As Jiho, who was standing up too, followed her gaze, he looked at the tip of her pointing finger.

“It’s already 9 o’clock.”

Hojin, who said she would be back in ten minutes, had already been gone for thirty minutes.

It was all just a short touch of lips, but when did the time pass like this? When she was with Prosecutor Kang Jiho, it was always like this. The clock, which had been fine, seemed to have malfunctioned, and time had passed rapidly.

“Try calling Hojin unni.”

Perhaps he was also embarrassed, Jiho quickly pressed the call button.

“Hojin, where are you?”

Since his surroundings were so noisy due to the commotion, Lajin felt an unnecessary unease.
“What? Haah. It’s not like that.”

Whatever conversation was taking place between Hojin and Jiho, Jiho repeated that it wasn’t true and soon hung up the phone.

“Why?”

“I’m in the parking lot. Come down.”

“Why not come up? And why the parking lot?”

In response to the waiting statement, Lajin picked up her bag and spoke.

“Lajin, wait!”

As Lajin hurriedly went out, Jiho’s pupils shook violently. He grabbed Lajin, wet a handkerchief, and gently wiped her cheeks and jaw. Of course, he wiped his face too.

“What, did it get smudged?”

“The lipstick smudged.”

“Oh.”

“Do you want me to reapply it?”

He’s offering to reapply the lipstick now? This man? Lajin wondered if she had misheard him as she looked at him with questioning eyes.

“If you have it, give it to me.”

At his request, she opened her handbag as if possessed. When Lajin reluctantly took out the lipstick, he quickly grabbed it.

“I’ll do it.”

“I want to do it.”

Opening the lipstick cap, he bent down and touched Lajin’s lips, then kissed her. Was he originally good at expressing himself like this? Before Lajin could think more, his hand moved slowly.

As she entrusted her face to his meticulous yet gentle touch, his eyes rounded with satisfaction.

“You’re beautiful.”

At his simple words, Lajin’s face blushed brightly.

“I’d like to give you a ride, but today Hojin wants to go by car, right?”

“Should I go out first?”

Touching the end of her lips, he nodded.

“I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to bring you home up to today as soon as the special investigation is over. Have a good time then.”

After this is over, the distant day until today.

Jiho was talking about the future for the first time.

Can we anticipate the next? Will such a day really come? Lajin wanted to believe the words of the man who seemed sure to keep his promise. When the day comes to escape from Ojonghyuk and Kim Yujun… yes, let that happen.

“See you on Saturday.”

“I’ll contact you frequently in the meantime.”

His hand warmly wrapped around Lajin’s hand.

“Let me accompany you to the entrance.”

The two people holding hands walked side by side toward the exit.

On this early evening when it rained after a long time.

The sky, like pouring purple and red paint, was entirely vivid.

Lajin stared blankly at the raindrops rolling down the car window like transparent beads.

―Ojonghyuk will arrive at 6 p.m. We have only two hours with Kim Yujun.

Jiho’s plea rolled through Lajin’s heart like water droplets on the window.

‘Two hours. Okay, let’s endure by looking at paintings for just two hours.’

Lajin repeated the same words like a prayer.

A few days ago, she conveyed the message that she wanted to see a certain painting to Director Kim, for the first time expressing her desire. Whether it was effective or she felt sorry for driving him out at home, Kim Yujun canceled all the previously scheduled appointments and allowed Lajin to go to the gallery as she wished.
The idea of renting the entire gallery for the closing time felt a bit burdensome. However, since it was nothing to Kim Yujun, Lajin decided to let it go.

“At 10 p.m., I’ll come to take you home.”

On the way to meet Kim Yujun with expectations of the meeting with Prosecutor Kang Jiho.

When Bukak Tunnel appeared, Lajin sighed. It meant that they were almost there at the art museum.

‘It should be like usual.’

Making the resolution like a habit, she emerged from the dark tunnel.

The dimly lit street, not much different from the tunnel. The black sedan slowed down towards the gray building. After smoothly parking, a security guard holding an umbrella ran over.

With a courteous gesture, the man who opened the door stood there, creating some distance between him and Lajin. Unaware of the raindrops falling on his left shoulder.

“He’s waiting for you.”

With a light bow, Lajin walked slowly.

Kim Yujun was overly glad about something, and Lajin didn’t want to hurry along the steep path. Since he just suggested meeting, they would meet. It was an opportunity to pick up even a small piece of information. It wasn’t more or less than that for Lajin.

“Over here.”

Following the security guard’s fingertip, Lajin changed direction. Even though she didn’t know what had been said, not a single museum employee was in sight.

It was so quiet that even the sound of high heels echoed like thunder in the space. In front of the painting, which was 100th in number, Kim Yujun stood.

A man who was large, spacious, and independent.

As Lajin’s footsteps, which were like light breaths, slowed down, so did the footsteps of the security guard who escorted her.

“Actress.”

As if urging her to go faster, the security guard’s gaze slightly pointed at Kim Yujun’s back.

Whether he hoped she would run to him even though he knew she had already arrived. Kim Yujun, without looking back, was silently staring at the painting. What kind of personality expression could describe that?

Stubbornness? Unnecessary pride? Childish attention-seeking?

But since she decided to act as usual, she should take the easy way. Lajin walked, calming her jittery heart.

“Director-nim.”

Calling as friendly as possible, Kim Yujun’s shoulders turned halfway.

“Lajin.”

“Did you wait long?”

“About 15 minutes?”

“I’m sorry. I got stuck in traffic when leaving the city.”

Smiling as if it was okay, Kim Yujun gently brushed Lajin’s hair back.

“Have you seen the paintings?”

“No. I was standing at the entrance waiting for you to see them together.”

At the end of that sentence, Kim Yujun reached out his hand.

When Lajin deliberately turned around, the shadowy figures of the security guards standing like shadows disappeared like the wind. How can she avoid holding that hand? Lajin’s Plan B quickly turned around.