Chapter 5.3

A searing pain, as though her eardrum had been torn, radiated down her jaw. Struggling to regain her senses, Su-eon tried to focus her blurry vision. The man closed the distance between them, grabbing her by the collar and yanking her forward.  

“Why can’t you just listen when I’m trying to talk nicely? Why do you keep talking back and disrespecting me? You bow and scrape to the guys who come to your hotel, but you think the son of a barbecue restaurant owner is beneath you?”  

The man, his eyes completely unhinged, grabbed Su-eon’s arm and shook her violently. Her wrist twisted, and the phone fell to the ground.  

“Living in this kind of dump, yet you think you can look down on people just because you’ve got a pretty face? Isn’t your goal to marry some rich guy anyway? I’ve got money. So why don’t we just have some fun?”  

“…Let go of me, you crazy bastard!”  

The man, gripping Su-eon’s collar tightly, dragged her toward the building entrance.  

“Shut up and follow me quietly. That way, you’ll only get hit once instead of twice.”  

He sneered, covering her mouth with his palm.  

“No one’s going to help you. Isn’t your dad deaf? Even if you call him, would he hear it?”  

Su-eon, glaring at the man with a distorted expression, narrowed her eyes. The moment he turned to drag her further, she summoned all her strength into her foot and kicked him hard in the shin.  

The man screamed in pain, clutching his leg as he collapsed to the ground. Not missing her chance, Su-eon kicked him in the groin as though she were striking a soccer ball with all her might.  

“Ugh—!”  

The man let out an agonized scream and rolled onto the ground. Su-eon, not letting up, kicked his other shin with all her strength. She dropped to her knees, gasping for breath, her throat emitting dry coughs from the exertion.  

“Do you think I did this without practice?”  

“…”  

“I’m not afraid of you, even if a truckload of bastards like you show up.”  

With cold, piercing eyes, Su-eon stared at the man writhing on the ground in pain.  

“Like you said, I don’t have a damn thing to my name. But you? How many barbecue restaurants did you say your dad owns? Five?”  

“Y-you b*tch!”  

Su-eon kicked the man’s face, sending his jaw snapping to the side with a loud crack.  

“What do you think I learned growing up in a politician’s house?”  

She stomped on the man’s ankle with force, pinning him to the ground. His screams echoed through the desolate alley.  

“To destroy people.”  

The man’s shoulders stiffened in fear.  

“To crush them, ruin them, and make sure they can never crawl back up again.”  

“…!”  

“So try me. One more time. You, your dad, and Secretary Park—I’ll drag all of you onto the media’s stage for judgment.”  

Su-eon’s icy voice delivered the warning as she pressed her foot down firmly on his ankle one last time before stepping away.  

“Now get lost.”  

The man, his lips bleeding and swollen, muttered curses under his breath as he struggled to stand.  

“You… you b*tch… I’ll…!”  

The man, his eyes filled with malice, limped toward Su-eon. She clenched her fists tightly. She regretted not having eaten a proper dinner—it was catching up to her now.  

At that moment, the stillness of the night was shattered by the sound of a car speeding up the hill below.  

Baaang—! 

Blinding headlights illuminated them, followed by a deafening storm of honking. The car charged up the hill, hurtling straight toward Kim Kwang-yong as if it intended to run him over. Just before it could hit him, the tires screeched violently against the pavement, bringing the car to a sudden halt. The vehicle lurched forward, its frame jerking from the abrupt stop.  

A chilling silence spread through the alley, as if time itself had frozen. Kim Kwang-yong, his face pale with terror, collapsed onto the ground. Coming to his senses moments later, he scrambled backward on all fours before springing to his feet and fleeing in panic.  

Su-eon, who had been watching his retreating figure, felt a wave of dizziness and closed her eyes. She should have eaten.  

“Ji Su-eon!”  

Hearing someone call her name, Su-eon squinted one eye open. Gi Seung-jo had emerged from the car and was running toward her.  

Why is he here…?  

Before she could finish her thought, her knees gave out.  

“Ji Su-eon!”  

Seung-jo caught her as she stumbled, pulling her into his arms.  

“Are you okay?”  

Su-eon nodded, resting her hand against his chest as she tried to steady her breathing. Relief that she was alive washed over her, but it was soon followed by waves of embarrassment and shame.  

