HAUGHTY-To Love ✔

CHAPTER 32

AUN POV

The ride continued in silence, neither I nor JungYun uttering a word to break the soundless journey. His eyes remained focused on the road ahead, while mine were fixed on the passing scenery outside the car window, the darkened skies above.

As time passed, I realized that we had been driving for quite a while, and there seemed to be no sign of him stopping the car anytime soon. We had been on the road for the past 30 minutes, passing through the highways of the city. I contemplated asking about our destination, but knowing his tendency to respond with monotone answers, I decided to keep my mouth shut.

The car turned onto a one-way road that seemed vaguely familiar, triggering a distant memory in my mind. I couldn't quite recall why, but the pathway felt somewhat recognizable, as if I had traversed it before. However, my attention was caught by a blue signboard with bold white letters that flashed by as we drove along the broad lane.

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY ⤴

My eyes squinted as I read the name of the university where I had once graduated and where I first met the man sitting beside me. "Why are you driving us to our university?" I finally asked, but once again, there was no response from the other side.

Confusion etched across my face as I watched JungYun drive past our university, the tall buildings standing proudly with their name and symbol, flags unfurled in the wind. We continued on for another 10 minutes until JungYun turned the vehicle onto a narrow path surrounded by trees. Tension gripped my body as I took in the unfamiliar surroundings.

There were no lights around us, only the headlights illuminating the way ahead. As JungYun shifted into second gear, my anxiety grew as I realized we were venturing further into the dark road. "JungYun, where are you taking me?" I asked, my voice filled with concern.

He didn't answer but focused on driving ahead. My mind started to spin with unpleasant thoughts, even though I knew deep down that JungYun wouldn't do anything terrible. But I couldn't help but have trust issues, knowing that he could be anyone, regardless of the situation or place.

"We're almost there," he finally spoke after what felt like an eternity, turning the wheel in a full 360-degree left turn.

"What is this place?" I questioned as I noticed two lantern poles standing three meters away from us. The car came to a halt as JungYun parked beside one of the poles. "Get out," he simply instructed, unbuckling his seat belt.

As I opened the door, a chilly gust of air swept through my hair, causing my baby hairs to stand on end. The area was cold, and I could feel the rawness of the air against my skin. In need of warmth, I rubbed my palms together and hugged my elbows for some heat. "Where are we, JungYun?" I asked, seeking answers in the midst of uncertainty.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration building up inside me. This was the fourth time I had asked the same question, and yet JungYun seemed to be taking his time to answer. "You know this place," he said, his voice trailing off as he walked ahead without bothering to inform me to follow him. I sighed, realizing that I had no choice but to go behind his back and try to uncover the answer myself.

As I stood there, my eyes scanned the surroundings, desperately searching for any clue that could help me figure out what this spot could be. I rotated my gaze, taking in every detail, but nothing seemed to reveal itself. It was as if the answer was hidden in plain sight, just out of my grasp.

"Can't he just already tell me?" I muttered under my breath, my annoyance growing with each passing moment. I huffed a blow of air in frustration and turned my body to the right, intending to move on and leave this mystery behind.