As Tae Min hurriedly got out of the car, So Eun had already walked far ahead, and Jung Hyuk was standing firmly in front of her.

“So Eun.”

Jung Hyuk, who was calling So Eun with a desperate expression, widened his eyes when he saw Tae Min quickly walking behind So Eun.

“What, what is this? That bastard? Isn’t that the bastard I saw at the officetel back then? Why is that bastard here…”

Jung Hyuk, who was speaking, frowned as he saw Tae Min come and stand right next to So Eun.

So Eun also looked at Tae Min standing next to her with surprised eyes, while Jung Hyuk glared at So Eun and Tae Min alternately.

“What’s this? Don’t tell me… Did you exchange contact information with this bastard that day? Is that why you’re coming back with this bastard now? Huh?”

At the continuous use of the word ‘bastard’, Tae Min furrowed his brow and took a step towards Jung Hyuk, but So Eun raised her hand to stop Tae Min.

At that gesture, Tae Min looked at So Eun, and she spoke with a cold gaze towards Jung Hyuk.

“Why do you keep saying bastard, bastard? You uncultured bastard.”

Jung Hyuk’s mouth fell open in shock at So Eun’s words, and Tae Min also looked at So Eun with surprised eyes.

“So, So Eun. How could you say such harsh words… Uncultured bastard?”

As Jung Hyuk asked with an unbelieving face, So Eun scoffed as if it was ridiculous.

“Then, is your behavior now refined? Didn’t I clearly tell you not to come looking for me again? You come again even after that humiliation from Ji Ye? Are you a blockhead?”

“What? Blo, blockhead?”

Jung Hyuk’s eyes bulged out angrily, and then he glared at Tae Min as if he was the cause of all this.

“Hey! You bastard! Who are you to be with So Eun? Huh? Who do you dare to hit on? Do you want to die?”

At this, Tae Min immediately reached out and grabbed Jung Hyuk by the collar.

“Ugh.”

As Jung Hyuk choked at the strong grip, So Eun reached out and grabbed Tae Min’s arm.

“Mr. Tae Min, don’t do this. He’s not worth it.”

Then Jung Hyuk glared at So Eun and shouted.

“What? Mr. Tae Min? Mr. Tae Min~? These guys, really!”

At Jung Hyuk’s outburst, Tae Min threw him aside while still gripping his collar.

“Ack!”

Jung Hyuk let out a scream-like sound as he fell to the ground, landing hard on his behind.

Tae Min looked down at Jung Hyuk with eyes filled with cold anger.

Jung Hyuk touched his behind with a pained expression, then immediately glared at Tae Min while breathing heavily.

“You bastard! Did you just push me? How dare you use violence against me? Do you think I’ll let this slide? I’m going to report you for violence, you bastard!”

Jung Hyuk shouted as he stood up abruptly and quickly pulled out his phone from his pocket.

Then So Eun also took out her phone from her pocket and said.

“Go ahead. Report it. I’ll report you too.”

At So Eun’s words, Jung Hyuk, who was about to dial 112, flinched and looked at So Eun.

“What did you say?”

“I said report it. I’m going to report you as a stalker too.”

So Eun said, looking at Jung Hyuk with a contemptuous gaze.

Jung Hyuk looked at So Eun with an unbelieving face, then bit his lip and said.

“So Eun. How can you really do this? Just because I cheated a little… Okay. I know that cheating was really wrong and a mortal sin. But, for you to cheat too… and with a bastard you just met that day, it doesn’t make sense. Huh? So Eun. You’re not this kind of person.”

In the end, Jung Hyuk spoke desperately with tears in his eyes, but So Eun stared at him with cold eyes and scoffed as if it was ridiculous.

Then she looked at Jung Hyuk with a chilly expression and said.

“Don’t you know the meaning of ‘cheating’? ‘Cheating’ is something you do when you’re still dating someone. How long has it been since we ended things and you’re talking about cheating?”

Jung Hyuk’s eyes widened at this.

“Who ended it? I! I never ended things with you. No! I can’t end it.”

“After being caught in the act with another woman… You really are a shameless person to the end, aren’t you?”

At So Eun’s words, Tae Min looked at Jung Hyuk seriously, as if looking at trash.

“……”

Jung Hyuk bit his lip silently, then glared at So Eun and said.

“So you’re really going to try something with this bastard now, huh?”

“I told you to stop saying bastard, bastard.”

At So Eun’s cold low voice, Jung Hyuk stared at her with bulging eyes.

“Are you taking this bastard’s side in front of me now?”

So Eun stared at Jung Hyuk with contemptuous eyes and opened her mouth.

“Yes, you filthy bastard.”

Jung Hyuk’s lower eyelids twitched finely at So Eun’s sharp answer.

