“What’s this about Sea of Blood and a gun?”

Sitting in the main seat on the living room sofa under Jeong Mi and Ha Eun’s interrogation, In Pyo looked tired.

His stomach churned from a hangover.

“I’m telling you Jung Yeo Reum has backup. There’s even a terrifying guy called Sea of Blood! He threatened to kill you with a gun!”

An agitated Jeong Mi grabbed In Pyo’s hand, her whole body trembling.

“Mom, talk sense. What gun in South Korea?”

“I’m telling you he has one!”

“That’s right, elder brother!”

“Executive Director, I saw it too!”

Even Jung Ran chimed in.

In Pyo still looked dubious.

“We all saw it!”

The simultaneous chorus of the three women gave In Pyo a headache.

Without saying much, he asked Sophia, who was staring intently at him.

“What’s all this about?”

“You went to a bar yesterday, didn’t you? With a young girl beside you.”

“What are you saying?”

A slightly flustered In Pyo denied it.

“Early twenties, short hair, mini skirt, quite pretty. You were loving it looking at that woman. How do I know? I saw it all.”

“…What?”

“The man backing Jung Yeo Reum showed us you on a video call. So we all saw it. You cheating red-handed.”

Jeong Mi immediately flared up.

“How can you talk like that? Cheating? When a man is out working, he might have a drink or two.”

“Mother-in-law. You shouldn’t say it like that. You saw that man drinking cozily at a bar with another woman, didn’t you? If that’s not cheating, what is it?”

Sophia continued, addressing In Pyo.

“That man called Sea of Blood aimed a gun at your back. But you had no idea and were just loving it with that woman.”

After a moment of silence, In Pyo said.

“Honey, it’s a misunderstanding.”

“Everyone here saw it. What misunderstanding?”

“That young lady is an employee at the bar. More precisely, she’s my informant.”

“What?”

“Director Kim and Director Choi have been frequenting that bar recently, so I was getting information.”

Seeing Sophia’s disbelieving expression, In Pyo got up and sat down next to her.

He grabbed her hand and said.

“Do you really think I’d cheat with some cheap bar girl? You know I hate anything cheap. I only have refined tastes.”

In Pyo’s arms encircled Sophia’s waist.

“I don’t even glance at women unless they’re perfect in looks, intelligence, and family background.”

In Pyo laughed.

“I admit it was a situation where you could misunderstand. But you should trust your husband. Do you know how hard I’ve been working day and night to get reinstated as executive director? This is all for you and our future child.”

“Still, I was really upset seeing you smile at another woman.”

“I know. It’s because you love me.”

At the sudden sweet atmosphere, Ha Eun made a sour face and said.

“You two, this isn’t the time for a lovers’ quarrel. This is a very serious situation.”

“Ha Eun is right about that. In Pyo, that Sea of Blood guy seems like a gangster. A big one at that. How else could the gangsters I called to get rid of Jung Yeo Reum not dare move at one word from him? He even said he’d send the evidence right away when asked.”

“…Mom, what did you just say? Don’t tell me you left evidence of trying to harm Jung Yeo Reum?”

Seeing In Pyo’s face immediately contort, Jeong Mi stumbled over her words.

“W-well…”

“Tell me. Is there incriminating evidence!”

When In Pyo shouted, the four women gathered on the living room sofa froze instantly.

Barely managing to read the mood, Jeong Mi answered.

“…Yes.”

“What kind? What kind!”

“W-well, it’s the record of us sending money to get rid of Yeo Reum.”

“What the hell? How could you leave something like that!”

“We had no choice because it was urgent! And Yeo Reum said she’d let us off this time!”

“How can you say that now!”

In Pyo kicked the table in front of him.

The four women screamed at that.

A panicked Jeong Mi shouted.

“It’s true! Yeo Reum said she’d cover it up this time!”

Sophia quickly chimed in.

“That’s right, honey. It’s true!”

“I really can’t live like this! What’s the point of me working my ass off! When the three women at home are doing this kind of crap!”

