“Let me make one request.”

Assemblyman Chae tightened his grip on the hand he was holding and stared intently into Jeho’s eyes. Then he slowly continued:

“Please, take care of Yuri for us.”

It was something Jeho had never expected to hear, so his eyes wavered greatly as he looked at Assemblyman Chae.

Assemblyman Chae was someone who prioritized his image to voters above all else. That’s why he hadn’t approved of Jeho and Yuri dating.

The current situation was especially bad. Ridiculous fake news related to Minwoo’s kidnapping was spreading on social media.

No matter what anyone said, Yuri was clearly a victim, but to those spreading fake news, she was just interesting material to grab public attention.

A fake news video was circulating claiming that Assemblyman Chae Hyungsik’s eldest daughter Chae Yuri pretended to be a “proper lady” on the outside, but was actually a “temptress” who went back and forth between her cousins and instigated fights.

Most citizens who saw this dismissed it as an absurd claim, but if Yuri and Jeho actually became a couple, public opinion would obviously flip in an instant.

Even if Yuri and Jeho didn’t care about that, it would be a big problem for Assemblyman Chae.

“It would be a huge blow to your image as an assemblyman. Are you sure about this?”

“Of course it will be a big hit. I’m well aware of that.”

A bitter smile flashed across Assemblyman Chae’s face.

“Then why?”

Assemblyman Chae stared at Jeho with empty eyes for a moment, delaying his answer. It was a complex expression – dejected as if having lost something precious, yet also as if having regained something important.

“It’s laughable that I’m only saying this now, but…”

After a brief silence, an answer finally flowed from Assemblyman Chae’s lips.

“I realized that one should never suppress or hide their emotions for any reason. I didn’t know that and lost the most precious thing in my life. But it’s not too late for Yuri and you. Even if the whole world opposes, your own feelings are what’s most important.”

“…Assemblyman.”

“Come to my house after everything is settled. Let’s have a drink together.”

Assemblyman Chae patted Jeho’s shoulder and walked past him with slow steps.

The atmosphere was so different from usual that Jeho stood in place, silently watching Assemblyman Chae’s retreating back.

[This is the timeline separator]

“What did the assemblyman say?”

Hyunkyung, who returned to the hospital room a little while after Assemblyman Chae left, asked curiously.

“Well…”

After hesitating for a moment, Yuri answered in a calm voice.

“It seems Director Kwon came and asked for leniency for Minwoo.”

“I see. That’s what happened.”

Hyunkyung nodded as if she had guessed. She had witnessed Director Kwon entering Assemblyman Chae’s hospital room.

Though she didn’t know exactly what conversation took place, the atmosphere surrounding the room had been ominous, making her a bit tense. She thought she might have heard shouting occasionally.

“But it wasn’t a request, it was almost like a threat. While pressing on father’s weakness…”

Though she couldn’t reveal that the weakness was Yuri’s secret birth, Yuri wanted to explain to Hyunkyung in as much detail as possible.

“He said he would cover up the weakness if we said it wasn’t a kidnapping, but that I and Jeho went voluntarily.”

“What? Wow! Is he crazy? Like father, like son! So what did the assemblyman say? He didn’t accept that proposal, did he? Right?”

Given Assemblyman Chae’s past actions, Hyunkyung’s question wasn’t an unnecessary worry. Yuri shook her head quietly with an awkward smile.

“No. He flatly refused.”

“Phew, that’s a relief.”

Hyunkyung let out a sigh of relief, exaggeratedly brushing her chest. Then a moment later, she tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

“Hmm, but why was the atmosphere like that?”

“What atmosphere?”

“Actually, Jeho was outside the room. It seemed like he was having some important conversation with the assemblyman. The assemblyman patted Jeho’s shoulder like this with a bitter expression and left. Jeho was hesitating in front of the door, wondering whether to go in or not.”

At those words, Yuri’s eyes widened and she turned her gaze towards the door.

“Is Jeho outside now?”

“No, he got an urgent phone call and left again in a hurry.”

