Chapter 322: You’re not going to tell me anything?
For a moment, silence hung between us. Then he smiled, slow and elegant, like a gentleman caught in a teasing game but heavier simultaneously. His eyes were darker, betraying that soft smile on his face.
"Fourteen." He simply and innocently said, for a man who was calling the number of people he had killed.
"Fourteen?!" I asked, a bit stunned.
"Fourteen," he repeated, as casually as if he were confessing how many glasses of wine he’d had. "I did a little pruning here and there, but I was able to keep my promise, wasn’t I?"
That... was quite low compared to his previous records. Then why were his eyes so muddied again?
Or... was he lying to me?
I looked into his eyes, trying to search for the truth, but it didn’t look like he was lying.
Then... how to explain the muddiness?
"Is something wrong, Jo-Pil?" he asked, slithering towards my side like a snake, and I turned to look at his emerald eyes.
"Have you been doing anything unusual this period?" I asked him.
"You’ll have to be a little more special, Jo-Pil," he said, and I squinted my eyes, trying to put it out plainly.
"Like... have you been drinking more than usual? Smoking? Or..." My gaze heavied on him. "Doing drugs?"
"None," Jin-Yeok immediately answered, dispelling my suspicion. "I wouldn’t go back to the very thing that could end my life, now would I?"
"Hm, guess not."
Then what was it?
"Though, I have been drinking one too many wines lately," he said. "I’ve been so busy that I need to drink to stay awake."
"Not whisky but wine?" I asked, with a raised eyebrow, and he laughed.
"Let’s just say I love the rich flavor of fruited wine more than the harsh alcoholic sensation of whiskey." He pointed out, and I looked away.
This problem... wasn’t as easy as it looked.
I sighed.
I decided to change the subject to something else I was curious about, so I leaned back on my hands and stared at him with a knowing gaze.
"Then tell me something else. At dinner, everyone was acting strange. Why were they so cryptic about me going out with you tomorrow night? What’s so dangerous about an event?" I asked, my mind playing out the event to be something fancy.
His lips twitched with amusement.
"So you noticed."
Duh. Even a kid would notice.
"Of course I did. They practically warned you right there and then, but since you took it lightly, I felt maybe it was just their paranoia kicking in." I raised my leg on the bed and rested my head on the knee. "Is it Mafia-related?"
Jin-Yeok stared at me and then lifted his hand, brushing my slightly overgrown side hair, and then he opened his mouth to speak.
But just when I thought he was finally going to say something that made sense, get me out of oblivion, he smiled and said,
"It’s a surprise. You’ll see tomorrow."
I frowned, puffing my cheeks in frustration.
"You’re not going to tell me anything?"
"No." His tone was firm, like the final say. Yet, the corner of his mouth curved upward, as though my pout entertained him.
"Fine," I muttered, lying back on the bed. "Then I’ll just let it go."
But I wasn’t exactly ready to let it go.
My mind twirled, wondering what it was. Were there going to be dangerous people there?
I was curious to know if there was going to be a live action tomorrow.
I mean, this wasn’t part of the novel, so I grew even more nervous and excited at the same time.
Jin-Yeok turned on his side, dropping his head on his hand as his eyes roamed over me.
"Did you enjoy yourself today?" he suddenly asked, and I rolled my eyes towards him.
"With Seo-Jun?"
"Yes."
I nodded and said, "I did. He’s... a little much, but there was no time it felt boring." I smiled happily.
Jin-Yeok’s gaze sharpened briefly, though he said nothing.
Instead, he brushed his fingers through my hair, slowly and carefully, like he was memorizing every strand, as if that were possible.
"What are your plans for tomorrow then? Before I take you out."
"Oh, I was planning to check out the gym," I said, and then quickly sat up, facing him. "This mansion has a gym, right? I think I’ve been lacking a lot of exercise, so my stamina is very weak, and I buckle easily."
Jin-Yeok looked at me, eyes widened in shock and amusement, and then he laughed.
"Yes, your stamina is shit," he said and laughed even more, as if mocking me. "But if you want to exercise to make up for your weak bones and weak stamina, then just one day isn’t enough. And you won’t be able to do it on your own."
"Of course I know that much," I said and flipped back on the bed. "So, can you do me a favor and get me a trainer?"
"You want... me to sign up a trainer for you?" he asked, and I nodded.
I mean, it wouldn’t be hard for him, and I was sure that if it were him, he could find a female trainer.
There was no way they would allow me to spend time with a male trainer, all sweaty and exposed almost everywhere.
"Why can’t I be your trainer?" he suddenly asked, leaning closer and then gazing deep into my eyes.
He... was trying to seduce me.
I parted my lips, ready to speak, when I gave him a harsh and firm, "No way."
That would just be cheating.
I already thought it through. To make it fair, an external party needed to be involved.
"Ouch, Jo-Pil. That hurts."
As it should.
"But I see your resolve, so I’ll arrange it first thing in the morning. It’s usually better to start working out before eating, but since it might take a while before they get here and I don’t want to starve you, you can eat."
He said it like he was doing me a favor, and with a twisted face, I said,
"Thank you so much, master."
"Gosh, why does that feel even more insincere?" he asked, and I laughed.
It’s because I’m not sincere.
He lay down next to me and said,
"Let me tell you what I’ve been up to these days." He said, and so he began to talk about his days, like he would do in the past.
"Alright."
He talked a little longer, and while there was a lot of action, there was nothing heavy.
His voice was low, soothing, the kind that lulled me into calm without my realizing it.
I rested my head on his chest and he held my hand gently, stroking softly to pull me deeper into the jaws of sleep.
He was so good at this. Like a soft and huge panda. I miss my ready but it’s okay. Jin-Yeok was here as a replacement.
Before long, my eyelids grew heavy.
The last thing I felt was his lips pressed to my forehead and a soft whisper of ’goodnight, sweet dreams.’
And then, sleep claimed me.
(Atchew! This author is not jealous at all. Wowooo.)