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“Is that so?”
Han’s face twisted into an expression that was either a smile or a grimace—Hyun-soo couldn’t quite tell. For a fleeting moment, her spine tingled.
“It’s 11 o’clock.”
Han glanced at the clock on the bedside table and murmured.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
As if perfectly timed, the doorbell to room 3803 rang. Voices and commotion erupted outside the door.
“What? Who is it...?”
“Who are you?”
“Unnie, who are these people?”
“Hey, Yoon Han! Your brother’s here!”
While the men simply passed by out of curiosity, the women glared openly at Hyun-soo, sizing her up from head to toe. Feeling uneasy, Hyun-soo instinctively closed the door behind her.
The once-quiet suite instantly descended into chaos. Bottles of alcohol appeared in the men’s hands, clothes were tossed onto couches and scattered around the living room, and their loud voices grated against Hyun-soo’s ears. Her brow furrowed involuntarily.
“Who are you?”
“Huh?”
“What’s your name?”
“Suddenly asking for my...”
“Forget it. How old are you?”
“Twenty-s... something.”
“What’s your relationship with him?”
Amidst the noise, a woman approached Hyun-soo and bombarded her with rapid-fire questions. The girl, sporting a bob haircut and wearing a tight-fitting short dress, looked significantly younger than Hyun-soo.
“Just someone I know...”
“That’s enough then. Don’t even think about trying anything with Oppa. Not like you’d stand a chance anyway.”
Without waiting for Hyun-soo to finish, the girl smirked upon realizing they weren’t close and disappeared as quickly as she had come. Of course, her destination was none other than the bedroom where Han lay earlier. It seemed all the women had vanished into the same direction while only men remained in the living room.
“Tsk, honestly.”
Hyun-soo let out a hollow laugh, overwhelmed by the absurdity of the situation.
Despite everything, her conversation with Han wasn’t over yet. Somehow, she still needed to convince him to return home—it was practically her unspoken mission. She resolved to speak with him further.
This time, walking through the brightly lit hallway, Hyun-soo re-entered the bedroom.
“What is this supposed to be...?”
And just as expected. Exactly what she feared: the missing women had all gathered in the now-lit room.
Surrounding Han, who leaned against the headboard smoking a cigarette, the women formed a loose circle. Taking a deep drag until his cheeks hollowed slightly, Han exhaled slowly and smiled at Hyun-soo entering the room. His motherly, radiant grin emerged through the haze of smoke curling upward.
“Wanna join us?”
“What? No?”
Are you crazy? The words hovered teasingly on her tongue.
Han took another drag of his cigarette, watching her intently. Then he said something utterly unexpected.
“I’ll go back tomorrow evening, so you can leave now.”
“Really?”
Too stunned to process, Hyun-soo repeated the question in a dazed tone. Han winked playfully.
“So I’m leaving?”
“Yeah.”
“You trust me enough to believe that?”
“Do you always fall for tricks like this?”
“Nope, I trust you! I’m going! Bye!”
Hyun-soo gave a small wave before hastily retreating from the bedroom. Han chuckled softly, waving back mockingly.
Soon, Hyun-soo disappeared entirely, and the sound of the front door closing echoed faintly in the distance. Slowly, the smile faded from Han’s face.
“What’s with you, bro? Why are you grinning like that?”
“Right? Yoon Han, you seem unusually cheerful today.”
The women, oblivious to Han’s shifting demeanor, began whining petulantly. One even nudged him irritably, but Han turned his head and stared at them with dark, emotionless eyes.
“Get out.”
The sudden drop in mood left the women flustered. Something about tonight felt different—he hadn’t been as accommodating as usual.
“Why so suddenly?”
“Hyun-a, do I need to repeat myself?”
“Fine, I’m leaving. Whatever.”
In the midst of their silent competition to see who could linger longest, the women couldn’t endure Han’s piercing gaze any longer and fled en masse.
Finally alone, Han inhaled deeply one last time before stubbing out his cigarette on the bedside table. A blackened smudge marred the pristine surface.
‘I’ll stay by your side to make sure you don’t get hurt.’
Hyun-soo’s voice echoed vividly in his mind, as though she were standing right beside him. Han mulled over her words, exhaling a long plume of smoke. The gray tendrils dispersed into the air.
“We’ll see.”
Could Hyun-soo really keep her promise? Even entertaining the thought felt ridiculous. Who would ever...
Raking his disheveled hair back, Han stood up. Amidst the cacophony of rowdy chatter, he wanted nothing more than to immerse himself in the chaos—to let both his mind and body shatter completely.
“Whoa! Yoon Han’s finally making an appearance!”