“Ah…”

As a look of disappointment appeared on Yuri’s face, Hyunkyung quickly added:

“Jeho is so busy right now, he can barely catch a breath. He’ll probably come after things settle down a bit.”

“…It’s not that.”

Yuri was more concerned about Hyunkyung’s expression that Jeho had hesitated at the door, wondering whether to come in or not, rather than the fact that he had left again after receiving an urgent call.

―So I won’t be disgusted by myself. Please stay away from me.

She was reminded of the desperate request she had made to him not long ago.

And that wasn’t all.

―I’m not in any relationship with that man.

―Jeho intentionally approached me from the beginning. How could I love such a man, right?

Though it was said to persuade Minwoo, it could be hurtful to the listener. But she had fainted soon after the police arrived, so she didn’t have a chance to clear up the misunderstanding with Jeho.

Jeho would still think that Yuri wanted to avoid him. That’s why he probably hesitated to come in.

Just then, the door opened and medical staff entered. The attending physician checked her condition and informed her of the test results.

“Fortunately, there’s nothing wrong. If you want, you can be discharged right now, or you can stay one more day for observation.”

When Yuri expressed her wish to be discharged, Hyunkyung followed the medical staff out of the room to handle the discharge procedures.

Left alone, Yuri called Jeho on her phone. If he said he had time, she planned to meet him as soon as she was discharged.

But though the call went through, Jeho didn’t answer.

She tried calling several more times, but it was the same.

Is he in a meeting? Or is he avoiding my calls?

Yuri stared at her phone screen with a dark expression.

[This is the timeline separator]

“What’s the urgent business you said you desperately needed to see me about?”

When Jeho asked in a cold voice, Minwoo twisted the corner of his mouth into a smirk and leaned back against the chair.

There were traces of self-harm visible here and there on Minwoo’s face. One cheek was bruised dark blue and there was a scab of dried blood at the corner of his split lip.

An hour ago, as Jeho was about to enter Yuri’s hospital room, he received a phone call. It was from Minwoo’s lawyer. The lawyer said that Minwoo, detained in the detention center, was self-harming while demanding to meet Jeho.

“If it’s so severe that you can’t control it, tell them to give him a sedative. I have no intention of meeting him.”

[Wait, I have something to ask.]

The lawyer urgently asked as Jeho was about to hang up after refusing.

[Jeho’s father, that is, Vice Chairman Kwon Jewoong. Did he ever have a car accident in the United States?]

When Jeho remained silent without answering, the lawyer hurriedly continued.

[He said he would give important information about the car accident if you came to meet him.]

“Well, I don’t think it would be such important information.”

[He said you’d understand if I mentioned that your mother was also involved in the accident.]

As Minwoo brought up Madam Yoon as well, Jeho inwardly cursed. It seemed he would have to see Yuri after cleanly settling things with Minwoo.

In the end, Jeho had to turn away without entering the hospital room.

But Minwoo, who had begged to meet, was just snickering without saying anything now that Jeho had appeared. Finding time precious, Jeho sighed softly and looked at his wristwatch.

“10 minutes from now. If you don’t state your business within that time, I’m leaving. After that, I won’t come even if you threaten suicide, not just self-harm.”

“You’re always in such a rush… Is a ghost chasing you from behind?”

At Minwoo’s sarcasm, Jeho glanced back briefly before turning forward again.

“No. It seems the ghost is in front of me now, not behind.”

“What?”

Minwoo raised the corners of his eyes as if provoked by those words. But he soon seemed to change his mind and curled up the corners of his mouth gently.

“I know you’ve been digging into uncle’s car accident.”

“Oh? I’m not the type to secretly dig while hiding things…”

A moment of silence passed, and a tense atmosphere that felt like it could burst at any moment surrounded them. The one who spoke first was Minwoo, who had been glaring at Jeho as if he wanted to kill him.

“From your attitude, it seems you’ve also figured out that the accident wasn’t targeting uncle, but aunt. Am I right?”

