SU | Chapter 3.3

Ji Youngwon had just realized why his insomnia had worsened since Yoo Han appeared. The desire to dismiss his goodness as hypocrisy was strong, continually feeding his disdain for his own unchangeable nature. Yoo Han’s kindness touched a nerve he himself wasn’t fully aware of. Citing nature was easy, but Yoo Han’s circumstances and his own past were too similar.

“…”

“…”

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“Director?”

Yoo Han found it difficult to read the silent, brooding Ji Youngwon. An awkward standoff continued for a while. Finally unable to bear the awkwardness, Yoo Han quietly turned towards the passenger seat.

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While on the phone with a client, Yoo Han sneaked glances at Ji Youngwon. Silent and steering, his expression seemed unusually stiff.

“Yes, yes. I just called because I thought it’d be good for you to be careful. Of course, I might have seen it wrong, so don’t be too scared. Make sure to contact a friend or your parents when you go home.”

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Instead of making a fuss, Yoo Han calmly offered the woman some precautions. She thanked him and ended the call. Only then did Yoo Han let out a sigh of relief and sneak another look at Ji Youngwon.

He had been checking the side mirror and stepping on the accelerator without hesitation. Yoo Han wondered if he should say something but clamped his mouth shut, fearing he might just stir up trouble.

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As the silence stretched, the car eventually stopped on the rooftop of a building. It was a dark 8 PM. The atmosphere felt eerily quiet, as if all the employees had already left.

“Director, I really appreciate your help today.”

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Yoo Han got out of the car and bowed deeply. Ji Youngwon leaned nonchalantly against the rooftop railing, lighting a cigarette. Smoke flowed from his mouth like a sigh.

“Don’t just whine about being hungry, go eat something.”

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Yoo Han’s stomach had been growling, and he blushed, realizing Ji had heard it all from the car.

“Aren’t you going to eat with me?”

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Instead of responding, Ji just shook his head indifferently. Reluctant to leave, Yoo Han hesitated. Meanwhile, Ji turned away, looking off the rooftop, which Yoo Han took as his cue to leave.

As he descended the stairs, emergency lights flickered on one by one.

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“He told me to eat, so he doesn’t seem angry…”

Yoo Han muttered to himself as he walked into a restaurant alone.

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“Ah, right!”

He exclaimed suddenly. He had been with Ji all afternoon and had forgotten something crucial.

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“The phone number and the cookies… Ah.”

After grabbing dinner and returning, Yoo Han opened the door to the second-floor office. He groped around in the darkness for the light switch. Snap! Bright light flooded in, causing him to squint. He walked over to an old sofa and flopped down.

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“Ah, I’ll live…”

Patting his full belly, Yoo Han stared blankly at the ceiling, his mind full of thoughts about Ji Youngwon. It would have been nicer if the director had joined him for dinner. Eating alone late at night felt especially lonely. He hadn’t been at the detective agency long but already felt the pang of solitude, laughing at himself for being so sentimental.

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“…….”

Rustle. A faint noise somewhere snapped him out of his reverie. Yoo Han’s face stiffened instantly as he sat up and looked around. The spacious office was empty except for him, only the sound of his breathing filled the air.

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“Was it nothing? I must have heard wrong.”

Yoo Han scratched his cheek and got up just to be sure. He opened the window to check outside and even crawled under the desk to investigate thoroughly. He opened the office door last, scouring the dark hallway. He thought maybe a stray cat had sneaked into the building, but found nothing.

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Shaking off the creepy feeling, Yoo Han closed the office door and walked over to his bag near the entrance wall, squatting down. That’s when he heard it.

Thud…! A sound of something falling startled him.

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“…….”

Barely holding his breath, not long after, the storeroom door on his left, which was packed with cleaning supplies, swung open.

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“……?!”

Before he could even look up, someone rushed at him and pinned him down. Yoo Han’s eyes widened in shock as a gloved hand clamped over his mouth, forcing him to the floor.

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“Mmph! Mmmph!”

Before he could grasp what was happening, Yoo Han’s survival instincts kicked in, and he thrashed wildly. But the more he struggled, the tighter the grip of the unknown assailant tightened. Yoo Han’s face turned bright red as his heart thudded violently, blood rushing unpleasantly fast.

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“Could this be a prank from the director or the hyungs?” But the force pressing down on him was clearly intent on overpowering him. It was unmistakably the scent of a stranger.

“What’s your relationship with Min Yujin?”

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The assailant whispered menacingly into Yoo Han’s ear.

“So, you’re from Speed Errand. Did Min Yujin ask you to catch me? She doesn’t have the guts, does she?”

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“Mmph! Mmmmph!”

Damn it. Only then did Yoo Han realize the attacker was Min Yujin’s stalker. He had thought the man would follow her, not cunningly stalk him instead. It was an unexpected twist.

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Yoo Han trembled with fear but still tried to find a way out. However, tied up as he was, there wasn’t much he could do. His mouth and nose were so tightly sealed that breathing became a struggle. He felt like his heart might burst from racing so hard.

Bang! Just then, the office door burst open loudly. The attacker’s grip loosened momentarily. Desperately struggling, Yoo Han managed to break free. The amount of dust that had clung to his old clothes showed how long he had been pinned down.

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“He must have followed and sneaked in.”

