Constrained to Start (8 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 7
Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho—it was him, right there.
Although she’d been thinking about him the entire way here, the moment their eyes met, Ra Jin’s vision went dark.
“I apologize for troubling you.”
His deep voice spoke.
“Oh, no, not at all.”
She wasn’t exactly expressing panic with her entire body—but why was her speech stumbling so badly? Ra Jin felt as if she’d just leapt into a blazing fire, her whole body burning hot.
“Here.”
“Oh, yes. Thank you.”
Ra Jin quickly took the palm-sized bag he held out to her.
“Excuse me.”
He murmured even more quietly, then brushed past her—so close his shoulder nearly touched hers—and walked toward the Minister.
“I’m sorry I’m late, Minister.”
He exchanged greetings one by one with the middle-aged men, just as Ra Jin had done earlier.
‘Should I casually say something to him?’
Her eyes followed him while her mind raced, searching for words to say.
If she simply asked whether traffic was bad, then used the handkerchief as an excuse to suggest meeting… wouldn’t that be a fairly low-pressure proposal?
Just as she reassured herself it wasn’t a bad idea, their eyes met again—him turning around after finishing his greetings.
Ra Jin instinctively sucked in a sharp breath and immediately lowered her head as if fleeing. Fixating her gaze on the pamphlet in her hand, she watched his polished shoe tip slide past between the crisp white edges of the paper.
Amid the gently stirring air around her, a faint citrus scent drifted by. At the same moment, his breath brushed against the back of her hand—not unpleasant at all, but pleasantly warm and cool, like a soft spring breeze.
“Next, we’ll have a congratulatory address from Minister Lee Jung Ki of the Ministry of Justice.”
Startled by the applause that shattered her daydream, Ra Jin clapped along and subtly stepped back, slipping behind his broad shoulders to secretly observe him.
There was something untouchable about the man standing perfectly upright, eyes fixed only on the podium.
Not a single strand of hair out of place, a sharp jawline clean-shaven without even a hint of stubble, and ears so neatly shaped they looked carefully molded by hand. How could a person be so perfectly composed?
‘I need to make sure he keeps quiet about what he heard at the hospital. Ugh.’
She let out an involuntary sigh—but still couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. The problem wasn’t just initiating a conversation; she needed to meet him somewhere his manager, Oh Jong Hyuk—that human CCTV—wasn’t present. But where?
Han River Park when it’s deserted, the Namsan parking lot, the hospital’s outdoor garden—or maybe a third location?
Among countless possibilities, Ra Jin tried to narrow it down, one spot at a time, also wondering whether he’d even come if she asked.
Just as she was lost in thought, an employee who’d been handling the event approached, bowing slightly.
“Miss Ra Jin, it’s time for the bouquet presentation I mentioned earlier.”
Leaning forward slightly to hear better, Ra Jin unintentionally caused his perfectly still body to shift for the first time. His warm breath rippled past the edge of her shoulder before dissipating.
“Should I go up now?”
The staff member, who’d been watching the podium as if waiting for a signal, quickly nodded.
“Yes, please go ahead right now—this way.”
Just as she rose at the staff’s gesture, her backless sling bag wobbled precariously. Instinctively grabbing the armrest of her chair to steady herself—
“!”
She felt the firmness of a man’s forearm against her palm.
“I’m— I’m sorry.”
Again! Again!
Why was she trembling right here over something that should’ve been a simple apology? Annoyed at her own foolishness, Ra Jin forced a gentle smile onto her face.
He gave a slight nod in return and kept his eyes on her until she stood up and left her seat.
Biting back the words “I’m going crazy,” Ra Jin climbed onto the creaking stage.
The award ceremony was simpler than expected. With few recipients, all she had to do was accept a certificate and a bouquet with a bright, smiling glance.
It would’ve been just an ordinary family-style event if not for a celebrity spokesperson attending.
