The only one going to the dermatologist was Park Ra Jin, who had injured the back of her hand. In a hurry, Kang Ji Ho quickly pressed the call button.

“Hello.”

[It’s me.]

As expected, it was Park Ra Jin.

Her breath sounded close, as if she was covering her mouth with her hand. For a moment, Kang Ji Ho’s heart sank.

“Is something wrong?”

A hospital phone call instead of using her perfectly fine cell phone. Had they been caught before even trying anything? Kang Ji Ho gathered his thoughts, trying not to lose his composure.

[I’ll tell you the details when we meet.]

“First, tell me if you’re alright.”

[I’m fine. For now.]

Something must have definitely happened.

“Time and place, please tell me.”

[15th floor outdoor garden of the hospital. 9 PM.]

“Alright.”

[Come secretly.]

Secretly? Kang Ji Ho let out a soft sigh at the meaning of this newly added word.

“Understood. If anything happens in the meantime, contact me immediately.”

[Okay. I’ll hang up now.]

As soon as the call ended with a click, Yeo Ho Jin approached with a worried face.

“What’s wrong?”

“A call to meet secretly. And using the hospital phone at that.”

“Have we been caught?”

At that moment, Kang Ji Ho vividly recalled what had happened during the investigation of Kim Ki Tae, the chairman of Myungjin Group.

They not only had people follow them constantly, but also used all sorts of methods to threaten and persuade them. Kim Yu Jun had come to his house, so could they have assigned someone to follow her too?

He could handle it as a prosecutor, but Park Ra Jin was different as a civilian.

As ominous thoughts kept coming, Kang Ji Ho’s mind raced.

“This won’t do.”

“What are you going to do?”

“First, I need to get rid of the flies.”

He was planning to do this anyway once the investigation began in earnest. He just had to move up the schedule a bit. Kang Ji Ho searched through his contacts and pressed the call button.

Without even exchanging greetings, they went straight to the point.

“Is what we set up last time possible starting today?”

He had already arranged several types of cars and reliable people in preparation for being followed. Kang Ji Ho had no reason, nor intention, to be helpless again like he was as a rookie.

“Basement level 3, Section D, I’ll have it cleared.”

A quick affirmative response came to his urgent request.

Fully prepared.

In a situation where Park Ra Jin had made a big decision, her existence must not be exposed under any circumstances.

“I need something more. I’ll contact you again once approval comes through.”

Though invisible, if things were definitely moving beneath the surface, they had to be even more careful from now on. Both himself and Park Ra Jin.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Oh, Manager. What do you mean I have honey skin?”

Jung Ha Eun’s exaggerated voice was heard nearby, as if sending a signal.

Park Ra Jin quickly hung up the consultation manager’s office phone. Then she picked up the chamomile tea she had briefly set down and turned her gaze to the window.

“Ms. Park, here’s the scar bandage.”

The manager who had gone out to get the imported bandage after the dermatology consultation returned. Along with Jung Ha Eun who had been sent along.

“We got a new machine recently. The director said he wants to use it on you first.”

Park Ra Jin smiled brightly at the manager’s offer to try it.

“I came because of my hand, but my skin will get even better.”

“Just spread the word a little bit.”

At the manager’s kind words, Park Ra Jin gestured to Jung Ha Eun.

“Ha Eun, pay generously as usual. Include today’s as well.”

“Oh my! Ms. Park. Today’s is on the house.”

“I should help boost your sales, Manager. Please take good care of our stylist today too.”

This dermatology clinic was so expensive that not just anyone could visit.

Someone with sharp ears and a tight lip. The manager knew everything from the entertainment industry to the chaebol world. Park Ra Jin was cultivating a relationship in advance, thinking it might be necessary someday, if not right away.

“You always take such good care of us. Thank you so much.”

Park Ra Jin smiled brightly at the manager’s words.

“I’ll take extra special care of you today. You too, Ha Eun.”

“Me too? Wow!”

The manager nodded as she watched Jung Ha Eun clapping excitedly like a seal.

“I’ll go prepare outside. Please come out when you’re ready.”

As soon as the manager left, Jung Ha Eun quickly approached.

“The call?”

Park Ra Jin glanced towards the door and nodded.

“Ha Eun, after the treatment, make an excuse about going to the department store for alterations and leave.”

“And then?”

“Can you activate a secure phone and put it in the hospital safe?”

Jung Ha Eun gave an OK sign after Park Ra Jin told her the 4-digit password.

“Keep checking the manager’s calls regularly.”

“Is it because of that call just now?”

“Yes. It doesn’t seem good.”

Now that she had decided to share secrets with Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho, his safety was directly linked to her own well-being.

To somehow continue their secret communication, she had no choice but to be more careful.

As she set down the cup that had been warming her palm, Park Ra Jin thought of Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho.

His touch had been so warm when he treated her wound. Park Ra Jin gently cradled her injured hand.

[This is the timeline separator]

“I’m in front of the hospital now, waiting for a signal. Yes, sir.”

Today too, Tae Hyung Sik was busy reporting Park Ra Jin’s every move rather than focusing on his manager duties.

The hospital her mother visited daily unless something special came up.

Why was he blabbering on about the same daily routine in such detail? A laugh escaped at the booming voice of this human CCTV.

“I’ll contact you again when the actress moves.”

How much did he want to prove his loyalty as a subordinate to go this far? The manager was nodding his head so vigorously while taking Oh Jong Hyuk’s call that he looked about to dive into the steering wheel.

It was unbearable to watch him grovel so much.

“Stop over there please.”

When Park Ra Jin pointed to the back entrance, Tae Hyung Sik turned the wheel without a word. At times like this, it was hard to tell whose manager he was.

“Ah! There was something you asked me to look into this morning. Yes. I found a suitable friend.”

