Prey - Chapter 68
Five years had passed since then.
He’d likely think it wouldn’t be strange if I had forgotten, considering I was so young back then. Children tend to forget people easily if they don’t see them for even a year.
But still, he must have come to check, just in case.
“Alright, here we go. Look here, kids. One, two, three!”
I paid attention to my expression, trying to smile at the camera despite my face wanting to stiffen.
With the brightest smile I could manage.
Click!
After taking the group photo, I slipped out the back door as we finished tidying up.
Planning to sit on a bench in the dark corner of the backyard until Seol Hee-nam left, I started walking, but then I heard a voice from behind.
“Hey, wait a second.”
“!”
My heart dropped at the voice behind me.
It was Seol Hee-nam’s voice.
Panicked, I looked ahead to see that the backyard was empty. Even the driver who had been sweeping the yard earlier was nowhere to be found.
Act like you don’t know him.
I clenched my jaw, then released it, and turned around.
“…Me?”
Turning, I saw Seol Hee-nam standing close by, having apparently followed me out the back door, watching me intently.
His sharp gaze swept over my face.
In the backlight, the image of my mother hanging lifelessly reappeared in my mind. The terror that spread from my toes to the top of my head froze my entire body. I felt as though I would vomit.
I forced my shaking fingers to stay still and tried my best to look puzzled. Seol Hee-nam squinted and asked,
“What’s your name?”
“!”
Outwardly, I tried to keep my expression as steady as possible, but inside, my heart plummeted. Just being alone with him in the darkened backyard made me feel as though all the blood was draining from my body in fear.
To avoid suspicion, I needed to give a different name fast.
I knew in my head what to say. But the words wouldn’t come out.
“My name is…”
“Joonoh.”
I stopped at the sound of the girl’s voice, turning my head.
Seol Suhyeon, Seol Hee-nam’s daughter, had appeared out of nowhere and approached us.
Seol Suhyeon looked up at me and spoke.
“We played together earlier, and he said his name was Seo Joonoh. Right?”
“Ah… yeah, that’s right.”
When I answered, Seol Hee-nam’s sharp gaze swept over me from head to toe.
“Seo Joonoh, you say?”
“Yes. But… why?”
Thanks to Seol Suhyeon’s sudden appearance, I was able to respond much more calmly than before. Meeting his piercing gaze, I saw Seol Hee-nam frown.
“It’s nothing.”
Muttering that it was strange, Seol Hee-nam frowned and walked away, taking out his phone.
“Are you sure it’s here? Are you sure you didn’t get it wrong?”
Watching his back as he angrily scolded someone over the phone, I felt the
tension in my shoulders finally release.
“You were scared of my dad just now, weren’t you?”
I paused at Seol Suhyeon’s words and lowered my gaze again.
Seol Suhyeon was looking at me.
“…How did you know?”
“When my dad came over, it looked like you froze up… I get it. I do that, too.”
Seol Suhyeon let out a sigh that seemed far beyond her age. Then, as if sharing a secret, she stood on tiptoe, leaning close as though whispering into my ear, though she didn’t quite reach.
“I’m really scared of my dad too, and I don’t like him.”
“….”
I looked at Seol Suhyeon silently.
“So that’s why you helped me just now? Even though you’re scared of your dad too?”
“…Yeah. You helped me earlier too, remember?”
Seol Suhyeon’s smile appeared in the moonlight that lit up the darkened backyard.
“Thank y—”
“Seol Suhyeon!”
Before I could finish saying thanks, I heard Seol Hee-nam shouting from a distance.
At his voice, Seol Suhyeon visibly flinched, her shoulders shrinking in surprise.
“Yes, yes!”
She really was afraid of him.
Seeing the fear in her young eyes, I knew for certain. Earlier, Seol Suhyeon had come all the way to the mountain because she didn’t want to be with Seol Hee-nam.
“What are you doing? Hurry up so we can go!”
“Got it!”
Seol Suhyeon, who had shouted back quickly, looked at me one last time.
“Well, I’m going now, Seo Joonoh. Let’s meet again if we can.”
“…Sure. Take care.”
Seol Suhyeon waved her hand quickly before running off toward Seol Hee-nam.
Watching her retreating figure, I let out a small sigh.
When I found myself alone with Seol Hee-nam, terror had gripped me so completely that I couldn’t even think of a name to use.
If it hadn’t been for Seol Suhyeon, I might have frozen and been exposed right then and there.
In the end, all I could do was stand there, silently watching the girl’s back without even managing to say thanks.
