“I’m currently receiving signals in front of the hospital. Yes, Director.”

Today, too, the manager’s focus was more on reporting Rajin’s every move than on his managerial duties.

The daily routine at her mother’s hospital, which she visited unless something special came up.

Why does he have to blabber about such repetitive daily activities? Rajin chuckled at the booming voice of the human CCTV.

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

How eager must the manager be to prove his loyalty to go to such lengths? Busy nodding his head while talking to Oh Jong-hyuk on the phone, the manager was almost embedded in the steering wheel.

His groveling was unbearable to witness.

“Stop over there, please.”

As Rajin pointed to the back door, the manager turned the wheel without a word. At times like this, it was confusing whose manager he really was.

“Oh! There’s something you asked me to look into this morning. Yes. I found a suitable person.”

That was quick. Normally, he doesn’t listen even after telling him several times.

“The friend from my hometown who came to the office.”

If it was the manager’s friend who had visited the office, Rajin recalled a grim-looking man from her vague memory.

He had been intimidating, and she had signed an autograph for him, but what was his name? It wasn’t a common name. As she tried to remember, Rajin kept her ears tuned to the manager’s conversation.

“He says he’ll come right up because the advance payment is generous.”

He can be deployed from tomorrow evening, Rajin thought, her nerves on edge. She then turned her body to not miss a single word.

If only she had waited until the manager ended the call. Rajin fretted, worried she might miss hearing important information.

“That friend has been at a courier center for quite a while. Yes. Director.”

As the car smoothly came to a stop and the door opened with a soft sound, the manager turned around while still on the call. Move further? Get out here?

Annoyed but not showing it, Rajin knew better. The manager was merely a tool for Kim Yu-joon and Oh Jong-hyuk to read her thoughts.

“Have your meal and leave. I’ll contact you when I’m going out.”

That was all Rajin had to say. She couldn’t loiter here, nor could she blatantly join the conversation. To avoid suspicion, she grabbed her bag and quickly got out of the car.

“Take care.”

Still engrossed in his call, the manager threw her a brief comment and closed the door.

“Is he really Oh Jong-hyuk’s manager?”

Muttering ‘that bad guy,’ Rajin glanced at her watch.

8 PM.

There was enough time to show her face to her mother and pick up the phone Ha-eun had left for her.

“It’s okay, I can do this well.”
While saying so, Rajin’s heart trembled nervously.

She hadn’t expected Kim Yu-joon to move so quickly. It would be a clear loss for him to be caught tailing a prosecutor, especially during an investigation, yet he acted boldly as if he had no fear. Rajin tried to steady her mind, determined not to let fear shake her.

“Hello.”

“You’re here.”

Greeting the night-shift nurse warmly, Rajin entered her mother’s hospital room.

Beside her mother, who was in good condition, Rajin chatted with the caregiver, struggling to steady her wavering heart.

“Madam, I’ll just go downstairs for a bit.”

After retrieving a phone from the room’s safe, Rajin informed her mother’s caregiver.

“Alright. Take your time.”

Late at night, in the hospital corridor, Rajin glanced at the spot where the medication cart was parked, then hurried toward the outdoor garden.

Silently closing the door behind her, she looked around for Prosecutor Kang Jiho.

“Over here.”

The man emerged from behind a pillar, dressed lightly as if he had just finished exercising and wearing a cap. Rajin, pleased by his different appearance, trotted over to him.

“Are you sure nobody’s around?”

“I’ve checked several times.”

Sighing with relief, he pointed to a large potted plant.

“This way.”

Even in casual attire, he made sure to bring a handkerchief, placing it on the wooden bench first.

“How’s your hand?”

He first examined her hand, which was bandaged with a large bandage.

“The doctor said I shouldn’t worry about a scar.”

“That’s good. Please, have a seat.”

Grateful for his consideration, Rajin delicately sat on the handkerchief.

“What’s the matter?”

“I was instructed to hire someone to tail you.”

He calmly nodded, not showing any sign of surprise. Was this a common occurrence for him?

“Oh Jong-hyuk told his manager to find someone. On the way to the dermatologist.”

“That’s why you used the clinic’s phone?”

With Kim Yu-joon aware of her schedule, Rajin was cautious, suspecting she might also be under surveillance.

“Yes. I shouldn’t lose my phone, but it’s hard to manage during shooting.”

Understanding her difficulty, Prosecutor Kang Jiho nodded. Then he gently narrowed his eyes.

“You’re handling everything well.”

“It’s not really comparable, but I once played the role of a secret agent.”

She had used toy guns for the shooting, but she boasted perfect marksmanship, prompting a bright smile from him.

“After the special investigation, I should binge-watch your works.”

His comment, expressing a keen interest in seeing her work, sounded like a compliment.

Compliments on her acting were usually like routine greetings, but Prosecutor Kang Jiho’s praise felt genuinely sincere. It was a real compliment that made her shoulders rise with pride for the first time in a while. Rajin felt bashful and started fiddling with her fingers.

“What about the new number?”

“Oh! I’ll input it for you.”

As she held out her palm, he handed her the phone. She entered the number and pressed the call button.

“But, is it okay to save you under your name?”

Given the security needed for a new phone, saving his real name openly wasn’t feasible. Yet, calling him by a nickname seemed awkward.

“Actually, more urgent than the contact is the issue of how to address you.”

“A title?”

“Calling you ‘Prosecutor’ stands out too much. Let’s decide on a title first.”

His point about drawing attention during calls or meetings made sense. She had initially recognized him because he had been referred to as a prosecutor during a phone call.

“What should I call you?”

“What would you like to call me?”

Caught off guard by his prompt response, Rajin’s eyes fluttered uncertainly.

“How about ‘Jiho’? Does using your name feel odd?”

He hummed thoughtfully, then tilted his head. Not liking it? If he disliked his name…

“How about ‘Director’?”

“…”

“Or maybe ‘Kang Teacher’?”
“Do you have any other ideas besides occupation-related titles?”

Dealing with such a picky customer seemed like a challenge for a name creator. Rajin racked her brain for every possible name she could think of.

“What do you usually call a close actor colleague?”

“I usually call them by their name. But those I suffered with during my rookie days, I call ‘brother’ or ‘sister’.”

“‘Brother’?”

Due to Oh Jong-hyuk, she had developed an allergy to the word ‘brother’. Could he possibly want her to call him ‘brother’? Rajin frowned slightly.

“Shall I call you ‘brother’?”

“I would rather not.”

“?!”