Crazy, completely crazy X.

Park Ra Jin repeated the harshest words she could think of to herself.

Her heart trembled, but she stared at Yu Jun pretending to be calm. It must be bait to see how she would react.

“Won’t you be bothered if I wait?”

“Not at all.”

“Things are chaotic at the company these days. I don’t want to cause you trouble.”

He nodded for her to continue.

“It’s been 8 years since we’ve known each other, elder brother.”

He raised the corner of his mouth, seemingly pleased by the mention of 8 years.

“Have you been concerned only about me for those 8 years?”

Fragments of memories floating somewhere in Park Ra Jin’s mind all came back at once.

What if she hadn’t gone to the Myungjin main house with her stepfather that day?

Then she wouldn’t have accidentally overheard Kim Yu Jun’s disgrace. She wouldn’t have cried her eyes out, bringing up her parents’ divorce to comfort him. If that were really the case… she might have just lived an ordinary life unrelated to him.

A corner of Park Ra Jin’s heart ached at the meaningless speculation.

But she uttered the next line as if reading a script. It was already a practiced and familiar routine for Park Ra Jin.

“I know. Your feelings, elder brother.”

Kim Yu Jun smiled brightly, as if that was the correct answer.

“Excuse me, executive director.”

The secretary approached, fidgeting with his watch.

“We can’t delay any longer.”

“Have the car ready.”

At those words to have the car ready instead of a suite room, Park Ra Jin momentarily felt her strength leave her. Is it over now? She raised the corners of her mouth, grasping her cold fingertips.

“I have to see Park Ra Jin off.”

At Kim Yu Jun’s abrupt decision, Park Ra Jin packed her bag at a pace neither too fast nor too slow. If she showed signs of hurrying, all of this could become nothing. But her feet in the stilettos kept twitching, wanting to run away right that moment.

“Come here.”

Park Ra Jin took small steps at Kim Yu Jun’s gesture.

Close enough for their breaths to touch.

A heavy scent emanated from the solid body brushing her shoulder. The perfume a French perfumer had specially made for him. Though it was an alluring scent that made one want to turn back, strangely her insides twisted.

Park Ra Jin held her breath and lengthened her stride imperceptibly.

“Come closer this way.”

Inside the elevator with the bodyguards’ backs forming a screen, his right hand touched her back.

The firm touch and warm temperature, his breath scattering on her forehead.

An unpleasant pain arose everywhere she made contact with him. Park Ra Jin moved away from Kim Yu Jun’s hand, smoothing her hair and patting her tweed jacket.

Just as she was inwardly sighing with relief, his forehead dropped onto Park Ra Jin’s nape. She flinched as if scalded by hot water.

“Why are you so startled.”

With a chuckling sound, he inhaled deeply. Park Ra Jin’s vision spun at the goosebumps striking her entire body.

“What are you going to do when you get home?”

“Do some Pilates… and rest a bit.”

Park Ra Jin smiled faintly, checking the slow-moving elevator floor numbers.

Ding―.

The clear chime announcing their arrival sounded to Park Ra Jin like a signal of release.

In her haste, she stepped back from Kim Yu Jun. He smirked, but it didn’t matter.

Myungjin was making headlines daily with its problematic funds, so Yu Jun probably wouldn’t want to become the subject of gossip either. Park Ra Jin walked straight ahead, keeping her distance from him.

“Manager Hyun.”

Yu Jun stopped abruptly.

“Clear out the bodyguards.”

At the secretary’s gesture, the men surrounding them dispersed in an instant.

What new whim was this, with less than 20 meters left to the entrance? Park Ra Jin looked up at him, hiding her impatience.

“The more I think about it, I’ve been too indifferent.”

“…?”

“Like you said, it’s our 8th anniversary. It’s not right to let it pass like this. For you, for me.”

A warning light flashed in Park Ra Jin’s mind at his unpredictable statement.

“I want to spend today with you.”

“!”

“Hm? Park Ra Jin.”

At his gentle voice asking for permission, Park Ra Jin wanted to cover her ears and scream “Please don’t call me like that!” But she hid her emotions and recalled the taboo words Yu Jun hated.

“…You know.”

Park Ra Jin lowered her gaze, fluttering her eyelashes.

“I don’t want to be called someone who stole another’s fiancée.”

“It’s just business. Once this succession work is finished, I’ll end things with Jin Jae Yi.”

As he took another step closer, his distinctive woody scent clung thickly.

“It’s been 8 whole years. How much longer do I have to wait for you?”

More unbearable than his words about how difficult it was, was his scent. Because it burrowed in heavily, leaving strong traces on her clothes and hair.

“Doing this in the middle of the lobby where people are glancing at us.”

Park Ra Jin turned her head, avoiding his scent.

“Can’t you be considerate of me, whose face is known?”

“You really.”

“Someone else’s man… I don’t like it.”

She barely swallowed the words that she didn’t like him even if he wasn’t someone else’s. If she was any more honest here, she couldn’t predict what result it would bring.

“I don’t want to live as a hidden woman either.”

“…”

“That’s why we can’t spend the night together.”

Though she managed to say it, her legs kept trembling. Just eating a meal with him was this horrible, so spending the night together. His proposal was something that couldn’t and shouldn’t happen.

“Even if you curse me for being prideful, there’s nothing I can do.”

Even in this miserable moment of making excuses to Kim Yu Jun, she was on edge about drawing people’s attention.

As a few heads turned in the lobby and phones were finally taken out, Park Ra Jin moved two steps away from him.

“It’s my mother’s wish for me to marry and have a happy family.”

“I told you I’ll end things soon. So.”

“I’m sorry. I…”

Park Ra Jin slowly backed away.

“Park Ra Jin, come to my side.”

