Kiju, unable to defeat the woman holding him, hugged her back. Even if this woman were a bomb, he thought he had no choice but to endure it.

The result of the DNA test of Kang Hye-ran’s blood-stained cardigan proved to be Kwon Eunchan’s.

Chairman Song Myunghwan vehemently denied it, but criticism poured in. Later, he drew a line, saying that he had long since separated from Kang Hye-ran, but it only incurred more public wrath.

The media poured out articles speculating whether Song Myunghwan’s crime was that of a murderer or an accomplice to murder.

In the end, Song Myunghwan collapsed in prison. When the news spread, people ridiculed him, asking if he was playing the insanity card.

Transferred to the hospital, Chairman Song Myunghwan, who must have found the prison uncomfortable, fell into a deep sleep after a long time. However, his dream took him to the construction site where the incident with Kwon Eunchan took place.
The construction site was gloomy. Despite calling people in the dim space, only silence surrounded Song Myunghwan.

“Mr. Myunghwan.”

A gentle voice echoed somewhere in the construction site. Following the voice, Song Myunghwan gradually turned pale.

At the edge of the cliff, Kang Hye-ran was gesturing.

“Go there… go there!”

Song Myunghwan turned around and ran desperately. As he descended the endless stairs of the construction site, he stumbled over the dirt and dust.

His leg was cut, and blood oozed out. Still, Song Myunghwan gritted his teeth, got up, and fled. Somewhere, light seeped in. It seemed like he could escape this damn construction site if he went there.

As Song Myunghwan reflected, suddenly something like a scarlet stain popped out from the side, and Kang Hye-ran appeared vividly in front of him.

He ran away like that. How…?

“Where are you going?”

Kang Hye-ran approached with a smile. Although she seemed quite far away, in an instant, she thrust her face close.

Kang Hye-ran’s lips stretched out, grotesque.

Even though he tried to escape again, his neck was caught, and he couldn’t move.

Kang Hye-ran’s slender hand pressed his throat with tremendous force. He couldn’t breathe.

“Aaack!”

Song Myunghwan opened his eyes. He sat up, gasping for breath, groping his neck. He scanned with his eyes.

It was a hospital. It was a dream.

“What’s going on?!”

Nurses rushed in.

Feeling uneasy, Song Myunghwan made a fuss for no reason and drove them away.

The most beautiful mansion in the vicinity, where it’s difficult for guests to visit, welcomed the future. Eunchae, who came out to greet her warmly, took her to the living room first, as tradition dictates.

Stepping into the living room with a soft carpet, the future, looking up at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, opened her mouth in surprise. Even though she felt that the mansion was extraordinary from the outside, she didn’t know it would be so splendid.

“I’ll come to play with you all the time now.”

Sitting on a wooden rocking chair, the future said. Seeing her friend’s favorite appearance, Eunchae, who was somewhat nervous about inviting someone to her house for the first time, burst into laughter. It was fortunate and also good that her friend was pleased.

“Oh, Grandma told me to ask you about the cost of a health checkup if I meet you. She got scolded because she sweetly asked without making it obvious.”

Eunchae had recently taken her grandmother to the hospital for a health checkup.

Fortunately, the test results were good, and after receiving medication for persistent coughing due to pneumonia, she went back to the countryside. After that, Eunchae had to be scolded for asking about the cost of the hospital bills.

“Is Grandma’s cough getting better?”

“Yeah. Seoul medicine is the best, not to mention it’s not a big deal.”

“That’s a relief.”

“You’ve become healthier. So Grandma thought of going on a trip together when you were a bit younger, but she stubbornly refused that too.”

“A trip?”

When Eunchae asked, Future nodded as if she wanted to ask something as well.
“Yeah. I graduated from school, and I don’t have a clear idea of what to do right away, so I’m thinking about traveling. Have you thought about what you’ll do after graduation?”

Eunchae thought for a moment and replied, “Rather than deciding my future based on what I do, I want to do things I haven’t tried before.”

Mi-rae fully understood Eunchae’s words. As a friend she had observed since high school, Mi-rae could understand.

Now, it’s really like that. Do everything you want to do, go wherever you want. Mi-rae, who had a slightly hesitant look, suddenly clapped her hands and brightened her eyes.

“Do you want to travel together? Originally, I was planning to go alone. But when I thought about going alone, it felt a bit lonely.”

“Where are you going?”

“Western Europe. I plan to visit major cities.”

It wasn’t that she had never been to Europe before. She had gone, but it was on a schedule where she had to come back quickly, staying only in hotels. All because of Song Myunghwan’s pressure.

Eunchae said like a child in a moment, “I want to go.”

“Then let’s go!”

She couldn’t answer right away. It was because the image of Kwon Kijoo suddenly came to her mind.

He wasn’t preventing her from going, and he wasn’t even monitoring her. Still, for some reason, she felt uneasy, and that very discomfort prompted Eunchae’s response.

“……Sure.”

Freedom.

Experience.

Those were what Eunchae was immersed in these days.

Kijoo’s eyes, illuminated by the light of the laptop, sparkled with interest. Even if it was a vacation, one had to be careful about how things were going inside KIS.

Of course, not all agents had the ability to secretly spy on KIS’s system. It was just his own hobby, but Kijoo didn’t admit it.

Moving the mouse quickly, clicking, and tapping on the keyboard, at the end of his action, his lips twisted.

A new recruit had come under Ogeunseok and Ikwan. Looking at the fact that he graduated from MIT, it seemed that he was sharpening his skills and recruiting him. He was in a hurry to hire talented people.

Kijoo, who had frowned as if he found it pitiful, suddenly took a light breath.

It might be a good thing. For a spy, who had a wealth of missions, it was annoying to be told to go with a rope around his neck whenever there was a mission.

After simply judging the situation, he stretched and got up. His eyes were involuntarily caught on the desk clock.

PM 11:12

Checking it briefly took longer than he thought. Kijoo immediately headed to Eunchae’s room. When he knocked, a voice that seemed to be half asleep faintly came through.

It was a mumbled pronunciation, but it seemed like an invitation to come in.

As soon as he opened the door, Kijoo wrinkled his face. The thick scent of Eunchae mixed with the warmth in the room. To make matters worse, as he entered, Eunchae, who seemed to be half-conscious, looked at him with her eyes slightly open.

Kijoo unconsciously swallowed the curse trying to come out and tried to leave without letting her know.

Then Eunchae’s voice wrapped around his ankles.

“Come in.”

Turning around, she tapped the bedside next to the bed.

Women might not even know that it was a temptation.
Kijoo walked with a stern face. Unable to resist, he sat on the bed and suddenly wrapped his arms around his waist. He tightened the muscles in his back for a moment.

“Ah, I’m sleepy.”

“…….”

“Have I ever told you? That I like the scent from Kijoo…”

“…….”

“Especially… when we kiss…”

The voice that had been gradually weakening finally cut off abruptly. He had fallen asleep.

Kijoo, with his head pressed against the bedhead, spat out the words roughly.

“Not even torture, what the hell.”