ICYM Ch 27

Episode 27

I had spent the whole day agonizing over how to confess, only to realize something.

Until I confessed, I wouldn’t be able to study in the library I’d chosen as the confession spot.

“So today, I’m going to study at a café downtown instead.”

The one listening to my serious declaration finally opened their mouth.

Weeeooowk.

Nabi let out a strange sound. Maybe it was because I came to see them every morning, but now, when I gently scratched Nabi’s forehead with my finger, it would purr and accept my touch.

Woof!

Coco barked at me, standing tall with an oddly confident posture.

During the break, the only ones I had left to talk to were Nabi and Coco.

I absentmindedly fiddled with my phone while petting Coco, who was lying on its side beside me with its belly exposed.

Lately, I had only been visiting at dawn, and because of the cold, I couldn’t stay long. But since I came during the day for the first time in a while, it wasn’t too chilly thanks to the sunlight, and it put me in a good mood.

Because of that, I’d planned to leave before noon, but clearly, that wasn’t happening. Since I was going to leave late anyway, I figured I might as well take it easy. Leaning against the wall, I pulled out my phone.

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Board: [Anonymous Free Board]

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【HOT!】 If another incident happens during this vacation, don’t you think the investigation net will really tighten? (21)

Ever since the police started investigating, the cat abuser has been lying low, so they still haven’t caught themㅠ. Even the timing of the crimes has become totally erraticㅜ. They’re saying they’ll have to start investigating all over again.

If the cat abuser shows up again during break, the ones who went home and live far away will be ruled out as suspects.

Comments

Anonymous: The culprit seems smarter than we thought. If the culprit is still in the neighborhood and doesn’t want to get caught, they might not hurt any animals again, but if they can’t control their impulses, something else could happen.

└ Anonymous: Um… Don’t create weird vibes;;

└ Anonymous: OMG that’s so scaryㅜㅜㅜ

└ Anonymous: 33 That might not be an overreaction. People say criminals start with small animals and move on to humans.

└ Anonymous: Whoa… Seriously?

Anonymous: Everyone’s falling for this wild speculation LOL

└ Anonymous: For real… Y’all are reaching too far

Maybe because the mid-term break had just started, even the popular posts weren’t getting as much attention as usual. After reading the top post and the comments underneath, I slipped my phone into the front pocket of my bag.

With my right hand, I pet Coco, and with my left, Nabi. Running my fingers through their fur, I checked how they were doing. Both were sprawled out, looking completely carefree, as if they had no idea I was worried, which made me chuckle.

It probably isn’t Kendrick.

He had said he was keeping an eye out, but if Kendrick really were the culprit, I doubted things would’ve ended peacefully.

Just like they said on the board, since the police were investigating, the culprit was lying low. And if they couldn’t resist their impulses, they would’ve hurt the animals closest to them.

“Heave-ho!”

As I stood up, the two of them who had been lying belly-up shot me looks of annoyance.

“I want to stay longer too, but I really have to go.”

I should study at least a little. If I kept going like this, I might end up with a single-digit score like Hayden.

I hugged my arms as I recalled that moment. That was one outcome I definitely wanted to avoid.

Maybe it was understandable to get scores like that back in middle school, but if my grades stayed that way now, I wouldn’t even make it past the gates of universities I’d never even heard of.

What exactly is the problem?

Was I studying the wrong way? Was I too distracted? Or maybe both?

All the way to the city, I kept thinking I needed to approach studying differently, but no clear method came to mind.

* * *

Time passed slowly if I thought it was slow, and quickly if I thought it was quick.

If things had gone as planned, we would’ve gone to the amusement park today.

Just last week, I’d been eagerly looking forward to Wednesday.

Now, here I was, sitting alone in a café, sipping a warm drink and eating a sandwich.

The food was decent in the dining hall, but after eating the same thing alone for several days, I was getting tired of it.

Wanting to try somewhere new, I’d wandered to a slightly farther café, but even just looking through the window, I could tell it wasn’t a place where anyone could actually study.

Maybe I’ll just grab some Chinese takeout and head back to the dorm early today.

Resting my chin on my hand, I scrolled through the menu of nearby Chinese restaurants that offered takeout, reading them carefully.

Should I buy enough to have some for tomorrow too?

Mongolian beef, egg fried rice, shrimp chow mein, and menbosha.

