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Chapter 3
Sui swallowed unconsciously.
The spot where Beomjin’s fingers touched felt hot.
Honestly, this absent-minded, oblivious fool had always had a terrible sense of personal boundaries.
One moment he would laze around like a sloth, and then the next he would suddenly invade her space, cupping her face or holding her chin as he locked eyes with her.
And then he would call her name while staring with a relentless gaze that seemed determined to search every corner of her heart.
Just like now, in a low voice that made her feel as if her whole body might burn away.
“Working late again today?”
Something about his deep, husky voice made her throat dry. She quickly shook her head, pretending to be unaffected.
“N-No. Our team leader isn’t that heartless.”
Our team leader.
At those words, Beomjin narrowed his eyes.
Sui’s supervisor was already married and had children. Beomjin knew very well how devoted the man was to his family.
He also knew the supervisor thought of Sui as nothing more than a younger sister.
But sometimes, like now, something twisted inside him.
When Ahn Sui talked about someone else.
When Ahn Sui leaned on someone else.
Even the thought of someone other than himself occupying her mind…
He was finding it harder and harder to endure.
“H-Hey… what are you doing?”
Beomjin slowly rubbed her lower lip with his thumb.
Flustered, Sui tried to pull away from his grip, but unlike usual, Beomjin didn’t let go so easily.
He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her lips, soft and yielding beneath the pressure of his thumb.
He wanted to touch them.
Taste them.
Consume them.
“Nothing.”
He wanted to slip through the cracks in her defenses and leave her covered in traces of himself.
“Thought there was something on it.”
Some filthy, impure contaminant.
“W-What was it? I’ll get it myself.”
Watching her cheeks gradually turn pink, Beomjin took a deep breath before finally withdrawing his hand.
If he touched Ahn Sui any longer, he felt something irreversible would happen.
“It’s fine. Got rid of it.”
“What was it, though…?”
“I’ll pick you up when you get off work.”
Sui, who had been about to answer while avoiding his gaze, paused.
“Ah… come to think of it, I have something to do.”
“What?”
“The memorial flower frame redesign I mentioned before. Since I’m doing it alone, there’s a lot to take care of.”
“Bring it home and work on it there. I’ll help.”
Sui laughed lightly.
“And how exactly is an employee from a major corporation’s general affairs department going to help me?”
“…”
“I appreciate the thought, but it’s something I have to do myself. Everything I need is at the office.”
“What time do you think you’ll finish?”
“Hmm, not sure. It won’t be too late.”
“Call me. I’ll come get you.”
Sui pressed her lips together.
The back of her throat felt strangely warm.
Really, every time Dokgo Beomjin said things like that so naturally, her heart beat so hard it became a problem.
But once again, Sui forced herself to ignore her feelings.
Beomjin was someone precious to her.
That was why she absolutely couldn’t cross the line.
Because if she did, they might end up parting ways.
Just like her mother and father.
“It’s okay. I won’t stay until the buses stop running. Go home early and get some rest. You just got back from a business trip, didn’t you? You said you were exhausted because you had to go with that senior you can’t stand.”
That was…
Beomjin opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again.
Silence lingered between them until they reached home.
Sui lightly patted his back.
“At this rate you’re going to be late. Hurry and go.”
“Call me.”
Meeting her eyes, Beomjin spoke again.
“I’ll be waiting.”
“I said it’s fine…”
“I’ll be in front of your office. Until you come out.”
Seriously.
Taking a deep breath, Sui nodded as casually as she could.
“You’re so stubborn. Fine. But if you’re exhausted, don’t blame me.”
Only then did Beomjin’s expression soften. He nodded and gave her a faint smile.
Without meaning to, Sui immediately looked away.
Her cheeks felt hot.
…Dokgo Beomjin is just a friend who’s like a younger brother.
***
After confirming that Sui had gone inside, Beomjin drove toward work.
The black sedan arrived at the headquarters of Kangho Group and headed toward the entrance of the executive parking area.
