I’m Obsessed With the Suspect - Chapter 34
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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34
As if reading her troubled expression, Rachel gently took Cheong-a’s hand.
“You’re not refusing… are you?”
Her long eyelashes drooped down. Then eyes full of anticipation followed behind.
Rachel’s flawless charm offensive continued seamlessly.
Cheong-a had to avoid her gaze.
“I’m just so grateful. I really want to treat Bokseon to something delicious.”
And she barely managed to open her mouth.
It was to voice her troubled refusal.
How could she follow them there at this dawn hour? She had to go to work tomorrow morning too.
However, the next moment,
“…Yes.”
What came out of her mouth was acceptance.
Huh?
Rachel’s face instantly brightened, and Cheong-a looked shocked as she covered her own mouth.
Rachel’s face was innocent.
Only Cheong-a’s own guilt remained for being unable to resist her dazzling beauty and blurting out a positive answer.
Rachel smiled brightly as if truly delighted. Then she slowly turned her head and asked Wujin.
“Manager. Could you drive us? Hehe.”
Wujin shrugged his shoulders without giving any particular answer.
It was an ambiguous reaction – whether it was positive or not.
Before departing for Ganghwa-do, Cheong-a quickly left her seat saying she’d stop by the restroom and pulled out her phone.
“Damn, what is this.”
What appeared on the screen were dozens of missed calls from Park Inkyu.
She could clearly picture him clutching the back of his neck.
Cheong-a began typing a message with a short sigh.
「Why did you call so many times? I don’t think I can come to work tomorrow. Please file a leave request for me」
「Park Inkyu: What the」
It was already approaching six in the morning. However, a reply from Park Inkyu arrived within seconds.
「What, why aren’t you sleeping!」
「Park Inkyu: How could I sleep?????」
「I’m going to Ganghwa-do.」
「Park Inkyu: What? Why are you going there?」
「To eat bluefin tuna…」
「Park Inkyu: Are you crazy? No!」
“Do you think I want to go or something ㅠ? Going to investigate. Rachel, together with Min Woojin.”
「I’ll send my location when I arrive and message every hour. If you can’t reach me, contact Yeonhui for location tracking. OK? Thanks」
Throughout sending the messages, Inkyu kept calling like crazy.
“Ah, seriously. I told him so many times that phones can be wiretapped. He’s not a dinosaur, so why has his awareness gone extinct these days?”
Cheong-a shook her head and shoved her phone back into her pocket.
Then she headed to the parking lot where Rachel and Wujin were waiting.
***
When the car Wujin was driving arrived at Ganghwa-do, dawn was already breaking.
As soon as Cheong-a got out of the car, her mouth fell open.
“Wow.”
What lay before her was a restaurant of palace-like proportions. A quite luxurious exterior with a large oyster farm attached.
But.
“Would they be… open at this hour?”
In the vast parking lot, only Wujin’s car sat alone. The restaurant’s sign was off, and only small lights were on inside.
“I know the owner here well. I asked them to open up for us.”
“…”
“It’s nice to eat comfortably. I don’t really like being around crowds.”
Rachel walked along the neatly maintained garden, guiding Cheong-a and Wujin.
When they reached the restaurant entrance, a middle-aged woman dressed in hanbok bowed deeply to Rachel and greeted the group.
“It’s been a long time.”
“Yeah. I haven’t been able to come often recently, have I? Sorry.”
The three people followed the staff member’s guidance into the restaurant. Then with an “Oh right,” Rachel turned to look at Wujin.
“Manager.”
“Yes?”
“Our Bokseon said earlier that she wanted to eat oysters too. It’s right next to this restaurant. There’s an oyster farm there. Could you go buy some fresh ones?”
Cheong-a, who had become “our Bokseon” again, blinked.
‘I did? When?’
However, Rachel was already pulling cash from her wallet and holding it out to Wujin. There were quite a few yellow bills.
“Get plenty, please. Let’s eat until we burst today.”
Wujin’s eyes wavered very subtly. Cheong-a briefly made eye contact with him.
