Chapter 97 : Chapter 97
Chapter 97: Kidnapping (1)
The noise in the classroom dulled as if submerging underwater.
The boy bound to a chair.
The figure in the photo was unmistakably his disciple, Jo Seong-hyeon.
He inhaled once.
Yoo jin's expression did not change.
Only the look in his eyes cooled down very slowly and completely.
A woman was captured in his chilled gaze.
A woman smiling strangely in front of Seong-hyeon as if conscious of the camera.
It was an unfamiliar but known face.
Because he had seen her once.
And that was here.
In the classroom of Class A.
“…….”
As Yoo jin's expression and atmosphere sank, the children in the classroom noticed something strange.
That was understandable, as it had been quite a while since he had been staring only at his smartphone screen without saying a word, and above all, a teacher making such an expression was unfamiliar.
When the children sitting in the classroom were looking at each other's faces due to Yoo jin's appearance.
“Teach, why are you like that? Is something wrong?”
“What is it. Did someone send a confession text or something?”
The Trio of Silliness of Year 2 Class A.
The twins approached Yoo jin's side.
And then, they moved their gaze to the screen.
“Uwaaack!!”
“What! Isn't this Seong-hyeon!”
At the twins' voices, a crack occurred in Yoo jin's expression, which had settled coldly.
He regained his senses and relaxed his expression while maintaining composure as much as possible.
So that anxiety, this anger, would not be transmitted to the children.
“Was he kidnapped?!”
As Im Jong-il's voice rang out, the expressions of the Class A students sitting in their seats were also dyed with shock.
Among them, the expressions of the children who had entered the underground Dark Store together that day, to be exact, to save Chan-yeong, were dyed the darkest.
Jin-ho, Ye-na, Kang Tae-wook.
And even Lee Chan-yeong.
Although they weren't speaking out, they were all blaming themselves.
That Seong-hyeon being kidnapped was because of them.
They should have checked more.
They should have been more suspicious.
Kang Tae-wook, who had strong pride, bit his lip first, and Jin-ho and Ye-na also clenched their fists placed on the desk strongly.
Chan-yeong, who became the starting point of everything, also couldn't lift his head.
The moment Yoo jin, who was capturing such children in his eyes, was about to open his mouth to say it wasn't their fault.
Ziiing―
Vibration began to ring in his hand.
As the screen darkened, an incoming call from an unknown number was captured in his view.
“Uh? Teacher's phone is…….”
Before the twins' voices could even be heard, Yoo jin pressed the call button.
[Did you receive the photo well?]
A slender voice flowed from the smartphone brought to his ear.
At those words, he knew for certain who the caller was at once.
Little Princess.
China's S-Rank Awakened and Princess.
And the woman who was holding Seong-hyeon's leash right now.
“I had guessed to some extent since you took away the Returnee in Japan, but you are doing dirty things, like an amateur?”
[You might see it as amateurish. But to obtain you, I can do even more amateurish and dirtier things than this.]
Geez.
What is a Returnee.
What is power.
Yoo jin spat out a short exhale.
To maintain composure as much as possible.
“What do you want?”
[Why do you ask something simple? Of course, it is for you to sign a contract with our China.]
“I think I clearly informed you back then? That if you do something like this, I will even more not sign a contract with you guys.”
[I have come to know well that you are crazy about students. But speaking conversely, I have come to know that the only weakness of you, who possesses power that even a nation cannot do anything about…… is also students.]
“…….”
Weakness.
Returnee.
Those with the power of gods above the Transcendents called S-Rank.
Among them, Yoo jin, presumed to possess the strongest power.
Neither nation, nor power, nor money.
Could do anything about his existence.
However.
Just one.
Even for such Yoo jin, there was something that could be called a weakness.
It was the Little Princess who saw through that.
“Is the child safe?”
[Of course. I am not an amateur enough to scratch an important tool.]
“…….”
Yoo jin's voice passing over the receiver trembled slightly.
“For a famous guy like you to kidnap…… Do you not think about your reputation dropping if people find out?”
[Would I have moved without creating that much backing? Only you and I will know about this incident. Ah, including this brat, it's three. But whether this becomes three or two depends on your hands.]
“…….”
Silence came from Yoo jin's mouth once again.
Third time.
Little princess crossed the line for the third time just during the call.
Calling his treasure a weakness.
Calling his disciple a tool.
And lastly…….
Weighing Seong-hyeon's life.
[This matter is quite a big adventure for me too. Since I took a Returnee's disciple hostage, I guess I've put half my life on the line. So let's go on good terms with each other. I want this child to return safely to school. Just 3 years, sign a contract with China for just 3 years. Then I will release the child.]
There was no trembling in the voice.
It was true she put half her life on the line.
However, there was no fear in that voice.
She had prepared thoroughly.
To prevent this kidnapping incident from being revealed, she probably used her influence on someone in a high position in Korea.
In addition to that.
Even if he goes to meet the Little Princess, Seong-hyeon probably won't be there.
She would release Seong-hyeon after he stamps the contract.
No.
Will she not release him?
The Little Princess should know that a mere contract is useless to Yoo jin….
There is something.
Definitely.
Something that leaves him no choice but to proceed with the contract, no choice but to listen to that woman.
Yoo jin's eyes hardened in a straight line.
‘Perhaps the Japanese Returnee too…….’
To Yoo jin's ears, whose expression had sunk, Little Princess' voice rang over the receiver.
[Three hours later. Come out to the place I sent. Then the location via text…….]