Instead of answering, Jeho leisurely leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

“So what’s this big information you have?”

“If I tell you, can you say that it wasn’t a kidnapping, but that you came to find me voluntarily?”

“No.”

“F**k!”

When Jeho firmly refused, Minwoo’s face reddened as if excited and he shouted.

“In life, families can have differences of opinion, and that can lead to conflicts. Are you going to send your brother to jail over such a trivial matter?”

“Well, as I recall, I don’t think I’m your brother… Didn’t you say ‘How can someone who steals his brother’s woman be a brother?’ And kidnapping someone can’t be called a trivial matter.”

“No one got hurt, right? Then isn’t that enough?”

Minwoo raised the veins in his neck with an expression of indignation.

“Kwon Minwoo. You’re in a position where you should be on your knees apologizing. Instead of shouting about making deals…”

“If you knew what information I had, you wouldn’t be playing so hard to get.”

From Minwoo’s attitude, it seemed he didn’t realize how serious a crime he had committed. Jeho sighed softly and looked at his wristwatch. There was still a little time left before the 10 minutes were up.

“You don’t need to give me the information you have. I can guess roughly. If you want to make a deal, bring solid evidence that can be taken to court, not something like that.”

“Evidence that can be taken to court?”

Minwoo muttered as if talking to himself, then seemed to realize what Jeho meant and distorted his expression.

“Are you crazy? You’re thinking of going to court over something like this?”

“Huh, from your reaction, it seems you don’t have any decisive evidence.”

It was indeed a waste of time to come see Minwoo.

After checking the time on his wristwatch, Jeho slowly got up from his seat.

“I heard the French police sent an official document. Asking to extradite you as a murder suspect.”

Minwoo showed little reaction, as if he had already heard about this from his lawyer. He obviously planned to escape by framing the victim as a drug addict.

He probably thought there would be plenty to argue since the victim’s lover and sole witness was also a drug supplier. But that was the situation until yesterday.

On his way to see Minwoo, Jeho had obtained some quite interesting information from a phone call with Woo Gyeol.

“Should I give you a hint about what you’ll find out later? No drugs were detected in the murdered victim’s body. And that man you put into a coma? He was known as a drug supplier, but it turns out he was actually an undercover police officer.”

“…What?”

For a moment, Minwoo’s expression went blank as if shocked.

“Don’t worry, you can receive your punishments one by one. Whether you serve your sentence in France first or here first.”

“What the hell, you bastard?”

Minwoo lost his reason and lunged at Jeho like a madman. But he couldn’t touch a single finger because of the transparent barrier between them.

“Rest assured. I’ll make sure you’re charged with every single crime, without missing any.”

Jeho left his seat with a cold smile.

[This is the timeline separator]

Even by the time Hyunkyung returned to the hospital room after completing the discharge procedures, Jeho still hadn’t answered the phone. In the end, Yuri left the hospital without being able to talk to Jeho.

“Where do you want to go? Your family home? Or should we go to my place?”

“Hyunkyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Can we go to Jeho’s house?”

“Okay, got it.”

Hyunkyung silently drove the car without saying much. Knowing how Yuri felt, she couldn’t tell her to rest first and meet him later.

When they arrived at Jeho’s house, Hyunkyung said she would leave after making sure Yuri went inside. It seemed Jeho hadn’t erased Yuri’s fingerprint recognition yet, as the gate opened with a click when Yuri placed her hand on the pad.

As she opened the front door and entered, chilly air greeted her. It seemed the house had been empty for the past few days.

He said he was busy dealing with Minwoo’s situation, so was he running around without even coming home? Maybe he wouldn’t come home tonight either. But Yuri decided to wait regardless.

About an hour later?

The sound of the front door opening was heard. Yuri, who had been sitting on the living room sofa, quickly got up and ran to the entrance.

Jeho, who had just stepped inside, looked at Yuri with surprised eyes as she suddenly appeared.

“Yuri?”

Yuri ran straight to him and hugged Jeho as if clinging to his neck.