“Man, we thought you were dead.”
“Still acting high and mighty? Is it because of that pretty face?”
Han smirked silently, vaulted over the backrest of the sofa, and landed gracefully. Immediately, glasses filled with various drinks were thrust toward him.
Without hesitation, he grabbed whatever was closest and downed it in one gulp. The potent liquid burned its way down his throat, heating his entire body instantly.
‘Why would you say such things? There’s no way you regret saving me. Not even once.’
Without looking, Han picked up another glass and drained it. Strangely, the alcohol tasted sweet.
“Something good happen? Why so chipper?”
Holding an empty glass, Han burst into laughter. His friends exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to react. Still, he didn’t stop laughing.
“He’s drunk. Totally wasted.”
That was their conclusion. And perhaps they were right. After all, Han’s smile never faded throughout the night.
But the true meaning behind that smile remained known only to him.
---
A fortress of tranquility surrounded by towering walls.
That was Hyun-soo’s first impression upon stepping into Chairman Yoon’s estate. While grand gates, meticulously arranged stone steps, and sprawling gardens reminded her of her own childhood home, the comparison ended there. The scale was incomparable—like comparing a neighborhood qualifier to the Olympics.
“Wow...”
Standing in the garden after climbing the stairs, Hyun-soo couldn’t help but marvel. Beyond the stunning landscaping, the breathtaking panoramic view of Seoul stretching out before her felt exhilarating. Even the timing of the breeze seemed perfect.
Calmly steadying herself with a deep breath, Hyun-soo tucked stray strands of hair behind her ear and turned around. Before her stood the main building of the mansion.
Unlike typical homes, Chairman Yoon’s residence was a two-story rectangular structure with rough-textured charcoal-gray walls. It resembled less a house and more a massive sculpture.
Though additional facilities likely lay beyond the main building, Hyun-soo decided to explore those later. For now, her focus was elsewhere—she had arrived ten minutes early, despite being told work started at 9 a.m.
Vrrr, vrrr.
Her phone vibrated inside her bag—an alarm she’d set beforehand. Though she received instructions to arrive by 9 a.m., she chose to arrive at 8:40 just to be safe.
Would arriving early be considered rude? Shaking off the thought, Hyun-soo pressed the doorbell.
Ding-dong, ding-dong. As the familiar chime echoed, she nervously awaited the door to open. Finally...
“Miss Kim Hyun-soo?”
“Yes, that’s me. Nice to meet you.”
“Pleased to meet you too. Please come in.”
“Thank you.”
With that, Hyun-soo stepped into the mansion—the home of Guk and Han.
The person who opened the door introduced herself as the housekeeper responsible for managing the kitchen. Everyone called her “Madam Jeon.”
Following Madam Jeon to the living room, Hyun-soo cautiously observed her surroundings. Expecting traditional decor suited for an elderly couple, she was surprised by the modern and minimalist interior design.
“Have you eaten?”
“Huh? Oh, yes.”
Caught off guard by Madam Jeon’s sudden question, Hyun-soo answered reflexively.
“If not, I’ll prepare something for you.”
“No, thank you. I’ve already eaten. Please don’t worry about it.”
“But I heard you’ll be working late into the evening. You should eat properly—I was instructed to ensure you do.”
They entered the living room together. Smiling warmly, Madam Jeon gestured toward the sofa.
“By whom?”
“The eldest young master.”
Eldest young master... That meant Guk.
“I see.”
“One of our caregivers, a cook, and I usually eat together. From now on, you can join us.”
“Alright. Thank you.”
“Would you like some tea instead?”
Hyun-soo hesitated briefly, realizing it might be impolite to decline repeatedly. Finally, she nodded with a polite smile.
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
“Any preferences? Coffee, black tea, green tea—we have most kinds.”
“Just green tea, please.”
“Of course. Please wait a moment.”
After Madam Jeon disappeared, silence enveloped the living room—or rather, the entire mansion. Perhaps due to its vast size, the place felt eerily empty.
Hyun-soo absentmindedly tapped her knee while glancing around. Ahead, she noticed the corridor leading to the inner rooms on the first floor and the staircase to the second floor. Maybe Guk would appear soon, considering it was still before 9 a.m.
But he never did.
“Here’s your tea.”
“Thank you.”
“Madam will be out shortly, so please wait a little longer.”
Instead of Guk, Madam Jeon returned with the tea. Her warm smile reassured Hyun-soo as she mentioned that Madam would emerge soon. Nodding, Hyun-soo hesitated briefly before voicing a lingering question.
“Um... excuse me...”
“Yes?”
“I was wondering... has Yoon Guk—that is, your eldest son—already left for work?”
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