statement just to say that?
“Well, that’s good, I guess.”
I spoke calmly, hiding my true thoughts for a moment.
To be honest, I hadn’t been very confident about this plan.
It felt somewhat flimsy.
I couldn’t help but question whether it was necessary to lure the target so close to where she lived.
But as someone who was just watching from the sidelines, it would’ve been petty of me to nitpick.
So I just kept quiet, and now that it worked out as planned, I was a little surprised.
“We’re planning to check things out now. Do you want to come, Kana?”
“If I go, doesn’t that defeat the whole point of me staying indoors?”
“Oh, right.”
Seriously, what is she thinking?
“Da-eun, Da-eun.”
“Hmm?”
“Would calling someone pathetic be considered rude?”
“Hmm… If it’s not meant as a joke, then it probably is. Why?”
“Never mind.”
Da-eun tilted her head curiously but then stopped herself.
“…Wait, no way, right?”
“I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but it’s probably not that.”
“What do you mean ‘probably?!’ You’re obviously calling me pathetic in a roundabout way!”
“…Whoa.”
That was unexpectedly sharp.
“I didn’t say anything.”
But you’re thinking it, right?
This time, since I was in the wrong, I quietly let myself get caught.
Da-eun enthusiastically poked and prodded, squeezing my cheeks and stroking my hair for quite a while, until her phone rang again, and she finally let me go.
“I’ll be back, so don’t cause any trouble while I’m gone.”
“…Who’s causing trouble?”
“Who else? Kana, who shattered a plate trying to grab a snack.”
“….”
A faint warmth rose to my puffed-up cheeks.
Da-eun chuckled lightly and poked my cheek.
“I’ll be back.”
“…Take care.”
“Okay. Hehe, don’t I look like a husband going off to work?”
“Stop saying weird things and just go already.”
“I’m going, I’m going! Don’t push—hey, I’m leaving, okay?!”
After giving Da-eun a gentle shove out the door, I was left alone in the house.
Well, saying I “shoved her out” sounds a bit strange, but I did send her off to handle her tasks.
Being alone, I focused my mind.
Even if I didn’t follow her, the distance wasn’t far enough to prevent me from keeping track of the situation.
Of course, I wouldn’t be able to hear anything, but if something unexpected happened, I could intervene.
I closed my eyes as I felt Da-eun leaving the house and heading toward Yuki’s presence, along with a few unfamiliar ones.
***
If there’s no justification for punishment, then you create one.
That was the core strategy Da-eun devised with her lawyer.
“…Are you saying we should frame him?”
When she first heard the plan, Da-eun asked hesitantly.
“It’s not framing. Framing is when you falsely accuse someone of something they didn’t do. This person has already committed an act, and they’ll do it again.”
“But what if things don’t go as planned?”
“Well, that would at least mean they have some basic decency, which wouldn’t be a bad outcome either. Though, the odds of that seem pretty low.”
Recalling her conversation with the lawyer, Da-eun noticed the elevator doors opening and stepped out.
As she approached the security office, the faint voices scattered along the quiet hallway grew louder.
“What the hell are you doing, huh?! Why are you taking pictures of other people without permission?!”
“….”
A sharp-looking woman, someone Da-eun occasionally saw in the elevator or around the building, was interrogating a man.
The man, who Da-eun had never seen before, stood stiffly under her questioning.
‘So that’s the guy.’
Da-eun thought as she looked at the man dressed in nondescript, rather dull clothing.
‘Would taking photos of people coming and going really count as a crime?’
“It may not be a crime, but it’s still a problem. Doesn’t Da-eun live in a high-end officetel? That means the residents are likely wealthy, too.”
“I guess that’s true?”
“Such people usually know how to make things difficult for someone without even needing to file charges.”
…It’s exactly as the lawyer said.
Several people glared at the man with disdain, each raising their voices.
The words Da-eun overheard grew increasingly concerning, and the man’s face turned paler with every accusation.
Da-eun approached Yuki, who was standing with her arms crossed, slightly apart from the crowd.
“Yuki.”
“You’re here?”
“Yeah. What’s the situation?”
“Just what you see.”
Yuki shrugged.
Then, lowering her voice, she said, “He was flustered and came quietly when confronted. We confiscated his camera and found out he’d been secretly photographing the residents.”
“…Seriously?”
They had intended to corner him for loitering suspiciously, but this was far beyond what Da-eun had anticipated.
The man’s actions exceeded even her expectations.
“This guy is completely nuts.”
“Are you okay with someone like that knowing where you live?”
“Well…”
This time, it was Da-eun’s turn to shrug, just as Yuki had earlier.
“The building has security, and if worse comes to worst, Kana can protect me. …But honestly, I was considering moving if things got too serious.”
The house was spacious enough for two people, but something about it always felt lacking.
Every time she saw Kana cooped up inside, Da-eun couldn’t help but feel guilty.
If they lived in a house with a garden, Kana could enjoy some fresh air….
Yuki, listening to Da-eun’s musings, looked incredulous.
“…Kana isn’t a dog.”
“What? Where did that come from? Of course I know that.”
“You don’t seem to.”
“Kana is more like a cat than a dog.”
“….”
“Hmm, no. Considering how much she likes me, maybe she is like a dog….”
That was a joke.
Da-eun erased her feigned serious expression and smiled brightly.
“Still, I meant it when I said I was thinking about moving because I thought she seemed stifled.”
“Well, do as you like. How do you plan to wrap this up?”
“Hmm. Leaving him like that should be fine, I think.”
Da-eun pulled out her phone from her pocket and fiddled with it briefly.
Then she took a step forward, then another, slowly approaching the man.
The man, who had been hanging his head, noticed her presence and looked up.
“…!”
Upon seeing her face, he gasped audibly.
Feigning ignorance of his reaction, Da-eun frowned slightly and asked the security guard beside him.
“This person was taking pictures of us coming and going?”
“Yes. Only a few people’s photos were found, but to be safe, we informed others who might have been affected. He could’ve done the same thing before, even if there’s no evidence on the camera.”
Given the unfortunate situation, the security guard’s expression was understandably grim.
After all, it wasn’t pleasant for an issue to arise under his watch.
‘I should bring him a drink later.’
Making a mental note, Da-eun crossed her arms.
“What’s the plan?”
“We’re planning to report him to the police. Some residents have mentioned filing personal lawsuits as well.”
“No, no, no!”
The words “police” and “lawsuits” made the man, whose face had turned ashen, cry out in a panic.
Pointing at Da-eun, he exclaimed, “I-I wasn’t following anyone else! I was following this woman!”
“….”
His unintentional confession brought silence over the scene.
Da-eun checked her phone screen, which displayed “Recording in Progress,” and lowered her gaze slightly.
Pretending to be shocked, she covered her mouth with her hand.
But behind her hand, the corners of her lips unmistakably curved upward.
—
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