《Bad X Bad: My Dear Hana》


 Chapter 1 - The honor of taking off my wedding dress

    Roaring music mixed with laughter is heard in the air. Men and women are seen lost together in the rhythm on the dance floor.


    In the corner, a boy and girl are glued together. The girl is sitting on the boy''s ??p with his hand on her back and another hand vigorously massaging her bosom inside her shirt. The girl pulls her face back gasps heavily. She looks at the boy with a beautiful face with her half-open eyes.


    "Your place or mine?"


    Do Sejin chuckles with his low husky voice. Before he can answer, his friend runs while screaming, "Do Sejin, Eun Min Ah is here."


    He immediately pushes the clueless girl aside. "Who told her that I am here?"


    "Is that your girlfriend?" The girl asks him with raised brows.


    "No!" Do Sejin and his friend answers together.


    "Then, is she your wife?" The girl looks mildly upset.


    "Definitely not that." Do Sejin shakes his head. He turns to Kim Dong Woo. He throws the imported cigars at his friend.


    "Stall her. I am leaving."


    "Is this Professor Man''s cigars?" Kim Dong Woo''s eyes bulge out when he looks at the items in his hand. He is sure that he had seen them in that cranky and hotheaded professor''s hands once.


    "I borrowed them." Do Sejin rolls his eyes.


    "Borrowed?" Kim Dong-Woo chokes out. "Does he know that you borrowed them?"


    "Not yet." Do Sejin winks at him. He doesn''t lack the money to buy this brand of cigars. He doesn''t even like smoking this brand of the cigars. However, there is a p???sur? in borrowing it from the person who doesn''t like him, especially when the professor has no idea that he is the one who took it.


    Kim Dong-Woo sighs out loud as he watches him leave the club from the backdoor. That Eun Min Ah will is a hard one. Everyone knows that Do Sejin is a playboy. But, she foolishly relentlessly pursues him.


    Do Sejin manages to get out from the back door. It''s the middle of the night, but the city is alive. His phone starts ringing. It''s Eun Min Ah. He turns off the phone when he sees the caller ID.


    "What should I do now?" He stretches his arms. After leaving the club without a woman, he is still not drunk enough to go home yet. He whistles softly as he makes his way toward another drinking spot.


    After reaching the place that seemed good enough to get drunk, he takes a seat. The lady owner frowns when she sees him. He grins and shows his ID to her. Do Sejin is twenty-one, but he is often mistaken as an underaged boy because of his facial features.


    "Soju." His voice is low and naturally seductively husky. The middle-aged woman blushes a little. She gives him a slight nod and hurries inside. He leans back on the chair lazily and looks up at the dark sky. He doesn''t want to go home tonight.


    "Hey!!!" The loud and unladylike yell attracts Do Sejin''s attention. He leans back on his chair to look at the woman in a black long coat that is too big for her. She has an oval face, flushing red cheeks, and swollen red eyes that are clearly drunk. Her lipstick is smeared on the edges. On her disheveled hair, there is an elegant hairpin b?r?ly hanging on a strand of her dark hair.


    "Why are you not giving me more?"


    "Miss, you have been drinking for a long time. Can you give me your phone?" The owner has to deal with drunk people all the time. This woman is in a sorry state. She has been drinking for hours.


    "Why? Why? Why?" The woman ???ks her head and looks at the owner sadly. "I am not drunk yet. Give me more."


    "I can''t give you more. You have spent all the money that you have given me," The owner straightforwardly tells her. "Let me call your friend or family."


    "I can''t call them. I can''t let them see me like this." The woman stands up straight and points at all the audience. "Tell me, am I worthless because I can''t have children?"


    All eyes turn to her. Some people laugh at her. Some are making videos. The woman doesn''t look flustered. Instead, she asks with a louder voice, "Does anyone becomes less worthy because they can''t have children? Does that make them less lovable? Will you marry a woman who can''t have children?"


    "I will never marry a woman who can''t have children." One of the men answers her. "Why should I get married in the first place? A woman should be nice, fertile, and feminine who can look after children and her husband. The modern women need to understand this. A woman is not a complete woman if she doesn''t become a mother."


    "Her boyfriend must have left her because she is infertile."


    "Tch! Coming here and making a scene, what did she expect? An infertile woman is useless."


    The woman can hear every whisper in the air. She looks at everyone sadly. She sighs and takes a step forward, ready to leave with no destination in mind.


    "Ha!" Do Sejin puts down the bottle on the table. "Nobody is worthless just because that person is infertile. Can we measure the value of someone''s feelings or pain? Can we measure the true value of a human? Can we measure the value of the crap that you utter, Sir? This lady is worth every star of the sky."


    "What did you say?"


    "Think about the words that you just said to this charming woman." Do Sejin stands up and walks to the woman''s side who is looking at him with wonder. "Good things can happen to bad people. Bad things can happen to good people. Only terrible things happen to terrible people."


    A warning.


    "Today''s youngsters don''t know how to speak with their elders." Someone grumbles. Soon, other voices join that person. Everyone starts ignoring the woman and the boy. They return to their drinking and discussion on society''s problems.


    The woman is short. She only reaches up to his ?h?st. She lifts her chin to take a look at his face. Do Sejin bends his head slightly and takes her hand.


    "Are you alright?"


    She doesn''t say anything for a moment, scrutinizing him with great interest. Do Sejin smiles at her. He doesn''t like to take care of troublesome personalities like her. However, he finds her interesting. Sort of.


    She pokes his ?h?st. "I will give you the honor, Stranger."


    He raises his brow and asks curiously, "Honor of?"


    She smiles at him sweetly. "The honor of taking off my wedding dress."


    The infamous playboy of the top national university has heard of numerous pickup lines. But, even this is entirely new for him.


    "Why me?"


    "You look like you have experience in taking clothes off."


    "It took twenty people to put this dress on me in four hours. They literally sewed this on my body. I don''t know how many times they stabbed me with the pins. I starved myself for two days to look slim and beautiful for my wedding day."


    Her eyes become misty as she continues, "I hate this dress the most. Do you know how hard it is to walk with one heel and wedding dress that costs a fortune?"


    She leans on his ?h?st and wraps her hands around his waist. Seeing her pouting cutely, Do Sejin laughs and pats her back.


    "It''s alright. I will help you take it off."


    "Give me a good time. Treat me like I am your bride." She whispers to him softly. "Like this is our wedding night."


    "Are you sure that you won''t regret it tomorrow?" He lifts her chin and looks into her eyes. "You are right that I am a player. I am a heartbreaker. If you become attached to me, you will get hurt a lot."


    "I want this regret," The woman answers him confidently. "I won''t get attached. I don''t want to be alone tonight."


    Do Sejin lifts her in his arms and asks, "Lady, how old are you?"


    "31." She bats her eyes. "Are you having second thoughts now?"


    Do Sejin shakes his head and grins. "You will have 31 ?r??sms tonight."


    She licks her lower lip in anticipation. "Aren''t you overestimating your skills?"


    "I am not." He smirks. "Lady, I will prove my skills and give you the best night of your life."

 Chapter 2 - I want to hear your m??ns, my bride

    *Snip* Snip* Snip*


    Do Sejin doesn''t waste his time and cuts off her troublesome dress with the scissors that he found in the drawer. After chopping off all the clothing from her body, he takes a thorough look. The woman is lying n?k?d on the bed under the dim light coming from the bed lamp. When he takes off his shirt, she lets out a sigh and meets his eyes. There are sadness and d?s?r? in her eyes. She is clearly heartbroken. Do Sejin leans down and softly licks her lips to soothe her down. He pats her hair and asks, "Do you want me to continue?"


    "Yes." Her voice is b?r?ly a whisper. "Tonight, you are my husband. I am your wife. It is our wedding night. Love me a lot. Don''t hold back."


    The woman''s name is Ahn Hana. She is a lawyer. Her ex-fiance left her two hours before the wedding after he found out that his mistress was pregnant. Before leaving her, he made sure to tell her that he was having second thoughts about marrying her because of her infertility. His parents were against this marriage. He wanted a child, but he also loved her. That''s why he continued with the wedding plans, but he couldn''t marry her anymore because his mistress was pregnant.


    Tragic. Do Sejin pities the man. Who will leave a woman with such a beautiful figure? She has the perfect hourglass shape. He admires her clear and smooth skin, a perfect canvass for his art tonight. Her hair smells like strawberries. He smooches her lips until they are red and swollen. This color that is left by his kisses suits her lips the best.


    "Do Sejin." He whispers his name in her ear. He is ready for the roleplay. "Honey, that''s your husband''s name tonight."


    "Sejin." She licks his earlobe as she quickly finds the bu??on of his pants. Do Sejin grins. His wife for the night has no patience. He lets her take his pants off. His eyes are fixed on her round and perky br??sts. Ahn Hana glances at his body when she is done. The hot d?s?r? feels her eyes. She moves her hands to touch his junk, but he blocks them right away.


    "Let me do my job as a husband first." He chuckles and pushes her down below him. He quickly ties her hands above her head. "Just feel. Don''t think about anything else. Tonight, it''s you and me only. I don''t care what you do tomorrow. Tonight, you are mine. You will do what I say, ok?"


    Ahn Hana nods obediently with a mischievous smile. He squeezes her bosoms hard. She m??ns. "Ah."


    "I like your voice." He massages them hard. "I want to hear your m??ns, my bride."


    She bites her lower lips. Her cheeks become redder. He shakes his head and laughs. She is cute.


    "Don''t be ashamed." He nibbles on the curve of her neck. His hands don''t stop for a second. "You are beautiful. Your body is perfect."


    "Mmmm...Ah..." She trembles beneath him, struggling to free her wrists. He sucks the peaks. Biting. Nibbling. Pulling. Her loud m??ns make arouse him more. He starts kissing down and down, leaving a trail of red marks. She gasps when he sucks bud.


    His rubs her entrance with his two fingers. He looks at the evidence of her wetness on his two fingers. He smirks at her. "You are wet already. I haven''t even started."


    "Take me." She commands him like a whiny child.


    "You interrupted me when I was drinking earlier." He moves his head between her legs while shifting her legs above his shoulder. "I wonder if you can fill my appetite, my bride."


    "Sejin! Ah...No...ah..." Ahn Hana cries out his name when he starts su?k?n? her entrance. His tongue swiftly moves inside, exploring her cave in and out. He groans when she comes too soon. Too early. This woman ?r??sms easily. She becomes wet easily. He isn''t done yet. He lightly bites her bud, sending waves of pain mixed with sweet p???sur? throughout her body. She bites her lips harder. By the time his tongue is done moving in her intimate places, Ahn Hana has already come multiple times in his mouth. He sits up and glances at the woman with a satisfied look on his face.


    "Liked it?" He grins at her. "You only came 10 times. There are 21 more left."


    "Not more..." She is depleted after so much p???sur?. If he continues, she will die.


    "Tired already?" His junk pokes her entrance. "What about this husband? I am not done yet. I will keep my promise and give you the best night of your life."


    She is too weak to protest. It''s like her soul has reached the peak point and crashed down on the ground. Do Sejin isn''t the type to stop midway. He pushes himself inside her in one go and starts thrusting against her slowly like a snail. Though he wants to ravage her right now, he wants her to beg more.


    "You are slow." She complains and fails to move her arms. "Not like that."


    "Like what then?" He teases her firm br??sts.


    "Faster." Her eyes become teary as her body becomes tense. "Harder."


    "Like this?" He increases his pace. Self-control and rhythm are his best suit. Her insides are warm and slick. Sound of thrusting mixed with their groans fill the room. He rams deeper into her to make her scream. Finally, he pulls out his d??k and lies down on the bed.


    Ahn Hana, who isn''t satisfied, looks at him with puzzlement. He raises his brow and points at his brother that is pointed toward the ceiling. "You want more? Do the work."


    She pouts and sits up. Her hands are still tied. "Free my hands."


    Do Sejin obliges by her words. She guides his manhood into her dripping entrance. His d??k becomes thicker inside her. He licks his lips when he sees the view in front of him. She looks like a queen on the top of him. He reaches for the phone by the bed stand to record his view.


    "We should send a gift to your ex-fiance."


    "Is it a good idea?" Ahn Hana doesn''t look drunk. She looks too serious.


    "Tell him that you are having your wedding night with or without him." He meets his eyes. "Show him what he will miss for the rest of his life."


    She pulls her hair back and puffs up her ?h?st. "You are right."


    "1.2.3. Start." Do Sejin taps screen to turn on the recording. She starts moving up and down on his d??k. Her br??sts follow her movement. She looks straight at the camera and smiles seductively.


    "Hey, Ong Han Bin." She rides his d??k so fast that her figure blurs in the camera. It hurts him a bit, but he lets her do what she wants. "You think that you get the right to cheat on me because I can''t give you children? You bastard! Guess what? I had eighteen ?r??sms within two hours. Your d??k is a pencil compared to his. Sometimes, I didn''t even feel whether you were inside me or not. Do you blame me for your insecurities? You are an ?sshole! See me riding this long and thick d??k. He is even younger and full of energy. He isn''t even tired after doing it once. Why did I even say yes to your marriage proposal?"


    Ouch! She is cruel. Comparing his ex-fiance to a pencil? He turns off the recording. She moves away from him and takes his phone. With a beep, she sends the recording to her ex-fiance number with a proud look on her face.


    Do Sejin wonders if she will regret this tomorrow. Hmm? Should he care about this? He takes away the phone and places it away. "We should just have fun now."


    "You want to do more?" She asks him with widened eyes.


    "Lady, I have just started."

 Chapter 3 - Compensate me with your body

    Tring! Tring! Tring!


    The sound of the alarm wakes her up. She groans and moves to her side. It hurts everywhere, especially her lower body part. She has a headache. I sit up, clutching my head. A bad hangover. She covers her eyes and climbs down the bed. She wants to sleep more.


    Suddenly, a pair of hands grab her from behind, pulling her toward backward before she can react. Someone moves his leg over her legs to prevent her from moving. Something hard pokes her bu??. She blinks three times before her frozen mind starts working. What happened last night?


    Blank. Completely blank. She doesn''t remember anything after she ran away from the wedding hall. Did she drink too much last night? Damn! Who is this man? She is completely being used as a pillow. He rests his chin on the top of her head. His little brother keeps poking her. To her surprise, the man suddenly lifts her one leg and thrusts himself inside her. She screams, "Wait! What are you doing in the morning?"


    Do Sejin, who is half asleep and half awake, is startled by her scream. Why is she screaming in the morning? His hip doesn''t stop moving. He pulls her face and kisses her mouth to stop her from being loud in the morning. Kissing is the best way.


    Ahn Hana, who is still trying to understand what is going on, can''t even scream now. She struggles to move, but the p???sur? makes her weak. He pinches her n?pp??s as he rams his ???k inside her. He bites her tongue when it doesn''t cooperate. He lets go of her br??sts and rubs her ???t hard. Ahn Hana blanks out and m??ns. Her mind is high on the ecstasy. This doesn''t know this man. She doesn''t remember how he is in the bed with her, but she m??ns for him to keep fu?k?n? her like a s?ut.


    When they are done, she slowly turns around and looks at him. Her brain freeze for the second time when she sees his face. Though he is certainly taller and his d??k is firm, this person is clearly not an ?du?t.


    Did she just fu?k an underaged boy?


    "How old are you?" She sits up abruptly. "Are you a high schooler? How did you end up in my bed?"


    Do Sejin is quite familiar with her expression. She is mistaking him to be an underaged person. But, that''s not what bothers him. It''s her third question that bothers him a lot. Did she not remember how he ended up in her bed?


    "You don''t remember?" He asks her quietly.


    She shakes her head. "Tell me that you are an ?du?t."


    Though he looks calm, Do Sejin is resisting the urge to choke her. There has never been a time when a woman forgot the night after spending it with him. On top of that, he worked really hard on her to give her the best ?r??sms. She should be his best work. But, she dared to forget it all. Now, she looks disgusted, ashamed, and guilty.


    She deserves punishment. He decides to tease her a bit.


    "Seventeen."


    Ahn Hana stares at him blankly. Seventeen. Seventeen. Seventeen. He is underaged. Ahn Hana, the lawyer, knows the charges. It doesn''t even matter if they did it consensually. She is the older one. If anyone ever finds out that the 31 years old lawyer has slept with a 17 years old boy, her career will be over. She looks at the pieces of evidence on his body and makes a plan.


    "Kid." Ahn Hana does exactly what she shouldn''t have. "I will bath you. After that, you can go home."


    "Lady, you abducted me last night from the streets. You r.a.p.e.d. me all night to satisfy yourself. You took my v?r??n?t? and eaten me dry." His every word stabs her heart with shame. "Because you couldn''t get married, you treated me like a bride and forced yourself on me. You sat on the top of me and rode me until I cried. I was saving myself for my real wedding night."


    Ahn Hana opens her mouth, but no words come out. Do Sejin looks at her with raw pain in his eyes, "You said that if I didn''t follow your orders, you would cut my d??k with the scissors. You forced me to make a video of you riding me. You even sent it to other people."


    "I did what?" Her mouth becomes dry when she hears him say that. Do Sejin is now sure that she remembers nothing. This idiotic woman has forgotten the last night. He plays the recording on his phone and shows it to her.


    Ahn Hana sees herself dancing on this poor''s boy d??k wildly. She starts biting her nails when she sees that she forwarded this message to her ex-fiance. Forget DNA. This video is already a piece of clear evidence. She is doomed.


    "You ordered me to have s?x with you after you wake up." Do Sejin looks down. Tears fall from his eyes. "You said that you own my p?n?s now. If I didn''t do it, you would chop my balls off."


    "..." The video, the boy''s expression, and the pieces of her dress on the floor make all of her doubts fly away. She is the desperate evil culprit who has wronged this boy.


    "Kid, don''t cry." Ahn Hana reaches for him, but he starts sobbing. She doesn''t know what to do. She takes a deep breath and says, "What''s done is done. Since I have done this, I will take responsibility. Tell me how much do you want. I will write the check."


    Instead of apologizing, this fool is offering him money. Do Sejin is pissed off. Is he a whore now?


    "Will you compensate me?" He peeks at her. Ahn Hana''s heart palpitates when she sees his expression. Aish! she is really a bad person. How could she do this to a young boy like him? He isn''t even her type.


    "Yes." Ahn Hana gives him a firm nod. "Tell me the digits."


    "You have taken away my chastity." He pauses and sighs. "I can''t get it back. You have harassed me mentally and physically. Now that I have eaten the forbidden fruit, I am afraid that I won''t be able to concentrate properly in my studies now. I am in the final year of high school. It''s a crucial time. I have to study hard to prepare for the admission tests of college. My parents will be upset if I don''t perform well."


    Ahn Hana smiles at him. "Do you want me to arrange a good prep school for you? Perhaps, I can help you crack the admission test. I have studied at the top national university. I am a lawyer. I am the best in my field. You can trust my abilities."


    "I don''t want that. My parents have enough money to send me to prep school." Do Sejin wants to laugh, but he can''t. He is also a law student. "Lady, I want you to compensate me with your body."


    "What?" Ahn Hana glares at him. "We can''t do that."


    "Then, I should report your crimes. Enjoy the prison." He glares back at her.


    "Listen." She lowers her voice. "If you want more s?x, you should get a girlfriend. You can take a lot of money from me. I have a lot, believe me. You can even call the girls who offer s?x services. Take the money and live your life."


    He smiles at her. Ahn Hana smiles back. This kid will take her offer and leave her alone. Nobody can refuse money, right?


    "I will see you later in court." He climbs off the bed, ready to leave without a glance. He obviously can''t take this to court. However, this woman doesn''t know that. She would be in agony while waiting for the cops for days. Perfect punishment for her.


    Ahn Hana grabs his wrist. "Okay, I will do what you want."


    He turns around. He has half expected this reaction. She is quick to make decisions. "Really?


    "We need to set a limit." She pulls him back to the bed. "I can''t forever sleep with you."


    Of course, the truth is likely to come out sooner or later. He smiles happily.


    "How about a month?"


    "A month?" She gives him a thoughtful look. She is glad that he didn''t say a year or until the admission tests. She doesn''t want to be his stress outlet. "Okay."


    "I want breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight snacks." He smiles inwardly when he sees her falling in his trap.


    She frowns. Is this kid hungry now? Does he just want food for a month? "You want food? Wait, I will prepare breakfast for you now."


    "You will be my breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight snacks." He pins her down underneath him. "Whenever I come to you, you should let me have my meals."


    She is speechless for a moment. This kid is surely a greedy person. She wants to beat the crap out of him. She scowls at him. "Kid, stay within your limits. You have school and I have work. I can''t be with you all the time."


    "Then, I will have my meals after you come back from work." He shifts closer to her. "Don''t worry. I often stay out of the home to study at the library. My parents don''t care as long as I get good scores in the test. I will spend the time here to take my compensation daily."


    "Do you really promise to leave quietly after a month?" She asks him.


    "I promise." He murmurs to her before eats his breakfast.

 Chapter 4 - Are you threatening me?

    "Where did you go last night?" Kim Dong-Woo asks him.


    "Someone gave me shelter for the night." Do Sejin smokes the cigarette. "Do we have lectures today?"


    "Why? Do you need to attend?" Kim Dong-Woo rolls his eyes. "Whether you go or not, you are always the topper. I think that all the students are jealous of you. How do you manage to have this lifestyle and still top the exams?"


    "I am not dumb." Do Sejin answers him with a straight face. "When I have fun, I am having fun. When I study, I study hard. I don''t mix studies with fun or fun with studies. That''s the only secret."


    "Basically, you are telling me that you are a genius." Kim Dong-Woo would never accept that simple explanation. "It''s Professor'' Man lecture today. Do you want to go?"


    "Yes, I like seeing how he doesn''t like seeing me." Do Sejin throws the cigarette on the ground. He and Kim Dong-Woo b?r?ly make it to the lecture in time. They take the seats at the back. Do Sejin leans back when he sees the professor enter the classroom. His eyes pop out when he sees the woman following the professor.


    "Who is that?" Kim Dong-Woo stares at an elegant woman. "She has a s?xy body. I wonder what it''s like to fondle those br??sts."


    Do Sejin slaps the back of Kim Dong-Woo''s head. Kim Dong-Woo nearly screams, but his mouth is covered by Do Sejin. Ahn Hana hasn''t noticed him yet.


    "Everyone, she is my best student so far." Professor Man looks at the young students proudly. "The best criminal lawyer in her field. She works at the Theseus Firm. She hasn''t lost a single battle in the courtroom. Ahn Hana, Thank you for coming here today."


    "Professor Man, you flatter me too much." When she smiles, a few gasps and sighs are heard from the students. Whether it''s man or woman, they are dazzled by that smile.


    Do Sejin takes this opportunity and slides down under the desk to hide. Kim Dong-Woo looks at him with a puzzled expression. He asks Do Sejin in a low voice, "Why are you hiding there?"


    Do Sejin puts his finger on his lips, signals him to become quiet and not attract attention. He doesn''t want to be caught by this lawyer.


    "Don''t tell me..." Kim Dong-Woo knows that expression. "You know her?"


    Do Sejin glares at him. "Be quiet."


    "You are one lucky man. I am so jealous of you." Dong-Woo whispers before he turns his attention back to Ahn Hana. He doesn''t even bother paying attention to her words. She is dressed in a tight black skirt and a loose white top. Her clothes are modest, but they are also showing off her curves at the right places. Kim Dong-Woo is jealous of his friend''s luck.


    "Getting a field experience is better for your future. You will get to observe the competitive lawyers and learn from them. We can only offer three internship positions during the summer season. If anyone is interested in doing an internship at our firm, contact professor Man to refer you."


    Ahn Hana looks at the future lawyers. That evil Jung Kwang-Soo has wanted her to attract some students from the top university. It''s his way to attract the best minds to his firm after they graduate. She knows that Professor Man will only send the best students to the firm.


    "How is Jung Kwang-Soo?" Professor Man asks her after they reach his office. "Your friendship was famous in the entire university."


    "He is doing well." Jung Kwang-Soo and she have been friends since they met in the first year. It was like both of them were the highly competitive spirit with screwed morals. She is sure that he is the only one who understands the most. She is also aware of each of his vein. After graduation, they were separated for a time because they were hired at different places. When he started his law firm, he contacted her first for the job. Just like that, she became his first employee.


    Do Sejin, who has been listening from his hiding spot, wonders who this Jung Kwang-Soo is. It seems like they are really close. Her ex name was Ong Han Bin. Then, who is Jung Kwang-Soo in her life?


    Professor Man looks at her with concern. "I thought that you would become someone who fights for justice after what happened to your parents."


    Everyone in the field knows what kind of lawyer she is. Nobody can dare point finger on her.


    "My parents didn''t fight for justice. They fought for the thrill of rebelling against powerful people. They lived a long time, considering they were playing with fire." There is not a tinge of pain in her eyes. "I am not like them. I don''t fight for the thrill. I am a lawyer. I fight for money."


    "Did you feel nothing when you sent the people who killed your parents to the prison?" Professor Man asks her with a grave tone.


    "I didn''t feel happy after taking revenge. It didn''t bring them back." She takes a sip of tea. "Evidence is only a fact. They can''t lie or speak the truth. Only a lawyer can show what they are. I am just following your words."


    "I didn''t think that you would use my words like this." Professor Man sighs. "You and Jung Kwang-Soo were always different. I never underestimated you. I never dared to. I guess that you want me to send the students who can digest working under you and Jung Kwang-Soo?"


    "I don''t care whether they can top the exams or not. It''s better if they have a strong mind. Jung Kwang-Soo doesn''t need the one who wants to be the heroes." Her voice is calm. "It''s only for a few months. If they do well, they will get job offers."


    "I have some people in mind who will suit that place." Professor Man sighs when he recalls a certain boy. "Some of them are hard to handle."


    "We were all like that at some point."


    Ahn Hana chats with him for another five minutes. Then, she goes to the journalism department of the university. The university has b?r?ly changed. Nobody recognizes her. Her pace is neither fast or slow. She is walking confidently like she owns the place. All the eyes are gravitating toward her. Some are even treating her with respect and gives her a bow as she passes by them.


    Can anyone really believe that this woman was abandoned two hours before the wedding yesterday?


    Do Sejin is stealthily moving behind her. He doesn''t know why he is doing this. Usually, he isn''t interested in people. But, he didn''t expect her to turn up at the university like this. At first, he thought that she came to beat him. Things have turn out differently. This woman is still clueless about his identity. For someone who is the best in the field, she is dumb to believe his words this morning.


    Everyone has a moment when their brains don''t work properly. Do Sejin is sure that she will doubt his identity. He needs to come up with some things.


    Ahn Hana stops in front of an empty lecture room. She dials a number and waits. After five long rings, the other person picks up the phone.


    "I am Lee Jang Sik''s lawyer. Meet me in front of the lecture room 101."


    She enters the room and sits in the front row. She starts typing something on her phone. Do Sejin quietly enters the room from the back door and hides behind a desk. After two minutes, a girl enters through the front door. She is gasping for breath. She must have run all the way.


    "Take a seat." Ahn Hana points at the empty chair in front of her. The girl nervously takes the seat. He watches them quietly, wondering what''s going on.


    Ahn Hana breaks the tension in the air by asking, "Miss Song, how have you been?"


    "You didn''t come to ask me that." Though the girl is nervous, she can''t hide the hate and disgust in her tone. "I won''t give in."


    "If you won''t give in, why are you here?" Ahn Hana chuckles. "You could have said that you didn''t want to meet. You could have ghosted me. You didn''t have to run here. Tell me, Miss Song, why are you talking to me now?"


    "I wanted to see who the new lawyer is." The girl crosses her arms. "His friends boasted that you are the best in the field."


    "They aren''t wrong. I don''t care what you do to the others. I am here for the Lee family." Ahn Hana looks down at her phone and reads the text. It''s done. The video has been wiped out completely. There are no traces left. "Let''s talk about your options first."


    Miss Song looks at her hatefully. "Lee Jang Sik has to go to prison for doing what he did to me."


    "After he goes to prison, what will happen to you?" Ahn Hana turns off her phone. "The Lee family won''t let you go or your family if their youngest son goes to prison. To be honest, they couldn''t care less about their youngest son. But, they can''t let their youngest son''s mistake harm the family reputation. Even if it means wiping your existence, the Lee family will do anything to keep their pristine reputation."


    The girl clenches her fists. "Are you threatening me?"


    "No, I am just warning you of the wrong consequences." Ahn Hana glances at her skirt''s pocket. "Lee family can hold grudges. Even if you send every member of the Lee family to the prison, are you sure that your wrong decision won''t come back to bite you later?"


    The girl becomes quiet. It''s been two months since Lee Jang Sik wronged her at his house for days. He invited her in the pretext that he needed help with his studies. She had been a fool to go to his house. She has nightmares at night. Her body still has wounds. Her family isn''t supporting her because they are afraid of the Lee family. They want her to settle, but she can''t forget those days.


    "You are also a woman." She whispers as she looks down at her feet. "Are you unable to feel my pain?"


    "I can''t undo what happened to you." Ahn Hana looks at her without any emotion. "You went to his house. A lot of people have seen you hanging out with him at the university. You have talked on the phone frequently."


    "I didn''t say anything like that." Her eyes are filled with tears. "I never liked him. My professor is the one who wanted me to help him with his studies."


    "That''s not what your professor is saying now." Ahn Hana lets out a small sigh. "Miss Song, you can fight until you die. But, is it worth it? The Lee family is ready to pay for your grievances. They will pay for your entire university fees and living expenses until you graduate. You don''t have to do tuitions ever again. Take the money. Study hard and become a powerful person. You are studying journalism, right? You will get many chances to get back at Lee Jang Sik in the future. Right now, don''t be a fool. Take what you are getting. It''s not the money to make you quiet. Think of this as a small installment of the payment that they are paying for wronging you. Work hard. Make contacts. Become someone that can even scare the devil back to hell."


    The girl blinks twice when she hears her words. She stares at Ahn Hana for a long time. They don''t exchange any other word. She signs the papers and leaves the lecture hall.


    Ahn Hana turns on her phone and calls Jung Kwang Soo. "Ask the Lee family to send their son somewhere away. It is better if he doesn''t attend this university anymore."


    [Was it hard to convince her? The Lee family would have lost even if they have won in the court. Their eldest son is preparing to join politics. It would have bitten them back in the future.]


    "It took a long time to convince her. She is determined to get back at him. The Lee family will have a powerful enemy in the future."


    [You like creating heroes. She must have potential if you are complimenting her.]


    "Only the future can tell whether I am right or not." She chuckles. "Power is an illusion. It comes and goes like seasons."


    [Come back soon. I am starving.]


    "I am not eating lunch with you." She stands up. "There is another case that I have to patch up. I am going home straight after that."


    [It''s a pity. See you tomorrow.]


    She hangs up the call and leaves the lecture room. Do Sejin brings out his phone. He finds out that the video has been deleted from his phone. "You are interesting, Ahn Hana."

 Chapter 5 - Not allowed to fall in love with me

    At night, Ahn Hana is reading the case on her ??ptop. She is studying the case that might make or break her future. She will gain a lot of enemies after this. But, if she manages to win, she will become a legend in her field. The case is complicated. The odds are against her. It is no wonder that Jung Kwang-Soo has asked her to represent this chaebol heir. Why do rich people have weird tastes?


