Her words were filled with emotions. Frankly, it was scary. Even if she tried to keep her distance, he came closer as if to say it was impossible from behind.

No. Forget it. Why bother with such things? While looking at his wounds, Eun-chae spoke as if poking.

“Why did you get hurt? Did Chairman Song Myeong-hwan make you like this?”

“No. Just during work.”

“What kind of work is it?”

Her voice broke due to a gust of wind. In fact, since a while ago, her heart had been torn.

He had jumped into danger in the Philippines without realizing the preciousness of life. At that time, he thought being a bodyguard was dangerous. But now, he was doing something even more dangerous.

“Don’t cry.”

“…Eun-chae crying feels like being tied hand and foot and sinking into the deep sea.”

She, who could stop this unruly man and make him cry, was the one. Eun-chae suddenly realized that.

“So don’t cry.”

“…I won’t cry then.”

Ki-joo grabbed her hands that were wiping away tears and deeply kissed her, saying, “Not a word.”
Eun-chae calmly opened her mouth, suppressing the urge to stroke the man’s hair.

“Mr. Ki-joo.”

“Yes.”

“The name Eun-ho is nice, but I like Kwon Ki-joo.”

Laughing and crying a lot while calling that name. Hateful, but couldn’t completely hate him. After expressing her affectionate feelings, Eun-chae tried to get up, intending to bring food.

Ki-joo, who had been absent-minded for a moment, didn’t let go of her hand. His black eyes precisely met her gaze.

“…I like that name too.”

“…”

“I killed Kwon Eun-ho.”

Saying so, he smiled faintly, and his face looked somehow desolate.

“Why?”

“…”

Ki-joo pulled her and made her sit on his lap. While combing through her long hair with his hand, he aligned his lips with her forehead.

During that time, Eun-chae willingly listened to Kwon Eun-ho’s story.

Kwon Eun-ho was abandoned at an orphanage right after birth, and luckily, he was adopted.

Being cared for by a kind couple and an affectionate older brother was unfamiliar at first, he said. At that time, he felt for the first time that happiness was real.

However, Kwon Eun-ho was unlucky as well. When his brother died unfairly, even his parents couldn’t bear the grief and ended their lives.

Even though he wasn’t born with pain, he was a child born in their hearts.

Until then, Kwon Eun-ho thought that was the misfortune he brought in.

His thoughts changed when he visited the scene’s leader. Song Myeong-hwan, the chairman, persuaded the leader’s family that he would take responsibility for their livelihoods for the rest of their lives if he surrendered. He witnessed the scene leader and his wife crying at the spectacle.

Kwon Eun-ho realized then.

Ah.

I didn’t bring in misfortune. I just got entangled with the human called Song Myeong-hwan.

Regretful Kwon Eun-ho.

Weak Kwon Eun-ho.

So, Ki-joo killed Kwon Eun-ho.

Eun-chae finally understood.

There was no need to reveal even one name until the end; there was no need to reveal it.

She thought that the seemingly eternal distance between us had partially narrowed.

Realizing that the other person is superior to oneself is in the realm of instinct. Seeing the man who completely dominated the front yard of Ki-joo’s house with just his presence, Seol Woo-seok’s instincts were triggered.

Whether he had just showered or not, the man swept his wet hair back.

A black sweater covering his neck suited him well. Seeing him effortlessly lifting the rice bag with his long and thick arms onto his broad shoulders, Woo-seok involuntarily opened his mouth.

If the physique is unreasonably large, the actions should look a bit awkward to be normal, but the man’s movements were smooth and agile, like a feline or a beast. Moreover, the black sweater made his back look like the glossy back of a black panther.

Anyway.

Woo-seok felt embarrassed about the candy cane his grandmother had given him. He broke it into pieces, chewed it slowly, and swallowed it to get rid of it.
At that very moment, Eun-chae’s eyes met with the man’s. The moment she saw his deep blue pupils, she almost blurted out inappropriate words, feeling a shiver down her spine.

“He said the mayor will take it later!”

Eun-chae, holding a bunch of wild chives, exerted all her strength to lower the rice bag.

“Ki-joo! Please put it down right away! With that body, what are you doing!”

Woo-seok thought she was abnormal. That height, those shoulders. Even if they were covered, the muscular body was apparent.

“Oh? Woo-seok.”

“Oh. Hello.”

Woo-seok awkwardly raised his hand. The moment they exchanged greetings, it seemed like the man’s eyes gleamed sharply.

No, it must be because of the mood.

Woo-seok tried hard to convince himself of that.

In the meantime, Eun-chae raised her voice.

“Why aren’t you putting it down?”

“I’m leading. What’s wrong?”

Even his voice was deep. This level of a charismatic character was unseen even in movies. Woo-seok paused for a moment, having such a futile thought. They were using polite speech.

What kind of relationship is this?

Ki-joo ignored the nagging sound beside him. Turning around, he swept his hand through Eun-chae’s hair, leaving the village mayor’s house where he had left the rice.

“What’s your relationship with that man from earlier?”

“Uh… a friend?”

“What kind of friend.”

Even though she couldn’t treat him like a younger brother, she should have said he was a close younger brother. As she hesitated, Ki-joo’s gaze stuck to her face persistently.

“A concept like a same-gender friend, or a second.”

Surprised by the unexpected words, Eun-chae stammered. Second. It smoothly came out as if asking if they were close friends.

Really awkward, but since she had directly proposed it to him before, she ended up keeping her mouth shut.

It’s not a relationship with just anyone. With a somewhat sorry and absurd feeling, Eun-chae furrowed her eyebrows.

“Just a friend.”

With closed eyes, she sighed deeply, and the open-eyed her spat out an uncomfortable breath.

“Is it so normal to ask if such a relationship is taken for granted?”

“…Is it nothing?”

While Ki-joo, who had been standing at an angle, turned his whole body toward Eun-chae, his eyes, as intense as boiling, seemed bluish. Sensing Eun-chae’s slight tension, he spoke with a somewhat rough tone.

“…Because it’s Ki-joo, such a relationship is possible. It’s not something anyone can do, and I don’t have such thoughts.”

As she rubbed her neck with the back of her hand, slightly tensing, he emphasized to Eun-chae.

“Don’t investigate or doubt Woo-seok. Got it? Absolutely.”

Ki-joo’s shoulder, which had been standing stiff like a tree, twitched. After roughly combing his hair that covered his eyebrows, he raised his head.

“Why, though.”

His long, lowered eyes looked rough. With a firm expression, Eun-chae, whose forehead was covered by her hand, earnestly pleaded.

“He’s a good friend. Because he’s not a weird person, please don’t treat him badly.”
Aha. Ki-joo put his hands in his pants pocket. It conveyed understanding, but there was an inexplicably unpleasant atmosphere.

“If it bothers you, just don’t see him.”

You were about to say ‘that guy’ just now, right?

With a suspicious gaze, Eun-chae gave Ki-joo a challenging look, throwing something difficult at him.