am-books Chapter 52
Chapter 52
“Why is Shihu taking her? Are they close? Did she go over to his house?”
I still don’t understand.
Shihu wouldn’t be living with another girl.
It’s strange.
“Uh... if I had to pinpoint it, it might be a kidnapping?”
“Uh?”
“Honestly, no one would believe me if I told them... Even if I went directly to Teacher Lee Yuram, she would completely deny her sister’s existence.”
What are you talking about?
“...It isn’t her sister?”
“No, I confirmed it with my ability. I haven’t told anyone, but it’s clear that Shihu is involved in kidnapping and confinement... even intimidation.”
“Why...?”
I still don’t get it.
Seol Hanjin, is your head messed up or something?
Or am I the one who’s weird?
Kidnapping, confinement, intimidation?
“I can see you’re struggling to believe it. But since you seem to be interested in Shihu, I’m telling you.”
“No, Shihu lives in the dormitory. In the first place...”
Let’s accept the reasoning.
Fine.
Where is he supposedly kidnapping and confining her?
“That guy... seems to have some kind of space travel skill. It looks like he has plenty of hidden locations and residences.”
“Surely the people around him wouldn’t be unaware. If he’s causing such a major incident.”
“I don’t think the people around Shihu are entirely ignorant. He might have accomplices...”
What are you saying?
What on earth are you talking about?
“So, what’s wrong with that teacher’s sister?”
“I’m not sure. I just know she’s sick. The only thing I know is that Shihu is using that to hold something over Teacher Lee Yuram.”
Everything he says is just strange.
“So what do you want me to do? Are you close to that sister? Is that why?”
“No, I’ve never met her.”
Seol Hanjin answers nonchalantly. @@@@
“Are you trying to mess with me?”
“Check it out. It’s the truth. The promise to treat her, a promise is a promise, right?”
“What...?”
“It’s true. Shihu is a bad guy.”
He seems to dislike Shihu.
“Impossible.”
“The perception is that he’s a good person, but that Seo Ah from earlier and the way he behaves is odd.”
“......”
“Wow, I haven’t had anyone to talk to about this. Shihu is a frightening guy.”
Isn’t that a conspiracy theory level of slander?
It’s easier to believe he just dislikes Shihu and is making up stories.
I’m going crazy.
“No, I just don’t understand the kidnapping and confinement...”
I’m confused about what I’m even hearing.
Isn’t it this guy who should be getting treatment?
“I didn’t ask him directly because I thought he’d kill me, but please check with the saint. If there’s no kidnapping or anything similar... then it’s all good.”
He says this in a serious tone.
Still, it’s a strange story.
“Really.”
He opens his mouth again.
This time, his playful tone is gone.
“Shihu is not normal.”
He must have had more dealings with him than I have.
It’s new for someone to be hostile towards Shihu.
It’s unusual for someone to say he’s not normal.
I don’t know Shihu well.
We haven’t become truly close yet.
“Fine. I’ll check about the kidnapping and that kind of stuff.”
Kidnapping, confinement, and intimidation of the teacher’s sister?
Shihu is doing that?
That doesn’t match his image.
He seems kind, good, and righteous.
Is he in the same department as me?
Many people think he’s good just because of the title of saint.
But Shihu is genuinely kind.
What’s posted on the bulletin board is a photo.
“...Who did this...”
It’s a photo of Seo Ah eating with someone.
The reason it’s on the bulletin board is unknown.
There’s no one around but Shihu.
The photo was clearly posted to draw attention to Shihu.
With a soft thud, a thumbtack falls.
Though it’s my first time seeing this photo, I can tell when it was taken.
On the back of the photo, something is written.
“Come to the alley next to the bookstore outside the academy. At 6:30 PM.”
I don’t know who did this.
It’s rare for anyone to know of Seo Ah’s existence.
“Is someone trying to set up a secret meeting?”
That’s what I hoped for.
I need to find out who’s doing this.
“...I have an appointment at 7 anyway.”
I have an appointment with the saint.
I can check out the alley before I meet her.
Is it really necessary to meet precisely at
6:30 PM?
Is it essential?
Of course, Shihu would skip class without a second thought.
By 1 PM, he’d already arrive at the alley.
For someone ranked number one, class has no significant meaning.
Neither teacher nor anyone can stop him.
And wait.
There’s nothing special in the alley yet.
Entering the bookstore, I sit in a chair.
I plan to observe who comes into the alley.
If it’s an alley nearby, I should be able to detect people passing by even from inside the bookstore.
Given Shihu’s current abilities, it’s possible.
I can just read a book while waiting.
2 PM.
No one is around.
3 PM.
Still no one.
The alley is completely empty.
There’s almost no one at the bookstore either.
No, not anymore.
The saint is here.
The saint has come to the bookstore.
“Eh, Shihu?”
“Hey.”
“Ah, it’s good to see you early. What about school?”
“None.”
I skipped it.
All of it.
“Oh, I see. I came here to wait for you.”
“Right.”
“Are you busy with something?”
I have.
Surveillance.
“I heard someone’s messing around.”
The ventilation fan located in the middle of the alley.
There’s a letter there that wasn’t there earlier.
“Messing around?”
The saint has followed me.
“They told me to come here, I wonder who it could be.”
I rip open the newly discovered letter.
The name of the recipient is Shihu.
Inside is another photo.
It’s a photo of Shihu staring at the camera.
And he remained silent for a while.
“...What the...”
It’s a picture of Seo Ah smiling.
It looks like she’s lying on the floor.
There are several empty syringes scattered next to her.
Someone is stepping on Seo Ah’s stomach.
It seems they took the photo while stepping on her.
The one being stepped on looks perfectly fine.
In any case, she’s smiling happily.
“......”
Is that Seo Ah...?
Who took this photo and when?
Why?
Is it a manipulated photo?
No, it doesn’t matter.
I can just ask the target who pulled this stunt.
And fortunately, I have the saint right next to me.
Should I step on her?
I wonder if I need to frame it in the same angle as the photo.