Tae Seo was a hunter who knew when to strike, and he understood the pleasure of watching his prey get caught in a trap. And now, he had learned that he could also be patient, specifically when it came to Yoon Jae In.
Anticipating how sweet the reward would be.
—What’s your scheme?
“I told you, I’m bringing her in gracefully.”
—Bringing in? Is that what you’re doing?
“You said it yourself, capturing the heart comes first.”
Tae Seo turned his head toward the expected knock at the door without waiting for an answer. The documents that Manager Jang brought in were what he had been waiting for all morning.
“Anyway, please proceed as I asked.”
—Alright. I’ll hang up now.
After ending the call with Madam Lim Hong Jin, Tae Seo picked up the thick file. A sigh naturally escaped him, considering its hefty content.
“Director, I think I need to make a good impression this time. It’s been quite a task.”
“You’ve done well. You know I don’t just offer lip service for consolation or praise.”
“Thank you. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“I’ll meet your expectations. For the next 30 minutes, no calls.”
Manager Jang nodded, understanding Tae Seo’s intention to focus on the report. As he was about to leave Tae Seo’s office, listening to the fluttering sound of pages turning.
“Ha!”
A short sigh was followed by a sharp curse. Manager Jang’s eyes widened in surprise, stopping mid-action of closing the door.
“Jung Jae Hoon, you damned son of a—”
A string of raw expletives continued. Manager Jang hurriedly closed the door. Hearing Tae Seo recite verbatim what he had felt while preparing the report, Manager Jang was reminded once again.
His boss was a man who only spoke the truth.
The heavily clouded sky looked as if it could pour rain at any moment. Jae In, gazing at the evening sky tinged with light purple through the thick clouds, drew the curtains and lay down. Despite turning over with her eyes closed, sleep did not come easily.
“Uhm…”
On days like this, she often found herself caressing her left leg. A scar, about the length of one finger above her ankle bone, was the result of a fracture surgery from a traffic accident eight years ago.
The more carefully she massaged the area, more sensitive than other places, the deeper her gaze sank. At the end of a sigh, she realized the tips of her fingers were getting cold.
Could she fall asleep? She didn’t want to take a sleep aid.
As Jae In got up to pour water over a chamomile teabag, a short vibration alerted her. Turning her head, she saw the screen of the phone on her bed light up.
It was Tae Seo. He had said he’d just returned home from work, even though it was Sunday, and now he seemed to be ready to rest.
A feeling of happiness at being awake to receive his message, the inclination to reply that she was fine, halted Jae In’s unlocking fingers.
It was a night when she longed for his tender warmth. Jae In didn’t want Tae Seo to see her enveloped in gloom, in anxiety and fear. She hoped his tiresome day had ended without trouble.
Dark emotions were easily transferred. Shaking her head, Jae In turned the phone face down. If she let her guard down, she feared she would become helplessly reliant on the person named Kang Tae Seo.
Jae In took a few sips from the mug that felt a bit too hot to hold.
She covered herself with the blanket, hugged her legs, and curled up sideways. Jae In’s gaze settled on the dimly glowing sleep lamp as she slowly blinked.
As her vision began to dim into complete darkness, she thought she heard the sound of rain pouring down.
“Do you know how the others see you?”
Jae In ignored whatever Jung Jae Hoon was ranting about beside her, struggling to open the locked passenger door of the car. No matter how much she tried, the door wouldn’t budge.
“Jae In, I’m different. I respect you whether you’re an orphan or not. I always have. You know that, right?”
Respect? His actions were kidnapping. Jae In bit her lip, searching for a way out in the moving car. But in a roadster with only two doors, there was no way to escape from the wide-eyed driver.
“I’ve always been sincere with you. I’ve been watching over you for four years now, Jae In. It’s time for you to accept it.”
With a screech, the car came to a stop. They had long since left Seoul.
Surrounded by darkness, the only visible things were fields, paddies, and mountains. Jae In assessed the unfamiliar environment, recalling the road signs she had seen on the way. They were somewhere near Yangpyeong.
She knew the phone Ji Seung Hee had given her to carry had a tracking feature. If she was lucky, someone would come looking for her. Ji Seung Hee’s surveillance was uncomfortable, but it was better than being with Jeong Jae Hoon, who was on the brink of losing his mind.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
