TRUST || STRAY KIDS

PART XV - LIES

Even though the atmosphere was supposed to be warm, she felt different. Cold. Intimidating. The man across her really didn't let his eyes wandered around the fancy restaurant and always rest his gaze on her eyes. Significant difference could be seen from their dish, as he ordered a premium beef with wine. While she only ordered a simple dish. Who can shove their food onto their mouth in this kind situation anyway?

It was only an hour difference until she got into this intense situation. Not expected he would get to her this quickly. Him meeting her himself was a big surprise. This matter must be important since he volunteered himself to meet her. Well, it's not like he'll start talking any moment and just continued their staring contest. She didn't dare to open up her mouth too, afraid of the man across her.

"It's nice to see you in person, Ms. Yang," he started. Finally. She realized she's been holding her breath this whole time. "Your first impression was... devastatingly terrible. You're a disgrace to my family, basically."

"If you're only going to belittle me, then I'm leaving. I don't plan on going to your event or even disturb your family," she sighed and about to take her bag from the floor before he said something that caught her attention.

"I heard your father gamble a lot?" she braved herself to look him in the eyes, telling him that she's listening. "Have you ever wondered how he got those loads of cash home? Not to mention jewelry and gold." As long as she remembered, he never even once brought home any jewelry or even gold. She frowned, already suspecting he might be lying. "I know you're not going to believe me. But have you ever asked your stepmother? She might know something about that, I'm pretty sure."

"What do you mean? My mom was in debt until few months ago. No way she would have those," she denied. "If she has, she will pay them with those golds and jewelries."

"She did," the old man nodded. "But her wrong move was to ask money from the loan sharks. They'll immediately increase her interest by day if she can't pay them on the due date. That's why she's been in debt for a few years." She's been in debt for years? How came she didn't know that? Well, aside from their lack of contact, she didn't know anything. More importantly, how come he knew all about this? It kept getting creepier the more she thought about it.

"Have you been keeping an eye on my family?" she asked carefully. "There's no way you're going to say no. Knowing all those things that I don't even know will prove you're a big liar. You're not even a fortune teller, how do you know anything about that?"

"I did keep an eye on your family, only until your father death," he admitted, which made her widened her eyes. He took the first bite of his beef before continuing his story. "It was because he left last year game night with too much wealth taken from us. It's not wrong of us to think he might pull up a trick or something. So, I decided to keep an eye on your family. But he got into an accident suddenly, so I don't have any reason to keep an eye on him. Until you joined the game night yesterday. I didn't know you grew up to be a fine lady, until you talked like that. You really piqued my interest." Her food now getting cold since her attention now solely on the old man. She has a feeling he knew something about her father that she doesn't. However, she's holding herself not to be too immersed with the conversation.

"So? What are you trying to say?"

"I heard you're good at gambling. Not to mention, smart," he said becoming more serious than before. It was making her scared, to be honest. The thing he wanted to talk about must be bad news, she just knew that. "You being inside our family will boost up our strength. That's why I want to make a proposal with you. If you do what I said, I'll give you anything you wished for."

"And the thing you want me to do?" her heartbeat getting faster and faster as the time goes by.

"I want you to be part of the family, marry one of the children," he said while she widened her eyes in disbelief. Marriage? She's not even graduated from college, yet she has to think about marriage? Is life really that easy for this old man? Well, yeah, technically speaking he's wealthy. Probably can have anything he wanted. But controlling someone life? That's just utter nonsense! "The fifth family will come back from Sydney tomorrow. Their children will transfer to your campus in a few days, I hope you can get along with them."

"That's just bullshit!" she exclaimed, gaining the other customer attention. It was a fancy restaurant. Of course, no cursing word allowed since it was not in the etiquette book of fine dining. But she didn't mind at all, having all attentions directed to her. At one point, she might also scream about how mad this old man is. "You can't control someone's life just because you have money, old man. This is just utter bullshit. I'm leaving." She took her bag from the floor, about to stood up before he brought up Ye Ji.

"Even if I approve to help Ye Ji going back?" he asked, still calm. She sighed and stood up, leaving the old man alone. "There's something you have to remember, young one. Don't trust anyone, especially those who close to you." She heard him loud and clear as she was heading to the exit.

To be honest, she did not deny the fact that the old man was right. There are a few questions flying around her head right now. First, how can he know where her position was? She's on the way home before someone called her and turned out it was Hyun Jin's grandfather. Second, how he knew about Ye Ji? It was just being discussed today. A few hours ago. There could be one answer and that's someone was being his eyes and ears. His assistant couldn't come inside the campus ground as no one can come inside easily without prior announcement. It must be someone inside the campus and close to her. Was it Hyun Jin? He was with her today, also asking about how he wanted to ask about helping Ye Ji.

She stopped and looked around for a second, already feeling someone might still follow her. She took her phone and messaged Seung Min and Chang Bin. Telling them to meet in her house.

.

"I knew that old man is a madman," Chang Bin sighed, leaning his back on the sofa. "I thought you don't want to have anything to do with them anymore? Why the sudden changes?"

"I know right? Today you suddenly accept Hyun Jin's request on helping Ye Ji," Seung Min added.

"That's because I owe something with Ryu Jin. Hyun Jin said that Ryu Jin also wanted me to save Ye Ji, right? That's why I accepted," she answered, still pacing back and forth. Seung Min finally learned that his feeling was way too far ahead of his head. He knew she's best friend with Ryu Jin and she most likely to accept the request if Ryu Jin was also involved. How stupid of him to get jealous just because he thought Hyun Jin was asking.

"Ryu Jin?" Seung Min finally remembered something. "Wasn't she with us in the library?" She looked at him, asking him to continue. "I remembered she sat in the library. I thought you're on bad terms with her that's why you guys seat apart from each other."

"Really?" she still didn't want to believe him while Seung Min nodded surely. If what he's saying was true, she really can't trust anyone ever again. Getting involve in their family affair will only led her into more forest of lies. They're poker family, living based on lies and bluffing. They could do it the same in real life.

"Oh yeah, thinking about it," Chang Bin joined in. "We bid goodbye, didn't we?" he looked at her while she just nodded, remembered clearly that she and Chang Bin met at the campus entrance as they about to walk home individually. "I saw Ryu Jin at the entrance also. I thought you already saw her." She sighed and plopped herself to the couch beside Seung Min.

Now for sure, she can't trust anyone ever again. On one side, she wanted to confront her so bad, while on the other side she wanted to see how far she'll go. But for sure, the trust she's built for her has crumbled in seconds. Even if she just trying to help Ye Ji out, she's willing to sell out her friends. There's no guarantee she wouldn't do the same thing in the near future.

"Hey," Seung Min took her hand gently, gaining the girl attention. "You don't have to worry. We're with you. We're going to help you out of there." There's no way he would let her marry Felix or Chan. She didn't even know them, in the first place. Rather, he knew Felix or Chan's type of girl were way different from her. They prefer soft girl with mild attitude rather than fierce girl like her. To be honest, she's not even close to his type but the more he knew her, the more he became interested in her. And that's the only thing he's scared of. He's scared they might do the same.

"Thank you. Really," she smiled at him.

"Should we call the others? I think we need a plan in moment like this," Chang Bin suggested. Seung Min and her looked at each other before nodding, agreed.