After posing for commemorative photos alongside the awardees, the atmosphere began winding down.
“Miss Ra Jin, you took the trouble to come all this way—why not join us upstairs for some refreshments?”
Refreshments weren’t the issue, but she’d been waiting for a private moment to speak with Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho, so she couldn’t readily agree.
Seeing her hesitate, the Minister suddenly raised his hand.
“Prosecutor Kang!”
Waving him over, the Minister called out as if urging him to hurry. Why was he suddenly summoning Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho like he’d noticed something?
Ra Jin alternated her gaze between the smiling Minister and the approaching Prosecutor, struck by a random thought.
‘He wouldn’t possibly think I asked to meet Prosecutor Kang specifically, would he?’
Since the Minister singled him out so precisely, Ra Jin deliberately acted aloof, as if entirely uninvolved in the matter.
“Prosecutor Kang, do you have a moment now?”
His eyes flicked swiftly toward his wristwatch.
“I have something to ask you—and if you’re not too busy, perhaps share a cup of tea with our actress.”
“Yes, Minister.”
At his crisp reply, Ra Jin finally let out a sigh of relief.
[This is the timeline separator]The reception room faced the Minister’s office.
The spacious area held a rectangular table, with two four-seater sofas facing each other.
“Miss Ra Jin, please sit here.”
Ra Jin sat down beside Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho, with the velvet-covered certificate and the large bouquet between them.
“Prosecutor Kang, have you exchanged greetings with actress Park Ra Jin yet?”
“We’ve only nodded briefly, Minister.”
The Minister chuckled softly at his reply.
“Miss Ra Jin, this is Prosecutor Kang from the Criminal Division 1 of the Central District Prosecutors’ Office—ah! He’s with the Special Prosecution now, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“He’s Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho, whose investigative skills are exceptional enough for the Special Prosecution to recruit him. And for your reference—he’s still single.”
At the Minister’s hearty introduction, Ra Jin subtly turned toward him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Park Ra Jin.”
“I’m Kang Ji Ho.”
“Congratulations on your award.”
Trying to ease the awkwardness, Ra Jin added another line.
“Thank you.”
His reply was so brief that Ra Jin glanced at the Minister.
“This is his third consecutive award—likely the only prosecutor in prosecutorial history to achieve this.”
“Three years in a row? That’s truly impressive.”
Ra Jin smiled warmly and offered praise, but he didn’t even muster an embarrassed smile in return.
How could he avoid even meeting her eyes now, when he’d told her to contact him if she needed help? It felt as if she’d gulped down scalding broth—her insides burning.
“Our actress must be terribly busy—I truly appreciate your willingness to attend.”
“I actually have some free time right before my new drama airs.”
As the conversation naturally shifted to her work, he merely sat upright and listened.
Although light pleasantries and compliments about her drama were exchanged, he only nodded occasionally and never joined the conversation.
She’d assumed the mood would be amiable at least—since this was in front of the Minister, even if private talk was impossible—but she’d been completely mistaken.
Whenever the conversation between her and the Minister paused, an even heavier silence settled in. A few awkward coughs, repeated silences.
It was so stifling that if the secretary hadn’t arrived with refreshments, she might have invented a missed call as an excuse to leave.
“Miss Ra Jin, please help yourself. You too, Prosecutor.”
“Yes, Minister.”
Ra Jin looked down at the clear green tea and bite-sized cookies.
‘Ugh, this is so awkward. Did I just make a fool of myself by randomly speaking to this guy?’
The silent man beside her irritated her so much that all thoughts of the flowers she’d seen on the way to Gwacheon vanished, replaced by another sigh.
Just as she smoothed her expression and brought the tea cup to her lips, a knock sounded.
“Minister, you have a call.”
The secretary didn’t specify who it was, but his urgent gestures made it clear it was serious.
“Oh! Uh, excuse me for a moment.”
