Back at the office, Taeseok quickly summoned Secretary Min.

“You called for me, sir?”

“I need some information on someone.”

“Sorry?”

“Where she’s currently living, family relations, any possible debt—everything, no matter how small.”

“You mean right now?”

“The sooner, the better.”

“Understood, sir.”

Taeseok raised one eyebrow slightly, casually flicking his long fingers.

9 p.m. Time had flown by in a blur.

For a brief moment, Taeseok’s face surfaced in Iseo’s mind. She shook her head to cast the thought away.

“I must be out of my mind. Why am I thinking about him?”

Why did she keep getting entangled with that man? Her thoughts were a tangled mess every time she thought of him.

She hurried down a narrow alley.

Then, behind her, a dark shadow crept in.

“You should come home earlier. Don’t you know how dangerous the world is these days?”

Loan sharks who had been waiting near her apartment blocked her path.

The moment she saw the men, Iseo’s body began to tremble again.

After meeting Choi Byung-tae, she should have gotten used to this by now, but every time it happened, the dread was just as intense. Her blood boiled, her body shook.

“We thought you were dead. But look at you, perfectly fine.”

“I told you I have nothing to do with him. Why are you here again?”

“Nothing to do with him?”

“If you keep this up, I’ll really call the police.”

“How many times do I have to say it? Even if you call the police, it won’t solve anything. All you have to do is pay the money. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. And forget about running again—there’s nowhere left to go.”

Their vicious eyes scanned every inch of her.

“I told you, I don’t know that man. You’d be better off using this time to look for him, so just leave already.”

“Looks like we’re done talking.”

The man stepped closer with threatening eyes.

As the distance between them narrowed, a sense of danger washed over her.

“I said I don’t know him. Why are you doing this to me?”

“Our pretty little girl—what makes you so brave?”

Suddenly, under the streetlight, something shiny flashed in the man’s hand—a knife.

“Are you insane?! Are you really planning to kill me?”

“Why would I do that? Killing you doesn’t get me my money.”

He began to slowly close the gap between them.

A dead-end alley. No place left to run.

Iseo grabbed an empty glass bottle from the ground.

“What, you gonna hit me with that?”

“Think I won’t? Don’t come any closer. I don’t know what I’ll do if you do. Just leave.”

“You shouldn’t mess with stuff like that.”

Before he even finished his sentence, Iseo slammed the bottle to the ground, shattering it.

“You really want to die, huh?”

“Then let’s die together. I’m not exactly eager to keep living, either.”

“You’ve really lost it.”

“That’s right. I’ve lost it. I’ll show you just how crazy I can be. Scum like you who suck people dry with ridiculous interest rates don’t deserve to live.”

She began swinging the broken glass bottle at them.

“Fine, we’re done talking.”

Just as the man lunged toward her—

Thud.

A heavy sound. The man with the knife was suddenly thrown to the ground.

“Ugh…”

“Who the hell are you?!”

“What the—”

Under the flickering streetlight stood Taeseok, his gaze icy cold.

“Who am I? Just a guy passing by. Looked like two men were harassing a woman. I’m not usually the hero type, but for some reason I couldn’t walk away tonight.”

“You bastard!”

One of the men swung his knife at Taeseok’s arm. Blood began dripping from his hand.

“Now that I’m bleeding, I can’t just let this go.”

Without a change in expression, Taeseok shook the blood from his hand and punched the man. Meanwhile, Iseo started hitting the other one with her bag.

In a flash, the men were groaning on the ground, clutching their stomachs in pain.

“Let’s see. Harassment, threats, outrageous interest rates, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder…”

“Who the hell is this guy?”

“Her boyfriend. You know, the one you were threatening.”

“B-boyfriend?!”

“Don’t make me repeat myself. I need a clear shot for the evidence, so lift your heads.”

Taeseok pulled out his phone. Panicked, the men stumbled away on shaky legs.

“Whatever, we’ll be back! Have the money ready!”

As the men disappeared, Iseo rushed over to him.

Her face was pale with worry.

“What happened? Why are you here?”

“I had business nearby. Good thing I came.”

Her gaze landed on his hand.

“You’re bleeding.”

“It’s nothing.”

But blood was still dripping steadily from the cut on his hand.

“How is this nothing? We need to go to the hospital.”

Shaking, she fumbled through her bag for her phone. Taeseok quickly grabbed her wrist.

“If you don’t want to see us on the front page tomorrow morning, don’t make this more complicated.”

“But you’re hurt.”

“I said I’m fine.”

“Can’t you see you’re bleeding?”

“And I’m telling you it’s not a big deal.”

“Forget it. Come to my place, at least. Let me disinfect it and put on a bandage.”

She grabbed his hand and led him quickly.

A small space, instantly taken in at a glance.

Blackout curtains blocked all light. Only a dim side lamp lit the room.

“Wait here. I’ll get the first-aid kit.”

While Iseo went to fetch the kit, Taeseok looked around.

The windows were completely sealed off, not a single beam of light coming through.

There was barely any furniture—just an old desk and a blanket in the corner.

“Take off your coat.”

“That’s a dangerous thing to say in this kind of situation.”

“Are you seriously joking right now? I need to disinfect your wound. Take off your outerwear.”

He took off his jacket. The sleeve of his white shirt was soaked in red.

“What were you thinking? You saw the knife. You should’ve dodged or run.”

“It barely grazed me. What about you—were you really going to stab them with that broken bottle?”

“Well… maybe… Anyway, are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?”

“I know my body. It’s not deep enough for stitches, so don’t worry.”

Even as she treated the wound, Taeseok’s face showed no pain.

Unlike him, Iseo’s hands trembled as she wrapped the gauze.

Had it not been for him, she might not have made it out.

“You like it dark in here?”

“Sorry?”

“I know it’s late, but the room’s really dark. Like you’re hiding from something.”

Her brows furrowed at his words.

“And another thing—I’ve been meaning to ask. Why do you keep talking more casually?”

“I’m older than you, Choi Iseo.”

“You don’t know how old I am. And who said being older gives you permission to drop formalities? We’re not friends, we’re not close, and we haven’t known each other that long.”

“Well… maybe we’re about to become closer than friends or neighbors.”

His cryptic words made Iseo stare at him, puzzled.

“Be honest—why are you really here?”

“Because I have a job for you.”

“A job?”

Taeseok’s lip curved upward in a sly smile, while Iseo stared in disbelief.