Dopamine Addiction - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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10.
“All I had was Alan Smith’s address, and I didn’t know he was at a care facility. I went straight to his house from the airport, and that’s when I heard the screaming. So I came in through the back door.”
“…….”
“Your father—the one who retired and hikes—you met with him all right?”
Hee-joo exhaled deeply once more. Perhaps this was why she found this man so unsettling. No lie would ever get past him.
“You’re right, Liam.”
Hee-joo conceded readily. Liam watched her with keen interest.
“My mother died shortly after I was born, and my father left me with a close friend. I grew up in their care. The man I called my father—the one who retired and hikes—he’s not my biological father.”
Liam nodded, inviting her to continue.
“Then I learned that my biological father had received a terminal diagnosis. I thought it only right to see him once before he passes, so I came all the way here.”
Liam’s eyebrow twitched. He clearly hadn’t expected her to lay out her personal history like this.
Hee-joo felt the same way.
“I don’t know why I’m sitting here telling you all this, but I really don’t know anything.”
“Mm.”
Liam crossed his other leg, his voice thoughtful. He directed it toward her.
“When you arrived, were they already in the house?”
“No. It was empty. But the front door was slightly ajar, and the place was ransacked like it had been burgled.”
“Then they must have been there at least once before today.”
“That’s what I think too.”
“Did they seem to know you were there, or did they stumble upon you by chance?”
“Mm.”
Hee-joo closed her eyes at his question. She retraced the situation from the beginning, moment by moment.
When her eyes opened, she answered with conviction.
“They knew I was there. They attacked me the moment I arrived. And—”
Her brow furrowed slightly.
“They demanded I hand something over. When nothing turned up in my bag, they began to—search my person.”
“What did they demand?”
“No matter how hard I think about it, I have no idea. They can’t be looking for something I have. I don’t even know who they are.”
“Then there’s only one answer.”
Hee-joo nodded at that. Likely they were both thinking of the same person.
The origin of all this.
“I need to see my father tomorrow. For now, I should rest. I’m exhausted.”
With that, Hee-joo stood. Liam followed naturally in her wake.
She made her way through the cafe toward the hotel lobby. Liam trailed silently behind her as she boarded the elevator and rode up to her floor.
Hee-joo opened her room door with the card key and turned back. She gave Liam a slight nod.
“Well then.”
Liam’s eyes met hers, and a beguiling smile spread across his face. His voice dropped to a whisper, honeyed enough to raise the hair on her skin.
“You’re throwing me out now, Hee-joo?”
Hee-joo returned his smile, radiant and unyielding.
“Yes.”
“Mm.”
Liam folded his arms and leaned one shoulder against the wall, piercing her with his gaze.
Without thinking, Hee-joo swallowed hard. In that moment of carelessness, her eyes were captured by the enigmatic slate-gray of his.
Her heart fluttered. Her mouth went dry for no reason. Her grip on the door handle tightened.
Liam looked entirely at ease, as though he knew exactly what was happening. He extended his hand slowly, covering the back of hers with his palm.
She’d felt it before during their first handshake—the size of his hand was remarkable. His fingers were long and elegant, fine enough to belong to a pianist.
Click. Liam turned the handle. The door began to swing open, revealing the room beyond.
A typical hotel room. One double bed.
Liam stepped forward while keeping his eyes on her. His solid thigh brushed past hers.
“!”
Her body tensed instantly, every nerve on edge. He couldn’t possibly miss it.
He drew closer. She felt the unmistakable pressure of his muscular frame.
The moment the slate-gray eyes came too near, Hee-joo pushed hard against his shoulder.
“Book a room downstairs. Now excuse me.”
She slipped quickly inside and slammed the door with a bang. Liam, who’d lost her in an instant, let out a soft laugh.
He looked down at his hand—the one he’d thought was holding her just moments before. It was empty.
He folded his fingers one by one, eventually clenching his fist tightly.
“She ran away again.”
Even after he’d kindly advised her not to. Yet his eyes gleamed with amusement, narrowed to crescents.
***
Her mother’s nagging continued endlessly through the phone.
According to her, the United States was a vicious country where bombings and shootings happened every day.
Well, it wasn’t that different. No bombings or shootings, but something similar had happened to her.
Hee-joo dried her wet hair with a towel and gazed out the window. The slow-moving car lights and colorful neon signs bore a striking resemblance to Korea.
