BXBX NOVEL Chapter 146 - Kang Mansion (1)
AUTHOR\'S NOTE:
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I\'ll give 10 chapter mass release on 1st October if we reach 5000 privilege unlocks this month <3
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Soobin sat at the back, still shaking. Hobin was driving the car with Yoonmin next to him. The latter kept on glancing at Soobin every few seconds to make sure that she was alright. Her face was stony and she did not seem to be her usual cheerful self.
"We\'ll catch the culprit," Yoonmin assured her. "My sister already called the cops."
Soobin was startled. His voice broke her reverie.
"Huh? What?"
"I said that we\'ll catch the culprit," Yoonmin repeated.
"Oh. I\'m just glad Miyoo is safe…"
"That was some quick thinking," Hobin remarked. "Grabbing her and hiding in the kitchen instead of the bedrooms. I see that you\'ve been reading the books I gave you."
Soobin borrowed some books on basic psychology from him which detailed many survival instincts. One of them included scenarios on how to survive a burglary. It pointed out how the kitchen is the safest place of a house because it gives a victim access to possible sharp weapons and spices which could be used on the attacker. Soobin was glad she read that part and was able to make a quick judgment call.
"But you\'re also not very careful when it comes to yourself," Yoonmin pointed out. "At the fair, you didn\'t scream out loud when Duho attacked you. And at the orphanage, you went flying at the criminal."
"At least I caught her," Soobin muttered but Hobin agreed with Yoonmin.
"He\'s right. You don\'t take very good care of yourself. You didn\'t even tell us when you were living alone. Protecting people is a good quality, Soobin. But jumping mindlessly into a dangerous situation is plain stupidity."
Soobin was now feeling ashamed and fidgeted with her fingers. She did not want to trouble everyone but it seemed that by staying quiet, she was troubling them even more.
"I\'m sorry," she apologized. "I\'ll be more careful. I promise!"
Yoonmin gave her a stiff nod and then turned to Hobin. "Is Doctor Kang home?" he asked.
"Bro is on night duty again," Hobin sighed. "I\'ll stay at the mansion tonight since someone needs to look after Soobin. I\'ll have the chauffeur drive you back home."
"I want to stay tonight!" Yoonmin insisted. "That\'s my girlfriend and she\'s hurt! I should stay as well!"
"Young love is great, but no. I can\'t allow that."
"I\'ll sleep on the road then! But I\'m not going."
Yoonmin glared at Hobin, determined to stay around Soobin as long as possible. He was not going to let her out of his sight until she was calm. Hobin stopped the car in front of the Kang mansion.
"If I find you anywhere near her room, I will throw you out and tell your sister about it," Hobin threatened. "Got it?"
"Says the guy who sticks to my sister like a satellite," Yoonmin muttered with a scowl. Soobin stared at them for a minute before bursting into soft giggles.
"You two are weird!" she laughed. The men frowned at her. All of them got out of the car and headed towards the mansion. Yoonmin had never been to the Kang mansion but he had heard of the place. It was a modern French style architecture with white marbled walls and jade black slanted roof. A colorful fountain stood in the middle of the large garden and the mansion itself stretched to almost 17 acres of land.
Inside, the Bavarian floors were shining brightly, kept spotlessly clean. The opulent state had a spiral staircase which led to all the floors. A formal living room was next to the front entrance while a smaller, informal living room was right across the hall. As soon as Hobin entered, a camera sensor identified him and a voice echoed around the mansion.
"Welcome home, Master Hobin," the robotic voice announced. The camera then turned on Soobin and scanned her.
"Welcome home, Miss Soobin."
When the camera turned to Yoonmin, the voice announced, "Unidentified male. Please state your name and fingerprint into the system."
Yoonmin was familiar with the system which was also installed in their real mansion as well. Other people might be awed by the Kangs\' elegant house but he was unfazed. For some reason, it felt stuffy to him and too white.
He inputted his name and prints before entering the house.
"It\'s a nice place, isn\'t it?" Soobin remarked at him.
"It\'s okay," he shrugged. "Too lonely for my taste."
"Is your mansion in the city bigger?" Soobin frowned.
She had heard they had a mansion somewhere in the Capital but the siblings barely go there anymore unless their parents were home. Yoonmin claimed that it felt too big for them but Soobin knew that they simply missed their parents and did not want to live there without them.
Before Yoonmin could reply, Hobin said, "Doesn\'t matter how big a mansion is, it\'s all useless if you can\'t make it a home. If you can\'t make this mansion a home, then it\'s just brick and mortar no matter how great it looks."
The teenagers did not understand why Hobin said that about his own house but he did not elaborate.
"You can take the guest room downstairs," Hobin told Yoonmin. "I\'ll take the couch here."
"Why are you taking the couch?" Soobin asked curiously. "You can go rest in your room. I\'m fine!"
"I don\'t have a room here," Hobin stated. Without another word, he waved them goodnight and went straight to the smaller living room.
"That guy is weird," Yoonmin muttered. Soobin nodded.
Inside the smaller living room, Hobin felt his hands shaking. He was trying not to show his fear but now that he was alone, he could not hide his true feelings anymore. The mansion walls seemed to be closing in on him, whispering things.
"You don\'t belong here…"
"You should have died…"
"...This is my house...DIE! DIE! DIE!"
Hobin shut his eyes and ears, trying to block out those memories. His fear of this place had strengthened after he regained his memories and now, he was barely trying to contain himself.
He opened his eyes and stared at his reflection on the glass table in front of him. His pupils were turning red and he was breathing heavily.
"Stop…" he ordered himself. "Don\'t wake up! Just stop…"