Back-Stabbed- DISCONTINUED

Chapter 22

Hwa Yeong, unfazed by his probing, explained matter-of-factly, "I saved that boy from getting bullied."

Haneul couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at her casual response. "Then, why were you eating Jajangmyeon with him?" he pressed, his tone tinged with a hint of frustration.

"I eat jajangmyeon when I am annoyed," Hwa Yeong explained, her words laced with a hint of amusement. "When I am annoyed with you, I eat with Aera. When I am annoyed with Aera, I eat with you. I was annoyed with both of you, so I ate with my dongsaeng."

The mention of the word "dongsaeng" sparked a flicker of irritation in Haneul's eyes. "Your dongsaeng?!" he exclaimed doubtfully.

Unfazed by his reaction, Hwa Yeong retorted, "Then, is it your dongsaeng?"

"Eww, no," Haneul replied dismissively, a hint of exasperation creeping into his voice.

Their banter was interrupted by their arrival at Hwa Yeong's place. "We reached... If you-" he began, but stopped short when he noticed she was still asleep. With a tender gesture, he reclined her seat, adjusted the air conditioner, and draped his coat over her, unable to resist the urge to protect her even in her sleep.

"Huh, you are my biggest weakness. Even when you fight with me, you look cute." As Haneul's whispered words reached her ears, Hwa Yeong's heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushing with a mixture of embarrassment and delight. She wanted to open her eyes, to meet his gaze and acknowledge his tender sentiment, but a voice in her mind urged her to stay still, to maintain the disguise of sleep.

"I can't wake up now or he will know I heard him," she thought to herself, grappling with her conflicting emotions. "What do I do? He pretends like he doesn't care, but he cares a lot. Urgh! I can't help liking him even more."

Just as she wrestled with her thoughts, the sound of Haneul stepping out of the car broke the silence. Hwa Yeong's eyes fluttered open slightly, her heart racing as she listened to his movements outside. But she remained motionless, feigning sleep even as the car began to move again, the engine roaring to life as Haneul drove with a sense of urgency.

As they sped through the streets, Hwa Yeong's grip tightened on the seatbelt, her knuckles turning white with tension. She couldn't help but wonder what had prompted Haneul's sudden haste, but before she could dwell on it further, they veered into an alley, the car coming to an abrupt halt.

Haneul leaned towards her, his movements fluid and purposeful as he reached for his pistol. In a split-second decision, he fired a shot, the sound echoing through the confined space of the alley. Hwa Yeong's eyes snapped open in shock, her heart pounding in her chest as she realized the gravity of the situation.

"That was so loud. I thought she would have woken up," Haneul thought to himself, oblivious to Hwa Yeong's sudden awakening. "She must be really tired."

As Haneul exited the car to confront their unseen adversary, Hwa Yeong watched in awe, her admiration for him growing with each passing moment. But as she glanced out the window, her breath caught in her throat as she spotted a man aiming a gun at Haneul, his intentions clear.