The Seowon Guild still smelled of old books and disinfectant today. It wasnât exactly a pleasant smell. Uijae was acutely aware of the hand resting on his shoulder as he walked. Lee Sa-young stayed glued to his side, as if worried he might collapse at any moment.
â¦
Of course, this was just as unwelcome. Every time he felt Sa-youngâs presence so close, cold sweat would break out, and his body tensed involuntarily. Yet neither Uijae nor Sa-young said anything about it.
An hour ago, as soon as Uijae had taken the phone, Gaeul had shouted:
â Iâm sorry, but please come to the Seowon Guild right away! Itâs really urgent!
And just like that, the call had ended. Sa-young had looked visibly displeased but hadnât stopped Uijae from agreeing to meet with her. What could he have done if Sa-young had refused? They needed to gather any information they could in this situation.
And besidesâ¦
There wasnât much time left before Uijaeâs death. He followed as Sa-young led him forward. The sound of a door unlocking reached his ears, followed by a rush of warmth and the faint scent of green tea. It must be a lounge.
"Ah, J! Youâre here!"
Gaeulâs voice called out. Uijae checked to ensure his mask was in place before responding.
"Yes. Youâre Gaeul, right?"
"Thatâs me! Youâre the J I met briefly back then, right? Oh, but⦠your handâs bandaged? Did you get hurt?"
Uijae rubbed his hand, feeling the rough texture of the bandages.
"Oh, this? Yeah, a little."