Chapter : 31
“What kind of person he is, why he’s being chased, what he likes and dislikes…….”
From the gaze fixed straight on her, Yi-seol could clearly feel his concern.
“What are you curious about?”
Tae-shin reached out and cupped her cheek.
The warmth against her skin felt unfamiliar.
The world lay asleep in the deep of night.
A secret space where only the two of them existed.
Lee Tae-shin’s quietly matching gaze.
A blind devotion that felt as though, if she asked, he’d give up even his liver and gallbladder without hesitation.
The tension pressing in around them made her lips go dry.
Being alone with Tae-shin was dangerous after all.
She felt precarious, as if she might be swept away by the moment and do something foolish.
“…I should get going.”
She forcibly turned her face away from his hand and broke eye contact.
Just then, Tae-shin grabbed her arm.
“That ramen you mentioned earlier—I’ll make it for you.”
“What?”
“Let’s go night fishing.”
“Just the two of us?”
“Technically three. The captain has to take us there.”
“Ah…”
The unexpected suggestion left her flustered—and unwilling to refuse.
Her desire to stay with him was suppressing the voice telling her she shouldn’t.
“But what if someone sees us…?”
“If we take a boat about twenty minutes from here, there’s a night-fishing spot only the captain knows. It’s an uninhabited island. He said we could go anytime we wanted.”
If it was a deserted island, there’d be no risk of being discovered.
“What do you think?”
Tae-shin asked softly, gazing steadily at her.
“…Okay.”
Yi-seol nodded impulsively.
Convincing herself that nothing stupid would happen since the captain would be there too.
Tae-shin leaned close and whispered in her ear.
“I’ll call you tonight.”
The brush of his breath against her ear felt like it tickled straight into her heart.
Ahem.
Clearing her throat, Yi-seol nodded again.
The next day, Yi-seol overslept and didn’t come down to the restaurant until eleven.
Although Kang-hoon was working part-time, weekends were busy, and they needed every extra hand.
Even though it was still early, the place was already crowded.
Grandma and Kang-hoon worked seamlessly together.
When Grandma served the food, Kang-hoon immediately brought it to the tables, handled payments, and cleared dishes without delay.
“You’re here?”
Kang-hoon greeted her.
“I’m late, aren’t I? You must’ve had a hard time alone.”
“This is nothing.”
They were the same age—she didn’t understand why he insisted on speaking so formally, but she decided to stop caring.
“You should’ve slept more. Why’d you come down? Kang-hoon’s here—go meet a friend or something. You’ve been helping every weekend and never go out.”
“It’s fine. I don’t have anyone to meet.”
“That’s ’cause all you do is work. The lady at the hair salon said she knows a decent man—want to meet him?”
“Oh, Grandma. Where would I even find the time to date?”
“You make time even if you don’t have it. You know that new hospital in town? He’s a doctor there.”
A doctor in a place like this?
“No thanks.”
“Good grief. I don’t know when I’ll ever get to hold my grandchild.”
Ignoring her grandmother’s lament, Yi-seol tied on her apron.
There was plenty to do—rolling kimbap, skewering fish cakes—before the lunch rush hit.
Just as the hectic lunch business was winding down,
a black limousine glided to a stop in front of the restaurant.
A limousine was not a common sight in this town, so people’s attention immediately turned toward it.
The director from Mirae Credit got out of the passenger seat and respectfully opened the rear door.
The man who stepped out was none other than Choi Mu-gwang.
Dressed in a perfectly tailored luxury suit, hair slicked back with oil, and polished shoes gleaming.
What the hell?
A limousine, and dressed like that?
Was today some kind of important occasion?
“Why the hell is that bastard back here again? Damn pest. Hope a tiger eats him alive. What’s the Grim Reaper doing, not taking that jerk away already?”
Grandma’s sharp curses drilled straight into Yi-seol’s ears.
“What’s he all dressed up for today? And what’s with that long-ass car?”
