episode_0011

The office of Secretary Choi of Hwarang Group.

There, Seol-hee and Secretary Choi were sitting facing each other.

“You almost got into big trouble, Miss. I think you should refrain from doing anything dangerous like that again.”

At Secretary Choi’s words, Seol-hee shrugged her shoulders and crossed her legs.

“Yes. I think I was right in thinking naively. But I don’t plan on giving up. Rather, I’m even more angry?”

“Yes?”

“After all, Bin Hye-yoon is the same age as me. Bin Hye-yoon is a great person, but……. I’m not that easy of a person either.”

Before she knew it, Seol-hee was secretly developing a rivalry with Bin Hye-yoon.

Seol-hee thought that she was the most talented person in the world because she grew up without any shortcomings.

Born into a wealthy family and graduating from a prestigious American university, Seol-hee was also loved by her family for her intelligence and beauty. She thought that no one among her peers could surpass her.

But for the first time, he saw a woman his own age who overwhelmed him.

That charisma. The aura that overwhelms people. The boldness to conquer the dark world at the young age of twenty-three.

Everything was the opposite of Seol-hee’s, but that was enough to make her her rival.

Seol-hee continued speaking, looking up at the ceiling with her legs crossed.

“I was wrong to think that something would come out if I just dug around a little bit. I have to do my best from now on. Secretary Choi. Did you investigate what I asked you to do?”

“Yes. The investigation was completed just an hour ago.”

Secretary Choi took out his tablet PC and began reading the document on the screen.

“I had a hard time finding people from Saehui Hope Orphanage. Because that orphanage is such a dark place, many people hide the fact that they are from there.”

“Dark, you say?”

“It is true that it is a daycare center that goes beyond common sense. No matter how crazy the world has become these days, I didn’t know that such a place would still exist. It is not a daycare center, but a jungle where people eat and are eaten. It is a space outside the standards.”

Space outside the standard…….

Secretary Choi continued his report, wearing his glasses.

“……Anyway, I got meaningful testimony. It is certain that Bin Hye-yoon and Woo Sung-won grew up together there. The two lived together there until Bin Hye-yoon was adopted into the Black Emily family when she was fifteen. They say that the two were very close there.”

“What……I guess so.”

Seol-hee answered in a voice that seemed to indicate that she felt somewhat annoyed.

Secretary Choi continued his report while looking into Seol-hee’s eyes.

“That’s the important fact. At Saehui Hope Orphanage, Bin Hye-yoon was unilaterally protected by Woo Sung-won.”

“Yes?”

“They say that Bin Hye-yoon didn’t talk to anyone else there except Woo Sung-won. They say that Woo Sung-won took good care of Bin Hye-yoon like his own family. Bin Hye-yoon also followed Woo Sung-won well. They say that she almost died a few times, but survived thanks to Woo Sung-won.”

“You almost died?”

“Didn’t I tell you? That place was outside the standard. It’s said that on a midwinter night, Woo Sung-won barely managed to contain Bin Hye-yoon, who was shivering outside under the pretext of being punished by the orphanage.”

Seol-hee listened to the story with her legs crossed.

When Secretary Choi finished his report, Seol-hee moved her lips here and there with an anxious expression and then opened her mouth.

“……That happened. Now I understand why Bin Hye-yoon is so obsessed with Woo Sung-won.”

“Yes?”

“It’s strange that he didn’t become a psychopath when he grew up in such a place. I wonder if Woo Sung-won, who grew up healthy, is more amazing.”

“Come to think of it, that’s true.”

“Honestly, I’m more interested in Woo Sung-won as a person. Looking at him now, Woo Sung-won seems stronger and more in control of himself.”

Seol-hee jumped up and looked out the window.

Seol-hee, who was deep in thought as she looked out the window at the sunlight pouring in, turned her head to look at Secretary Choi and added.

“I will also risk my life and do my best. I think I should stop thinking about just taking down Bin Hye-yoon right now. I need to look at it in the long term.”

“Long term?”

“Secretary Choi. Do you know what I mean?”

Seol-hee let down her fine hair and whispered, sweeping her bangs back with both hands.

“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

***

hmm……

I was trying to browse job search sites, but before I knew it, I was watching girl group videos on YouTube.

Ugh- I don’t have time to waste time like this. What am I doing?

I got up from my computer chair and scratched my head.

Okay. Let’s rest for today and start working hard again tomorrow.

Seriously, starting tomorrow I’m just going to get a job!!

Anyway, I have the magic golden card that I received from Hye-yoon.

Just then the phone rang.

I reached out and fumbled to pick up the phone that was lying over there.

This is Hye-yoon.

I cleared my throat and answered the phone.

