" The Girl They Called Devil "

Episode 37: Priorities and Progress

As Yujin hurried out of the restaurant, Woo-jin and Ji-hoon were left sitting at the table. Ji-hoon watched the door for a moment, his expression turning thoughtful and a little uneasy. He turned to Woo-jin and spoke what was on his mind.

“Why is she always spending so much time with Dea lately? I don’t quite understand it.” There was a faint edge of jealousy in his voice, though he tried to keep it calm. “It feels like whenever he calls, she drops everything else immediately.”

Woo-jin leaned back in his chair, understanding but trying to be reasonable. “They have known each other since they were very young, remember? They grew up together and went through hard times side by side. That’s why they are so close and trust each other so much. It’s just a deep friendship—nothing more.”

Ji-hoon nodded slowly, but the feeling didn’t completely go away. “I suppose you’re right. I just hope she knows what she’s doing.”

Meanwhile, Yujin quickly walked to the main road and hailed a taxi. She got inside and gave the driver directions, but instead of asking to go all the way to the center, she said, “Please drop me here, a little before the building.” She knew very well that the training ground was hidden and secret—no one from outside should know its exact location. Getting off a short distance away ensured that she kept it safe.

She walked the rest of the way, her steps quick and determined. When she reached the entrance, Jake was standing near the gate, keeping watch.

“Excuse me,” Yujin asked him politely. “Do you know where Dea is?”

Jake nodded and gestured toward the inner area. “He’s in the private training room. He’s been waiting for you for a while.”

“Thank you,” Yujin said and walked straight inside.

When she entered the private room, Dea was standing with his arms crossed, his face looking very serious and stern. He didn’t smile or greet her; he just spoke sharply.

“Stop right there. Now tell me—why are you so late?”

Yujin took a small breath and explained, “I was having dinner with my brother and Ji-hoon. They invited me to celebrate Woo-jin’s first day at his new job. I couldn’t leave right away without being rude.”

Dea’s expression hardened a little more. “So dinner and celebrations are more important than finding justice for your parents? Is that what this means to you now?”

Yujin shook her head quickly, stepping closer. “That’s not true at all. Please, don’t be angry. I understand how important this is. I promise it won’t happen again—I will come on time from now on.”

Dea looked at her for a long moment, seeing that she was sincere. Though he was still serious, he relaxed his posture slightly. “Fine. Let’s start then. We have no time to waste.”

The training began immediately. Dea guided her through more advanced stances, proper ways to block attacks, and how to use her body weight to deliver stronger strikes without hurting herself. To both of their surprise, Yujin caught on very quickly. She listened carefully, remembered every detail, and repeated each movement until it felt natural.

After a few hours of practice, Dea paused and looked at her with genuine surprise. “You are learning incredibly fast. It’s like you have a natural talent for this—you pick up new skills in minutes that take others weeks to master.”

Yujin wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled a little. “I think it really is something I’m naturally good at. It feels like my body remembers what to do even before I think about it.”

Dea nodded, impressed. “Good. Then we will keep moving forward. We’ll work on more complex techniques and defensive moves next.”

They continued training until it was quite late. Yujin had learned a great deal that evening—how to dodge quickly, how to break free from a grip, and how to stay balanced even when moving fast.

When they finished, Dea drove her back to her house. “Rest well tonight. Your muscles will probably feel sore tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Yujin said before getting out. “I’ll be ready for the next session.”

She entered her home quietly. Her parents were still awake, waiting for her, but Yujin was physically tired and her mind was full of everything she had learned. She greeted them briefly, ate her dinner quickly, and excused herself to her room without talking much. She knew she was keeping secrets, but for now, she had no time to explain—her main focus was to become strong enough to find the truth. She fell asleep quickly, already looking forward to the next training session.