Chapter 3
Hari felt a tingling sensation in her palm, as if electricity were running through it. For no reason, she clenched and unclenched her hand, staring down at it. The warmth he had passed to her still seemed to linger there, burning faintly.
Because of that, Hari—who had been looking straight at him without hesitation just moments ago—now couldn’t hold his gaze for long. His sharp eyes, silently fixed on her, felt overwhelming. It made her strangely dizzy.
“Please take care of me as well. I’m Choi Jungwook, her manager.”
Jungwook extended his hand for a handshake, and the man shifted his hand to meet his. Watching the exchange with satisfaction, Minsu turned to Hari.
“I thought you might feel burdened by having security, but I’m glad you’re taking it better than expected.”
It was true she had felt burdened at first, but the moment she realized the bodyguard was Cha Jisang, all that unease vanished—replaced entirely with gratitude. Thanks to the privilege of having a dedicated bodyguard, she had been able to meet him again.
“Burdened? Not at all. I’m actually grateful. Please thank the CEO for me as well. It’s only been a week since I joined this company, and I’m already being treated like a princess—I don’t even know how to handle myself.”
“Oh, of course we should treat you like a princess. Miss Yoo Hari is the artist our CEO cherishes the most.”
Hari frowned slightly at those words, her expression sharpening.
“Why me?”
“Pardon?”
“He’s never even met me in person. So why would he cherish me?”
“Well… I’m not quite sure about that either…”
Even as Minsu looked visibly flustered, Hari pressed on.
“If he’s being nice to me because he wants something strange in return… I absolutely won’t tolerate that.”
At that, Jungwook quickly covered her mouth and smoothed things over.
“Oh dear, our Hari said something she shouldn’t have. Please take it lightly—she’s just being cute. She has a bit of trauma, so she can be a little sensitive.”
Fortunately, Minsu nodded as if he understood.
“Please don’t misunderstand. Our CEO is not that kind of person.”
“Really?”
When Hari asked skeptically, Minsu suddenly raised his voice loud enough to echo through the reception room.
“Yes! Our CEO is an exceptionally gentle and dignified man. The most amazing man in the world! The only men I’ve seen more impressive than him were in the military! Haha!”
His exaggerated tone made the atmosphere instantly awkward. Are there CCTV cameras here or something? Hari found it absurd how he was fawning over a CEO who wasn’t even present, but she chalked it up to the realities of office life.
Jungwook glanced at the time and quickly wrapped things up.
“Secretary Kim, shall we get going? We have a Chavita advertisement shoot today.”
“Of course. Our legal team is doing everything they can, so please proceed safely with your schedule alongside your bodyguard.”
“Yes, I feel very reassured. We’ll be on our way.”
After the meeting ended, the three of them walked down the VIP corridor together. Hari’s gaze kept drifting toward Jisang, but he continued walking straight ahead in silence.
It was just one extra person, yet the elevator suddenly felt cramped. She found it strangely hard to breathe.
The elevator quickly reached the basement, and as soon as the doors opened, Jungwook suddenly stomped his foot.
“Ah, idiot. I left the script upstairs.”
Keeping one hand on the open-door button, he used the other to start the car remotely.
“Get in first. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
“Sir, could you hold onto this for a moment?”
Jungwook handed the car key to Jisang and hurried back into the elevator.
An awkward silence lingered between the two who remained. Uncomfortable with it, Hari quickly headed toward the car.
But the moment she did, Jisang suddenly quickened his pace behind her.
“Yoo Hari.”
Before she could even turn around at his low voice, he was already beside her, pulling her into his arms with one arm wrapped around her shoulders, shielding her.
“Gasp—”
The scent of him surrounded her, and Hari instinctively held her breath.
“Breathe.”
“…Ah.”
A beat too late, Hari realized why her bodyguard had acted.
“…This is insane.”
Seeing the red writing scrawled across the car window, a curse slipped out.
Retire. Before I kill you.
Last night it had been red spray paint—this time, red lipstick. The uneven, clumped smears looked disturbingly like dried blood.
Imagining the culprit pressing the lipstick down again and again to write those words with such intent made nausea rise in her throat. She pressed her palm against her chest, trying to steady herself.
Jisang quickly scanned the surroundings, confirming no one was nearby. He pulled out a flashlight from his inner pocket and dropped to the ground without hesitation, inspecting beneath the car. After thoroughly checking every corner, he circled the vehicle once before returning to Hari and shielding her again.
Still holding her, he made a call.
“It’s me. The perpetrator was here in the underground parking lot—secure all CCTV footage and nearby vehicle dashcams. And cancel today’s shoot—”
Hari grabbed his hand before he could finish.
“Don’t cancel it.”
His eyes narrowed sharply.
“The set is safe. There’s no reason to cancel.”
Truthfully, she was afraid. Right now, all she wanted was to hide somewhere safe.
But if they canceled, the efforts of dozens of people who had prepared for today would go to waste. Even if they rescheduled, those people would have to give up another day just for her. She didn’t want to cause that kind of trouble over this.
“Please. I don’t want to miss the shoot.”
“Reckless, just like before.”
He frowned deeply, as if looking at a foolish child. Despite the clear disapproval in his tone, Hari persisted.
“You protected me back then, so you can protect me now too. Nothing will happen.”
Just then, Jungwook could be seen returning from afar. Hari grew anxious.
“What do I do? Jungwook oppa can’t see this.”
If he saw it, he would definitely cancel the shoot. In a panic, Hari rummaged through her handbag for wet wipes—but the more hurried she became, the harder it was to find anything.
“…Sigh.”
Jisang let out a long breath and grabbed her wrist, stopping her frantic movements. Then, without a word, he pulled at his own sleeve and began wiping the car window with it.
His jacket sleeve was quickly stained red, but he didn’t seem to care. If anything, Hari was the one shocked.
“What are you doing?!”
Startled, she grabbed his wrist and tried to scrub the stain herself, but the more she rubbed, the more it spread. Her face flushed along with it.
Jisang caught her wrist again.
“It’s fine.”
He could have just said it, but stopping her by holding her hand made her blush even more.
“I’ll buy you a new one,” she said hesitantly.
Jisang let out a faint chuckle, released her hand, and brushed off his sleeve.
“That won’t be necessary.”
It was an elegant refusal.
“Huh? Why aren’t you in the car yet—”
Jungwook came running up, clueless, and opened the car door. Hari coughed awkwardly, like a child caught doing something wrong. Jisang let her get in first, then followed.
“Wow, your presence is really something, sir.”
With Jungwook’s lighthearted remark, the car began to move.
Still shaken, Hari bit lightly on her thumbnail, lost in thought. Jisang leaned closer and asked quietly,
“Are you really alright?”
“I have to be.”
She hid her fear as if it had never existed. Her effort not to let her emotions affect the staff had long since become a habit.
“You seem rather inflexible.”
Jisang slowly closed and opened his eyes, rubbing the back of his neck with a frustrated sigh.
“Is that so?”
Hari smiled mischievously as she untied the worn handkerchief tied to her handbag. Then she gently took his wrist—the one he had used to wipe the window—and wrapped the handkerchief around his stained sleeve.
With a soft smile, she said,
“I’m finally returning it.”
It was the old, worn handkerchief Hari had treasured for so long.
She had carried it every day, hoping to return it someday—the handkerchief of the man who had once saved her.
