BSMF | 07

~Chapter 07~

 I hope you think of me too

So-hye glanced at Woo-geon from the side.

Since leaving school, he hadn’t said a word.

‘Did I say something unnecessary earlier…?’

It had been something she said without thinking.

Because every time she saw a butterfly, he seemed sad.

She didn’t like seeing him sad. She wanted him not to be sad.

Luckily, the sad look had disappeared, but the atmosphere between them was still awkward.

She worried she might have been meddling too much.

So-hye kept watching Woo-geon, concerned.

“Do you want to say something?”

“Huh?”

Woo-geon suddenly stopped walking and bent down to meet her eyes.

So-hye swallowed unconsciously at how close his face was.

His scent filled her senses and made her dizzy.

“No… I don’t.”

“Then why do you keep staring? You’re making me curious.”

His deep gaze made her face turn red.

Thump, thump, thump.

Her heart raced even though she hadn’t moved.

Being with Woo-geon made her heart pound even without running.

She worried if he could hear it, if her feelings might show.

So-hye quickly turned and passed him.

“Why would I look at your face?”

“I saw you. You kept looking.”

“I was thinking about whether to wipe something off your face or not.”

“Then do it.”

So-hye looked back at him, surprised.

Woo-geon bent his waist so her hand could reach his face.

“Y-You do it, teacher.”

“I can’t see it. Where is it?”

“Just touch it lightly; it’ll come off.”

“If it doesn’t, you’ll just keep staring at me.”

Really… does he dislike me looking at him?

It’s not like looking at his face will hurt anything. How stingy.

So-hye pouted and moved closer.

He leaned down kindly, eyes closed, waiting.

There was nothing to wipe, yet she pretended to remove something under his eyebrow.

She repeated it a few times, pretending it was hard to get it all at once.

…Honestly, her fingertips brushing his face felt so good.

What’s wrong with touching a little more? Why, what?

“Done.”

She withdrew her hand, and his eyelids slowly opened.

His eyes looked at her quietly, dark and deep like the night sky.

She couldn’t look away.

“Don’t worry about what you said earlier. Forget it.”

His eyes said just that.

So-hye blinked and nodded quietly.

He smiled briefly and gently patted her head, then walked on.

What had happened to make him look like that?

She wanted to ask but couldn’t. She didn’t want to touch his pain.

‘It’s better to just pretend I don’t know.’

So she spoke brightly about something else.

“Do you write for newspapers or magazines sometimes? I see scholarly articles in papers sometimes.”

“I write papers and sometimes send articles to newspapers or journals.”

“I want to read your writing too.”

“It might be hard for you. My articles are boring.”

So-hye pouted at being dismissed.

“Don’t underestimate me just because I’m a dancer. I read some newspapers too.”

“I just mean it’s boring. Even I find it dull, so imagine you.”

Embarrassed, she pursed her lips.

He chuckled and showed her another publication.

“There’s a journal from Songil High School. It’s interesting because it’s made for students.”

“Really? Can I get a copy later…?”

“Shh.”

He suddenly stopped her and frowned as if concentrating.

Whispering in her ear:

“Walk home like this. Don’t look back.”

“Why? Is someone following…?”

“Don’t look back!”

She sneaked a glance but immediately looked forward.

Standing straight, she peeked with curiosity.

“Go straight this way from here. I have to go that way. Be careful.”

Woo-geon suddenly acted like a stranger.

She raised her eyebrows but didn’t question him.

“Thanks.”

She bowed like a gentleman and started walking home alone.

She worried about him behind her but didn’t look back.

‘If I look back, it’ll put him in danger. I have to trust him….’

For now, all she could do was trust Woo-geon.

When So-hye’s footsteps faded, Woo-geon started walking too.

Then, nearby, other footsteps followed.

Heavy steps of a man.

Someone was tailing her.

At least there was only one set of footsteps.

If his senses were right, she was safe.

Woo-geon checked his gun under his jacket and moved faster.

The footsteps behind him sped up too.

