How to Fix a Psychopath

Chapter 15

 

How to Fix a Psychopath Episode 15

 

 

I blinked quickly at the sound of a man’s voice nearby. It was a habit I had developed without realizing it. When I got really nervous because of a man, I would have to rub my fingers, take a deep breath, or blink. That’s because if I didn’t do anything, I would keep thinking of Lee Eun-woo.

 

“Hey?”

 

Knock knock, I saw a long, thin finger tapping on the table next to me. I naturally thought of Lee Eun-woo. Could it be Lee Eun-woo? No. If it was Lee Eun-woo, he wouldn’t have approached me and said, “Excuse me,” while pretending not to know me.

 

As usual, you will call my name with the softest voice in the world, saying, ‘Soyoung-ah.’

 

I blinked heavily a few times and then lifted my face from where it had been coming on the table.

 

It wasn’t Lee Eun-woo. Even though I knew it, I only relaxed after confirming with my own eyes that it wasn’t Lee Eun-woo.

 

“hello?”

 

The man in front of me was wearing a school uniform. He must be my age. Well, Lee Jeong-yeon and I came in uniforms too. He tried to speak to me and the man who said ‘excuse me’ smiled awkwardly and greeted me.

 

The boy with the trendy bowl cut had an innocent face.

 

“Ah, I guess you don’t know why I spoke to you.”

 

The boy spoke jokingly to me, even though I didn’t say anything.

 

“Looking at the uniforms, is this really Yeojin Girls’ High School?”

 

I kept my mouth shut. It was uncomfortable. To be honest, I was worried about this male student because Lee Eun-woo was getting closer to me. Even though it was a rural area compared to where I used to live, the probability of Lee Eun-woo seeing me was low because it was so big. That was also the reason why I hesitated to become close to male students.

 

I also have a reason for coming to a girls’ high school.

 

“Haha, you don’t talk much. Next to Yeojin Girls’ High School is Yeojin Boys’ High School. What grade are you in?”

 

 

I turned my head to the opposite side where the male student was and looked at the bathroom that Lee Jeong-yeon had gone into. It seemed like she had no signs of coming out yet.

 

“Are you looking for your friend? I came here because I found out your friend went to the bathroom… … I’m not just saying that, But it’s because you’re so pretty.”

 

The boy takes out his cell phone from his uniform pants pocket. Haa… … . The sigh that couldn’t come out of her mouth was swallowed inside. It was a similar repertoire. Since Lee Eun-woo, who should have been by her side, wasn’t there, the men started to swarm up on her like a swarm of bees on a bunch of flowers.

 

The boy quickly thrust his cell phone in front of me.

 

“Can you give me your phone number?”

 

“No.”

 

“yes yes?”

 

“I don’t have a cell phone.”

 

Ah…….

 

The boy sighed and looked at me with a face of incomprehension. It seemed like he couldn’t understand why a high school student didn’t have a cell phone, especially since we were just entering the smartphone era.

 

“Then, is there no way for us to contact each other? Something like NateOn.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

The man put his phone back in his pocket and spoke urgently.

 

I was tired. It was like a leech that persistently followed me even though I clearly refused. I rolled my eyes again and looked at the bathroom where Lee Jeong-yeon had gone. Lee Jeong-yeon still hadn’t come out.

 

The cafe that I used to feel so peaceful in became so uncomfortable and stuffy that I didn’t want to be there anymore.

 

After some time, no matter how much he chattered, there was no response or even a glance, so the boy quickly got tired and moved away.

 

“What? That guy is gone?”

 

And as if it were a lie, Lee Jeong-yeon returned.

 

Why was she so late?

 

“Who?”

 

“The kid who was trying to get your number.”

 

“……I don’t know.”

 

The strawberry yogurt smoothie with ice turned out great.

 

“What? I waited because I thought he was going to get your number on purpose. Now that I think about it… … .”

 

As soon as Lee Jeong-yeon sat down, she looked around as if looking for someone.

 

You knew that and didn’t come out on purpose. You must have been considerate of me even though you knew I didn’t have a cell phone.

 

“Btw who are you looking for?”

 

“Ah… … No. I think that guy who was so handsome that I would die for him left the place.”

 

“Was he an acquaintance of you?”

 

“No, but he was a really handsome guy.”

 

Lee Jeong-yeon sipped her hot chocolate, which had cooled down, saying, “He’s so handsome, but it’s a shame.”

 

“But, Soyoung.”

 

I also felt bad about wasting my drink, so I stopped drinking it little by little through a straw and looked at Lee Jeong-yeon.

 

“Why don’t you have a boyfriend?”

 

Boyfriend. Lee Eun-woo. Boyfriend. Lee Eun-woo. Lee Eun-woo, boyfriend.

 

At that moment, as if opening Pandora’s box, I was overcome with the urge to tell Lee Jung-yeon. That I have Lee Eun-woo. Because of him, I can’t even dream of having a boyfriend, and that running away is the only way for me to survive.

 

Looking at Lee Jeong-yeon’s face as she asked innocently, for no reason, just because there was no one there. I had been hiding it for a year and so. I wanted to pour out all my feelings. Just, like the story of the ‘king’s ears are like donkey ears’, so I can relax.

 

But I couldn’t do that. If I told Lee Jung-yeon all this, I would end up giving her an infinite amount of affection, and Lee Eun-woo

 

would use that as a weakness.

 

I gave an awkward laugh that anyone could see.