Why so fast now? Usually he doesn’t listen even when told multiple times.

“It’s that hometown friend who came to the office last time.”

If it was the manager’s friend who came to the office, Park Ra Jin vaguely recalled a rough-looking man.

She had given him an autograph under pressure from the overbearing manager, but what was that man’s name again? It definitely wasn’t a common name. While trying to jog her hazy memory, Park Ra Jin listened closely to the manager’s call.

“He said he’d come up right away since the down payment is generous.”

Park Ra Jin’s nerves were on edge at the words that he could start tomorrow evening. She turned her body completely to catch every word.

If she had known it would be like this, she should have waited until the manager finished his call. Park Ra Jin’s insides were burning black with worry about missing important information.

“That friend worked at an errand center for quite a while. Yes, sir.”

As the car came to a smooth stop, the door opened with a whirr.

Tae Hyung Sik only turned his body without ending the call. We need to go further, you want me to get out here?

It was infuriating, but Park Ra Jin didn’t show it. The manager was merely a tool to read Kim Yu Jun and Oh Jong Hyuk’s thoughts.

“Have a meal and come back. I’ll call when I leave.”

That was all Park Ra Jin had to say. She couldn’t dawdle here, nor could she openly join the conversation. To avoid suspicion, she quickly gathered her bag and got out of the car as usual.

“Take care.”

Still on the call, Tae Hyung Sik tossed out those words and closed the door again.

“Is he Oh Jong Hyuk’s manager or what?”

Muttering “that bastard” under her breath, she looked at her watch.

8 PM.

There was enough time to show her face to her mother and get the phone Ha Eun had brought.

“It’s okay, I can do this.”

Though she said that, her heart was trembling.

In fact, she didn’t expect Kim Yu Jun to move this quickly. It would clearly be disadvantageous to get caught tailing a prosecutor while under investigation, yet he was bold as if fearless. Park Ra Jin gathered her thoughts, trying not to waver in fear.

“Hello.”

“You’re here.”

Park Ra Jin greeted the night duty nurse cheerfully and entered her mother’s room.

Beside her mother who was in good condition, Park Ra Jin struggled to compose herself while chatting with the caregiver.

“Ma’am, I’m going down to the basement for a bit.”

Park Ra Jin said after retrieving the phone from the room safe.

“Okay, take care.”

Late at night, in the hospital corridor.

Park Ra Jin glanced at where the medication cart was parked and hurried towards the outdoor garden.

Closing the door quietly, she looked around for Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho.

“Over here.”

A man emerged from behind a pillar.

He was dressed casually in a hat as if he had just come from exercising. Glad to see this different side of him, Park Ra Jin took small steps towards him.

“There’s really no one else here, right?”

“I checked multiple times.”

She let out a sigh of relief as he pointed behind a large cycad planter.

“This way.”

Though dressed lightly, he must always carry a handkerchief, as he first laid it on the wooden bench.

“How’s your hand?”

He first examined the back of her hand with the large bandage.

“They said not to worry about scarring.”

“That’s good. Have a seat here.”

Park Ra Jin gently sat down on the handkerchief at his consideration.

“What’s the matter?”

“Orders came down to find someone to follow me.”

He just nodded calmly without surprise. Does this happen often?

“Oh Jong Hyuk told the manager to look for someone. On the way to the dermatologist.”

“Is that why you used the dermatology clinic phone?”

With Kim Yu Jun knowing her schedule, Park Ra Jin was cautious in case she had a watcher assigned to her as well.

“Yes. They probably won’t take my phone, but it’s hard to manage during filming.”

Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho nodded at her words about the possibility of the manager handling it. Then he softened his gaze.

“You’re handling this well.”

“It’s not really comparable, but I did play a secret agent role before.”

He smiled brightly at her words about being a sharpshooter, even if it was with toy guns.

“After the special investigation ends, I’ll have to binge watch your works first.”

His words about really wanting to watch sounded like praise.

She always heard praise about her acting as a greeting, but Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho’s praise somehow felt sincere. Real praise that made her shoulders rise, which she hadn’t felt in a long time. Park Ra Jin felt sheepish for no reason and just fiddled with her fingers.

“The new number?”

“Oh! I’ll enter it for you.”

When he held out his palm, she handed over the phone. She typed in the number with a tap-tap-tap and pressed the call button.

“But is it okay to save it under my name?”

Having bought a new phone for security, she couldn’t overtly save it under his real name. But saving him under a nickname felt awkward somehow.

“Actually, more urgent than the contact is how to address each other.”

“How to address each other?”

“Calling me ‘Prosecutor’ stands out too much. Let’s settle on what to call each other first.”

His point about drawing attention when calling or meeting made sense. After all, she first recognized him when he said he was a prosecutor while on the phone.

“What should I call you?”

“What do you want to call me?”

She was at a loss for words at his direct question, as if he had been waiting for it.

She had never thought about this topic before, and he was asking so bluntly. Park Ra Jin’s eyes shook intensely for a moment.

“How about Ji Ho? Is using your name too much?”

He made a ‘hmm’ sound and tilted his head. Does he not like it? If he doesn’t like his name…

“How about Director?”

“…”

“Or Mr. Kang?”

“Is there nothing besides my occupation?”

He was quite the picky customer, not some kind of naming expert. Park Ra Jin wracked her brain trying to think of all sorts of names.

“What do you usually call actor friends?”

“I mostly use their names. For those I struggled with as rookies, I call them elder sister or elder brother.”

“Elder brother?”

She had developed an allergy to the word ‘oppa’ because of Oh Jong Hyuk. Surely he doesn’t want to be called that? Park Ra Jin faintly furrowed her brow.

“Should I call you elder brother?”

“I don’t like that.”

“?!”