At a narrow corner:

“Ugh!”

He quickly turned and grabbed the man by the collar, pushing him against the wall.

He pointed his gun. The man raised his hands.

“Who keeps following me?”

The man didn’t answer.

Woo-geon slowly lifted his hat and recognized him.

“…Uk-Young?”

“Long time no see, Woo-geon. You’ve gotten aggressive.”

Uk-Young had once led a unit in their group but was now demoted for killing a subordinate.

He smirked.

“Step aside. My neck hurts.”

Woo-geon put his gun away and let him go.

“Didn’t you just get back from injury? Already?”

“I have an important mission.”

“Important mission?”

“Can’t tell. Classified.”

He mocked painfully.

“Almost got shot saying hi.”

“Why not just say hi? We’re not enemies.”

“I didn’t know who you were with, so I checked.”

Woo-geon frowned. There was meaning behind that.

“Watch who you trust. Trust no one.”

Uk-Young tapped a scar on his cheek.

He had killed a spy years ago—his own brother.

Woo-geon was speechless.

Uk-Young wasn’t one to sugarcoat words, and Woo-geon understood why.

“Don’t poke around. You’ll only make more enemies.”

“Be careful around strangers too.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“What if that person was following you intentionally?”

“It was coincidence. Don’t worry.”

Thankfully, Uk-Young didn’t ask about So-hye.

He warned quietly:

“You’re the key person in our organization. All important info passes through you. If you’re compromised, everything is.”

Woo-geon knew his role but hearing it from Uk-Young felt awkward.

“Don’t overdo it,” he said coldly.

The tension was heavy.

Uk-Young smiled cruelly.

“Good. Keep your suspicion. It’ll keep you alive longer.”

Without another word, he left.

The alley returned to silence.

“Ha…”

Woo-geon exhaled deeply.

The happy feelings from seeing So-hye disappeared.

What was he even hoping for, thinking about her?

He erased her image from his mind and turned the other way.

In the dance studio in the cafe’s basement, dancers were practicing.

“That’s it for today.”

So-hye wiped her sweat.

Everyone was exhausted from repeated practice.

“Rest until performance. Don’t be late for the director.”

“Yes.”

The dancers collapsed as soon as the director left.

“So tired… my arms feel like they’re falling off.”

“My back… could have broken if I pushed more.”

So-hye quietly stayed out of their complaints.

‘I need to ask about Director Kyung-rim’s birthday…’

Her birthday was in about a month.

But the atmosphere wasn’t right to ask.

‘I’ll have to prepare it myself this year.’

So-hye left the studio without saying a word.

She washed quickly and entered the waiting room. It was empty, which was good.

She quickly finished her preparation and thought about a gift.

But nothing seemed right.

Kyung-rim could buy anything she wanted. So-hye’s budget was small.

‘What can I give that’s okay?’

Then she remembered her drawing sketchbook.

She had bought it after drawing Woo-geon’s face before.

“Drawing! A portrait will be perfect.”

It may not be expensive, but it would show effort.

She quickly took out the sketchbook and began drawing.

She combined a big photo of Kyung-rim’s performance and a foreign magazine featuring the dancer Choi Seung-hee.

The drawing made it seem like Kyung-rim had performed internationally.

She also wrote a short letter.

Looking at the finished work, she was proud.

“This should be fine. I hope Kyung-rim likes it.”

She carefully stored the drawing and letter.

Then she noticed she still had time before the performance.

She picked up her pencil again.

The blank page was soon filled with Woo-geon’s face.

But the expression she remembered was sad.

She remembered the day he looked at the triangle-shaped chrysanthemums, and her heart ached.

“I hope you always smile…”

Even remembering his smile made her heart race.

She erased the frown and adjusted the eyes and lips.

Now, his sad face became a smiling one.

“I’ll give this to the teacher. So he can always smile. And think of me too.”

So-hye smiled and put the drawing in her bag.

At that moment, the dancers entered the waiting room.

So-hye stepped aside and left, feeling happy.