Dinner Invitation
For days, Kang Seo Jun had tried to get closer to Hyejin. Despite her cold demeanor, his obsession with her only grew stronger. He admired her talent, her mystery, and the way she carried an aura of danger that no one else seemed to notice.
One afternoon after class, Seo Jun approached Hyejin as she was packing her bag.
"Hyejin," he said, his tone unusually earnest.
She glanced up at him, her face devoid of emotion. "What?"
"I was wondering…" he began hesitantly, scratching the back of his neck. "Would you like to have dinner with me tonight? Just… as friends or classmates. It's on me."
Hyejin raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Please," Seo Jun added quickly, his voice tinged with desperation. "I'll keep it casual. No pressure."
Hyejin studied him for a moment. She had no interest in casual dinners, but something about Seo Jun's persistence intrigued her. He was charming, persistent, and annoyingly hopeful—qualities that made him the perfect prey.
"Fine," she replied, standing up. "But I chose the place."
Seo Jun's face lit up with a smile. "Deal!"
The Dinner
That evening, they went to a quiet, upscale restaurant. The interior was warm and inviting, with soft lighting and jazz music playing in the background. Seo Jun led Hyejin to a table near the window.
As they sat, Hyejin scanned the room, observing every detail like a predator sizing up potential prey. Her eyes lingered on a table nearby where two couples were seated. The group seemed to be enjoying themselves, laughing and talking animatedly.
Seo Jun, noticing her distracted gaze, tried to catch her attention.
"Do you like the ambiance?" he asked.
"It's fine," Hyejin replied curtly, her eyes still fixed on the couples.
She observed one couple in particular. The boy, with an outwardly sweet demeanor, was doting on his girlfriend, pouring her water and smiling affectionately. But when the other couple excused themselves to go to the restroom, Hyejin noticed a sinister change.
Beneath the table, the boy grabbed his girlfriend's wrist tightly, his knuckles turning white. The girl winced but didn't say a word, her smile froze in place.
"Stop shaking," the boy hissed under his breath. "Do you want them to notice?"
The girl muttered something inaudible, her voice trembling.
Hyejin's lips curled into a faint, cold smile. She could hear the tension in their hushed whispers, see the bruises hidden beneath the girl's long sleeves.
When the other couple returned, the boy's demeanor instantly shifted. He placed his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, laughing as if nothing had happened. The girl forced a smile, her eyes betraying her fear.
Seo Jun, who had been trying to follow Hyejin's line of sight, turned to look at the couple. He saw nothing unusual and turned back to Hyejin.
"This is the first time I've seen you smile," Seo Jun remarked, his tone lighthearted. "What's so amusing?"
Hyejin turned to him, her smile fading into a neutral expression. "You're lucky, Kang Seo Jun."
"Lucky?" he repeated, confused but intrigued.
"Yes," she replied, picking up her fork and cutting into her food. "Because you're sitting here with me."
Seo Jun chuckled nervously, unsure of how to interpret her words. "Well, I'd say I'm more than lucky. I'm honored to be having dinner with someone as talented as you."
Hyejin didn't respond. She ate quietly, her thoughts spiraling into darker territory.
The Next Target
As the dinner progressed, Seo Jun continued making small talk, trying to charm her. But Hyejin's mind was elsewhere. Her cold gaze returned to the boy at the other table.
The other couple excused themselves again, and the boy's mask slipped once more.
"Why didn't you laugh at my joke earlier?" he hissed, gripping her arm.
"I-I'm sorry," the girl stammered.
"You're embarrassing me," he snapped, his tone venomous.
Hyejin's fingers tightened around her fork as she observed the scene. Two-faced people are so much fun to deal with.
She shifted her focus back to Seo Jun, who was eagerly trying to engage her. You might be interesting, she thought. But you're not ready for my masterpiece just yet.
However, in her mind, she had already chosen her next victim. The boy from the other table would be perfect—a stark reminder of the consequences of hiding cruelty beneath a mask of kindness.
Seo Jun smiled, his voice breaking her thoughts. "I have to say, you're full of surprises, Hyejin."
She gave him a faint smirk. "You don't know the half of it."
As they finished their meal and left the restaurant, Hyejin glanced back at the couple one last time, her cold smile returning.
"See you soon," she whispered under her breath.
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