Chapter 16 : Chapter 16

Ah, I can't just let her go like that!

If these were male characters who could become a fuse that could blow up my life if something went wrong, it'd be a different story.

But the three female protagonists will become the lifeline that will save me.

If I can form and maintain good relationships with them, they could be of great help to my life in the future.

Shin So-hee was kind-hearted and always helped others, despite how she looked.

Just looking at her bright, shining face, one could tell that much.

In fact, she was a character who existed outside of school.

Considering that her route as a singular path was highly praised, while being somewhat distanced from the other characters, I wasn't sure how exactly she could help me… but still, there may come a day when I'll receive help from a character who exists "outside of school."

At the very least, she could probably help me hide for a day or so.

As I calculated all of this in my mind while walking, Shin So-hee, who had been silently following me for a while, suddenly spoke up.

"So, what kind of meal are you treating me to?"

Judging by our uniforms, she probably assumed we were rich.

Though she pretended to ask nonchalantly, she seemed to be secretly curious.

Well, when people outside of Hwayoung High School talk about its students, they seem to think we wouldn't even touch food under 100,000 won.

But I quickly and cleanly dashed Shin So-hee's subtle expectations.

"Treat you?"

"…?"

At my words, Shin So-hee tilted her head.

"No, earlier, didn't you say we should have dinner together?"

"I did say that, but I never said I would treat you."

In the first place, I didn't even carry a wallet around.

If it was within Hwayoung High School, I could just show my student ID, and the bill would later be sent to my house.

Outside of school, I had no reason to be out alone.

And I certainly had no reason to pay for anything.

Of course, I'd never actually wandered around outside before either.

…Honestly, if it wasn't me but the real Ye Sara, she wouldn't even be able to buy a single-use subway card.

She's never paid for anything herself.

Sure, she knows how cash looks and what a card is, but a subway ticket machine would be a massive hurdle for someone who's lived far removed from money and electronic devices.

"So what, are you saying your family is going to feed me?"

"Yep."

At my answer, Shin So-hee, who had been eagerly following me, suddenly stopped in her tracks.

I walked a few more steps before realizing that she had stopped, so I stopped as well.

Looking back, I saw Shin So-hee with her hands shoved into her cardigan pockets, squinting at me.

"I'm supposed to eat at your house?"

"Well, I did invite you for a meal, so it'll be like that."

Then, I turned to look at Yoo Ha-neul and Lee Soo-ah, who were also following me.

"What about you two? Is it okay with you?"

"Oh? Ah, yeah, I'm fine with it."

"Yeah, me too."

Lee Soo-ah seemed a bit flustered, but Yoo Ha-neul immediately nodded.

Her expression… She looked like she was smiling.

Was she happy to be invited to a friend's house?

Well, I guess it'd be exciting to be invited to a friend's house for the first time in high school.

"No matter how you look at it, it'll feel really awkward going to the house of someone I just met today."

Shin So-hee made a very valid point.

"Your family will be there, right?"

"Oh, you don't need to worry about my family being there. I live in that mansion… Well, I don't live completely alone, but it's pretty much like living alone."

"Uh…"

Shin So-hee was at a loss for words.

Of course, I wasn't completely without family, but the one family member I had wasn't related to me by blood at all.

And honestly, I wasn't even sure if I could really call them family, considering how they blatantly neglected their only foster daughter.

"You don't have to worry about awkward encounters with my family. There are a few employees, but they won't speak unless spoken to first. It'll be no different from eating at a high-end restaurant."

"Th-that so…"

Faced with my declaration of "no family," Shin So-hee couldn't bring herself to refuse.

As expected, Koreans are vulnerable to a Tallulah attack.

Actually, I had the upper hand in this situation.

At least, I already knew some information about Shin So-hee.

Like Ye Sara, Shin So-hee only had one parent left.

However, unlike Ye Sara, her remaining parent was her father, and their relationship was reportedly excellent.

That was the big difference.

She also had a younger sister, though she never appeared in the CGs.

Given that Shin So-hee had experienced losing a family member, she'd know how hard it was to talk about not having a family.

And she'd know how numb you have to become to be able to talk about it so easily.

…Though, honestly, I wasn't thinking that far when I said it earlier.

It's just how it came out.

Well, at the very least, I now had useful information to be cautious of in future conversations.

"…"

"…"

Yoo Ha-neul, who had been in a cheerful mood earlier, and Lee Soo-ah, who had responded a bit awkwardly, both fell silent and looked at me, gauging my mood.