“Anyway In Pyo, you’d better watch yourself for a while. That Sea of Blood guy seems to be keeping an eye on us. Let’s call someone to protect you too, okay?”

Sophia, who had been cautiously watching, said.

“Honey, shouldn’t we find that Sea of Blood guy first?”

“What’s the point of finding that bastard?”

“What do you mean? Of course we need to find him and cut off Jung Yeo Reum’s backup.”

Looking at the four worried women, In Pyo tiredly said.

“Listen to me carefully, everyone. Jung Yeo Reum was just a kid stuck in the countryside until now. Just an old-fashioned kid who only thought about becoming a teacher. How could she have backup after coming to Seoul for just a few days? A big gangster at that? Do you think there’s any connection between them? Isn’t that too out of the blue?”

“But still…”

In Pyo said.

“It was a show.”

“…What?”

“Jung Yeo Reum beat us to the punch. We fell for her show.”

“…No way?”

“She must have overheard Mom or Ha Eun talking.”

The mother and daughter’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Jung Yeo Reum hired someone to act convincingly.”

“…You mean Sea of Blood was an actor?”

“Yes. He acted well enough to fool even the gangsters. He was just putting on airs.”

“That’s impossible. Those gangsters even got calls from their boss…”

“It’s easy to fake phone numbers and voice modulation.”

Sophia said.

“Young lady, that’s nothing.”

“…Really?”

“Jung Yeo Reum is smarter than I thought. And more impudent.”

“So you’re saying she really fooled us all, even the gangsters?”

“Definitely. Otherwise, why would she say she’d cover it up when there’s all the evidence? She knows that too. That if a proper investigation starts, it’ll all be revealed that she put on a show.”

“Wow, that bitch!”

The four women immediately flew into a rage.

“No need to get excited.”

“Elder brother, you don’t know how much we cried! I won’t let that bitch get away with this!”

“No. Leave her be. Let her be intoxicated with the feeling of victory for a while.”

“What?”

“I’m saying to pretend to go along with Jung Yeo Reum’s wishes for now. After all, it’s true that she has evidence that we tried to harm her. There’s also what happened with Ha Eun before. Of course, we won’t go to jail for just that, but we could face social condemnation. If that happens, it could be an obstacle to me becoming CEO.”

“So we have to watch that girl act all smug?”

“Bear with it for now. I’ll get revenge right after I become PR CEO.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I can’t live after being wronged. And we’ll have to find another way to get rid of Jung Yeo Reum.”

The four women’s eyes sparkled simultaneously.

“What method? How?”

“There’s a limit to what we can do directly now.”

“Then?”

“So we have to find another way, no matter what.”

*

“That’s right. A gangster.”

He answered nonchalantly.

“Really?”

“I said so.”

When Yeo Reum didn’t say much, he asked.

“Why, scared because I said gangster?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“It doesn’t suit San Ha.”

“I think it suits me quite well.”

Looking at his face calmly answering, Yeo Reum said.

“San Ha, do you find making fun of me amusing?”

“Come on. I’ve been having fun lately thanks to Magpie.”

He laughed loudly.

“What’s really going on?”

“Actually, Polar Bear is my building tenant.”

“…Tenant?”

“Didn’t the voice on the phone sound familiar?”

“What?”

After looking at him blankly for a moment, Yeo Reum soon exclaimed loudly.

“The underground karaoke owner!”

“That’s right.”

“Wow, the karaoke owner was Polar Bear?”

“In the past. Now he’s washed his hands of it with his brothers. Of course, an unfortunate incident happened this time. Anyway, Polar Bear runs a few shops and they’re all in my buildings. I have quite a lot of buildings. My father’s hobby is buying me buildings. How about it, don’t I look rich at first glance?”

Yeo Reum immediately shouted.

“You do! Totally! Totally!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Oozing with wealth!”

He said proudly.

“But why is Magpie so happy about it?”

“Of course. Even if I get married later, I won’t have to worry about going hungry! As expected, a real chaebol son is different? Multiple buildings, no less!”