The low voice of the director echoed. Gasping for air, Yoo Han looked up to see Ji Youngwon’s face harden even more as he grabbed the stalker by the back of his neck.

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“Gah!”

The stalker’s face smashed against the floor as he flailed. Ji Youngwon calmly instructed Yoo Han.

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“There should be a rope in that storeroom. Bring it.”

Yoo Han nodded frantically, his hands trembling as he fetched the rope and handed it to Ji.

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“Let go! You! Fuck!!”

Ji didn’t blink as he tightly bound the attacker with the rope. He wanted to punch the stalker to silence him, but seeing Yoo Han trembling and watching him, he barely contained his urge to lash out.

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“Director, should… should I call the police?”

“Leave it to me. Just stay out of it.”

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With that, Ji dragged the tied-up stalker by the rope as if leading a dog on a leash. They disappeared through the door. The subduing was disturbingly swift. In just under three minutes, the stalker who had suddenly attacked, and the director who had appeared like a savior, had subdued him.

Facing such an unfamiliar situation, Yoo Han’s heart wouldn’t calm easily. He continued to tremble. Looking out the door, the stalker’s yelling had stopped being audible at some point. After sitting stunned for a while, Yoo Han finally managed to stand up.

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Ji Youngwon’s unfazed face flashed in his mind. He had subdued the assailant with a cold, detached efficiency, as if such a dire situation was nothing out of the ordinary, more like a hunter than a knight in shining armor.

Yoo Han placed a hand over his racing heart, trying to catch his breath.

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Meanwhile, Ji had gone downstairs and roughed up the stalker just enough not to kill him. Recalling Yoo Han’s cries and how he squirmed under the stalker like a hunted deer only fueled his punches. The stalker begged for his life as Ji mercilessly beat him, then he slumped against an old chair, exhausted.

Ji hadn’t worn gloves, and his knuckles throbbed faintly. He looked at his hands with a puzzled expression, realizing it had been a long time since he had beaten someone for reasons not involving money.

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Before he could sink into deeper thoughts, he glanced down. The bloodied stalker lay unconscious before him. Ji pulled out a cigarette and realized he had no lighter, so he rifled through the unconscious man’s pockets and lit up. Squatting down, he smoked, looking down at the fallen man’s face.

Ji had noticed the stalker following them even as he drove Yoo Han back to the building, spotting the suspicious movements of a black motorcycle in the rearview mirror. After sending Yoo Han to the restaurant, Ji had scoured the building. By the time he reviewed the CCTV footage and assessed the situation, Yoo Han had already been attacked.

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Ji looked down at the battered man and leisurely smoked.

‘Mmph! Mmmph!’

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Yoo Han’s desperate flailing and his reddened, muffled face haunted him. Feeling his strength surge again, Ji suddenly found himself above Yoo Han, not the stalker.

“…This is interesting.”

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An existence that not only induced insomnia but also stirred desires below—it was utterly baffling. Ji chuckled heartily, shaking his shoulders as he flicked cigarette ashes onto the unconscious stalker. While Gu Kangsan hurried over to handle the aftermath, Ji slowly left the basement.

Ji Youngwon halted abruptly while climbing the stairs, spotting Yoo Han crouched like a bug between the second and third floors, apparently having been waiting for some time.

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“What are you doing here?”

Startled from his light doze by the tension release, Yoo Han quickly lifted his head.

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“Director, are you… are you okay?”

Yoo Han had been worried about a possible scuffle and had been waiting blindly for Ji. As he stood up, his knees creaked, and he wobbled slightly. Ji grabbed Yoo Han’s shoulder with a strong grip, his eyebrows knitting together.

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“Ha…”

Hearing Ji’s mysterious sigh, Yoo Han shivered. Ji, holding Yoo Han, suddenly pulled out his wallet and took out a few bills, pressing them into Yoo Han’s hand.

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“Go out and stay somewhere else tonight.”

Startled, Yoo Han alternately looked at the money clenched in his hand and at Ji Youngwon.

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“Uh, I’m… okay, Director.”

Ji Youngwon scanned Yoo Han from head to toe as if to take a good look at him. Realizing only then that he was trembling, Yoo Han bowed his head in embarrassment. Honestly, as Ji had pointed out, he doubted he would be able to sleep peacefully in the office where a stranger had suddenly appeared. It seemed unlikely for the next few days. He was sure to flinch at even the smallest noise. Just remembering the voice of the stranger whispering in his ear made him feel like he could wet himself.

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“The stalker has been handed over to the police, so don’t worry.”

“……?”

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As Yoo Han flinched, he lifted his head.

“Even if he shows up again, so what? I’m here.”

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The voice was nonchalant, almost careless, as if the words had been blurted out without much thought. Yet, Ji Youngwon’s final remark worked like magic, effortlessly dissolving Yoo Han’s lingering fears.

I’m here, so what’s the problem?

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As Yoo Han silently repeated those words to himself, Ji Youngwon had already turned away. Yoo Han stood rooted in place, watching him ascend the stairs. A tingling sensation lingered on his cheek, where Ji’s touch had brushed lightly just moments before.

“But why does it feel like this…”

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Clutching his chest, which now ached with an unfamiliar, electric tingle, Yoo Han bit down hard on his lip.