Park Ra Jin’s head felt unbearably heavy.

Should she tell Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho she can’t do it? Should she confess that Kim Yu Jun’s evil deeds were because of her? She felt like she had lost her way with the destination in sight.

“You look very tired. I’ll walk you to your door.”

Will he really change? Is that why he’s like this? Kim Yu Jun, who normally would just lower the car window halfway to say goodbye, got out with Park Ra Jin. Then he stood by her side until she opened the front gate.

“Don’t think about anything. Go to bed early.”

“Alright. Please drive safely.”

“Wait a moment.”

Kim Yu Jun turned Park Ra Jin around as she tried to escape inside the gate.

“Father said he’s thinking positively about our marriage.”

“The chairman?”

So that was it. The reason Kim Yu Jun was different today!

“Once Father makes up his mind completely, things with Haesung Group will be resolved quickly.”

“What about Director Jin Jae Yi?”

“You just think about me. I’ll take care of everything else.”

If the chairman had given his tentative approval as Kim Yu Jun said, Park Ra Jin didn’t have much time left. Breaking off the engagement with Haesung Group depended on the chairman’s decision.

“I’ll be busy for a while because of this damn special investigation.”

“……”

“Ah, I don’t want to let you go. This is why I want to marry you quickly.”

Was this what brain freeze felt like? Neither Kim Yu Jun’s smile nor his sweet whispers registered. Park Ra Jin just stared at Kim Yu Jun’s eyes with a dazed expression, far from maintaining a poker face.

“Ah! Don’t answer if Oh Jong Hyuk contacts you.”

“What?”

“You won’t continue acting after we get married anyway. This could be a good time to wrap things up with the agency.”

Saying it was complicated, Kim Yu Jun quickly cut his words short. Since he wasn’t one to speak carelessly, he must be watching for the right timing to close down the agency.

But shouldn’t he ask for the opinion of the person he’s thinking of marrying? Whether she wants to continue acting or take a break.

Then again, what more could she expect from Kim Yu Jun?

Renting out the entire art museum today, buying an expensive painting she didn’t want, punishing Oh Jong Hyuk, walking through the square good for photos. It was all Kim Yu Jun’s unilateral decisions.

The wall called Kim Yu Jun was too meticulous and solid. Park Ra Jin didn’t dare try to climb over it. Was there no choice but to accept it as fate and submit now?

The confidence Park Ra Jin had slowly built up meeting Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho came crumbling down.

“Sleep well.”

Kim Yu Jun said with a picture-perfect smile.

“I love you, Ra Jin.”

It would have been more like Kim Yu Jun to brazenly show his possessiveness. Love? That sweet word that finally burst from Kim Yu Jun’s lips felt like a trap.

“I……”

“Go inside. Quickly.”

Perhaps embarrassed by his uncharacteristic behavior, Kim Yu Jun pushed Park Ra Jin inside the gate.

“I’m going.”

Thud! Only after the heavy gate closed and the car engine started did Park Ra Jin think of Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho.

‘I need to contact Ji Ho. What should I do?’

What would be better for him?

While passing through the carefully tended garden, carelessly taking off her shoes, climbing the stairs to the second floor. Only one thought occupied Park Ra Jin’s mind. Contact, yes, contact him first.

Park Ra Jin opened the drawer with her bag still on her shoulder. Then she pressed the call button without thinking.

[Ra Jin!]

Park Ra Jin’s eyes burned at Kang Ji Ho’s urgent voice.

“Ji Ho.”

[Are you okay? Did you just get home?]

A deep sigh escaped Park Ra Jin’s lips at his barrage of worried questions.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

[Did something happen?]

What words should she say to him, where should she start? The weight of guilt swallowed Park Ra Jin in an instant.

“I ruined everything. No, it was my fault from the beginning.”

[What are you saying?]

At Ji Ho’s question, Park Ra Jin rambled on like a drunk person trying to explain, then just kept repeating that she was sorry.

[Ra Jin, listen to me for a moment.]

“No. This is clearly my fault.”

If she had to assign blame, it might be her fault for giving Kim Yu Jun a goal. Park Ra Jin continued her confession like a confessional. Later, she was so choked up she couldn’t even understand what she was saying.

He didn’t interrupt even as Park Ra Jin poured out her intense emotions.

“I’m the one who caused this. How can I continue this with you in good conscience?”

[Let’s talk face to face.]

“What if I end up ruining you too? I’m so scared of that happening.”

[Ra Jin. Just 10 minutes, no, even just 1 minute. I’ll come to you.] [This is the timeline separator]

In a dark alley, sparks flew from Ji Ho’s eyes as he received Park Ra Jin’s call.

“Ra Jin. Let’s meet and talk.”

Without hesitation, Ji Ho put his car in reverse. His car sped up, barely squeezing past the cars parked on both sides.

[I just can’t do it in good conscience.]

“You can quit anytime. But let’s talk face to face.”

Ji Ho tried to soothe her, then quickly changed direction. As he entered a quiet side street, Ji Ho’s heart grew more urgent.

[I, hic. Ji Ho. I’m sorry.]

What on earth happened with Kim Yu Jun to shake her emotions like this? Apologies for being sorry and declarations of quitting poured from Park Ra Jin’s mouth.

“I won’t break. No, I can’t break. So.”

