Chapter 34 - 999 red roses
Two days had passed since Yeri last saw Shin Keir lurking near the back gate.
He hadn't done anything outrageously invasive since—no unannounced break-ins or stealthy dorm invasions. Still, the memory lingered like a thread.
Just in case, she now locked every window before leaving her room, even the one that barely opened and squeaked like a haunted door hinge.
She'd blocked his number too. Unfortunately, Shin Keir had the tenacity of a telemarketer in love—he kept calling using different phone numbers, some of which were probably burners. After a while, she gave up and just stopped using her phone altogether. Peace through digital silence.
Then came the gifts.
Bouquets. Chocolates. Fancy wrapping paper that screamed "I have money and no boundaries." At first, Yeri assumed it was another random admirer. After all, students at her school were known for their dramatic, borderline theatrical methods of courtship. Love letters on desks, teddy bears in lockers, even one case of a love song performance in the cafeteria (which got shut down halfway by the lunch lady's ladle).
But one detail made her nervous: the cards.
They were always signed with two letters—SK.
Short. Subtle. Still unmistakably Shin Keir. Thank the stars he hadn't written out his full name. That would've opened a whole new series of trouble.
Today, though, Yeri decided to leave school and head home. Her mother had messaged, asking her to come back for the night. Yeri didn't need much convincing. Any excuse to put distance between herself and Shin Keir was a good one. Who knew what he'd try next? Appear as a subject teacher?
After class, she returned to the dorm to pack a few things. She'd barely stepped onto the staircase when the dormitory personnel called out to her.