Ki Joo responded simply, pushing back his chair and standing up. Hyun Seob’s hand, holding the soju bottle, was shaking. It was a body that obediently responded to the sound of money. Ki Joo stretched out both arms into the empty air, yawning.

“Your affectation.”

As Ki Joo went ahead, Hyun Seob also got up wobbly and followed. He left, opening the sliding door as he did when he arrived.

Ki Joo walked to the parked car, trailing Hyun Seob who was busy buttoning his thick jumper against the sharp wind. Meanwhile, the trunk opened. Hyun Seob swallowed a thick gulp of saliva, watching Ki Joo take out what seemed to be a money bag from the suitcase.

“As you said, I brought cash, and a safe account is also inside.”

Hyun Seob reached out first, as if his throat was clogged and couldn’t speak. Ki Joo dropped the suitcase deliberately just before his hand could grab it.

The suitcase with wheels slid on the asphalt, and Hyun Seob staggered with a hunched back trying to catch the money bag. Although Ki Joo could have watched him a little longer, he twisted Hyun Seob’s arm behind him and pushed him towards the trunk.

With his face scrunched up, stuck between the trunk and Ki Joo’s firm hand, Hyun Seob struggled desperately. But against the formidable strength, his feeling of helplessness only deepened.

While pushing down the busy Hyun Seob, who was trying to figure out the situation, Ki Joo said,

“But did you miscalculate?”

“Wwhat is…”

He covered Hyun Seob’s eyes with his free hand and lowered his posture. Then he whispered in his ear.

“You’ve seen everything with this.”

((())) ((())) ((()))

Eun Chae was lost in thought. Although she wasn’t particularly cold, her thoughts carried on for quite some time. Until the tea, set at her terrace seat, had completely cooled down. The untouched dessert had turned cold.

What snapped her out of her trance was the chatter of two housekeepers cleaning the next room.

“That person, did he just arrive?”

“Who?”

“Well, you know. Song Eun Chae’s bodyguard. The tallest and most handsome one.”

At that, she instantly thought of the towering figure of Ki Joo. The attached adjectives also played a part in her having no doubts about it.

“Ah, that person! Didn’t he suddenly quit?”

“According to Se Jin, the Chairman sent him to clean the annex with a pot of bear soup.”

Eun Chae’s palms suddenly felt hot. She reached out, held the teacup, and took a sip of the completely cooled down tea. She didn’t taste it.

She then put down the teacup as if throwing it. The clashing of utensils stopped the chatter in the next room. Regardless, Eun Chae’s gaze was fixed on the quiet annex across the darkness. She heard the noise of hurriedly folding and leaving with the bedding from the next room.

Soon, silence engulfed the suite.

Eun Chae got up from her seat and left her room. As she went downstairs, the living room was lit only by a floor lamp, and it was empty.

Eun Chae, who had quickly stuffed her feet into her shoes and opened the door to come out, suddenly stopped in her tracks. She realized she had crumpled her sneakers.

She bent down and calmly adjusted her sneakers. Then she stood up calmly and walked.

She recalled the dimly remembered password of the annex and pressed it hard. Fortunately, it seemed to be pressed correctly, and with the sound of recognition, the lock was released.

Eun Chae took a deep breath. Then she opened the door and went inside. There was no sign of anyone inside the detached house, she tiptoed inside, quiet as a cat burglar.

She carefully took off her sneakers and stepped into the living room, but she couldn’t quite get her bearings.

At the end of her wandering gaze, she aimlessly walked down the hallway. Then she slowed down in front of a door where she could hear a faint sound of a bell.

Just as she was about to press her ear against the door in case someone was inside, she suddenly felt pathetic.

What was she thinking coming all the way here?

Eun Chae jerked as she turned around, filled with selfdoubt. Startled by the sudden opening of the door.

She couldn’t even scream, her legs frozen in place. Instead, a huge shadow cast over her face.

Swallowing dryly and standing tall, she was soon shocked. It was because she made eye contact with Ki Joo, who hadn’t put on anything on his upper body.

Ki Joo’s pupils seemed to expand for a moment, but when he blinked and looked again, it wasn’t the case.

Seeing Eun Chae standing dumbfounded, he twisted his upper body and squeezed through the door. At this, she reflexively retreated further.

He seemed somehow distant. His already sharp facial lines looked even more sleek. Due to this, he felt younger by a year or two. His changed image, combined with his naked body, felt rather wild.

Whether he knew it or not, Ki Joo glared grumpily. His dry eyes from lack of sleep shimmered sharply in the dark, as if discerning whether the presence before him was real or illusionary.

“What the hell…”

After mumbling like a sigh, Ki Joo also let out a dismissive laugh.

Eun Chae felt like her heart dropped at his incomprehensible words. She blurted out something defensive, feeling cornered for some reason.

“Don’t just… leave your post.”

She said, she came all the way here to say this. As Ki Joo looked at her as if asking, Eun Chae spoke her mind without faltering.

“If you’re going to do as you please, then just quit.”

Ki Joo looked at her and tilted his head to the side. His muscular chest undulated softly.

As Eun Chae hastily turned her face away from the sight, her face reddened, and he spoke.

“Come in.”

‘Why should I?’ She wanted to rebel, but she quickly changed her mind.

“Why. Did I say something wrong?”

As Ki Joo straightened his chin and followed Eun Chae into the room, he slipped into his shirt with his back to her.

Rustle, rustle.

Who knew the sound of cloth rustling could sound so strange.

She was engulfed in a sudden wave of doubt.

By the time Ki Joo, who had roughly put on his shirt, skillfully held out his tie.

What is this? Why is he giving it to me?

Eun Chae, who had been standing with her thought process halted, soon regained her focus.

“Are you finally going to give it back now?”

Facing the tie that she personally chose at the department store, she hardened her face.

“I can do it myself.”

Ki Joo jiggled the hand holding out the tie.

“You have to give me some feed. I’m not sure if I’m your man, Eun Chae.”

Eun Chae, who had been looking at him absently, reached out and wrapped her hand around his neck holding the tie. The silk tie brushed against the cotton shirt.

“Well… even if he’s a hidden man, he’s still my man.”

Feeling him stare piercingly at her as he slightly lowered his head, Eun Chae glanced up and met his gaze.

The hand holding the halftied tie tightened.

Even that would be good. She wanted to make him feel it to the bone.

Because the time he disappeared was quite long for her.