Chapter 54: Was he a ghost?

Chapter 54 - Was he a ghost? The three of them finally left, and I got to take my bath in peace. I thought I would be able to head to the library without any problems, but as I walked out of my room, whistling happily, I found Jin-Yeok at the foot of the stairs. I paused for a minute and then hid behind the pillar. 'What in the world is he doing here? I thought he left first.' It was a good thing he hadn't been looking in my direction; if not, he might've spotted me, and things would've been complicated. But how do I get to the library without getting spotted? I'd have to go take the other staircase but he would definitely see me as soon as I got down. What was he even waiting for? I hope it wasn't me. I saw April, as well as some other maids, coming out of my room. They were probably done with cleaning up the bathroom. They did that every night after I took a bath so that the next morning, the bathroom would be squeaky clean. They were so meticulous. I don't think I would ever be so committed if I were a servant. Wait, why would I want to be a servant anyway? "Hey, pst! April." I called and April looked up at me. "Yeah, over here. Come over for a minute." "What is it, master?" She got closer and I pulled her to hide behind the pillar with me. There was no use announcing to Jin-Yeok that I was hiding there. "Master?" She looked shocked but I clasped my hands together and apologized. "I'm sorry for pulling you so roughly but I have a question to ask. What is Master Shin doing here?" "Master Shin?" She blinked twice, trying to search her memories but then she shook her head and said, "Master Shin never mentioned why he returned. Is there a problem?" "No, I was just curious, that's all. You can go now. Thanks." She bowed her head and left. I took in two deep breaths and then said to myself, "It's alright. I'm sure he's not here for me, so I'll walk past just like the maids, and nothing will happen." I said and turned my head, only to find Jin-Yeok's smiling face peering at mine, and my heart jumped out of my chest. "Christ!" Was he a ghost? How could he move so quietly? I didn't even sense him right next to me. Just like how he did before dinner. He got behind me and I didn't even notice it. I'd believe it better if they told me this man was an assassin rather than a mafia Lord. "Why are you hiding, Jo-Pil?" He asked but I shook my head, denying his allegations. "I'm not hiding." I said. How did he even know I was behind the pillar? "Is that so? But the maids told me you were 'hiding' behind the pillar. So I came to see for myself," he said and I gripped my beating heart. Darn it! Those maids weren't reliable one bit. "Then, if you weren't hiding, what were you doing?" He asked and I sighed. What was the use of lying anyway? He told me before. So long I'm honest at all times, he'll see me in a good light. "Yes, you're right. I was hiding." I said, swiping my hair back. "I didn't do it on purpose though. I saw you at the foot of the stairs, and I instinctively hid." "Why?" He asked. "Have I begun to scare you again?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Who knows?" I walked past him and started walking down the stairs. "I'm not sure I'm scared of you. I just... Selfishly wanted to stay away because you make me anxious," I closed my eyes. Dammit, I didn't want to say so much but this man was making me speak without rehearsing my words. I just might slip up at some point. But the slip-up I feared was not far off as I ended up slipping on the stairs. I thought I was going to fall but Jin-Yeok suddenly caught my arm from behind. "I make you anxious, huh?" I turned to look at him. "You're the second mouth I'm hearing that from." He said and pulled me into his arms. "Does the anxiety creep into you so much that you start blurting out words you don't mean, huh, Hwang Jo-Pil?" He asked and I stared at the smirk on his lips. He was talking about the instance I answered, 'Yes, Daddy,' I was sure of it, but what would he have me say? He was making me so anxious. His voice was so dangerous that I feared I would slip my inner thoughts to him. That fear was what made me anxious. "Yes," I answered, looking him straight in the eye. "Your voice, your face, all of it. They're just so perfect that it makes me anxious. There's a saying that when you meet a perfect being, one should be weary because that perfection could just be a facade used to cover up the ugliness they hide. I don't know how much of that is true in your case or if you have any ugliness, to begin with, but I find myself drawn to your voice and, at the same time, weary to the point I wish to hide from you. Can you understand me?" There we go again. This man was making me blurt out a bunch of unrehearsed lines, but they were the truth. Well, most of it. "Master," I called. "I am not scared of you, I am just anxious." Jin-Yeok stared at me in a daze, his eyes roaming around my face as if trying to find a certain answer but my expression was firm and at the same soft. He would not find a single fault and that made him rather uneasy. "You're more perceptive than you look, Hwang Jo-Pil." He said and suddenly hugged me. It was something I did not expect him to do. "I'm sorry I make you anxious. And you're right. This perfection is indeed a facade. And it is one I use to hide the ugliness within." He broke the hug and said to my face. "And that is a ugliness I don't wish to show you." "Master, I answered your question," I said. "So, it's my turn to ask you." He didn't forget what we agreed on. With each question asked, the other gets to ask a question in return. "Go ahead, Jo-Pil." He said and I nodded. "Can you promise to be honest with me... Just as you wish for me to be honest with you?"