[……]

“I’m going to your house.”

[I don’t know. If we should really… meet like this.]

“I’ll be there in 5 minutes. No, 2 minutes, and I’ll tell you everything.”

Ji Ho wanted to hold onto Park Ra Jin. So he didn’t even hang up the phone to keep her from thinking of anything else. He kept talking to Park Ra Jin while turning the steering wheel hard and driving down the dark road.

At this moment, it felt like if this call ended, he would be cut off from her forever.

“I’m almost there. Will you open the door?”

There was no answer from Park Ra Jin to Ji Ho’s question.

Is this what it feels like when your heart is burning up? Ji Ho could barely breathe from the fear he was feeling for the first time.

“I respect your thoughts. That’s why I want to hear directly from you.”

His words that they should meet to wrap things up even if she quit right away became pleas and entreaties.

But Park Ra Jin was silent for a long time.

“Ra Jin.”

Whether his desperate persuasion worked, beyond her sniffling, small footsteps could be heard.

Thump thump, as the sound of her coming down the stairs was heard, Ji Ho finally let out a sigh of relief. At least it seemed he wouldn’t be turned away at the door.

“I’m parking now. So don’t hang up.”

She still didn’t answer, but at least she didn’t hang up.

Ji Ho sharply scanned his surroundings even as he practically threw the car into park.

‘Ah, I shouldn’t have let Ra Jin go.’

Running down the dark street after getting out of the car, Ji Ho regretted.

Why was he so careless?

Knowing what kind of man Kim Yu Jun was, how could he have sent Park Ra Jin to that place? Focused on the thought of locking up Kim Yu Jun, he overlooked Park Ra Jin’s stress. Perhaps all of this was already foreseen.

Surely he didn’t ask to go to a suite room like last time? Was there any physical threat?

Terrible thoughts rushed in all at once.

Her being late was the first sign that something had gone wrong, yet he had stood idly by in front of her house. Ji Ho had no excuse.

Whether Park Ra Jin quit this case or continued together was the next issue. Right now, confirming Park Ra Jin’s safety came first.

“Ra Jin.”

Ji Ho stood in front of Park Ra Jin’s gate, out of breath.

“I’m at your front door.”

[Wait, a moment.]

As soon as her whispering voice ended, the door opened with a click.

In that instant, Ji Ho leapt through the open door as if being sucked into a black hole. Still holding the phone that hadn’t disconnected, he hugged Park Ra Jin tightly. Without needing to ask or calculate anything complicated, Ji Ho’s body moved on its own.

How grateful he was that she was here before his eyes, that he could touch her so closely. Now that he had held onto Park Ra Jin who wanted to quit, Ji Ho realized what emotions he harbored.

“Thank goodness. I’m so relieved.”

As if time had stopped, in the dark inside of the gate where not even a breeze blew, Ji Ho did not let go of Park Ra Jin.

“Ra Jin, I’m sorry.”

“……”

“I shouldn’t have let you go today.”

He apologized to her that it was a mistake born of greed. Park Ra Jin silently buried her face in Ji Ho’s chest. As he felt her hot breath, relief finally washed over him.

If Park Ra Jin was struggling, he could remove the things troubling her, and if she wanted to quit, he could let her quit.

Ji Ho wanted to do everything she wanted. Just one thing! Except for drifting apart like this, anything. He planned to persuade her on that one thing no matter what.

“May I come inside?”

Park Ra Jin slowly nodded at Ji Ho’s question. Not wanting to drift apart like this, Ji Ho gently put his arm around her shoulders. Then they walked side by side.

He opened the front door for her who was drooping, and they entered the house together.

His second visit to her house. Everything was the same as when he first came.

But under the bright light, Park Ra Jin’s face was quite different from then. Her face that had shone brightly was now all red and blotchy with traces of tears.

“Let’s sit together.”

Ji Ho grabbed Park Ra Jin’s hand as she avoided his gaze, and led her to the sofa like the owner of the house. There was no need to mind appearances or be self-conscious.

If he let go of Park Ra Jin’s hand at this moment, they would drift apart forever. Ji Ho’s mind was focused only on moving forward. Still, he needed to hear the whole story from Park Ra Jin.

Ji Ho loosened his tie to catch his breath for a moment.

‘This might be my last day with Ra Jin.’

At that sobering thought, Ji Ho’s mind raced. For a moment, in his urgency, an odd idea even occurred to him. What if he used his usual investigative techniques?

Should he use shock tactics and drop a bombshell right at the start, or should he push and pull while watching the situation? Or should he reveal an important fact at the end to finish with a bang? Ji Ho pondered for a moment.

Ji Ho looked down at Park Ra Jin’s pale white hand.

If he couldn’t hold onto Park Ra Jin today, there probably wouldn’t be a tomorrow. Today, right now. If he had to do something in this moment? Shock tactics of dropping a bombshell right at the start – Ji Ho decided to use the most effective method.

“Ra Jin.”

Ji Ho called Park Ra Jin in a calm voice. Then he silently wiped her reddened eyes.

He didn’t say it was okay like a mantra. He just looked into each other’s eyes and filled his heart with Park Ra Jin. Sometimes a moment of silence can convey more than many words. As Park Ra Jin’s emotions gradually settled, Ji Ho spoke with difficulty.

“From now on, please stay out of our work.”