Click.
As Beomjin stepped out of the car, the employees waiting in formation, all dressed in black suits, bowed simultaneously.
“Welcome, sir!”
A fierce-looking man with a ponytail stepped forward.
“Welcome, Executive Director.”
Beomjin gave a casual nod as if it were only natural.
“Where is he?”
“Waiting downstairs.”
At the chief secretary’s reply, Beomjin started walking.
Everyone except the valet followed behind him.
Entering a small door beside the parking garage, Beomjin descended a staircase and opened an old door.
Creeeak—
With a sharp metallic groan, light gradually spilled into the darkness beyond.
A man sat tied to a chair, his hands and feet bound, his mouth sealed shut with blue tape.
The moment he saw Beomjin, his eyes widened and he began struggling frantically.
“This bastard sexually harassed Ahn Sui?”
“Yes. One week ago, at the funeral of Assemblyman Yoo Geum-bok’s father, held at Jeongsan Funeral Hall. After requesting Instructor Ahn’s business card, he attempted to drag her away by the wrist in the parking lot.”
Beomjin’s expression darkened as he recalled a conversation he’d had with Sui a week earlier.
“What’s wrong with your face?”
“I’m just tired. Had to deal with a nightmare customer for the first time in a while. Have you had dinner?”
“Yeah. I was out on business.”
“That’s good. Then I’m going to rest early today. I want to shower and sleep.”
Ahn Sui was weak when it came to people around her parents’ age.
For some reason, men with disgusting intentions could instinctively sense that softness in her and approach her.
She always acted strong, saying nothing really bothered her.
But Beomjin knew.
He knew just how gentle and fragile the always-cheerful Ahn Sui truly was.
“Take the tape off.”
“Yes, sir.”
Riiip!
As the tightly adhered tape tore away, taking skin with it, the bound middle-aged man screamed.
“That sound is disgusting. I haven’t even slit his throat yet.”
“Shall we shut him up?”
“No. Leave it.”
Beomjin looked down at the trembling, pathetic man with indifferent eyes.
“I hear you’re famous for being a gentleman. You’ve done a great job maintaining your image.”
“W-Why are you doing this? D-Did that funeral director slander me or something?”
“Slander?”
“Yes! It’s all a setup! That young woman approached me on purpose after finding out I’m the president of a mid-sized company! Women with decent looks and nothing else always pull things like this!”
Ah.
The chief secretary wore a sympathetic expression.
The men lined up behind him in black suits looked the same.
Just now, that man had crossed a line he never should have crossed.
“That young woman.”
Beomjin let out a short laugh.
The atmosphere grew even colder.
It would have been better if he had remained silent.
Whenever their boss—who sometimes seemed barely human—became truly enraged, he smiled instead.
Just like now.
“How exactly do you think she slandered you?”
“I’m truly innocent! I only felt sorry for a young woman working so hard and wanted to encourage her!”
“Encourage.”
Beomjin chuckled again and nodded.
“In that case, I suppose it’d be fine if my father tried grabbing your daughter’s ass, failed, then got embarrassed and threatened to ruin her career with a stream of insults?”
The middle-aged man’s face instantly turned white.
Ignoring him, Beomjin pulled out his phone, displayed a photograph, and held it up.
“Lee Yumi. Second-year student in the Dance Department at Jungang Women’s University. Should I call her here right now?”
“N-No! Not her! Not my daughter! Please don’t touch Yumi! Please!”
The disgusting middle-aged molester instantly transformed into a loving father and began wailing.
“Then why the fuck did you mess with someone who was just doing her job?”
Clicking his tongue, Beomjin tilted his head.
One of the large men standing behind him stepped forward and taped the man’s mouth shut again.
“Mmph! Mmmph! Ughhh!”
He’d tried to touch Ahn Sui’s butt while asking her to become his lover?
“Close the door.”
A dangerous glint flashed in Beomjin’s eyes.
“Because today, I’m definitely cutting off either this bastard’s tongue or his hand.”
