Chapter 21………………………………………….
“Just a moment… I need to use the restroom.”
Her face was unusually pale. Watching her hurriedly slip away, he hesitated for a brief second.
Should I follow her?
But the moment her unsteady figure disappeared, Yoshihara immediately went after her.
Officer Yoshihara was a man who had been obsessively fixated on Dowoon. The fact that he had followed Chohui left a bad feeling in his chest.
It’s probably nothing, he tried to reassure himself.
I’ll just check quickly.
Dowoon followed the path Yoshihara had taken. His hope that nothing was wrong was shattered almost instantly—
A loud commotion echoed down the corridor.
“Is that true? Who are you to lay hands on Minamoto-san?”
Yoshihara’s booming voice rang through the hallway. He stood threateningly close, gripping Chohui’s wrist tightly.
Dowoon’s brow darkened.
Why was someone like Yoshihara holding her wrist?
The moment Dowoon saw Yoshihara’s hand on her, his blood ran cold.
Japanese officer or not—it didn’t matter.
Right now, in this moment, he wanted nothing more than to punch him.
He forced himself to hold back.
“What is going on here?”
As Dowoon approached, Yoshihara narrowed his eyes and looked up at him.
Yoshihara was tall for a Japanese man, broad-shouldered even—but beside Dowoon, he was nothing.
Dowoon’s sharp gaze shifted to Chohui.
She’s this pale…?
Her frightened expression startled him more than anything.
Her trembling eyes seemed to plead:
Help me.
Before he could even think, his body moved first.
Dowoon grabbed Yoshihara’s wrist.
“Let go first, Inspector Yoshihara.”
His voice was cold, slipping out through clenched teeth.
But Yoshihara wasn’t easily intimidated.
The two men glared at each other like beasts fighting over prey.
Yoshihara bared his teeth.
“Lee-san… are you touching me right now?”
“I told you to let go.”
“How dare you lay hands on an officer of the Great Japanese Empire!”
“How dare I?”
Dowoon tightened his grip. Yoshihara’s wrist reddened, blood circulation nearly cut off.
Yoshihara struggled, trying to pull away—but the difference in strength was overwhelming.
“How dare I?”
“Ghk…! Let go, Lee-san!”
“The one who dared to touch first… was you.”
Dowoon’s icy voice seemed to drop the temperature around them.
Yoshihara tried not to show it, but his wrist was already swollen and crimson with pain.
Finally, he had no choice but to release Chohui.
Dowoon slowly loosened his grip, but his gaze remained guarded.
Then, in a low voice that rang like a warning:
“My wife.”
Yoshihara froze.
“…Your wife?”
“Now explain, Inspector. Why were you threatening my wife?”
“Ahem! Lee-san, I didn’t realize she was your wife.”
Of course. If he had known, he wouldn’t have acted so recklessly.
Yoshihara despised Koreans deeply, though he maintained politeness on the surface.
Dowoon was a man of influence in Sinuiju.
And whether he liked it or not—
He was that man’s son.
“Your wife threatened Minamoto-san, so I had no choice but to intervene.”
“Minamoto-san?”
Dowoon frowned.
Minamoto? Why was his name involved?
Only then did he notice Minamoto sitting on the floor, lips tightly pressed, eyes darting around like a cunning rat.
Dowoon’s gaze shifted slowly back to Chohui.
I see.
She was still trembling.
The situation began to make sense.
She had spent three years beside Minamoto—she knew exactly what kind of man he was.
This was bad.
Minamoto had clearly done something vile again.
There must have been a struggle.
Dowoon swallowed down a sigh.
Still… it wasn’t the worst outcome.
Minamoto hated his reputation being damaged.
Even though he visited brothels daily, he couldn’t stand anyone knowing.
He wouldn’t want a scene like this.
Dowoon forced a smile and bent down, offering Minamoto his hand.
“Oh, Minamoto-san. I didn’t realize you had fallen. Are you alright? Here, take my hand.”
“Ah, Lee-san… thank you.”
“You must have slipped. Is your ankle alright? I’ll escort you to the infirmary.”
“Ah—no, that won’t be necessary…”
Minamoto stood with Dowoon’s help, clearly flustered.
