Don't smile on me

scarf

The atmosphere was more awkward and quiet than ever. Yeoju was at a loss as to how to strike up a conversation and was glancing at Taehyung.

A few minutes later, with the atmosphere remaining awkward, Taehyung, who had been quietly lost in thought, suddenly stopped and bowed 90 degrees to Yeoju in surprise after belatedly noticing her presence.

태형

"Oh, I didn't know you were here."

태형

" hello "

Yeoju chuckled at Taehyung as if to say it was fine and spoke in a relaxed tone as if to reassure him.

이 여주

You don't need to use honorifics even with me.

이 여주

"Just treat me comfortably like a friend."

태형

But I..

이 여주

"You're talented? Does being talented change anything about you?"

이 여주

You and I are the same kind of people, but...

이 여주

You look about the same age, so speak comfortably like you do when you talk to Jungkook.

As Yeoju smiled brightly after saying those words, Taehyung stared at her smile blankly for a moment, then his eyes welled up as if he were about to cry.

태형

"It's been a long time since I've heard words like that..."

태형

"What do you want from me..?"

태형

"Even if you want me to use my ability, it's just a weak one without any aggression..."

이 여주

I didn't say that hoping for something...

이 여주

"I just... wanted to say thank you for saving my life and for allowing me to arrive at the scene quickly thanks to your abilities..."

이 여주

And... I just came to apologize because I couldn't be of any help regarding what just happened at the police station.

이 여주

I wanted to help, but... I was scared for some reason, so my body wouldn't move...

이 여주

Sorry heh..

Yeoju had been speaking with her head bowed low for a moment, but when she raised her head again, she was flustered to see Taehyung finally shedding tears and approached him.

이 여주

" are you okay...? "

태형

"Ugh... it's my first time..."

이 여주

" what...? "

태형

"I haven't been treated like this... since Jungkook..."

태형

".....I didn't want to have a crappy ability like this..."

태형

"When I was seven, the police suddenly burst in... and dragged my parents and me away..."

태형

"After I parted ways with my parents back then... suddenly the police approached, looked at me, muttered something, had a conversation, and then forcibly put this choker on me..."

태형

If I tried to remove the choker or escape, they used a remote control to send an electric current through my neck, so I couldn't even resist...

태형

"Growing up treated like slaves—used merely for stress relief, as errand boys, or as playthings—and receiving brainwashing-like education that they must unconditionally obey the incapable..."

태형

Even though I was born a human, I’ve lived being treated worse than a dog...

태형

"Still, at least I was lucky enough to be chosen..."

태형

"I ended up joining this police station because they said my tracking ability would be helpful in catching criminals..."

태형

" but.... "

태형

It never changed that it became a stress-relieving ride for the police whenever they were stressed...

태형

"It's that I've gotten a lot better since meeting Jungkook and helping him..."

태형

"Honestly, I really wanted to die... Even if I died, since they are all powerful, there wasn't even anyone to mourn for me... "

태형

"As long as I wear this choker... whether inside or outside, everyone will recognize that I have abilities...."

Taehyung trembled as he clutched the choker around his neck with his hands. The tears slowly streaming down his face, one or two at a time, looked sorrowful, as if speaking of the hardships of his life thus far.

Yeoju gently hugged Taehyung, who was crying unwittingly at the immense shock and the hardships of his life, and patted his back.

Taehyung's shoulders trembled slightly as he quietly buried his face in Yeoju's. Unable to say a word, Yeoju simply stroked his back in silence, as if comforting him for all the hardships he had endured.

A few minutes later, Yeoju carefully pulled away from Taehyung and watched him, who was still wiping away his tears with his head bowed low without saying a word, before reaching into her bag to look for something.

A little later, what the female protagonist took out of her bag was none other than a scarf.

Yeoju took out a scarf, approached Taehyung, and carefully wrapped her scarf around his neck.

Taehyung flinched in surprise for a moment, but soon watched Yeoju's actions quietly with a bewildered expression.

이 여주

It's all done.

Yeoju soon smiled with a pleased expression, stepped away from Taehyung, took out a mirror, and showed him his reflection.

The moment Taehyung looked in the mirror, he felt the corners of his eyes welling up again... The scarf Yeoju had wrapped around his neck... was wrapping the choker and perfectly covering it.

이 여주

"If you do this, ordinary people will just see it as an accessory."

이 여주

"Then... since the choker isn't visible, they won't see me as someone with abilities, right?"

Saying that, Yeoju reached out with a look that seemed to say, "Don't cry," and wiped away the tears flowing from Taehyung's eyes one by one.

And so... the female lead's thoughtful consideration, stemming from her position as a fellow capable person, warmly healed the deep, long-standing wounds in Taehyung's heart.