How to Fix a Psychopath

Chapter 13

 

How to Fix a psychopath Episode 13

 

Eunwoo Lee explained to the child’s parents who kept on pressing him on what happened.

 

“Maam, didn’t Seungchan hate me a lot? Seungchan… … He’s always hated me. I don’t know. Yes, he might have said I was involved in the assault incident, right? Yes, thank you for believing in me. That’s right. If I had done that, I wouldn’t have reported it myself. Today, since I was in charge of him for transferring the school, he left this note and called me to the third-year floor. Then… … He suddenly ran up the stairs by himself… … I think he wanted me to look like the perpetrator. I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I should have told you before I left. Yes, I think I earned your hate. No, I plan to visit you later and apologize when he come to his senses. Yes, yes… … Thank you for believing me.”

 

It was a great speech.

 

I sniffled and looked at the setting sun.

 

Chapter 2 High School

 

When I closed my eyes, terrible memories came back to me.

 

When I opened my eyes, Eunwoo Lee wasn’t there anymore.

 

“Hey, Kim So-young, there’s no one in this school who can beat you anymore, so why do you study so hard?”

 

The surroundings were noisy.

 

I became a freshman in high school. I turned my head to the side while working on my workbook. The friend who was looking at me with a sly face was Lee Jeong-yeon. She had been diligently going to the store during every break and came back with a squid in her mouth.

 

“……just.”

 

“What a strange year.”

 

Lee Jeong-yeon, who responded as if it was trivial, screamed, “Quite a lot,” during the break that was about to end.

 

“But why did you come to a girls’ high school?”

 

“Because it’s safe.”

 

 

Lee Jeong-yeon made a face of incomprehension as she said, “Huh?” at my answer. Then she let out a big sigh and looked at me with a pitiful expression.

 

“Anyway, you’re really weird. Why did you come down to this rural high school, and to this all-girls high school, when the best and the nicest city of Seoul was there to study? And with cell phones being so great these days, it’s weird that you don’t even have a cell phone.”

 

Even if you have something like a cell phone, there’s a good chance it’ll be discovered by Lee Eun-woo right away.

 

When I thought of Lee Eun-woo, my eyebrows furrowed. I was scared to even be curious about what he would think when he couldn’t reach me no matter how many times he called. What was his state?

 

Lee Jeong-yeon, who had no idea about that, showed off her cell phone.

 

‘Soyoung-ah.’

 

It seemed as if I could hear Lee Eun-woo’s voice in my ear at any moment.

 

“Are you listening to me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

I smiled awkwardly and nodded.

 

‘I wish there was a high school that only the two of us could attend. What about you, Soyoung? If I could make one, I would have made it a long time ago.’

 

There is no such high school.

 

“Ah, what’s for lunch today? I want to eat lunch and go home. What about you?”

 

Lee Jeong-yeon chattered nonstop, as if she had a pocket full of things to talk about even if she talked all day. That’s may be why I was more comfortable around her.

 

Yes, I relaxed my stiff back for a moment. It had already been six months since I ran away from Lee Eun-woo. During that time, the world was as quiet as a lie. I was confused whether I was Kim So-young or Myeong Ji-seon. Although things were much better now, I couldn’t help but feel anxious sometimes, like someone living with a limited time left.

 

“I’m in the dorm.”

 

“Not home?”

 

“Well, I like the dormitory.”

 

At my words, Lee Jeong-yeon pretended to vomit, saying, “Ugh.”

 

Six days a week. On Saturdays, I stayed in the dormitory until morning to study. Even if I wanted to stay longer, the dormitory was closed. This school, which had a pretty good structure, was completely off-limits to male students.

 

Also, during the night shift, the school gates were closed to prevent people with bad intentions from entering the school, and were reopened after the night shift was over.

 

After that it was closed again.

 

I couldn’t shake the thought that even if I went home, Eunwoo would be waiting for me. In that case, I would have chosen the dormitory even if it costs more. No matter how solid Eunwoo’s background was, he wouldn’t be able to enter a girls’ high school alone.

 

‘Soyoung, here.’

 

The paper that Eunwoo Lee handed over was a high school entrance exam paper with his first, second, and third choices

 

written on it. It was Eunwoo Lee’s.

 

I looked up at Lee Eun-woo quietly. I wonder why he had such a look on his face.

 

‘Weren’t you planning on writing the same thing as me?’

 

Lee Eun-woo, who was laughing while speaking slyly, rested his chin on his hand and fixed his gaze on me, wondering what high school I was going to. I only remember that he was incredibly busy at that time, wondering what I was thinking.

 

While keeping an eye on Lee Eun-woo, I wrote the same application as Lee Eun-woo. They were all co-educational schools. He meant to keep me by his side even after he went to high school.

 

‘I wish there was a high school that only the two of us could attend. What about you, Soyoung? If I could make one, I would have made it a long time ago.’

 

After laying out the hopeful paths on the desk next to each other, Eunwoo Lee spoke as if he were confessing. A utopia just for the two of us. What did I say back then?

 

‘… … Yes. Eunwoo, you can make it.’

 

Even as she said that, her mind was completely focused on the path towards hope.

 

How can I ask the teacher to change it without Eunwoo knowing? How can I do it? How?

 

‘Soyoung, I’ll go throw away this trash.’

 

The opportunity came as if on cue.