    She stretches her neck and arms. She decides to work on the pending case. Reading about this chaebol is giving her a headache. She switches to the other case. In this case, a bankrupt businessman has been suspected of murdering his wife for insurance money. He was broke before he decided to kill his wife. He has three children. The youngest is only three months old.


    Her headache intensifies after reading this.


    She looks at the doorway when she hears the click. She walks on her toes and picks up the baseball bat. When you are living alone, you have to be cautious of things. She doesn''t make a sound and moves toward the door.


    Do Sejin is taking off his shoes. Instinctively, he looks up and finds Ahn Hana holding a bat in a position that doesn''t look too good for him.


    "Kid." Her brown eyes narrow down on him suspiciously. "How do you know the code?"


    "You told me last night?" Do Sejin doesn''t move. His fingers are frozen on the laces of his shoe. It seems like one wrong answer or move can send him to the hospital.


    "I did?" She puts down her bat. "Why are you here?"


    "For my dinner?" Do Sejin is relieved to see that she is not planning to hit him now. She is dressed in an oversized shirt. Her shorts are not visible. Her hair is tied into a ponytail. She is wearing round glasses. There is not a speck of makeup on her face. She is looking at him with a strange calm in her eyes. Do Sejin would do anything to destroy that expression.


    "Come inside." She turns around and walks away. "Let''s discuss the terms."


    She is not disturbed like she was in the morning. At the morning, she was caught off when she saw him. Perhaps, it was because of the bad hangover. After going to work, she has regained her mental peace. She is ready with her armor again. She will deal with this now.


    Do Sejin has expected this. He was lucky in the morning, but it wouldn''t be easy now. However, he has come prepared.


    They sit across each other. Ahn Hana gives him a penetrating stare. A stare that can make any other highschooler fall on the knees and beg for her forgiveness. Do Sejin pretends to not know. He looks around. The house is clean. He can''t see the pieces of her wedding dress lying around. Near the couch, the ??ptop is on. He is curious to see what she is working on.


    "Show me your student ID."


    Her cold voice sends a shiver through his spine. What will she do when she finds out the truth? Do Sejin finds it exciting. He has already prepared the fake student ID. He has used his high school student ID card for reference. The information is the same except for the year and the age.


    She frowns when she looks at the ID card. "You are tall."


    "I am a basketball player." Do Sejin smiles at her.


    "Fair enough." She puts the ID on the table. She sighs again. She has expected him to turn 18 soon, but her luck is not that good. He will turn 18 after four months.


    "Tell me about your family." She wants to know what she is dealing with. If things go wrong, she wants to be sure that she can deal with the family. It''s better if it doesn''t go wrong.


    "Do I have to?" Do Sejin wonders how she will react after she hears the names. Will she be afraid or use her contacts to try to take care of him? He decides to lie.


    She gives him a nod. "Yes, you have to."


    "My father is congressman Do Hwan Seok. I am his illegitimate son." He pauses for a moment. "My mother was a maid. Until middle school, she raised me in a village. After she passed away, my father brought me to his family. I am living with them, but he keeps me a secret from the world."


    His father will break his bones if he ever finds out about this lie.


    She doesn''t show anything on her face. No pity or happiness. He is sure that she is mentally calculating the odds. After a long pause, she asks him the next question.


    "How did we met yesterday?"


    "I was going home after prep school. You found me on the street and suddenly, pulled me to the alley. You threatened me that you would kill me if I didn''t follow you." Do Sejin looks scared. "I already told you what happened after that."


    "If you are scared of me, why are you here?" She is not someone who can be easily fooled. The boy is odd. She doesn''t want to offend a congressman who might become the next candidate for the prime minister. She is sure that he will not let this come out if this boy decides to tattletale to his father, but she doesn''t know whether he will let her go for traumatizing his son.


    This is a delicate situation.


    "It''s because I liked it." Do Sejin blushes a bit. "I can''t think about anyone else but you. I couldn''t study all day. Before you slept with me, I had no idea what it was like. At first, I was scared. But, I found out that you aren''t a bad person. You were just upset about your ruined wedding. You didn''t want to be lonely. Lady, I don''t want anything. I just want to experience it again. You can guide me on this. You can have fun with me."


    "I am not that type of person." Ahn Hana''s voice becomes colder. There is a chillness in the air.


    "Consider yourself lucky that you slept with me. How about finding someone else? A real girlfriend for your needs? Someone young and pretty from your school?"


    "I am not confident that I can make a girl happy. You are my first." Do Sejin leans toward her. "You seem like someone who has a lot of experience. How many men have you slept with?"


    To Ahn Hana, Do Sejin is like a teenager who just saw a new world. She feels a lot old. She isn''t that serious about s?x. The boy has a lot of energy in bed. Perhaps, it is because he is young and instinctive.


    "Two men."


    Do Sejin is surprised. If the first guy is her ex-fiance, he is the second guy?


    "Three if I consider you." She lets out a heavy sigh. "I wouldn''t call you a man. You are just a boy."


    She says the exact words that she shouldn''t say to him. He shows her a tight smile.


    "Don''t tell your parents or anyone." Ahn Hana leans back. This is a mess. She is sure that he will keep coming back. He is looking at her like a child who wants candies from her. She regrets it deeply. Why does she can''t stop drinking when she is upset? She shouldn''t have drunk more than her tolerance.


    "If you want this to continue, you have to follow rules. You can''t let anyone find out that you are underaged. Wear clothes that make you look like an ?du?t when you come to see me. Look like a college student. Don''t keep your student ID when you come here. If we are ever caught, I will pretend that I had no idea about your real age."


    The boy might have a babyface, but his body has a strong build. He can pass for a college student if he acts a bit older. It won''t help if they are ever caught, but she is sure that Jung Kwang-Soo could help her. She won''t ask for help from Jung Kwang-Soo unless things go seriously wrong. She didn''t want to owe him. She is also worried about what he will do to this boy if he finds out. Jung Kwang-Soo is a strange man.


    "Okay." Do Sejin can see the loops in her plans. He is sure that she knows it too.


    "You can''t disturb me during work. You can''t have s?x with any other woman either. I don''t like sharing my man whether I am sleeping for fun or not." She looks at him sternly. "If you start liking someone else, tell me. We will stop. I will even give you some dating advice."


    "I will follow your rules." He doesn''t promise that he won''t sleep with anyone else.


    "If anyone asks who you are, tell them that you are my cousin and you are visiting me to check up on me. You will call me before you come." She gives him her phone. "I don''t want texts, audios, or videos. Don''t ever record a call. If I ever find out, I will end our agreement. Call me when you are coming."


    Do Sejin types his number and calls his phone. He saves his number on her phone.


    "You are not allowed to fall in love with me." She taps the desk, slightly irritated for some reason. "I will never see you as a man. I am the older one. I have more control over this. You will treat me like a stranger if we ever meet outside this apartment."


    Perhaps it''s her tone why Do Sejin decides that he will make her fall in love with her. He knows that she will never act like Eun Min Ah. But, he wouldn''t mind if she acts like her. It would be fun if she is clingy and chasing him around.


    "Regardless of what happens, you can''t ever visit me after a month. After a month, you and I don''t know each other. You will not try to contact me in any way. Within this month, you are allowed to sleep with me." She looks at the clock. "How long can you stay?"


    "As long as you like." Do Sejin grins at her. "My father is busy. My stepmother doesn''t care. They don''t notice when I go home. As long as I get a high score in the tests and stay out of trouble, they are fine."


    "Your parents are nicer than mine." She thinks about her dead parents who died when she was in college. They were found dead in their house. "Mine would beat the crap out of me if I ever stayed out during high school."


    Do Sejin doesn''t hate his parents. He knows that they love him a lot. He is spoiled from a young age. Each family member has a unique way of showing care. If anything happens to him, all the members will unite to take care of him. They will fight with the world if they have to. It''s just the way it is. His family is slightly crooked.


    Then, all families are crooked in their own way.


    "Did you eat?" She gets up and walks to the kitchen. "I will prepare for dinner."


    Do Sejin doesn''t know whether she is talking about the dinner at bed or dinner at the table. He walks to her and puts his head on her shoulder from behind. She jumps in surprise, but she doesn''t push him away. Does he have zero effect on her?


    "What are you making, Lady?"


    "Stop calling me Lady." Ahn Hana turns on the gas. "Call me by my name."


    "Hana?"


    "Nope." She goes to the fridge to bring out the ingredients. "Ahn Hana."


    "That''s long," He tells her in a whiny tone. "Hana Ah."


    "Do Sejin, that''s another rule." She starts chopping the vegetables. "Call me Ahn Hana or continue calling me lady."


    "Ahn Hana, what are you cooking?" He decides to give in first since she is stubborn about it.


    "It''s a recipe that my friend taught me. I hope that it turns out good."


    Do Sejin observes her as she keeps moving around the kitchen. After a while, he sees her throwing all the ingredients in the pan. Do Sejin doesn''t know cooking, but he is sure that the food shouldn''t look like that. The vegetables are cut in the odd shapes. She has thrown in all the spices in one go. The meat is burnt. The egg is black and charred. The vegetables look like they haven''t cooked.


    She takes two plates of whatever she cooked to the table. Do Sejin takes a seat and picks up the spoon with hesitation. He waits for her to eat first. She doesn''t show any bad reaction. Thinking that the food is good enough, he takes a bite and chokes it out the next moment.


    As he has expected, the vegetables are hard. The meat is still raw. The eggs are burnt. The spices are high. Even dogs won''t eat this.


    "If you don''t want to eat, give it to me." Ahn Hana glares at him. "I don''t like wasting food."


    "You call this food?" Do Sejin can''t control his expression. "I have never eaten anything like this."


    "If you want to have s?x on a hungry stomach, don''t eat this." Ahn Hana continues to eat. "Sex on a hungry stomach doesn''t feel good."


    "..." Do Sejin picks up the spoon again and starts eating the pieces that are slightly cooked. This woman is odd. Very odd. She knows exactly what to say that will infuriate him or make him motivated to pass through the struggle. Right now, his biggest struggle is to eat her cooking and his biggest reward is the actual dinner that he will get on the bed.

 Chapter 6 - You are a good teacher

    After the horrible dinner, Do Sejin waits on the bed. He goes through her phone like a curious cat. She has a lot of contacts. Boss Jung is also listed in the contact list. There are some work-related pictures and videos. She has no social media account. She is not on messenger either. She texts in an old fashioned way, but she prefers calling.


    He puts down the phone at its original place. He hugs the pillow and sniffs. She has changed the bedsheet. There is no scent of yesterday''s activities. How is it that he is missing her while she is only a few meters away from him? She is taking a long time.


    Ahn Hana comes out in a flimsy robe. Her hair is wet and dripping. She glances at him. He is not wearing a shirt. She is not sure about the bottom. Half of his body is hidden under the blanket. He is slender, giving her the impression that he is a flower boy next door. He looks impatient. She sighs for the 100th times. Ever since she has met him, she has been sighing a lot.


    "Ahn Hana, how long will you take?" He pouts. She finds it cute. She climbs the bed and holds his lips with her fingers. She tries to pull it off in a jokingly manner. She chuckles when he gives her an aggrieved look. Cute.


    She''s cute. Do Sejin let her childishly play with his lips. He can''t help but be affected when he hears her laughs. She rubs his cheeks. "Your skin is nice."


    They are talking about skin like girlfriends. Do Sejin pulls her close and kisses her on the lips. She pulls back and says, "Patience."


    Patience. Do Sejin has never been patient regarding these things. Right now, he is roleplaying as a high schooler who is driven by ?ust. That''s why he can do this. He presses her beneath him and starts kissing her again in a clumsy way.


    She grabs his mouth away from him. "Let me teach you how to do this."


    He smiles inwardly. He is glad that he didn''t show his skills in the morning. Now, she thinks that he is a truly inexperienced energetic boy. He sits up and waits to see what she will do. She takes off the blanket and looks at him. Her eyes become dark. Do Sejin notices that there is d?s?r? rising in them. It is wonderful how she can control it. Now, he wants to break that control.


    "You are not bad." Her eyes stop at his ???k. She takes off her robe. Her br??sts are already erect and need his attention. She pushes him down on the bed and begins kissing him. Her tongue slides inside his mouth, explore all the nook and cranny. It''s amazing how she can make this activity as much as graceful as possible. Perhaps, it is deeply ingrained in her personality. He misses the drunk her who didn''t know any grace. But, he also likes the woman who is teaching him how to love her.


    He moves his hands on her erect peaks. She doesn''t stop him. He takes the clue. They are big, but his hands are big enough for them. He fondles them like someone who is doing it for the first time. She lets out an unsatisfied groan. "Hey, do it harder."


    He uses more force. She bites her lower lip. He guesses that she is liking it. She starts kissing him again until he stops pretending and kisses her back in the same manner. Gasping for breath, she tells him, "You learn fast."


    "You are a good teacher."


    A slight blush appears on her cheek. So, she is embarrassed. She is trying her best to hide it. Will she become more embarrassed when she finds out the truth? He should have a lot of fun before that.


    She kisses him everywhere. Her lips are warm and soft, making him tingle the way she moves it on his body. She kisses his n?pp??s. She knows all the right places. Her hands move below. She moves her hands around his shaft until it becomes as hard as the iron. She glances at him. Her red lips are slightly parted. Her cheeks are becoming redder. "Don''t hold yourself back."


    She takes him in his mouth. Her tongue does wonder around his rod. Do Sejin can''t stop m??ning. Last night, he made her m??n. Now, she is making him beg to move faster. When she swallows him completely, he closes his eyes because of the p???sur?s. She plays using her tongue. He is completely within her control.


    At last, he comes within her mouth. She licks it all. She wipes her mouth and looks at him. "This is your dinner. I am going back to work."


    "Wait, what?" Do Sejin sits up abruptly. "This is not enough."


    "You can leave now. Come back later for midnight snacks."


    "I don''t want to leave." He grabs her waist, stopping her from leaving him like that. He is no done at all. There is so much to do.


    She seems irritated. "Listen, you asked for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight snacks. You had breakfast twice in the morning. You fu?k?d me as soon as you woke up. You fu?k?d me before you left. I have given you the dinner. Now, I have to work."


    She is counting. Does it mean that he can only do it once during each mealtime? He should have asked for more. "But...But..."


    "You promised me that you won''t bother me during work." She pinches his nose. "Too much s?x is bad for you. You are still young. I already feel bad for eating you like this."


    She thinks that she is the one devouring him. Now, he feels bad. This is the demerits of the highschooler roleplay. He can''t use all of his skills on her to seduce her. He can''t act and pull her back to the bed again. She will kick him out or find out that he knows more than she does.


    "Okay." He makes a sad puppy face. She feels a bit bad about this. She isn''t the type to give in. She turns around and gives him a full kiss on his lips. "Goodnight. I will wake you up at early morning. You can''t miss school."


    Life of a pretend high schooler is really tough.


    Ahn Hana is back to work on her couch. Do Sejin can''t sleep at all. She is wearing a loose t-shirt and shorts. He stares at her for a long time. It''s 3 of the morning. He wanted to go for his snacks, but her serious face drove him back to the bed. He wants to bother her.


    Do Sejin climbs off the bed in his n?k?d glory. He goes to the kitchen. She seems a little exhausted. He wouldn''t be human if he doesn''t do anything for her. But, he has never cooked in his life. He looks for the way on his phone. How to make a coffee? After some struggle, he makes the coffee. It is surprisingly easy. He takes the coffee mug to her and places it on the table. She glances at him and picks up the coffee. He waits for her to say something, but no words come out. He sits beside her and leans on her to peek at the ??ptop screen.


    [The 100th Day Murders]

 Chapter 7 - A woman who is quite possessive

    "Isn''t the criminal already caught?" Do Sejin knows about this murder case. The murderer liked to kill every 100th day after the birthdays or some other special occasions that were important to him. His victims could be anyone from the age of 4 to 40. The victims were either murdered at their house or left in some isolated place. The way of murder was simple. There wasn''t exactly a noticeable pattern in location or method. The total estimated number of victims is nearly thirty-six, but the authorities think that there are more.


    This case has shaken the country to the core. The criminal was none other than a chaebol heir. It''s been three years since he has been caught. It''s already decided that the chaebol heir will rot in the prison, but that person''s family is fighting with all their might. They have sold everything to save their son. Do Sejin thinks that the person is a lost cause. Why she is reading about this?


    "He isn''t found guilty yet," She tells him calmly. It disturbs him a bit. Is she taking this case? Is she a fool? Nobody wants to fight for Baek family. The previous lawyers faced a lot of public hate. It is also the reason why this case is doomed. Tenses, he takes a sip from the coffee and spits it right out on papers on the table.


    Ahn Hana scowls at him. "You! You aren''t allowed to wander around this area anymore."


    But, Do Sejin is more offended. "How could you drink this? It tastes worse than dog''s piss."


    "Have you tasted dog''s piss?" Ahn Hana crosses her arms and asks him seriously. "You are such a picky one. I don''t find that coffee bad. It''s better than what I make."


    "Thanks for telling me that." He hands over the coffee. "I will never drink the coffee if you make it."


    "I won''t even ask you to." Ahn Hana takes three sips of the coffee. "It''s not bad. It''s bitter enough to keep me awake. You should make it for me whenever I am working."


    "..." Bitter enough to keep her awake. Is that a compliment?


    "Go to sleep now." She sits on the couch again to study the case. "I need to think a lot. Don''t bother me."


    Now, he wants to bother her more. He sits beside her again and places his hand inside her loose shirt. "Ahn Hana, I want my snack."


    "Later."


    "It will be breakfast time soon."


    "I am reading about gruesome murders. Do you think that I have the mood to fu?k you?" She yells at him.


    "Shall we read it together?" His hands are wandering everywhere. "You look s?xy when you are serious."


    She lets out an exasperated breath. "Boy, you are crossing your limits."


    "I just want a snack." Do Sejin starts tickling her.


    "Okay. Okay." She is not used to being tickled. She closes her ??ptop and faces him. "What do you want to do? Keep it short."


    He grins at her. "I can do anything?"


    "You look excited." She lays down on the couch, looking exhausted. "I want to sleep."


    Can Do Sejin really do anything after hearing that? He wraps his arms around her and sleeps beside her, totally glued to her. "Then, we should sleep."


    "We can sleep on the bed." She can''t even move. There isn''t enough space for two people.


    "No, sleeping like this feels best." He puts his leg above her. His goal is to make her fall for him. "Ahn Hana, you smell nice."


    "Don''t be a pervert," She tells him with her eyes closed.


    "Tell me who was the first man." He puts his hand under her shirt and cups her bosom. Doing nothing more to the softness. "You were my first. So, I want to know who was your first."


    "Someone from college." She turns on one side, making more room for him. They stare into each other eyes. "I was also drunk that night. He was also drunk. Things turned out like that."


    "Was it a good experience?" He should not let her get drunk again. It seems like she picks up when she is too drunk.


    "It was." A smile appears on her lips. "He kept telling me that it was alright. He treated me like a delicate flower. He kissed me carefully and asked me not to be scared. It was my first time. I was the one who asked him to take me to the bed. He made sure that I would not be hurt. Much. Next day, we decided to pretend that nothing happened between us."


    Do Sejin have had experiences like that. He has slept with women and pretended like nothing happened the next day. But, he can''t help it. She looks like she is recalling a sweet memory. He snuggles closer to her. "Do you love him?"


    "We have a special relationship, but we don''t love each other that way." She let him play with her br??sts. "We are comrades. We fought many battles together. We are similar. He is a playboy who can''t belong to one woman. I am a woman who is quite possessive. I would not want him to change. He wouldn''t want me to compromise. It cannot be love. Even love has flaws. Other people cannot understand it. You are young. I am sure that you will fall in love with a nice girl. Perhaps, you will meet someone and have a relationship like that. Then, you might be able to understand."


    He is jealous of the way she described it. A part of Ahn Hana will always belong to that man. So, her ex-fiance is not important. That man is. He feels a little bad for her ex-fiance. Ahn Hana probably chose him because he was an ordinary guy, but normal guys can''t handle this type of woman.


    It also looks like she will hate him a lot if she finds out the truth. He watches her fall asleep. After a while, he covers her with a blanket. He dresses up and leaves the house. It''s already morning. Do Sejin decides to go home.

 Chapter 8 - Dont you want your meals?

    The Do family, cooks, and the servants stare at Do Sejin who is hogging down the food as if he has never eaten before. Do Seol A pushes her plate to his side when he finishes his food. Do Sejin picks up her plate and starts eating. After the last night meal at Ahn Hana''s house, he has finally understood the value of cooks at his home.


    "Will you teach me how to cook this?" He asks the befuddled cook who looks at the madam for help. What''s wrong with the young master?


    "Sejin, why are you interested in cooking suddenly?" Madam Do asks him with concern.


    "I am curious too." Seol A stares at him. She has an epiphany. "Don''t tell me that you want to cook for your girlfriends?"


    "I want it to learn for my survival." He drinks the juice. "Recently, I have realized that cooking is a life skill."


    Do Hwan Seok is surprised that his wayward son would say something like that. Usually, he lets him do anything he wants. "Why cooking?"


    "If I am stranded on an island someday, I need to know basic skills to survive." Do Sejin can''t forget last night or the taste of coffee that he made. This cooking skills might come in handy when he is staying over at other women places. It is not just for Ahn Hana. Besides he wants her to fall in love with him to break that pride of hers, it is important to entrap her through senses. He needs to reawaken her taste buds first. He is sure that they are dead.


    "If you are stranded on an island, you would need a completely different set of skills to survive." His father comments. "I can arrange for you to learn all of that. It will be good for your growth both mentally..." He pauses and looks at his son who still manages to look like a high schooler. "And physically."


    "Does it involve cooking?" Do Sejin asks curiously. He knows that he isn''t pleasing to Ahn Hana''s eyes because of his flower boy looks. He never thought that he would be doing this. Usually, university girls are naturally attracted to him like bees to flowers. But, she is a different deal. It must be because of her age. He needs to look more handsome than her first love who is also someone older.


    Now, it is his goal to look older.


    "I will arrange for it." Hwan Seok smiles to himself. "Seol A, you are also going."


    "Why?" Seol A asks, looking aggrieved.


    "These skills will help you become mentally strong. You will become physically fit." Hwan Seok is having a good time. Through this, he will get some time of peace. His eldest son is always thinking about women. His daughter is always thinking about celebrities. He doesn''t know where they got this habit from. He and his wife are normal people. Maybe, they will come back with some life lessons and change their ways. "Your uncle will teach you everything."


    Sejin and Seol A protest together. "No way!"


    "You can''t back out now." He looks at his wife. He isn''t the type to let go of this opportunity."Prepare their luggage."


    The siblings are trapped.


    ***


    After two weeks, Seol A and Sejin are back with tanned bodies. Madam Do welcomes them with a wide smile. They sit on the couch with a thump.


    "We are back to civilization," Do Sejin tells his mother with a lost expression.


    "It wasn''t life skills." Seol A puts her head on his brother''s shoulder. "I will never go for something like this."


    "I wasted two weeks because of this." Do Sejin has the biggest loss. Ahn Hana has given him only a month and he has already lost two weeks. Did she already forget about him? She hasn''t called him once.


    "Did you learn life skills?" Madam Do asks them. "How was it spending time with your uncle on the island?"


    How to prepare someone for the life skills in Do Hwan Seok''s way? Send them on a trip to an isolated island with their uncle who is a retired soldier from the military. Their father has used the opportunity well because he knows that he won''t get the same chance again.


    Sejin: "I don''t know how many times..."


    Seol A: "We nearly died."


    Sejin: "He made us fight wild animals."


    Seol A: "Eat raw bugs."


    Sejin: "I will never..."


    Seol A: "Trust father again."


    "My poor children!" Madam Do pats their heads. "Sejin, did you learn cooking?"


    "I learned a lot more than cooking." Sejin sighs. "Father is going far in politics in the future."


    "Of course." Madam Do grins at them. "Sejin, you also have to become a good lawyer. Your father would need you in the future. You are the hope of the family."


    "..." Sejin gets up and walks to his room. He takes a quick bath. Later, he calls Ahn Hana. He hopes that she hasn''t forgotten him. He must use the best of the 15 days that are left in their agreement.


    [Hello]


    He hears a woman''s voice on the phone.


    "Ahn Hana?"


    [I am her doctor. Ahn Hana is at the hospital. She can''t take your call right now.]


    [Ji-Won, I am right here. Give me the phone.]


    [I need you to rest, Hana. You keep forgetting your situation. Jung Kwang-Soo already asked you to take a break.]


    [You are making a hill out of the mole.]


    [Nearly being killed by a mob wasn''t enough for you. You got hit by a car. Did you forget about your head? Why would you take a case like this? The entire nation - ]


    The call is hanged up.


    What just happened when he wasn''t here? Sejin gets ready in a hurry. He calls Kim Dong-Woo. He is sure that Kim Dong-Woo would know because they keep themselves updated with famous cases in history.


    [Yo, brother. You are back. There is a party at -]


    "Dong-Woo, what happened to the 100th-day murder case?"


    [Oh, that one? A few days after you left, the case was handed over to a famous lawyer who is trying to prove that the chaebol heir is not a killer. All the pieces of evidence are against him. It''s quite foolish of that lawyer. She is even asking for a reinvestigation. This looks like a new tactic to delay the final hearing before defense comes up with new tricks to save the Chaebol heir. That lawyer has a bad reputation of helping the bad people for money. The public has a strong negative reaction. A few days ago, she got attacked by the families of the victims outside her firm. When she was running away, she nearly got into an accident. She is at the hospital. The mob is outside the hospital, waiting for her to come out.]


    Sejin drives to the hospital. The mob is protesting outside the hospital. The cops are having a hard time to control them. He slips through the door and goes to the receptionist.


    "I am Ahn Hana''s friend. Where is she?"


    The receptionist glares at him. "Tell me your name. I will confirm it with her."


    "Do Sejin."


    She calls someone and confirms it. Do Sejin is finally allowed to visit her. Her room is on the top floor, with guards outside her room. When he reaches there, he finds someone scolding her badly.


    "What kind of person will take this case?" The lady doctor scolds her.


    "Why don''t you scold Kwang-Soo? He is the one who made me take this." Ahn Hana covers her ears. "I didn''t know that the public will react in this way."


    "Hana, you b?r?ly managed to come back from the death''s door." The lady doctor lets out an exasperated sigh. "After your first accident, you were warned that you shouldn''t get another head trauma. If you do, you would ride the elevator to hell."


    "How are you sure that I would go to hell?" Ahn Hana eyes her. "I could go to heaven."


    "Seriously?" The lady doctor crosses her arms. "You believe that? You test results will come out in a few days. Your body is delicate. Take care of it well."


    "I take care of it. I exercise regularly. I don''t drink much. I eat a balanced diet." Ahn Hana counts on her fingers. She finally sees Do Sejin. "Oh, you are here."


    "Who is he?" The lady doctor looks at him suspiciously. "Boy, you aren''t an ?ssassin, are you?"


    "I am not." Do Sejin laughs. "How are you doing, Ahn Hana?"


    "I have been better." She is honest. "Do Sejin, help me sneak out of this place."


    "AHN HANA!" The lady doctor screams at her. "Have you lost your head? You are not well."


    "I am perfect." Ahn Hana waves her arms like an octopus. "The car didn''t hit me. It stopped before it could. You and Jung Kwang-Soo are too worried. I want to go back home and relax. If I stay here, you will keep scolding me."


    "You deserve scolding." The lady doctor glares at Do Sejin. "If you help her, I will kill you."


    She leaves after that warning.


    "She is a weird doctor, right?" Ahn Hana looks at Do Sejin. "Did you get a tan?"


    "I was on a trip. That''s why I could not come and see you." Do Sejin scrutinizes her with his eyes. "Does it hurt anywhere?"


    "I am not hurt. I am here for a show." She climbs off the bed and takes her clothes. She comes back from the bathroom after changing. "Let''s go. We are running away."


    "She told me that she would kill me if I help you." Do Sejin is not afraid, but he doesn''t want her to be at risk. "There is a mob waiting for you outside."


    "Don''t you want your meals?" She asks him with a smile. "It''s long due, right?"


    She knows exactly what to say.

 Chapter 9 - To live a day at a time

    They manage to sneak out of the hospital. Do Sejin realizes that he can''t take her in his car. But, that doesn''t become a problem. He makes her wear his hoodie and hide her face well. They take a taxi to her house. Luckily, there is no one waiting for her outside.


    "Finally, I am back." Ahn Hana lays down her bed. "They kept me a prisoner at the hospital for days. I thought that I would go crazy."


    "What was she talking about your head?" He lays down beside her.


    "I got into an accident when I was in college." She closes her eyes. "I was on my way to my parents'' house when a truck hit me. I was driving recklessly. After the accident, I had multiple surgeries. I spent some time in a coma. It was a miracle that I lived. I have been warned not to get hurt again. My head might not be able to bear it for the second time. It''s nothing serious."


    How is this not serious? He stares at her who is always calm about the serious things. Is this why she fights without any fear? "You should be careful."


    "I am careful. Life is short. You can''t see what is coming. It''s better to live a day at a time." She rolls to her side, facing him. "You have a lot of question, kid."


    She wonders why does she tell him things easily. Perhaps, it is because of the nature of the relationship. He is a kid. Her guards are lowered down in front of him. Later, they will pretend that they don''t know each other. It makes her heart lighter.


    "You should give up that case," He tells her quietly.


    "I can''t give it up now." She shows him a cunning smile. "They threw eggs and tomatoes at me outside the firm. On some night, they even threw stones at my windows. Now, I am excited. I will bring Baek Han Sol out of prison."


    "I feel like you are seeking death." He is upset. Why is she seeking thrill like this?


    "They have insulted me and my parents. The internet is badmouthing me in every second as we speak." She chuckles when she notices the worry in his eyes. "Kid, I will be fine. This is nothing. It''s in my gene to rebel against the popular opinion. They don''t call me the Devil''s advocate for no reason."


    His heart starts to sink deeper when he hears her words. The devil''s advocate. Yes, that''s her nickname. Ahn Hana sits up. She takes off his clothes and scans his body.


    "Have you been working out?"


    His two weeks of pain worth it. "Do you like it?"


    "You look better than before." She touches his stomach. "Let''s take a bath together."


    He has already taken a bath, but he isn''t the type to refuse her kind offer.


    "Yes, yes...that''s the spot..." Ahn Hana m??ns when Do Sejin rams her from the behind. All of her stress begins to wither away. He feels good inside her. He doesn''t hold back anymore and bends her over, thrusting in and out of her as she screams his name. It feels like an eternity since he had good s?x. He can''t control himself or keep his character. He slides her wet hair off her back and bites her shoulder. She cries out in pain. He doesn''t stop and slaps her round bu??.


    "Do Sejin..." She mumbles his name. He turns her around and looks at her face high on ecstasy. She is making the same face that she made on their first night together. Do Sejin can''t forget that night, though she can''t remember it. He takes her lips hungrily and pushes her against the wall. He lifts her as he slides inside her slick hole. She wraps her legs around him. She can''t think properly. She doesn''t want to think about anything else. Right now, there is only this moment that exists for her.


