The incessant snow forced that man to stay the night under the same roof.

In this single-story house, there were three rooms attached to the living room. Among them, the master bedroom was used by Professor Eom, and the room with a spacious terrace was used by So Yeon.

And that man…….

It’s basic courtesy to first reveal one’s identity to someone you’ve just met. However, the man who was let into the house last night only exuded a chilly atmosphere without revealing anything about himself. Feeling something strange about that, Eun Hyeok gave him the alpha room, which was separately located outside the front door, not the room connected to the living room.

Before anyone knew it, the deep darkness receded, and it was dawn with the eastern sky dimly brightening.

Perhaps it was because it was the last night in this village. Or was it because he let a stranger into the house? For whatever reason, Eun Hyeok couldn’t sleep a wink due to an anxious feeling tugging at the back of his mind. And at some point, he found himself standing in the middle of the yard, wearing only a vest jumper. Fully taking in the heavily falling snow.

He stood like that for roughly 10 minutes.

That’s when it happened.

“Professor Eom Eun Hyeok.”

Eun Hyeok, who was gazing into the distance, turned his gaze at the low voice calling him from behind.

Since when? The window of the alpha room was wide open, and through that window, that man was standing, looking out toward the yard.

“How do you know my name?”

Yesterday, they clearly did not exchange names. But this person not only knew his name but also his exact title as a professor. Eom Eun Hyeok was asking about that.

However, Han Seung Jae seemed to have no intention of revealing anything. About who he was, or who sent him here. Instead, he simply stretched out a gun forward as if targeting Eom Eun Hyeok’s heart, loosely closing one eye.

“You, you are…….”

.

.

.

It was an early morning with snow silently tapping on the window glass as if pouring down.

Awoo…….

At the sound of Black’s howling, So Yeon, who hastily got up from her bedding, took drinking water and food and went out to the terrace, opening the turning door.

Siberian huskies are strong against cold but vulnerable to heat. For that reason, it was better for him to be outside, but worried that he might lunge at that unfamiliar man, she had tied him up, and it seemed he was whining because he felt stuffy.

Black, who was sitting on the large cushion that he seemed to like, wagging his tail while looking at his owner, had an extremely gentle personality despite his fierce wolf-like appearance. His gaze of obedience toward his owner was so genuine that one couldn’t help but adore him.

So Yeon stroked his fluffy fur and fed him first. While Black was eagerly emptying the bowl, she hesitated about whether to untie his leash. Then, she went back into the room and out to the living room because she heard a faint sound of movement from somewhere.

When So Yeon, tilting her head once, was crossing the dim living room and putting on her shoes at the front door, it happened.

Thud!

“……!”

The sound of something dully exploding deeply scratched her hearing. It was a gunshot with a silencer attached, but there was no way she, who was far from guns, would know that much. As soon as the ominous feeling flashed through her mind like lightning, So Yeon heard the same sound again.

What immediately caught So Yeon’s eyes as she quickly went out the front door was Eom Eun Hyeok collapsed in the middle of the snow-covered yard. The padded vest that Dad liked to wear. She could tell just by looking at that.

However, before she could scream or run to Dad, So Yeon’s mouth and body were covered and grabbed by a large hand. Soon after, chilling eyes collided in midair.

“Mmph, mmph!”

It was that man.

Zap!

A strong current struck the nape of her neck.

Some time later, only one of the shoes she had dropped remained in the spot where Eom So Yeon had disappeared.

The snow that was supposed to stop overnight.

As if mocking that weather forecast, the fickle weather drove the entire Udo Island into the center of a snowstorm starting from the end of dawn. Fortunately, the judgment of director Yoon Ji Wan, who quickly evacuated from Udo Island, was much faster than when the rough waves and snowstorm hit.

Thanks to that, the filming crew and actors were able to arrive at Seongsan Port at 4 AM on the ferry that was urgently launched at dawn. After sending Manager Bong and Yeo Do Soon to the downtown accommodations, Seo Jun got into his car that was already waiting and rushed to where So Yeon was with Park Seong Ho.

After driving on the asphalt road that was in the middle of snow removal for a while and turning into a narrow road, the speed of the car noticeably decreased, and Seo Jun’s heart somehow became more impatient.

It was 6:10 AM when a black sedan stopped in front of the house where Professor Eom was staying.

The black eyes that quickly swept outside the car window gazed at a car tilted and parked by the roadside. And the blue gate that was wide open.

But why did it feel so chilly?

As Seo Jun entered the yard, the sound of Black howling loudly was heard first. He wasn’t the type to bark wildly for no reason. But Seo Jun’s heart couldn’t help but stop with a thud.

It took less than a second to recognize that the shoe on the ground belonged to Eom So Yeon. Following that, what entered Seo Jun’s sight was Professor Eom collapsed in the yard.

“Father!”

