Chapter 28 : Chapter 28

It was the first weekend since I started going to school.

Honestly, there wasn't much I had to do.

Just like in January and February when I wasn't attending school, there wasn't much I could do.

No, actually, there was one thing I had thought of doing.

Ye Sara had obtained dangerous sleeping pills through illegal means, pills that were no longer prescribed.

That meant Ye Sara had an outside collaborator, or at least, she had a route for collaborating with the outside world.

How on earth did she manage that?

It was impossible to do it from within the mansion.

Even when Ye Sara used a smartphone or a computer, albeit rarely, a servant always monitored her.

Yang Hye-in only arrived at this mansion when Ye Sara was in middle school, but even before that, the servants were always keeping an eye on her.

Ye Sara died before she graduated from middle school.

She was still very young in terms of age.

A child who was so young that she relieved her stress by writing down her delusions in a notebook—how did she create an external line of communication and maintain it?

…Surely, someone must have approached her first.

I couldn't be certain.

I wasn't there by Ye Sara's side during those days.

But at least with the clues I have now, that's the only conclusion I can come to.

So, where did it happen?

If it was just a matter of exchanging information, she could have hidden a small device somewhere.

But exchanging pills was a different story.

Ye Sara would have needed someone who could understand exactly what she needed and who could obtain it quickly.

The place where that could most easily happen was, of course, at school.

After her father's death, Ye Sara had stayed at the mansion all the time.

The only time she could go outside was when she went to school.

And, within the school, no one cared where Ye Sara was or what she was doing.

Yes, even when Ye Sara shouted, threw things, or hit someone.

…Even when she stormed out in the middle of class.

No one cared.

The problem is that I don't know where, with whom, or how she communicated.

And besides, I am now a high school student.

Even if Ye Sara had a meeting place during her middle school years, I wouldn't be able to use it now.

No matter how close it might be, the school grounds are fenced off.

If I climbed over wearing a high school uniform, I'd immediately draw suspicion.

Should I wait until they approach me first?

Yeah, I'll wait for now and think it over.

If there was someone who stayed in constant contact with Ye Sara until just before her death, they'd probably think it strange that there hasn't been any contact for a long time.

I'll look for any hints I can find at school, just in case.

Hmm.

Even though I've somewhat organized my thoughts, it's still not even time for Saturday breakfast.

…I'm bored.

Not too long ago, I used to enjoy doing nothing.

There was no need to go to the company, nor did I need to study for exams or anything like that.

I would just lie around, pull a random book off the shelf, skim through it… and by the time I got bored, Yang Hye-in would come up to tell me it was time for a meal.

But now, just a few days of going to school have made me feel restless.

Of course, class time was boring, but during the breaks, Yoo Ha-neul would always bother me, and during lunch, I'd eat with Lee Soo-ah.

Sometimes, after school, Shin So-hee, who somehow ended up involved with us, would hang out too.

I can't say I have a lot of friends, but at least I have enough to not feel bored.

As I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, letting the feeling of boredom wash over me, the door creaked open.

"Breakfast is ready, Miss."

Yang Hye-in bowed politely as she spoke.

I got up from bed at her words.

*

This mansion is peaceful, whether it's the weekend or a weekday.

I don't know if it's quiet when I'm not around, or when it's just the servants here.

But at least while I'm present, the servants are always unnervingly silent.

To be blunt, it feels like there's no one here at all.

Toast and fried eggs.

And mashed potatoes and bacon.

Breakfast is always simple.

Not that the cooking is bad or anything.

The toast is perfectly crisp, and the eggs have soft, slightly runny yolks, with a white film gently encasing them.

The yolk holds its shape perfectly until I poke it with my fork.

The mashed potatoes are smooth.

There isn't a single lumpy bit to be felt, making it clear just how carefully they were mashed and mixed with the ingredients.

The bacon is perfectly crispy.

It was the first time I'd ever eaten such crispy bacon since I came here.

To be honest, I don't think I can ever go back to eating the thin, floppy bacon I used to have before.

I don't particularly like the people who make my meals.

Is it because I read the will Ye Sara left behind?

In truth, everyone who worked here was indirectly involved in Ye Sara's death.

Or, depending on how you look at it, some might even say they were direct perpetrators.

If even one person here had shown genuine affection toward Ye Sara, she might have made a different choice.

If Ye Sara had taken her own life, what would have happened to them all?

Would they have been left to face the full wrath of the chairwoman?

As I slowly finished my meal while pondering such thoughts, the dining room door opened.

"…?"

And that event itself caught my attention.

Because it was something I had never seen before.

Standing at the open dining room door was a bodyguard, looking somewhat flustered.