 

“… …Because studying is more important.”

 

I had to succeed in my studies because I would have the opportunity to go abroad. I had to go abroad so that Eunwoo Lee would feel like she had gotten a little further away. I was worried that if I went abroad, Eunwoo Lee would eventually give up.

 

He searched and searched like crazy all over South Korea, and eventually realized that I was overseas, so he tried to search the entire globe, but gave up halfway through. I had such pointless thoughts.

 

But that too may soon turn into a bubble.

 

“Ugh, it’s gross. It’s gross.”

 

Running away seemed wrong. Eunwoo Lee, who had become close enough to feel with my skin in just a week. Eunwoo Lee was always above my head. Whenever he made up his mind, he could find her right away.

 

Let’s say I put my vague plan into action. Eunwoo Lee will search

 

for the airport I left the country from, the college I entered, and look for me while checking my identity. Just like he’s waiting in front of the main gate of the high school I ran away into every day. He’ll be waiting for me at the airport I’m going to in another country.

 

Like an affectionate lover welcoming his beloved.

 

“Hey, hey, it’s almost time for you to go into the dorm.”

 

“… … That’s right.”

 

I said, while looking at my wristwatch.

 

It was the time when the school’s afternoon break was over and the main gate was opened for the school buses.

 

“Let’s go slowly.”

 

I nodded and stood up from my seat.

 

When I left the cafe, it was already dark outside. The autumn night weather was chilly. I walked around the city a bit more with Lee Jeong-yeon and parted ways when I got to the bus stop.

 

“Haa,” I exhaled. It seemed like she wasn’t even out of breath yet.

 

I took the security spray out of my uniform skirt pocket and looked up at the sky. Since I hadn’t left the city yet, the sky was divided into many branches by power lines.

 

What if today is the day that Lee Eun-woo visits our school? If I don’t enter when the second main gate opens, I won’t be able to enter the dormitory. The one I got was not a leave of absence permit, but an outing permit, so if I don’t go in, I’ll get penalty points.

 

Would the penalty be better? Or a chance encounter with Lee Eun-woo be better?

 

I took a step back from where I had stopped.

 

Even though the school was not far from the city, the streetlights leading to the school were not even half as bright as those in the city. As soon as I got farther from the city, the streets became quiet. I was the only person walking at this time. All I could hear was the sound of my footsteps, trudging along weakly.

 

However, Why do I feel like I’m not alone? For a moment, a cold chill ran down my spine. No. It was natural to feel cold in the autumn streets. It must be my mood. It must be my mood. I pressed my fingernails against my palms.

 

But what if I am not really alone?

 

 

As soon as that thought occurred to me, I quickly turned around. … … There was nothing. Only the streetlight that had been there from the beginning was standing quietly.

 

“Huh…….”

 

I sighed and turned around again. I was too sensitive. It was a situation where it wouldn’t be strange if Lee Eun-woo showed up at any moment. I walked a little faster, fiddling with the security spray with one hand.

 

I walked as if I was running. The few streetlights were on and off. The surroundings were as quiet as if there were no mice around. But why did I keep feeling eyes on me?

 

It’s because it’s dark. It’s naturally scary when it’s dark.

 

But I felt like there was a blatant stare at me. To make matters worse, the further I walked into the school, the fewer streetlights there were. Damn, I cursed inwardly. If I had known this would happen, I would have brought a stun gun.

 

This situation is pretty dangerous even if it isn’t Lee Eun-woo. Ah, I should have had a cell phone so I could send calls, even if I couldn’t receive them. If it were to happen, I would have to call the police.

 

 

When faced with this situation, my weaknesses that I couldn’t help but be helpless were revealed. Right now, right now, next week, I have to buy a cell phone. Gasp, gasp, I was still short of breath because my body was weak.

 

At that moment, I heard a car noise from behind. Thank goodness. Thank goodness. It was definitely the car of the parents who came to pick up their students at the end of the school day. I slowly slowed down my pace at the sound of the car.

 

Headlights poured down from behind.

 

My shadow stretched out as the car approached from afar. My head rose as well, following the shape of my feet. It was strange. Was the shadow always that long? No, it was too long… … to be my shadow.

 

I swallowed heavily.

 

I, who had been looking at the floor, slowly raised my right hand. The shadow of my forearm rose just as high, well below where my head should have been.

 

It overlapped with another shadow! Contrary to my hesitation, my body quickly turned around.

 

 

Goosebumps ran down my spine from my legs to my head. My heart started pounding like a victim being chased by a criminal and lost in a dead end street.

 

“Huh… … . This is… … .”

 

Boohoo, the car behind me quickly passed by. My short hair fluttered in the cold wind. Lie. In that short time, the owner of the other shadow that had been overlapping my shadow had disappeared.

 

There’s no place to hide around here that fast. I know this alley so well. How. On earth…

 

Another line of cars began to pull in. I turned my head to check the shadows again.

 

There was only a shadow that was shorter and clearer than before.

 

I finally thought I was going crazy and hallucinating. If not, how could someone run away so fast? Did he really run away? It didn’t take me more than a minute to look back. What’s a minute? It was only 30 seconds. No, it took me 10 seconds to look back.

 

 

It would be more accurate to say that he disappeared rather than ran away. Did I see a ghost’s shadow? If not, someone must have been playing with me. They must have been watching me tremble in fear.

 

I stood there for a long time, unable to move.