The Minister jumped up and rushed out in a fluster, followed immediately by two secretaries. The moment the door closed, Ra Jin’s gaze dropped downward.
Her first official meeting with Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho.
Was he naturally this quiet, or was he doing it on purpose? All the plans crowding her mind swirled uselessly in her mouth before vanishing. She needed to say something—but instead, she just fidgeted with her fingers, feeling like a student during a tense academic meeting.
“I… that day…”
Ra Jin began awkwardly, clutching then releasing the hem of her dress.
“Are you feeling better now?”
Casually tossed out—but laden with meaning—his words made Ra Jin’s heart sink.
“Oh, yes… yes.”
She stammered a reply, curling her fingertips tightly. Still, she felt somewhat grateful that he’d asked first.
“You can go ahead and throw away the handkerchief—and what was inside it too.”
“Huh?”
There was some context she needed to explain first before mentioning the handkerchief, but his blunt statement caught her completely off guard, and her head turned involuntarily.
“I didn’t mean to burden you, Miss Park Ra Jin. Please don’t worry about it.”
Of course there was a proper order to conversations—why was he rushing things like this? The words almost burst from her throat.
This was the reception room, and the Minister could return any second. Anyone could walk in at any moment. This was absolutely the wrong place to recount the hospital incident in detail.
“I don’t know how you’ll take this, but… if you’re okay with it…”
“A while ago,”
“Yes?”
“I happened to see you by chance.”
“You saw me?”
They had no professional overlap—where could he have possibly seen her if not at the hospital? Surprised by this unexpected turn, Ra Jin quickly scanned her recent schedule in her mind.
Suddenly, his broad shoulder tilted slightly, blocking her view.
“This might be easier than naming the place.”
“?”
“You were with Kim Yu Jun, Managing Director of Myeong Jin Group.”
Her vision swam as if all the blood had drained from her body.
“Weren’t you?”
If he’d seen her with Kim Yu Jun recently, it must have been at the hotel. But had he only seen them together, or had he overheard their conversation? Confused, Ra Jin feigned calmness and continued.
“Oh, that day I had a dinner appointment with Managing Director Kim Yu Jun.”
“There were several men following you that day.”
His eyes silently asked, “Am I wrong?”
So he’d seen it all—the scene from that day. Feeling as if she’d been blindsided, Ra Jin couldn’t find her voice.
“Were you alright?”
His low, resonant voice and knowing gaze made Ra Jin feel as if her harsh reality had just been laid bare—she could only gape wordlessly.
“So, at that time, I…”
Just then, murmurs of approaching people sounded close by outside the door.
The Minister would return any moment—if their conversation ended like this…
As Ra Jin’s anxious eyes darted toward the door, he leaned forward slightly.
“Do you perhaps have something you’d like to tell me?”
Explaining away Oh Jong Hyuk’s crude gossip in the hospital garden was one thing—but being caught with Kim Yu Jun was entirely different.
Her carefully maintained image as a “national actress,” her pristine reputation free of even a hint of scandal or romance—all that aside, what if Prosecutor Kang Ji Ho assumed her relationship with Kim Yu Jun was a done deal? That couldn’t happen. No, she didn’t even want to be linked to Kim Yu Jun over the slightest misunderstanding.
“It might seem silly for me to explain things to you, Prosecutor—but I think some clarification is necessary, especially regarding what happened at the hospital.”
“Just tell me the time and place.”
Faced with this sudden offer of choice, Ra Jin’s mind went blank.
“So… perhaps tonight…”
No suitable location came to mind. Trapped by constant public scrutiny, being a celebrity sometimes felt no different from being a caged animal in a zoo.
As she weighed one secluded spot against another, he abruptly held out his phone.
“Give me your contact info first.”
“…”
“Is it a burden?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“I only asked because I was expecting you not to contact me. If it’s uncomfortable, we can forget this ever happened.”
As if their entire conversation had never occurred, his body swiftly turned straight ahead again.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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