Chapter 329: A Drive with Jenna

Yohan escorted Minji out of the massage parlor. She turned to face him with a smile that didn’t seem like it was going away anytime soon.

"Thanks for... the massage." The smile spread to her eyes as she added some emphasis to the last words.

"You’re welcome." Yohan chuckled with a knowing grin. "If you want, we can do it again. This time, I’ll actually show you the real thing."

"But I’m more than satisfied with my current service." She moved closer and wrapped her arms around him before leaning in and kissing him.

Yohan was startled. He hadn’t expected her to show him such affection in public, but his hands instinctively found her waist, and he returned the kiss.

"So you really aren’t coming to class anymore?" she asked afterward. "Can’t you just drop by? Some of the students were asking about you..."

"I’ve been away for a while, so I have to fix up a few things," he replied. "But if you need me, just hit me up. I’ll come running."

"Okay, then. Better prepare yourself, because I’m actually going to call."

She gave him one final wave before getting into her car and driving away.

When he returned inside, he locked eyes with Mia. She was sitting behind the counter and had seen everything through the one-way glass.

He expected some kind of reaction, but she didn’t say anything.

’Why do I feel a bit guilty...?’

He went into his office, hoping to escape before things became awkward.

His phone was ringing. Jenna had already called him several times.

"Where are you? It’s time to go."

"I’m coming. Just give me a few minutes," he answered before ending the call.

He had gotten so carried away with Minji that he’d almost forgotten he was supposed to meet Jenna. He hurried toward the door, only to find Mia standing there when he opened it.

"Mia?"

"W-Where are you heading to?" she asked without making eye contact.

"To see a friend..."

"A friend?" she repeated, her expression shifting slightly.

"I was thinking we could go eat somewhere after work. Just the three of us. Maybe have a little welcome-back party."

"That sounds like a very good idea, Mia, but we’ll have to do that another time. Tomorrow would be good, right?"

He sighed.

"A friend of mine might be in danger, so I have to go find her."

"Oh..." She forced a smile before leaving.

Yohan let out another sigh. He could tell Mia was starting to feel ignored since he came back, but he couldn’t properly explain the situation to her at the moment.

’I’ll make it up to her.’

He headed to his car and drove off.

A short while later, he pulled up in front of a motel. Jenna was already standing outside waiting for him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said as she hopped into the car.

"Let’s just get going. It’s going to be a long drive."

She pulled the seat belt across her chest and clicked it into place.

She was wearing a casual sleeveless top with a pair of tracksuit bottoms. It was different from what he usually saw her wear, and it made him realize that Jenna probably hadn’t had the freedom to make choices like this for most of her life.

As they drove, he noticed a small smile appearing on her face from time to time.

Just getting free from under Hatoru’s thumb seemed to have made her feel like a completely different person. Before, Jenna had always been in a defensive state, constantly calculating her next move or worrying about what might happen next.

Now, Yohan would occasionally catch her gaze lingering on places that caught her interest as they drove by.

’But I guess she’s really not much of a conversation person.’

That part had nothing to do with Hatoru, he thought with a sigh after they had driven in complete silence for more than two hours.

Night had already fallen, and according to Jenna, they still had a few more hours of driving ahead of them. They were heading all the way to a small town not too far from the city, and Yohan was certain that, at this rate, he was going to fall asleep at the wheel.

"So, are you staying at that motel with your family?" he asked, trying to force a conversation.

"Yeah..." she answered. "Just until everything settles down."

"Okay... then what?" he asked again. "I can arrange a place for them if you’d like."

"There’s no need for that. You’ve already done a lot for me. I never would have reunited with my family if not for you."

"I still have to help in some way. Your mum must be traumatized by everything that happened."

"She is. Mostly from getting shot."

She rested her head against the window, watching the road pass by.

"Hatoru gave her a place to stay and told her that if she ran away, she would never get to see me again. He made sure she could never leave by taking me hostage. The same way he used me to keep them hidden."

She went silent for a few seconds.

"All this while I was searching for her... while she was waiting for me just a few blocks away."

The thought brought a faint smile to her face, even though there was still sadness behind it.

"Yohan, what exactly is that stuff you used to heal my mother?"

"Remember, we agreed on no questions about the mystery of Yohan." He tried to shut it down.

"I know, but I can’t help it. How can something like that even exist? It healed a bullet wound without leaving a scratch."

She went quiet, expecting him to say something, but he didn’t.

"You could sell it and make billions if you wanted. Or give it to the government to save lives. You could even just hand it out to everyone for free."

Instead of considering her words, Yohan was more surprised by the fact that Jenna was actually such a humanitarian.

"Jenna, I understand what you’re saying, but if I did any of those things, I’d have to explain where I got the knowledge from."

He paused before finishing.

"I don’t want that, at least not yet..."