“Yes, I’ll be back.”
Wujin got up from his seat and left the room.
The place where only the two remained.
Only the staff member began quietly setting up the table.
“Please call if you need anything.”
The staff member who finished greeting politely left the room, and Cheong-a’s gaze remained fixed on the table.
‘That… isn’t that expensive?’
There was soju that she’d only heard the name of but was seeing for the first time.
Rachel skillfully opened the bottle and filled the glasses while starting to chat.
“I was originally born in the Philippines, you know?”
“Wow. I see. Oh? Then was your name your real name?”
“Yeah. Raquel. That’s what they called me back home.”
Cheong-a lifted her glass and received the drink Rachel was pouring.
“How is the Philippines? I’ve wanted to visit there too. I just haven’t had the chance yet.”
“Well. It’s been a long time since I’ve been there too.”
Rachel’s eyes drooped sadly as she let out a deep sigh.
“I have a criminal record, so it’s a bit difficult to go back home.”
At Rachel’s bewildering confession, Cheong-a’s gaze darted left and right rapidly.
But why is she suddenly telling me this story, Rachel?
“I really wanted to live a good life.”
Cheong-a quickly looked around again.
To see if there were any guys who had come to catch her.
As if not noticing Cheong-a’s restless gaze, Rachel lightly emptied her glass and picked up the bottle again.
“Actually, calling it a criminal record is a bit much. It ended with a suspended sentence.”
Cheong-a quickly snatched the bottle from her hand and filled her glass instead. Rachel emptied her glass again.
“I really had a hard time once. Being dragged around everywhere. Betrayed. Used. Back then… I was too young.”
Rachel’s eyes followed the empty air for a moment.
“But there’s no law saying people have to die. There was someone who saved me. Do you know how cool he was?”
“…”
“My boyfriend.”
Cheong-a quietly filled Rachel’s empty glass while listening.
“He was the Cheongwha Faction Boss.”
The hand holding the bottle stopped in mid-air.
‘Cheongwha Faction?’
For a moment, Cheong-a didn’t know how to react.
“….”
Then Rachel held her swirling glass, rested her chin on her hand, and slowly closed her eyes.
“You’re probably wondering why I’m suddenly telling you this story?”
Cheong-a couldn’t give any answer. Her heart was beating so fast she could barely breathe. She couldn’t understand what this situation was about at all.
She didn’t even know if this was a story she could believe.
Cheong-a and Rachel had only met two or three times, including the interview.
She couldn’t understand the motive behind opening up like this to someone who was practically a stranger with only a passing acquaintance.
Was this a trap?
Was she testing her?
Meanwhile, Rachel emptied her glass once more, then suddenly grabbed Cheong-a’s hand tightly without giving her a chance to avoid it.
“I’m asking you to help me right now.”
At that moment, the sound of heavy footsteps began approaching.
At the sound of the door sliding open with a rattle, Rachel casually released Cheong-a’s hand as if nothing had happened.
In the awkward atmosphere filled with silence, Wujin looked back and forth between the two and asked carefully.
“Uh… should I have taken more time coming back?”
“No. We were just having some meaningless girl talk, that’s all.”
Rachel laughed very lightly with a completely different atmosphere than just moments before.
Soon after, a staff member came in and began setting up the food.
Appetizing bluefin tuna and plump oysters were placed on the table. However, Cheong-a couldn’t focus on the food.
‘Help her? With what? No, more than that, Rachel was the Cheongwha Faction Boss’s lover?’
She felt frustrated, like her insides were burning up.
She was dying to hear the rest of the story, but whether it was because of Wujin, Rachel seemed to have no intention of opening her mouth any further.
After Wujin returned, there were only meaningless conversations about PC Bang customers, new games that had come out, and the weather in Ganghwa-do.
Cheong-a found herself glaring at Wujin more and more.
‘Of all times to come in at that moment.’
If only she had a little more time, just a little more, she could have at least tried to find out what kind of help Rachel was trying to request, and why she was asking her for help.
Cheong-a let out a big sigh and decided to embark on a new strategy.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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