    After the heated bath, he wipes her body with the tower. "I want to try new things. Are you okay with it?"


    "Like what?" Ahn Hana asks the perverted boy. The boy is learning at an exponential rate. His performance has been good. He is a natural. "Have you been watching p?rn? Did you find another woman?"


    "I have been watching p?rn." He knows what would happen if he says that he has seen the other women. Well, before he met her. He couldn''t find any other humans other than his family on the island. He has been deprived of his basic needs there. "Can I blindfold you?"


    "Haha...nice..." She shakes her head. "Let me do that. You had me in there. Now, I want to have you here."


    He purses his lips. "What are you going to do?"


    "Nothing that you wouldn''t like."


    She can convince him easily. She covers his eyes with the blindfold and starts kissing him everywhere. She does it in such a tender way that he trembles each time her lips touch his skin. She sits on the top of him and guides her manhood inside her. She puts her n?pp?? in his mouth. Her hot breath tickles his ear. A command. "Suck."


    He holds on to the curves of her waist and follows her commands. She moves her h?ps in a circular motion, slowly dancing on his ??p at the same pace of his tongue on her br??st.


    "Do Sejin." Her voice is raspy and ?r?t??.


    He can''t see her. He wants to see how she is looking at him. He finds her other peak. He sucks it hard and she also starts moving similarly. You show what you want. He takes the n?pp?? between his teeth and tickles it with the tip of his tongue. This time, she lets out a loud m??n. "Ah! Do Sejin..."


    He doesn''t let her go. She can''t move. Their h?ps are locked, feeling him swell inside her. He can''t help but smile. All the control is easily transferred to him. He pushes her down. Hearing her sighs and m??ns makes his mind go wild. She writhes in p???sur? under him. A faint layer of sweat appears on their bodies. His erection feels larger inside her warm v???n?. He is about to burst. At the same time, she arches her body. When they release, they crumble down at the same time. Do Sejin doesn''t pull himself out of her. He lays himself down on the top of her, too exhausted to move. Ahn Hana runs her fingers through his hair and says nothing. The silence is mutual. He falls asleep in her arms.

 Chapter 10 - Everyone needs hobbies

    Next day, Do Sejin wakes up to the sound of clinking. His lips curl up in a smile when he recalls the last night. He walks out of the bedroom and finds Ahn Hana preparing for the breakfast. It''s 9 of the morning. She didn''t wake him up. Then, he remembers that it is supposed to be a holiday. He watches her move around the kitchen. Her movements are smooth and fluent. She tastes the soup and nods in satisfaction. Do Sejin suddenly realizes that the hardest task is coming now.


    He finds his shirt and trousers folded neatly. He goes to the kitchen and kisses her on her forehead. The sudden kiss startles her. She presses her hand on her forehead. "What are you doing?"


    "Good morning." He pecks everywhere on her face. Ahn Hana blushes. She can''t control it. Her body reacts naturally to him. He looks at the soup with an indiscernible expression. "What are you making?"


    "Shrimp soup." She checks the soup. "It should be ready by now."


    "How about you rest and let me prepare breakfast for you?" Do Sejin decides that he wants to keep his taste buds. If she kills them with her cooking, how will he taste her or other women again? The crisis is real. If he is at her home, it''s natural that he has to eat. Else, she will get offended.


    "Do you know how to cook?" Ahn Hana looks at him doubtfully.


    "I learned it." He gives her the best smile. "Relax. I will prepare it."


    "Okay." She undoes her apron and hands it over to him. He ties the apron around him. She watches him with interest. "I feel like I have hired a maid."


    "..."


    Comparing him to a maid, what the hell? She could have said anything else. How about thanking him for breakfast? He opens his mouth to complain, but Ahn Hana is already out of the kitchen. She goes back to her couch and starts studying the case.


    "Well, I will have my revenge." He mumbles to himself as he checks the soup. What soup? She is only boiling shrimps in water. There is nothing else. When he lived on that island, he did acquire a basic knowledge of food. He checks on his phone for the recipe. Shrimp soup. Couldn''t she have chosen something easier? How about omelet and bread?


    Ahn Hana calls Jung Kwang-Soo. He picks up after the first ring. Ahn Hana frowns when she hears someone''s m??ns mixed with the sound of his deep groans. She is used to this.


    [Hana, what do you want?]


    "I don''t know why you would pick up a call while you are fu?k?n? someone."


    "It sounds like dogs are fu?k?n? each other." She looks at her ??ptop screen. "Did you get the approval? I need to meet Baek Han Sol."


    [You are treating me like an ?ssistant. I told you to hire an ?ssistant already.] There is a pause. A low laugh. [Yes, babe...keep moving your tongue like that.]


    "I should call you later."


    [No, we can talk now. It''s a public holiday today. You can visit him tomorrow.]


    "I will start visiting the locations of murders from today."


    [Hana, Darling, don''t play a detective alone. I can''t miss the excitement. Let''s go together.]


    "Do you have time? You are always busy with women."


    [I lead a stressful life. Everyone needs hobbies.]


    Ahn Hana realizes that there is someone else listening to the call. Do Sejin is leaning over with a concentration. His ear is close to her phone. He has heard everything.


    "You!" She scolds him. She flicks his forehead. "Get away from me. Do you understand the meaning of privacy?"


    "I wanted to know who will make you show that kind of expression."


    [Hana, who is it? Are you playing around without me?]


    "Yes, he is my plaything," Ahn Hana replies calmly. "Get your ?ss here. I don''t have all day."


    [I will be there in an hour, Queen Hana.]


    ***


    "You have interesting friends, Ahn Hana." Do Sejin stares at her, hiding his irritation deep inside his heart.


    Ahn Hana presses her palms together. "Leave."


    "I want to see your friend." Do Sejin is sitting across her. "Was he your first?"


    "Why is that information important to you?" She looks at the clock. Kwang-Soo will reach within 20 minutes. She doesn''t want him to see Do Sejin. If he decides to dig into this boy, she can''t stop him. Still, it is better if he doesn''t meet Do Sejin.


    "You talked about him in such a dreamy way." Do Sejin really wants to meet this guy. "I want to see him."


    "I will show his pictures later." Ahn Hana''s voice is desperate. "Leave now. Please."


    Do Sejin stands up like a grumpy old man. If she is begging like that, he will listen to her. She walks him to the door. He turns around to look at her before he leaves. "Don''t sleep with him."


    "I won''t." Ahn Hana pats his head. The boy is adorable. His jealousy is cute. "Don''t fall in love with me."


    "I won''t," Do Sejin ?ssures her before he goes away.


    ***


    Jung Kwang-Soo, as she had predicted, comes after fifteen minutes. She opens the door after a single knock. She doesn''t even invite him inside. She is already ready to visit the crime sites.


    "Did you send your lover away?" He tries to peek inside the house. She locks the door. "I am curious about what kind of person you will pick after Ong Han Bin."


    "He is a temporary one." They walk to his car. "Like your women."


    "Hana, you have finally started living." Jung Kwang-Soo snorts at her. "Who will be next?"


    "I don''t know. I will probably pick up one of the interns," She says to him. "I hope all of them are men."


    "A workplace affair." Jung Kwang-Soo whistles. "Interns are best. They are young, full of hopes, and naive. The excitement is good for you."


    "Looks like you already have an experience." She looks ahead.


    "Why would I miss it if they offer themselves to me?" Jung Kwang-Soo grins at her. "Where are we going?"


    "The last murder happened around three years ago at the district park. Let''s start from there."

 Chapter 11 - Are you ready, girls?

    District Park.


    "It''s the last victim." Jung Kwang-Soo puts his hands in the pocket. It has been three years. This last victim was twelve years old boy. He was Baek Han Sol''s neighbor. They have been seen together a few times on the CCTV. There is no evidence at the spot. The authorities can''t find any link between the location or the victims. That''s why this case is odd. Usually, the sociopaths follow a pattern. But, Baek Han Sol didn''t follow any pattern. He hasn''t admitted his crimes. All the pieces of evidence cry that it is him.


    Ahn Hana observes the surrounding. Baek Han Sol has a house in this district. It is only a ten minutes walk away. Other than this victim, there is another one who was murdered around five years ago. She brings out the list. The 32nd Victim was a 25 years old woman who is a substitute teacher at the high school. The link between him and Baek Han Sol is that they dated each other secretly for three months. This victim was butchered mercilessly in the district park at midnight. She was killed after the 100th day of their breakup.


    The timing is different. The 36th victim was killed around five of the morning. The boy was killed after the 100th day of Baek Han Sol''s birthday. She brings out the location map and marks Baek Han Sol''s house and the locations of the murders.


    "Let''s go. There are 34 more to go." She looks at the tree. It''s quite old.


    "You don''t plan to inspect them all on the same day, do you?" Kwang-Soo pushes up his sunglasses. "The locations are spread out all over the country."


    "We will start with the near ones."


    ***


    "Sejin! Sejin! Sejin!"


    Do Sejin is trying to finish a big jar of beer. His opponent is none other than Kim Dong-Woo.


    "Dong-Woo, don''t let him win," Someone yells from the crowd. Kim Dong-Woo drinks faster. Do Sejin isn''t the type to give up either. He hasn''t eaten anything in the morning because Ahn Hana kicked him out. He waited until Jung Kwang-Soo appeared and saw them leave together. She had called him a temporary one. He is still mad about it. There are plenty of women here. He decides not to go back to her tonight. She will start to miss him and crave for him tonight.


    "The winner will get special treatment." The twin girls declare suddenly, heating the atmosphere. Sejin and Dong-Woo are charged to reach the finish line. Sejin lifts the jar and finishes all of it in one gulp. He wipes his mouth and raises his arms in victory. Dong-Woo gives up and glares at him. "Can''t you lose to me once?"


    "No." Sejin shows him an innocent smile. The twins wrap their arms around him. It''s the twins'' birthdays. He kisses them both.


    "Sejin, did you bring birthday gifts?" The twins ask him together.


    "I am a birthday gift." He has never slept with twins at the same time. He doesn''t remember their names. They look the same to him.


    "Ah!" The left twin bats her eyes at him. "Do you want the special treatment first?


    "Or should we take our birthday gifts first?" The right twin sighs and leans on him.


    "It''s your day." It''s been a while since he had a threesome.


    They pull him along with them. The crowd starts to cheer and shout. The party continues. Do Sejin is pushed back on the bed. The twins don''t take their clothes off. One of the twins folds up her skirt and sits on his mouth. "The birthday gift first," She tells him. He starts working right away with his tongue.


    The second one undoes his zipper and pulls out her shaft. She eyes it greedily. She slaps it a few times. Hard. Do Sejin flinches, but he can''t say anything. He keeps moving his tongue inside the first twin. She starts massaging her br??sts.


    The second twin looks at the tip of his p?n?s, already hard and full for her. She slips it inside her, rotating her h?ps. She mimics her twin''s action and plays with her br??st. They look at each other and smile. When they are finished with the birthday gift, it is Do Sejin''s turn for the special treatment.


    Both of them roll on their stomach at the same time and arches up their h?ps in Do Sejin''s direction. They reach for each other''s mouth and entangling their tongues, giving the best view to Do Sejin. He forgets about everything and everyone. He pulls down his pants.


    "Are you ready, girls?"


    ***


    At around 2 AM, Ahn Hana reheats the soup that Do Sejin saved with his creativity. She places it on the floor and turns on the TV. They are still talking about the 100th-day murders. The victims are protesting in front of the Theseus Law Firm. She doesn''t understand why they are so hyped up. Are they afraid that she will fool the law and free Baek Han Sol out?


    The soup isn''t bad. The boy is a fast learner in bed and kitchen. She finishes the entire cooking. He didn''t come tonight. Hmm! She decides to take a cold bath.


    At the morning, she doesn''t prepare breakfast. Today, she is in a hurry. Do Sejin didn''t show up either. Not that she is missing him. She is aware of the reality. A young man like him won''t have an interest in her for a long. He could be busy with something else. She doesn''t care. It''s better if he doesn''t come again.


    She drives straight to the prison. After the formalities, she enters the waiting room. Baek Han Sol has been spending his time here for the last three years. The prison has changed him. He doesn''t have the same smile and charm that his pictures had shown her.. There is a haunted look in his eyes. However, his face is shaven and clean. He was caught at the age of 25, just a few days after his wedding. He should be around 28 now, but he looks like he is in the mid-30s.


    "You are my new lawyer." He doesn''t seem much hopeful. In his eyes, Ahn Hana looks young. She is also a woman. He doesn''t think that she has many capabilities. He just wants to give up and accept, but his wife and family are not letting him. They have told him that she is one of the best, but she doesn''t look so.


    Ahn Hana can see that he is underestimating her. That''s not her problem. She comes straight to the point.


    "Why did you choose them as your victims?"

 Chapter 12 - You smell like the same Hana

    "Ha! You want me to plead guilty." Baek Han Sol looks at her with disbelief. "I didn''t kill them. However, I wouldn''t mind doing it at this point in my life. I want my family to give up on me and stop spending leftover funds."


    Ahn Hana plays with her pen. She doesn''t look slightly affected. "Why should I believe you?"


    "You are my lawyer. You should believe me." Baek Han Sol looks at her with frustration. "You are worse than your predecessors. They tried to pretend that they believed me."


    "They were afraid of you. You are infamous for your butchering abilities." Ahn Hana scribbles something in her notebook. "My job is to get you out of here by hook or crook. You must tell me everything. So, I can find the flaws and use this information against the system."


    Baek Han Sol shakes his head. "I didn''t kill them."


    "But, the evidence..."


    "They didn''t find the murder weapon. How could they find me guilty?"


    "All the victims know you in some way."


    "I don''t know them." Baek Han Sol yells at her. "They just decided that it is me. If I walk by someone when I am shopping or driving, do I know them? They are desperate to blame someone."


    "Let''s start with the people whom you know." She writes something in the notebook. "Tell me each detail of your first and last meeting with those victims."


    After an hour, she comes out of prison. It is nice to see the bright light again. The visit has been worth it. She opens her car door.


    "Bitch! Just die."


    Ahn Hana covers her face. She nearly throws up when the smell of urine wafts into her nose. The guards catch the old man. He is dressed in rags. Ahn Hana has no doubt. He is one of the victim''s father. Her clothes have been soiled.


    "We are sorry, Madam." One of the guards apologizes. "We should have been vigilant."


    "Pay more attention from now on." She gets into the car and drives away. Her home is three hours drive away from this place. Her workplace is two hours away. She decides to go to her workplace first. That''s just how she is.


    Her colleagues are surprised to see her. They can''t dare to ask her anything. She walks straight into her office and picks up some documents. She is on her way out when Jung Kwang-Soo stops her.


    "Who did this to you?" He tries to touch her shoulder, but she shows him the hand to ward him off.


    "One of the victim''s father. He has been taken by the cops." She gives him a mechanical answer. "I will be working at home today. I need to take a bath. You deal with all the calls. You owe me a big vacation."


    "Yes, I do." For every humiliation, he owes her a big deal. Still, he doesn''t ask her to stop. He can''t. Now, she won''t stop even if he asks her to. Each humiliation is fueling her heart.


    She walks out of the front office. The mob starts to protest louder when they see her. She walks to them. They cover their noses because of the gross smell.


    "Do you have little faith in the laws of this country?" Ahn Hana''s penetrating gaze makes them tremble. "You seems to have a firm belief that I will fool the laws of this country. Isn''t that insulting to our country?"


    One of them stands up. "People like you know how to bend the laws."


    "Then, you should go to the prosecutor''s office and asks him to do his job well." Her voice is sharp and unbending. "If Baek Han Sol is guilty and the prosecutor is capable, can I bring him out? I don''t think so. Don''t blame me for someone''s inability to do a good job. If I see any of you in front of my eyes, I will sue each one of you. I won''t let go of one of you. Do you get it? If you want justice, go to the prosecutor. Stop yapping here."


    The crowd is rendered speechless. Ahn Hana glances at the cameras. Some people are recording. She doesn''t give a fu?k now. She goes to her car and drives straight home.


    ***


    Do Sejin comes to her house around 11 A.M. She is not at home. He wonders if she is at work now. He checks the kitchen and the bin. He didn''t see any shrimp soup in there. She has eaten it all. He smiles to himself.


    After four hours, he is awakened by the sound in the house. He walks out with excitement and sees a drenched Ahn Hana near the door. She ignores him and puts down the bundles of papers on the table. She removes every item from her purse before she throws it in the garbage bin. Do Sejin is shocked. That is the smell of urine. Who did this to her?


    "Hana." He runs to her side. She blocks him with her palm, though her hand doesn''t touch him. Her expression is unreadable.


    "Don''t come close to me." Her voice is cold and sharp. "Leave. I have work."


    He looks at her hand that is blocking the way. He ignores it and hugs her tightly. She yells at him, "Stop hugging me. I don''t feel like doing it tonight. Can''t you read the atmosphere, boy?"


    "Shh!" He tightens his arms around her and kisses her on the top of her head. "Don''t think about that. You aren''t dirty."


    "I-I-" Ahn Hana stammers for the first time. She didn''t see this coming. She has been acting strong, but this boy has seen through her facade. Of course, she is shaken by what happened to her. Her mind is in chaos. Her voice becomes b?r?ly audible, unable to hide her pain anymore. "I smell bad."


    "No, you smell like the same Hana." He moves his palm on her back in a circular motion, trying to calm her. "You are always perfect, Hana. You are always visible to all the people in the world. They are blinded by your shine. That''s why they are afraid. Don''t let the world get to you. I am here, aren''t I? I will be your support."


    Ahn Hana trembles in his arms. She does her best not to cry. She hugs him back, hiding her face in his ?h?st. It''s funny how she is relying on a 17 years old boy. After some days, they have to pretend that they don''t know each other.


    "Don''t say things like that," She finally tells him. Sternly. "Like this 31 years old woman would ever need your support."


    There, she is back. Do Sejin grins at her. "It''s hot, isn''t? Want to have a bath together?"


    "Where were you last night?"


    Do Sejin bits his lower lip. What should he say? "My friend was having a birthday party. I went there."


    "Oh." She doesn''t think much of it. Ahn Hana peels off her clothes and tosses them in the garbage bin. She isn''t the type who would ever wash them. She looks at Do Sejin who hasn''t answered her question. His clothes also land in the garbage bin. She is fast when she doesn''t like something. She pushes him to the bathroom and baths him. She rubs his skin until it is red, making him cry.


    "What are you doing?" He looks at her, baffled. "Do you want to take my skin off?"


    "It will grow again." She starts cleaning his face. "How could you kiss my head? My hair is still wet because of the... Never mind."


    "Ahn Hana!" Do Sejin scowls at her. "Do you have to tell me that? Can''t you just appreciate the gesture?"


    "I can''t help but feel that you are a fool." She smiles warmly at him. Taking this as a positive sign, he asks her, "Would you do this to me if I was in your position?"


    "Never," She replies within a heartbeat.


    This woman is heartless.

 Chapter 13 - I like her arrogance toward the world

    After a few days, Do Sejin is looking at the video of Ahn Hana on the ??ptop. She looks like a woman who is ready to slay everything on her way. Her words are being twisted by the internet. Some are calling her cool and some are calling her nasty words. Do Sejin is mad. He joins the comment war on the internet, defending Ahn Hana and fully support her.


    "Isn''t she cool?" Kim Dong-Woo has his arm on Sejin''s shoulder. "She challenged the prosecutor office openly. She is our ideal."


    "Stop wasting time and help me. We have to show support for our senior. She graduated from the same university." Do Sejin is focussed. "Ask everyone to support her."


    "Would this help though?" Kim Dong-Woo sends a text to his batchmates and juniors.


    "Yes, she is representing our university." Do Sejin is fueled. His eyes are furious.


    "Oh, wait! Prosecutor Im is appointed for the 100th-day murder case.." Kim Dong-Woo reads the latest update. "Do Sejin, he is also a graduate of our university. He is a remarkable one with a strong background. He is called the Prosecutor Justice. If it is him, she is bound to lose. We should support him."


    Do Sejin glares at his friend. "Will you become a lawyer or a prosecutor?"


    "I get it. I get it." Kim Dong-Woo sighs. "The future lawyers will support the lawyer, but I am not sure if the future prosecutor will support the lawyer. Prosecutor Im is treated like a god by those wannabes. I am sure that professors will use this opportunity for a mock battle between the future lawyers and future prosectors."


    "Even the god will bow before Ahn Hana, the empress." Do Sejin looks at the frozen video. Ahn Hana seems stubborn, like a mountain in front of small trees. "She will win."


    "Are you supporting her because you are sleeping with her?" Kim Dong-Woo asks him seriously. "I am afraid for you, my friend. If she finds out, she will become your worst enemy."


    "I will love it if she hates me." His lips curl up into a smile. "Maybe she will start acting clingy. She is becoming addicted to me. I know her body well now. I know how she likes it. She won''t be able to get away from me even if she finds out."


    "Now, I feel bad for her." Kim Dong-Woo looks at Ahn Hana''s picture with pity. "You are turning her into your permanent toy, aren''t you? Why did you choose her?"


    "I like her arrogance toward the world." Do Sejin keeps staring at her. In the last few days, Ahn Hana has been more open to him. They are nearly acting like a couple. She has been looking forward to seeing him. The nights are hot. He doesn''t have to pretend like a naive boy anymore. She gives in to his demands easily. He can do her anytime and anywhere in the house.


    She baths him every day and combs his hair. She gives him a goodbye kiss in the morning. It looks like she has fallen for him when he hugged her that night.


    ***


    Ahn Hana looks at her test results, upset. "This is not the right time. I am not prepared."


    Her friend from the same high school, Doctor Bo Ji-Won, looks at her with glazed eyes. "Do you think anyone is prepared for things like this?"


    "I am busy with the 100th-Day murder case." Ahn Hana makes a face. "Keep this a secret for me. Nobody should find out."


    "Hm! You don''t want Kwang-Soo to know?" She raises her brows playfully. "I won''t tell him if you promise me that you will come for a regular checkup. You will take care of your diet. You won''t take the stress. It''s not good for your body. Your condition is pretty bad."


    "Hearing this gives me more stress." Ahn Hana isn''t lying. She pushes the test results to her friend. "I will take a long vacation after I finish this case. I will follow all of your instructions then. You can recommend me a good place somewhere nobody can find me. After the 100th-day case is over, I will become popular. I can''t do it here."


    "You are finally talking sense. You need a break. I know a lot of places." Doctor Bo takes the test results and puts them in the drawer. She gives her medicines. "Don''t forget to take medicines. Your body is fragile. You are not getting any younger. Don''t act like a daredevil."


    Doctor Bo warns about a few more things before Ahn Hana can leave the hospital. She is drained of energy by the time she reaches home. She doesn''t go inside straight away. "Now, I have to finish this case sooner than I intended it to."


    She slowly steps out of the car. Her movements are sluggish and lacking energy. She finds Do Sejin waiting for her. Her heart feels warm when he hugs her. He does that familiar thing on her back with his palm, moving it in a circle. It makes her relax. She mutters to him, "I feel like a zombie."


    "You had a long day." Do Sejin carries her to the bed. She looks down today. There are days like that. He changes her clothes. "Should I feed you?"


    Ahn Hana sighs. He takes that as a yes. He prepares the table for dinner. When it is ready, he carries her to the table. She sighs again, looking depressed. He picks up the chopsticks. "Say Ah."


    She opens her mouth. Do Sejin starts feeding her. Her eyes are fixed on him. She is exhausted and depressed. He finally asks her, "Hana, what happened?"


    "Do Sejin, you are handsome." She takes the chopstick and starts feeding him. "I think, I like you."


    Success! This invincible lawyer is trapped. Do Sejin smiles at her coyly. "How much do you like me?"


    "I like you more than my bank balance." She picks up the meat with the chopsticks and tries to feed him. He moves his head back, looking upset.


    "Hana, you like me only that much?"


    "My bank balance will keep increasing." Ahn Hana shoves the meat in his mouth. "Our agreement is going to end next week. However, if you want to see me, you can continue to visit me until the 100th-day murder case is resolved."


    Only until then? He can''t wrap his head around her words. She just told him that she liked him, but he can''t visit her forever. "Why can''t I come after that? I want to love you forever."


    "Do Sejin, you are young." She gives him a small smile. "I am thankful that I met you. You are a miracle in my life. I didn''t think that I would start liking you, but you have managed to move my heart. But, we can''t do this forever. Meet a nice girl. Fall in love. Date like normal people."

 Chapter 14 - Then, compare the other positions

    "We can date like normal people," Do Sejin tells her. There is an uncomfortable feeling gripping his heart. Why is she speaking like that? She must be worried about the age gap. "I don''t care about the age gap. You are only ten years older."


    Ahn Hana chuckles. "Boy, I am fourteen years older than you. Do the right math."


    "Yes, yes, fourteen." Do Sejin coughs lightly. He recalls that he is playing the role of a 17 years old boy. Ahn Hana is 31. "I don''t care about that. You know that we have something special between us."


    "I will give it a thought after you grow up." Ahn Hana pats his head. "If you are still single by then, we can date. I want you to date a few girls before you make your decision to be with me."


    Great! Do Sejin is exhilarated by her answer. That''s what he wanted. It will be easy for him when she finds out the truth. Now, he has an excuse to save him. Hurray!


    "Since I am happy, I will grant one of your wishes."


    He leans toward her and grabs her hands. "My Empress, will you really grant my wish?"


    Ahn Hana snickers when she sees the excitement in his eyes. "Yes."


    Today is such a great day for Do Sejin. He didn''t think that he would ever hear those words. He has been itching to do something to her in bed, but he didn''t dare before.


    "You can''t back out now."


    ***


    Ahn Hana is lying n?k?d on her back with her legs widespread. Her fingers are furiously rubbing her flower. With her other hand, she is rubbing, pulling, and playing with n?pp??s. She has done this before many times, but she has never this in front of someone else.


    She blushes in shame when she notices Do Sejin heated gaze on her. He is standing near the bed, touching himself down there and watching her like he wants to eat her right then. He is right there, but he won''t fu?k her. When did this boy become like this? What he is reading or watching these days? She is not allowed to close her eyes. She licks her lips when she sees his hardness. She penetrates herself with her two thin fingers. It can''t satisfy her, but she likes it.


    "Sejin..." She pleads him to come to her. He shakes his head slowly and continues to touch himself. She starts to rub herself harder. In seconds, she arches her waist high. A warm fluid exits her slick hole. Do Sejin comes close and licks it off before it can go wasted. "Ahn Hana, you are delicious. I can drink this until I die."


    She blushes harder when she hears his words. She stares at his hardon. She wants him right now. She wants him desperately.


    "Turn around." Do Sejin''s voice is deep and throaty. Ahn Hana rolls on her stomach, waiting for him to start doing her. Her insides are craving for him.


    "Lift your waist."


    Her knees dig into the bed. Do Sejin lifts her waist higher. "Start rubbing yourself there."


    Alarmed, she tries to move away. "Do Sejin, what are you doing?"


    "You told me that you will fulfill my wish." He bites her bu?? cheek lightly. She is unable to escape his clutches. He has wanted to do this for a long time. He doesn''t have lube, but he can''t let go of this opportunity to take her. If he had known, he would have prepared plenty. Now, he has to use other means to make it pleasurable for her.


    "Have you been fu?k?d here?"


    "No!" Ahn Hana is scared. She starts to regret her words. She can''t back out now. She didn''t expect that he would be going for this.


    "No one has kissed you here before?"


    Ahn Hana can''t see him. Her throat is parched. She has never done this before. "No."


    Do Sejin kisses her there. She hasn''t been touched or penetrated there. A strange feeling rises in her body. She bites her lip. This feels wrong.


    He can feel her each tremble. Her toes are curled up. She is grasping the bedsheet hard. He inserts his finger slowly to loosen her up. "Hana, honey, relax. Trust me. I have read about this a lot."


    Actually, he has done this a lot. He can''t boast about his experience to her yet.


    It takes a while. She is making the sounds that he never heard before. Her body is relaxing underneath him. Her eyes are closed. Her plump br??sts are pressed against the pillow. Her mouth is slightly open, letting out short raspy breaths mixed with deep groans. He moves his other hand and rubs her ???t?r?s.


    "Ahn Hana, you are beautiful. You feel so good. I want to love you every day for the rest of my life." His voice is deep and sultry. He ??r?sses her bu?? for a good minute. "Can you take me?"


    Her mind is vague. She can''t think properly. It feels wrong, but it also feels right. "Yes."


    Good. She is ready. She cries out in pain when he penetrates her. Do Sejin moves slowly. He wants her to become comfortable. It takes a few minutes. She starts m??ning again. She doesn''t understand why it is feeling so good. She doesn''t care about the reasons or logic. She gives up complete control to Do Sejin.


    After an hour, Do Sejin is moving his palm on her b?r? back. He knows that it can make her relax. She likes him to do it. She isn''t looking at him. She isn''t replying either. He asks her in a childlike voice, "Ahn Hana, are you mad at me?"


    "Hmph!" She doesn''t turn around.


    "You felt good, right?" He pokes her shoulder. "I felt really good. I didn''t know that I could feel like that."


    No answer.


    "If you dislike it, I won''t do it again."


    "Do you feel dirty?" He rolls over her, pressing his d??k over her bu??. "Should I clean you up?"


    "Use lube next time." He hears her mumble.


    "So, you liked it. Was I better than Jung Kwang-Soo and Ong Han Bin?"


    "They never fu?k?d me there. I can''t compare."


    Do Sejin grits his teeth. "Then, compare the other positions."


    "You are better than Ong Han Bin, but you are a long way from reaching Jung Kwang-soo''s level."


    "Ahn Hana." She...she... He is frustrated. "How could you compare me to him? He only fu?k?d you once."


    "Once is enough to judge someone''s skills in bed." Ahn Hana smiles inwardly. She is having a good time, teasing this boy. She pulls his cheek. "You will get better with time, sweetheart."


    Do Sejin is pleased that she is calling him so endearingly. He decides to forgive her. No worries. After she finds out the truth, he can use all of her skills on her. Then, he will ask again who is better: Him or Jung Kwang-soo.

 Chapter 15 - I wont do anything funny

    "Rise and shine." Do Sejin plants a kiss on her mouth when she wakes up. "Good morning, Darling."


    "Mmm." Ahn Hana wants to sleep more. Her body, especially that place that he penetrated last night, is in pain. Do Sejin clears away the hair from her face. She looks cute when she is grumpy and sleepy. Too adorable. He keeps kissing her until she is completely awoken. But, she pretends to be asleep. He sneakily moves his hand over her bu??hole and taps it. She sits up with a jolt.


    "You are late for school," She yells at him.


    Do Sejin laughs. "It''s fine. I won''t go to school today. You should take a day off."


    "No." She climbs off the bed before he can catch her. "I have to visit the location of the 24th murder. I don''t have time for this. Get out of my house now."


    Do Sejin knows that he can''t push her when it comes to working. It looks like she loves her work more than him. "Alright. Let''s eat. I will leave after that.