Seo Jun, shouting loudly and running to the middle of the yard, first checked Professor Eom’s condition, taking in the gunshot wound on the shoulder that had turned the white snow red and the bulletproof vest with a deep dent in the chest area at a glance. Eom Eun Hyeok, barely breathing, had clearly fainted from the shock of the bullet.

“Call Father and tell him to quickly dispatch an emergency helicopter here!”

Seo Jun, ordering Park Seong Ho who was at a loss beside him, went into the house, grabbed a handful of clean towels, and came out to apply pressure on the wound.

During those few moments of stopping the bleeding, Seo Jun desperately tried to cool his pitch-black mind and thought.

There was no one inside the house.

Her shoe that didn’t have much snow piled on it and the vivid bloodstains scattered on the snow.

The two cars parked on the road in front of the house.

They were clearly indicating.

That this happened a few minutes before he arrived here, and that Eom So Yeon, who was kidnapped by someone, would be somewhere nearby.

That someone was very likely to be a person related to .

With that conclusion, Seo Jun couldn’t delay even a minute or a second.

“Park Seong Ho, I need to find Eom So Yeon right now. So when the helicopter comes, load Father and send him off. Before that, inform Manager Bong of this situation, and also tell Father to crush Chairman Han of first. And mobilize all our forces to follow me!”

“Yes! Director.”

Park Seong Ho, finally grasping the reality, began to swiftly proceed as per Seo Jun’s instructions.

Seo Jun moved quickly to the backyard, clinging to a sliver of hope, and unleashed Black, who was still barking loudly.

“I’m counting on you, Black. Let’s go!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Black ran off like an arrow.

Seo Jun had already left that house and was running up the mountain trail without realizing it. Black’s vigorous gestures, leading the way then turning back to him. This fellow seemed to already know.

Who the culprit was, and where he took Eom So Yeon.

When she came to her senses, she was already at the foot of a mountain.

“Wh, who are you?”

“Me? Han Seung Jae.”

“…….”

If it’s Han Seung Jae…….

So Yeon knew who he was. Although she had never seen his face, she knew very well that he was the man who helped Yoo Jung Hwa in every way possible but betrayed her in the end.

“Why did you bring me all the way here?”

“Well, it would be a bit troublesome for me if two people were found dead in one place.”

Han Seung Jae, who spoke of his intention to halve the punishment even if he gets caught, clearly intended to kill Eom So Yeon. But he only looked at the released So Yeon with a leisurely gaze. It meant to run away quickly, that he would chase after her like a hunter.

The place Eom So Yeon was chased to like that was the edge of a cliff.

“Haa, haa, before I die, let me ask one thing. Why did you do that to my dad!”

“Hehehe, this is unexpectedly fun? Sorry, but I have no interest in Ms. Eom So Yeon. I ended up bringing you here, but actually, I’m the type who only focuses on ways to torment Tae Seo Jun. Since we had a nasty work entanglement.”

“Then, you should’ve just targeted me, why my dad……!”

“About that, you see, Professor Eom crossed a line he shouldn’t have, so our old man became very angry. He’s also trembling in fear of losing all the money and reputation he’s built up so far because of your dad’s exposé. Anyway, I personally have no regrets toward you or your dad. Not even a speck of dust.”

Han Seung Jae raised the gun forward, swallowing a fishy smile at the end of his words. He took a step back, keeping a few steps away from Eom So Yeon, and removed the silencer from the gun. The gunshot and impact when accurately hitting a deer’s heart from afar was thrillingly electric.

He wanted to feel that sensation from So Yeon.

“……!”

So Yeon was standing in a precarious position where she would fall off the cliff if she slipped or stumbled even a little. And barefoot, stepping on the icy cold snow.

.

.

.

Seo Jun still couldn’t see So Yeon, so he was unaware of the situation she was in.

“Ha, ha, ha…….”

Seo Jun climbed the mountain trail frantically, constantly, as if forgetting that his rough breaths had reached up to his chin.

The end of this mountain was a sheer cliff, and below it was a valley where the currents twisted fiercely. It was around the time he had almost reached there.

“Grrr…….”

Black, who suddenly lowered his body and bared his ferocious teeth, turned his head in the direction where the smell of gunpowder was thick. Then he took off like an arrow, leaving Seo Jun far behind.

And.

“Grrr……!”

“!”

When something suddenly lunged at him from who knows where, Han Seung Jae instinctively swung his fist to fend it off. Not only that, after recognizing that it was the dog that had interfered with him earlier, he fiercely kicked Black, sending him flying far away.

“Ah, damn it! Why did this bastard chase all the way here to bother people?”

“Black, get up! I said get up!”

However, Black, who was thrown far away, remained motionless after hitting a sharp rock. So Yeon shouted miserably, looking at that sight with despondent eyes and a wretchedly crumpled face.

“Tch, so noisy! Don’t worry. I’ll send off Eom So Yeon now too.”

Han Seung Jae relentlessly aimed the muzzle of the gun at So Yeon. And pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Bang!

