The term ‘In front of the school’ is often used casually among students. Especially for kids attending the same school, it can serve as a sort of landmark.
Seoul, as a city, is massive, not only in size but also in the number of people living there.
With so many people living, the buildings that are constructed and demolished are numerous as well.
Demolishing and building is fine. After all, old buildings might pose safety issues and greatly affect aesthetics.
The problem is that the process of demolishing and rebuilding becomes less systematic in older neighborhoods.
Among the buildings that sprout up haphazardly, narrow, winding alleys spread out like spider webs. No matter how much redevelopment happens or how the roads are rearranged, it’s inevitable that the land shapes occupied by old buildings will distort from the very beginning, causing internal complexity in the city.
Thus, in a place like Seoul, even going to the adjacent neighborhood can become confusing. Without a smartphone navigation, it’s easy to end up returning to where you started, despite seemingly walking straight ahead, and somehow you end up not arriving at your intended destination after thinking you turned correctly.
Given such circumstances, the best way to go to a friend’s house that you’re meeting for the first time this year—especially a friend from another neighborhood—is to meet that friend first and go together.
And if we’re talking about ‘friends’, they should naturally know the location of the school.
Hence, meeting in front of the school neatly resolves everything.
The problem, however, lies with ‘non-students’.
A school can become a fairly renowned landmark in the area, and due to the high number of students, it often turns into a bus stop name. However, it is exceptionally exclusive to those who are not connected to the school.
This can’t be helped.
It’s a place bustling with children who have not yet become adults. If an adult is loitering nearby, it’s natural to think that presence is ‘suspicious.’
Moreover, if the task at hand is to keep an eye on ‘in front of the school’—
[Are you watching closely?]
“……Hah.”
She let out a small sigh upon seeing that message.
—Holding a large camera lens, there’s really no good way except to keep my distance.
In fact, this too was risky. Isn’t it already dangerous to secretly film students from far away? The sound of police rejoicing over their results seemed to echo in her ears. That’s why she had chosen such a far-off place.
From this distance, she could somewhat recognize the silhouettes of students, but a video or photo taken this way wouldn’t have enough quality to be deemed ‘worthwhile’. Plus, if what gets filmed is on the edge of the frame and needs to be cropped, I could probably use the excuse of merely capturing a landscape photo if caught.
…The girl with the blonde pigtails had a sharper mind than she expected.
That’s not exactly a compliment. The direction in which her thoughts were turning was not one that a girl her age would typically contemplate.
Using photos as a pretext for dangerously reckless actions.
Of course, the benefits were clear. Later investigations revealed that the girl was not on the level of Ye Sara, but she was the daughter of one of the top conglomerates in the country.
Actually, there was no need for such an investigation. Among domestic business owners, those who married blonde beauties were exceedingly rare, and she was the one taking photos of Ye Sara, so she already had some preliminary information about the people around her.
On the contrary, the mysterious presence to her was the girl with dyed blonde hair, who seemed playful, and the rather intimidating girl who always tied her hair neatly.
There was genuinely no way to illicitly approach them unless she wanted to take the risk. Although their faces had already appeared in newspaper articles, surprisingly, they didn’t turn into a trending topic.
“My fate…”
Honestly, she thought she had set her sights wrong.
If she tracked down the heir of the wealthiest company in the world, who was also a pretty face, surely fans would appear, right? It sparked some controversy initially, but that was it. People didn’t seem as interested in the business world as she had assumed.
Yet, the reason she continued to pursue her was—
In a way, it felt like a hunch.
She felt that if she followed this girl, she would be able to capture something ‘exclusive.’
…Now, she was monitoring the school like this using money as leverage.
She looked back at the camera. The LCD screen tilted horizontally displayed a video through a lens larger than a human arm.
“Thank goodness it’s a model without video function restrictions.”
She sighed heavily, pulled out her smartphone, and took a picture.
She was perched on the rooftop of a nearby building.
She was lucky to know the building owner. That was typically accomplished through money, of course.
“Seriously, being broke is a crime.”
She sent that photo to her employer, settled on her unfolded fishing chair, rummaged through the bag she had beside her, tore open a package, and took a big bite of bread.
“…Or is being rich the bigger sin?”
Having seen the girl she had been observing for months on the camera’s display, she muttered like that.
*
While checking the message that arrived, Sua was startled.
The photographer—who she had once lured in with money at the amusement park, now seemed too difficult to call ‘an article’—had sent her a photo of his equipment directly.
Moreover, the camera’s display showed the school building.
