Ji Ho had no intention of allowing any objections or retractions. However, his voice was gentler and more composed than ever.

“From this moment on, Park Ra Jin will become a person unrelated to our work.”

“Pardon?”

Although Park Ra Jin had wanted to quit, she was taken aback by Ji Ho’s words telling her to leave.

“Are you perhaps angry?”

“Not at all.”

“Then, are you disappointed?”

“No.”

“…”

“I was greatly mistaken.”

Mistaken, yes, that was the most appropriate expression.

Until now, he had been able to learn a lot about Myung Jin through Park Ra Jin’s exceptional memory and perceptive nature. She had provided a wealth of high-quality information unavailable elsewhere. That’s why he thought she was fine.

He had let his guard down, thinking her passion compensated for the fact that, as a civilian, she couldn’t possibly have a prosecutor’s mentality. If Park Ra Jin hadn’t wavered today, he would have missed her emotions once again.

“The information I’ve received from Park Ra Jin so far is more than enough, but I got greedy.”

“No, that’s not…”

Park Ra Jin lost her words and could only open and close her mouth. As she bit her lip nervously, Ji Ho gently took hold of her chin.

“You’ve worked hard all this time.”

“I’m sorry for being such a burden.”

“There’s no need to be sorry.”

“…”

“The mission ended quickly because you did your job well, Park Ra Jin.”

For a moment, a complex mix of emotions flashed across Park Ra Jin’s face. Regret, a hint of remorse, and relief. Ji Ho didn’t rush. He calmly met her gaze as he continued.

“If it’s alright, would you tell me about what happened today?”

At the soft question, Park Ra Jin’s eyes wavered before fleeing to her feet.

What did the order matter? If she wasn’t ready to talk yet, he could start with a story to help her relax.

“We shot quite a movie earlier.”

Ji Ho sighed softly as he adjusted his grip on Park Ra Jin’s hand.

“I kept calling you from the moment I left, but I couldn’t reach you.”

“I’m sorry.”

Park Ra Jin mumbled quietly, still looking down.

“No, it’s my fault for putting you in danger.”

Ji Ho continued, placing his other hand over hers.

“I was just worried about what might have happened when I got a call from Ho Jin.”

Park Ra Jin’s gaze moved from her feet to her hand.

“She said you had posted a photo on social media, and told me to withdraw quickly.”

In fact, Ji Ho didn’t even know Ho Jin was following Park Ra Jin.

Park Ra Jin posting her location and future movements, Ho Jin’s quick sense in catching it – if not for these two, Ji Ho might have had a direct confrontation with Kim Yu Jun in front of Park Ra Jin’s house.

“The fact that our identity wasn’t exposed is all thanks to the ‘Jin Jin sisters’.”

He casually brought up Park Ra Jin’s joke about wanting to be called the ‘Jin Jin sisters’ after they became sworn sisters. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

At that moment, Ji Ho’s mood, which had been like being caught in a downpour without an umbrella, cleared up as bright as spring sunshine.

“I had to withdraw, but I also needed to confirm your safety.”

“…”

“So I was waiting at a nearby school.”

“Did you… wait long?”

As if about to apologize again, her large eyes briefly met his gaze. Not wanting to miss this golden opportunity, Ji Ho placed Park Ra Jin’s hand over his heart.

“Can you feel it?”

“?”

“It’s beating so fast that my chest feels tight.”

Park Ra Jin silently looked at her hand on his heart and then at Ji Ho’s face.

“I thought I was a patient man, but it seems I’m not at all.”

“Ji Ho.”

“I imagined the worst scenarios in that dark car.”

It wasn’t an exaggeration, but a fact. Those brief moments when he couldn’t reach Park Ra Jin were nothing short of hell for Ji Ho.

Was she in trouble with Kim Yu Jun? What if Kim Yu Jun had hurt her? Thinking all sorts of terrible thoughts, Ji Ho blamed himself over and over. After all, he was the one who had dragged Park Ra Jin into this dangerous situation.

“If you had contacted me just 10 minutes later.”

Ji Ho lowered his head and rested his forehead on Park Ra Jin’s shoulder. Her pulse quickened even more.

“I would have gone to look for you myself. At Myung Jin or anywhere else.”

“Ji Ho, I… I don’t want to be a burden to you.”

A burden? How could she be a burden? Ji Ho completely disagreed with that word, but he was relieved that she seemed ready to talk now. He silently waited for her next words.

“I realized today. That I was the beginning of the misfortune.”

Hoo, her neck felt hot as she let out a deep sigh.

Park Ra Jin began to unravel her long and tangled relationship with Kim Yu Jun. She started calmly, but soon became a mess. As she poured out her emotions incoherently, Park Ra Jin began to sob again.

“In the end, it was me who turned Kim Yu Jun into a monster. It was all because of me.”

“Did Kim Yu Jun say that? That it was because of you?”

“He said I was the one who brought him to this point, back when he was living a life worse than death.”

Ji Ho nearly let out harsh words at Kim Yu Jun’s obvious intentions.

Bringing up the past and shifting responsibility to Park Ra Jin when things weren’t going his way… It was nothing more than a shallow trick to make Park Ra Jin his own by any means necessary.

However, quite ironically, Ji Ho felt both anger and relief at the same time. If Kim Yu Jun was trying to hold onto Park Ra Jin using the past as leverage, all they had to do was cut that infuriating connection.