 

Eunwoo Lee spoke kindly to me while holding a pile of trash that I had to throw away. Eunwoo Lee has been listening to me well these days. He hasn’t messed up the school like he used to.

 

‘Yeah. Should I go with you?’

 

‘No. Just rest. I’ll be back soon.’

 

Thank you.

 

If it were a normal day, he would have said, “I think it would be nice if you went together,” and subtly grabbed my hand. But I was really lucky that day. Eunwoo Lee held my hand tightly for a moment, then let go and left the class.

 

And I also headed to the first floor teachers’ office in a daze. The teacher who I thought would be strict surprisingly allowed me to

 

edit my career aspirations. Everything was completed as if it were a lie. The high school I had written down to go to with Eunwoo Lee was completely erased. And the application forms for girls’ high schools in other regions and other places were filled up.

 

Things were going so well that I was scared. I felt suffocated, as if someone was grabbing my heart and squeezing it.

 

Still, after writing everything down, I went up to the classroom. Even then, Eunwoo Lee hadn’t come back yet. It was perfect timing. It was truly a lucky day.

 

After that, one by one, without Eunwoo Lee knowing, she started filling out documents to go to other regions.

 

I hid it away in a place that didn’t particularly interest him and I took care of it by stopping by the city hall and school with my guardian on weekends or on days that had nothing to do with Lee Eun-woo.

 

Surprisingly, my relatives seemed to be happy when I told them I was going to a different place. They seemed to think that it would be better to stay far away from the rocks that were bothering them, whether they were close or far away.

 

“But I have to go home tomorrow.”

 

I snapped out of my deep thoughts and looked at Lee Jeong-yeon. Lee Jeong-yeon giggled as if she was proud and fell down onto the desk.

 

I guess tomorrow is Saturday.

 

* * *

 

Saturday came quickly.

 

Ah… … . I don’t like it.

 

I put my house key in my pocket with a big sigh and packed the things I couldn’t wash in the dorm into my carrier. It was time to finish my morning studies and go home. Before lunch.

 

I dragged my carrier out of the dormitory. Parents were waiting in the playground with their cars for their children who were full of luggage. Of course, there were no parents waiting for me. I dragged my carrier toward the sidewalk outside the playground and walked to the main gate.

 

Knock, knock, the carrier made a scraping sound against the uneven floor. Still, it was something my aunt bought me when I started high school, so it should last a long time. I only use it on weekends, after all. And the school and the studio apartment I live in are close by anyway.

 

 

Even if I was late, it was only a 10-minute walk, so I walked quickly, looking down at the ground. It was lunchtime, and the sun was high above my head, so it was still hot even though it was fall. I thought it was a good idea to wear a hat. I bought a hat on my way to this school because I was afraid I would run into Eunwoo. I wore a strange and bizarre hat on purpose.

 

Of course, even if she wears this hat, I think he will recognize me.

 

I arrived at the studio quickly because I came early on purpose.

 

I moved into a place that has a door lock in the main entrance. It’s a new construction or something. As someone who came from 2017, it’s an option that should be a given for every studio apartment, but in this day and age, it’s much more precious.

 

I got scolded by my aunt for insisting on going to a place like this, but I grumbled and signed a three-year contract, thinking it would be better than experiencing hardships in an unfamiliar place.

 

Still, my anxiety did not go away, so I put iron bars on my window and added a double lock to my door. I hesitated in front of my studio. I turned the key with a click, and I had already entered the password. All I had to do was open the door, but I kept hesitating.

 

 

Coming home is also hard work.

 

I put my hand on the doorknob while washing my face dry. If I open the door, Lee Eun-woo will be standing there. With a scary face, no, maybe smiling. What if I found him, smiling. I couldn’t stop, even though I was sick of this repeating for 6 months. Am I getting sick? If this is the case, shouldn’t I just live with Lee Eun-woo?

 

No. There’s no way Eunwoo Lee would know the one-room password. Right. There’s no way Eunwoo Lee would know. I turned the doorknob forcefully.

 

“As expected he wasn’t there.”

 

It was a natural thing.

 

The studio was empty. That was to be expected, since most of the things I needed for living had been moved to the dormitory.

 

“I’m tired.”

 

I came into the room and lay down.

 

Studying wasn’t something I did because I liked it. It wasn’t hard to do it twice, but I didn’t want to do it. I wasn’t there because I

 

wanted to stay in the dorm. I wanted to stay because it was the safest place for me, specially from Eunwoo Lee.

 

So, I have to hold out like this for exactly three years.

 

After that, I will leave Korea. I also know that I cannot avoid Eunwoo Lee’s eyes in this small land. Eunwoo Lee is a high school student after all. It is impossible to find a high school student who transferred schools right away, and even if I did, there is nothing I can do.

 

As soon as the final exams were over, I got rid of my cell phone. When asked why I got rid of it, I lied and said that my aunt didn’t want to waste money on me. He told me that he would buy me one, but I strongly advised him not to. Wouldn’t it be a big deal if he put a location tracker in it?

 

Until winter break, I dated Eunwoo Lee diligently. I didn’t show any sign of running away.

 

Thanks to Lee Eun-woo, who would come to me even when I didn’t have my phone, dating wasn’t difficult. In fact, it was more comfortable. Since he had a lot of money, Lee Eun-woo used taxis to get around, and he paid for other things as if it were natural.

 

At that moment, the phone in the one-room apartment, which was seemingly dead as if it was not there, rang.