The Villianess's Redemption (HYUNJIN ff) ✓

17. Hidden Currents

Chapter 17: Hidden Currents
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Y/N’s POV

The morning sunlight filtered through the large windows of the Kim estate’s dining hall, casting a warm glow over the elegant room. The table was set with an assortment of breakfast dishes, but the atmosphere was thick with tension. After the events of the previous night, everyone was on edge, and the silence between us was palpable.

Seungmin, always the calm and collected one, was the first to speak, breaking the uneasy silence. “I think we should take a step back for now,” he said, his voice measured. “With everything that’s happened, we’re all on edge, and that’s not going to help us make clear decisions. We don’t have any solid leads at the moment, so I suggest we cool things down until we have something new to work with.”

Eliza, seated beside him, nodded in agreement. She still looked pale and a little frail, but her expression was determined. “Seungmin’s right. We can’t keep pushing ourselves like this without any direction. It’s only going to make things worse.”

Hyunjin, sitting across from them, glanced up from his plate, his expression unreadable. I could feel the tension between him and Seungmin—an unspoken tension that had been building since last night. I tried to avoid meeting Hyunjin’s gaze, my mind still reeling from the kiss we had shared in the garden. The memory of it lingered, leaving me confused and uncertain about what it meant for us.

Jisung, ever the lighthearted one, attempted to ease the mood. “Well, maybe a break isn’t such a bad idea,” he said, grinning. “We could all use some time to relax, and who knows? Maybe we’ll stumble upon a clue when we least expect it.”

Despite his efforts, the tension in the room didn’t fully dissipate, but the idea of taking a step back seemed to resonate with everyone. We all needed a moment to breathe, to collect our thoughts before diving back into the chaos.

After breakfast, everyone dispersed to different parts of the estate, each of us retreating into our own thoughts. I found myself wandering the halls, my mind preoccupied with everything that had happened. I was about to head to the garden when I noticed Jeongin standing by one of the large windows, staring out at the grounds with a troubled expression.

Concerned, I approached him. “Jeongin?” I called softly, hoping not to startle him.

He turned to me, his face clouded with worry. “Oh, Isabella. I didn’t hear you come in.”

I offered him a small smile. “You looked deep in thought. Is everything okay?”

Jeongin hesitated, glancing back out the window before finally speaking. “I’ve been thinking… about everything that’s happened. The ambush, the magician’s death… it all feels so wrong. Like there’s something we’re missing.”

I nodded, understanding his unease. “I know what you mean. It feels like we’re being kept in the dark, like someone’s pulling the strings behind the scenes.”

Jeongin sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Exactly. And that’s what’s been bothering me. I… I can’t shake the feeling that there might be a traitor among us.”

His words hit me like a cold wave, and I froze, my mind racing. A traitor? The idea hadn’t even crossed my mind, but now that he mentioned it, I realized how little we really knew about each other’s actions. We had all been so focused on the external threats that we hadn’t considered the possibility of danger within our own group.