“Don’t worry. I’ll call again tomorrow.”
—Yes. Don’t follow strangers around. Be careful with the car.
Advice fit for a seven-year-old made Hee-joo smile softly. Just then, the phone buzzed with an incoming call.
Checking the screen, she said, “It’s Team Lead Han calling. I’ll switch over,” and transferred the call.
“Yes, Team Lead.”
—Ah, Hee-joo.
Just those few words carried Team Lead Han’s obvious discomfort. It was likely because of the favor she’d asked of him.
Sensing something had gone wrong, Hee-joo called out carefully.
“What is it?”
—Well.
The team lead paused for a long moment, as if unsure how to explain, before continuing.
—You said there was a body, right?
“Yes. More precisely, one corpse and one man who’d lost consciousness.”
—We sent someone from our side to that house, but there was no body. And no unconscious man either.
“What? How could that……”
Hee-joo stopped mid-sentence and closed her mouth. No body? What did that mean? The corpse hadn’t walked away like a zombie.
“Did they find the right house?”
—Of course. There was no body, not a sound—the place was completely empty. Are you sure there really was a body?
“Yes. I saw it with my own eyes.”
—Right, I believe you. Liam……”
This time Team Lead Han trailed off. After a long pause, he asked, “But what in the world is all this?”
Who knows? Hee-joo still had no answer to that question. And she was more desperate for one than anyone.
“I’m going to look into it tomorrow.”
After a brief silence, Team Lead Han added, “If anything happens, call me right away. I’ll send backup immediately.”
Hee-joo, about to say there wouldn’t be anything to worry about, simply nodded. Though somehow, an ominous feeling kept nagging at her.
After hanging up, Hee-joo checked her phone and only then noticed there were unread messages. She clicked on the most recent one.
You went to the States? Um… I’m not sure what to say. Anyway, if anything comes up, let me know. I’ll be in Seoul the week you get back—let’s have dinner together. My treat for the meat. Wait, actually you’re buying. And don’t forget to bring me a gift.
The last line made Hee-joo chuckle. She clicked on the next message. The last one was from her younger brother, this time from her older brother.
Heard you went to the States. I sent you money, so don’t be stingy—buy whatever you want to eat. We’ll see each other when you’re back. If you need help with anything, get in touch.
“Is this the longest message I’ve ever gotten from him?”
Her brother, who lived by the principle of “no news is good news,” had sent a long message for a reason. She understood why her younger brother had thrown in that request for a gift too.
After replying to both of them, Hee-joo checked the time. Evening had slipped well into night, but she wasn’t hungry.
What she needed was quiet time to think things through. To figure out what all of this meant.
“What should I do.”
The deliberation didn’t last long. Hee-joo grabbed her wallet and left the room. She took the elevator down to the lounge.
Soft lighting and mellow music. Perfect. As she took a seat at the bar, the bartender polishing glasses gave her a friendly smile.
“What can I get you?”
“A beer, please.”
“Lager or ale?”
“Lager.”
The bartender expertly popped the cap and set the bottle and glass in front of her.
Hee-joo poured the beer full and took a long drink. The sharp carbonation scratched its way down her throat.
“Ah.”
Her mind grew clearer. The questions that had sunk beneath the surface bubbled back up.
Who were they? What were they looking for from her? And why had her father’s house been torn apart?
“Oh, right……”
A memory she’d completely forgotten suddenly surfaced.
The metal object her father had pressed into her hand. She’d hidden it in her pocket, avoiding the nurse’s eyes, and then forgotten about it entirely.
Hee-joo absently reached for her inner pocket. It only then occurred to her that she’d changed clothes after showering.
She had to check what it was right away. As she started to stand, someone sat down beside her.
He turned toward her with a charming smile.
“Why is such a beautiful lady drinking alone? A martini, please.”
Hee-joo turned her head slowly. The foreigner who’d placed his order turned back to her and winked.
Clearly Italian. The way he delivered smooth compliments so effortlessly was a dead giveaway.
“Traveling? Business?”
“…….”
“Want to have a drink together? Oh, I’m Fabio. Fabio Micheletto. My friends call me Fabio.”
Fabio extended his hand as if offering a handshake. She didn’t have time to engage with this man now.
“No, I……”
“You were here?”
In that instant, a voice tinged with faint amusement drifted from behind her.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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