    Seeing that he isn''t planning anything funny, Ahn Hana goes to the table. She doesn''t bother wearing clothes. He feeds her the breakfast. "How is it?"


    "Better than before." She chews the omelet. "Don''t put many spices. Ji-Won asked me to eat simple meals."


    "Oh, did she call you to scold you again?"


    Bo Ji-Won is her childhood friend from her hometown. She is quite close to her. She scolds her a lot when it comes to her health. After that time at the hospital, Bo Ji-Won has visited her a few times and gave her a huge scolding for leaving like that. She didn''t ask much about Do Sejin when she saw her here. She is quite chilled about everything else other than health matters.


    Ahn Hana doesn''t hide. Much. "The test results came out. I had to go and see her yesterday."


    "Is something wrong?" He asks with worry. Ahn Hana had a bad accident when she was in college. If she receives another head trauma, it will be the end of her. But, Ahn Hana has told him many times that Bo Ji-Won is just overreacting. If a head bump could kill her that easily, she would have died a long time ago.


    "I am just stressed these days because of work. So, she asked me to change my diet. She is confident that it will work."


    "I will give you a body massage tonight." Do Sejin also thinks that she looks more tired recently. When she looks at him warily, he smiles at her. "I won''t do anything funny. Just a gentle massage to make you feel relief."


    "Okay." Ahn Hana accepts his offer. "I hope you read a lot about massaging techniques."


    The sly comment makes him chortle. "You hold grudges, don''t you?"


    "Next time, give me a warning before you try something outrageous like that."


    "Sure, Sure."


    ***


    He goes straight to the university. It''s lively as ever. As Kim Dong-Woo has predicted, the professors are using this opportunity to set up the future prosecutors and the future lawyers against each other. There is no doubt that Do Sejin will only take Ahn Hana''s side. He has closely seen and observed her when she has been working on her ??ptop. Though he doesn''t know what is going inside her head because she won''t discuss much with him, he is sure that he will win.


    "He has been caught on the CCTV loitering around the murder location before it happened." One of the wannabe prosecutors puts down his argument. "There is a strong link between the victims and the murderer. He killed his ex-girlfriend after the 100th day of their breakup. He killed the neighborhood boy after the 100th day of his father''s birthday. He killed that grocery store cashier after the 100th day of his university school graduation day. The list is long. It cannot be a coincidence. He is the total psychopath. "


    "They haven''t found the murder weapon." Do Sejin voices out. "The link is pure guesswork."


    Seeing that Do Sejin is supporting the murderer, Eun Min Ah also stands up to support Do Sejin.


    "I agree with Do Sejin. The link between the murders is ridiculous. The prosecutors have to do a better job."


    The future prosecutors are inflamed. "What about the bloodied clothes that were found at his home? The blood of the last boy whom he killed at the district park. Are those circumstantial? Did the blood splash to his home and landed on his clothes when the murderer was stabbing that boy?"


    "Blood of one boy can''t count for all the victims." Once Eun Min Ah is into something, she goes with all her might. Soon, she forgets about the goal to impress Do Sejin and make him fall for her.


    "The murderer would stab the victim five times. No more. No less." Do Sejin adds, "He is precise and calculative. I don''t think that the killer would choose his victims or the locations randomly. The murderers like these like to collect some sort of trophy from their victims. Nothing like that was found at his house."


    "Not all murderers are the same. How do we know that he didn''t bury it in his secret lair?"


    "The prosecutors couldn''t make him confess. If he was guilty, could he hold on for all these years?"


    "The 24th Victim was found n?k?d in the hotel room. She was stabbed five times, but the murderer has cleaned off her body. There was not a speck of blood on her body. The murderer has decorated her hair with flowers." The hall is quiet when they hear Eun Min Ah''s description of the 24th murder. "She was 15 years old. Of all the murders, she was the only one who was treated differently like she was loved."


    One of the students laugh. "Loved? I would not want to be loved like that."


    "Nobody would want that," Eun Min Ah replies stubbornly, but she looks strong. "Baek Han Sol was 22 years old at the time. They have never found any link between her and Baek Han Sol."


    "There was a link. She was murdered at the R H hotel. Baek Han Sol frequented there a lot with hostesses. She could be a hostess or his lover."


    "Baek Han Sol is not stupid enough to make a mistake with an underaged girl. Besides that, he was at the stadium to participate in a football match."


    "There are a lot of rich people who like a young girl. She could have been pretending to be an older woman. He got injured and left the match early."


    "Alright! The hour is up." Professor Man looks at his watch. "We will continue this tomorrow. Both sides should prepare well."

 Chapter 16 - I like learning from my juniors

    There are some unsatisfied grumbles that it was over too soon. The students start to leave in the groups, still discussing the 100th-day murder. Professor Man is satisfied. The students are riled up and working hard.


    "Do Sejin. Eun Min Ah. Come here."


    Do Sejin wonders if the professor has found out that he has been stealing his imported cigars while Eun Min Ah has different thoughts in her head.


    "Are you interested in getting some experience at the Theseus Law Firm?" He asks them with a smile. "If you go there, you will get some deep insight into real-world problems."


    "Lawyer Ahn works at the Theseus Law Firm," Eun Min Ah recalls. "She is the one who is defending Baek Han Sol."


    "Yes, Eun Min Ah. If you go, you might get the chance to observe her closely. Ahn Hana is good at handling cases like this. There is Jung Kwang-Soo who is closely accompanying Ahn Hana in this case." Professor Man has been impressed by Eun Min Ah''s close observations. She seems twisted enough to work with his former students. "Are you interested? What about you, Do Sejin?"


    "I don''t want to." Do Sejin wants to pretend and continue his relationship with Ahn Hana as long as possible. If he goes there, the truth will come out. He needs to be sure that she won''t kick him out of her life before she finds out the truth. He leaves the hall before the professor could say anything else.


    "Eun Min Ah, what is your decision?"


    Eun Min Ah is gazing at the door. She loves Do Sejin. He is the reason why she decided to study the law. But, there is a different reason now. "I want to go to the Theseus Firm."


    "You made the right decision. I am sure that you won''t regret it."


    24th Murder Location. The R H Hotel. Room No. 405.


    Ahn Hana neatly aligns the 36 pictures of murdered victims on the bed. She stares at them for a long time. She picks up the picture of the 24th victim. The victim is 15 years old. Her skin is deathly pale. There are five clean stab wounds on her stomach. There is not a single piece of clothing on her body. Though her body is clean, the bedsheet is red with her blood. The murderer had washed her body before he laid her down on the bed. He arranged each strand of her hair in order, then he put white magnolia flowers in her hair. She looked pure and beautiful. That''s how he saw her.


    Jung Kwang-soo, who has been quiet the whole time, decides to bring her out of the trance.


    "Hana, you could have done this at home."


    "Coming to the murder locations makes me think." She starts writing the date of murder on the bottom of each picture.


    "Will you tell me what you are thinking about?" He puts away the strand of her hair that keeps falling on her face.


    "You will hear it in court."


    "Is Baek Han Sol the killer?"


    "What do you think?"


    "I would like you to tell me why he is not the one."


    "He is not smart enough."


    Jung Kwang-soo burst out laughing. Ahn Hana stares at the pictures with the murder dates solemnly. She presses her finger on the 24th victim.


    "She is the clue."


    "Is she?" Jung Kwang-soo leans back. "She has been killed differently, but they didn''t find anything. It looks like she knew her murderer."


    "All of them knew their murderer." She scratches her chin. "I don''t know why they would think that it''s Baek Han Sol."


    "He is the common link. The victims are connected to him in some way. He was caught on all the surveillance camera before the victim was murdered. The date of the murder match with someday that is significant to him. Also, the fact that he buried those bloody clothes under the pet house."


    Jung Kwang-soo starts counting the main reasons. "Baek Han Sol was arrested three years ago. There was no murder after that. That''s why they were sure that it was him."


    "They only found a connection with 14 victims." Ahn Hana points out. "For other murders, he had some strong alibis."


    "There are some politics here." Jung Kwang-soo explains. "The Baek family has powerful enemies. When he was arrested, their enemies used the opportunity to push down the Baek family. Most of the alibis were threatened to back out or lie."


    "He is also unlucky."


    "It will be hard to convince the alibis."


    "That''s your job." Ahn Hana picks up the photos. "I am going to this girl''s house."


    ***


    "I can''t wait to use you," Do Sejin says this to the vibrator in his hand. "But, I can''t use you yet. Should I buy you or not?"


    He puts it in the basket. His eyes stop on the special p?nt??s with the remote. "I wonder what she will think about me if I gift this to her."


    Panties. He is buying them. One by one, he will use it in bed with her. It''s also new for him. He picks up the bottle of lube. That''s a good brand. He will use this tonight. Butt-plug? Is it too much? He likes the color. Anal beads? Definitely. A magic wand? Do Sejin imagines her expression when he will stick it inside her. Yes, he is buying it.


    Nipple clamps? These are probably too much. There is no harm in buying it for the future. Just in case.


    "If she asks me, I will tell her that I made an older friend to buy it for me." Do Sejin thinks of an excuse. After all, he wouldn''t be allowed inside the s?x toy store if he was really 17.


    "Oho!" The twins exclaim together when they see Do Sejin. They point at the basket full of s?x toys. "What is that?"


    "You can see what they are?" He asks them, amused. These are bad girls. One of the twins picks up the dildo and strokes her cheek with it.


    "We have better toys."


    His eyes become bright. "Is that so?"


    "Do you want us to show you how to use them?" The other twin gazes at him seductively. "You will be surprised to explore the possibilities."


    "I like learning from my juniors."

 Chapter 17 - You are a quick learner

    "We are sorry." Noe Kyung-Hee''s mother bows to her stiffly. "We don''t think that we can help you."


    "I know that you hate me. You have your reasons." Ahn Hana sighs. It''s awkward. She has seen this couple protesting against her in front of the law firm. "However, are you okay if the real killer of your daughter is freely living his life?"


    "But..." She hesitates a bit. She looks sideways at her husband who doesn''t look like he will cooperate. "Everyone thinks that Baek Han Sol is the killer."


    "He isn''t," Ahn Hana tells her confidently. "Baek Han Sol doesn''t even know your daughter."


    "How are you sure?" Noe Kyung-Hee''s father questions her with rage in his voice. "You are the type of lawyer who will do anything for money."


    Ahn Hana reveals them the picture of their daughter''s body. They look horrified to see it again after so many years. Bad memories resurface in their minds.


    "As you said, there is strong evidence that Baek Han Sol is the killer. If he is, I will lose. If he is not and I lose because you are not helping me, your daughter''s killer is free on the streets of this city. Do you think that she was randomly chosen? No. Your daughter was special to him. Very special. Are you sure that a chaebol heir would look at your daughter this way?"


    The mother falls on her knees and sobs. The father scowls at her and screams, "If you come back here, I will kill you."


    They go back inside the house and slam the door close. She looks at the sky and sighs. Her reputation doesn''t come handy at times like this.


    ***


    The twins put the vibrator p?n?s ring on him. "You put it on like this."


    "Really." Do Sejin likes these girls. They are wonderful. He picks up the n?pp?? clamper. He clamps each of their br??sts with the n?pp?? clamper. "Then, does it go like this?"


    The twins sigh together. "You are a quick learner."


    He pushes them on the bed. They widen their legs for him. Do Sejin enters one of them while the other plays with herself with the vibrator. The vibrations give him an entirely different sensation. The twin''s bu??on is brushed each time he shoves himself inside her. The girl writhes underneath him. But, he feels like he is only feeling half of the p???sur? that he feels when he is with Ahn Hana.


    Do Sejin thinks about how Ahn Hana would look at him when he does this to her. He wants to try this on her as soon as possible. He wonders what kind of noises she will make. It makes him hot when he guesses Ahn Hana''s reactions.


    Suddenly, the twin grabs his waist to stop him. "It''s her turn now."


    Do Sejin doesn''t care. Both of them look and feel the same to him. It would have been better if there were two Ahn Hana in the world like this. It would have been better if there were more than two. He wants to have a personal harem of all the women who looked like Ahn Hana.


    Reality is harsh. He can''t pay for plastic surgeries of so many women. Even if he had that much money, he doubted that all the women with her face could move or make sounds like her. Then, there is only one Ahn Hana in this world. Perhaps, that''s why she is special.


    The twin moves over. The second twin arches her hip toward him, waiting. He shuts his eyes close. eyes. He thinks of the lawyer and slams into her.


    His imagination is broken when he suddenly feels a sharp pain. The first twin has clamped his n?pp??s. She experiments with the pressure. "Do Sejin, does it feel good?"


    "Yes." He moves against the second twin''s hip. The first twin kisses him while playing with his n?pp??s with the clamper. He closes his eyes again and imagines that both of them are Ahn Hana.


    "You pass, Do Sejin." The first twin wraps her arms around her neck. The second twin is wrapping her tongue around his d??k. "We are arranging a special gathering tonight. Wanna come?"


    "Can I bring friends?"


    "If you think that your friends can survive, bring them."


    ***


    "This is her photo." Noe Kyung-Hee''s middle school homeroom teacher shows her a group photo after the festival. " It''s been a long time, but I can''t forget that student. She was a bright student. She was here on scholarship. She could mix with people easily. It came as a shock that someone would do that to her."


    Ahn Hana looks at the photos. Noe Kyung-Hee is smiling in all of them. There is no sadness or anger in any of the picture. It looks like she was always surrounded by people. She was someone who could mix with people easily and anywhere.


    People like her can hide things easily. "Did she have any hobbies?"


    "She was in the tennis club and the broadcasting club." The teacher frowns hard. "In her free time, she liked reading novels."


    "What kind of novels?" Ahn Hana''s eyes stop on one of the group photos. In this picture, Kyung-Hee seems to be looking at a dark-haired girl with sharp eyes. The dark-haired girl is holding Kyung-Hee''s arm. Kyung-Hee is laughing in the picture while the girl looks glum for some reason.


    The teacher couldn''t recall a single novel''s name that her student used to read. When there are a lot of students in the classroom, it is hard to remember one. It has been years since Kyung-Hee died.


    "I never paid attention to that. Her friends might be able to tell you."


    "Who is this?"


    "That''s her best friend, Ok Min Ji." The teacher is impressed by Ahn Hana''s observation. "She will be able to tell you about Kyung-Hee more than me. They always stuck together during middle school."


    "Can I keep this picture?" Ahn Hana requests the teacher.


    The teacher nods and says, "You can keep it. Can I help you with anything else?"


    "If you have Ok Min Ji''s address or contact number, that will help a lot." Ahn Hana smiles at the teacher. This unjudgmental teacher has been helpful to her, unlike the others who turned her away without listening to her.


    "I have her parent''s address, but I am not sure whether they still live there." The teacher looks through her old roster. "I am not allowed to share this. Don''t tell them that it was me."


    "I won''t," Ahn Hana says gratefully. "I am curious. Why are you helping me?"


    "When she was found dead in the hotel room like that, people questioned her character because she came from a modest household." The teacher pauses for a moment. "Kyung-Hee wasn''t that type of person. I don''t know Baek Han Sol, but Kyung-Hee isn''t someone who will go to a hotel with someone like him. She wouldn''t sell herself for money."


    Ahn Hana didn''t know Noe Kyung-Hee, but she can guess that Kyung-Hee was a little extraordinary child with high dreams. "I think the same."

 Chapter 18 - Whatever happens in this, remains in this room

    "My friend, you know that I love you." Kim Dong-Woo looks at him tearfully. "I can''t thank you enough for bringing me to this heaven."


    "How could I forget my best friend?" Do Sejin smirks at him. The living hall is full of n?k?d men and women. He knows half of them are from the same university. Loud music is blaring out of the speaks. The twins are standing atop the table.


    "For those who are new here tonight, there are two rules." The first twin glances at Do Sejin and his friend. "The first rule is -"


    "Whatever happens in this, remains in this room." The second twin finishes words. "The second rule is -"


    "You never break the first rule." The first twin grins. "If you do, you will never be invited again."


    The twins face each other and inaugurate the orgy by kissing each other.


    "So many pussies." Kim Dong-Woo''s eyes shine when he looks at the women in the room. "Do Sejin, how many would you fu?k tonight?"


    "All of them." Do Sejin smiles at the twins who look like they are waiting for him to come to them. Do Sejin pulls the first twin by her arm. She falls onto him. He catches her and lays her down on the carpet. Compared to Ahn Hana, she is light and skinny. He doesn''t go for the foreplay and begins penetrating her right away.


    The left twin sits down on the table and spreads her legs for Kim Dong-Woo. Dong-Woo kisses her hard. He rubs his ???k''s tip against her entrance playfully, feeling the wetness. She kisses him back fiercely, taking charge. She holds on to his ???k and inserts it inside her without impatiently. Kim Dong-Woo mentally thanks his friend again for bringing him here.


    The loud music isn''t enough to down the ?r?t?? sounds in the room.


    ***


    Ahn Hana looks at the address and then, at the door of the apartment. Noe Kyung-Hee died five years ago. Her best friend should be in her early twenties now. This is her best friend''s house. There is a sound of loud music coming from this place. She wonders whether there is a party going on here. The parents must not be at home.


    Desperate times call for desperate actions. She needs to talk to this girl. That girl is important for her investigation. Ahn Hana takes off the hairpin from hair. She fickles with the lock a few times. It doesn''t help at all. The lock is a good one.


    Ahn Hana decides to find another way. She roams around the house. The curtains are pulled. She can''t see or hear anything that is happening inside. The light is also low. She goes behind the house and finds a locked window. She fickles with the lock again with the hairpin. Luckily, it works this time. Jung Kwang-Soo has taught her some good tricks.


    The girl or her parents might try to sue her. She has enough money to handle that. That''s why she works hard.


    The room is dark. She uses her phone to look around. It''s a master room. There is a huge portrait of a middle-aged couple on the wall. The husband and wife are smiling. This must be the parents'' room. It looks like it hasn''t been used recently. She comes out of the room. The music is getting louder as she walks toward the living room.


    Oh, Damn! She has walked into an orgy. Ahn Hana curses her luck.


    "I can''t go back now," Ahn Hana tells herself. "My eyes are already infected by this scene. I can''t come back tomorrow. I have to find her."


    Suddenly, someone grabs her wrist and pulls her in his arms. He tries to reach for her lips. Ahn Hana kicks him between his legs without any mercy. He screams, but nobody hears it because of the loud music. He falls on the ground, clutching his broken manhood. She shakes off the imaginary dust. She grabs his hair and asks, "Where is Ok Min Ji?"


    The poor man points toward the middle of the room. Ahn Hana sees two girls and a man occupied in a threesome.


    "There are two of them." Ahn Hana is mildly surprised to two identical girls. Though they have dyed their hairs, Ahn Hana can easily recognize the identical twins by their eyes. The teacher didn''t mention this. Perhaps, they attended different schools and the teacher didn''t know.


    Crap! Kim Dong-Woo recognizes the woman. It''s no other than Ahn Hana. She is walking toward Do Sejin who is lying under twins. Do Sejin can''t see her coming. If the twin doesn''t get up from his face, Do Sejin can be saved. Else, he can''t imagine what will happen to him. He opens his mouth wide to warn his friend. Just then, someone shoves a d??k inside his mouth.


    ''No! I am not gay. Stop. My friend needs me.''


    His cries are easily quietened by the d??k shoved deep into his throat.


    The twins also notice the woman. They are sure that she is uninvited. Ahn Hana stops in front of them, eyeing them both seriously. The first twin stops hopping on Do Sejin''s d??k. The second one doesn''t stand up. Do Sejin, who is eating the second twin, notices the change in the atmosphere. He looks at the black heels that have stopped in front of his face. He doesn''t know what''s going on. He tries to look up, but his view is blocked when the twin suddenly moves her legs.


    "Which one of you is Ok Min Ji?" Ahn Hana asks in a low voice.


    Do Sejin recognizes the voice. He would recognize it anywhere. Ahn Hana. Why she is here? She shouldn''t see him in any case. The truth should never come out.


    "I am." The second twin raises her brow. "Who are you?"


    "I am a lawyer. I am defending Baek Han Sol." Ahn Hana ignores the first girl who resumes her hopping on Do Sejin''s d??k. "I need to talk to you about Noe Kyung-Hee."


    "What''s there to say? Baek Han Sol killed her," Ok Min Ji replies emotionlessly.


    "Do you really think that?" Ahn Hana looks into her eyes. "Would Kyung-Hee ever go to the hotel? Is she someone who would date Baek Han Sol? Would she sleep with people for money? That''s what people are saying about her, right? What do you think about that? Your opinions might help me find the real killer who is living his life after extinguishing Kyung-Hee''s flame."


    Ok Min Ji and Ahn Hana stare at each other intensely. Do Sejin''s heart is beating fast. Please, say No. It''s alright if this girl meets Ahn Hana later. But, Ahn Hana must never see him here like this.


    "No truth can be hidden for long," Ahn Hana delivers the words with a tone that moves Ok Min Ji''s heart. "I will bring the truth out."

 Chapter 19 - You are fearless

    "Fine." Ok Min Ji decides to talk to this woman. "I will tell you everything about her."


    Ahn Hana smiles at her. She has been right about breaking into the house. Ok Min Ji tries to get up, but Do Sejin clasps on to her waist and pulls her down. He swirls his tongue inside her.


    "Ah...Do...Se...Ahh..jin...Ah...lemme...Ah..Go..." Ok Min Ji didn''t expect that he would become like this. She is sure that he has heard the conversation. But, Do Sejin pulls her opening closer. His fingers dig into her skin. She can''t get off from his face. He can''t let Ahn Hana see his face.


    Poor him didn''t realize that his action would do exactly what he doesn''t want. He would attract Ahn Hana''s attention. She looks at him. She can''t see his face because only his disheveled thick hair is visible. She glances at Ok Min Ji who has closed her eyes and heaves her ?h?st high, lost in p???sur?. Ahn Hana has been forgotten.


    Ahn Hana could wait and let them finish. It is a polite thing to do, right?


    But, she isn''t that type of person. She can b?r?ly stand here. The smell of s?x and sweat is making her dizzy. The loud music and the thrusting noises mixed with ?r?t?? grunts are giving her a headache. She can b?r?ly bear it. She leans down toward the man''s head and pulls his hair without mercy.


    "If you don''t let go of her, I will pull the hair off your skull."


    Do Sejin feels like crying. It seems that the time has come for him to pay for his crimes. The lawyer is threatening to make him bald. But, he would rather get a hair transplant. He doesn''t let go of Ok Min Ji.


    "You are fearless." She pulls his hair. "Let go now."


    Even the second twin is surprised to see this. She wants to say something, but her voice becomes a loud m??n. Do Sejin won''t let her go. Ahn Hana must not see his face.


    Interesting. Ahn Hana is impressed by this guy''s shameless. She likes a challenge. She grabs the hands that are clasping Ok Min Ji''s waist. She forcefully separates the hands away from her waist and looks up at the twin. Her eyes are full of wrath.


    "Get up."


    Ok Min Ji is frightened by that look in Ahn Hana''s eyes that she stands up abruptly. Do Sejin is appalled by what has happened. Why is this woman stronger than him? He should have worked out a lot.


    Ahn Hana''s eyes meet Do Sejin''s. For a moment, it feels like the time is running slow. She scrutinizes his face blankly. His face is covered with Ok Min Ji''s splurge. His lips are swollen. She can see the guilt and embarrassment in his eyes. The other twin is still riding his d??k, making slippery sonances of penetrations. It feels like her ears will start bleeding anytime.


    "Do Sejin."


    Do Sejin notices her glacial gaze on him. It is soon replaced by something else. She looks at him like he is a stranger. No hate. No unhappiness. No hurt. It''s not an expression that he knows about. That scares him.


    "I-I..." The words are drowned in his throat. He can''t even come up with excuses.


    "You must have fun fooling me, isn''t?" Her unfeeling voice sends deathlike tremors through his body. Ahn Hana lets go of his hands and stands up gracefully. "Carry on."


    "Do you know him?" Ok Min Ji asks her. It doesn''t look like they have a normal relationship. She can guess what must have happened between them. Do Sejin is a popular play boy.


    She glances at Ok Min Ji.


    "Can you dress up and meet me outside?"


    "Yes." Ok Min Ji gives her a nod. Ahn Hana walks out from the front door. She goes to her car and finds a water bottle. She washes her hands, but she doesn''t feel clean. She takes a deep breath and punches her ?h?st a few times. All the emotions are buried deep. She is working now. She is not the type of women who would cry over things like this. Something else is more important than this.


    Do Sejin doesn''t get up or go after her, lying there like a dead man. His vigor and interest are gone. The other twin goes away when she is finished.


    A woman comes and kisses his mouth. Someone else is ???k?n? his d??k at the same time. He doesn''t respond to them. Ahn Hana''s eyes are ingrained in his mind.


    Those eyes scare him.


    He looks toward the door and sees Ok Min Ji leaving the house. She must be outside.


    He has broken many hearts. Ahn Hana has not been the first. Why he is feeling like this? He can''t understand. He feels empty. Something is wrong with him.


    He finds his clothes and dresses up in a hurry. He runs fast to find Ahn Hana, but she is already gone.


    ***


    Ok Min Ji follows her into the restaurant. They take the opposite seats. Ahn Hana orders the food for them. She is sure that Ok Min Ji is hungry after the intense exercise. They don''t talk until the waitress comes back with the food. Ahn Hana gives her a nod to begin eating. Ok Min Ji doesn''t pick up the fork.


    "What do you want to know about Kyung-Hee?"


    "What type of person was she?"


    Ok Min Ji purses her lips. She finds it difficult to talk about her deceased best friend.


    "She was the kind of person who would always find something good in the bad. She had great reflexes. Her voice could cheer up anyone. She was funny. She was smart. Smarter than everyone I know. I am sure that she wouldn''t be lured by a man to the hotel room. To be honest, Baek Han Sol wasn''t her type at all."


    "What''s her type?" Ahn Hana rests her elbows on the table. She feels mentally exhausted, but she has to continue this.


    Ok Min Ji hesitates a bit. She doesn''t know whether she should say it or not.


    "You can tell me." Ahn Hana nudges her hand. "I won''t misuse any information."


    "She wasn''t interested in men." Ok Min Ji blabbers out fast. "She was dating me."


    "How long did you date?"


    Ok Min Ji''s lips tremble a bit. "She died soon after we started dating."


    "It must have been hard for you when she..."


    "Yes. It wasn''t easy getting over her. She was my best friend. She was the only one I loved." Ok Min Ji looks down at her food. A few tears drop on the table. "Nothing is the same ever since she is gone."


    Ahn Hana says nothing. She takes a sip of water, thinking about Noe Kyung-Hee. She glances at Ok Min Ji who is trying hard not to cry. Did she misunderstand the killer''s feeling? Instead of love, is it worship? Was it both? What was special about Noe Kyung-Hee?

 Chapter 20 - You are insane

    "Everything was special about her," Ok Min Ji uses a matter of fact tone. "She was unique. She could see through things easily. She was witty. There was one time when..."


    The conversation has been going nowhere. Ok Min Ji has been acting like a love fool who is recalling her first love. Ahn Hana is not here for that. To Ok Min Ji, Noe Kyung-Hee is the epitome of perfection. Ahn Hana''s headache intensifies. She suddenly recalls Do Sejin at Ok Min Ji''s house. She kicks away the memory somewhere deep in her head. Right now, she is working.


    Noe Kyung-Hee seems like someone who is either too smart or too naive. Ahn Hana stabs the potato and eats it. She needs to eat and be strong. She needs to finish this case in the next hearing.


    "Did she like reading?" Ahn Hana gets back to business. If she let Ok Min Ji talk about Noe Kyung-Hee, they will spend the night at the restaurant. Ahn Hana has no such intention. She wants to sleep. She has different plans tomorrow. There are more murder locations to visit.


    "Yes." Oh Min Ji has a faint smile on her lips. "She would read poetries to me. In her confession letter, she used one of the poems from her favorite book to describe how I looked to her. She even wrote my initials on the page."


    "Did she like reading novels? Mystery novels about murders?" Usually, teenagers are interested in murder mysteries that offer them thrills.


    "Yes, she liked reading them. Her room is full of books. She also liked reading romance and non-fiction. She was the type who would pick up novels randomly from the library with her eyes closed." Ok Min Ji recalls. "She liked to go to the city library whenever she was free."


    Ahn Hana asks her the final question. "What''s the name of that poetry book?"


    "The Ocean In The Sky."


    ***


    Jung Kwang-Soo opens the door. "Why are you here, Hana?"


    "Did you have a good sleep?" Ahn Hana steps inside casually, ignoring that Jung Kwang-Soo is n?k?d. His ???k''s tip is leaking something white. He must have been in the middle of something. When he is not?


    Jung Kwang-Soo looks down at his fallen brother. The hardon has completely disappeared. How could he remain hard in this situation? He feels like cursing someone to death.


    "Do you think that I was sleeping?" He crosses his arms. "Hana, are you lonely? If you are, go to your playboy."


    Ahn Hana glares at him. "How long?"


    "It is my job to be nosy about your life." He smirks at him. "I was curious why you would sleep with someone like him when you have me. You hate playboys. But then, fu?k?n? younger men must be tempting after your screwed up relationship with Ong Han Bin."


    She wants to feed him to the wolves. Even this idiot has been aware of that boy''s real identity.


    "Oh!" He covers his mouth with his hand in shock when a realization hits him "Don''t tell me you were fooled by him? Hana, how did you fall into his trap?"


    "I am one step away from becoming a killer." She sits down on her couch. "Jung Kwang-soo, you are number one on my hit list. I want to peel your skin layer by layer and hear you beg for my mercy."


    "I always knew that you were a psychopath." He sits next to her, looking smug. "To be able to fool someone like you, he must be good. I have to give him some credit. What will you do now?"


    "I will give you ten minutes to finish whatever you were doing. Pack some clothes for you and me. We are going on a trip."


    Jung Kwang-soo wants to know what she will do to the boy. However, this woman is interested in something else. Resolving a murder case is more important than anything else. He has to suffer because of her passion for her cases.


    The trip won''t be boring, thanks to a certain boy.


    "You want to leave the city to resist yourself from killing that guy, isn''t?" He raises his palm. He leans close to her cheek. He misses the warmth of her skin in the air, not daring to go any closer. She will chop his lips if he does. "I guess I can''t let Hana become a criminal before the 100th-day case is over. I will become your driver then."


    She glances at her watch. "You have nine minutes."


    Still laughing at the grumpy lawyer, he goes back to his bedroom. His plaything is lying on the bed in the same position he left her, waiting for his d??k.


    "You have two minutes to get out," He tells the girl before he walks into the shower.


    Ahn Hana turns around when she hears a noise. A girl in her mid-twenties is holding her sandals in her hands and walking on her toes. She freezes when she notices Ahn Hana''s unfeeling eyes. She smiles awkwardly at Ahn Hana. "Um..."


    Ahn Hana resumes scrolling through the news on her phone. She must be one of Kwang-soo''s toys. The girl runs out of the house like a scared cat.


    Jung Kwang-soo comes out within 10 minutes, dressed up in casual attire. His dark hair is combed back. He is carrying a small bag with necessities and some clothes for them. "Where are we going?"


