ITSN 21

Chapter 21

• Do you really have to go that far? I even tried bribing one of the staff, but it didn’t work. The operation will begin soon, so once I know the results, I’ll let you know.

“…Yes, understood.”

After hanging up the phone, Taejo recalled Yu Haein’s last appearance.

He thought of Heukseok-dong Columbarium.

Her crouched figure sobbing in front of Jurok’s ashes.
Her cold, lofty stride down the hallway as she brushed past him without a glance.

The way she looked at him when she got into his car, as though observing him.

Or that moment when their eyes met, and she flushed red to the tips of her ears, her gaze trembling.

That sorrowful face, when she told him not to acknowledge her before she stepped out of the car.

It was absurd, but in that moment, Taejo thought of Juhong.

Every subtle change in her expression, her gestures, even the bridge of her nose crinkling when she cried—identical to the Juhong etched into his memory.

But more than anything, the scent.

Yes, it was the scent that was like Juhong.

Fragrant osmanthus, with just the faintest hint of orange. He had never encountered that unique fragrance from anyone except Juhong.

Yet he had sensed it from Yu Haein.

The first time was at the hospital. The sweet fragrance had startled him when he entered the room, though he brushed it off, thinking it must be from the bouquet he carried.

He smelled it again the day he met Haein in front of her family home. At the time, he assumed some flowers nearby had bloomed.

Even in that dismal situation, the scent was so fresh and sweet that he wondered which household could possibly grow such flowers.

Then, the day of Juhong’s burial, when he had given Haein a ride in his car—he finally realized the true source of that scent.

The sealed car filled with its heavy fragrance.

It coated his tongue with saliva, his spine prickling with how intoxicatingly sweet it felt.

That had never been Yu Haein’s scent before.

Haein had always carried only the stinging reek of strong perfume.

And so, again and again, he thought of Juhong.

Like a broken switch, no matter how much he tried to push the thought away, it would not turn off.

“Damn it.”

At the memory of Juhong’s fragrance, his mouth salivated reflexively.

Irritated, Taejo sat up from the sunbed and grabbed the glass of water from the table. Despite the saliva filling his mouth, his lips and throat still burned with thirst.

“Have I really been living that abstinently?”

Apparently so.

With a cold, self-mocking chuckle, he drained the water and stood, grabbing a book. He was done with sunbathing. Maybe clay shooting would be a better distraction.

Just then, his phone rang again. This time, it was Jungwook.

“I told them I was on vacation…”

Clicking his tongue, Taejo answered.

As he stepped slowly into the villa, Jungwook delivered unwelcome news.

• Tomorrow evening, there’s a dinner with Haein’s family. Father said you must attend.

“Tell them I can’t go.”

• You have to tell them yourself. It was Mother’s decision, Father can’t do anything about it.

“Please explain it well on my behalf.”

Truthfully, a part of him wanted to go. He wanted to confirm one more time—

Was that fragrance really coming from her body?

Had she changed perfumes, or body wash?

What had she done to herself?

But while he gave his half-hearted replies, Jungwook suddenly shouted so loud it stabbed into Taejo’s ear.

• Mom! Mom, spit it out! Spit it out, quickly!

His near-screams were followed by calls to dial emergency services, the panicked shouts of household staff, and in the middle of it all, Sookyung’s choking gasps.

D-35.

It was Friday.

The most encouraging thing was that the Helper had been unlocked. Yet it was still wrapped in mystery.

“Show kindness to the Helper’s precious one to awaken the sleeping Helper.”

Whether she thought about it briefly or deeply, Juhong couldn’t make sense of it. Why—why was this the reward for the first quest?

Rewards should be straightforward, like when accepting the game had given her “Status Regeneration.”

Yet after three days spent narrowing down the 34 mafia candidates, the reward turned out to be another quest.

The dissatisfaction gnawed at her chest.

But Silson remained silent, and Juhong, as always, quickly accepted reality. Time was too precious to waste.

Still, her dissatisfaction didn’t vanish entirely.

“Kindness? What am I supposed to do, pick up trash on the street?”

No—that wouldn’t work.

It had specified ‘the Helper’s precious one.’

The vagueness of the quest left her tangled in thought.

But the opportunity came sooner than expected.

