IMFOBO | CH 19 | Shielded

Shielded

 

Tae-san raised an eyebrow as he watched the unfamiliar man standing in his backyard.

He had a bad feeling about this.

Just looking at the guy was irritating.

And wouldn’t you know it, these kinds of instincts were usually spot-on.

A rare sight in this village, this young man.

Yeah, a strapping young guy who could really bring down the average age around here.

Where’d this rock crawl out from under?

He looked pale and clean-cut, definitely not your typical country bumpkin.

“Everyone needs to handle things legally. If you start throwing punches, the elders will be at a disadvantage.”

“I didn’t hit him! Why do you keep saying that!”

It was obvious he carried some weight in this village.

His features were respectable and refined.

If you had to compare him to someone, it would be a painfully boring goody-two-shoes like Ryu Jeong-seok.

“……”

Tae-san quietly turned his gaze to Eun-cho.

What was she so lovesick about?

Her already moist eyes looked even wetter.

She was even staring blankly at that man, totally out of it.

Biting and releasing her lip, looking troubled.

Eun-cho’s lips were flushed red, like a candy you just want to suck on, glistening with saliva.

Well, look at this.

It was grating on him.

Ever since that man showed up, Eun-cho had noticeably shrunk back.

She seemed to be trying her best to not draw attention to herself.

And she didn’t even seem to notice he was watching her.

She was so focused on that guy that he didn’t even register.

Ryoo Tae-san, outdone by some clean-cut stiff?

He lived long enough to see everything.

The corner of Tae-san’s mouth slowly curled into a smirk.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing with his own eyes, and he felt resentful toward Eun-cho.

“So, this guy’s been unilaterally chasing Eun-cho around? And now he’s trespassing?”

Unlike Eun-cho, who just wanted to end this whole situation, the man was trying to recap the situation to get things back on track.

Even the way he calmly laid things out was annoying.

Tae-san’s gut instinct was screaming that this guy was trouble.

“Oppa, how did you get here? The elders already settled things. It’s late, let’s talk tomorrow.”

Wow, oppa.

That title rolled off her tongue so easily, Tae-san couldn’t help but let out a disbelieving sigh.

Something in him snapped.

All he ever got was Jeong-seok hyung, Managing Director Ryu Tae-san, or at best, Mr. Ryu Tae-san.

But oppa came so easily.

“It just so happens to be the memorial day. How do you know that guy?”

“Ah… well, that’s…”

The man’s face darkened, probably because of all the ugly rumors he’d heard.

The way he was scanning Tae-san with those sharp eyes made him want to slam the guy into the ground right then and there.

And watching Eun-cho’s eyes dart around as she struggled to find the words was making something boil up from deep inside.

I am a civilized man.

I am the heir of Baekun, unwavering in the face of adversity.

I’m not some psycho who loses his mind over the word ‘oppa’.

Tae-san repeatedly etched the word “patience” into his mind as he glared coldly at the man who had suddenly wedged himself between Eun-cho and him.

“Oh, Gu-won! Our lawyer, Mr. Jin! Seems like there was some kind of misunderstanding. He’s a real nice fella!”

“Mother, please.”

A lawyer, huh?

So he thinks he’s hot stuff just because he can spout some legal jargon?

“Hello, I’m Jin Gu-won, an attorney at Barun Law Firm.”

“……”

The man pulled out a business card case from his inner pocket.

Tae-san took the crisp card and scanned the text indifferently.

Normally, exchanging business cards to identify oneself would be good business etiquette…

But screw that.

He wasn’t exactly trying to make a deal with this guy, was he?

Besides, Eun-cho was giving him a pleading look, shaking her head.

She was begging him not to reveal his identity.

“Ryu Tae-san,” Tae-san said tersely.

In reality, his title as a managing director at Baekun Construction would be the best way to shut up this guy and the village elders, but he’d give Eun-cho a break since she looked so desperate.

It was just a minor inconvenience.

“What’s your relationship with Eun-cho? Stalking and trespassing are serious offenses.”

“No, that’s not it! Will you listen to me? Son?”

Despite his mother’s attempts to stop him, the man stubbornly stood his ground.

As if it was his duty to protect Eun-cho.

He must really care about her, this oppa.

Tae-san felt a slight surge of annoyance at that paltry sense of responsibility and meddling.

I’ll calmly and factually tear you down.

Tae-san was no slouch when it came to verbal sparring.

