Chapter 31.1

Chapter 31.1

The corners of his mouth curled upward as if he were remembering someone. It was a thing… A hint of greed flickered in his wrinkled eyes.

“I haven’t been able to hire any girls because I haven’t had any good ones, and there’s plenty of use for female labor, even if it’s not necessarily for that job, but I’ve found someone quite amusing.”

Kang Taegon laughed contentedly as he stirred his ice-cold drink.

“Cold and calm… That’s right, she’s hard as ice.”

His eyes narrowed. Even after briefing her, he couldn’t fathom the woman.

He struggled to explain it, but she simply seemed tougher than most.

Despite the beatings she endured in her youth, something she never thought she’d face, she remained unbroken.

There was a toughness in Seoryeong’s eyes, something even seasoned soldiers lacked.

Taegon couldn’t help but laugh at the memory of her ridiculous expression.

It was a puzzle. Was it natural, or was it because she’d been through worse?

Yet, despite her strong personality, Seoryeong’s past was dull. Taegon wondered how she avoided trouble.

“If my judgment is still good, I won’t quit training halfway,” Taegon said, his voice serious.

“He needs a female bodyguard to serve him, not someone else,” the man emphasized, his gaze shifting from the panoramic city view to set his now-empty glass down with a clink on the desk’s surface.

“Anyone capable would do,” he added, nonchalantly patting the statue of an eagle clasping a cross between its beak.

“Then I’ll see you when you come to Korea. I guess we’ll just have to wait for her to come up here,” he concluded, directing his attention to the computer monitor where Han Seoryeong’s mugshot was prominently displayed.

*

The winter orchid, a gift from Mr. Kang, had blossomed of its own accord, its delicate petals unfurling without the touch of water or the swipe of a cloth to clean its leaves.

She had read the enclosed instructions just once before securely locking them away in a drawer, unsure if the opportunity presented was genuine or a cleverly disguised trap, unwilling to risk handling the pamphlet a second time.

Yet, the title she had highlighted in bold beckoned to her, igniting a flurry of conflicting emotions that set her heart pounding unnecessarily.

“Why is this happening…?” Seoryeong murmured, her fingertips pressing against her temple as if attempting to quell a sudden wave of dizziness.

From that moment onward, she found herself inexplicably drawn to the drawer, her gaze lingering on it for extended periods, lost in contemplation.

“Oh, were you looking at flowers again?” came the voice, interrupting her reverie.

“…!”

No, I was looking at the weird notice underneath…

“Why not step outside for a bit and get some fresh air and sunlight? It must be dreary being cooped up in a hospital. Hold on, let me grab you a coat and shawl!” The caring caregiver’s words were a swift tonic to Seoryeong’s mood.

With her arm encased in a cast and secured by a shoulder brace, Seoryeong ventured out. It was the first time she felt truly at ease since the days she strolled the streets of Thailand with Channa.

Yet, Channa remained unconscious, a heavy weight on Seoryeong’s heart. She hoped for a chance to visit her before departing.

The winter breeze nipped at one of her cheeks, but it was a sensation as cold as her aimless wanderings. Seoryeong had nowhere in particular to go; she simply followed the path her feet led her.

Never making trouble and watching days go by while she was working.

That was her routine until she crossed paths with Kim Hyun.

Soon, Seoryeong found herself seated at a bus stop, idly observing passersby. She absentmindedly unlocked her cell phone, greeted by an empty photo album.

Her thumb traced patterns on the blank screen, a futile gesture. In her mind’s eye, she pictured the absent man who should have been by her side…

“So, my brother’s friend replied to me yesterday…”

“Holy shit…”

“That’s not the end of it. Listen to the end. He’s been sending me more texts than ever before, and he’s been mixing them up with a lot of insinuations. You’re interested in me, right?”

Just then, a group of youngsters in school uniforms rushed by, giggling and slapping each other’s shoulders, sometimes seriously, sometimes lightly.

Seoryeong looked at them and stood up.

She knew where she wanted to go.