🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 02
“Where Are You Looking?”
Ji-hyuk had moved into the IL Apartment a few days ago.
Five minutes on foot from the Prosecutor’s Office.
For Ji-hyuk, who often worked late nights and even gave up weekends, it was the perfect location.
But—
Because he kept leaving work after 11 p.m., he hadn’t even had time to feel the joy of settling into a new home.
Showering and sleeping—that was all he managed.
The moving company had arranged his furniture and clothes, but since he only woke up early to go back to work, he had no idea where anything was placed.
In short, it was a mess.
So today, he decided to leave work earlier than usual and finally organize things.
He also had something important tomorrow.
Ji-hyuk stood with both hands in his suit pockets, slowly scanning his surroundings.
The softly glowing landscaped gardens looked even more impressive at night, and between them he could see walking paths.
The open view led along an artificial waterfall.
It was February. The waterfall was frozen.
He stood still, memorizing the building layout and movement paths.
Perhaps because of the cold weather, the complex was quiet.
There were only a man in his mid-40s sitting on a bench with earphones in, staring at his phone, and a woman crouching with a dog a little farther away.
In any case, it was quiet—acceptable.
Buzz.
A vibration came from his inner jacket pocket, brushing against his solid chest.
He disliked how the vibration spread through his torso, but it was a habit to keep his phone there for quick access without interrupting movement.
Just as he reached into his suit pocket to take the call—
Something tugged at the hem of his pants.
Ji-hyuk looked down.
A dog was gripping his leg with its front paws, vigorously rubbing its body against him.
It was unmistakably mounting him.
“…Hah.”
Ji-hyuk stopped reaching for his phone and looked down at the dog, now in apparent bliss, his face twisting.
“Mon-gi!!!”
The woman’s voice echoed loudly through the otherwise library-like silence of the walkway.
“Oh my gosh!”
She rushed over in a panic and pulled the dog away.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry. I’m really, really sorry.”
She bowed repeatedly, then suddenly lifted her head.
Her large, round eyes met Ji-hyuk’s.
Even with her eyes, she was saying “I’m sorry.”
If reading emotions through eyes was a skill, Ji-hyuk knew well that he was dealing with people who often had it.
Most of them were criminals.
It was a habit from his profession to scan people from head to toe.
Her long wavy hair swayed in the cold wind.
She wore a coat, a light blue shirt with two buttons undone, a black skirt, and boots.
Dog hair was stuck all over her black skirt. She looked like someone who either owned many dogs or worked with them.
Through the slightly open shirt collar, he could see her pale, long neck and delicate collarbone.
Moist eyes and a slender neck.
Striking beauty.
Ji-hyuk concluded she looked like a deer.
But so what?
In this line of work, you couldn’t be fooled by a harmless face.
Never judge by appearance—that was one of the core principles every prosecutor engraved into themselves.
People who looked kind enough to live without breaking the law could be masterminds of crimes worth billions or expert manipulators.
Conversely, people who looked like they could kill hundreds might not even be able to harm an ant.
So for now, he decided she was simply a deer walking a mentally unstable dog.
“Off-leash. You know what that means, right?”
His voice was as firm and dry as if he were in court.
Perhaps because of his tone—or the implied fine—the woman flinched.
“…A leash? Ah, it just came off suddenly, and I couldn’t grab it before Mon-gi ran off…”
She hesitated and tried to explain.
He wasn’t inclined to believe it.
Most dog owners knew proper etiquette, but there were always a few who ruined it for everyone.
And those people always said the same thing.
“I’m really sorry. He’s not usually like this.”
Da-sol hurriedly hugged Mon-gi and looked down at the ground, distressed.
Ji-hyuk knew this reaction pattern well.
The annoyed man yelling at dogs in the park, the elderly man scolding dogs peeing on utility poles, people demanding muzzle use for even small dogs.
Especially at night, encounters like this were more frequent when walking a small dog alone.
And now, a tall, broad-shouldered man with a cold voice looking down at her only made things worse.
He looked at least 190 cm tall, and his deep voice added pressure.
It felt like a Chihuahua standing in front of a Doberman.
“If you had a leash on, this wouldn’t have happened.”
His tone was clean and cutting, devoid of warmth.
The woman looked up at his expressionless face.
Wow. He’s handsome.
So handsome she almost blurted it out.
His face, under the soft lighting, had deep shadows that emphasized his sharp features.
Especially his straight, high nose.
He looked like a living sculpture.
But—
Because of his cold gaze or his sculpted beauty, she felt an obvious distance.
She had to be careful not to say anything wrong.
Da-sol steadied herself and spoke.
“No, it’s not like that. The harness just came loose on its own. I didn’t let him go intentionally.”
The man looked down at her, lips tightly pressed.
Her explanation clearly wasn’t getting through.
“I’m really sorry. I… I don’t really have anything to say.”
In situations like this, admitting fault was the best strategy.
She bowed deeply again, when suddenly a strong ammonia smell hit her nose.
A familiar scent. The sharp smell unique to dogs.
A smell that meant nothing good in this situation.
Dog urine.
She looked down at his shoes.
“Oh.”
Mon-gi was calmly peeing with his eyes closed.
So relaxed he looked like even his shadow was at ease.
Marking.
Mon-gi had marked him.
Yellowish liquid spread across the hem of his pants and shoes.
It extended beyond his shadow into the bright walkway.
Da-sol closed her eyes tightly.
Should she say it now? Would it at least seem sincere?
The smell intensified as the urine began to dry.
This was a luxury apartment complex.
Even from his clothes, she could tell his suit and shoes were expensive.
Very expensive.
He was going to notice sooner or later.
Her gaze shifted between her shoes, Mon-gi’s paws, and his wet shoes.
What should I do, what should I do…
She swallowed hard and tried to speak—
“Where are you looking?”
“…Pardon?”
Was she being too obvious?
It hadn’t even been that long.
The man quickly followed her gaze downward.
Oh no. Please, no!
His face twisted in disgust. A heavy sigh followed.
“Mon-gi is old and has bad eyesight. He probably thought your leg was a utility pole because you’re so tall…”
Da-sol blurted out in panic.
She immediately regretted it—it sounded absurd.
“I’m not a utility pole.”
“…I’m sorry…”
Her voice shrank.
When she glanced up, his expression was frozen cold.
It felt like she should kneel.
Cold February wind blew, yet sweat formed down her back.
“If that’s the case, maybe you shouldn’t walk him here—or choose a place with fewer people. And leash training is basic etiquette anyone should know.”
The words were unpleasant, but she had no defense.
Even if it were her, she would’ve been offended.
She silently reminded herself she was lucky he hadn’t kicked out in anger.
“Anyway… I admit my mistake. I’m really, really sorry.”
“Admitting it is easy.”