    ***


    "You are insane." Jung Kwang-soo looks at the house. The lights are out. The residents are asleep. She has turned him into her driver for this?


    "They won''t let us see her room." Ahn Hana can''t find any way to break into the house. "Can you climb up that pipe and help me up? We can enter through the balcony?"


    "You are insane." Jung Kwang-soo shakes his head.


    "You are tall and strong." She pats his biceps. "If I can''t use your only specialties in the time of need, why would I keep you with me?"


    "You are rude." Jung Kwang-soo is hurt. "I have other uses."


    "Right, you are someone who thinks with your d??k first." She slaps his crotch. "I can''t think of any other uses."


    "You are cranky today." He rolls up his sleeves. "Now, I am curious about how he fooled you."


    "Talk later and climb." She tries to push him up. She is strong, but she can''t lift a 6 feet tall man. Jung Kwang-soo lets out a low laugh. He swiftly climbs up like a monkey. When he reaches the balcony, Ahn Hana tries to climb up.


    [Wait. They are sleeping] He tells her in a sign language. [I will open the door. Sneak inside.]


    [Okay.] Ahn Hana replies in the sign language.


    He walks without making a sound. Only the husband and wife live alone in the house. They had only one child - Noe Kyung-Hee. They are completely asleep in their room. He locks their bedroom''s door from the outside. He walks downstairs and opens the door. Ahn Hana sneaks inside the house.


    They easily find Noe Kyung-Hee''s room in the house. Her parents keep it clean. Noe Kyung-Hee''s childhood pictures are hanging all over the walls. As Ok Min Ji as mentioned, there are piles of books in the room. She reads the titles of the book. Poetries. Romance. Biographies. Mysteries. She finds what she is looking for. The Ocean In The Sky. She flips through the pages. She checks out a few other books. She finds the library card in the drawer.


    After around an hour, the lawyers leave Noe''s house.

 Chapter 21 - Playboys kryptonite

    Do Sejin pauses. He wonders if she is back in her apartment. He punches the code and walks in. As he has expected, it is empty. Ahn Hana didn''t appear at her home since that night. She isn''t picking up his calls. It has been two days.


    He has tried to stay away from her. But, it feels like a whale is trying to crush him under its weight. He wants to apologize to her. She is the only woman who is making him feel like this. He can''t name this feeling. He won''t feel relaxed until he sees her again.


    He paces around her house, almost seeing shadows of her everywhere. He realizes that he is being delusional. He is probably sick. He lays down on the bed, trying to find her scent in the sheet. He grabs his hair. She is driving him crazy.


    What''s so special about her? There are a lot of women. Then, why he is here? He is upset. Why is he upset? He is upset because she must be upset. There is no logic to this. His head is on standstill.


    He jumps up when he hears a male voice. He slightly opens the door and sees Ahn Hana leaning on a man. He is holding her shoulder and helping her walk inside. She looks extremely tired. The man doesn''t look any better. He notices something else. Ahn Hana is wearing a white shirt that is too big for her size and a loose trouser that is folded up to her knees. The clothes are coincidentally man''s size.


    Something unfamiliar grows inside his body. Something dark and strange. He clenches his fists. That man must be Jung Kwang-soo, her first time. So, she is with him now. He is easily forgotten by her.


    Jung Kwang-soo, who has been driving for two straight days non-stop because of this crazy person, doesn''t have any energy to move. Ahn Hana is not doing any better either. This mad lawyer has made him drive to all the murder locations non-stop. She wouldn''t sleep or let him sleep. They only stopped once to change their clothes.


    "Can I take a bath at your house?" It''s funny how she doesn''t ask for his permission when she is at his house. She always acts like his house belongs to her. No, she acts like the world is her playground. No one is allowed to do the same here unless they have her permission.


    Ahn Hana smiles at him, unkindly. "You have to convince the alibis."


    "You are cruel." He goes to the kitchen. "I am hungry. I will leave after I eat."


    "Make something delicious." A peal of laughter follows the yell.


    Do Sejin takes a deep breath when he sees their interactions. It is as natural as the flow of the river. They speak with their eyes and bodies more than words. Their intimacy is at a different level. Even if he knows the nook and croony of Ahn Hana''s body, it cannot replace what they have between them.


    He can''t bear to watch this anymore. He wants to leave the house. He can''t go out without facing Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo.


    "Ready!" Jung Kwang-soo jogs to the living room. He puts the pot of ramen on the floor. Ahn Hana slides down the couch onto the floor. She sits cross-legged and picks up the ladle. Jung Kwang-soo takes the spoon.


    Do Sejin grabs her wrist before her lips can touch the ladle, startling her. Jung Kwang-soo is also surprised to see him. He can guess who this boy is. This boy has some courage.


    "What are you doing?" Ahn Hana slaps his hand off her wrist, disgusted.


    Do Sejin presses his lips together. He is so mad that his lips are turning white. She is disgusted by his touch now? Jung Kwang-soo laughs when he sees the anger and jealousy in the boy''s eyes. He can guess what is going inside this boy''s mind. The boy doesn''t know what he is dealing with. Ahn Hana is not someone who will be affected by these emotions.


    "Hey, kid. Why are you clinging onto her? Are you in love with her?" He decides to add fuel to spark. "If she doesn''t want you, accept it."


    Do Sejin gnashes his teeth. Just then, Ahn Hana stands up abruptly. She drags him by his collar and throws him out of her house. She crosses her arms and looks at him like she can easily crush under her heels.


    "I know that you are mad at me." He tries to swallow down his temper. "I want to apologize. I am sorry for lying to you. It was a prank at first because you forgot our first night together. You treated me like a kid."


    "Do I have the time to be mad at a little kid for his prank?" Ahn Hana eyes him coldly. "If you come here again, I will call the cops."


    She slams the door on his face. He falls on his bu??, shaking with fury. It''s Jung Kwang-soo and Ahn Hana''s relationship that makes him feel like his insides are being grated. After seeing that, he realizes something. He has been overthinking. Ahn Hana doesn''t need him. She is not affected by him.


    To her, he has been a boy who had fun with her. The ?du?ts let go easily if a little child plays a prank on them. Just like that, she can easily let go of what he did. He is not even worthy of her anger.


    Jung Kwang-soo is slurping the ramen when she comes back. They don''t exchange words. The ramen is finished. He doesn''t leave immediately


    She comes out with a towel wrapped around her body after the shower. She changes into the pajamas, unaffected by the fact that a person is in the room. That''s how their relationship is.


    "Are you coming to the office?" He asks her.


    "I will sleep for a while."


    "What?" Jung Kwang-soo stares at her.


    "I want to sleep on the couch."


    "What is the purpose of your bed?"


    "I don''t have the energy to change the sheet."


    "You must really dislike that boy."


    "Are you leaving or not?"


    He is totally unwelcomed.


    Jung Kwang-soo pauses his step when he sees Do Sejin sitting outside in the corridor with a lost expression. He pities the boy. He lits a cigarette and offers it to him. "Since you are like me, I have an advice for you. "


    "Don''t underestimate her." Jung Kwang-soo flicks the ashes of the cigarette on the boy''s head. "She is a playboy''s kryptonite."

 Chapter 22 - You have lost it

    The tip of the pen snaps. The ink spreads all over his fingers and the paper. He stops writing on the answer sheet. Other students are scribbling fast on the paper. He doesn''t have another pen to write. The ink keeps leaking out on the sheet.


    "Take this." Eun Min Ah whispers. She pushes a pen toward him sneakily. He picks up that pen and looks at it. When he writes again, he ends up writing a name that he doesn''t want to see. Ahn Hana. He stares at it. It has been seven days since that day. Today is the day when their one-month agreement was supposed to be over. He cuts her name with the pen, trying to make it disappear from the paper. The paper is ruined. The tip of the pen breaks again.


    He feels like he can''t breathe. He walks out of the classroom, earning stares from his classmates and the professor.


    Kim Dong-woo finds him drinking alone later in the pub. He is worried about his friend who has been acting gloomy since that night at the twins'' house. Do Sejin might be a player, but he is serious about his studies.


    "Sejin, what happened to you?" He takes the drink from Do Sejin''s hand. "Why did you leave the exam halfway like that? Was it hard? Are you going to pass?"


    "I won''t fail," Do Sejin replies with an unsteady voice. He will make the mark b?r?ly.


    "Why are you acting like this?" Kim Dong-woo finds his behavior odd. "Did that lawyer do something to you? Did she threaten you?"


    "Leave me alone."


    "Do Sejin, are you upset about something?" Suddenly, Eun Min Ah pops up beside him. Kim Dong-woo nearly gets a heart attack. This obsessive girl is here. His friend is in danger. He tries to shoo away Eun Min Ah with his hand.


    Do Sejin''s lips curl up into a sneer. He leans toward her. Eun Min Ah can revolting smell the strong alcohol. She hardens her heart and stays glued to the spot. "Eun Min Ah, do you love me?"


    "Yes, I love you a lot," She replies without hesitation.


    "How much do you love me?" Do Sejin takes her hands gently. Eun Min Ah''s heart is beating rapidly. Is he finally seeing her now? Finally, after years of the wait? Happiness surges up inside her. She steps closer to him.


    "As much as the size of the universe."


    ''I like you more than my bank balance.'' Do Sejin recalls Ahn Hana''s declaration. Size of the universe is greater than her bank balance, right? He is tired. He feels like he is missing something. Is it Ahn Hana''s body?


    Eun Min Ah is young. She is pretty. She will become prettier than Ahn Hana when she reaches her age. He can teach her how to please him. She will surrender herself completely to him. She won''t look at any other man. She won''t rely on anyone else other than him. She won''t prioritize work over him. She won''t be proud and domineering. Eun Min Ah loves him. She will do anything for him.


    Eun Min Ah won''t be like Ahn Hana.


    If he is craving Ahn Hana''s body, Eun Min Ah can substitute her easily.


    "I will give you a chance." Do Sejin finds himself saying words that he wouldn''t say normally.


    "Make me fall for you."


    "Wait! Wait!" Kim Dong-woo can sense a dangerous situation. He can''t let his friend commit another grave mistake. "Do Sejin, you are not well. Come with me."


    Do Sejin doesn''t heed his words. He points at his ??p and says, "Min Ah, tell me your answer."


    Kim Dong-woo grabs his hair in frustration. He nudges Do Sejin with pleading eyes.


    "Do Sejin, you are making a big mistake. Don''t do this."


    Eun Min Ah has been waiting for this chance. She didn''t think that Do Sejin would ever give it to her. Still, she has been pursuing him relentlessly. She has finally moved his heart. She cries in glee. "Yes."


    Do Sejin smiles at him. "Dong-woo, I know what I am doing."


    That person won''t look at him. Whether his life goes down the spiral or not, it doesn''t matter. He is already the worst guy. If he hasn''t been like this, would it change anything? Unfortunately, no. He can''t come between Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo. She won''t look at him the way she looks at that man. She won''t rely on him the way she relies on that man.


    Even if he was a real 17 years old boy who was picked up by a 31 years old woman on the street, she would have never treated him as anything other than a kid. She didn''t treat him like anything else other than a kid.


    For the first time, he feels tired. Tired of missing her. Her body, precisely. There is nothing more. She wasn''t that good in bed anyway. He begins to hate that woman. It would have been better if he had never met her.


    "You will get a month to make me fall in love with you." He gives her the similar conditions that Ahn Hana had given him once. "I won''t sleep with anyone else but you. Then, it''s your job to keep me satisfied. If you succeed, I will become yours. I will marry you after the month is over. We will start a family. There won''t be any other women. I will become yours completely. However, if you fail, you will leave me alone. You will never bother me again. You can still back away if you dislike it."


    If she fails and he is still thinking about Ahn Hana after the month, he will find someone else with the same conditions. There are plenty of girls who want him.


    "Really?" Kim Dong-woo and Eun Min Ah shout.


    "You don''t believe me?"


    Eun Min Ah finds his words too good to be true. Kim Dong-woo thinks that he is trying to play a prank on him and Eun Min Ah.


    Do Sejin finishes the bottle. "Hey, give me a paper."


    The bartender funnily looks at him and gives him the bill. He tosses the credit card to the bartender and asks for a pen. The Bartender has seen that look in many drunk''s eyes before they make some bad decisions. He gives the pen to Do Sejin anyway.


    He scribbles down the terms of their agreement on the back of the bill in tiny letters. He signs on the corner. Then, he gives it to Eun Min Ah. "Sign it."


    "Ah, yes." Eun Min Ah reads the terms. Befuddled, she signs it in a hurry.


    "Does agreement like this have any meaning?" Kim Dong-woo laughs nervously at Eun Min Ah.


    "Who would take this seriously? He is drunk. This holds no meaning."


    The Bartender shakes his head and goes away from these crazy people.


    "This is our love agreement. Everyone should know about this." Do Sejin takes a picture of it and sends it to all the numbers on his phone.


    Kim Dong-woo feels like crying for his friend. "You have lost it."


    It''s turning out better than Eun Min Ah has expected. Now, the entire university will know about this agreement. Even his family would know about this. To her dismay, Do Sejin adds another text to the message.


    [If the current candidate fails, this position will be reopened for the new eligible candidates.]

 Chapter 23 - Good morning, honey

    Next day, Do Sejin wakes up with a bad hangover. A girl is lying next to him. He stares at her face for a long time. Memories of last night come back to haunt him. His phone has been ringing non-stop. Since it has turned out like this, he doesn''t have the luxury to regret his decisions.


    He glances at the used ??nd?ms on the floor. It seems like he has not been a complete fool. Though he is always careful, he has to be extra careful when it comes to this girl. If she manages to make him fall for her, he wouldn''t mind doing it traditionally. Otherwise, it will be a disaster.


    He checks his phone. There are more than a hundred messages. Most of them are applications for the future position to be his girlfriend in case Eun Min Ah fails. There are some calls from his family members. His father wants him to go back home as soon as possible. His mother wants to know who Eun Min Ah is. His sister sent him memes. Some boys are calling him an idiot for doing something like this.


    He taps on Ahn Hana''s name to see if she has seen the message or not.


    [You have been blocked by this person.]


    "..."


    Fair enough. He deletes her number from his phone. He will do his best not to bother that lawyer again. Eun Min Ah opens her eyes. She smiles tenderly at him and hugs him from behind. "Good morning, honey."


    He recalls a memory that pins his heart sharply. "Good morning, Min Ah. Are you still serious about our agreement? You can back out anytime within this month."


    "I won''t back out." She giggles. She won''t back out. Ever. She will make him fall for her. She will marry him after this month is over. She wants to have his children. That means she has to make the best of the full month. The holidays have started from today. How should she make him stay with her all the time?


    "Sejin." She decides to call him by his first name. "I only have a month, right?"


    "Yes."


    "You see, our semester exams are over." Eun Min Ah gently strokes his face. "To make you love me back, we must spend a lot of time with each other. Right?"


    Do Sejin doesn''t agree with this. He has never been in love before. So, he isn''t the best judge whether she is right or not. So, he nods anyway.


    "I am supposed to start the internship at the Theseus Firm from today." She holds his hands together and brings it closer to her ?h?st. "I really want to go there. Can you come there with me? Professor Man told me many times that you are his first choice for the internship."


    "I don''t want to go." There are two people whom he doesn''t want to see at any rate.


    "I will quit then." Eun Min Ah gives him a polite smile. "Spending time with you is more important to me."


    He sighs. Eun Min Ah is many things. She is obsessive. Sometimes, she is a plain idiot. For him, she will give up There is one thing that he agrees upon. Eun Min Ah, despite her personality, will become a good lawyer in the future. The Theseus Law Firm is one of the top firms in the country. They are the only one who would dare to challenge the prosecutor office for the 100th-day murder case. Whether they win or not, they will benefit from this. In the future, they will attract big cases.


    The experience at the Theseus Law Firm will help her learn a lot. For Eun Min Ah, this is a golden opportunity. The interns might even get a job offer.


    If things don''t work out between them, Eun Min Ah will lose both him and a chance to learn from the best lawyers. He is selfish, but not that selfish.


    "If you really want me to come, I will come."


    "Yay!!!"


    Though he doesn''t feel happy about this, he decides to go. He will have a chance to show Ahn Hana that he is happy without her.


    ***


    "My name is Alex Park." The boy bows formally to the people of the Theseus Law Firm. "Thanks a lot for giving me this opportunity. I am originally from Q city. My mother gave me an English name because she believes that I will make it big in the future..."


    Jung Kwang-soo waves him to stop. "What is your interest?"


    "I want to be a corporate lawyer." Alex looks embarrassed for some reason. "


    "At our firm, we like asking for what we want directly." Jung Kwang-soo looks at Ms. Bang. "Senior Bang, he is yours."


    Ms. Bang doesn''t like talking much. She gives him a nod. The boy is accepted.


    "There are supposed to be one more girl," Mr. Pyo says to Alex. "Did she quit already? She hasn''t even stepped in."


    "I don''t know, Sir. She might be late." Alex is not Eun Min Ah''s friend. She belongs to the elite group.


    "Two." The office manager shows his two fingers. "Boss Jung, Professor Man called me half an hour ago because you were unreachable. One more boy has agreed to come."


    "Is it that hard to fill internship positions at our firm?" Jung Kwang-soo scratches his nose. "Hana, they should be jumping to for this chance. Is our firm not famous enough?"


    "I asked Professor Man to only send the one who can survive at our firm."


    "I see." Jung Kwang-soo looks at Alex doubtfully. Can this boy survive under Ms. Bang?


    "I am sorry for being late." The door is pushed open. A girl with wide starry eyes steps in. She is wearing a black pencil skirt and a white formal top. Instead of giving her an independent woman''s charm, it makes her look like a young girl who is wearing her elder sister''s clothes. Her hair is tied into a high ponytail. Her bangs are pointing upward. She must have been running.


    "Come inside." Jung Kwang-soo resists laughing. This girl should not have tried this hard to blend in. Eun Min Ah is more excited when she sees Ahn Hana, the idolized empress. She gives them a deep bow.


    "My name is Eun Min Ah. I am 21 years old. I want senior Ahn to become my mentor."


    "I like you." Jung Kwang-soo winks at Eun Min Ah. "Straightforward and shameless asking for what you want, we need more people like you in the world. You want to be a criminal lawyer?"


    Eun Min Ah blushes in embarrassment. Why is this man talking like this? Her ideal lawyer is also there. "Yes."


    "Hana, what do you say?" Jung Kwang-soo asks Ahn Hana.


    Ahn Hana eyes the girl. "I am too busy to mentor anyone."


    "That''s a shame." Jung Kwang-soo looks apologetically at Eun Min Ah. "If you are interested, I can be your mentor."


    "But I..." Eun Min Ah glances at Ahn Hana sadly.


    "Hana, you are more popular than me."


    "Is it my fault?"


    "Yes." Jung Kwang-soo turns to Eun Min Ah who is standing awkwardly, not knowing what to do.


    "You see, Hana and I are working together on the 100th-day case. If you want to observe her and me, you should choose me as your mentor. If that is not acceptable for you, you can quit."


    Eun Min Ah sighs. Something is better than nothing. She wants to be close to her idol.


    "Do you want to quit?"


    "No."

 Chapter 24 - Hana, do you want him?

    The woman dressed in a loose blue shirt and dark pants. Her sleeves are rolled up. She isn''t dressed as a lawyer would. Her hair is loosely braided. She is wearing her round old fashioned glasses. His feet are frozen on the doorstep.


    Lawyer Pyo notices Do Sejin at the door. "Why are you standing there? Come and introduce yourself. We don''t have all day."


    Ahn Hana turns her head to look at the newcomer. After so many days, their eyes meet again. Do Sejin''s heart is thumping heart. He feels like something warm is flowing back in his veins. He walks into the middle of the room.


    "My name is Do Sejin." He gives them a slight bow. "I aim to become a defense lawyer."


    "Not you too." Divorce Lawyer Pyo is most upset by Do Sejin''s declaration. "Boss Jung, why is there no one who wants to specialize in divorces? Is it fair that you get two interns while I get none?"


    "Defense lawyers get thrilling jobs." Jung Kwang-soo tongues out.


    "Boss Jung, will you ever act as a boss should?" Divorce Lawyer Pyo is disgusted by his showing tongue. "When will we act like professionals?"


    Office Manager Kam points out. "We only act professional to clients."


    "Manager Kam is right." Jung Kwang-soo grins. "Our motto is to make money. Then, make more money. Our clients are the source of our money. We must treat them with respect. Their position is higher than the gods in our lives."


    Office manager Kam bursts out laughing. Senior Bang smiles. Mr. Pyo shakes his head and joins the laugh. Even Ahn Hana can''t help but smile. The interns look at this awkwardly. Is this how it should be?


    "Do Sejin, you okay with interning under me?" Jung Kwang-soo asks Do Sejin. "If you don''t want to, you can intern under Pyo In-Tak. He will love to teach you about divorces and alimonies. Senior Bang won''t take more than one."


    "I only want to intern under Lawyer Ahn Hana." Do Sejin gazes her coolly. He is serious about being a defense lawyer. Ahn Hana is the best in the room. He knows it because he has closely seen her work at her home.


    "Not you too." Jung Kwang-soo raises his brow and chuckles. "Hana, do you want him?"


    Ahn Hana fills her mouth with a cookie from the plate and starts chewing. An awkward silence fills the room. She didn''t even bother to answer, but all of them can hear it.


    "Lawyer Ahn is busy. She won''t take any intern," Pyo In-Tak tells Do Sejin. "You can choose Boss Jung or Me."


    "The best law student of the university should intern under the best lawyer."


    Do Sejin is not boasting. He knows that he is the best student.


    "Woah, you are overconfident." Office manager Kam coughs lightly. It''s getting more awkward. Though Ahn Hana is good, Jung Kwang-soo isn''t any less than her.


    Ahn Hana picks another cookie and puts it inside her mouth. Eun Min Ah looks like she will cry. At this rate, Do Sejin will be quitting. Then, they won''t be able to spend time with each other. She scratches her head for ideas. The atmosphere is heavy in the room.


    She suddenly jumps on her feet and says in one breath, "Lawyer Ahn, please take him. He is the best at our university. He has always topped the class. When we were in school, he never came second. He is the one who united all the law students to support you on the internet when everyone was speaking against you. Because of him, I started to know more about you. I found you inspiring. You are our university ideal senior empress. All the students look up to become a lawyer who can boldly challenge the prosecutor office. We want to become like you because of him. He was Professor''s Man first choice for this internship. If you take him, you won''t regret it. I give you my words."


    Eun Min Ah is gasping for breath by the end. Everyone in the room is moved by her words except one person.


    "I guess I also need to be bold and get hated by the nation for once." Pyo In-Tak breaks the heavy silence. "Youngsters are into celebrities a lot. I should turn someone''s divorce into an ugly thing."


    "You might end up killed by a fan." Office Manager Kam mutters.


    "Not everyone can copy Ahn Hana." Jung Kwang-soo looks at Ahn Hana, smiling proudly. "She is my favorite too. "


    Favorite? Is that a love confession? Do Sejin''s temper rises when he hears that. It''s not easy to not care. Since she doesn''t want to take him, he makes a quick decision. "I will quit then."


    Eun Min Ah breaks down in tears and utters desperately, "If he doesn''t stay here, I can''t stay either. He is my boyfriend. I need him to stay with me. I beg you, please."


    "..." None of them has expected to hear that.


    Ahn Hana asks Jung Kwang-soo. "Do you want to keep her?"


    "She can move people''s heart." Jung Kwang-soo can''t force Ahn Hana to take Do Sejin. But, he wants this girl for a reason. "She might be able to help me get what you want sooner."


    Ahn Hana''s eyes change a bit. "Really?"


    "Yes, if she comes with me, it might help me convince them."


    Jung Kwang-soo is honest. There has been some trouble convincing the alibis. Their pace is slow because it is not easy to convince the alibis. If Alibis agrees to come to the court, they have half the job done. Their priority is to get Baek Han Sol out first. Someone young and passionate girl like Eun Min Ah is easy to trust. She is someone who has no pride. She might be able to help him convince them.


    "I will take him then." Ahn Hana takes the cookie plate. "Your name is Do Sejin, right?"


    Do Sejin gives her a stiff nod. She is acting like she doesn''t know him.


    "I don''t entertain latecomers. You should be on time when you are working here. Even if I am late, you should be in the office and finishing the work that I give you. If there is no work, you can leave early. If I ask you to do something, you should do it without any question. I don''t have time to teach you. Your only choice is to learn by observation. If you can''t be useful to me, I would like it if you don''t become my problem. Do you accept?"


    "I accept," Do Sejin answers in a beat.


    Jung Kwang-soo can''t help but pity the boy. This boy doesn''t know what he is signing for.

 Chapter 25 - You should keep a mirror

    Do Sejin follows Ahn Hana to her office room. She doesn''t act cold or warm. She doesn''t ask him any more question. She doesn''t even show any recognization. He wonders if she has forgotten about him already. Is it possible to forget someone in a week? Is she pretending to not know him? How can someone completely acts like that?


    She turns on the light. She picks up some bundles of papers. He has seen them at her house before. She turns around and gives them to him. His finger grazes her hand. He lets go abruptly. The papers fall on the ground.


    She purses her lips. There is a slight annoyance in her eyes. She goes around her desk and sits on the chair. "Two copies."


    Do Sejin looks at his finger. He feels like he will melt. He blinks for a few times to cool his head. He is not interested in Ahn Hana. He is dating Eun Min Ah. If she fails, there will be someone else. If that person also fails, there is be another one. He will keep going until he stops feeling like this.


    He shouldn''t have come here.


    "Hey, Intern. If you want to space out, do it outside." Ahn Hana throws a pen on him. "Pick up the papers and ask the office manager to make two copies. I want it now."


    Upset by her scoldings on his first day, he picks up the papers one by one. He has seen her work on them at nights. Each highlight. Each pen mark. She would bite the back of the pen when she is thinking hard. Do Sejin realizes that it has been a horrible decision to come here. It would be hard to see her each day this close and not feel anything for her.


    Screw this. He is here for the experience. He also wants to be a lawyer who is remembered by people. He is serious about this after seeing her work hard at night. He understands that studying at university is different than working in the field. To be best, he needs to learn from the best.


    Personal life is personal life. Professional life is professional life. Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo know that. That''s why they are acting like they don''t know him. They are giving him a chance to learn from the professionals despite what happened between them. If he fails at this, can he boast again that he is the best one from his university?


    With many thoughts in his head, he finds the office manager gossiping with Lawyer Pyo and the receptionist Sin.


    Lawyer Pyo: "I didn''t think that she would start crying."


    Receptionist Sin: "Why would she cry though?"


    Lawyer Pyo: "Youngsters get easily emotional these days. She didn''t want to part with her boyfriend."


    Office Manager Kam: "That couple has some courage. Both boldly asked for what they wanted."


    Lawyer Pyo: "Youngsters doesn''t know humility these days."


    Receptionist Sin: "Lawyer Pyo, they are not much younger than me. Don''t badmouth the youngsters."


    Lawyer Pyo: "You are divorced, nearly forty, and the mother of two."


    Office manager guffaws. The receptionist makes a face, grumbling something about sensibility.


    Lawyer Pyo looks at her fleeing figure. "Why do I always say the wrong thing?


    "Because you are a divorce specialist."


    Do Sejin interrupts their conversation. "Lawyer Ahn wants two copies."


    "Alright, come with me." Office manager takes the bundles. "Come with me, Intern. I shall teach you the most important skill in this office."


    "I know how to use the copier." Do Sejin bursts his bubble.


    "Then, why are you asking me?"


    "She asked you to do it."


    The office manager shoves back the bundle. "Whether I do it or you do it, prints will be the same."


    The office manager runs away. Lawyer Pyo is already gone. Do Sejin sighs again. He copies the paper one by one. It is surprisingly mind-numbing.


    "It''s done." He gives her the copies. "Do you want me to do anything else?


    "Take one copy for yourself and put the other one on the shelves." She doesn''t look up at him.


    Try reading it. If you don''t understand anything, ask Jung Kwang-soo."


    "I already read them."


    "Is that so?" She stops reading the newspaper. "Did you read it when you were copying them?"


    "I read them when you were working on them at your home," Do Sejin tells her.


    She stares at him for the longest ten minutes of his life.


    "I was curious about the 100th-day case." He realizes that he has dug his own grave. "I didn''t reveal anything to anyone."


    "See that pile there?" She points at the huge pile of papers. "You can begin with that. I am sure that you didn''t read them. You can leave the office at 5."


    He didn''t know that he has been holding his breath. Finally, an acknowledgment that he has been in her life once. He gives himself a mental slap. He isn''t here for that.


    ***


    "Tell me if you don''t understand anything." Jung Kwang-soo smiles widely. His smile that can move any woman''s heart. Eun Min Ah dazes out for a second. Do Sejin is handsome and bad, but Jung Kwang-soo has an older charm. Neatly combed hair. Broad shoulder. High cheekbones. A natural tan on his skin. Dimples on his cheeks. Amused eyes that twinkle when he smiles. A natural allure around him.


    She is curious to see his abs under his shirt.


    She shakes her head. How is she already affected by someone else? Do Sejin has given her a chance. She can''t throw it away. She recalls the previous night with Do Sejin. A small smile appears on her lips. It''s better if Do Sejin moves in with her. Her home is near the law firm. She will ask him during the break.


    Jung Kwang-soo snaps his fingers in front of her face. This experienced man can easily make a guess what is going on this young girl''s mind. "Make sure to call them after you are done reading their profiles."


    "Ah!" She looks at the list of phone numbers. "I will do it right away."


    "Wait." He smoothes down the disheveled bangs on her forehead. "You should keep a mirror."


    "Y-y-yes."


    When she stammers, her face becomes red. Her reaction is cute. Jung Kwang-soo realizes that he shouldn''t be doing this. If this girl falls for him, he won''t be able to resist taking her to bed. Do Sejin should work hard to keep this girl, else he will snatch her away and turn her into his plaything.

 Chapter 26 - If you want me, tell me

    During the lunch break, Eun Min Ha dashes out to find her boyfriend. She giggles to herself whenever she thinks of that word. She finds him behind the piles of paper. He is diligently reading the papers will full concentration. His serious face makes her heartthrob. She peeks at Ahn Hana''s office. She is not there. It is a perfect opportunity.


    "Do Sejin." She taps his cheek. "I am here."


    Do Sejin b?r?ly glances at her. "Mhmm."


    "It''s a lunch break."


    "Mhmm."


    "Why are you working hard during lunch break?"


    Do Sejin is deep into the case. There are flaws. Why Baek Han Sol can''t be the killer? He can see it now. Is this what she wanted him to notice? This is marvelous.


    "Do Sejin?" She leans closer to his ear and whispers his name repetitively.


    "Mhmm?" He is getting to the part about Noe Kyung-Hee. Why would the killer use magnolia flowers? Was this girl his lover? Nah!


    Eun Min Ah sighs. She thinks hard. She needs him to fall for her. How would she do it if he doesn''t even look at her? How are murders description more interesting than her? She bites her lips and jumps off the table. She takes a long glance at him. If she doesn''t make him look at her all the time, she would fail.


    She makes the desperate call and grabs his crotch.