It was a lot for one person, but if I bought it now and went back, it would probably be around 4 p.m.

‘Then I won’t be hungry around 6 p.m., but I probably will be later in the evening.’

It was an age when I was supposed to eat a lot, so it definitely wasn’t too much food.

Somehow feeling like I was only leaving with food, I flipped through my notebook a few times, then took the food I ordered and walked slowly.

The Chinese place was a bit of a walk, so I ended up taking a roundabout route that I normally didn’t.

I was walking leisurely, admiring the red and yellow leaves scattered along the path, when I saw him.

Kendrick Bardi.

Even from behind, I could tell it was him.

“…He didn’t go home?”

I hadn’t seen him in the dorm or in the garden, so I’d assumed he had gone back.

But Kendrick Bardi was with someone else.

To get back to the dorm, I had to pass by them.

They didn’t look like they were laughing or chatting, so I slowed my pace.

The two of them were arguing, completely ignoring their surroundings.

They were across the street, so I couldn’t make out the conversation clearly, but I could see the expression on the man facing Kendrick.

Is that man crying?

The man, who looked to be in his mid to late thirties, was wearing a suit and had a refined appearance.

If he had been expressionless, he might have come off as cold, even stern. He had a sharp, chilly look to him.

It was a completely mismatched combination.

I couldn’t see Kendrick’s expression, so I couldn’t tell exactly what was going on, but judging by the man’s face, it looked like he felt threatened.

‘If the culprit is still in the neighborhood and doesn’t want to get caught, they might not hurt any animals again, but if they can’t control their impulses, something else could happen.’

A comment from a post I had read in the garden a few days ago suddenly flashed through my mind.

Nah.

Just as I thought I was being ridiculous, Kendrick suddenly raised his hand high into the air.

“Gasp.”

I let out a sound without even realizing it. The man facing him either froze at the sight of Kendrick’s raised fist or realized there was no escaping and tightly shut his eyes, bracing for the blow.

Should I step in?

Even if I crossed the street now, wouldn’t it be too late already?

The situation was escalating too fast for me to keep up, and I started to panic. I was anxiously hopping in place, trying to decide whether to cross the street.

And just then, as his arm swung down vertically—

BEEEEP—

A truck sped by between us. The honk of the horn snapped me out of my narrow focus, and I finally noticed a bus approaching from the other direction. I stumbled back in alarm.

“Ugh…”

The wind stirred up by the truck grazed past me in a chilling rush.

Did I… almost get hit just now?

Why the hell was a truck speeding like that through a residential street? Was the driver insane?

“Ha…”

A curse almost slipped out, but my body was shaking so badly that no sound came.

By the time the truck passed and I finally regained my composure, the situation was already over.

The man was slumped on the ground, bleeding from his nose, while Kendrick stood over him, looking down.

Did he hit him?

In broad daylight? In the middle of the street? A man who looks older than us?

Kendrick looked completely unfazed.

He was truly terrifying. I was a fool to ever think otherwise.

“Thank you.”

And that wasn’t all.

The man who’d just gotten punched was thanking him!

Reading the man’s lip movements, I couldn’t help but be shocked.

Was he grateful for just getting hit once and not worse?

My legs were trembling. What I’d just witnessed was so shocking that I collapsed like a newborn deer.

Thud.

The sound was louder than I expected, and both Kendrick and the man turned to look at me.

Was I screwed?

I trembled like someone who’d just witnessed a murder.

Kendrick looked at me for a moment, then turned his head back to the man and gestured with his chin. The man responded with a respectful bow, as if it were a routine exchange.

They know each other?

That made even less sense. It wasn’t a random argument with a passerby; they knew each other.

The man glanced at me and gave a grin.                           

Was it my turn now?

I was trying to help!

And yet he just ran off on his own.

Without even glancing back, the man disappeared, and only Kendrick and I were left on the roadside.

Why was this street so empty today of all days?

Maybe because his legs were so long, Kendrick had only taken a few steps and was already right in front of me.

Looking up from where I sat, he seemed even taller than usual, and I instinctively gulped.

“…You dropped something.”

That was the first thing Kendrick said as he looked down at me.

“Huh!?”

My reflexive thought was, Did I wet myself?!

I quickly ducked my head and checked the lower half of my body.