Hearing her curses, Kang-hoon chuckled quietly, then stiffened when he saw Mu-gwang approaching.
Anyone seeing Choi Mu-gwang for the first time was bound to be intimidated.
Though he looked mild on the surface, the cruelty in his eyes was hard to hide.
“Granny, business good?”
Mu-gwang swept his gaze through the shop, then fixed it on Kang-hoon.
“It’d be even better if you lot didn’t show up.”
“If you say that, you hurt my feelings. I told my boys not to touch this place. Didn’t I?”
At Mu-gwang’s question, the director standing behind him like a shadow answered.
“Yes. As instructed, we’ve stayed away from this area.”
“You heard that, right?”
“What good’s telling ’em when you come here in a whole gang and scare off all the customers?”
Several customers hesitated, then slowly backed away after seeing the five or six large men blocking the entrance.
“Don’t worry. I’ll leave as soon as I’m done.”
Mu-gwang turned to Kang-hoon, who was staring back without flinching.
“You’re the new part-timer?”
If they hadn’t been coming near here, how did he know about a new hire?
So they were watching this place after all.
“Why’d you suddenly need a part-timer you never used before? Someone send you on purpose?”
He stepped closer to Kang-hoon and lightly kicked his shin.
“Ugh.”
Kang-hoon groaned and collapsed halfway to the floor.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
Yi-seol protested as she grabbed Kang-hoon, but Mu-gwang merely shrugged.
“So, your leg really injured?”
“That’s none of your business!”
“Aw, I didn’t even kick you that hard. Quit exaggerating.”
Mu-gwang’s sharp gaze pierced Kang-hoon as he writhed in pain.
What exactly was he suspecting?
Turning to Yi-seol, Mu-gwang spoke gently.
“Teacher Yoon Yi-seol. I got a little something to talk about—let’s go somewhere for a bit.”
“Where do you think you’re taking her? If you’ve got something to say, say it here.”
Grandma stepped between them.
“Then shall we talk right here? Boys, what are you waiting for? Clear this place out.”
“Yes, boss!”
At his single command, the gangsters waiting behind surged forward.
They looked ready to overturn the restaurant and drive out the remaining customers.
“I’ll go. Stop it.”
“Yi-seol!”
“It’s okay, Grandma.”
“Where do you think you’re going? You can’t go. Who knows what they’ll do if you follow them?”
“It’s fine. He’s my uncle. He won’t hurt me.”
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t lose a single hair and bring her back safe and sound, so don’t worry and just wait, Granny.”
At a single glance from him, his subordinates all stepped back.
Mu-gwang even opened the limousine’s rear door himself.
Yi-seol removed her apron, reassured her grandmother, and got into the car.
People from the surrounding shops watched her with anxious expressions.
“Shouldn’t we call the police?”
“Oh, sure—call them if you want. That is, if you don’t mind never seeing our teacher again.”
After delivering that final warning, Mu-gwang got into the car, and it pulled away.
So smoothly and quietly it was hard to tell it was even moving.
Yi-seol, too, had something she needed to confirm with Mu-gwang.
She needed to know whether Hwang In-woo had run crying to his uncle after what happened in the cafeteria, complaining that “some returning student humiliated him at school.”
Given In-woo’s pride—and his fear of his uncle—it seemed unlikely, but she was still worried.
The interior of the limousine was spacious and comfortable.
The high-quality leather seats were soft, the cushions plush, and the air carried a pleasant scent.
On one side sat a large box.
An ivory box tied with a pink ribbon, stamped with the logo of a famous brand.
A gift—for a woman?
Sitting across from Mu-gwang, Yi-seol glanced out the window.
Wondering if Tae-shin might be watching somewhere.
If he was, she hoped he wouldn’t follow.
A man who needed to stay hidden couldn’t afford to cross paths with Choi Mu-gwang.
Maybe she should’ve installed that location-tracking app like he suggested.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll know when we get there.”