He hadn’t expected Dowoon to appear.
“Minamoto-san—”
“If you injured your ankle, it could be serious. Come with me.”
Yoshihara sensed the situation slipping away and tried to intervene—
But Dowoon blocked him immediately.
“S-Should we… then?”
“Yes. This way—”
Just as things seemed to settle—
A woman’s voice cut through.
“Shige-san!”
Minamoto’s wife.
Dowoon’s body went cold.
She approached expressionlessly, heels clicking sharply.
“What is all this commotion?”
Damn.
If Minamoto’s wife became involved, things would get even worse.
If this escalated, Chohui could be expelled from the ladies’ social circle.
The priority was quick damage control.
“Madam, it’s—”
“Madam, Minamoto-san and Lee-san’s wife had an altercation. Isn’t that right, Minamoto-san?”
Yoshihara cut Dowoon off.
Minamoto’s wife’s eyes narrowed.
“An altercation?”
“Isn’t that right, Minamoto-san? Please answer.”
Minamoto shot Yoshihara a brief glance.
“Haha… did I?”
“You certainly said so.”
“Ah, well…”
If not for Yoshihara, this could’ve been brushed aside.
Dowoon clenched his jaw.
Please… only say what I can fix.
Minamoto cleared his throat shamelessly.
“I was going to let it go for the lady’s honor, but… Lee-san’s wife tried to throw herself into my arms. I was startled and fell.”
All eyes turned toward Chohui.
She looked at Dowoon, wronged and furious.
“That’s not true!”
Dowoon gave her a small shake of his head.
Don’t. Stop.
But she couldn’t.
“Minamoto-san, when did I ever—”
“Oh dear… it seems my wife made a mistake toward Minamoto-san.”
Dowoon cut her off.
Chohui’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Dowoon wrapped an arm around her shoulders, forcing a smile, and scolded her loudly enough for everyone to hear.
“My dear, this isn’t Europe. No matter how happy you are, you shouldn’t embrace others so freely.”
“Embrace? I never—”
“I apologize in her stead. I’m sorry for causing you alarm as well.”
He bowed deeply.
Minamoto coughed awkwardly.
Yoshihara looked displeased.
But what mattered most was Minamoto’s wife.
“Hmm. If the lady says she didn’t embrace him, then there’s no need for an apology.”
“Madam—”
“Shige-san. Wada-san has been looking for you. Come.”
Without changing her expression, she turned to her husband.
Minamoto hurried after her back into the party hall.
Dowoon didn’t waste a second.
Leaving Yoshihara behind, still fuming in the corridor, Dowoon quickly took Chohui outside.
***
“Dowoon…”
Chohui hurried after him, staring at his broad back.
She thought they would return to the party—
But instead, he led her out into the garden, heading toward the main gate.
Once they were far enough away, she called out urgently.
“Dowoon, wait—”
“Be quiet.”
He cut her off coldly, only half-turning his head.
Moonlight revealed anger burning in his face.
Why was he so furious?
He clearly thought she had embraced Minamoto first.
She had to explain.
No.
It wasn’t her.
It was all a misunderstanding.
Especially with Minamoto’s wife there—she had been trying to clear it up.
If only Dowoon hadn’t stopped her!
She should be the one angry—
So why was he acting like this?
“Stop for a second! I have something to say!”
“…Ha.”
Dowoon finally halted.
With controlled fury, he spoke slowly.
“We’ll talk later.”
“I didn’t hug him first!”
Dowoon turned.
His face was shadowed in the moonlight.
“I’m sorry you had to apologize. I should’ve been more careful, but Minamoto suddenly lunged at me and I panicked and—anyway, don’t misunderstand what happened tonight—”
“And you call that an excuse?”
“…What?”
“Do you truly not understand what you’ve done?”
“What are you talking about?”
Excuse?
Was he saying she wanted to be in Minamoto’s arms?
That she did it on purpose?
Chohui’s anger flared.
He wasn’t listening at all.
“Minamoto was the one who grabbed me!”
“Then you should’ve stayed still.”
“…What did you just say?”
“If you couldn’t keep your mouth shut… you could’ve at least kept your body still.”