Not that there was any need for them to.

"By the way."

After walking in silence for a while, Shin So-hee opened her mouth again.

"So, when are we going to arrive at your house?"

"Oh, about that."

I spoke with a serious expression.

"I think I might be lost."

Since it was only a five-minute drive by car, I had been completely careless.

But starting from a different location, I'd been wandering aimlessly for a while now.

It was odd that I couldn't see such a large mansion.

"If that's the case, you should've said something earlier!"

Finally, when it was nearly sunset and quite chilly, Shin So-hee shouted.

*

"So, what did you search just now?"

Shin So-hee asked Lee Soo-ah.

"Ah, um, 'Matsuda Department Store.'"

That's right. The official name of the mansion where I lived was "Matsuda Department Store."

Of course, it wasn't still called that. It's just what it was named in the past.

When Shin So-hee, frustrated that I hadn't just looked up the address, vented her annoyance, Lee Soo-ah, who had some knowledge about the business world, pulled out her smartphone and, without a moment's hesitation, typed in "Matsuda Department Store."

…Apparently, it was a registered cultural heritage site, and the building had been around for well over 100 years.

Although it's now just a two-story mansion, it was still ridiculously large for one person to live in.

After the liberation, the founder of the Eugene Group had bought it with plans to use it as a department store, but after the Korean War, when they built a massive department store in the middle of Seoul, the mansion had become useless, though it had miraculously survived the war.

Now it was being used to isolate Ye Sara.

Of course, the property technically belonged to Ye Sara.

"A department store? Rich people really live on a different scale…"

Shin So-hee marveled, looking up at the mansion.

Yoo Ha-neul did the same.

The LED lights attached to the walls made it visible even at night.

It had the atmosphere of a well-preserved cultural heritage site that you might see at a tourist spot.

It seemed they couldn't believe someone lived there.

Only Lee Soo-ah, who had guided us here, looked a bit uneasy.

"Let's go in."

I said, confidently heading toward the closed gates.

"Who… Oh, Miss!"

The security guard at the gate, dressed in a black suit, exclaimed in surprise upon seeing me and quickly shut his mouth.

He was so startled that he spoke before he could stop himself.

He must've been flustered at breaking the rule of 'not speaking first.'

"Could you call the maid for me?"

When I said that, the guard just nodded and started opening the gate.

He also muttered something into his earpiece.

With a creak, the heavy gates opened.

"Come in."

I said, and the three people, a bit overwhelmed, looked around as they followed me in.

The guard didn't stop them.

After silently walking through the garden lit by the lights along the path, I stopped when I saw Yang Hye-in quickly approaching from ahead.

"…Miss."

It seemed she had a lot to say, but upon seeing the three people behind me, Yang Hye-in fell silent.

"Sorry for coming back late."

"…It's fine."

"Did you report to the chairwoman?"

"…"

Yang Hye-in bowed her head without saying anything.

Does that mean she did?

Well, judging by the lack of comments, it seemed like nothing serious had happened.

At least not yet.

I shrugged and glanced back.

Then I nodded and began to walk confidently past Yang Hye-in, who had stepped aside.

Yang Hye-in followed me from a few steps away.

"Prepare dinner for four, please."

"Yes, Miss."

Yang Hye-in, who usually showed some emotional reactions, had decided to completely hide her emotions in front of the 'outsiders.'

When we arrived at the mansion's front door, two security guards who had been waiting there opened it, each holding one side.

"Wow."

A sound of admiration came from behind, though I wasn't sure whose voice it was.

The lobby of the first floor, with a large staircase leading to the second floor, made me wonder why I hadn't thought of a department store earlier.

Although the display counters typical of a department store were missing, making the place seem a bit empty, it could definitely accommodate a large number of people.

Yang Hye-in naturally placed her hand on my shoulder.

Following her gesture, I removed my coat.

Yang Hye-in also took the coats of the three others.

"Ah, um, I can take care of it myself…"

Even Yoo Ha-neul, who showed some resistance to the maid taking her coat,

"…"

And Lee Soo-ah, who, though slightly awkward, followed my lead in removing her coat,

"Ah, um…"

And Shin So-hee, whose face had turned bright red—all of them eventually handed their coats to Yang Hye-in.

Despite the weight of four coats, Yang Hye-in didn't show any change in her expression.

She bowed slightly to us and then guided us to the dining room.

Soon, we entered the dining room, which, frankly, had a table far too large for one person to dine at.