“Ah, Seo Yi-soo. Where are you going all alone? You’re not trying to ditch me, are you?” he said with a smirk.
“I’m just headed to the convenience store,” she replied, attempting to sound nonchalant.
“Do you want to go together? Oppa will pay for whatever you need,” he offered, still gripping her arm.
“It’s okay, but… please let go of me.” The word “oppa” stiffened Yi-soo’s expression. Rumors of Sang-min’s flirtatious behavior with junior girls had spread throughout the law school. There were even warnings about being alone with him.
Although they shared the same civil law class, they had hardly interacted before. Yet, now he was making her uncomfortable. Yi-soo tried to twist her arm, silently asking him to release his grip, but his strength was too much for her to overcome. Her pupils quivered uncontrollably as a primal wave of anxiety washed over Yi-soo.
“What are you doing? It’s getting awkward if you keep this up…” she pleaded.
“I thought you looked cute when you took off your glasses last time, Yi-soo. Try taking off that hat and glasses once. Your eyes are so pretty, why do you hide them like that?” Sang-min’s voice held an unsettling tone.
“Let go of me!” Yi-soo demanded, her discomfort growing as the smell of cheap cigarettes and candy filled the air around them.
Sang-min smirked and took a step closer, his lips twisted in an unpleasant manner. Yi-soo felt his breath on her face, making her feel nauseous. She didn’t want to attract any attention. What if someone heard? She twisted and tried to pull her arm away, but Sang-min’s grip was strong.
“Please, just stop!” she pleaded once more.
Suddenly, a dull thud resonated, followed by Sang-min’s curse of pain. Startled, Yi-soo opened her eyes to assess the situation.
“What the hell, who’s this crazy bastard..!”
“Kim Sang-min, you better stop your bullshit right now. It’s disgusting to see.” A firm voice broke through the tension.
“Oh, Yoon Hyun-seong…” Sang-min’s rage momentarily softened as he faced an unexpected opponent. Yoon Hyun-seong, the scheduled representative of the graduating class, stood there in a black shirt and a dark navy coat. His cold expression seemed capable of freezing everything around him.
“Uh, why are you here?” Sang-min reached out to him. “I thought you were drinking.”
“I’ll go wherever I want. Is there a problem?” Hyun-seong asked, brushing off Sang-min’s hand.
“No, it’s not like that… I think you misunderstood.” Sang-min stammered. He knew that Hyun-seong was the son of the CEO of Yoon & Kang, a prestigious law firm that any aspiring lawyer would want to join. Sang-min himself was filled with ambition, but his skills didn’t match his desires. He was graduating from school with a rank close to the bottom, and there weren’t many places that would accept someone like him.
Sang-min awkwardly smiled and tried to appease Hyun-seong. “I just wanted to get to know her. Isn’t that right?” Yi-soo remained silent.
“Hey, why don’t you answer? Hyun-seong might misunderstand. Look at me and give a proper response.” Sang-min demanded.
“Stop talking nonsense, Kim Sang-min. I don’t want to waste my advice on you, but don’t go around flirting with just any woman.” Hyun-seong said, his voice dripping with contempt.
Sang-min’s face twisted in response to the cold voice, as if his pride was being crushed along with his expression. Hyun-seong regarded him with disdain, as though he were nothing more than a bothersome insect. Then, he turned his attention to Yi-soo, his tone indifferent and commanding.
“Follow me.”
Confused by the sudden order, Yi-soo pulled her hat down, her expression filled with bewilderment. While the situation could be considered fortunate for avoiding Sang-min, being with Hyun-seong also felt awkward. Nonetheless, she didn’t want to spend another moment with Sang-min.
Without hesitation, Yi-soo turned her body and hurriedly followed Hyun-seong as he moved away. Kim Sang-min’s wounded pride showed through his glare as he muttered curses, lighting a cigarette with a cheap lighter that emitted a ticking sound before producing a small flame.
“These damn bastards… Why do they think they’re so special?” Sang-min seethed with humiliation, his eyes fixed on the departing pair. As the streetlights blinked, the light vanished, leaving him to mumble complaints filled with a sense of inferiority.