“Oh, what’s going on?”

“Darling. Do you want to go out for some fresh air today?”

“Going for some fresh air?”

By the way, darling… Bin Hye-yoon’s nicknames are becoming increasingly shameless.

“I think I’ll have some free time in the afternoon. I want to go to the beach and get some sun. It’s a hot summer day, right? ”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

It was already summer, with outdoor temperatures exceeding thirty degrees.

It seems like only yesterday that I was dumped by Yeonrim in early summer… Time sure does fly by.

Then shall we go for a walk?

“Where shall we meet?”

In response to my question, Hye-yoon made a yawning sound and answered.

“I’ll send the car, so wait. Bring your swimsuit.”

“Okay. You’re not going to stay overnight there, are you?”

“I don’t have time for that. Oh my… Are you having evil intentions?”

“Oh, no. I can’t sleep well when my sleeping position changes. I don’t like sleeping in unfamiliar places.”

“Whinning is……. Yeah. I’ll postpone the trip where we’ll spend a hot night together until next time. Since today is a day trip anyway.”

So the call ended.

I stared at my phone and thought.

Bin Hye-yoon…… I don’t really understand this child’s thoughts.

Does Hye-yoon like me? Or does she just want to play with me? Does she just think of me as a friend?

What do I mean to Hye-yoon?

Now that I think about it, I remember what Yoo Seol-hee said last time.

-You can’t handle Bin Hye-yoon.

Those words rang clearly in my head.

I blankly stared up at the hot sunlight pouring down outside the window.

It was a slowly getting hotter summer.

***

“Did you bring your swimsuit?”

Hyeyoon, wearing short hot pants and sunglasses, asked.

Today, Hye-yoon is dressed like an ordinary girl going out to play.

Blue slippers, short hot pants, a tight white sleeveless T-shirt, and even black sunglasses that look like something a fashion show model would wear.

Healthy and well-toned legs are a work of art. As expected, Hye-yoon… probably knows better than anyone else that she has a well-toned body.

His attire did not give off the vibe of a mafia boss at all.

“Of course I brought it. By the way… Who are those people standing behind you?”

When I asked Hye-yoon, pointing to the large men in suits standing behind her, Hye-yoon answered while slightly pushing up her sunglasses.

“Bodyguards. I have a job to do. You never know when or where you might encounter enemies. Please understand if it’s uncomfortable.”

“What. That, that’s right……”

Soon a luxury car came running from the other side and stopped in front of me.

Hyeyoon, who had loaded her luggage into the trunk, slammed the trunk door shut and asked.

“Are you still working out at the gym these days?”

“Of course. Don’t you think I’m feeling better?”

“Oh my. I don’t know.”

While we were giggling like that, Hye-yoon’s subordinate spoke urgently from over there.

“Boss! I have something to report to you!”

“Huh?”

As Hye-yoon reacted by slightly lowering her sunglasses, her subordinate, who quickly ran over, bowed his head deeply and opened his mouth.

“I just caught a reporter filming the boss secretly nearby. What should I do?”

“Reporter?”

Hyeyoon pouts her lips and looks at my face. She shrugs and gives an order.

“Bring it.”

What the… The atmosphere is getting weird again.

Damn. I just wanted to have fun and play in the ocean today. What’s going on now?

Soon a young woman covered in blood was dragged in from the other side.

You really don’t care about men or women. You look like a young female reporter…

I felt like it wasn’t the right atmosphere for me, so I took a step to the side.

Hyeyoon asked, tilting her head and placing both hands on her waist.

“Where are you a newspaper reporter? Are you an internet flyer reporter?”

But the young reporter covered in blood was breathing heavily and unable to answer. No, it seemed like she had been beaten and tortured so much that she had no time to answer.

“If you don’t answer, I can’t help it. Who has a gun?”

Oops. What the hell is going on here?

When I looked at Hye-yoon in surprise, Hye-yoon winked slightly and answered.

“Sometimes, even on a nice day like this, flies come in. Don’t worry. They’ll get rid of them quickly.”

“What, what?”

Soon a large man with a pistol on his waist came over and bowed his head.

Hyeyoon gave orders to her subordinate without any hesitation.

“Go to a quiet place and shoot this woman. Dispose of the body as you wish.”

What the fuck……

Hey, this doesn’t seem right.

I swallowed hard and barely opened my mouth.

“Hey, hey, hey Hye-yoon. Today is a nice day to go to the beach and play. Do I really have to see blood?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“No matter what, when someone dies, it’s a bit uncomfortable, right? Right? Today is a rare day to go out, so let’s let it go. I think I won’t be able to rest comfortably today if this person dies. Right?”

