Chapter 18

Chapter 18 — (I Trust Her)

The next morning, the group met at their usual table.

But nobody spoke.

Han-seok kept thinking about everything they had discovered.

Seo-jun looked exhausted.

Miho finally broke the silence.

Miho: “We're going too far.”

Han-seok looked at her.

Han-seok: “What?”

Miho: “We're treating Me-yongi like she's guilty when we don't have a single piece of real evidence.”

Me-yongi looked down.

Me-yongi: “It's okay, Miho.”

Miho shook her head.

Miho: “No. It isn't.”

She looked at Han-seok and Seo-jun.

Miho: “Think about it. The messages, the deleted message, the girl Soo-ah was seen with… none of that proves Me-yongi did anything.”

Seo-jun nodded slowly.

Seo-jun: “She's right.”

Han-seok sighed.

Han-seok: “I still don't trust the situation.”

Miho: “You don't have to trust the situation. But you should trust our friend until we have proof.”

Han-seok looked at Me-yongi.

After a moment, he nodded.

Han-seok: “Fine.”

Me-yongi looked relieved.

Me-yongi: “Thank you.”

Miho smiled.

Miho: “We're friends. That's what friends do.”

After School

Miho and Han-seok walked home together.

Neither spoke for a while.

Then Han-seok suddenly stopped.

Han-seok: “You really trust her that much?”

Miho nodded.

Miho: “Yes.”

Han-seok: “Even after everything?”

Miho: “She's been there for me through everything.”

Han-seok looked at her.

Han-seok: “And if you're wrong?”

Miho's smile faded.

Miho: “Then I'll deal with it.”

Han-seok was quiet.

Then he gently took her hand.

Miho looked at him.

Miho: “What are you doing?”

Han-seok: “Making sure you don't have to deal with everything alone.”

Miho smiled.

Miho: “You're getting soft.”

Han-seok smirked.

Han-seok: “Only around you.”

Miho laughed.

For a moment, the mystery disappeared.

It was just them.

Meanwhile…

Seo-jun was sitting alone in the library.

Me-yongi walked in.

Me-yongi: “You're still investigating?”

Seo-jun looked up.

Seo-jun: “Yeah.”

She sat across from him.

Me-yongi: “You should rest.”

Seo-jun: “I can't.”

She looked at him.

Me-yongi: “Because of Soo-ah?”

Seo-jun nodded.

Seo-jun: “I just want to know the truth.”

Me-yongi smiled softly.

Me-yongi: “You'll find it.”

Seo-jun looked at her.

Seo-jun: “Thanks.”

She smiled.

But inside, her thoughts were completely different.

They believe I'm innocent.

Miho defended me.

And Seo-jun still trusts me.

She lowered her eyes.

For now, everything was exactly how she wanted it.

That Night

Miho received a message.

UNKNOWN: You really believe she's innocent?

Miho stared at the screen.

Another message appeared.

UNKNOWN: You're protecting the wrong person.

Miho deleted the messages.

She wasn't going to let another threat change her mind.

She opened her chat with Me-yongi.

MIHO: Don't worry. I believe you.

A reply came almost immediately.

ME-YOUNGI: Thank you. ❤️

Miho smiled.

But somewhere else, Me-yongi stared at the message.

Her smile slowly disappeared.

She whispered:

Me-yongi: “You shouldn't trust me this much.”

Then she put her phone down.

And for the first time, the reader knew something the others didn't:

Mi-youngi wasn't afraid of being discovered.

She was waiting for the right moment.

To be continued…