    But, Do Sejin has sunk deep into the case. Noe Kyung-Hee was a lesbian. That doesn''t stop someone from falling in love with her. Wait, the killer could be a woman?


    If it is a woman, it would make sense for Noe Kyung-Hee to get close to her.


    What doesn''t fit here? He needs to restart from the basic.


    36 murders. Five stabs each. The victims'' age ranging from 4 to 40. 25 males. 11 females. Five stabs cannot be a sneak attack. Women killers usually choose some sneaky method because they lack in strength. Some older males could fight back after the first stab. It is easier to tackle a woman than a man. If it was a tall and strong woman, she would have stood out in the surveillance camera.


    They didn''t find any sedatives in the victims'' bodies either.


    But, what is special about Noe Kyung-Hee? Why would he kill her in such a special way?


    Eun Min Ah has unzipped him. She takes his shaft out after some struggle. She has never done this before. She had s?x twice in her life. Her first time was with Do Sejin at the age of sixteen. Her second time was yesterday with him. She knows about a few stuff. Do Sejin likes s?x.


    She circles her fingers around his shaft. Do Sejin is absorbed in the papers. She pouts. How could he not realize this? This guy loves s?x. He has slept with almost all the girls in the university. To make her hate him, he seduced her best friend in school. He kept telling her that he was bad for her.


    She looks at his p?n?s. It is not hard. It has not been responding to her touches. She wonders if she is doing it wrong.


    Eun Min Ah will never let him go. It is her goal to make him a good man. He has been her first. He will be her last. She will succeed at this chance. She will marry him and bear his children. She can already imagine her family with him. She will make him look at her only. For that, she will do anything.


    Do Sejin doesn''t even realize what is going down there. He is busy thinking about the killer''s relationship with Noe Kyung-Hee.


    She takes him in her mouth completely. Her face becomes hot. She grasps onto his knees and moves his d??k deeper into her throat. She closes her eyes and sucks him thoroughly. She moves her head up and down. Even if she is inexperienced in this area, she knows that it is not right. He isn''t reacting to her at all.


    "WHAT.ARE.YOU.DOING.IN.MY.OFFICE?" A thundering voice snaps Do Sejin out. Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo are standing in front of him. Ahn Hana is holding a book in her hand. She looks furious. Then, he realizes it.


    Eun Min Ah is frozen with his ???k in her mouth. She never thought that she would be caught like this on her first day at work. Her eyes well up because of the embarrassment when she finds Jung Kwang-soo staring at her with an unreadable face.


    "I get it." Ahn Hana puts her hand on her waist. She is ready to kill them right there. "You are dogs in heat. But, do it anywhere else in the world. If you do it here, I will kill you"


    Startled, Do Sejin has seen her this angry for the first time in his life. When she caught him at twins'' house, she acted like she didn''t care. When she kicked him out of her house, she was more annoyed than angry. She has never seen her like this.


    "Hana..." Jung Kwang-soo senses the anger radiating from Ahn Hana. He shields Do Sejin and Eun Min Ah by standing between them. He covers Ahn Hana''s eyes. "I will have it cleaned."


    "I want - "


    "Alright." He turns her around. "Let''s go to my office. We need to talk about the new clue, right?"


    Do Sejin grabs Eun Min Ah''s chin and pulls out his prick. He zips his pants. Eun Min Ah starts sobbing. Her face is wet with tears. He looks at her dangerously. His fingers crackle when he curls his fingers.


    "Eun Min Ah." His voice is frighteningly low.


    "I am sorry. I am really sorry." She cries harder and wraps her arms around his waist. "You told me that I could do anything to make you fall for me. I thought that you would like it. That''s why I did it. Please don''t hate me."


    Do Sejin starts to regret this whole thing. Of all the places, she had to do it here. Being caught by Ahn Hana. Again. This time, it is not even his fault. He didn''t even know it. Goddamnit. She will think that he isn''t serious about being a lawyer. He clenches and unclenches his hands. He takes several deep breaths.


    "Eun Min Ah, there is something important that you must know about me."


    Eun Min Ah looks at him with worry. Is he going to kick her out of his life? He can''t do it, right? They have had an agreement. She will use it against him if he tries. Everyone knows about it. She will go to his parents if she has to. In any case, Do Sejin would be hers.


    "When I am studying, I am only studying. When I am working, I am only working." He gives her the handkerchief to clean her face. "When I am playing, I am only playing. I don''t mix work and play. Do you get it?"


    She nods and cries with her closed mouth. His heart softens after a few minutes. He is the one who has brought her into this. She would think strangely and desperately in this situation. Eun Min Ah has been chasing him since the first year of their high school. Despite seeing how he is, she still wanted to be with him. That is one of the reasons why he chose her as his one-month his girlfriend.


    "If you want me, tell me. Text me or call me. We will find some private place to have fun, okay?"


    "We have to apologize to our mentors."

 Chapter 27 - How dare you do it here?

    Ahn Hana is taking deep breaths, cross-legged in Jung Kwang-soo''s office. She can''t forget the picture of Eun Min Ah and Do Sejin. Worse. She is reminded of the time when she found out the truth at Ok Min Ji''s house. She hates going back to her house ever since that day. She hoped that Do Sejin wouldn''t dare to appear back in her life. That bastard came back as an intern. On his very day here, he is playing around in her sacred office space.


    He is trying to pick up a fight with her, isn''t? Her sacred office place that has never been ruined like this before. There are hundreds of case files. She loves it here more than her home. Her sacred office place!!!


    ''DO SEJIN, I CAN''T FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS.''


    "Calm down." Jung Kwang-soo gives her a hug. "I will get you a new office space, my knight in shining armor."


    "THE CASE FILES!"


    "We will print it again."


    "MY SPECIAL NOTES."


    "My Hana, you are overreacting. Didn''t Ji-Won ask you to not take stress, my baby bird?" He strokes her back like she is a little child. He knows how much she likes cleanliness. "How about this? You can take a break for an indefinite period after this case is over. Are you feeling better?"


    "No." She is still grumpy. That kid. When she saw him reading those papers with so much interest, she thought that he had some hope. How dare he trick her again? To make her believe him again and break it by doing that deed there? Was he laughing behind her when that girl was su?k?n? him?


    He even texted her that provoking agreement picture last night. Then, he even went ahead and texted her that the position would be open if Eun Min Ah fails. Who does he think he is? Why wouldn''t he disappear from her life?


    ''Oh, Do Sejin! I let you go once because solving this case is my top priority. Do you dare to think that you can mess with me? I am a dragon and you are an earthworm.''


    "Jung Kwang-soo." Her voice gives him shudder. Oh, boy, no! "Can I bash his head with the bat just once?"


    "You can do it after you finish this case." He knows what''s going inside her mind. It takes a psychopath to understand a psychopath. She is strong. But, he is stronger. This is the exact reason why he works out daily.


    "Jung Kwang-soo, I must kick his balls once."


    He can''t let her do that. Do Sejin is the son of a powerful congressman. He is sure that the congressman would hold a grudge if his son''s balls are split open. Ahn Hana will get a powerful enemy. Why use fists when it can be resolved in a civilized manner?


    "Peace over violence, baby." He pushes her on the couch while gripping tightly onto her while she tries to free herself from his hold. They are wrestling with each other. "Calm down, please."


    "Jung Kwang-soo, I have to slap him at least."


    "I don''t think that you can hold yourself back."


    Her body turns lifeless, but he doesn''t let her go.


    "He gives me stress. He is bad for my health."


    "Should I kick him out?"


    "No, you need Eun Min Ah."


    Do Sejin and Eun Min Ah open the office door and watch them glued together on the couch and talking to each other in a low voice. They look like a pair of a lover. Eun Min Ah closes the door soundlessly. She takes Do Sejin''s hand and brings him back to Ahn Hana''s office.


    Do Sejin''s heart is still after seeing what he has seen. He doesn''t notice when Eun Min Ah brings him back to Ahn Hana''s office. Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo. Their bodies sticking together. She has fallen asleep to Jung Kwang-soo''s humming tune. They look like lovers.


    It shouldn''t bother him, but it is bothering him.


    "They must be lovers." Eun Min Ah is excited to see office romance. "Do Sejin, aren''t they like us too? She got so mad because she caught us. But, she must be doing similar things with him in his office."


    Eun Min Ah''s words feel like acid in his ears. He bends her body over the table and slides up her skirt. His actions are so fast that Eun Min Ah is taken by surprise. She bites her lips. They have been caught a while ago. What if Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo come back? They might kick them out. It fills her with trepidation.


    But, she can''t refuse him.


    He pulls down her lacy pink p?nt??s. He penetrates her with his one finger first. He moves it around her walls. Her breaths are short and raspy. He touches her soft petal up and down, flicking it and pinching it. Eun Min Ah purses her lips to not let out any m??n.


    Her walls are getting slippery. He raids her with his two fingers. In and out. Again and again. His ears are dull. Eun Min Ah''s voice can''t reach him. He puts three fingers in. She squeezes her eyes shut. It hurts, but she doesn''t dare to complain. Her inner th??hs are drenched with her fluid.


    He plunges into her in a hard thrust. It''s sudden. She gasps and tries her best not to close her eyes. The door is not locked. Anyone can come inside at any time. Do Sejin couldn''t care less. His mind is numb. He doesn''t hold himself back. He invades her core. Deep. Long. Intense. Thrusts. The table clock is toppled over. The glass is broken. He lifts her one leg. Her body is young and flexible. He pounds his member deeper into her core. Her th??hs are bruised each time they are slammed against the edges of the table.


    He pulls out before he can come inside her. He releases his seeds on her pale arse. He doesn''t move for a minute. His eyes are empty. There is no warmth in this. He fixes her skirt. As if that could fix the complicated feelings in his heart. Eun Min Ah finds her breath. He goes to the washroom for a cleanup.


    Ahn Hana comes back. She sees Eun Min Ah arranging stuff on her work table. She notices that her clothes are disheveled. Eun Min Ah gives her a bow and escapes before Ahn Hana can say anything.


    She looks down when her foot hit something. She picks up the table clock.


    When Do Sejin comes back, he doesn''t see his girlfriend. Instead, he finds Ahn Hana. Unlike before, he doesn''t feel any shame for what he did.


    He keeps his tone cool when he says to her, "We are sorry that we stained your workplace. I will clean everything and make it the way it was."


    Ahn Hana responds by throwing the table clock on his face. It hits his head. Hard. He sees stars for a few seconds. There is a big slash on his forehead.


    "Do Sejin." She grabs his collar. "How dare you do it here?"


    He grabs her hand before she could slap him. He pushes her against the shelves. She is strong, but the adrenaline rush helps him tackle her unmoving. "Woman, who do you think you are? If you can fu?k him in this building, why can''t I do it with my girlfriend?"


    She glares at him. "Are you here to pick a fight with me?"


    "You think too highly of yourself, Lawyer Hana."

 Chapter 28 - Do you like her as a woman?

    Blood trickles down his face onto her shirt.


    "I don''t even find you attractive." He spews out the words out in hate. "I don''t have any interest in you. I am the intern and you are my mentor. That''s all there it is to now. Why would I try to get your attention or pick a fight with you? Things just turn out like this between a man and a woman. You should be able to understand that since you are always sticking your body to your Boss."


    They stare at each other for a long time. His grips become weak. The front of her shirt is drenched with his blood. He is feeling dizzy. His eyesight is becoming blurry. His anger vanishes away as he recalls something important that he wanted to ask her.


    "Tell me." He rests his head on her shoulder. His lips brush near her ear. "Was she special because she figured it out?"


    Ahn Hana holds onto him before he falls. She lays him down on the floor. His head is bleeding badly. She presses it with her hand. "You are not half dumb."


    It is a day that Do Sejin would never forget for the rest of his life. It is the day when he was hit by a table clock and nearly killed by the invincible Lawyer Ahn Hana for staining her sacred workplace with his sp?rms.


    ***


    Eun Min Ah fixes her clothes in the ladies room. She washes her face and hands. She makes sure that she doesn''t look like she just had s?x. She goes back to Jung Kwang-soo''s office. She is still embarrassed to see him.


    Jung Kwang-soo chuckles once. She looks like a little girl who has done something wrong. She must have gone for a second round with Do Sejin. If he starts recounting things that he has done at her age, her deeds are nothing compared to that. She did look cute with a d??k in her mouth. He turns his eyes back to the newspaper clippings.


    She kneels on the floor when he looks up at her. "Boss, Jung. I am sorry about...what happened at her office earlier. I was just...I couldn''t control myself. It wasn''t Do Sejin''s fault."


    She braces herself to receive a scolding.


    "Do you like your boyfriend a lot?"


    Eun Min Ah is surprised to hear his question. He doesn''t sound angry. He is playing with a pen with his finger and reading the newspaper clip.


    "Ah...umm...Yes." Eun Min Ah likes Do Sejin. There is no doubt about it.


    "I see." Jung Kwang-soo glances at her. "I don''t mind these things, but Ahn Hana does. Hold yourself back when it comes to her things and her office. Don''t offend her."


    "I am sorry." She apologizes again.


    "If you have a fantasy to do it in the office room, you can use mine." Jung Kwang-soo makes a suggestion.


    "Eh?" The words sound so wrong and inviting. Her hyperactive brain imagines Boss Jung pounding her like Do Sejin did earlier.


    Her reaction didn''t escape his eyes. Ah! This little mouse. "You can do it with your boyfriend here."


    Her face becomes beet red. She has completely misunderstood. When did she become a perverted fool? She bows her head low. "Boss Jung, are you going out with Lawyer Ahn?"


    He smiles warmly. "Lawyer Ahn is a good friend of mine."


    She becomes excited. "Do you like her?"


    Jung Kwang-soo looks at the little girl with a nosy personality. "I do. She is my favorite lawyer."


    "No." Eun Min Ah forgets that the person sitting in front of her is her boss. She shouldn''t be asking these kinds of questions. She doesn''t realize that this person can eat her alive if he is offended.


    "Do you like her as a woman?"


    Jung Kwang-soo finds himself wanting to swallow her whole. It has been only half a day. How would he resist not playing with her until the 100th-day case is over? Ahn Hana would throw him in the gutter if he plays around before convincing the alibis. For her, work and fun cannot be mixed. She won''t let him have fun with the new intern until she wins the case.


    There is a scream followed by a series of screams. They rush outside to find Ahn Hana standing in the middle. Her shirt and hands are bloody. She looks at the office manager and says, "Call an ambulance."


    ''Oh, you damn woman! You have no self-control.'' Jung Kwang-soo realizes the seriousness of the situation. It has only been half a day. She has done it.


    Pyo In-Tak is freaked out by the blood on her shirt. "Are you hurt?"


    Ahn Hana points inside. "Do Sejin."


    "Do Sejin?" Eun Min Ah runs inside. She finds him lying cold on the ground. His forehead is wrapped with a cloth. She shrieks in fear and shakes him, "Do Sejin, don''t die. Our one month isn''t over yet."


    Everyone has different priorities in life. Others are shocked beyond words. The new intern is already hurt. It doesn''t look good.


    Jung Kwang-soo watches the paramedics carry Do Sejin to the ambulance. The cops are also here. Eun Min Ah has gone to the hospital with Do Sejin.


    "Let''s hope that he doesn''t die." Jung Kwang-soo feels tired. It would have been better if Do Sejin had stayed away. Why does that kid want to provoke her when he can''t handle her? Do Sejin should know his limitations.


    "He won''t." Ahn Hana looks at the two cops are walking toward them. "Prepare for the bail."


    ***


    She clicks a photo. "Turn your face to the right."


    Do Sejin glares at her. "Are you done, Seol A?"


    "No." His sister walks around his bed and takes more pictures from different angles. This is going to be useful in the future. She can show it to her parents each time they feel disappointed in her.


    "I always knew that you would be killed by a woman. I didn''t think that it would happen this far."


    "Seol A." His father has a warning tone. She stops clicking pics. She starts typing on her phone.


    [The Playboy in the hospital bed. 100 dollars for one pic.]


    "How did this happen?" His father asks him in a grave voice.


    "I fell." Do Sejin won''t tell the truth even if the world ends. "My head hit the corner of the table."


    "Your girlfriend said that you were threatened by Lawyer Ahn." His father is not fast to conclude. He is sure that Do Sejin has done something. The popular Lawyer Ahn wouldn''t try to kill his son on the very first day of internship.


    "It is a misunderstanding." Do Sejin looks at his father solemnly. He hopes that Eun Min Ah didn''t say anything insensible to his parents. If his father finds out the reason behind the threat, he would send him on another trip to the isolated island with his uncle. "She was mad at me because I didn''t know how to use a copier. I wasn''t doing a proper job. She was only warning me that she would kick me out if I don''t become serious."


    "Is that so?" His father doesn''t believe him. "Then, you shouldn''t make any more mistake."


    "Yes." Do Sejin sighs. He has been warned.


    His father decides to change the topic. "Are you serious about that agreement with your girlfriend?"

 Chapter 29 - Can I do you?

    "Uh..." Do Sejin doesn''t know what to say. Is he serious? He is doing it for a different reason. He is not happy about how things are turning out.


    "Your mother likes her," His father comments. "She is from a good family. If you want to marry her, we won''t stop you."


    It means that Eun Min Ah''s family has already contacted his parents. This is getting worse. At this rate, he would end up getting married. His father must be getting benefitted in some way.


    "She hasn''t passed the test." Do Sejin stares at his father. "I am not in love with her."


    He didn''t expect that his son would start talking about love. "Did I marry your mother for love?"


    "That''s your choice." Do Sejin crosses his arms. "I will make my choice."


    "Brother, it is funny that you would talk about love," Do Seol A says from the side. "Do you even know what love is?"


    "Do you?" Do Sejin questions her. His father is also curious to know his daughter''s definition of love. Both of his children are turning out weirder day by day.


    "Of course." She puts her phone in her pocket. "I will tell you a simple test to find out whether you love someone or not."


    "Oh?" Both father and son look at her with perked ears.


    "Give her a tight hug and listen to your heart beatings." She whispers to them. "It should sound like...Thump. Thump. Thump. The time will slow down. Each heartbeat will call that person name. If she hugs you back, your heart will be warm. All the pain will disappear. There will be only happiness and peace. It will look like the universe is revolving around that person. Your universe is incomplete without her. Like the solar system cannot exist without the sun, you can''t exist without her. Should I say that you will start existing when she gives you a hug back?"


    Their mouths are open wide. When did this girl start to say things like that? Do Sejin wonders if he should do this to Eun Min Ah on the last day of their agreement. His father is thinking about whether he should hug his wife after he goes back home.


    "Where did you learn stuff like that?" Her father asks her. What are they teaching her at school?


    "Those are my boyfriend''s words." Seol A runs out before she is interrogated more about her boyfriend by her father and brother.


    Ahn Hana is staring at the ceiling. Thinking. Do Sejin is not bad. She is partly relieved to hear that he is awake. He lied to the authority. It would have been bad for her if she gets sued at this time. Do Sejin could bring her trouble, but he kept quiet.


    "I want to know why the hell are you making my house yours?" Jung Kwang-soo asks the woman on the couch lady. Since she has hit that boy''s head, she didn''t go back home. She sleeps on his couch. She eats there only. She wouldn''t even go home to get her clothes. His wardrobe has been invaded by her. She isn''t even bothered about wearing his knickers. She is losing her sanity day by day.


    "His presence hasn''t disappeared from that place." She gives him the shortest explanation for her actions. "It will cost a lot of money to stay at the hotel. I don''t want to go to Ji-Won''s house. Since you were the one who didn''t tell me about that boy''s real identity, you have to pay for it too."


    Jung Kwang-soo sighs. Because of her, he can''t bring any woman at his home. If he does, she would kick him out of his own house. He makes him clean the house every day and cook for her. She orders him to drive her to work. It has been two days. He hasn''t fu?k?d a single hole. He looks at her pale legs sprawled over the couch. A bad thought appears in his mind.


    He lifts her feet and sits on the spot. He puts down her feet in his ??p. He starts massaging them. Her feet are small and soft. She is still staring at the ceiling. He smiles and leans down to suck her toes. She wiggles her foot.


    "Kwang-soo, are you asking for death?"


    "I am horny." He starts kissing her legs. "Can I do you?"


    She launches a hard kick on his chin.


    "Ow."


    "You!" Jung Kwang-soo looks at her tearfully. "Why do you do this to me? How could I not feel anything when a hot woman is showing off her legs like that? It has been days since I held a woman in my arms."


    "Did I stop you from visiting your girlfriends?" She glares at him.


    "But..."


    "Get out and find a dump for your heat."


    Jung Kwang-soo finally gets kicked out of his own house.


    ***


    "They said that it would not leave a scar." Eun Min Ah checks his forehead. She is relieved to know that her ideal Lawyer Ahn didn''t hit him. It has been a misunderstanding. She is impressed by Ahn Hana''s calmness when she was taken to the police station. An empress is an empress in all the situations of life. She wants to become like her in the future.


    "You should not stop going there," He tells her. Eun Min Ah hasn''t been going to the law firm because he is at the hospital.


    "I will go back with you only." She hugs him. "There is no meaning if you are not there."


    "Do Sejin, you should move in with me." She kisses his chin. "Until the last day of our agreement, stay at my home. The office is also close to my home. We can go there together and come back home together. We will spend more time together."


    He purses his lips. His forehead creases uneasily. "Eun Min Ah, if you want that, I will move into your house. However, I will move out of your house if I don''t fall in love with you. You should let me go easily."


    "Yes." She squeals in happiness. "Do Sejin, I will make you happy."


    Do Sejin remembers his sister words. He hugs her back and listens to his heart. It''s not beating in any special way. Is it a good test or Eun Min Ah is already failing? Perhaps, it will happen in the future. He just doesn''t want to feel this emptiness. If he needs a hole for release, he can find anyone. He wants someone to fill this hole in this heart. Honestly, he is feeling sick there. God knows why.


    If Eun Min Ah fails, he will keep looking to get rid of this coldness that always seems to be around him. Maybe he will switch back to his playboy ways. Who knows? This could be a temporary thing.

 Chapter 30 - He isnt worth it

    Monday. Do Sejin''s forehead wound is covered by a pink bandaid with stars and hearts. He acquires several glances from people as he walks toward the office with his girlfriend, Eun Min Ah. Because of the agreement, he doesn''t have much say in how she wants him to fall for her. Going to the internship. Moving into her house. Letting her stick a girlish bandaid on his forehead. She even chooses the color of his shirt. Because of her, he is wearing a mismatched outfit to the work. What will his mentor think? He can''t even dress up for the job that he wants to have in the future.


    On Sunday, she made him go to the amusement park which is never a good idea if you have a slash on your forehead. Now, he can''t wait for their one month to be over. Why did he give this lunatic a chance?


    The only good part is that her cooking isn''t horrible like someone else.


    She is actually good at cooking. She even got some cooking certificate. She has already impressed his mother when they met in the hospital. She has gotten closer to his sister and brought his photos from her. They are best friends.


    He can''t say anything to her. These are her tactics to get close to him. To make him fall for her. He has agreed to this. Everything is fair in love and war. She has told him that she would build a staircase to the space station from the earth if that helps her make him fall for her. Why wouldn''t she use the half of her persistence at work? It would make both of their lives easier.


    He has to bear with it until their month is over.


    He finds the gossip group near the receptionist''s table. To his surprise, quiet senior Bang and the other intern are also there. Eun Min Ah''s ears perk up. He doesn''t have an interest in this crap. He wants to see his mentor and ask her more about the case. But, she pulls him with her to hear the office gossip. She whispers to him, "Let''s hear it."


    Office Manager: "They are finally going out."


    Lawyer Pyo: "She is even wearing his shirt."


    Receptionist: "Why do you say that? It could be a new fashion statement."


    Alex: "She is wearing oversized slippers and a male''s pajama. I am not a fashion expert, but that doesn''t look like a fashion statement."


    Ms. Bang approves his observation.


    Office Manager: "I saw them come out of the car together."


    Receptionist: "I don''t want this to turn out true. Boss Jung is too handsome to belong to one woman."


    Office Manager: "To be honest, I always thought that he belonged to her. They suit each other."


    Lawyer Pyo: "They have been together for more than a decade. They even graduated from the same university. When it comes to looks, intelligence, status, and beauty, they are quite matched."


    Alex: "Everyone, they are coming out of the office."


    Receptionist: "Look casual."


    "Oh, the weather is so great today," Lawyer Pyo yells ''casually'' when he sees Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo coming out of his office. "It is perfect."


    "It is perfect for love," Office manager yells louder. "I will take my wife for a date tonight"


    Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo don''t even glance at the gossipers. They go to the kitchen. Jung Kwang-soo is making coffees for both of them. Ahn Hana opens the refrigerator and says something. Jung Kwang-soo shoves a triangular piece of sandwich in her mouth. They can''t hear their conservation. However, that b?r?ly stops them from guessing.


    Lawyer Pyo: "They are definitely dating."


    Eun Min Ah: "I saw them sleeping together on the couch at his office that day."


    Alex: "Really?"


    Office Manager: "I think that they have been secretly dating for a while. This is their way of revealing their relationship to us. Tactfully."


    Receptionist: "Office Manager, do you think that they will get married?"


    Lawyer Pyo: "If they get married, I will be the only single one in this office."


    Receptionists sighs. "I am also single."


    Alex blurts out. "You two should date each other."


    "No!" They deny it together. "Never."


    Eun Min Ah: "Do Sejin, isn''t this exciting? Our mentors are a couple. We are also a couple. Doesn''t it mean that we are meant to be together?"


    Meanwhile:


    Ahn Hana: "Kwang-soo, you are a horrible boss. How come there is nothing in the refrigerator? Are you that cheap? Why can''t we buy food for emergencies?"


    Jung Kwang-soo: "How many bosses would let their employees take over their house and clothes? Woman, you dare to call me horrible? Why won''t you buy new clothes?"


    Ahn Hana: "I don''t have time. I was busy skimming through the damn novels. That girl liked to read for god''s sake."


    "Just eat this." Jung Kwang-soo shoves the sandwich in her mouth to keep her from scolding him. She glares at him menacingly. He adds, "By the way, you are gaining weight. You are not even working out these days. You keep eating or sleeping or reading on my couch. I wonder if that is Ji-Won''s way of healthy living."


    She takes the black coffee cup. "I am not fat."


    "Yet. You are falling to the temptations of food." He glances at gossipers. Do Sejin is standing there with raging storms in his eyes. Amused, Jung Kwang-soo leans in and licks off the crumbs of bread on Ahn Hana''s lips. He grabs her hands before she could throw the coffee on his face. "They are looking at us, Hana."


    She looks sideways and finds Do Sejin standing there. The hate is clear in his eyes. The neon pink bandaid can be seen from a large distance away. "So?"


    "Can''t we play a game?" He kisses her again.


    She drinks her coffee as if nothing happened between them. She wasn''t just kissed a moment ago. Twice. She isn''t interested in playing small games like this. "He isn''t worth it."


    He laughs loudly. "Chinese or Italian for lunch?"


    "I need to go to the library."


    Jung Kwang-soo gives a hug and whispers in her ear. "I will take Eun Min Ah out with me today. Don''t kill her boyfriend when we are not here. I need her to keep coming for a few days."


    "I won''t." She has better things to do. Her future vacation is the only thing motivating her these days. She needs to restrain herself around this boy. If he crosses his limit again, she will kick him out. She doesn''t want a hindrance in her life. Even if he has potential, she wouldn''t want to mentor someone who has zero control over his d??k.

 Chapter 31 - If you want to know, follow me

    Water dribbles down his face. He looks at the mirror. His face looks ugly. He didn''t know that he could make such an expression. Did he show that face to her earlier? He washes his face again. Again. Again. To wash that expression off. He doesn''t want her to see him like this. He wants to be unaffected whether they are getting married or not. It is none of his business. He doesn''t want her. He is hating himself more every day. He also hates her. Why she is like this? Does she have to be showy about her affections? Can''t she do it where he can''t see her?


    She is not obligated to hide things from someone like him. It''s her love life. She can display whatever she wants. They do look good together. Perfect. Like they are made for each other.


    He wipes his face. "Fine. It doesn''t affect me. I don''t care what she does. She can date anyone she wants. She can marry anyone she wants. It''s a free country."


    He smiles at his reflection. He is totally fine. Time to face her again. He bumps into her on his way to her room. Her bag falls on the ground. He picks up the bag. It''s heavy with books.


    "Mentor, are you going somewhere?" He hands over the bag, subconsciously avoiding any touch between them.


    "If you want to know, follow me." She strides out. Obviously, he wants to know. He runs after her. She gives him the car key. "Drive to the old city library."


    They don''t share any more word in the car. She dozes off. Her mouth is slightly open. Do Sejin doesn''t wake up when they reach the library. She looks paler than before. Has she been eating properly? She skips meals when she is working hard. Back then, he fed her while she worked at night. She is quite lazy sometimes. She hasn''t combed her hair properly. She isn''t even wearing makeup. Still, she manages to look perfect. Her hardworking spirit and passion for work make her look perfect.


    She jolts awake when the phone rings. Do Sejin looks away, pretending that he hasn''t been staring at her.


    "What?" She snaps at the caller, irritated. "Ji-Won Ah, if I am not picking up your calls, it means that I don''t want to talk to you... Oh... Your wedding is today."


    He forgot about it too. Do Sejin recalls that Doctor Bo has reminded her about the wedding date whenever she visited her at her home. She invited him too as a courtesy because he was there when she was scolding Ahn Hana for running away from the hospital.


    "Get married." Ahn Hana orders her. "I will be there at the wedding reception... Why can''t you marry without me? Am I the groom who will put that ring on you?... Ugh! You have to pull that card, don''t you? Alright, I am coming."


    She hangs up the call and sighs loudly.


    "Mentor, you want me to drive you to the wedding?" He asks her politely.


    "We are going to the library first." She steps out of the car. "She said that she wouldn''t get married without me. Let her wait."


    "..." This woman is cruel. Even her childhood friend comes second to her work.


    ***


    "Sir, you must." Eun Min Ah''s eyes are big and round. She sets up the table as she continues to talk. "Lawyer Ahn is really good. She will definitely win. She is fighting for justice."


    The old lady, who was a maid at Baek Han Sol''s house, looks at the girl uneasily. She lives alone. Her children b?r?ly visit her. This girl suddenly appeared in front of her door. She barged right into her house and started talking about Baek Han Sol. She talks non-stop without any pause.


    "You see, Baek Han Sol is innocent."


    The old lady b?r?ly understands what she is talking about. She doesn''t want to go to court. She has been threatened and warned. Even a few days ago, those people came back and asked her not to go. She doesn''t have a good feeling toward Baek Han Sol. Besides, she isn''t sure whether he is innocent or not. She can vouch for one time, but what about the other 35 times?


    "Enjoy the meal." Eun Min Ah smiles at her. "Aunty, give it a thought. I will come tomorrow again."


    "My answer is no," The old lady replies stubbornly. "I don''t like you. Don''t come back."


    Eun Min Ah bends down on her knees and grabs her hands. She looks at her intensely.


    "Aunty, you only have to say what you saw and heard. Whether he is guilty or not, the court will decide it. Your words might save an innocent man''s life. He has a wife, right? His family is also suffering. They might have treated you wrong, but haven''t they suffered enough?"


