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Chapter 40: Yes, I'm Lim Ju-kyoung
"This is ridiculous," Soo-ho said.
Ju-kyoung froze.
"Lim Ju-kyoung," he called again, voice low and sure.
Her legs refused to move. The flickering light above seemed to echo the pounding in her chest. The food she was holding slipped from her hands and hit the floor with a soft thud.
Her face went pale—like every drop of blood had drained from her body.
"You're bad at lying," Soo-ho said calmly.
Ju-kyoung's breath caught. Her throat felt dry. She couldn't find a single word to defend herself.
"You're Lim Ju-kyoung."
She turned slowly toward him. "No, I'm Lim Ju-bal."
"I called you using a number I got from school," he said, his voice calm but sharp. "And yet—you showed up."
Ju-kyoung swallowed hard. His quietness was more terrifying than his anger.
"How do you explain that?" he asked.
"I can explain," she said quickly, her voice trembling.
Soo-ho raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead."
"We're cousins," she blurted. "Mine broke, so I'm using Ju-kyoung's phone."
Soo-ho frowned slightly. "And I'm supposed to believe that?"
Ju-kyoung crossed her arms, trying to hide how badly her hands were shaking. "What's stopping you?"
"You have the same voice."
"Well," she said quickly, "the same voice runs in our family."
Soo-ho's eyes darkened, and for a second, she felt like he could see right through her.
"So you're saying I'm wrong?" he asked.
"One hundred percent," she said, pretending confidence she didn't feel.
He took a slow step forward. Ju-kyoung instinctively stepped back. Another step. Then another.
The space between them shrank until her back hit the shelf behind her, making her flinch.
Her breathing grew weak.
Soo-ho leaned closer, one hand on the right side of the shelf, the other on the left, trapping her. His gaze was unreadable, but it burned through her lies like fire through paper.
"But…"
Ju-kyoung could feel his breath on her face—warm, steady, way too close. The room was well ventilated, but her skin prickled as if the air had vanished.
He reached up, gently pulling the hairpin from her hair. Her hair fell unevenly across her shoulders. Then, slowly, he removed her glasses.
"But in my eyes…" he murmured, eyes locked on hers,
"you're Lim Ju-kyoung."
The light above flickered again, a flash of white across his face.
Ju-kyoung's lips parted, but no sound came out. He knows. He really knows.
Then—
"Lim Ju-kyoung! I know you're here instead of studying!" her mother's voice echoed from downstairs.
Both of them froze.
"Lim Ju-kyoung!" her mother shouted again, louder this time.
Soo-ho looked at her, and that single look said it all—confirmation.
Ju-kyoung's heart pounded. For a split second, fear, shame, and frustration clashed inside her. Then, something inside her snapped.
"Yes! I'm Lim Ju-kyoung!" she shouted, voice trembling but proud. "So what?"
"Are you going to report me for being a goddess?"
She shoved him lightly in the chest. "What are you going to do about it?"
Soo-ho blinked, speechless.
She pushed him again, her courage now unstoppable. "Well? What are you going to do about it?"
Then—click!—the light went out completely. Darkness swallowed the room.
Caught off guard, Soo-ho stepped back. Ju-kyoung snatched her glasses from his hand, heart racing.
Before he could say another word, she ran out of the library.
Her mother saw her dash past. "That's right, Ju-kyoung! You better head home straight away!"
The door closed behind her with a small thud.
Silence.
Soo-ho looked down at the hairpin still in his hand—a tiny black clip with two miniature skeletons made of beads. He stared at it for a long moment, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Ju-kyoung burst into her room, locked the door, and slid down against it. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as sweat trickled down her neck.
"I'm done for," she whispered, covering her face.
But somewhere beneath the panic, a small, defiant smile tugged at her lips.
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Author's Note:
Sorry, guys! I know this chapter was short—please bear with me. More drama next time juat have to be constant with my updates.
Okay promise next chapter will be so worth it.
Bye Favor Ado out ♡.
Have. A wonderful day♡.
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