The meeting room of Seyoung Daily, where there’s always tense conversation.

“Lee Ji Wan. What are you going to do about Joo Tae Sung?”

Department Head Jang asked, pointing at Ji Wan with the tip of his pen.

Ji Wan, still not used to hearing Tae Sung’s name from people’s mouths, startled and opened her mouth.

“J-Joo Tae Sung? Ah, well…”

The in-depth interview with Joo Tae Sung that the newspaper has been persistently pushing for recently.

Until the day before yesterday, the problem was feeling uncomfortable about requesting an in-depth interview while divorcing Joo Tae Sung.

But now that they’ve decided to cancel the divorce, the interview itself is the problem.

“Well… I’m not sure what to do…”

Ji Wan’s vague answer masked a heart full of worry.

The previous Joo Tae Sung interview she submitted was a question-and-answer style interview without any prior discussion.

So it was possible for Ji Wan to come up with questions and answers as she pleased, but that would be impossible in an in-depth interview with the social affairs department’s attention focused on it.

Judging by the attitude of Department Head Jang and the Director asking about the interview schedule with Joo Tae Sung once a day, they would probably rush in and take control of the interview’s direction…

Given the nature of social affairs reporters focusing on core issues, they would only spit out all sorts of dangerous and sensitive questions.

Especially if it’s Joo Tae Sung, who has never given an interview before, they would dig up all the past issues too.

‘What if this ends up touching on really unfavorable aspects of Joo Tae Sung?’

Creating something that could cause cracks in a relationship that had just stabilized after being shaky was certainly not a welcome prospect.

So as Ji Wan just wore a troubled expression, the impatient Department Head Jang threw sharp words at her.

“Are you trying to put it off again?”

“Pardon?”

“If the Director and I have been pressuring you, you should have set the schedule as soon as the word came out. Why are you sitting there putting it off day after day!”

Seeing his voice rising, it seemed he would keep her here until he got the answer he wanted.

With nowhere to escape in this small meeting room, Ji Wan had no choice but to give the answer he desired.

“I-I’ll try to set it up. As soon as possible…”

“I don’t believe in such vague promises. Confirm the schedule by the end of work today.”

“But if Mr. Joo Tae Sung says he can’t…”

“You just need to accommodate him right away! Set the meeting schedule to fit Joo Tae Sung’s schedule no matter what!”

Department Head Jang’s shout echoed through the meeting room.

It likely contained more jealousy and anger over a rookie getting the huge opportunity of an in-depth interview with Joo Tae Sung, rather than stress over the delayed schedule.

Knowing this, Ji Wan nodded without further argument.

But her mind was impossibly complex.

The only thing weighing on her mind now was Joo Tae Sung alone.

She is not welcoming the opportunity that has come to her at all.

This feeling is something that even her closest senior Joo Ah probably wouldn’t understand, so she couldn’t confide in anyone.

* * *

“Hmm…”

Deep wrinkles formed between Tae Sung’s brows as he compared the past 3 months’ work reports and schedules.

The work reports were nothing special compared to the packed schedule that didn’t even allow for leaving work.

At first it just felt somewhat empty, but upon closer inspection, something had clearly been cut out.

And very unnaturally, as if someone had deliberately severed the trail of activities.

What made all this believable was the record of vacation days used over the past 3 months.

These were vacation days he rarely used even when available, but it showed he had used them 12 times irregularly over 3 months.

This was an extremely unusual point considering Tae Sung’s personality and lifestyle.

There were no traces of travel, nor any schedules for simply resting.

Investigating the card usage records on the days he took off showed locations ranging from the capital area to various provinces.

“What was I obsessed with for 3 months…”

Tae Sung couldn’t shake the suspicion that his missing memories, mysterious activities, and the unknown assailant who attacked him were all connected.

But with not even a small trace remaining of that, his already fierce eyes were only sharpening when.

Ring ring― Ring ring―

The cell phone placed on the desk started ringing.

The name that appeared on the phone screen was Ji Wan, who rarely contacted him first.

After confirming the caller, Tae Sung picked up the phone and pressed the call button without hesitation.

“Good day. Today is a lucky day.”

The voice greeting him showed no trace of the earlier chill.

In contrast, Ji Wan’s response was only gloomy.

―We’re in big trouble… Mr. Tae Sung…

“What’s wrong?”

―The newspaper wants me to set up a schedule for an in-depth interview with Mr. Joo Tae Sung. Their eyes are sparkling, so it seems they’re planning to prepare something really big.

Her voice trembled slightly.

