Lie Again! Chapter 54

<Chapter 54. The Stroke of Midnight (1)> 

 

“That’s all there is to it. It’s really nothing special, right?” 

 

Jin let out a short laugh and gave a small shrug.

 

“I was thinking, ‘Good thing graduation is just around the corner,’ but then… I saw her. At the high school interview.”

 

Ten years of history wasn’t so easy to break. Their parents, mutual friends, daily routines, even the schools they wanted to attend—all of it kept tying them together, again and again, even when they didn’t want it to.

 

“So the moment the topic of studying abroad came up, I ran for it. I just wanted to get as far away as I could, without thinking.”

 

Jin knows that it was her selfishness. Choosing to go to the U.S. instead of attending a science high school. Even for her parents, who had a relatively stable financial situation, the cost of studying abroad in America was not an easy burden to bear.

 

Even knowing all that, Jin still boarded the plane. It was a complete act of escape.

 

Pathetic.

 

‘Even over something this trivial, I…’

 

The hatred that had started to rise within her slowly dissipated—scattered by the warmth of Joey pulling her into a tight embrace. As he held her close, he rested his head gently against the nape of her neck.

 

At some point, Ruth had leaned against the wall, quietly listening. He reached out and gave the top of Jin’s head a light tap. Moved by her friends’ awkward but heartfelt gestures of comfort, Jin let out a small laugh.

 

A feeling resembling stability was returning once again—something that had once belonged to her but had long since scattered away.

 

Seventeen. The feet of a teenager who had unexpectedly boarded a plane to the U.S. trembled with confusion and fear. What once seemed certain had shattered in the worst possible way, and her future had begun to drift in a direction she had never considered.

 

Even after stepping onto foreign soil, the ground beneath Jin’s feet continued to sway. Each cautious step she took lacked certainty, lacked confidence, and lacked direction.

 

Where is my life headed now? Until I found the answer to that question, it felt like this nausea would never go away.

 

That’s what happened.

 

“There are always people like that no matter where you go. Damn bitch! I hope she trips and falls while running late in the morning and gets hit by bird poop.”

 

Every time you step outside, may it rain on you, and may you get every single test question wrong.

 

Ruth shook his head at Joey, who was muttering all sorts of petty curses into the air. 

 

“That must be heard all the way to Korea.”

 

When Joey threw a punch at Ruth’s thigh, he quickly pulled his leg away and stepped back. A quiet laugh escaped from Jin’s lips as she watched them.

 

Her fingertips, once so cold they ached, were slowly beginning to thaw.

 

* * *

 

“Did you pack everything you needed? Aren’t you cold?”

 

Riley looked at Jin’s simple outfit with concern. Black jeans, a turtleneck shirt, a thick coat, and a light fabric bag slung over one shoulder—that was all Jin had on.

 

“Yeah, they said it’d just be a little chilly, so I’m planning to wear a thick coat.”

 

“Alright, have a good time. Don’t forget to be back before midnight. And you know the rest, right?”

 

Riley spoke with a deliberately stern look in her eyes. Whenever Jin went out on a date with Evan, she had heard the same words so often that her response came out automatically.

 

“Alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and even that—Jin trailed off a bit here—are all forbidden?” 

 

“Alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and sex—all off limits. You kids are way too soft to get messed up with that kind of stuff.”

 

“Jin is going to be late, Mom.” 

 

Ivy stopped Riley, who had grabbed Jin’s cheeks and was rubbing them with both hands.

 

“You too, Ivy! If you want to keep living in this house, forget about it until you’re an adult. Got it?”

 

Ivy rolled her eyes at the sparks flying her way.

 

“Well, anyway, that’s enough nagging. Have a good time, Jin!”

 

“I’ll be back, Riley. See you tonight. Ivy!”

 

Jin gave a farewell to the mother and daughter, then stepped out through the front door.

 

Jin quickened her pace toward the green car parked by the garden’s border stone. It had already been a while since Evan had texted that he was in front of the house.

 

“You have to be back before midnight!”

 

Just before grabbing the car door handle, the front door swung open behind her and Riley’s final nagging shout flew out. Only after Jin raised her arms to draw a big circle over her head as a sign of acknowledgment was she finally allowed to get into the car.

 

“Hi, Cinderella.”

 

Evan, who had been leaning his head against the steering wheel, smiled and greeted her. He must have heard Riley’s call earlier, telling him to be back by midnight.

 

It had been nearly two weeks since she last saw his face, back on Christmas Eve. Though they had kept in touch, it had been a while since they met in person. Unlike Jin, who had worried it might be awkward, he casually teased her as if no time had passed at all.

 

Thanks to that, Jin was able to relax her tense shoulders and stole a glance at the boy’s smiling face.

 

He was undoubtedly the same Evan as always, but something felt a little different. Despite his smiling face, there was a cold, sharp aura lingering around him.