“I’m afraid that I, who made Kim Yu Jun like that… might ruin you and your work too, Ji Ho.”

“Ruin? Not at all.”

He deliberately added Ho Jin’s joke about ‘a pretty lucky charm appearing’. He thought it might ease her mind. Whether Park Ra Jin intended it or not, the information she provided had indeed opened up the investigation.

However, they were wrapping things up now because it was dangerous for Park Ra Jin, not because her role was insufficient.

“Do you know how grateful we are?”

Asking her to accept their gratitude, Ji Ho kissed Park Ra Jin’s cheek. A brief touch, then a withdrawal, then another touch.

Park Ra Jin’s round eyes wavered again.

Ji Ho didn’t bring up constructive talk about having confidence or not being afraid. He simply repeated his thanks with all sincerity. Once Park Ra Jin’s emotions settled, she would realize it herself.

However, he didn’t forget the one thing he needed to address.

“I’m curious about something. May I ask just one question?”

“Go ahead.”

“When Kim Yu Jun was living a life worse than death, as you said, wasn’t he an adult?”

As expected. When Park Ra Jin nodded, Ji Ho chuckled.

“I wonder if I’m the strange one, or if it’s Kim Yu Jun.”

“In what way?”

“It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

Ji Ho tilted his head deliberately, catching Park Ra Jin’s gaze. Then he smirked as if mocking Kim Yu Jun.

“He used the words of a high school student he had just met as the blade for his revenge? As a full-grown adult?”

He barely held back from asking if Kim Yu Jun was in his right mind.

The words of the young Park Ra Jin might have resonated with Kim Yu Jun at the time.

Even if that were the case, could it be an excuse for Kim Yu Jun? To take what should have ended with being comforted by Park Ra Jin and instead claim, ‘I etched your words deep in my bones and made them the driving force for my revenge’…

Isn’t that going too far? Ji Ho found Kim Yu Jun’s pathetic excuses laughable.

“To me, it looks like nothing more than Kim Yu Jun’s self-justification. What do you think, Park Ra Jin?”

“Well…”

“A man who says he’s living a life worse than death struggles so hard to possess Myung Jin?”

Ji Ho shook his head openly.

Kim Yu Jun quickly took control of Myung Jin, as if he had been waiting for Chairman Kim Ki Tae to be arrested. To do so, he did all sorts of things, crossing the line between legal and illegal. Can a person in despair be so meticulous?

“I’ve seen many people fall into despair for various reasons, so I know.”

“…”

“Far from seeking revenge, many can’t even leave their homes.”

There was one thing Ji Ho had felt every time he investigated countless criminals.

How could they all blame others so much? Even murderers with no room for excuses would come up with ridiculous reasons to blame their innocent victims.

People are always lenient with themselves. In Ji Ho’s view, Kim Yu Jun’s behavior today was no different from theirs.

“This is the result of Kim Yu Jun’s greed, not Park Ra Jin’s fault.”

“Ji Ho.”

“I can say this with certainty.”

“What’s that?”

“You were thoroughly deceived by Kim Yu Jun today.”

He wanted to let her know that she had fallen for Kim Yu Jun’s pathetic nonsense.

“That proud successor must be rejoicing now. Thinking, ‘Ra Jin is definitely mine.'”

Ji Ho said, gently cupping Park Ra Jin’s surprised face.

“But don’t worry.”

He kissed her round forehead as if stamping a seal of approval.

“I won’t let that happen.”

Park Ra Jin was at a loss for words. How can someone look so beautiful even when flustered? Ji Ho, who had already surrendered his heart and soul to Park Ra Jin, smiled.

“I’m so confused.”

“I’ll give you time to think. But in return.”

Ji Ho softened his gaze. Then he gently rubbed Park Ra Jin’s soft cheek.

“From now on, you’re staying with me.”

“What?”

“Rest, eat, and have fun by my side while you think slowly.”

It was an extremely impulsive suggestion. An idea he stumbled upon after racking his brains trying to find a way to hold onto her.

“I think I read an article about actors going on reward vacations after their dramas end. Isn’t that right?”

“Well, yes, they do go.”

“Then let’s go too. To celebrate your hard work all this time.”

Ji Ho pressed Park Ra Jin’s cheek, her pupils shaking. If he left her alone like this, she would surely be trapped in negative emotions. He wanted to give her time to think, but also to guide her in a positive direction while being together. That was all Ji Ho wanted.

“If it’s too burdensome, how about coming along on my vacation?”

“But you’re so busy.”

“I work 20 hours a day without holidays. I should take at least one day off.”

When he added that he was on the verge of collapse, Park Ra Jin’s brow furrowed.

“You’re already tired, and I’m just making you worry more.”

“Apologies are forbidden for the time being.”

Ji Ho stared at Park Ra Jin as he rejected her apology. Her eyes rolled to the side.

“Ji Ho, you seem different today.”

“It’s because I was so shocked earlier. Stay by my side until I return to normal.”

Whether it was his soft nature breaking free from its cold shell, Ji Ho uttered words he would never say normally.

The anxiety that Park Ra Jin might come to harm, the relief that she had returned safely. These two feelings had pressed Ji Ho’s awakening button. If so, there was no need to hesitate anymore.

“Let’s just pack some simple luggage and go.”

“What? Now?”

“Yes, now!”