His eyes narrowed into a crescent shape as he smiled.

“Elders, I’ll explain everything to your son.”

“Oh my, we really misunderstood such a polite young man!”

“First of all, I currently own this house. The title was transferred quite a while ago. So it’s not trespassing.”

The calm retort seemed to throw Gu-won, or whatever his name was, for a loop.

And that was pretty satisfying.

“And as for the stalking…”

Tae-san’s gaze shifted to Eun-cho.

The woman was clearly tense, swallowing hard like a frightened deer.

“Eun-cho,”

“…!”

Her round eyes trembled as if they were spasming.

Eun-cho, Eun-cho, Eun-cho.

The familiar yet foreign way of saying her name rolled off his tongue so easily, as if he’d been calling her that all along.

As if she had been his Eun-cho from the start.

“Come here,”

Tae-san intentionally called Eun-cho to his side, as if to show off.

Eun-cho hesitated, unsure of what was about to happen, but slowly began to move.

One step, then another.

As the distance closed, the faint scent of fresh grass and medicinal herbs wafted around him.

“I’m very fond of Eun-cho.”

There he goes again.

He hadn’t even told her directly yet, but here he was, announcing it publicly to the whole village for the second time.

And especially you, Mr. Ten-Won (TN: Ten-Won is a play on the name Gu-won, and is a very small amount of money), you better listen up.

He was going to shout it right into his eardrums.

His voice, earnest and sincere, once again stirred up the village of Cheongrim.

The once quiet and still village was beginning to ripple with commotion.

Everyone seemed to be itching to add their two cents.

“I’m waiting for her to accept my feelings.”

“No, what are you saying, hyung!”

Jeong-seok looked like he was about to burst as he took a step forward.

Tae-san gave his brother, who had no sense of the atmosphere, an amicable smile.

Open your mouth and you’re dead.

Jeong-seok, looking horrified, had no choice but to shut his mouth, but he was still fidgeting like a dog with an itchy butthole.

“I will treat Eun-cho well, so the elders don’t have to worry. I’ll be reliable and caring.”

Since there was no stalking or trespassing, there was nothing more for this other oppa of Lee Eun-cho’s to say.

There was no way he could object with any justification.

Tae-san cut off all possible trouble in advance, wearing a faint smile.

“Eun-cho, what you think is most important.”

The lawyer gave Eun-cho a concerned look.

But to Tae-san, that look seemed to carry a completely different vibe.

Who is that bastard giving the eye to?

Flames were raging in his chest, but Tae-san patiently maintained his composure.

He couldn’t let some nobody ruin the image he had worked so hard to create.

He was an expert at charming grandmothers and grandfathers, but unfortunately, all he knew how to do with people his own age was crush them.

“He’s a good person. You don’t have to worry,” Eun-cho said cautiously, blinking her eyes.

It was a quiet statement, but it sealed the deal.

Now that things had escalated this far, there was no turning back for Eun-cho either.

Since there was already a contract between the two of them, the conclusion was inevitable.

Eun-cho’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she lowered her head, while Gu-won, or whatever his ten-won name was, stared down at the crown of her head, which looked like the stem of an apple, his face dark.

Kill +1.

It seemed like he had taken out a pest.

“You bought this house for Eun-cho too?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

With the conversation progressing this far, the elders, who had stormed in with such frenzy, seemed to have lost some of their momentum and nodded in agreement.

Huh?

That was when Tae-san’s gaze locked onto Eun-cho’s chest.

It was like the memory was seared into his retina: Eun-cho taking off her bra without removing her outer layers.

It wasn’t obvious when she was in the dark, but now that she was out in the slightly brighter light, it immediately caught his eye.

You had to look closely, but you could subtly make out her curves.

That reckless woman had come out here like that.

He couldn’t let her show this side of herself to that ten-won pest, even if the grandmothers didn’t notice.

Tae-san’s expression hardened instantly as he stepped in front of Eun-cho.

Eun-cho seemed to sense that he was concerned about her, but for now, covering her up was his priority.

“We still don’t completely trust you!”

“We’ll be watching you, so don’t do anything stupid!”

The grandmothers issued their warnings and scattered.

Their final shouts were practically a surrender.

They had basically acknowledged Tae-san, at least partially.

Now that the most annoying pest had left, Tae-san let out a small sigh and looked down at Eun-cho.

It was time to take care of their own business.