 

Was it because the New Year spent with his mother had been difficult? Jin glanced sideways at Evan, recalling the messages that had carried a hint of cynicism for a while.

 

Then their eyes met—green irises locking onto hers. Jin quickly averted her gaze, eyes darting away. Though he was smiling, his face couldn’t quite hide a faint tension, familiar yet strangely distant. Their first date in two weeks made her feel shy for no clear reason.

 

“…Just drive.”

 

Jin eventually gave up trying to come up with a witty retort and turned away from the annoyingly handsome face. Hiding a heart pounding faster than usual behind her curt words, she reached for her seatbelt.

 

“Yes, yes, Your Highness.”

 

Evan, smiling leisurely, started the car.

 

After about four hours of driving, they arrived at a small lakeside. A cozy cottage stood alone beyond the lake, surrounded by a winter forest that encircled the quiet water.

 

“Sometimes, when the temperature drops, you can see a thin layer of ice form—but no such luck today.”

 

Evan said as he tossed a stone into the lake.

 

Thin sheets of ice floated along the edges of the small lake—one that could be circled in just ten minutes. The fragile pieces would soon melt away, far too insubstantial to be called a frozen lake.

 

Plop. The second pebble he threw vanished into the center of the lake with a gentle splash. The ripples it made spread slowly outward, only to fade away before they could disturb the fragile ice along the edges.

 

“This is the most winter-like place I know in Florida.”

 

He continued speaking. Jin looked at Evan and pulled his coat tighter around himself. Behind his curt words, Evan had said he visited this place every winter—choosing days when the temperature was especially low, just to see the lake frozen over.

 

“I do like the Sunshine State, but it gets a bit boring when it’s warm all year round.” 

 

At Evan’s words, Jin glanced at the small cottage behind them. The two had stopped by the cabin to drop off their bags as soon as they arrived.

 

The living room they had briefly looked around was small and tidy, but it carried the distinct chill that fills a place left uninhabited. The white sheets draped over the furniture only added to that feeling.

 

Jin thought it was just like Evan. A space that, at first glance, seemed indifferent and almost cold with nothing kept beyond the essentials—yet upon closer inspection, revealed traces of careful attention in every corner.

 

It resembled its owner.

 

Evan Butterfield, who pretended not to care about anything, yet revealed his kindness in strange, subtle ways.

 

Jin imagined Evan visiting this place every winter—restocking the firewood, dusting things off, removing the white sheets from the furniture. Though the image of Evan dozing off atop a still-covered couch and vanishing without a word suited him far better than one of him fussily cleaning each corner, Jin somehow couldn’t help but picture him in an apron, scrubbing the floors until they gleamed.

 

Jin chuckled, imagining Evan polishing the table until it gleamed like a seasoned housekeeper, then looking pleased with his handiwork.

 

“Jin, why do I feel so strange when you’re laughing?”

 

The sharp-eyed boy tossed a pebble high into the air, caught it midair with one hand, and asked with a sullen look, “What’s so funny?”

 

Pretending otherwise, but unable to completely hide the smile lingering on her lips, Jin pushed herself off the floor and moved to stand beside Evan.

 

“You know how to do this?”

 

Jin picked up a small, flat pebble from the floor, exhaled deeply, and lowered her arm, swinging it. 

 

Plop.

 

However, the confidently thrown stone didn’t even skip once—it plopped straight into the water with a gurgle.

 

Evan, watching from the side, chuckled.

 

“Are you talking about tossing a stone into the water? Hmm, that might be a bit tricky.”

 

Jin shot a glare at the boy for his mean remark and picked up another stone.

 

She recalled the way her dad had once taught her how to skip stones—arm sideways, with a snap of the wrist.

 

But once again, the pebble sank without a single skip. It wasn’t a surprising result—back when her dad had taught her, she hadn’t managed to succeed even once.

 

At first, her dad had taught her with enthusiasm, but eventually, he ended up scratching his head with a groan. He’d said, “My daughter’s never going to make a living with sports.”

 

“Don’t hurl it straight down—throw it sideways, like this. Just skim it.”

 

Evan, who had been watching what Jin was doing from the side, pulled his shoulder back and let the stone fly with a swift flick.

 

The stone he threw flew lightly and swiftly, skipping across the water multiple times before finally disappearing past the middle of the lake. The ripples spreading across the surface formed more than ten concentric circles at a glance.

 

“…Wow.”

 

Jin, who had been watching the scene with her mouth slightly open, clumsily tried to imitate Evan. But each stone she threw sank helplessly the moment it hit the water.

 

Evan, who had been watching the scene with fascination for a different reason, stepped up behind Jin in a single stride.

 

The cool scent of soap, mixed with the chilly air, suddenly spread behind her neck.