“Aah!”

“No!”

It was a moment shorter than an instant.

In a flash, a large body tightly enveloped So Yeon’s slender frame and collapsed onto the pile of rocks. Seo Jun held her even more tightly in his arms without any gaps. However, red blood gradually spread from the side of his waist. He had been shot.

“Wow, this is really funny! You must really want to save her, huh? The esteemed CEO Tae Seo Jun even took a bullet for a woman.”

“……!”

“Okay, okay. I get it. I know you love your woman so terribly, so move aside a bit. Ah, well, I won’t kill her right away, okay? Oh, still not moving?”

“…….”

Now thick blood was soaking through the heavy clothing. Even when Han Seung Jae tapped Seo Jun’s body with his foot, Seo Jun didn’t budge an inch. Like a deeply rooted tree, like a large, solid rock. Seo Jun, who simply covered the frail body with his entire being, was only trying to somehow wrap So Yeon’s head and chest with his broad shoulders and long arms.

It was a gesture to absolutely not let go of his woman.

“It’s okay.”

“…….”

“It’s okay, Eom So Yeon. We’re okay.”

“…….”

This man is lying.

“Your father is okay too. So, let’s all get together and have a pleasant dinner tonight.”

“…….”

He lies calmly that everything will be fine. Even though I saw Dad collapse. Even though he clearly knows we’re both going to die.

“Let’s stay in Jeju Island for about a week with Hyun Woo and travel. Go out to sea on a boat and fish. Let’s go camping too. I’ll grill delicious steak there with Hyun Woo, and you can take a nap in the tent. Then you…… can just prettily smile while eating the food Hyun Woo and I made. Always like you used to…….”

“Hic, sob…….”

Knowing full well that everything will end soon, knowing it so well, this man is diligently telling me about a happy future. For me, so that I won’t be afraid, he’s doing his best to say it’s not death in front of death…….

It’s okay…….

It’s okay…….

It’s okay…….

The snowflakes pouring down from the sky piled up softly on and around the back of Seo Jun, who was tightly holding his woman. So Yeon finally realized what was lukewarmly staining her hands. It was the blood I should have shed, the indescribable pain I should have suffered.

“Don’t do this. If you do this, I…….”

What do I do…….

“Sob…… You’re in pain!”

“No. It doesn’t hurt at all. Sometimes love works better than morphine.”

Seo Jun smiled faintly.

“How…… can you tell such a lie? Sob…….”

Hot tears gushed from So Yeon’s eyes as she looked up at Seo Jun’s expression, smiling as if nothing was wrong. She cried her heart out as if the sky was falling, enough to melt all the snow falling now. She pushed and pounded on his chest that was trying to die instead of me and let me live. But she couldn’t hit him hard.

Worried that he, in pain, would be in more pain. That he would smile again while enduring it. That he would tell another lie with a wonderful smile.

“What is this now? Are you two still filming a movie? How tearjerking! Hoo, hehe, hahaha…….”

Han Seung Jae twisted his head with a creak and laughed heartily. Showing his gums and shaking his shoulders. It was the sneer of a crazy bastard who was extremely excited.

Tae Seo Jun, who was trying his utmost to only protect his woman, didn’t let out even a small groan despite huffing hot breaths. He could see that it was immense love, but he couldn’t understand a love that would give up one’s life.

“Don’t you know it’s snowing heavily right now? I told you I’m busy? I need to quickly return to Seoul and report this to our old man, but what if the plane can’t take off due to the heavy snowfall, will you take responsibility? Huh?”

Even while spewing nonsense, Han Seung Jae’s persistent kicking continued. Each time, So Yeon screamed in a wailing voice as if Seo Jun’s pain from flinching was absorbed into her own body.

“Stop it! I said don’t hurt this person! Please…… Sob sob…….”

“Try screaming some more. Every time Eom So Yeon says a word, Tae Seo Jun is going to be in more pain.”

Han Seung Jae kicked Seo Jun and So Yeon apart with forceful kicks. However, as if it never happened, Seo Jun wrapped So Yeon’s body with his own again.

“Love between those who will now disappear like dust? Wow, it’s really funny!”

But the reason Han Seung Jae was even more irritated was that even in this most miserable and desperate moment, Tae Seo Jun’s noble appearance remained the same. He thought Tae Seo Jun would pathetically beg for his life, but he was just a proud fool who only knew his woman.

That sight made Han Seung Jae’s buttons pop.

“Wow, damn it! I can’t stand the sight anymore! You two just go to the afterlife together!”

Han Seung Jae now aimed the gun at the two people.

Seo Jun unchangingly held So Yeon tightly as if enveloping her, and So Yeon, who hugged his neck with all her might, shut her eyes tight. Right after that.

Bang!

Startled by the first gunshot, the mountain birds flutteringly flew up into the sky where white snow was pouring down.

Bang!

And the second gunshot completely shattered the silence of the morning mountain.