As Yeo Reum grinned, his index finger pressed firmly between her eyebrows as he said.

“Wake up.”

“No, I don’t want to. This is my dream.”

“What?”

“My dream is mine, so don’t interfere.”

“Are you that greedy for buildings?”

“I’m greedy for the buildings, and even greedier for San Ha. I won’t let go of either.”

“You really are a greedy magpie.”

Yeo Reum laughed out loud at his pouting words.

“But San Ha. What did you say back then that made my distant cousins and others cry so much?”

“Curious?”

Yeo Reum nodded.

“It’s nothing.”

He took something out of his padded jacket pocket.

Yeo Reum’s eyes widened.

It was a gun.

Moreover, he aimed the muzzle precisely at Yeo Reum.

His black eyes now held a coldness she had never seen before.

‘Sea of Blood.’

For a moment, she even thought the name suited him too well.

“Why, aren’t you running away?”

His deep voice constricted Yeo Reum’s heart even more.

“Should I?”

“I’m going to kill you now, so you should run away, right?”

“I won’t go even if I die.”

“Why?”

“Because my place is beside San Ha.”

“Funny magpie.”

He pulled the trigger without hesitation.

For a moment, she thought her heart would burst.

But with a ‘click’ sound, a blue flame blossomed from the muzzle.

He waved the flame in front of Yeo Reum’s eyes and said.

“When I said I’d kill Kang In Pyo with this, they cried so much. I happened to be at the same bar as Kang In Pyo then.”

Along with relief, Yeo Reum burst out laughing.

“This looks just like a real one.”

“That’s right. Lighters are good these days.”

He put the gun lighter back in his padded jacket pocket.

“Anyway, thank you so much for yesterday. I survived thanks to you, San Ha.”

“It’s nothing. But Magpie, is it really okay to leave those people alone?”

“Why?”

“Those people will never give up. They might not be able to do anything on the surface, but they’ll become more persistent inside. Money is really scary, you know.”

“I know. I do now, sufficiently.”

Yeo Reum let out a short sigh.

“Why don’t we drive those people out of Blue House?”

“Chairman Kang Ju Hwa won’t allow it. She likes them more than me. Reporting to the police won’t help either.”

“Then how about showing that data to Chairman Kang and Magpie leaving Blue House?”

“Chairman Kang Ju Hwa won’t let me go either. There’s a contract, you know.”

San Ha rubbed his chin with one hand.

“There’s nothing to worry about. I won’t run away, and I won’t let those people off either.”

Yeo Reum smiled at San Ha.

“People trying to harm me won’t stop just because the space changes a little. I’m still a threatening presence who can take away everything they enjoy.”

“So.”

“That’s why it’s better to keep them near me, where I can see them.”

“I understand how you feel, but it’ll be tough.”

“I’m going to build up the strength to deal with those people. And even if I die, I’ll drag all of them down as murderers. I absolutely won’t die alone.”

San Ha chuckled.

“To be honest, it’s been hard. No matter how much you try to endure, experiencing such intense hostility for the first time wears a person down. But not anymore. There are really good things about coming to Seoul, even though there are difficult things too.”

“What’s that?”

Yeo Reum’s face suddenly moved close to San Ha’s.

“What are you doing?”

She narrowed her eyes slightly and licked her lips.

San Ha pushed Yeo Reum’s forehead with his fingertips, but she moved even closer, applying force.

“Hey, move away. Wow, Magpie, your eyes look really lecherous right now.”

He hurriedly moved away and even pulled up the zipper of his padded jacket all the way to his neck.

“San Ha, it’s not that cold anymore. So pull down the zipper.”

He adamantly refused, shaking his head.

“No. I’m still really cold.”

“The sun is out over there? You’re still cold?”

“Yes, cold. Oh, it’s cold.”

He even turned his body and sipped his tea.

Finding that sight cute and lovable no matter how many times she saw it, Yeo Reum laughed loudly.