Cold sweat formed at the man’s attitude, as if he would grab her nape at any moment. Even if she couldn’t handle it later, for now at least… Park Ra Jin turned around as she was.

“I’ll go first.”

“You!”

A growling sound from behind, followed by Yu Jun’s sharp voice calling “Manager Hyun”.

Soon after, as the sound of shoe heels urgently followed, Park Ra Jin ran looking only ahead. She pushed her body through the gap of the revolving door that was about to close, and as soon as the entrance opened, she bounced out like a ball.

Cool air enveloping her entire body.

“Haa… ha.”

Park Ra Jin inhaled sharply the breath she had been holding and ran as if charging towards a model taxi.

Kang Ji Ho stood behind a large statue and put his phone to his ear.

Though not close enough to hear Park Ra Jin and Kim Yu Jun’s conversation, he didn’t take his eyes off them. Because much could be known just from expressions and gestures.

‘That woman, what is she?’

Park Ra Jin lowered her gaze or trembled her shoulders whenever Kim Yu Jun spoke. Just like a lost cat. But mixed in the glimpses of her eyes was a different emotion.

Disgust and anger… and resignation and sadness.

Is she not Kim Yu Jun’s girlfriend?

The woman’s gaze seemed somewhat uneasy for the two to be lovers.

‘Don’t… want to…?’

Clearly the woman’s mouth was saying refusal. But before he could make out other words, the woman turned her back. Soon the bodyguards scattered around chased after her in a line. What were they doing, as if driving rabbits.

Kang Ji Ho stared at Kim Yu Jun clenching his fist, then hurriedly moved. Having been briefed on the investigation situation during Myungjin Chairman Kim Ki Tae’s arrest, he might recognize his face by chance.

Kang Ji Ho hid near the stairs and sent another text to Ho Jin.

Like carrying out a secret operation, Kang Ji Ho gave a few more instructions to Ho Jin.

Just then, a baritone voice approached.

“Manager Hyun.”

“Yes, executive director.”

Though his face wasn’t visible, it was indeed Kim Yu Jun’s voice heard on the news. As if he was clenching his teeth, his pronunciation was slurred unlike usual.

“Contact Oh Jong Hyuk immediately.”

“I’ll tell him to check if the actress has arrived.”

“Tell him to think of a way to make Park Ra Jin obey well.”

Setting aside being close enough to call her by name, a way to make a grown adult obey well?

Is he in his right mind?

It was strange even if they were lovers, and stranger if they weren’t. Except for Kim Yu Jun being a chaebol, he was no different from a low-class criminal harassing a woman. Surely he wasn’t stalking her.

Kang Ji Ho turned his body towards the pillar to hear the conversation better.

“Most effective and quick. Tell him not to be picky about means and methods.”

With those words, Kim Yu Jun’s voice faded away.

Glancing at the stairs, Kang Ji Ho shook his head.

“Crazy bastard.”

Kang Ji Ho looked down intently at the phone in his hand. Then as if entranced, he opened the search bar.

—Park Ra Jin.

As he typed her name, countless articles, photos, and products she advertised poured out like a flood. As if examining case records, Kang Ji Ho skimmed through Park Ra Jin’s private life.

Is her concept mysteriousness?

Her life, which seemed special, was simpler than expected. There were no incidents or accidents, not even common dating rumors. Just what kind of relationship did she have with Kim Yu Jun, numerous question marks were drawn in Kang Ji Ho’s mind.

A person of no relation, even a celebrity he saw for the first time today. It was inexplicable why he was so concerned.

Before Kang Ji Ho could find a clear reason, his phone rang.

“Ah.”

He had forgotten what he actually needed to do, absorbed in watching. Confirming no one was around, Kang Ji Ho pressed the call button.

“Yes, section chief. I was just about to call you. It’s fine to talk.”

It was a report that a suspect who had recently fled had been caught.

At that moment, Park Ra Jin who had run out as if escaping came to mind.

Suddenly, like an uninvited guest, she occupied Kang Ji Ho’s thoughts. As he shook his head to push away the reverie, Kim Yu Jun’s voice echoed in his ear.

—Tell him to think of a way to make Park Ra Jin obey well.

Even though he was still on the phone with the investigator, the situation from earlier kept overlapping. Was he too conscious of wanting to catch Myungjin?

“Please start the suspect interrogation first. I’ll be there soon.”

Kang Ji Ho mechanically gave instructions for the next task and quickly wrapped up the call.

“Were you here?”

Yeo Ho Jin, who had approached at some point, said leaning her head against the pillar.

“Kim Yu Jun?”

“He went to the division chief.”

“Let’s talk details at the office.”

“Sigh. I couldn’t even eat to my heart’s content because I was being careful. If I’d known it would be like this, I should have grabbed two pieces of sashimi.”

As Yeo Ho Jin made eating gestures with her fingers, Kang Ji Ho chuckled. Her light words were certainly effective in clearing his complicated mind.

“I’ll buy you some tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. So let’s withdraw from here.”

There was nothing good about being noticed by many people when even the division chief recognized them.

The two quickly left the hotel.

In the taxi heading to the office. Only the song flowing from the radio filled the quiet taxi.

‘Special prosecutor, handover, Kim Yu Jun… and top star Park Ra Jin.’

Many events that occurred in a short time.

Kang Ji Ho’s mind was a mess, as if overloaded. As thoughts led to more thoughts, he slightly opened the window in frustration. A faint grass smell and fishy river wind rushed in.

“Whew.”

Just as he was pushing his thoughts out the car window.

—Hello, this is actress Park Ra Jin, ambassador for the Ministry of Justice.

The woman he had encountered twice appeared again in a radio public service announcement. As if flaunting herself. At the woman’s voice clinging to his ears, Kang Ji Ho muttered.

“Annoying.”