Chapter 22

The study group was deep into preparations for the upcoming university entrance mock test. The tension was high in the air, with everyone cramming in as much study time as they could.

"I swear, if I see one more math equation, I'm going to lose it," Lee-Joon muttered, rubbing his temples.

Se-Hyun smirked from the other side of the room. "Then stop slacking and study harder."

"I'm studying harder than you, I just need to whine about it," Lee-Joon retorted.

Ji-Woo rolled his eyes. "This is exactly why you are always at the bottom of the rankings."

Lee-Joon glared at Ji-Woo but said nothing more. Hee-Won, who had been quietly flipping through her history notes, couldn't help but chime in. "You two seriously need to stop bickering, it's distracting."

Ga-Min sat beside me, focusing on his books. He hadn't stopped studying since the exam results, and his efforts were starting to pay off. It was clear he was determined to make the next round of tests a major success.

I glanced at him, feeling proud of how far he'd come. He caught my gaze and offered a small smile. "How's your studying going?"

I sighed. "It's hard to focus when I'm constantly thinking about everything going on... with Ryeowook and Han-Wool."

Ga-Min frowned. "I know, but we've got to stay focused. We're in this together."

I nodded, appreciating his support, but the pressure was still heavy on my shoulders. I couldn't help but worry about what was coming next.

The following day, as we were all continuing to grind through our books, Ms. Lee walked in with an unexpected announcement.

"Everyone, I have something important to tell you," she said, her voice cutting through the quiet of the room.

We all looked up, curiosity piqued.

"Han-Wool has been released from jail," Ms. Lee added.

A heavy silence fell over the room.

"What?!" I exclaimed, standing up. "How? Why?"

Ms. Lee sighed. "There's been a shift in the case. The charges were reduced, and he's out on a technicality. It's complicated, but... he's back."

The air in the room turned cold.

Ga-Min's expression darkened, and I could feel the tension in his body. "He shouldn't be out. Not after everything that happened."

"I don't know what happened to him," I said, swallowing hard. "But I don't trust him."

"We'll have to stay alert," Se-Hyun muttered, glancing around the room. "Especially with what's going on with Ryeowook."

That evening, I packed my things, preparing to move into a new apartment. The old one was no longer safe.

As I was finishing up, my phone buzzed. It was Ga-Min.

"Are you okay?" his message read.

I smiled slightly, feeling a little comforted by his concern. I quickly replied, "I'm fine. Just moving out."

He replied almost instantly. "Good. Just make sure you're safe."

I was about to respond when I suddenly heard a noise. I looked up in surprise—there, standing in front of my apartment door, was none other than Han-Wool. He hadn't changed—still that same look, as if the world owed him something. The silence between us was thick with tension.

Han-Wool took a step closer, not quite threatening, but close enough to make my heart race. "I see you're living well," he said, his voice laced with venom. "Didn't think I'd be seeing you so soon after everything that happened."

I crossed my arms, standing my ground. "How did you get out?" I demanded. "After everything that went down, I thought you'd be in prison for a lot longer."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Things change. Some people have connections. Nothing to worry about." His smile was sharp, as if to remind me he still had the upper hand.

I didn't trust his words. The more he spoke, the more uneasy I felt, but I refused to let him see it. "Why are you here?" I asked, my voice colder this time.

Han-Wool's eyes flickered for a moment before he stepped even closer, his expression hardening. "I wanted to see you," he said, though it wasn't exactly a confession of affection. "And I heard something interesting while I was away."

I frowned, not liking the direction this conversation was heading. "What are you talking about?"

His smirk grew wider. "I heard you're dating Ga-Min."

My heart skipped a beat. How did he know? I hadn't told anyone about that—only the study group knew. The last thing I wanted was for him to use this against me.

"That's none of your business," I shot back, trying to mask the anxiety bubbling in my chest.

But Han-Wool didn't let up. "Oh, but it is. You think you can just move on with your life? Pretend everything's fine? Let me remind you, you're an asset, Hera. Whoever you marry will become powerful too. And Ga-Min? He's just a kid, not someone who can keep up with the kind of world you're stepping into."

I clenched my fists, but I didn't let his words hit me like they might have before. "I don't care what you think," I said firmly. "Ga-Min's not like the others."

Han-Wool scoffed. "I don't know, Hera. You think you've got it all figured out, but it's not that simple. You can't just hide behind Ga-Min forever."

I didn't want to hear him anymore, but then he added, his voice low and dangerous, "And now Ryeowook is back. He's coming for both of us. And I'll tell you this now—he won't stop until he gets what he wants."

"You think I don't know?" I snapped, my voice shaking with a mix of anger and hurt. "You think I've forgotten what happened to Dong-Wook?"

Han-Wool's eyes hardened at the mention of our best friend. I could see the bitterness behind his calm facade. He didn't speak right away, but the tension between us thickened.

"You're a coward," I spat, my words sharp. "You let Dong-Wook die, and you did nothing. You left him to die alone in that fight—just like you always let him down! I should've stepped up, but you never told me to!" My voice trembled, but I refused to back down. "And now, you think you can show up here, acting like nothing happened? Like Ryeowook's the only one who's hurt? No, Han-Wool, I am too!"

His jaw clenched at my words, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "You don't know anything, Hera," he growled. "You think I wanted that to happen? That I wanted Dong-Wook to die? It's because of you and your weakness—he trusted you to help him, and you didn't. And now he's gone because of that."

The words cut through me like a knife. He was blaming me again. Just like he always did.

I took a step back, my heart pounding. "Shut up," I said, but my voice was a whisper now. "I'm done with you. Done with all of this."

He reached out, his hand almost touching my arm, but I snapped. "Don't touch me!"

Without thinking, I kicked him in the chest, sending him stumbling backward. He didn't fight back, just looked at me with a mix of surprise and something darker in his eyes.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but I could feel the anger and hurt coursing through me. "You're not welcome here, Han-Wool," I said, my voice more composed now.

Han-Wool's eyes narrowed, but there was a trace of hesitation in them. "He's coming for both of us. And he's not here to play nice."

I looked him dead in the eye. "I don't care. I'm not afraid of him."

Han-Wool's expression twisted with bitterness. "We'll see about that, Hera. We'll see."

As he walked away, I could feel the weight of his words hanging in the air.

I realized I couldn't escape my past.