    The old lady recalls the old madam and the old master''s haggard faces. She has begged her a lot of times in the last three years. All the pride and arrogance were gone from their eyes. They wore cheap clothes. Baek Han Sol''s wife also kneeled to her.


    The Baek family has a lot of enemies. If she does it...


    "My boss will arrange for security." Eun Min Ah promises her. "You won''t be harmed."


    Eun Min Ah comes out with a good mood. She is ready to announce it to her mentor, but he is busy on a call.


    "Ji-Won, I am four hours away from the city... I can''t drive it back in time... No... Alright, I will try to make it to the wedding reception... I don''t have a flying car...No, Hana is not with me... I am not lying... Call her again if you don''t believe me... I will do my best to make it..."


    He turns around and sees Eun Min Ah. Her heart flutters when she sees his warm smile. She looks away at the random trees and ignores her heart that is easily swayed by this handsome man''s smile. She thinks about Do Sejin. It''s been five days since their agreement began. He is complacent toward her wishes. But, she can''t tell whether he likes her or not. She is sure that his family likes her.


    What should she do? Is she not good in bed? She is unhappy because she knows that she isn''t. She is not at his level. They didn''t do it again after that day at the office. Is he already losing interest?


    Jung Kwang-soo flicks his finger in front of her eyes. "Eun Min Ah?"


    "Boss Jung, I have convinced her," She tells him with excitement in her voice. This old lady has been adamant for a long time. These type of proud people are highly stubborn toward people like him. She wouldn''t even listen to him.


    That''s why he needed a young energetic girl like Eun Min Ah.


    Jung Kwang-soo pats her head. "I will treat you for lunch. What do you want to eat?"


    Eun Min Ah curls her fingers. "You have to go to the wedding?"


    "I can''t make it in time." He sighs. "Hana will attend it. That''s more than enough for her. We might as well take this opportunity to visit convince a few more people."


    He doesn''t know what to say. If the boss is fine with it, she is fine with it.

 Chapter 32 - Your life is in danger

    She returns the books at the counter. Do Sejin glances at the name of the books. He recognizes a few titles. Why is she reading philosophy now? He has never seen any of those books at her home.


    Ahn Hana feels someone staring at her. She looks back. It''s Do Sejin. She frowns at him and walks away. He walks behind her quietly, holding back his questions. They stop between the bookcases. She looks for a title on shelves.


    "Mentor, which book are you looking for?"


    "At the age of 15, what kind of books did you read?"


    Surprised by that question, he doesn''t think much before he answers her, "I liked reading comics. What did you read?"


    "I read case files." She tries to reach for the book on the top shelf. Her hand can''t reach. She isn''t wearing her heels either. He grabs the book, pressing her from behind to the bookcase. Instantly realizing his mistake when he feels her warm back, he looks down to apologize to his mentor unless she misunderstands his intentions. He finds her looking at the book in his hand. She hasn''t realized their proximity. He doesn''t move away either, staring down at her.


    He is shocked when she wraps her arms around him and chokes on the words. He should say something. He should push her away. A familiar yet unfamiliar warmth is rapidly swelling up in his heart. The emptiness is being filled. Something heavy is disappearing, replaced by something strange and sweet. He is about to grasp it.


    "Don''t move," She whispers to him. "Wrap your arms around me. Look natural."


    "Excuse me?" A sharp voice comes from the behind. "What are you doing at the library?"


    Ahn Hana pushes him away. "Sorry, we lost ourselves in the moment."


    "This is the first and last warning." The librarian glares at them. "Behave yourself. If I see something like this again, you will be banned from here."


    "We are sorry." Ahn Hana bows apologetically. She kicks his leg and pulls him down to bow before the angry librarian. "We are just leaving."


    What just happened? Is he drugged or something? Why would this woman hug him like this? He wants to ask her. Did she forgive him? Did she realize that she can''t live without him? He smiles to himself. She can''t live without him, can she? She pretended that she couldn''t care any less about him. She has been hiding her true feelings behind her stony mask. It makes sense now.


    Ahn Hana checks out the book. She stops and looks back. Do Sejin is standing behind her with a smug look. She gives one last look at the bookcases.


    Do Sejin doesn''t start the car immediately. She is checking something on her phone. He smiles again when he recalls their hug earlier. He leans in to kiss her on the lips. She smacks his face with the thick book.


    "Hana, what are you doing?" His nose is bleeding. She made him bleed for the second time. "You were the one who hugged me earlier."


    "Instead of asking me why I hugged you, you are trying to use your filthy lips on me." She scowls at him. "I am your mentor. Don''t ever call me by my first name. Use formal language or don''t come back to work tomorrow."


    "Why did you hug me, mentor?" He asks bitterly. He wants to know what was going inside her head.


    "I was taking pictures, you idiot." She throws her phone at him. It hits him right at his wounded nose. Anyone could tell that she did it intentionally. "Someone was watching us."


    He covers his nose with one hand and checks the picture with his other hand. In the pictures, there is a dark shadow in the corner of the bookcase. The sunlight is pouring in from the window behind the person. He tries to zoom in to the person''s face. But, it''s not clear. The person is wearing a baseball hat and black clothes.


    He zooms into the book. The Ocean In The Sky. Noe Kyung-Hee''s favorite poetry book. This person knew that Ahn Hana was taking his pictures. "He is keeping a track on you."


    "I couldn''t fool him." She smiles. "Drive me to the wedding."


    "We should go to the police station." Do Sejin grabs the steering wheel. Afraid. If she is followed by a killer, she is in danger. "You have to tell them. Your life is in danger."


    "No." She opens the book. "I don''t know all. There is something else that he wants me to figure out. Our killer is a patient one."


    "We are talking about a psychopath who killed 36 people in the past," Do Sejin yells at her. "You are talking about patience? How are you sure that he wouldn''t get rid of you? A killer is a killer. He won''t wait around for you to catch him."


    "He won''t." She looks at him sternly. "If you don''t want to drive, you can step out of the car. I have to attend a wedding."


    He has never been more frustrated in life. He does what she exactly wants. He drives her to the wedding without a word. He makes a silent decision to follow her everywhere until the killer is caught.


    "Why are you dressed like a homeless man?" Bo Ji-Won is on the verge of breaking. The groom has been waiting at the altar for two hours. The guests are wondering if she is having cold feet. Her childhood friend is coming to her wedding like this. "Never mind. I will scold you later. Just come with me."


    Ahn Hana sighs. "You should just get married. Don''t -"


    "Keep your mouth shut." Ji-Won turns to Do Sejin. "You! Who did this to you? I don''t have time to fix your nose."


    "It''s nothing serious." His nose has stopped bleeding. "I will get cleaned up. You go and do your thing, Doctor Bo."


    He leaves them alone to clean himself up. He does his best to look presentable. Luckily, his nose is not broken. He scratches his head. The woman is more violent than he expected her to be. She is also good at tricking him. Hugging him like that to click pictures of the killer. Does this make sense? If she knew, she should have told him. They could try to capture the killer.


    She is also playing the game with the killer. What should he do about this woman who doesn''t know any fear?

 Chapter 33 - Death must wait for you

    The wedding ceremony commences without any more delay. Ahn Hana watches them kiss and hug each other. Bo Ji-Won is over the moon. Her husband also shares mutual happiness.


    "I am glad that you came." The groom thanks Ahn Hana after the wedding ceremony. "I couldn''t have gotten married without you."


    Ahn Hana smiles politely at the groom. "If you are really thankful to me, get her pregnant as fast as you can. She should nag her children instead of me."


    "I know how she is." Her husband nods sympathetically at Ahn Hana. "That''s one of the reasons why I love her."


    "Hello?" Bo Ji-Won claps multiple times to get the attention of her husband and her childhood friend. "I don''t nag that much."


    "Honey, you do." He clasps her hand. "Thanks to your friends, we are late. if we don''t run now, we would miss our flight for our honeymoon."


    "Ah!" Bo Ji-Won freaks out. "It''s already the time. Ahn Hana, take your medicines on time. Don''t skip meals. Don''t overwork. Remember your promise. You owe me a lot."


    Ahn Hana watches her run with the groom. She takes a breath of relief. Now, there is no one to scold her for a while. Until Bo Ji-Won comes back from her honeymoon, she is free to do whatever she wants.


    "Should I take you back home, mentor?" Do Sejin asks her. She is looking far ahead with a sly smile on her lips. He can already guess that she is happier than the bride currently. With Doctor Bo gone for a while, there is no one to scold Ahn Hana.


    "No. You can go back home." Trying to rush into the car, she steps onto the frills of her dress. The fragile fabric is torn apart by her heel. She looks down, flabbergasted. Do Sejin stifles his laugh. His laughing eyes are not missed. She takes off her heels and tosses them inside the back seat of the car.


    Do Sejin takes this opportunity to slip into the driver''s seat before she could. "Mentor, you are tired. Get in. I will drive you to your home."


    "I don''t think that you know Kwang-soo''s home address." She sets the GPS and puts it in front of him. "Just follow it."


    So, she is really staying at that man''s house. "Mentor, are you going marry Lawyer Jung?"


    She answers him in a beat. "It''s none of your business."


    "I see. My apologies." He clenches his jaw and looks ahead in the road. "Noe Kyung-Hee... was she chosen because she found out something about the murderer? Did she connected the five-stabs murders before anyone else did?"


    She doesn''t answer him. Her fingers are frozen on a page of the book. Do Sejin doesn''t bother her on the rest of the way. When they reach, she silently walks out of the car. He accompanies her to the door.


    "You can leave now." She punches the code and opens the door. "Take my car. Go back home. "


    Before she can close it, Do Sejin steps inside and closes it behind him. She glowers at him. "What are you doing, Intern?"


    "I will stay here until Jung Kwang-soo comes back." He makes himself at home and sits on the couch. "Since the killer and my mentor are engaged in a game, I don''t want to leave my mentor alone."


    She resists the urge to bash his head again. "I told you that he won''t-"


    "Mentor, you should change." Do Sejin points at her torn dress. "I can see your b?r? legs."


    She grits her teeth and storms toward the bedroom. She changes out of the troublesome dress quickly. She has never liked wearing frills. If it hadn''t been Ji-Won''s wish, she wouldn''t have worn it. When she comes out, she finds him lying on the couch.


    Her resting place is taken away like that. Where will she sleep now?


    "What''s wrong, mentor?" He lifts his head. "I am taking a nap until Boss Jung comes back. You should also sleep. You have dark circles around your eyes."


    Exasperated. She fists her hands. Jung Kwang-soo has told her to restrain herself from killing him. She has no choice. She locks herself in the room and sits on the bed. She starts reading the book again. This is the last book that Noe Kyung-Hee returned to the library before she was murdered.


    It feels like she knows this book. Did she read it before? She thinks hard. Where?


    In Jung Kwang-soo''s study room, she browses through the titles. She finds it in the corner of the shelf with a layer of dust on it. She compares the cover of both books. Different editions.


    ***


    "The gate is not closed. Don''t fall. Don''t give in to the light. Touch the gate. Drink the darkness. Come back to me," The man softly whispers in her ear. "You are not prepared for death, my dear. Come back to me. Your time hasn''t come. Not yet. Come back to me."


    He kisses her between her brows. Her eyes flutter. He smiles at her. "I have chosen you, my dear. Even death must wait when I am here for you."

 Chapter 34 - Do you know the killer?

    Ashen face and restlessly biting her nails, she paces around the house. Do Sejin also tails her around the house like a puppy, wondering what is wrong with her. Is his presence making her this way? She pauses on her feet. "Do Sejin, how did we meet that night?"


    "You were drunk. You were wearing an oversized coat over your wedding dress. Your lipstick was smeared. You were upset." Do Sejin is straightforward, not hiding any detail this time. "I went to the pub to get drunk. You asked everyone if infertile people worth any less than fertile ones. When I told you that they don''t, you decided that I should take off your wedding dress. "


    He peeks at her. She doesn''t look angry. "Did you give me that coat?"


    He doesn''t know why she is asking that. "No, I didn''t."


    Ahn Hana trembles. She still can''t recall what happened that night. She left the wedding after Ong Han Bin confessed to her and called off the wedding. She doesn''t remember wearing a coat when she left. She was...


    A faint memory surfaces.


    ***


    She is drunk and unsteadily walking on the street. She bumps into a man. He catches her by her shoulders. Her lipstick is smeared on his shirt.


    "Oops..." She laughed when she saw the lipstick mark on his shirt. "It''s ruined."


    He didn''t say a word. She chins up and stares at him. He is wearing a baseball hat and a mask.


    "Soooo sorry." She laughs and tries to rub off the lipstick mark from his shirt. It doesn''t get off. She hears a deep chuckle. "Why are you laughing? Have you never been kissed before? It is just lipstick. I will pay for the laundry."


    "My dear, it''s cold." He makes her wear his coat. "I wouldn''t want my love to get sick."


    She stumbles back on her feet. "Hey, you! Stop. Who is your lover? I was just dumped on my wedding day. My fiance cheated on me. Come back, you prick! I will beat the love out of you."


    The man is nowhere to be seen.


    ***


    Ahn Hana sits down on the floor. She digs her fingers in her hair. Her shoulder trembles when she recalls that memory. "Fuck!"


    Do Sejin bends down on his one knee. "What''s wrong?"


    She doesn''t answer him. As always. She punches Jung Kwang-soo''s name and calls him.


    "Jung Kwang-soo, where are you?" She grasps her head because of the headache. It hurts to think now. "Come back here, you ?sshole. Right now. Don''t dilly-dally with that girl. Leave her and come back here at this instant. If you don''t, I will drop everything and quit your law firm."


    She throws away the phone in frustration. This time, it didn''t land on his face. Do Sejin knows it now. She likes throwing things when she is mad. "Ahn Hana, what''s going on? Can you tell me?"


    "You are not any help." She waves her hand. "Go back. Your girlfriend is waiting for you at home."


    If words could make him go back, he would have gone back by now. "I will go when your boyfriend comes back."


    "You are worried about my safety?" She is incensed. "Do Sejin, you are not strong enough mentally or physically. Can you protect me? Why do you want to protect me in the first place, you little fu?ker? It should be your girlfriend. Not me. She should be your priority since you made an agreement with her to become her boyfriend for a month. Guess what? I have had enough patience with you. You are dismissed from the law firm. I am kicking you out. I don''t care whether that girl comes back tomorrow or not. We don''t need her. Leave at this very instant. Disappear. I don''t want to see your face."


    "You can''t kick me out." Do Sejin tells her shamelessly. "It''s Jung Kwang-soo who took me."


    She smiles at him menacingly. "Alright. Let''s wait for him to reach."


    "Why are you acting like this now?" He tries to touch her face, but she slaps off his hand. "I didn''t do anything wrong today."


    "Your entire existence is wrong in my life." Her eyes are full of hate and disgust. "After lying and sleeping around like a dog, you dare to show your face to me smugly? Do Sejin, I want to destroy you right now. The only thing that is holding me back..."


    She closes her mouth. Her headache is worse now. She feels dizzy. The fatigue is taking over. She knows that she doesn''t have time before she leaves for her vacation. Everything is in chaos.


    "What is holding you back?" There is a tornado inside him. He told himself once that it would have been better if she hated him. Now, he knows that he hates it that she hates him like this. The raw pain in her eyes hurt him more than her words. He takes her hand and puts them on his throat.


    "If you are angry with me that much, you should kill me. It should help you, right? I don''t want you to feel hurt because of me."


    "Did I come at the wrong time?" Jung Kwang-soo stares at Ahn Hana and Do Sejin. They are looking at each other intensely. Did she scold him to come because of Do Sejin? Is he trying something?


    She pulls her hands away. She finds her composure after seeing Jung Kwang-soo. Right, she is Ahn Hana. She is proud. She is smart. She can''t break because of something like this. She knows now. She has the advantage. "Jung Kwang-soo, let''s talk about the case."


    "11 alibis are coming." Jung Kwang-soo reports his progress. "We can bring him out in the next hearing."


    "I see." She stands up. Do Sejin is still staring at the floor with a complicated feeling in his heart. She walks to Jung Kwang-soo and asks, "I have a question. Ten years ago, when I fell into the coma after the surgery, did you read that book to me?"


    She points at the books on the floor. Jung Kwang-soo picks them up. Both have the same title.


    "I found it near your pillow. I was on the first page when you suddenly woke up. I didn''t read it to you when you were asleep." Jung Kwang-soo recounts that day. Ahn Hana fell asleep for a month after her surgeries. There was a time when everyone thought that she had no hope of surviving. But, she proved them all wrong. "After you woke up, you asked me to keep reading it to you. I found it strange, but I thought that this must be your favorite book."


    She has thought so. It was the killer who read that to her. He told her that death couldn''t claim her since she belonged to him. Now, it makes sense.


    "Ahn Hana, do you know the killer?" Do Sejin connects the link between the books.


    She feels drained. She had an outburst when she realized that she had met the killer twice. Do Sejin had to face it.


    "I was supposed to be his first target," She tells them the truth. "But, he went for my parents instead of me."

 Chapter 35 - You have been a bad girl

    Tensed silence. Both men blankly stare at the woman. Jung Kwang-soo takes a step with disbelief in his eyes. "Ahn Hana, please tell me that you are joking."


    "Would I ever joke about this?" She looks at the killer''s unclear photo on her phone. She compares it with the man she met that night. She doesn''t remember much except for the coat. The coat disappeared from her wardrobe around a week later. She thought that Do Sejin took it with him. She was wrong. Very wrong. She was wrong about her parents'' murderer. The killer entered her house when she wasn''t there. He might have visited her when she was asleep or when Do Sejin was there. She had no idea how much she had been watched by him. Did he come here? She doesn''t know.


    "I don''t understand." Jung Kwang-soo can''t absorb her words. "It''s been 10 years since that accident."


    10 years of obsession. Do Sejin''s insides are turned over. His knees become weak. He realizes why she got mad at him earlier. He must have done something. There was a time when he wanted to become her weakness. Now, he regrets it. He doesn''t even know what it is. He doesn''t know what he did, but he must have driven her to a worse situation. He wants to know, but she won''t tell him. She will never speak about her weakness. Not to him.


    Do Sejin must find that person before that killer gets her. "Can you make a list of people you suspect?"


    "Nobody comes to mind." The coat was big on him too. He had big hands and a firm grip. A perfume to hide his scent. Magnolia. Yes, he would use that scent. He knew that she would try to recall and link it with Noe Kyung-Hee.


    He could have killed her at any time. He could have harmed Jung Kwang-soo and Do Sejin. What stopped him? Right. He wants her to know that she made a mistake when she fought for her parents'' unfair death. He wants her to realize that she had been living on the borrowed time. He wants her to know that she is being watched every second of her life. Nothing is hidden from him.


    He knows that she is in a desperate situation. He wants to break her with fear and make a mistake. Before that, he wants her to announce to the world how wrong they have been about the 100th-day murders.


    She must change her plans. This person won''t be fooled easily.


    ***


    "He committed the first murder when I was 21." She writes their names on the board. "Two people on the same day. Six stabs to my father. He slit my mother''s throat. I left university when I received the news. I got into an accident on my way. He probably didn''t see that coming."


    "You don''t have to speak the details about your parents'' death." Jung Kwang-soo knows that it is hard for her, but she is not showing it to them. She isn''t the type to show emotions unless she is angry or drunk.


    Ahn Hana has read about her parents'' death countless times. When she woke up from her coma, their bodies were already cremated. The investigation was half done. She didn''t know what was missing. What did the killer take as his trophy? How did he meet her parents? She knows nothing.


    Now, she is being told by the killer himself. She hates herself.


    "My parents were fighting a corruption case. Some powerful people were involved. They survived the attempts on their lives. When they searched the house, they found some files missing. I thought that they were killed by the people from the corrupted corporation. The killer took the files intentionally to control the direction of the investigation." She writes the date of the murder. "He can manipulate evidence. The missing items from the 36 victims... I think that they will soon find it on Baek Han Sol''s properties during the reinvestigation under the new prosecutor."


    "Why did he go for your parents instead of you?" Do Sejin asks her.


    "To change me." She continues to write the date of each victim''s name. "My parents'' death had an effect on me. I was aiming to become a prosecutor, but I chose to be a lawyer instead. I became someone who would do anything for money and power. I won all the cases that I took. He knows that I don''t have long enough to capture him first. If I can bring Baek Han Sol out and tell about his legacy, I will become famous. Then, he will claim me."


    "What did you say?" Do Sejin stands up abruptly. "You don''t have long enough. Why?"


    She purses her lips. Damn! This is what happens. The killer. Her illness. Everything else is making her lose calm. She speaks without thinking now. Shit.


    "What are you hiding, Hana?" Jung Kwang-soo looks at her back intently.


    The cat is out of the bag. She can''t hide it now. She takes a deep breath and turns around to face the two men. "I have a tumor in my brain. So, let''s get back to work now."


    Do Sejin stares hard at her. That day when she told him that she liked him. The test results. She told him that there was nothing to worry about. It''s been two weeks since that day. He slams the table in anger. "You lied to me that day. Why did not you say anything? How come you are doing this when you should be at the hospital?"


    "Ahn Hana, you have been a bad girl." Jung Kwang-soo cracks his knuckles. "I wanted you to fight this case, but I would never want it on the cost of your life. You are more worth to me alive than dead."


    She sighs. They only know half of the deal and they are reacting like this. "I planned to take a break after the next hearing. I was planning to give my body to Ji-Won and let her do whatever she wanted. I don''t plan on dying either."


    "Doctor Bo went on the honeymoon today," Do Sejin cries out. "You are lying again."


    "Boy, can you complain if I lie to you?" She raises her brow. "Nothing has changed between us. Whether it''s a tumor or a psychopath that is trying to kill me, Whether I die or live, it is unrelated to you."


    Do Sejin looks at her with pain in his eyes. He feels stifled by her gaze. He runs out of that place in one breath. Unable to bear it anymore, he covers his ears.


    He is the lowest of the low.

 Chapter 36 - Are you hiding something else?

    She sees him bolt out of the door. She isn''t pleased with her circumstances. Why is he acting as if she wronged him by not telling him? She turns to Jung Kwang-soo. "Kick them out. Both of them. They add to my headaches. Literally."


    "Alright." Jung Kwang-soo doesn''t need Eun Min Ah anymore. Even if he did, he doesn''t plan to keep them if Ahn Hana doesn''t want it. "Let''s stop this. You need to get your treatment. I am guessing that Ji-Won has prepared everything for you during her honeymoon?"


    "She has." Ahn Hana is starving. "I trust that she will do her best. She planned to tell you if I didn''t leave after the next hearing."


    "Are you hiding something else?" Jung Kwang-soo''s gaze is penetrating. "Ahn Hana, if you are, I will never forgive you."


    "Cook something delicious for me. Then, we have to prepare for the hearing."


    "Screw the hearing. I will call back Ji-Won and you are going to the hospital." He gets up and goes to the kitchen immediately. His eyes are misty. He doesn''t want her to see his tears. Stupid woman! Life is more important than a case. He can''t even scold her in case she gets a headache.


    Ahn Hana leans back in the chair. The vague pattern is becoming clear now. All the dates have an order. He must have chosen the victims carefully.


    The killer has been preparing for a long time. Her parents were murdered to fuel her into becoming who she is today. They haven''t been a part of the pattern. Noe Kyung-Hee. Another special person in his life. He loved her, but not in the way he loves Ahn Hana. He wants to claim Ahn Hana''s soul, but he freed Noe Kyung-Hee''s soul from his grasp.


    That girl was his confidante. His student. He was rearing her to become like her, but she fell in love Ok Min Ji and failed to claim Ok Min Ji''s soul. She willingly chose death over letting the weakness take over her.


    Ok Min Ji lived. Noe Kyung-Hee didn''t.


    ***


    Do Sejin slurps down the soju. His friend, Kim Dong-woo, looks at him pitifully. He looks at his friend''s phone. Eun Min Ah has been calling nonstop. He wonders if his friend has had enough of this girl. He is surprised that Do Sejin is following the terms of agreement diligently. His friend didn''t go to the twins'' parties again and rejected all the invitations from other girls.


    "Sejin, what''s wrong?" He asks him after his friend picks up the fifth bottle of Soju. "Tell me."


    "Dong-woo, I am a horrible man." Do Sejin leans toward him. "I want to turn back time. She didn''t tell me that she is sick. I did all those horrible things. Tell me how to turn back time. I want to save her, but I don''t know how to. She won''t even let me stay beside her. It''s so difficult to breathe. Each day feels heavier than the last one. I tried everything. I slept with Eun Min Ah, but I feel nothing. I thought about going to the parties, but I remember her eyes. Dong-woo, why? I don''t understand. Tell me why does my ?h?st feel heavy?"


    Kim Dong-woo doesn''t know what to say. His friend is suffering for an answer, though the answer is obvious. If he tells him, his friend will be in the worst condition. If he doesn''t, this guy will continue to suffer like this. He has seen fools, but this is a high grade one. He knows that the woman is none other than Ahn Hana.


    "If she disappears from the world, what kind of world will it be?" Do Sejin asks him with pain in his eyes. "I don''t want to know."


    "Sejin, are you in love with her?"


    "What?" Do Sejin blinks at him. "Love? No. It cannot be love. I admit that I miss her body. If it is love, it wouldn''t hurt like this. It''s my body that became addicted to her in some way... A smoker''s reaction when he quits smoking... you get it?"


    "If not love, then what it is? Why are you suffering like this?" Kim Dong-woo looks at his pathetic friend. Of all the women, it is that Lawyer Ahn. "Whether she is sick or not, it shouldn''t matter. It is certainly not pity that you feel for her. How long are you going to avoid the truth? You are not this dumb."


    Do Sejin becomes quiet. Kim Dong-woo waits for his friend to untangle his mind and heart.


    "Dong-woo, she is the type of person who can stand alone fearlessly even if the world is against her." He recalls the nation''s reaction when she picked up the 100th-day case. When he hugged her that night, she might have let him in her heart. But, he ruined it all. "I am not in love with her. I admire her. She is beautiful."


    "You are really an idiot." Kim Dong-woo slaps his head. "You can''t imagine a world without her and you say that you are not in love. Just sort out your feelings. Sometimes, one doesn''t realize what is gone until it is gone from his life."


    "She hates me," He replies in a low voice. "She wants to wipe my existence from her life. Even if I die or live, she wouldn''t give a fu?k. No matter how many times I apologize, she won''t accept it. Why is she this cruel? I made mistakes, but I am apologizing."


    Kim Dong-woo slaps the back of his head. "That doesn''t give you any right to act like this. You act and complain like it is her fault that you are in pain as a child. Think about it. She is feeling pain physically and mentally because of her illness. You are the one complaining while she has been suffering silently."


    "That makes it worse." He grabs another bottle of liquor. "She should say something if it hurts."


    "She seems like someone who doesn''t like showing weaknesses." Kim Dong-woo takes a sip.


    "Dong-woo, being in love with her is scary." Do Sejin finally say out what has been his heart for a long time. He bangs his head on the table. "Why her? Why isn''t it someone else? She is a scary person."


    Kim Dong-woo doesn''t stop him. He takes another sip. "My friend, you are an idiot. "Now, I know why you started the agreement with Eun Min Ah. That''s not the right way. The heart can''t choose love. It happens on its own. You are good with women, but you don''t your own heart."


    "Dong-woo, I regret everything except meeting Hana."


    After a long pause, Kim Dong-woo tells solemnly, "Sejin, if Eun Min Ah finds out that your heart is already taken, she might cause trouble."


    "She won''t find out." Do Sejin lifts his head. His forehead is red. "She promised me that she would leave if she fails."


    "I don''t think that it would be that easy." Kim Dong-woo looks distant and drunk. "That girl is crazy."


    "I know." Do Sejin continues to bang his head on the table.

 Chapter 37 - You cant say no

    "Do Sejin." She hugs him when he enters the room. "Where have you been? Why didn''t you pick up my calls? I have been worried."


    He looks down at her. Eun Min Ah is wearing lacy black lingerie. Perked up br??sts. Loose hair. Flushed cheeks. Has she been touching herself? He pushes her away as gently as he could.


    "I want to sleep." He takes off his shoes, wondering how she will react if he tries to back out of their agreement. Even Kim Dong-woo knows that Eun Min Ah will do anything to keep him with her. From going to his parents or protesting in front of the university with the agreement. He has sent the agreement''s picture to everyone including his professors.


    It doesn''t make him worry that much. His biggest worry is Ahn Hana. If he comes out of this agreement, she will think that he can''t keep his words since he did the same to her. If Eun Min Ah gets slight doubt that he likes Ahn Hana, he doesn''t want to imagine what will happen.


    "Do Sejin, you want to sleep this early?" Eun Min Ah climbs the bed and starts unbuttoning his shirt. He grabs her hands to stop her. She doesn''t take the clue. She rubs her bu?? on his ??p. He grasps on to her waist to stop her.


    "Eun Min Ah, I have been thinking." He looks into her eyes solemnly. "How about we date normally? I will move out. We will meet each other and go to popular dating spots. You can visit me at my house regularly."


    She blinks twice. What is he saying? She starts thinking. He hasn''t done it with her since that day Did she fail already? Perhaps, he doesn''t like her body. If he moves back, they won''t sleep each other much. She won''t be able to see him at nights. They won''t wake up together. Only 25 days are left. If they date traditionally, it won''t go anywhere.


    "No." She shakes her head. "Do Sejin, you told me that you would let me do anything. Are you already going back on your words?"


    "I was just suggesting." Do Sejin feels like a wreak. Oh, god! She won''t be tricked. What should he do? He doesn''t want to be here with her. She makes a face when she reads that look in his eyes. She is failing. Even if he stays with her now, he will leave her after the month ends. Do Sejin is Do Sejin. He can''t stay with one woman for a long time. That''s why...


    "Do Sejin." She pushes him on the bed. "You can''t say no. Let me do everything that I can. I want you a lot. I will leave quietly if I fail after our month together. You should let me do everything."


    He closes his eyes. Let''s just get over with it. "Okay. Don''t forget your words."


    "Yes." She quickly takes his clothes off. He is lying on the bed, doing nothing. He isn''t even looking at her. He doesn''t care about what she wants to do with him. "Do Sejin, open your mouth."


    She slides her tongue inside. Exploring his mouth slowly. She lifts her head when he doesn''t respond. "Do Sejin, you have to try too. Be sincere toward our agreement."


    Annoyed and helpless, he entwines his tongue with her. He can''t help but compare her to Ahn Hana. It makes him feel worse. A single touch of Ahn Hana can make him feel alive. But, Eun Min Ah is making him feel more dead. After admitting to Kim Dong-woo that he does love Ahn Hana, it is difficult for him to be with Eun Min Ah.


    Breathless, Eun Min Ah gasps for air. She spreads her palms and moves it over his ?h?st. Flaming d?s?r? in her eyes. He flinches each time she touches his skin. She smiles, thinking that he is feeling something for her.


    Do Sejin closes his eyes and thinks of Ahn Hana. Those happy days with her. When she didn''t know who he was. After she told him that she liked him. Those days were beautiful. He didn''t realize how precious they were. If only he had realized it earlier. Her heartwarming scent. He doesn''t know if he will ever hold her again. His arms feel cold.