That morning, Juhong followed her routine: an early jog, then cutting down her list of the 34 mafia suspects.

Around lunchtime, Chief Lee came to her.

Knock knock.

“I’ll come in.”

With barely a pause after knocking, Chief Lee opened the door and stepped in, holding a paper marked <Jung Hyungwoo / Secretary>.

“You need permission before you come in,” Juhong said, not even looking at her. She attached Hyungwoo’s name beside Yu Haein’s on her chart before finally turning.

Startled, Chief Lee froze. Her pale face, with its faint look of discomfort, seemed increasingly like an act.

Juhong gave her a sweet smile.

“From now on, knock and wait for permission. I can see now, you know.”

“….”

“Otherwise, I’ll just have to start locking the door.”

“S-sorry.”

When the woman remained frozen, Juhong asked:

“What is it?”

“Ah.”

Snapping out of it, Chief Lee spoke.

“Tomorrow, there’s a dinner with the Seohyun Group. The Chairman asked if you’d like to book a massage today to prepare, so I came to check your schedule…”

“So he’s going through with it after all.”

Yoo Donghyuk was determined to push her into marrying Seo Taejo.

He wouldn’t let her go, yet wanted to marry her off. He hated being photographed with her, yet published articles about her—the contradiction was maddening.

Thirty-five days left until the game ended.

She didn’t want to waste her energy on such matters, but she couldn’t ignore it either. Not when it involved Seo Taejo.

She had promised him: next time she met his mother, she would tell her she couldn’t marry.

But before she had the chance, Yoo Donghyuk had set up a dinner on his own.

If she announced at that dinner she couldn’t marry, it would cause a huge uproar.

So she had to keep her promise to Taejo first.

Before it’s too late.

Determined, Juhong fetched the gift box she had bought earlier—when shopping with Chief Lee—for Taejo’s mother.

She hadn’t meant to care, yet ended up caring far too much.

Why did she want to look good in front of Taejo’s mother? With her makeup carefully done, hair neatly tied, and clothes prim and proper, she looked every bit like a Cheongdam-dong daughter-in-law—gray pencil skirt and pale-pink twin set.

“Crazy,” she muttered at herself, annoyed.

Following the household staff, she entered the tearoom.

“Welcome, Haein.”

Inside, Taejo’s mother, Sookyung, spread her arms with a warm smile.

She gently hugged Juhong and patted her back, leading her to a window seat.

“Isn’t it nice to finally see you at home? You’ve been engaged for six years, but thanks to that heartless boy, we’ve barely visited each other.”

Six years engaged. Next-door neighbors. Yet they’d never visited—proof that it wasn’t only Taejo who was cold, but Yu Haein as well.

“I should have taken better care of you. I’m sorry.”

Yet Sookyung apologized first. She was a good woman.

“No, I didn’t make the effort either.”

“Still.”

Smiling, Sookyung sat her down and gestured for the waiting staff.

Soon, steaming tea and beautifully colored rice cakes were set on the table.

“These are rice cakes I ordered fresh from Anguk-dong this morning. Try them with honey.”

Since it was offered politely, Juhong picked up her fork and took a bite.

“It’s delicious.”

Smiling prettily, she sipped her tea, glancing at Sookyung, searching for the right timing to bring up the matter of breaking off the marriage.

Meanwhile, Sookyung continued chatting about daily matters.

She was such a good person. Delivering bad news to her felt heavy and wrong.

“Um, Mrs…”

No—mother wasn’t right, nor madam. Perhaps like Yoo Donghyuk, she should say ma’am.

“What is it?”

Before Juhong could decide, Sookyung picked up a rice cake and asked:

“Did you come because you have something to say?”

Her eyes gleamed knowingly, as though she’d already guessed.

“Did Taejo tell you? To say you won’t marry?”

“No, it’s not that—”

“That boy, defying his mother’s wishes…”

Her hands trembled as she shoved the rice cake into her mouth.

And then, suddenly, it lodged in her throat.

It all happened in an instant.

Her face turned red, then white, then blue. She clutched her throat, choking violently.

The smell of death filled the air.

Pale as a sheet, Juhong shot up from her chair.

What do I do? What do I do in a situation like this? What am I supposed to do?