Ki Joo opened the door and got out. Even as she ignored his appearance and tried to open the back door herself, he grabbed the door handle half a beat earlier. Then, he grandly opened the door and gave a slight nod.

Eun Chae first shoved her violin case in, then sat next to it. Afterward, she straightened the hem of her coat that had crumpled from squeezing herself in.

Ki Joo watched her, who didn’t even give him a glance, and slowly closed the door. He looked fixedly at her graceful silhouette beyond the heavily tinted window, then turned around.

The woman behaved as if what had happened that day was nothing at all.

Ki Joo modestly nodded his head, then clenched his teeth. His jaw trembled as if it would collapse, but his expression was indifferent.

After he got into the driver’s seat, silence took over the car. They arrived at the school without anyone saying a word.

Ki Joo opened the backseat door and tried to take the violin case. No, he was stopped at the attempt. It was thwarted by Eun Chae twisting her shoulder to avoid him, still carrying the violin case.

“I’m fine. I’ll go alone.”

She said so while readjusting her hold on the violin case. Ki Joo brushed off his hand that lost its grip in the air.

“Have it your way.”

He spoke indifferently, then tucked his hand into his trouser pocket.

“But why aren’t you looking at me?”

She stiffened her neck as if to ask what he was talking about. Ki Joo looked at her as if gauging something.

“You said it’s nothing.”

At his words, Eun Chae bowed her head. Following that, a frustrated sigh escaped from her small lips.

“I thought you were smart… You’re a complete fool.”

Eun Chae muttered to herself. He absentmindedly looked at the burgundy ribbon holding her numerous strands of hair.

It was quiet to the point of solemnity.

“Learn more about Kim So Hee.”

“…”

“You have to be sure about the calculations.”

Finally, Eun Chae lifted her head.

Did he hear her? Or did he hear and get hurt?

She furrowed her eyebrows while looking at Ki Joo, who was standing there with an unknowable face. His gaze followed the distortion of her eyebrows.

“…Is it in exchange for a kiss?”

Eun Chae silently looked at him instead of answering. She met his gaze directly.

Their gazes collided, unable to mix like oil and water.

“…”

“…”

Ki Joo’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down rapidly, albeit short.

“To what extent do you think I hope for?”

After spitting out those words, he turned around. His long coat fluttered in the wind. Eun Chae briefly saw him take out his mobile phone.

Just before climbing into the driver’s seat, Ki Joo touched his phone once and then swiftly tucked himself back into the car.

At the same time, Eun Chae’s halfcoat pocket vibrated with her phone. Reflexively, she bent her head to check as the car started moving.

She slowly lifted her head. The car was quickly increasing distance. It was only a moment before the school gate. If it turned the corner, it would be completely out of sight. Suddenly, Eun Chae felt a sense of distance.

She’s the one who resolutely cut ties, but why did it feel this way? It was not even funny.

With her eyes cast downward in desolation, Eun Chae fumbled in her pocket to retrieve her phone.

There was a message from Kwon Ki Joo. Without a single line of explanation, only a lone file.

While she was looking at the empty chat room, suddenly the screen turned black and a call came in. The caller was Han Seung Yoon.

The moment the unwelcome name came into view, Eun Chae sighed as if she was fed up.

He would only talk nonsense without any substance. But she couldn’t ignore it either.

Eun Chae dragged the screen, wishing the call would end on its own as she clicked her tongue.

“Hello,” Seung Yoon said abruptly, before any conversation could occur.

“Let’s meet tomorrow.”

Talking over the phone… Eun Chae dryly responded, her face grimacing at the poor phone etiquette.

“Do we have more things to discuss?”

It was an indirect way of saying she didn’t want to meet, now that all preparations for the wedding were done.

She would have preferred not to meet until the wedding, but that was her way of showing consideration. If only Han Seung Yoon understood her intent.

“Rather than having things to do, I have something to say.”

Surprisingly, Seung Yoon had figured out her intentions. Unfortunately, he did not seem to intend to withdraw his request to meet.

Eun Chae was lost in thought, tapping the side of her phone with her thumb.

She had never benefited from meeting him.

He seemed to have figured out even this thought of hers.

“You will regret it if you don’t listen.”

Even through the phone, his nagging came through clearly. Eun Chae bit her lower lip, finding it tiring to deal with him.

“Do as you please. I will know what to expect.”

With that, Seung Yoon ended the call. Eun Chae stared at her disconnected phone.

A bad premonition was creeping up on her.

“Song Eun Chae! Eun Chae.”

She reluctantly turned her stiff body towards the direction of the call. Mi Rae was waving at her, a takeaway coffee cup filled with ice, despite it being midwinter.

((())) ((())) ((()))

A discordant sound echoed throughout the practice room. Eun Chae was taking deep breaths, her upper body bent and her bowholding hand frozen in the air. Those who had noticed her condition fell silent.

Unwanted advice or interference is a nogo when a performance isn’t going smoothly. Someone tried to lighten the mood by opening a window, suggesting a break.

Eun Chae slowly got up, her breathing still ragged, inexplicably so even to herself.

“……Sorry. I’ll be in the restroom for a bit.”

After saying this, Eun Chae lowered her hand that had been hanging in the air. She hurriedly exited the practice room, leaving behind her peers who were huddled in conversation.

The hallway that came into view was oddly empty.

Eun Chae walked briskly towards the restroom. Her arms and legs felt rigid. Despite this, she kept her pace.

Once in the restroom, she immediately turned on the cold water in the sink. Even in the summer, she needed warm water for a shower due to her sensitivity to cold. But now, she needed the cold water to wake her up.

Eun Chae splashed her face several times with water filled in her hands. When she raised her head, patches of red where water had hit were scattered around her cheeks, nose, and various other parts of her face.

Her eyes aimlessly scanned her face. Her lips were more swollen than usual. It was because of Kwon Ki Joo’s passionate kisses.

Eun Chae rubbed her wet lips. Despite trying to forget the feeling, it vividly came back to her.

When he penetrated her. When he bit her tender flesh.

Her heart betrayed her, pounding as if she was seasick.

To support her weakened body, Eun Chae grabbed the sink with her hands. With hollow eyes, she glared at her lips, which had turned redder from her rough rubbing.

Viola can’t lie.

She wondered if she had become one with her instrument, caring for it like it was part of her body.

lu lu lo la ▪️ net (lululola.net)