[Contest 2] Prehistoric Romance
Episode 5: Exposed
The heroine woke up in her room. She couldn't even remember when she'd arrived, but she woke up recalling the events of the previous day.
여주
"Oh, that's a surprise..."
As I woke up and looked around, I saw Jihoon sleeping right next to me.
She almost woke him up, as if her father had told her to keep an eye on him. The female protagonist carefully left the house, keeping her voice low.
Fortunately, Ji-hoon was still sleeping soundly without hearing any sound.
The female protagonist left Ji-hoon behind while he was sleeping and packed the meat and headed into the forest.
Even though she was just thinking about Jinyeong, a natural smile spread across Yeoju's lips.
The two of them were now walking along the forest path more naturally than before. Yeoju's face was already flushed, perhaps remembering yesterday's events.
But no matter how hard he tried to forget, he couldn't hide his excitement. Jinyoung, seeing this, gently poked Yeoju's cheek.
배진영
"Hehe, it turned red."
여주
"Oh, no!"
When Jinyoung spoke as if he had just been kicked in the butt, the female protagonist shouted out loud that she was not okay. She covered her mouth for a moment, as if she was surprised by her own words.
Now, instead of speaking, the heroine waved her hand. Perhaps finding that sight cute, he leaned against the tree, brought his face closer to her, and asked.
배진영
"Really? Your face right now... looks like it's going to explode."
여주
"Uh... yeah."
The female protagonist's voice, as she hesitated to answer, became noticeably quieter. Jinyoung smiled faintly, kissed her cheek, and slowly stood up.
The female protagonist still had her eyes slightly closed. Jinyoung burst out laughing as she continued to keep them closed.
배진영
"Wow, what did you think I was going to do?"
When Jinyoung smiled and asked what it meant, Yeoju's already flushed face turned even redder. Then, Yeoju answered timidly.
여주
"No... That's... I don't know!"
Literally, the tables were turned.
Unlike when they first met, the female protagonist's expression was visibly embarrassed. Jinyoung waved his hand away when the female protagonist covered his face with his hand.
배진영
"Hey, would I do that to you? I would never do that, so put your hands away and look at me."
The heroine carefully removed her hand and looked at Jinyoung. But that was only for a moment, as she saw someone running from afar.
외로운 남자
"Yeojuuu!"
여주
"It's here again...?"
Then, as always, they ran into the forest. I ran inside and quickly scanned my surroundings, but this time, I couldn't find a place to hide.
Despite their panic, the two hid behind a relatively thick tree. Still, it was cramped, so Jinyoung held Yeoju tightly, keeping his breathing quiet.
But as expected, the man didn't turn back, and instead began to wander around the tree where they were hiding. Just as the heroine thought she'd been discovered, she heard another pair of footsteps.
Yeo-ju cautiously peeked out her head to observe, and saw that it was none other than Ji-hoon. A premonition flashed through her mind that something terrible was about to happen.
지훈
"Who are you looking for? Maybe the heroine?"
외로운 남자
"That...that's right!"
Ji-hoon asked the man as if he already knew everything, and he answered. After a moment of caution between them, the man aimed the axe at Ji-hoon first and spoke.
외로운 남자
"Where is the heroine? Tell me now!"
Then Ji-Hoon speaks as if he is acting cleverly.
지훈
"Well? I wasn't here, so I was just standing there... I guess I went somewhere else. But, do you know who I am and are talking to me?"
He glanced at Ji-hoon, not understanding, then backed away in surprise. Then, as if he'd expected this, Ji-hoon finished the conversation.
지훈
"So don't bother me and get out."
The man ran away in a hurry. Ji-hoon watched his back, then turned his gaze to where the female protagonist was hiding. Then he spoke.
지훈
"Now, why don't you come out? It's just us anyway."
The heroine was momentarily flustered. "You really didn't follow me all the way here?" As the silence soon fell, Ji-hoon, bored, spoke threateningly.
지훈
"It would be a loss if I didn't come out. I've already seen everything... You know what I'm going to do, right?"
Yeah, it's obvious. If I went to my father and told him, I'd probably be grounded. Or maybe Jinyoung's name would be mentioned.
