Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho, he was always in formal attire.

A man with a height that required looking up, wearing a crisp suit like armor. Though they had only met a few times, Park Ra Jin remembered him as a perfectly neat man.

However, today he looked a bit different.

Not only was he without a tie, but he had unbuttoned two shirt buttons. Like he had changed his hairstyle after a long time, it felt strange yet captivating.

Plus the citrus scent.

At his now-familiar fragrance, Park Ra Jin’s stiffly raised shoulders relaxed. As the tension unconsciously eased, she raised the corners of her mouth in a slight smile.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Hello.”

Kang Ji Ho’s gaze, which had met Park Ra Jin’s eyes, turned to Jung Ha Eun.

“Ah! This is like my own sister. She also works as my stylist.”

“I see. Nice to meet you.”

“Hello.”

“Please come in.”

As his sturdy body stepped aside, Park Ra Jin quickly moved, holding Jung Ha Eun’s hand.

Click. As the door closed, the lights illuminating the marble floor brightened. The space known as her mother’s studio boasted a unique appearance from the entrance.

“Hey! I’m going to…”

Jung Ha Eun raised her hand before even taking off her shoes.

“Head out now.”

“Why don’t you have some tea before you go?”

The man, who she thought would be stiff, spoke warmly.

“What’s the point of hearing important talk? It’ll just give me a headache.”

He stared intently at Jung Ha Eun’s face as she shook her head gently. Then he slowly creased the corners of his eyes. It was a series of surprises.

“Would it be alright if I gave Park Ra Jin a ride home?”

“I was actually going to ask you that. How did you know?”

Jung Ha Eun giggled and winked at Park Ra Jin.

“Please ensure she gets home safely.”

“Of course.”

“Oh, my name is Jung Ha Eun.”

“I see. Young lady Ha Eun, please take care on your way home as well.”

Was he always like this?

Far from being wary of Jung Ha Eun, he explained in detail which parking lot exit would be most convenient. In a very kind tone.

“Elder sister, I’ll go first.”

“Okay. Don’t drive too fast at night.”

“Yes, yes. You can come home very late, you know?”

Like a matchmaker, Jung Ha Eun poked Park Ra Jin’s side and grinned broadly.

“I’m really leaving. Take care, Prosecutor.”

After waving both hands like dancing and bowing politely, Jung Ha Eun disappeared. Suddenly, a heavy silence fell.

An unbearable awkwardness.

Park Ra Jin fiddled with her elbow for no reason.

“Shall we go in?”

“Ah, yes.”

“This way.”

Park Ra Jin walked slowly, fixing her gaze on the end of his shoulders stretching out in a straight line.

“Did you come from filming?”

“No. I took a break due to my condition.”

“Have you eaten?”

Was it just a simple greeting, or like last time, had he not yet had dinner? Park Ra Jin pondered the meaning of his words for a moment.

With limited social interactions and constantly trying to read between the lines, she tended to analyze the intent behind even light questions.

But today she had decided to be honest. She intended to speak the truth no matter what. Having made up her mind, Park Ra Jin first lowered her mask.

“I ate at Ha Eun’s house. What about you, sir?”

“Could you eat again?”

Perhaps because she had tasted the combination of shake and fries, his question about eating again started to raise expectations.

“I should be on a diet… !”

An oval-shaped marble table.

Food was spread out on either side of the centerpiece filled with colorful ranunculus flowers. From tteokbokki to steak to fruit and cheese platters.

Park Ra Jin’s eyes widened for a moment.

“I didn’t know what you liked to eat. Is there anything you prefer?”

“You must be busy. When did you have time for all this…”

Instead of answering, he waved his phone. Then he smiled gently.

Not being warm to Jung Ha Eun who was like a sister, ordering such stimulating food for someone subsisting on salads. He didn’t need to go this far for her cooperation.

Dazed by the sudden surprise, Park Ra Jin sat down as if entranced. The important talk could wait until after eating the tteokbokki.

“Do you like white wine?”

What’s with this man?

How did he know she preferred white wine over headache-inducing red wine? She had never mentioned it in interviews, was it just a coincidence or did their tastes overlap?

Park Ra Jin momentarily debated asking him a personal question.

“Yes, I like it. But I’ll just have one glass today.”

“I’ll have a soft drink instead, since I’m driving.”

“I’m causing you trouble again.”

“Not at all.”

The man’s eyes, which had been cool like early winter, curved gently. Like full spring. It was embarrassing to have called such an expressive man a stone wall.

Suddenly, she realized she had judged him solely based on occupational prejudice.

While she disliked people’s stereotypes so much, she had applied strange standards to Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho. Feeling apologetic, Park Ra Jin took a moment for inner reflection.

“This automatic opener is tricky.”

He said he had only used manual ones and was struggling with the wine bottle.

“You can press the black button there. Yes, that one.”

“This one?”

Thick veins bulged on his wrist as he rolled up his sleeves. For a moment, the wine opener in his large hand looked like a toy.

“The button seems too small to press.”

“I’m showing my amateur side too much.”

As a bright smile spread across the man’s tilted face, Park Ra Jin’s face brightened in response.

“Hold it. I’ll press the button.”

As Park Ra Jin pressed the button, there was a loud mechanical sound.

With a pop, the wine opened, and golden liquid filled the glass with a gurgling sound. The clear glass now looked hazy as if covered in fog.

“Let’s drink.”