She wished it hadn’t been Ki Seung-jo. If only it had been a random neighbor passing by instead.  

Sighing in frustration, Su-eon pulled away from him and stepped back.  

“…How did you end up here?”  

“That’s not what’s important right now.”  

Seung-jo’s voice trailed off, and his expression hardened. His cold gaze scanned her face, illuminated by the headlights, with a sharp intensity.  

“Who did this to you?”  

His menacing tone left Su-eon momentarily speechless. A strange feeling stirred within her. Seung-jo’s eyes had turned deadly.  

“It was that bastard just now, wasn’t it?”  

His voice carried a dangerous edge, as if he were ready to hunt the man down immediately. The smooth, composed demeanor he usually displayed had vanished, replaced by a feral sharpness. His pitch-black eyes gleamed with raw, unrestrained fury, even in the darkness.  

Looking at his face now, Su-eon was reminded of him in high school—the time when he had mercilessly beaten the male seniors from the track team until they were bloodied and bruised.  

Back then, she hadn’t thought much of it. But now, for the first time, the question crossed her mind:  

Why did he do it? 

“Ji Su-eon.”  

Seung-jo’s voice snapped her out of her daze. She slowly collected herself.  

“He’s already gone. Even if you go after him now, you won’t catch him.”  

“Do you know him?”  

“No, I don’t.”  

Su-eon turned her head slightly to the side, denying it. There was no point in Seung-jo knowing. It wasn’t a problem he could solve, and explaining everything to him would be both tedious and humiliating.  

“Look at me.”  

Seung-jo’s hand cupped Su-eon’s cheek. The moment his skin touched hers, the sting made her flinch. Seung-jo took out a handkerchief and pressed it gently against her lips. Blood seeped slightly from the corner of her split lip. Su-eon quietly swallowed the throbbing pain.  

“I’m fine now.”  

Su-eon pushed the handkerchief away.  

“Stay still.”  

Seung-jo whispered firmly, his tone slightly commanding. He held her face and meticulously examined her injuries. When his sharp gaze landed on her neck, his expression froze for a moment. His face, now devoid of any emotion, was filled with unmistakable fury.  

Su-eon looked at the man, who was so enraged by her injuries, with a strange expression. Watching him made her stomach churn slightly.  

“Executive Director, you should go now.”  

“Is there anywhere else you’re hurt?”  

Seung-jo blatantly ignored her words. His determination to check every inch of her for injuries left Su-eon with no choice but to shake her head.  

“Let’s go to the hospital.”  

“I can handle it myself. You don’t need to—”  

“Report this to the police, and don’t go home tonight.”  

Seung-jo cut her off decisively.  

“Stay at my place. I’ll sleep somewhere else.”  

“There’s no need to go that far…”  

“What if that bastard comes back?”  

“He won’t.”  

Her voice faltered under his piercing gaze as he raised one eyebrow, staring at her intently.  

“Probably… he won’t.”  

It was clear from Seung-jo’s expression that he wasn’t convinced. His eyes slowly scanned the building in front of them.  

“This is your home?”  

“Yes.”  

“What floor?”  

“…Fifth.”  

Seung-jo’s gaze lingered on the top floor for a moment before he turned to look around the area.  

“Do you have any family or friends nearby?”  

Su-eon, feeling like she was being interrogated, wanted to end the uncomfortable conversation as quickly as possible. She couldn’t tell her father, of course—he’d only worry. For the same reason, she couldn’t go home either, even though it wasn’t really her house but Jung Cho-ah’s.  

And Su-eon didn’t have any close friends she could call for help at a moment’s notice. She didn’t want to tell Seung-jo that. She hated the situation, and she wanted to escape it as soon as possible.  

“I don’t need anyone. I’ve lived here for a long time…”  

“If you’ve lived here for so long, why hasn’t anyone come out?”  

“…It’s nighttime. It’s quite late.”  

“Exactly. It’s late, so no.”  

As if the answer had already come from her own mouth, Seung-jo responded.  

“I’m not leaving you here alone.”  

“…I’m really fine.”  

Honestly, he was overreacting. Going to the hospital or reporting to the police were things any adult could handle on their own. Relying on someone else—especially someone she wasn’t particularly close to—was foolish and weak.  

Besides, with Seung-jo’s status, the moment he stepped into a police station, the incident would become a headline in the news.