I mustered up all the courage I had to say that. One of my legs was shaking.

Hyeyoon, who was tilting her head and moving her lips as if she was uncomfortable, squatted down in front of the reporter who was covered in blood.

Hyeyoon, who rested her chin on both hands, asked like an innocent girl.

“What do you think? Do you want to live?”

The young reporter, coughing up blood from her mouth, answered sobbing.

“Sa, please save me…….. Yes?”

“Are you going to write an article about what you saw today?”

The reporter shook his head desperately.

Hyeyoon, who had been staring at her covered in blood, suddenly smiled as if a good idea had come to her and opened her mouth again.

“Yeah. I think it’d be fun to keep this woman alive. I won’t kill you. I’m in a good mood because today is the first day I’m going out for fun in a long time.”

Phew……Thank goodness.

Hye-yoon suddenly grabbed my hand and gave orders to her subordinates.

“Don’t kill me, just touch me and let me go. It’s okay to break one of my legs.”

***

ocean.

Dazzling beach. Pouring sunshine.

After a quick swim in the sea, I lay down under the parasol.

I guess I’m not the type of person who likes playing in water.

It’s been a while since I’ve been exposed to the sun all over my body, so I feel drowsy.

“Don’t you swim?”

From over there, Hye-yoon approached, wiping the water from her hair with a towel.

Hyeyoon in a bikini has a fantastic body. She even has a slightly tanned bronze skin…….

I was momentarily taken aback by Hye-yoon’s bikini appearance, then cleared my throat and answered.

“I don’t really like playing in the water. I’m also a beer bottle…….”

“Hmm. Really?”

Hyeyoon, who had dried her body with a towel, sat down next to me.

There was no one else on the beach except us. Suddenly I wondered why there was no one else on this beach except us.

“Is this a beach that no one can enter?”

“Ah. How could that be? You just paid money and rented the entire beach.”

……What? Was that possible?

By the way, Bin Hye-yoon… You really spend money like crazy. I wonder how much money you have.

Hyeyoon, lying next to me, held out a bottle of tanning oil and said.

“Put some tanning oil on your back. While you’re at it, get some tan before you go.”

“Uh, yeah? Me?”

“Then. Who else is here besides you?”

Hyeyoon, who had left the bottle of tanning oil for me, boldly took off her bikini top while lying down.

Sigh…fuck…I’ve never done anything like this before.

Okay, okay, you can do it, right?

I squeezed a generous amount of tanning oil into my hand and carefully placed my hand on Hye-yoon’s back.

“Ah……..”

A small moan escaped Hye-yoon’s mouth.

“Wait a minute. Don’t make any weird noises.”

“It just came out instinctively. Why is that? Are you feeling it with your hands?”

“Ah, ah, no. I just…….”

I cleared my mind as I carefully applied tanning oil to Hye-yoon’s back.

Hyeyoon’s back was warm.

If I were to feel this sensation here, seriously, in real time, my swimsuit bottoms would look ugly.

To silence this biological response, we need to think differently.

Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha…….

Let’s think back to when we were young. When we were at Saehui Hope Orphanage……..

Let’s think about those difficult, hungry, and painful times…….

Let’s think about when Yeonlim dumped us…

Think about a time when you got ripped off in an interview…….

“Seongwon-ah.”

Hyeyoon, who was lying face down and looking at the beach where the waves were crashing, suddenly opened her mouth.

“Huh?”

“When we were young. At Saehui Hope Orphanage…….. Why did you take care of me?”

“Huh? Why is that suddenly a new thing……..”

“I’ve never asked you before. I suddenly wanted to hear it.”

I scratched my cheek with my finger and answered honestly.

“Why, why……. I just felt bad for you and felt sorry for you……”

“Is that really all?”

“Well, that’s how it started……. I guess I’ll have to take care of you.”

There was silence for a moment.

Hyeyoon, who was lying down and feeling my touch, suddenly burst out laughing.

“Why are you laughing?”

“No. Thanks for being honest. I’m done with tanning oil.”

Hyeyoon sat up as if nothing had happened and put on her bikini top.

I quickly turned around and avoided eye contact.

Uhh……. Bin Hye-yoon. Are you really aware that you are a woman? Or are you doing this on purpose?

While I was sitting back, flustered and trying to collect my expression, Hye-yoon whispered softly in my ear.

“That’s why I like it. It hasn’t changed at all since I was young.”

After saying that, Hye-yoon playfully kissed my ear.

It was a somewhat scary voice.

Why did I feel fear in that voice?

At that moment, an alarm went off on my phone saying that I had a text message.

I quickly got up and checked my phone that was under my bag.

It was a message from the post office.

Huh? You said I got mail? What mail?