Lee Soo-ah hurriedly shut off the messaging app.
“Hmm? Did you see anything?”
Ha Neul, who had been watching in front of the school alongside her, asked. Ha Neul had been diligently taking pictures. The passing kids seemed suspicious as they glanced over, and after Sara changed the situation, some kids who had just gotten to know them asked what they were doing. Still, Ha Neul simply dodged and said she was only taking pictures because she was pretty.
“Oh, no. I think I must have seen wrong.”
Just then, a woman exited from a car. She seemed to be about the same age as Choi Na-kyung. Of course, she appeared a bit older than the surprisingly youthful-looking Choi Na-kyung, and right after, a student who looked like her son also got out of the car.
“That could be it.”
Ha Neul nodded at the car that Sua pointed out.
In fact, there was no pressing need to be on guard like this. Although she didn’t know where they were, the journalist she had called over there was definitely capturing this side.
…However, she didn’t have the courage to say that fact yet.
It’s one thing to watch, but Lee Soo-ah had already started to operate alone. Of course, it was under the anonymous activity of the journalist, rather than Lee Soo-ah’s name.
The photos of Sara that had been previously taken also had systematic records of her photos taken at different times. If possible, she had also recorded videos, backing up all the original footage to a hard drive that existed in multiple locations.
And she sent the neatly organized photos and videos anonymously to the branch of Yujin Group.
She didn’t send it to just anyone. Within her ability to comprehend, she only sent it to those believed to have ties to Sara or those opposed to Choi Na-kyung and reported known associates of the former chairperson.
Sending nothing but pictures, but she believed those recipients would understand the implications.
…Yeah, this was certainly a dangerous job. If there was even one person trying to use Sara for their own gain, they would undoubtedly try to oust Choi Na-kyung and seize Sara.
However, she also knew it wouldn’t be easy.
Just combining Sara’s shares and those of the displaced Choi Na-kyung would bring about a level of scrutiny that couldn’t ignore Sara’s stakes.
Moreover, both Sara and ‘Sara’ were not entities to be trifled with any longer.
Lee Soo-ah could also aid from behind.
If marriage became necessary, she would do that much.
No, if one were to discuss it, that was what she wished for.
Even if Sara or ‘Sara’ merely used Lee Soo-ah and discarded her—
Still, at least it could serve as a sort of atonement for the sins she had committed.
“……Sua.”
“Um, yes?”
In her thoughts, she seemed to have spaced out unknowingly.
At some point, Ha Neul had come beside her and was looking at Lee Soo-ah.
“Oh, I’m fine—”
Before she could say,
“Are you hiding something?”
Ha Neul looked directly at Lee Soo-ah with those words.
“……”
For a moment, Lee Soo-ah was at a loss for words. It was as if she had been struck too accurately.
“……I see.”
However, Ha Neul shrugged gracefully, looking as if she understood even without the answer.
“You certainly have a lot on your mind.”
Ha Neul let out a small sigh, letting her shoulders droop.
“What I can do is this much…”
That look was utterly pathetic.
“……No.”
“Hmm?”
When Lee Soo-ah shook her head, Ha Neul raised her head. The slight squint in her eyes was a big difference from the self-confident Ha Neul she usually knew and made Lee Soo-ah feel the need to say something.
“The reason Sara is who she is now, and that ‘Sara’ exists is all thanks to you.”
So, she said it.
She had done many regretful things until now, but at least she was sure she wouldn’t regret saying this.
“Because you started it, we can all live like this.”
While she believed that her only role was to strike up a conversation with Sara.
Ha Neul had run alongside Sara beside her.
Saying things like ‘I liked her first…’ no longer served any purpose. Considering the weight of the sins dealt before, and the things she accomplished,
Ha Neul was overwhelming compared to Lee Soo-ah.
“Do you think so…?”
When she heard Lee Soo-ah’s words, Ha Neul blushed, feeling shy.
“Yeah, it’s true. So, you should be confident.”
Lee Soo-ah said with a smile.
“Ah, I see…”
A brief, awkward silence flowed.
It was awkward, but she thought it wasn’t an unpleasant silence.
“Hey, you guys!”
From a distance, someone called out to them.
Looking up, Sohee was waving her hands from afar.
Behind her, ‘Sara’ and Yang Hye-in were walking together.
“Hello!”
Seemingly wanting to shake off some of the awkward feelings, Ha Neul exaggeratedly waved her hands and greeted them big.
Lee Soo-ah couldn’t help but burst into laughter, seeing that.
