criminal love; jungwon

31

Jungwon noticed the change in her almost immediately.

She was distant, distracted. She avoided him, always claiming she was “busy” or “tired.” But he knew better.

He watched her from afar, his eyes narrowing as she scribbled notes in her journal. She was hiding something.

And he had a sinking feeling he knew what it was.

One evening, as they walked home together, Jungwon decided to confront her.

“You’ve been acting weird lately,” he said, breaking the silence.

Nanhee glanced at him, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“You’re always busy. You barely talk to me anymore.” His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. “What’s going on?”

Nanhee hesitated. She wanted to tell him, to confide in him. But she couldn’t. Not yet.

“I’m just stressed,” she lied. “With everything that’s happened…”

Jungwon didn’t look convinced, but he nodded. “Yeah. It’s been tough.”

They walked in silence after that, the tension between them palpable.

The next day, Nanhee found another clue.

She was in the art room, cleaning up after class, when she noticed something unusual. Tucked behind a canvas was a photograph.

Her heart raced as she pulled it out.

It was a picture of her, taken on the day of the festival. She was smiling, her eyes bright with happiness. But there was something else—something in the background.

A shadowy figure, watching her.

Nanhee’s hands trembled as she examined the photo. It was blurry, but she recognized the shape. The figure was standing near the lockers.

Near where Minji and her friends were found.

Her stomach churned. Was this a warning? A threat?

She didn’t know. But she was determined to find out.

That evening, Nanhee called Jungwon.

“I need your help,” she said, her voice shaky.

Jungwon was silent for a moment. “With what?”

“There’s something I need to show you.”

They met at the park, the air crisp and cold. Nanhee handed him the photograph, her eyes searching his face for a reaction.

Jungwon stared at it, his expression unreadable.

“Where did you find this?” he asked.

“In the art room.”

He nodded slowly, his mind racing. He needed to play this carefully.

“This is serious, Nanhee. You should go to the police.”

Nanhee shook her head. “I can’t. Not yet. I need to know the truth first.”

Jungwon frowned. “What if it’s dangerous?”

“I’ll be careful,” she promised.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. But promise me you won’t do anything reckless.”

“I promise.”

Despite her promise, Nanhee continued her investigation.

She started following people, watching their movements. She kept a notebook, jotting down everything she observed.

But someone was watching her, too.

Jungwon.

He followed her one evening, keeping a safe distance. She didn’t notice him, too focused on her task.

He watched as she approached a group of students, asking questions. He felt a pang of guilt. She was putting herself in danger, and it was his fault.

He needed to protect her.

No matter the cost.

Nanhee’s breakthrough came a week later.

She found a letter in her locker, slipped in when she wasn’t looking. The handwriting was familiar—Chahyeon’s.

Her blood ran cold as she read the message.

“I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

Nanhee’s mind raced. Was this a confession? A plea for forgiveness?

She showed the letter to Jungwon that evening.

“What do you think it means?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Jungwon studied the letter, his jaw tightening. “It means he knew what he did was wrong.”

Nanhee nodded slowly. “But why would someone leave this now?”

Jungwon didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

Because he knew the truth.

The truth came crashing down on Nanhee a few days later.

She found another clue—an old photograph of Jungwon and Chahyeon, taken years ago. They were smiling, arms slung around each other.

Her heart sank.

She confronted Jungwon that night, her voice shaking.

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew Chahyeon?”

Jungwon’s eyes darkened. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does! I need to know the truth, Jungwon.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I knew him in middle school. We were friends. But things changed.”

Nanhee’s eyes filled with tears. “Did you… did you kill him?”

Jungwon didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

Nanhee stepped back, her heart breaking. “Why?”

“I did it for you,” Jungwon whispered. “To protect you.”

Nanhee shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “I never wanted this.”

“I know.”

The silence between them was deafening, filled with unspoken words and shattered dreams.

And as Nanhee walked away, Jungwon knew he had lost her.

But he didn’t regret it.

Because love had made him a criminal.

And he would do it all over again.