Jean tugged on the straps of her backpack as she walked through the hallway of the art building.
At this point, she knew–she had to come here.
It was still early. The building was empty.
She followed the corridor all the way to the stairwell from before.
Pale morning light streamed through the windows, mixing eerily with the shadows at the stairwell.
In the dim, dusty air touched by sunlight, she could see particles floating like motes in a sunbeam.
She squinted instinctively.
Then she stepped onto the stairs, raised her hand, and knocked on the wall near the stairwell. She called upward:
“You. Come out.
At first, there was only silence.
Jean started to feel discouraged, about to give up and turn back-
When suddenly, the faintest footsteps, soft and almost inaudible, slipped into her ears
He was coming.
She’d come here today for one reason- -to meet the mysterious figure face to face.
After what happened yesterday, she was nearly certain now:
Whoever this person was, whatever connection he had to Abyssal Choir, he didn’t mean her harm. In fact, it seemed like they were secretly working together.
If that was the case, she had no reason to be afraid. No need to tiptoe around.
She wasn’t going to guess anymore. She wanted answers
The footsteps grew louder, clearer.
And then she saw the–black sneakers.
Her eyes moved upward, taking in the rest: a teenager in all black, maybe seventeen or eighteen years old.
His jet–black hair was sharp and neat. His long, narrow eyes gleamed like obsidian in the dark, scattered with faint stars of cold light.
His skin was pale–almost translucently white, the kind where you could see veins just beneath the surface.
The entire vibe he gave off was cold and bloodless,
“What do you want, Jean?”
Suddenly, the icy boy curled his lips into a smile, his eyes bending like crescent moons.
It was like a high–strung cat suddenly curling its tail and inviting you closer. The smile would’ve been cute–if it weren’t for how strangely out of place it looked on someone with such a cold, emotionless face,
And yet somehow, it didn’t clash.
Chapter 39 The Truth Unveiled
This boy clearly knew her.
So she did her best to take familiarity.
“About the Hope Cup she said cautiously, watching his reaction.
Finished
The boy’s smile deepened. “The Hope Cap, huh… You must’ve seen the news. Thanks to you, everything went smoothly.”
Jean’s brain raced.
On one hand, she didn’t want to expose her memory loss. On the other, she needed to coax more info out of him.
She pressed her lips together and sighed like something was weighing on her. “But what if I hadn’t managed to pull it off yesterday!
The boy stepped closer. His eyes were like colil, polished beads–utterly detached. He chuckled. “Honestly? I wasn’t counting
Jean was puzzled.
“Those tasks I gave you were just training,” he said breezily “Still, you did better than I expected.”
Jean’s mind was starting to piece it all together.
She forced a relaxed tone and said. “How long do you plan to hide out in this dark little building?”
The boy tilted his head, then suddenly leaned toward her-
Jean jumped.
Her eyes widened on instinct.
He was so close she could see her reflection clearly in his obsidian–black pupils.
“If I’m stuck here, isn’t that because of you?”
His voice was clear and crisp, like wind chimes on a summer evening.
Because of her?
What did that even mean?
The memory gaps, the missing plot details–even the novel didn’t mention this part. Jean was starting to feel the pressure.
Still, she kept a straight face. Even if she didn’t understand, she couldn’t let him know.
Then the boy added. “The organization sent me to protect you in secret. I have to stay nearby… You know I can’t show my Lace, so this is the only option.”
Jean, honestly—
His voice dropped slightly. “You shouldn’t have come looking for me today.”
Jean’s heart skipped a beat.
Did he notice something
She felt a flicker of nervousness, but her face remained calm. Her mind, meanwhile, was racing.
The organization he mentioned…
Chapter 39 The Truth Unveiled
assign someone to guard her.
Still, it was strange.
Finished
The host clearly wasn’t a fighter. The boy didn’t even trust her with serious tasks. She’d only been given things to “train‘ with
So how had the host even gotten involved with Abyssal Choir in the first place!
Why was she considered so important that someone was assigned to protect her?
She’s not useful, but she’s still special. Protected.
As for the boy–he had to remain nearby, but hidden. That’s probably why he never left the art building.
And the blackout at Central Theater? That was likely his doing too.
Jean continued piecing it all together, calmly looking at the boy as she said, “You’re right. I shouldn’t have come to find you… If you get exposed, that’d be bad.”
“But about yesterday…” she hesitated. “I was just… curious.”
“It’s like the news said,” he replied simply.
Jean smiled faintly. “Got it.”
Jean left the art building.
She understood most of it now.
There were still a lot of unanswered questions, of course–but she couldn’t push him too hard. That would only raise suspicion.
This would take time.
She’d play the long game.
She remembered the Abyssal Choir insignia she’d found in the host’s room, Looking back… it had all been connected. That pin–it had been left behind by the host herself.
Host what were you trying to do?
None of this was in the book. You were just a disposable side character. So how did you end up joining some secret organization?
Send Gifts
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
Summary & Review: The Family