He could have stood up to Ji-hoon confidently, but he couldn't because Jin-young, who was holding him, was stepping on his shoulders.
배진영
"Who is that person...?"
He looked as if he was about to burst into tears. He looked back and forth between Jinyoung and Jihoon, who was telling him to come out, and then spoke to Jinyoung.
여주
"No, don't worry, just stay here. No matter what he says, don't come out. Got it?"
As Jinyoung nodded slightly, she left Jinyoung's embrace and stepped forward toward Jihoon, who was standing on the street. Jihoon then took a step closer and asked.
지훈
"So, you're saying that you hate being caught by your father even if it means dying?"
Even in a situation where she was being threatened, the female lead kept her composure and glared at Ji-hoon.
여주
"You would have done the same thing. You knew everything and you still threaten me with those words? You're so stubborn."
Then, he gradually approached, coming right up to the female protagonist. When the female protagonist didn't back down, Ji-hoon spoke right in front of her.
지훈
"There's something I want you to do for me. I'm just like you in that I'm greedy."
지훈
"But, I hope you forgive me for this."
He whispered quietly in Yeoju's ear, then roughly grabbed her neck and lifted her up. Startled, Yeoju grabbed Jihoon's hand and tried to force it, but it was too much.
The female protagonist, exhausted from struggling, slumped over. Only then did Ji-hoon relax his grip and observe her condition.
He was on the verge of fainting, perhaps because he couldn't breathe due to the pressure he had placed on him. He put the still-awake female protagonist down and whispered.
지훈
"I didn't know you could last this long, but I think you're finally getting out. It's a shame this is the only way."
Ji-hoon nodded, pointing to where he and Jin-young had been hiding. Even in that moment, when she was lacking strength, Yeo-ju glared at Ji-hoon and struggled.
여주
"...Ugh, crazy... guy."
The heroine's movements, which had been precarious, as if she was on the verge of suffocation, slowed. Her eyes, which had opened and closed on their own, caught a glimpse of Jinyoung.
But the heroine lost consciousness without being able to call anyone's name. Finally, she closed her eyes.
배진영
"Lady... Come to your senses..."
여주
"...Ugh, where is this...?"
As soon as Yeo-ju finally opened her eyes, Jin-young immediately hugged her. As Yeo-ju, who had just woken up, stroked Jin-young's back, Ji-hoon, who had been sitting there, caught Yeo-ju's eye.
Jinyoung was momentarily surprised, but he just sat there and pointed at Jihoon and shouted.
여주
"Why is he here? Did he hit you?"
Jinyoung shook his head. When the female protagonist looked puzzled, Jihoon began to make excuses.
지훈
"I didn't touch that guy because I thought he'd really fall apart if I touched him. It's lucky he's barely alive."
Yeoju felt something deep within her welling up. She could have grabbed Jihoon by the collar right away, but she tried to calm Jinyoung, who was probably surprised.
여주
"If you had touched him, you would have been killed by me. So, you didn't really intend to kill him, did you? Judging by the fact that you didn't press down hard enough."
지훈
"If I had really died earlier, I wouldn't have anyone on my side. That's all, so please don't misunderstand this as brotherly love."
The fight was fierce, as if they weren't willing to lose a single word to each other. Meanwhile, Jinyoung, who was embracing the female protagonist, was concerned about the scar on her neck.
배진영
"What on earth is your relationship? And what good reason did you have to do this to the female lead?"
여주
"Okay, let me tell you. What do you want me to do that makes you do this?"
As they rushed to ask Ji-hoon, he seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment. A brief silence passed, and then Ji-hoon spoke.
지훈
"First of all, I'm Park Yeo-ju's younger brother, and I thought that if I did this, this hyung would come out. Yeo-ju would have definitely told me not to come out."
지훈
"So I just squeezed you enough to keep you from dying. Then you came out incredibly. I'm sorry for strangling you, but I have something I want to suggest to you two."
배진영
"Th-what is that?"
Jinyoung continued the conversation, trembling, perhaps afraid of him. Jihoon looked at Yeoju with a cold gaze.
지훈
"I want to kill that damn father and become the chieftain. I hope you can help me do that."