Looking at Jung Hyuk like that, So Eun spoke in a cold voice.

“But I, unlike you, keep the morals that a person should keep. At least I only give my heart to one person at a time.”

“……”

Jung Hyuk’s eyes wavered like a candle in the wind, and Tae Min silently stared at So Eun.

“Are you saying now, that… You’ve already given your heart to this bastard? Is that what you mean? Already? Does this make sense?”

Jung Hyuk spoke with bloodshot eyes, his voice trembling severely.

As So Eun looked at Jung Hyuk with cold eyes, Jung Hyuk slowly shook his head and said.

“So Eun. You’re lying to me now, right? Right? You’re just… acting because you’re so angry at me, right? Right?”

So Eun stared at Jung Hyuk with a face that seemed to find him not even worth replying to, then opened her mouth.

“I don’t even want to argue with you anymore, so get lost. And don’t ever show up in front of me again. If you come one more time, I’ll really call the police then.”

At those words, Jung Hyuk glared at So Eun, grinding his teeth.

Then So Eun raised her phone and said.

“What? Should I call the police now?”

Jung Hyuk glared at So Eun with a resentful face, then muttered as if reciting.

“Ji So Eun, you… You’ll definitely regret treating me like this.”

“I’m already regretting. About the 8 months I wasted on trash like you.”

Jung Hyuk bit the inside of his lip, then glared at Tae Min and said.

“Hey. You bastard. Do you think So Eun will really give her heart to you? Don’t even dream about it.”

To this, Tae Min replied in a voice full of coldness.

“I’ll dream my own dreams, so why don’t you just get lost quickly?”

At those words, just as Jung Hyuk was about to lunge at him with bulging eyes, So Eun stretched out her arm to block Jung Hyuk.

“Are you really determined to meet the police before you leave now?”

Jung Hyuk glared at So Eun with a boiling face, then clenched his molars tightly, bumped Tae Min’s shoulder with his own, and walked away with large strides.

Then he got in his car, started the engine, and drove away roughly.

* * *

After the storm had passed, a sudden silence fell.

As Tae Min moved his lips, not knowing what to say, So Eun spoke first.

“Mr. Tae Min, I’m really sorry.”

As So Eun bowed her head and apologized, Tae Min was startled.

“What? No, what are you sorry for, Ms. So Eun?”

“Both when we first met and today… I’m really sorry for making you hear such harsh words because of me.”

“What? No. Why is this because of you, Ms. So Eun? It’s because of that crazy guy. So there’s nothing for you to be sorry about, Ms. So Eun.”

“You were insulted because of me, so of course I should apologize.”

Looking at So Eun biting her lip slightly out of guilt, Tae Min waved both hands vigorously.

“Ms. So Eun, you really don’t need to be sorry, I’m telling you. I’m actually thinking that I’m really glad I was with you today.”

As So Eun silently looked up at Tae Min, he added.

“If Ms. So Eun had come home alone… Just thinking about what that crazy guy might have done to you makes me so angry my hair stands on end.”

Tae Min spoke in an unknowingly agitated voice, then his cheeks immediately flushed red, thinking he had overreacted.

And So Eun looked up at Tae Min intently.

As she looked at Tae Min touching his flushed cheeks with an awkward face, she felt a strange feeling.

Even though they hadn’t known each other for long, she felt that this person in front of her was sincerely worried about her, like someone who had known her for a very long time.

That feeling was unfamiliar and strange, but she also felt grateful.

“Thank you, Mr. Tae Min.”

At So Eun’s words, Tae Min took his hand off his cheek and looked at her.

“As you said, if I had come alone, the situation probably would have gotten more complicated. Well, that guy misunderstood on his own, but thanks to you, I was able to drive him away quickly. Thank you.”

Tae Min blinked as he looked down at So Eun, then carefully opened his mouth.

“Um, Ms. So Eun.”

“Yes.”

“You can keep using me in the future too.”

“…Pardon?”

“If that guy comes back and causes trouble again… Well, it doesn’t seem likely he will, but still, if he does come back, please call me. I’ll come running right away.”

This time, So Eun blinked as she stared at Tae Min, then opened her mouth after a moment.

“No, that won’t happen anymore. And you seem like a good person, Mr. Tae Min, so I don’t want to use you for such unpleasant things again. I already feel too sorry that you were insulted because of me today…”

“I told you, you don’t have to feel sorry!”

“No. I’m already too grateful and sorry for your help today.”

At So Eun’s words, Tae Min stared at her for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“Well, Ms. So Eun, in that case…”

Tae Min spoke, looking straight into So Eun’s eyes as if he had made up his mind.

“If you feel grateful, can’t you treat me to a meal?”