It seemed like something had happened outside the mansion.

Something difficult enough that he felt he had to report it directly to me.

But he couldn't bring himself to speak to me directly.

When I stared at him, he quickly averted his gaze.

"Shall I excuse myself for a moment?"

Unable to watch the scene any longer, Yang Hye-in asked me in a calm voice.

When I nodded, she silently walked over to him.

"Go ahead."

"Well, the thing is…"

The bodyguard, after glancing at me once more, sighed and whispered to Yang Hye-in.

"There's someone…"

He spoke so quietly I couldn't make out the rest of the sentence.

I cut a piece of bacon and put it in my mouth, chewing it slowly.

The smoky flavor of pork filled my mouth.

The fully cooked fat was delightfully crispy, giving it a satisfying crunch.

As I continued to nibble at my food and watch the two of them, Yang Hye-in soon finished the conversation and quietly approached me.

When I looked up at her, she immediately reported to me.

"It seems, miss, that one of your friends is outside."

"…What?"

*

"Hello!"

The person greeting me energetically was none other than Yoo Ha-neul.

Naturally, she wasn't in her school uniform.

She was wearing black leggings that clung tightly to her legs, a gray hoodie, and comfortable-looking sneakers.

At a glance, it was obvious she was out for a morning jog.

In fact, as she greeted me warmly, she was doing some light jogging on the spot, brimming with energy.

Her ponytail swayed healthily behind her.

"What's going on?"

Standing at the gate, I asked, genuinely surprised.

I mean, coming all the way here on a weekend morning, at this hour?

And Yoo Ha-neul had already seen twice what kind of position I hold here.

Yet she still came, so she must have quite the nerve.

"I just woke up this morning, went for a jog, and thought of you."

Jogging on a weekend morning?

That's something I'd never imagine myself doing.

Actually, not just on weekends—I've never been the kind of person who understands why people make the effort to exercise by jogging outside in the morning.

What's the point of taking time out of your day to torture your body like that?

"And if you stay home all weekend, you won't exercise, right?"

So, she was basically here to drag me out for some exercise.

"I'm sorry, miss. I told her you had plans today…"

The guard said apologetically, though his gaze was not on me but on Yang Hye-in, who was practically in charge of the mansion.

"So, what plans do you have today?" Yoo Ha-neul asked, bold as ever.

"Yeah, what plans do I have today?" I asked too.

I hadn't heard anything about it.

I mean, I've never had anything important to do on weekends.

Why would a young lady, isolated in this mansion with no friends, much less acquaintances, have plans on the weekend?

"…"

The guard fell silent at my words.

Honestly, he probably wanted to use force to kick Yoo Ha-neul out.

But unfortunately for him, this mansion was located right in the heart of the city, where it had once been intended to serve as a department store.

Even with the tall buildings surrounding it, this part of the city seemed sunken in, making the mansion stand out even more.

Naturally, there was a road right in front of it, with people constantly passing by.

Even though the nearby buildings were mostly corporate, meaning there were fewer people on weekends, it was still impossible to ensure no witnesses if a violent situation arose.

Well, if this were a private property elsewhere, they might be able to kick her out without a second thought.

After all, it's just a matter of claiming that they removed a loitering stalker from in front of a residential house.

But the situation for someone living here, like me, was far too unique to consider doing that lightly.

The chairwoman had been so meticulous about ensuring no photos of me were leaked, except for a few from my childhood.

If word got out about who was living in this mansion, people would be swarming with curiosity about who the heir was who inherited 5.7% of a corporation with a market cap of 3.6 trillion won.

You could pay off the press to keep their mouths shut, but once public opinion catches on, things change.

So, using force to kick out a minor would only draw attention.

It would attract too much attention.

Honestly, isn't this situation already dangerous enough as it is?

"So, what do you say we go for a nice run?"

Though she may not have realized all this, Yoo Ha-neul seemed quite pleased that she had flustered the bodyguard.

Well, I never expected a friend to show up at my door either.

"…"

I looked down.

A metal track was drawn in the direction the gate opened, marking the path for the wheels on the door.

That line marked the boundary between inside and outside of the mansion.

Ye Sara had never crossed that line by her own will.

I almost looked up at Yang Hye-in, but stopped.

Do I really need anyone's permission?

Yang Hye-in had said the chairwoman would find out immediately if I acted this way—

Ah, so what.

Let her find out if she wants.

I wasn't planning on just sitting back and taking it either.

I turned my gaze toward the bodyguard.

And I flashed him a wide grin.

A bead of sweat formed on his temple as he watched me.

Alright, let's try taking a page from Ye Sara's book.

Though, of course, the direction will be completely opposite.