As Little Princess tried to finish the call quickly, Yoo jin's firmly closed lips parted.
“The disciple. Is Seong-hyeon safe?”
[Truly an incomprehensible person. Possessing such strong power, why on earth are you obsessed with brats like this.]
“Shut up, the voice….”
Silence flowed over the receiver for a moment.
Then the sound of a door opening was heard.
And then.
[Uh?! Sister, you came? Even seeing you in this dark place, your beauty is blinding!]
“…….”
Yoo jin's mouth hardened in a straight line.
Although it definitely wasn't on speakerphone, perhaps due to the quite loud voice, Seong-hyeon's voice heard from Yoo jin's phone spread into the classroom.
Due to that.
“Really…….”
“He's definitely a crazy guy.”
The heads of the Class A students shook side to side.
***
A while later.
Yoo jin, having finished the call with Little Princess, took the mobile phone off his ear.
Although the tension disappeared a little because of Seong-hyeon's last voice, the fact that the situation was critical didn't change.
“But to think he would really be kidnapped.”
“We talked about it jokingly last time….”
The twins shook their heads with unsuitable expressions.
After it became known to the world that Yoo jin was a Returnee, and receiving attention from embassies of each country, guilds, and many organizations.
He had once said that because of the power Yoo jin possessed, they wouldn't be able to approach Yoo jin directly, but would approach his disciples.
Ironically, as that became reality, dark expressions were built on the faces of those masses of silliness, the twins.
“But will Seong-hyeon be okay?”
“You heard his voice, he'll be okay, for now…….”
“Even if she's pretty, she's an S-Rank Awakened, Seong-hyeon won't be able to do anything with power.”
“There were many bad rumors too.”
Voices worrying about Seong-hyeon filled the classroom.
When Yoo jin's call ended, a few students sitting in their seats flocked to Yoo Jin.
It was Jin-ho, Ye-na, and Kang Tae-wook.
Only now did they check the smartphone screen held in Yoo Jin's hand.
To be exact, the figure of Seong-hyeon being held captive.
The children's expressions hardened.
However, unlike the darkened expressions, a firm voice rang from Kang Tae-wook's mouth.
“It smells fishy. Knowing Teacher's power, there's no way she would do this.”
Behind Kang Tae-wook's voice, Ye-na and Jin-ho's voices followed.
“That's right, Teach.”
“It seems like a trap.”
Yoo jin, looking at the children, nodded his head.
“I know that much.”
“Then…….”
As soon as Kang Tae-wook opened his mouth, Yoo jin cut him off.
“Still, I have to go.”
Kang Tae-wook tried to say something more, but closed his mouth.
Although it was only a few months, he had watched from his side.
What kind of person.
This person.
Yoo jin was.
No matter what happens, the homeroom teacher does not give up on a student.
Even if it is a disciple who tormented a student.
“…….”
Kang Tae-wook lowered his gaze with a low exhale.
“I know it's a trap, still I have to go. Seong-hyeon…….”
Yoo jin, who was speaking, recalled Seong-hyeon's last voice.
‘Sister!’
An excited voice that one wouldn't think belonged to someone kidnapped.
“…….”
Yoo jin, making a perplexed expression, continued speaking again.
“Although she hasn't caused harm yet, you never know. What that Chinese woman named Little Princess will do to Seong-hyeon.”
The classroom was engulfed in silence.
In the midst of that.
The twins popped out abruptly in front of Yoo jin.
“But isn't the most dangerous thing right now not Little Princess, but Seong-hyeon?”
Im Jong-sin's voice rang out.
“That's right. That guy might have already told all of Teacher's weaknesses. Or even habits. That guy is super weak to honey traps.”
At the twins' voices, the children sitting in their seats nodded as if agreeing.
Unlike his appearance at the beginning of the semester.
Seong-hyeon's appearance after being saved by Yoo jin was truly an appearance one would believe even if called the captain of the Trio of Silliness.
Infinitely light.
A child whose specialty seemed to be pranks.
Especially the appearance shown when Little Princess came last time looked super weak to honey traps.
And all the Class A students saw that clearly.
Yoo jin's gaze headed to Im Jong-sin.
“You shouldn't doubt a friend.”
“I'm not doubting. I'm grasping the situation accurately. I have no intention of cornering Seong-hyeon. It's just that regarding the last call and last time too. That S-Rank Awakened named Little Princess was super pretty. If a beauty of that level decides to seduce with a honey trap, there's no way he won't fall for it.”
“…….”
This guy always shows a silly appearance but says the right words when it's important.
“For that woman to act so confidently, she definitely has some trump card. I don't know if that's because of Seong-hyeon, or because Seong-hyeon said something. So wouldn't it be okay to just leave Seong-hyeon alone for now?”
What kind of talk is this.
“Since she can't touch Seong-hyeon if she wants to sign a contract because of Teacher anyway. Well, even if he fell for the honey trap, if Teacher doesn't go, she won't be able to touch Seong-hyeon anyway….”
“No.”
At Yoo jin's voice.
Im Jong-sin's mouth closed.
“So I have to go.”
“What does that…….”
“That woman's pride is immense. If the honey trap doesn't work, I don't know what she will do.”
“Saying the honey trap doesn't work, didn't you hear the voice? A voice already fallen for the honey trap….”
Yoo jin's head moved left and right.
“No. Seong-hyeon will absolutely not fall for a honey trap.”
Only Yoo jin knew.
He looks light.
And looks like he's crazy about women.
That there is only one woman in Seong-hyeon's head.