Chapter 9
After Jang Jaegun and his group left, silence settled over the hallway.
Only Sa-hyuk, Seobin, and Yoo Inha remained.
It was Yoo Inha who broke the quiet first.
“Long time no see. Bae Seohyun’s little sister.”
He smiled brightly as he approached Seobin.
“You look upset. That hurts my feelings. Have you been well?”
Seobin’s gaze was cold and steady.
She said nothing.
Yoo Inha stepped closer, smiling as if greeting an old friend.
Disgusting.
For a split second, Seobin wanted to smash his face.
But she held back.
If I’m going to ruin you, I’ll do it properly.
This is only the beginning.
She didn’t step back. Their distance narrowed until they were close enough to touch.
The tension was thick.
“Let’s call it a night. I still have things to discuss with Reporter Bae.”
Sa-hyuk’s low, cool voice cut through the silence as he stepped in front of her.
Yoo Inha laughed lightly.
“Reporter? Executive Director Kim must have a lot of free time. Taking reporters to parties and all.”
Sa-hyuk answered evenly.
“She’s our company’s assigned reporter. We should treat her well, don’t you think?”
“Wow, very heir-like of you. No wonder your father already gave you the executive seat.”
Yoo Inha clapped slowly and smiled.
Warm. Gentle. The kind of smile that once charmed many.
“Since Executive Director Kim asks, I’ll leave it at that. As for you, Reporter Bae…”
His eyes slid back to Seobin.
Her neck throbbed where Jaegun had grabbed her.
She kept her face calm.
Yoo Inha tilted his head and held out his hand.
“See you again. I think we’ll be seeing each other often.”
Seobin looked at his hand.
Her lips curved slightly.
She had no intention of taking it.
She almost laughed at herself for wondering whether those hands had killed her sister.
When she didn’t respond, Yoo Inha raised an eyebrow, then withdrew his hand casually and waved it in farewell before leaving.
At the same time, Sa-hyuk grabbed her wrist.
“Come with me.”
***
In the suite, Sa-hyuk stood with his back to her, looking out at the night view through the wide window.
Even standing still with his hands in his pockets, he felt imposing.
Seobin swallowed her anxiety and spoke.
“I didn’t mean for things to escalate like that. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Her voice was calm, but her breathing betrayed her tension.
“Next time, I’ll approach the Sarim Foundation directly. I already prepared—”
Sa-hyuk turned around.
“Why would you go there?”
He stepped closer.
“Why would you go there?”
“…After what happened today… and since Yoo Inha’s funding issue was our original goal…”
Under his cold gaze, she rushed to prove her usefulness.
Fear crept in.
He might discard her after tonight.
As if confirming her fear, he said,
“Let’s pretend my proposal never happened.”
“What do you mean—”
She shook her head quickly.
“No.”
Ignoring her, he walked toward the bedroom hallway.
She grabbed him.
“Today was a mistake. I didn’t expect to run into Jaegun. I thought maybe he’d slip up while drunk. I got greedy. It won’t happen again. Please… give me another chance.”
She clutched his shirt tightly, looking up at him desperately.
His eyes dropped to her hand.
“Mistake.”
He repeated the word slowly.
Then his gaze moved to her collarbone.
To the bruises on her pale neck.
“Who risks their life over a mistake?”
His lips tilted.
It looked like pity. Or mockery.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Her body ached from exhaustion and the fight.
She felt like collapsing.
But if she fell now, everything would be over.
So she steadied herself.
“Then tell me what I should have done. What do you want?”
He turned toward her slowly.
His breathing was slightly uneven, though she didn’t notice.
She only noticed his shirt slipping from her fingers.
“You should’ve looked for me.”
His voice was low.
She looked up at him.
“I called. You didn’t answer.”
“Then you should’ve kept calling. Until I answered. Until I got there. Before he laid a hand on you, you should’ve come to me first.”
She was stunned.
She had expected him to say she should’ve avoided the fight.
Instead—
Why?
Who are you to say that?
Her mind swirled.
But arguing further would only make things worse.
“I’m sorry.”
Her voice was steady.
“I was careless.”
To stay beside him.
“To avoid causing trouble for you again.”
To uncover her sister’s death.
“Please let me stay.”
Even if this cooperation would destroy her.
“I’ll do anything. Whatever pleases you.”
Better hell with the truth than paradise built on lies.
“Anything?”
Even as her vision blurred, she nodded.
“Anything.”
He slowly ran his tongue over his lips.
“Then act like my… partner… And as compensation…”
His voice echoed distantly.
The room spun.
Darkness closed in.
***
“Bae Seobin. You didn’t get anything?”
Gong Subyo’s sudden question snapped her back to reality.
She had been staring blankly at her monitor.
“…What?”
“Come on. Noble won’t just sit still. They’re the biggest sponsor in forum history.”
“Ah…”
She trailed off.
Another reporter leaned in.
“You didn’t get anything either? I saw Noble picking you up last time.”
Sponsors handled reporters in different ways.
Some slipped them cash equal to a month’s salary whenever a favorable article ran.
Others offered company cars or helpful connections.
Seobin remembered her last conversation with Sa-hyuk.
A bitter laugh almost escaped her.
The man who treated her like someone he could pay and discard.
“So? Why aren’t you answering? Did you get something big?”
