Chapter 9
“Those bastards aren’t even human.”
Despite the vicious words, to Hari, his voice sounded nothing short of captivating.
Still dazed, utterly enthralled by the sound of it, she froze as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it gently against the back of her neck, damp with whiskey.
A strange sensation spread from the nape of her neck throughout her body—something between goosebumps and a tremor.
“Mm…”
Hari flinched at the unfamiliar shiver, and he, who had been casually dabbing her clean, seemed to realize something and abruptly stopped.
They were standing far too close.
Her heart was pounding so fast it hurt, as if her ribs might crack from the pressure in her chest.
“Wipe yourself.”
Unlike Hari, the man showed no sign of agitation and simply handed her the handkerchief without a hint of emotion.
As Hari hesitantly took it, he scanned their surroundings.
“Your belongings?”
Only then did Hari realize she didn’t even have her phone. Gwak Sang-gu had told her to leave everything in the car since it would “only take a moment”—likely a nasty trick to prevent her from running away or calling the police.
“I don’t have anything. Nothing at all.”
That was the problem. She wanted to repay this man somehow, but she had nothing to offer. Then her eyes fell on the bracelet around her left wrist.
“Oh… this…”
Without hesitation, Hari unclasped her bracelet and held it out to him.
“I really want to repay you somehow, but this is all I have.”
The man couldn’t hide his disbelief. It made sense—this bracelet looked out of place as an accessory for an adult woman. It was clearly a child safety ID bracelet.
Rubbing the engraved section with his thumb, he read her name aloud.
“Yu Hari…”
Hari spoke as if proudly presenting it.
“My mom used all the money she had to make this for me the day she left me at the orphanage. It may not look like much, but it’s real gold. It should be worth something.”
He let out a long, exasperated sigh and raised his voice.
“Hey. How long have you known me to be saying things like that so freely?”
“…Pardon?”
“Don’t go around exposing your pain to just anyone.”
“But you’re a good person, sir.”
“No. I’m just anyone too.”
His response was firm and unwavering. He shoved the bracelet back into her hand and continued his scolding.
“Forget it. And don’t ever set foot in a place like this again.”
“I told you, I didn’t know anything—I was dragged here against my will—”
“Being young isn’t an excuse. If anything, you should’ve been more careful. The world is far dirtier and scarier than you think. Just because you were deceived doesn’t mean you’re absolved, young lady.”
“…Yes.”
“And you—be careful around men.”
“…What?”
“You said you want to be an actress. As long as you walk that path, temptations like this will come again and again. It’s a hard road. You’ll get tired, and you might start wanting an easier way out. Even if that moment comes, don’t waver. And even if you do for a second, turn back. Like you did today.”
Overwhelmed by his relentless lecture, Hari suddenly burst into tears.
When was the last time someone had spoken to her like this? It reminded her of her mother, worrying endlessly as she left her at the orphanage. The tone was rough, but the warmth beneath it felt the same.
They were tears of emotion, but he mistook them for resentment and muttered again.
“Crying won’t solve anything. Get a grip and live properly. If tears fixed everything, everyone in the world would be living well.”
His calm words stirred quiet ripples in her heart.
It wasn’t fluttering excitement—it was something deeper. For the first time, she felt like she had met a real adult.
“Yes. Thank you… sir.”
Watching her smile softly through her tears, he frowned deeply, as if dumbfounded.
“You’re thanking me after hearing all that?”
“You said it because you were worried about me.”
“Seriously… what a bold one.”
Hari tried once more to press the bracelet into his hand.
“Please take it. If I don’t repay you, it’ll weigh on my heart forever. Please?”
Faced with her persistence, he made an unexpected proposal.
“I don’t need that. Instead, make me a promise.”
“A promise?”
“Promise me you’ll only walk the right path. Don’t ever come to places like this again. Succeed on your own, honestly.”
“Yes. I promise.”
Her eyes sparkled as she answered. He smiled faintly and gently patted her head.
“I’ll be watching.”
As she flinched slightly at his touch, the man—who had firmly refused the bracelet—slipped a 100,000 won check into her hand.
“For your taxi.”
Hari hurriedly called out to his retreating figure.
“I’ll pay you back!”
“It’s fine.”
“No, I will!”
“I said it’s fine.”
He turned back with a faint smile.
As the stiffness in his expression softened, his handsome face seemed even more striking, making Hari’s heart flutter once again.
She wanted to hold onto this connection somehow—but he showed no such intention, disappearing just as suddenly.
“…Ah…”
The moment he was gone, a chill crept over her body.
Cold air brushed against her exposed skin. She quickly wrapped her jacket tightly around herself and hailed a taxi.
The moment she got in, she clutched his handkerchief tightly and repeated the name embroidered on the right side of his military uniform, determined not to forget it.
“Cha Jisang. Cha Jisang. Cha Jisang.”
How could even his name sound so cool? The fact that it wasn’t common made it even better.
She had also noticed the insignia on the left side of his chest—UDT/SEAL.
If she searched well enough, she might find the unit’s address and send him a letter.
It might seem obsessive, but she wanted to see him again at least once—even if she had to swallow her pride.
I’ll send just a hundred letters.
So please… reply at least once, sir.
“When did I fall asleep?”
Hari opened her eyes on the living room rug. The blanket Jisang had given her the night before was wrapped snugly around her, but he was nowhere to be seen.
As she sat up, she noticed a note on the table.
“I’m heading to the company. Don’t go out alone.”
Seeing his neat handwriting, Hari let out a small laugh.
“Our bodyguard even has nice handwriting.”
After days of insomnia, she felt completely refreshed, as if all her fatigue had vanished.
She got up lightly, tidied the bedding, and opened the kitchen cabinet.
As usual, she filled a bowl with oatmeal cereal and poured soy milk over it. While chewing thoughtfully, she opened the news on her phone—just as expected, it was flooded with her name.
“Yu Hari, death threats continue for a second day. Filming halted.”
“Threats escalating—victim even locked in a bathroom.”
“Police suspect an organized, premeditated crime and begin investigation.”
“Yu Hari currently in hiding at her residence.”
It was almost laughable. When there was good news, no one bothered writing articles—but for something like this, they rushed in eagerly.
Hari skimmed through the most-viewed articles and checked the comments. Since she generally had a good public image, most people were sincerely concerned for her safety.
Of course, there were still occasional malicious comments.
“Yu Hari attention seeker lol. Isn’t this just noise marketing? lol”
Hari muttered a reply that the unknown commenter would never hear.
“…I wish it were just noise marketing too.”
Whoever it was had a rotten personality—she silently cursed them to step on gum or something when the doorbell rang.
Thinking Jisang had returned, Hari hurriedly opened the door without checking.
“Mr. Bodyguard?”
“Why would you open the door without even checking who it is?!”
It wasn’t the bodyguard she had been waiting for, but another woman, scolding her as she walked in like she owned the place.
Her name was Maeng Hyunseo—Manager Choi Jungwook’s wife, and the second benefactor to appear in Yu Hari’s life.