Judging by how she couldn’t even breathe freely, she was clearly hiding somewhere, terrified.

It wasn’t hard to guess what situation she was worried about and afraid of.

First, this marriage being exposed through the in-depth interview.

Second, the newspaper misunderstanding due to their seemingly close relationship.

Tae Sung, who pinpointed these two reasons as the cause, quickly came up with an answer to calm her mind.

“Nothing will happen. It’s up to me to decide what to bring up and what to hide.”

―But still…

“Trust me. Nothing will happen to you.”

This should be enough to resolve Ji Wan’s worries.

After all, nothing he had set out to solve had ever failed.

But no welcoming response came from Ji Wan on the other end of the phone.

Rather, along with a faint sigh, what flowed out was self-blame he had never expected.

―That’s not what’s important. What good is it if Mr. Tae Sung is trustworthy? I still don’t have that kind of power…

“Power…?”

Tae Sung’s eyes showed puzzlement, not understanding the point she was making at all.

After hesitating for a moment, Ji Wan checked that there was no one around the pantry where she was hiding before continuing.

―Our side will surely ask only about awkward and sensitive issues. As they’re obsessed with chasing issues, they’ll compose it with the most provocative content possible. Before, we could at least match our stories. This time, there’s nothing I can do.

This wasn’t particularly unpredictable.

Still, he wanted to say that he could handle it on his end so that no threat would come to Ji Wan.

But Ji Wan brought up worries in a completely different context from what Tae Sung had pointed out.

―I don’t want Mr. Tae Sung to be in danger. I don’t want to be the cause of that either. And I hate not being able to do anything while making Mr. Tae Sung vulnerable.

“…”

―I’d like to protect you if I could, but I’m just a rookie without any power. So I wish Mr. Tae Sung would refuse the in-depth interview. If you just say you’ll cancel, our side seems determined to really push for it…

Ji Wan took a deep breath after saying that much.

It was a solemn appearance, as if making a major announcement.

The suggestion that finally came out was something Tae Sung had never even considered.

―Turn the arrows towards me. Say you can’t trust me because I’m a rookie, or that you didn’t like the previous interview.

“…What?”

―Yes, that’ll work. Just pin everything on me and Mr. Tae Sung can stay safe somewhere.

He had never seen anyone in his life turn arrows towards themselves rather than others.

He had also never been protected by someone like this even once.

This was a first in Tae Sung’s life, and it was a fresh shock.

So as he momentarily couldn’t give any answer, Ji Wan drew her own conclusion.

―Then let’s go with that… We’ll talk again after work. I have to get back quickly now…!

Click―

The short but intense call ended like that by Ji Wan’s hand.

It was only after a long while that his stopped mind slowly began to turn again.

“She says she’ll protect me…”

A smile flowed from Tae Sung’s lips as he repeated her words.

She’s in this muddy situation because she followed him, yet now who’s protecting whom?

For Tae Sung, who had fought his fill of harsh battles throughout his life, none of the things she worried about were frightening.

Even if something unmanageable were to happen, he had no desire to be protected or indebted to anyone.

If there was one lesson etched into his bones from being forcibly born into a legal family, it was ‘never be in a subordinate position’.

To live like that, he had to never show weakness to anyone, and never receive help without reason.

So Ji Wan’s suggestion was again unnecessary meddling that he absolutely had to avoid, but…

Somehow, he didn’t want to push her away.

The helping hand extended for the first time by someone who had struggled to protect their own domain until now.

It came as a joy he never expected.

A smile crept into Tae Sung’s eyes, which had been hardened all day.

After putting down his phone, he turned his gaze to the computer screen and opened an internet mail window.

The recipient email address he entered was that of Seyoung Daily’s Department Head Jang Dae Chul, with whom he had previously exchanged contact regarding interview fact-checking.

[Contacting you regarding the in-depth interview.]

The subject was dry.

[I’m contacting you directly as it seems an innocent person is suffering due to my schedule adjustment issues. Please understand that I cannot devote much time as I am currently reorganizing my work after returning.]

The content was stiff and sharp, as if he had never been gentle to anyone.

[For the above reasons, I was going to refuse the in-depth interview, but I’m trying to adjust my schedule as I can’t break my promise with reporter Lee Ji Wan.]

But her contribution that moved him was clearly revealed.

There was not a moment’s hesitation in pressing the email send button.

Now Tae Sung would have to engage in difficult questions and dangerous tug-of-war as she worried, but he no longer cared about such things.

Just like Ji Wan had moments ago.