The two lightly clinked their glasses of wine and sparkling water. Along with his toast to celebrate the airing of the new drama. He really didn’t seem to have any other business, not forgetting to mention how hard it must have been filming in the cold weather.

‘Was he always this thoughtful?’

Park Ra Jin was inwardly surprised. Multiple times. The inscrutable man asked what she wanted to eat and served it on her plate himself. Not too much, not too little, just the right amount. Then he asked again if she needed anything.

“I’ll enjoy the food.”

While focusing on the food, Park Ra Jin recalled the words she had practiced beforehand.

When the mood was right, she planned to bring up the offer she had previously declined. She intended to discuss as equals and confidently state what she needed. But first, she needed to confirm why he had asked to meet. Slowly, without rushing.

As her complex thoughts settled, the tension eased and a languid sigh escaped.

“I was worried since it was delivery food. How is it?”

“It’s silly to say, but the taste is so welcome.”

The taste of MSG after a long time was blissful, and the white wine paired perfectly with the food without need for consideration.

They shared trivial topics with the man who seemed relaxed, as if his edge had been dulled. The conversation was sweeter than dessert, and laughter burst forth constantly.

Had she ever been this comfortable with a man? Someone who wasn’t an actor, and with no professional connection. Everything blended perfectly.

The conversation that started with wine traveled through various travel stories, to extreme job experiences. Then it lingered for a long time on movies.

‘How can he speak so well when he was like that at the event?’

His eloquence was so refined that it was impossible to imagine him being silent like a statue. Aside from his vast knowledge, he seemed determined not to allow even a small moment of silence.

“That’s amazing. Winning a Best Actor award for a drama that almost got canceled.”

“Actually, the on-site staff suffered the most. My share is maybe one-tenth? It might not even be that much.”

“You’re done with the wine, right?”

Absorbed in conversation, she had already emptied one glass of wine.

Leave that expensive wine? Feeling somewhat regretful, Park Ra Jin narrowed her eyes.

‘I could easily finish a bottle alone. But I should hold back, right?’

Still, to fully explain the hardships of the filming set and the misdeeds of the troublesome director… just one more glass?

Having difficultly changed her mind, Park Ra Jin pushed the wine glass away.

“Just one more glass.”

“As you like.”

With a newly filled glass and the drama talk resuming.

Park Ra Jin unknowingly got excited and passionately discussed the villains of the filming set.

“Even if the script is good, not everything gets produced, huh?”

“Of course. It’s common for projects to be canceled even after securing investment.”

“When production is canceled, where does that money go?”

“Well, it depends on who the director is and whose money it is.”

Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho nodded with sparkling eyes.

Not just celebrities’ private lives, but even interested in production. She gazed at the man who seemed somehow different.

“Even if the project is canceled, if the director is good, they might reinvest for the next work.”

At her explanation that it was very rare, he pulled his chair closer. As if meeting a comfortable counselor, Park Ra Jin poured out everything about drama production.

In place of tension and wariness.

He had the strange talent of drawing out exactly what Park Ra Jin wanted to say. Making even serious topics seem trivial with laughter. Then when the plate was empty, he would serve more of what Park Ra Jin liked. On a new plate, no less.

“Hmm. This cheese is delicious. Where did you order it from?”

“It was already in the refrigerator. I’ll pack some for you to take home.”

Not only sneaking into her mother’s studio but even raiding the fridge? At his outrageous words, Park Ra Jin burst out laughing.

Eating hamburgers in his grandfather’s garage, and now taking cheese from his mother’s studio. No matter how she thought about it, she really was like a little mouse.

“We left off at production failures.”

“Ah! When production falls through, the next step is always a lawsuit.”

“Is that common?”

“This expression might be a bit crude, but you can think of it as a dogfight.”

“I suppose there’s no writing it off as an investment loss?”

Could such a thing happen? They would follow you to the ends of hell to extract payment, there was no mercy when it came to money. Of course, there might be exceptions anywhere.

“It usually depends on the amount.”

“What about around 50 billion won?”

Park Ra Jin shook her head. She could guarantee that was absolutely impossible by industry standards.

“Does that not make sense?”

“It doesn’t make sense at all.”

“Why?”

“Unless it’s a historical drama or a fantasy with tons of CGI. Actually, modern dramas don’t cost that much.”

She added that with 50 billion, there would already be seizures and lawsuits creating a commotion. His brow furrowed slightly.

‘Is he very interested in dramas?’

Park Ra Jin’s gaze was drawn to his rather serious expression.

“Have some cold water.”

Noticing her empty glass again, he stood up. As he moved, the citrus scent wafted gently and subtly permeated the air.

Although there was no way she could be drunk from just two glasses of wine, Park Ra Jin slowly closed and opened her eyes.

Blink, through her eyelashes, his shirt looked taut to the point of bursting as he pulled the refrigerator handle. Blink again, his shoulder muscles bulged fiercely as he twisted open the water bottle.

“I’ll pour it in a cup for you.”

“Just give it to me.”

As Park Ra Jin reached out with both hands, saying there was no need to create more dishes to wash, she accidentally bumped the wine glass in front of her.

Before she could say “Oh no,” the tilting glass plummeted straight to the marble floor. Park Ra Jin’s body moved first, trying somehow to prevent it from breaking.

With a loud noise, the wine glass shattered into pieces.

“Park Ra Jin!”

Along with the citrus scent cutting through the air, a large hand grabbed Park Ra Jin.