So, things didn't go exactly as I planned, and I lost my phone. But look on the bright side, the man himself was right in front of me.
"Sung-min,"
"We're not that close." He said but I ignored him and continued.
"It's 1 in the morning," I said. "How did you get here so fast? And... Why are you even here?"
My question caused him to go silent and he turned his head away. Ah, he was ignoring me.
"This place is a mess." He said. Just as I thought, he was ignoring my question.
What was he doing around this area so late? Was he part of Recon? But there are no cracks around this area so why...?
Ah, a thought suddenly flashed through my mind.
It couldn't be that he was watching this area because of me, was it?
I immediately shook my head. I was getting ahead of myself already.
It hadn't been long since we met. He has no reason to watch this area because of me.
Then maybe it was thanks to a secret mission or something.
Sung-min stopped in front of me, his chilly figure towering over me and I was almost compelled to hug me.
"Aren't you cold?" He asked, taking me by surprise.
He had surrounded me with ice, and I was apparently barefoot, but I wasn't shivering. I didn't look like the cold was getting to me at all.
Ah, how do I explain this?
The heat in me had been neutralized, if anything, and I felt the normal body temperature, but I couldn't tell him that.
I shrugged my shoulders and gave a silly smile.
"I'on know." This caused him to look at me suspiciously again, and I could see the irk that had formed on his forehead.
He probably felt I was treating him like a fool, but I just didn't want to tell him, so suck it up, bro.
"For now, put on a slipper or you'll get frostbite on your feet." He said but I looked around, left to right, and then said to him,
"But it's all burnt and frozen," I stated the obvious and he sighed.
What are you going to do now? Take off your shoes, huhu?
But he did the unexpected and actually carried me, but not like he did the last time where I felt like a bride, he threw me over his shoulder like I was a bag of potatoes.
"Hey!"
He could at least treat me gently, dammit!
"Stay still or I'll drop you." He threatened.
Ah, I think I would appreciate that, mister inconsiderate. At least then, I wouldn't be treated like a piece of luggage.
But I didn't even have the mind to say that and zipped my lips while he walked out.
"Thank you, Mister Esper," one of the firefighters said as we exited the ruined house. "He suddenly ran in without any warning and then the fire mysteriously ignited again."
"It ignited again?" He asked, looking puzzled by this.
"Yes, it was so mysterious. And it happened while he was inside so it looked very dangerous." He said. "If you hadn't come, it would've been dangerous."
Sung-min thought for a brief moment and then nodded.
"Thank you for your hard work. I'll get him to the hospital in case he got any burns."
I don't have any burns. Just put me down already.
Still, I stayed silent and everyone watched as he carried me out like that.
By the time we got down, we found the police downstairs. They arrived later than normal. Why? Did I wake them from their beauty sleep?
And of all people, it had to be that insufferable investigator who wouldn't let me breathe earlier.
"You can put me down now," I said to Sung-min. Wait, maybe it would be better if he kept carrying me?
But he heeded to my request faster than I thought and placed me down.
Jerk. You could've at least argued it out.
"Brr, the ground is cold," I said but he looked at me blankly and said,
"I might've believed you if you said that a while ago."
Ah, you're just too much, you know that?!
The officer who had interrogated me quickly caught sight of me and pointed his fingers at me.
"Ah, you again?!" he asked, but his colleague quickly covered his mouth, seeing Sung-min next to me, and dropped his pointing finger.
"Are you crazy? Can't you see who's next to him?"
The guy gritted his teeth.
"Why are you making trouble?" He asked, more calmly.
"Hey, I'm the victim here," I said, shrugging my shoulders but no one seemed to believe me. My attitude was just so fake for them to believe.
"What happened here, Mister Esper?" The other guy asked but Sung-min did not answer.
He made things feel so awkward that I sighed. His image wouldn't get better if he continued like this.
"There was a fire," I answered. "I woke up and noticed my house was on fire."
"All of a sudden? Did you leave something in the microwave or something?" He asked, but I shook my head.
"No, I went to sleep on an empty stomach, even so, I know I didn't put anything in the microwave," I said, glancing at Sung-min and hoping he'd feel guilty for not having dinner with me but he had that plain nonchalant expression plastered on his face.
He was such a piece of work.
"Then, did you set the fire?" The guy who interrogated me asked and I folded my arms.
"Sure, sure. I woke up in the middle of the night, set fire to my house, and then went back to lie down in bed, waiting to be roasted. How's that testimony?" I asked with a snotty frown. "Do you think I'm stupid?"
"Well, you did try to end your life today, so it's not out of the question." He said and I dropped my head.
I give up. There's no getting through this guy.
"Alright, you guys can go investigate. And if you find something that signifies I set the fire, come meet me with your silver bracelets. But if you find nothing then there's no need to prolong this. I didn't set the fire and that's that." I said and then grabbed Seo-Jun's gloved hand. "Let's go, Sung-min."
"We're not that close." Once again, I ignored him.
"Goodbye, mister officers." I pulled Sung-min away from there, and when we were a little farther away from them, I stopped, shoved my banknote and wallet into his chest. "Hold this for a minute," I said and he held them.
I squatted on the floor and let out a heavy sigh, activating my helplessness.
"What am I going to do?!" I shoved my fingers through my hair in frustration. "I don't have a house to sleep in tonight. I'm homeless, woo."
Was this enough? Would he sympathize with me about this?
I peeked at him but he was looking at me plainly and then he opened his mouth and asked,
"Choi Joon-ho, how did the fire start?"
Gosh, not you too.