    ***


    "Do Sejin." She would glare at him when he disturbed her when she was working. "We just did it a while ago."


    "Hana Ah." He would nudge her elbow. "One more time, please."


    "How many times do you want to do it?" She would shut down her ??ptop and places it away. "Give me a number."


    Do Sejin would grin at her. "How many times does your heart beats when I do this?"


    He would take her lips and places his hand on her back. He would feel her heart beating rapidly each time when he would kiss her. She wouldn''t close her eyes. There would be something more than d?s?r? in her eyes. It would make his heart beat faster. She would surrender to himself completely, letting him take the lead. Lost together in something beautiful, their bodies would move in synchronization. She would take him inside her wholly. She would fit him as if she has been made for him.


    "Do Sejin." She would call his name softly when he would enter her slowly. "Fast."


    "Say please, Hana." He would tease her. It would make him happy when she would whisper it softly with heated cheeks and a wave of slight anger in her eyes. He would go slower to tease her more. She would pout playfully. He wouldn''t be able to resist and fasten her pace. Her breathing would become erratic. Her moist walls would tighten around him. She would throw away her pride and beg, "Do Sejin, more... I want... Ah... Please... "


    He didn''t know. He thought that she was becoming addicted to his body. No. She wasn''t ?usting after him. She was loving him. Her surrender. Her beggings. Her m??ns. She knew that he was loving her back. It was her way to show what she couldn''t say. It was her way of feeling what he felt for her. It was something beautiful and extraordinary. She didn''t use any tactic to make him fall for her. She didn''t even want him to fall for her. She didn''t want him to realize that he was falling for her.


    ***


    Eun Min Ah feels his hardening shaft beneath her bottom. It''s finally working. She peeks at him. There is a sweet smile on his lips and his eyes are shut. She gets off him and tries to find the ??nd?m in the drawer. She puts it on his hardened member with her shaking fingers. She quickly guides it inside and groans when it fills her cave. She takes a few breaths before she starts moving up and down. It''s thickening inside her.


    "Do Sejin, I will never let you go away." Eun Min Ah''s voice is low. There is a strange look in her eyes. She massages her br??sts, gasping and m??ning Do Sejin''s name. She pinches and pulls her n?pp??s like the way Do Sejin did it the night of the agreement. She rides him, hard. Making sure that he goes deep inside her.

 Chapter 38 - He didnt stop killing

    Eun Min Ah and Do Sejin are sitting on the bed. Both are depressed for different reasons. An early morning, they received a call from the law firm that they have been dismissed. The reason? Due to the 100th-day case''s upcoming hearing, Jung Kwang-soo and Ahn Hana are extremely busy. They can''t keep interns and also, they don''t think that Eun Min Ah and Do Sejin are mentally ready to accompany Jung Kwang-soo and Ahn Hana during these times.


    Eun Min Ah doesn''t understand. Yesterday, she had convinced three people. Boss Jung told her that she was a help. He even patted her head and took her to a fancy restaurant for lunch. He listened to her talk when she opened up about Do Sejin and the agreement. He was sympathetic toward her when she told him that Do Sejin might not stay with her after this. He had told her that he would always lend a listening ear and a helping hand if she ever was in trouble.


    Why are they saying this now? Did Boss Jung find her pathetic and clingy when she talked about her relationship? She wasn''t even planning to. It was he who kept asking her why she looked sad.


    Do Sejin knows the real reason. Ahn Hana doesn''t want to see him anymore. He has lost her chance to be around her. What should he do? Argh.


    Both sighs heavily.


    For some unexplainable reason, she wants to see Boss Jung again. He is so kind with words. She liked it when he patted her head.


    ***


    "Jung Kwang-soo." Ahn Hana cracks her knuckles. "Why can''t I go to work? The hearing is the day after tomorrow."


    "You have to go to the hospital." Jung Kwang-soo blocks the doorway. "You can''t leave this house until Bo Ji-Won comes back."


    "I want a different doctor," Ahn Hana lowers her voice. "She should be on her honeymoon. I will go to the hospital later. Let me go to the office first. It''s only for two days. Besides, you can''t force me to stay at the hospital without my consent."


    She won''t go to the hospital if he doesn''t let her go to the office. Jung Kwang-soo doesn''t know what to do. She is stubborn when it comes to cases.


    "Do you promise to go to the hospital like a good girl after the next hearing whether we win or not?"


    "Yes." She holds his hand. "Now, tell Ji-Won to stick to the original plan. I will go to her place on Thursday. We should find the killer first."


    Jung Kwang-soo stands aside. He wonders if they can find the killer in two days. "I will stay with you all the time. Everywhere. I will increase security. Tell me if you feel any discomfort. We will go to the hospital straight away."


    "Ok. Ok. I promise." She opens the door. "I have to check something about the victims. If it is like the way I think it is, we will have the links and pattern in the murders. After that, nobody can keep Baek Han Sol in prison."


    "It would have been best if the murderer kept killing even after Baek Han Sol was captured." Jung Kwang-soo wraps his arm around hers. "In case, you faint suddenly."


    She stomps his foot and frees her hand from his arm. "Jung Kwang-soo, I have been walking by myself for the last two weeks. I am not that sick."


    "Woman, you have a tumor in your head." He scowls at her. "Don''t be too proud to accept support."


    "If you want to support me, there are other ways." She looks out of the window in the car. "I am sure that he didn''t stop killing. He didn''t make it obvious like the 36 murders."


    ***


    Do Sejin formulates a plan. Whether Ahn Hana likes it or not, he can''t let her be alone at this time of her life. The killer. Her illness. How could he? After finally admitting his feelings, he can''t back away now.


    He takes a quick bath. Eun Min Ah is still on the bed and thinking about her boss. She looks at Do Sejin while he dresses up casually. "Sejin, are we going out?"


    "I am going out to meet someone."


    She jumps on her feet. "Wait, I want to come with you."


    "You can''t," He tells her sternly. "We can''t stick 24 hours a day. I will come back at night. Why don''t you think about your tactics to make me fall in love with you? It has not been working so far."


    She bites her lower lip in frustrations. She knows it. He doesn''t have to say it like that. She watches him quietly leave. Plan. She will show him the plan. She will tie him to her at any cost.


    ***


    "You were right. The victims are people who were related to you or your cases in the past except for your parents and Noe Kyung-Hee." Jung Kwang-soo confirms her doubt.


    "How sweet," She says wryly. "He has been taking revenge for me. Have you checked up on Ong Han Bin?"


    "I have talked to him." He looks at his phone. "Two weeks ago, his pregnant mistress slipped from the stairs and died. Ong Han Bin was not at home. It looks like it was an accident."


    "Let''s talk about the 36 murder first." Ahn Hana arranges the pictures in order. "What do you see here, Kwang-soo?"


    "Random?" He scratches his head. "The murders started in 2009. They ended in 2016 when Baek Han Sol was arrested. 38 murders in 7 years if we count your parents."


    Ahn Hana takes away the pictures of her parents'' corpse and Noe Kyung-Hee. She rearranges the pictures. "7 years. 35 murders. 19 of them are related to the people who were involved in the big cases that I won in the past. They were killed 100 days after I won it. These 19 cases are important because I saved the guilty ones. The other victims are related to those who have wronged me in some way. The truck driver''s mother was the first victim. She was killed a few months after he went to prison for drunk driving."


    Jung Kwang-soo swallows down his saliva. She is right. Instead of Baek Han Sol, it is related to her. How closely has she been watched?


    "Now, Noe Kyung Hee is a special one." She picks up the picture. Her voice is eerily cold as she observes Noe Kyung-Hee''s last picture. "He killed my parents because he wanted me to change and become who I am today. Noe Kyung-He was killed because she loved Ok Min Ji. She died for her love. The killer is also trying to portray how much he loves me here. Doesn''t she look beautiful lying on the red bloody sheet?"


    The door is pushed open at the same time. Jung Kwang-soo jumps in his seat.

 Chapter 39 - Him

    Do Sejin steps inside. He is wearing dark faded jeans and a white t-shirt. His hair is neatly combed back, making him look a bit older.


    "You can''t come here." The Receptionist runs and bumps into his back. She looks apologetically at Jung Kwang-soo and Ahn Hana. "I am sorry. I tried to stop him, but he..."


    "It''s okay." Jung Kwang-soo smiles at her. "You can go. I will talk to him."


    Do Sejin comes into the room and closes the door behind him. Ahn Hana raises her brows, waiting for what he got to say. He ignores her and walks to Jung Kwang-soo. He bends his waist to give him a deep bow. "Senior Playboy, I have heard so much about you. I want to learn from your legendary ways."


    Jung Kwang-soo has expected him to say about the dismissal. But, he has never imagined that he would say this. "Senior playboy?"


    "Lawyer Ahn told me that you are a playboy. She still reminisces about her first time with you fondly. I want to learn those techniques. Kindly let me stay beside you." Do Sejin is facing the floor. They can''t see the smile on his face. "I want to become like you and make all the women happy in the world."


    He knows that this is ridiculous, but it is worth it. According to Ahn Hana, Jung Kwang-soo is a playboy. If he appeals to this playboy like another playboy, he might get a chance. As strange as it is, he just wants an excuse to stick by Ahn Hana. Jung Kwang-soo is almost with her all the time. So, he is his best chance.


    "Hana, what is he talking about?" Jung Kwang-soo asks her with confusion. "You and I slept together? When?"


    She is baffled by the whole exchange. How dare this guy talk about that in front of Jung Kwang-soo again? Jung Kwang-soo and she has a silent agreement that they will never talk about it. It was a drunk mistake that they did around 10 years ago. That day, she was an emotional mess.


    Ahn Hana is frustrated. This kid wants to embarrass her, isn''t? She is not letting this use it against her. She turns to her friend. "Kwang-soo, have you forgotten about it already? He is talking about the day we qualified the bar exam."


    "Oh, when we got so drunk during the celebration... we went to the hotel together... " He looks up at the ceiling, scratching his chin. "However, I think that you misunderstood. You and I didn''t sleep together."


    Ahn Hana frowns. Is he pretending or being serious? She clearly remembers that night. "What are you saying?"


    "Actually, Just after we reached the room, I got the call from the reception that someone was there to meet me." Jung Kwang-soo narrows his eyes. "When I reached the reception, she told me that the person left already. When I returned, you already locked the room from inside. I knocked for a few times, you didn''t open it. So, I thought that you changed your mind. I went back home."


    Ahn Hana becomes silent. That''s not how things went in her memories. Did someone else come inside after he left? She leans her forehead and rests it on the table.


    Sick.


    "Hana, are you alright?" Do Sejin rushes to her side and supports her shoulders. "Are you feeling sick? Does it hurt anywhere?"


    She doesn''t say a word. Jung Kwang-soo glances at her, shocked. "Hana, who was it?"


    She curls her fingers. Her nails dig into her palms. "Him."


    ***


    Ahn Hana feels sick and dizzy. Jung Kwang-soo is gone. She rolls down on her stomach and reaches for the water bottle. It slips from her hand. She crawls toward the edge of the bed. She reaches for the water bottle on the floor.


    Sound of heavy steps. Jung Kwang-soo is back. Someone locks the door. The lights are dimmed. She can''t see anything clearly. Her drunkness is not helping it either. He picks up the water bottle. He helps her sit up. He brings the water bottle to her mouth. She shows her weak side only to this person.


    It feels heavy to move for some reason. It''s been two months since she was discharged from the hospital. The accident left her with some deep damage in her mind and body. She can never have children. Her parents are gone. She couldn''t open her eyes or move. She could hear everything, but she couldn''t say anything back. Her parents were cremated when she was lying on the bed like that.


    She wasn''t the same person after she woke up.


    He has been there when she was lying on the bed. Unlike other people, he didn''t pity her or cry for her. He didn''t ask her to wake up as soon as possible. He read her a book. He talked about the weather or the unimportant things of daily life. He told her about the color of the curtains. He told her that it was raining. He would bring her different flowers every day.


    His voice was hypnotic and calming. It told her that it was alright. She had to wake up. Before that, she had to continue to live. She couldn''t give into death. She had to defeat death and come back. Even if her parents were dead, he was there for her. Waiting. She wasn''t alone. Not at all.


    After she woke up, she found that Jung Kwang-soo was the same person. She doubted whether it was really him. He would read the same book, but his tone was different. She didn''t know what to say. She kept quiet. He probably didn''t want her to know about his hidden side. There were people like that.


    He lays her down on the bed. He ??r?sses her cheeks and gives her a soft kiss on the lips. Tears run out of her eyes. She hasn''t cried since she woke up. Today is the most important day of her life. She passed the bar exam. Her parents would have been proud of her. They wanted her to become a prosecutor. She is not going to become that. She has changed her dream. She doesn''t know what they would have said. He hears his deep hypnotic voice again. "It has been hard, isn''t it?"


    It''s been hard. She can''t stop her tears for some reason. Today, she celebrated her success with Jung Kwang-soo alone. She drank until she was numb. She laughed like crazy, but she wasn''t happy at all.


    He strokes her hair. Just like he used to do it when she was in the coma. She purses her lips to not cry out. Her cheeks are damped. He kisses her softly on her face. She let him removes her clothes. Under the dim light and her intoxicated mind, she can b?r?ly see anything clearly. This is better like this. She covers her eyes with her palm to stop herself eyes from crying. She knows that she shouldn''t be crying like this now.


    The rain of tender kisses falls on her body. He ??r?sses everywhere with his hands. She touches his back with her trembling hand. She runs up her hands through his neck and hair. When she reaches his face, he grabs her wrists and pins them on the bed. "It''s okay. You can cry."


    "I don''t want to," She tells him. However, her tears haven''t stopped for a second.


    "You lie to the world and act strong." He whispers into her ear. "I am the only one who can see how fragile you are. It is okay if I am the only one who sees it."


    When he places the tip of his manhood over her entrance, she cannot hold back her self anymore. She bursts into sobs. It''s not pretty. She never cried after she woke up. She sobs loudly. He grabs her hands and stops her from covering her face.


    "Don''t hide it from me. It''s okay, my dear. Don''t be scared. Show me your pain. I am the only one who can see your precious tears."


    He penetrates her without any mercy. Her lower part feels like it is being split apart. He doesn''t stop grinding away the thin membrane of obstruction in his path. Ahn Han cries. Not because of the pain that she felt in her body. She weeps for her parents who were murdered at their homes. She wasn''t there to save them.


    It hurts each time he thrusts himself into her. He entwines his fingers with hers. He keeps telling her that it won''t hurt. He is taking away her pain. He whispers to her that it will be alright. He tells her not to be scared.


    "My dear, it''s alright. Cry. Let it all out. Give me your pain." He leans down and kisses her between her brows. "You are never alone. I will be by your side until your last breath. Tomorrow is the first day of your new life."

 Chapter 40 - His love letters

    He lays down beside her. She is exhausted. Her tears are dried on her face. She can''t move. The blood on the sheet is a clear indication of her lost innocence. He presses her face to his ?h?st. He gently moves his fingers through her silky hair before he pulls them hard.


    "Do you still feel pain?"


    "No." She doesn''t feel anything. Nothing at all. She doesn''t know what she should feel. He takes a look at her. Her eyes are hollow. She is looking at him, but she isn''t. She feels like something has broken inside her mind. She doesn''t know what it is. But, she isn''t suffering anymore.


    "Only pain can remove the pain." He nips her ???t with his nails. "Remember that, my dear Hana."


    He gives her one final kiss and covers her eyes with his palm.


    "Sleep, my dear. When the sun rises, you will become the sun," He tells her affectionately. "You shall become blindingly bright. Nobody shall be able to look at you directly. When the night comes back and you wake up alone, you will find me beside you again."


    Ahn Hana falls asleep.


    ***


    Until now. She digs her fingers in her hair and shakes madly in Do Sejin''s arms. Jung Kwang-soo and Do Sejin call her name. She hasn''t been responding to them. That man. He... That night.


    Nothing has been right since that night. Why didn''t she say anything to Jung Kwang-soo? Something has been wrong with her. When she woke up the next day, she was alone. She didn''t care about the night. She was no longer suffering.


    Ahn Hana has never been invincible. She has been broken apart by that man a long time ago. He dissected her mind and rearranged it according to his p???sur?. He turned her into the sun and filled her with the arrogance that blinded the world. His sun. He has been watching her all this time from the shadows, never making his presence known until now.


    The night has arrived. The fear is returning along with the pain. That man will come back for her. She is afraid for the first time.


    Do Sejin slaps her. "Hana, look at me."


    "What are you doing?" Jung Kwang-soo yells at him. "I have called the doctor. Wait."


    "She is in pain." He slaps her other cheek. "Wake up. Come out of it."


    The stinging pain in her cheeks wakes her. Her lips tremble. "Do Sejin, it hurts."


    "Where?" Do Sejin asks. His heart sinks when he sees her tears.


    "Everywhere." She mumbles. It''s unbearable. It''s smothering her. Ahn Hana takes Noe Kyung-Hee''s photo in her hand. "This... I know now... 100 days after the fifth anniversary of that night."


    "That night... it was him with you?" Jung Kwang-soo widens his eyes as he receives the mental blow. "The killer?"


    "The magnolia flowers are what he took away from me. The blood is what he instilled inside me that night." She reveals it to them with a smile, "Noe Kyung-Hee represents love because she died for love. He wants me to announce the love that he feels for me... to the world."


    Jung Kwang-soo and Do Sejin are horrified when the realization struck.


    "36 murders are his love letters to me." Ahn Hana shakes her head and laughs wildly. "He wants me to wake up and embrace him."


    Nobody utters a word. She collapses on her seat and looks up at the ceiling with a mad smile. A heavy silence falls in the room. Both men don''t know what to say or how to approach her. The deranged look in her eyes is keeping them away. One step toward her and she might break.


    The silence is broken by Do Sejin''s ringtone. He doesn''t move to pick it up. Ahn looks at him and commands in her low and hypnotic voice. "Pick it up."


    She seems different.


    [Do Sejin, Seol A... ] He hears his father''s hysterical voice.


    "What happened?" A bad premonition envelops him.


    "She is..."


    ***


    Seol A, the 17 years old daughter of congressman Do Hwan Seok, is found dead inside a garbage bin in an isolated alley.


    Do Sejin takes off the white sheet with his trembling hand. Her sister looks like she is sleeping. Her face is extremely pale under the light. He calls her name. "Seol A, stop pretending to sleep."


    "Sejin..." His mother can''t see it anymore. She runs outside. His father is still standing behind the door. His feet are frozen. He can''t look at his only daughter''s corpse. Seol A. Who would do this to her? His enemies?


    "Seol A, you can click as many pictures that you want." Sejin cups her face. It''s cold as ice. "Please tell me that you are playing a prank."


    Outside, Ahn Hana is listening to the detective''s words.


    "Her mouth was stuffed with socks. She couldn''t scream," The detective tells her and Jung Kwang-soo. "He broke her fingers one by one. Then, he sliced across her belly. The organs inside her belly are gone. He drove the knife in her heart after she died."


    "When was she found?" Jung Kwang-soo asks. Ahn Hana looks at her fingers. One by one. She can imagine it the sound that Seol A''s fingers must have made when he snapped them.


    ''I am Ahn Hana,'' She tells herself in her mind. ''I am Ahn Hana.''


    "Around 10 AM." The detective takes a glance at Ahn Hana who is still looking at her fingers.


    "She is just thinking." Jung Kwang-soo stands in front of Ahn Hana.


    "Oh." The detective eyes her suspiciously, but his view is blocked by Jung Kwang-soo. "She skipped school with her boyfriend. They were planning to watch a movie. The boyfriend went to buy movie tickets. When he came back, she was gone. A few hours later, she was found in the alley by a garbage picker."


    Ahn Hana thinks about Seol A, trying to imagine her. She has never met her. She wonders how she must have screamed when he slit her belly. He let her bleed and then, stabbed her dead heart. He threw her in the garbage bin.


    A clear message.


    Seol A is his revenge on Do Sejin for her.

 Chapter 41 - My Dear Hana (1)

    [He always felt alone]


    "Isn''t she cute?" His mother smiles at him. The baby in the cradle squeals happily at him. She waggles her chubby arms. Her eyes are the warmest shade of brown.


    When he reaches for her hand that has been trying to reach him, she catches it.


    "She likes you." His mother coo to him. "Her name is Hana."


    [Until he met her.]


    Hana. That name latches on his heart like thorny vines. She hasn''t let go of his finger. His mother goes back to Hana''s mother and other women, laughing and talking about their daily lives. Hana''s father is reading his case file, not paying attention to the women''s prattles. It''s Hana''s 100th-day celebration. Only a few relatives and some close friends of Hana''s mother are called.


    "She is the exact copy of her father." He hears her mother say and laugh. "She is going to be smart. I just have a feeling."


    "You think?" Hana''s mother asks with excitement.


    "It''s that look in her eyes. I can tell it," His mother replies.


    [Indeed. She confined him with that look in her eyes.]


    He stares at Hana. She smiles at him. He pokes her chubby cheeks. She grabs his hand with her both hands firmly, not letting go. A faint smile appears on his lips.


    He whispers to her, "If you don''t let me go, I won''t let you go until your last breath."


    Her grasp becomes firmer.


    [It was she who chose him.]


    The compelling urge becomes stronger inside him. A strong urge to take her sparkling life in his hands. This is the first time he feels like this.


    [That was when he knew that he wasn''t like other people.]


    "I accept your decision." He smiles widely and leans down. He plants a kiss between her brows. "My dear Hana."

 Chapter 42 - Because

    Do Sejin doesn''t understand. Why is his sister dead? Who would do this to her? To kill her this way... He can''t imagine the pain his little sister experienced.


    He sees Ahn Hana staring at her fingers. Crack. Crack Crack. She moves each finger up and down repetitively. She touches her belly and her heart, trying to imagine it. He grasps her wrist and drags her away from the corridor.


    Finding an isolated corner, he pushes her against the wall and glares into her hollow eyes. He curls his fingers on her throat. If she dares to hide anything this time, he will stop caring about anything. He just knows it. She is connected to his sister''s death.


    He asks in a frighteningly low voice. "Ahn Hana, who did this to my sister?"


    Eerily calm. She looks at the boy.


    Do Sejin. 21. A final year law student. Top in his class. 6 feet tall. Clear skin. intense and deep eyes. Lean. Slender. Long legs. Easily attracts girls with his heart throbbing smile. A notorious playboy.


    "He was angry this time." She answers his question. Her voice is dark. As dark as the voice of the man who is trying to possess her. "He gave her pain because of the pain that you gave me."


    He falls on his knees. His sister died because of him? Silent tears fall on the floor. "He should have killed me if he was angry. Why my sister?"


    "Because." She bends down on her knees and hugs him. "The pain that you feel now is more painful than any other pain."


    [Only pain can remove the pain. Remember that, My dear Hana.]


    People run to the spot when they hear raging howls. They see Ahn Hana and Do Sejin, hugging each other. He clutches on her clothes and cries like a little boy. This pain is tearing him apart. No amount of regrets and tears can bring his sister back.


    ***


    "How many times have you met the killer?" The detective asks the woman. She is still looking down at her pale hands. Jung Kwang-soo places his hands on her shoulders and gives her a nudge. She is broken out of her thoughts.


    "First time. 10 years ago." She fists her hands when she remembers that night. "Second time. Around 6 weeks ago."


    "Are you sure that you didn''t meet him other time?" The detective has heard all the details from Jung Kwang-soo. The 100th-day murder. This Woman. The love letters. The obsessive serial killer.


    He hasn''t made any judgment yet. "Think hard."


    Ahn Hana remembers the coat. He has visited her at her home. She doesn''t know when.


    "He might have come to my apartment. I don''t know how many times and when."


    "I see." He scribbles down something in his notebook. "Do you suspect anyone? A close friend?"


    He glances Jung Kwang-soo. Jung Kwang-soo shakes his shoulders as casually as he could.


    "None I can think of." Nobody comes to her mind. Magnolia flower. That figure. Voice. Chuckle. His touch. She is disgusted beyond words.


    "Okay. Are you comfortable talking about the times when you met the killer?" Detective asks her carefully. "His exact words? Everything that you remember?"


    Everything that she remembers... She trembles when a disturbing thought comes in her mind. What about the times that she doesn''t remember? How many times has she met him?


    "Miss Ahn, you are also a victim." The detective decides to give her a push. "You need to speak to get justice."


    Victim. Justice. Funny words. She smiles darkly at the detective. She will say it. Everything. Her parents'' death. The 100th-day murder. Her accident. The time when she was in a coma. Her wedding day. The love letters. Noe Kyung-Hee''s story. His Revenge. His promises. She will reveal it all to the world. Like he wants her to.


    Standing at the back, Do Sejin hears it all. She doesn''t hold back. Instead of humiliation or pain, he only sees the madness in her eyes. Trace of sanity comes and go. The killer has done something irreversible to her. Though she hasn''t completely fallen yet, she is temped in each second of her life. Something is holding her back.


    His sister is gone. He couldn''t protect her. He won''t let Ahn Hana disappear from this world either. He swears that he will catch that killer and make him pay for hurting the two most important persons of his life.


    ***


    The tip of the knife touches her belly. Thump. Thump. Thump. Her heart is going crazy. She can''t press it.


    "Ahn Hana!" Jung Kwang-soo grabs the knife and throws it away. "Are you crazy?"


    "I think that I am going crazy." She leans on his ?h?st weakly. "He will come for me."


    "I am here." Jung Kwang-soo hugs her tightly. "Don''t be afraid. They will find the killer soon. I will go to the hearing. You are safe. There are guards at the door. Tomorrow, we will take you to a safe place."


    Is she? She doesn''t trust him.


    "Tomorrow, let''s get you to the hospital. Your treatment is also necessary." He carries her to the bed and tucks her under the blanket. "Sleep tight. I am guarding you. I would die protecting you. I promise."


    She curls her toes inward. It''s hard to believe in his abilities. "Jung Kwang-soo, I would prefer if you care about your life more than mine. If he comes, run for your life."


    "No." He inhales sharply. "It''s my fault. I should not have left you alone at that hotel. I should have tried to break the door if you didn''t open it. Because of me, he... "


    He closes his eyes in frustration. He should have never left her alone. He should not have taken her to the hotel in the first place. He should have dropped her at the dormitory.


    "He would have found another way." She turns to her right, showing her back to me. "Don''t think of what-ifs. There is no end to it. Let''s just sleep for tonight."


    Jung Kwang-soo sighs loudly. He turns off the light and goes back to the living room. He decides to stay awake for the whole night. After everything that happened today, he can''t sleep anyway.

 Chapter 43 - Why me?

    "Wake up, my dear." The familiar dark voice calls out for her. She snaps her eyes open and sees a red masked man in front of her. Before she can scream, he covers her mouth and whispers.


    "If you want your friend to live, don''t make a sound." He warns her. "If you scream, I will wash you with his blood. I promise you, my dear."


    Her wrists and ankles are tied by ropes. The sweet scent of magnolia is in the air. She has told herself repetitively that she won''t be scared. Dressed in complete black attire, he looks like someone sent by death to get her. She can''t see an inch of his skin.


    He won''t make his identity known to her yet. That''s how she knows. He isn''t here to kill her.


    He lets go of her mouth. She stares at him. "Why me?"


    "You chose me, my dear Hana."


    "What?" She doesn''t remember choosing anyone. It is pointless to talk to a delusional serial killer.


    He has no intention of answering her questions. It''s not time yet. He pulls out a glistening knife out of his leather jacket.


    "I am angry, my dear Hana. You know why."


    She crawls back until her back hits the headboard of the bed. She turns to her left and tries to run away from him. He grabs her tied ankles with one hand and pulls her back. He digs his fingers in her hair and lifts her head, putting the knife of her throat. "Be good, my dear. I don''t have a lot of patience tonight. I have been waiting for a long time. Today is the day of your punishment."


    "What do you want?" She grits her teeth. She won''t give in to the fear. He isn''t here to kill her. She finds some courage due to that.


    "My dear, you can lie to the whole world." He lifts her shirt and drives the knife across it. The tip of the knife stops a few centimeters away from her throat. It trails down her body and halts on her belly. "Not to me."


    Ahn Hana smiles at him cruelly. "You are just mad that someone else managed to ?mpr??n?t? me."


    He applies a bit of pressure, digging it in her skin lightly. Just enough for a few drops of blood to pour out. Her breath is caught in her throat. She looks at the door. It is locked from the inside.


    That day, she found out two pieces of news - She had a tumor and she was pregnant. It was a miracle. Do Sejin. She thought of him as a miracle that brought her another miracle. She didn''t know how much she wanted to have a child until she was pregnant. Her own flesh and blood. A family.


    That''s why he killed Seol A that way. He sliced her belly and took away her organs. It was a message to her and Do Sejin. He waited this long because he wanted her to understand his message.


    "I get it, my dear." She winces when he slams the flat part of the knife on her belly. "Your body was angry with me. After all, I never made love to you when you were not drunk or unconscious."


    What is he saying? Her forehead wrinkles. 10 years ago. The only time was that night.


    "Oh, you only remember the first time." He removes his gloves. He brushes the peaks of the mounds with his palm once. "See, your body remembers me well. They go up as soon as I touch them."


    "When?" She is nauseated and dizzy. She shudders and covers her bosoms with her tied hands. She hears him chuckle lowly.

 Chapter 44 - Make love to me

    "Since that night, once in three or four months." He makes her sit with her face toward him.


    "Once or twice each month when you dated Ong Han Bin. I mixed sedatives in your leftover meals. Now, now, don''t make that face. I couldn''t reveal myself to you back then. You knew nothing. So, I had to do it. I didn''t want your body to forget me. I had watched you touch yourself. How could I hold myself back when you wanted me?"


    Bastard! She blinks at him. "Were you always there at my house?"


    "I watched you all the time." She can''t see his face, but she can sense that he is smiling. "I installed cameras in all the corners of your house by myself to keep a watch on you. The sedatives were strong enough to keep you completely unconscious for hours. You didn''t think much about it. You thought that you overworked and slept. Isn''t that right, my dear Hana?"


    She did think that. It didn''t happen frequently. So, she didn''t think much about it.


    "I had to hold back a lot during that time." She hears the sound of the zipper opening. His enlarged manhood dangles in front of her face. "Open your mouth."


    She shakes her head wildly. She will never do it.


    "I don''t care about the bugs like Ong Han Bin in your life. It is okay. I wasn''t there all the time." He looks at his knife with interest. "However, you let your heart get swayed by that boy just because he hugged you once when you were drenched in someone''s piss. You surrendered your heart and body to him because he gave you a child. How could you do it, my dear Hana? You need to be punished for that."


    She looks for the exits. If she screams, will anyone come to help her? Jung Kwang-soo?


    "Nobody will come, my dear." He grabs the back of her head and puts the tip of his shaft on her lips.


    "I will give you a light punishment if you accept it like a good girl. For the sake of the innocent child, give into me. Else, I will slit your belly the same way and take away the child with me."


    Trembling, she opens her mouth. This is his first time inside her mouth. He groans when he feels her wetness of mouth. "My dear Hana, make love to me. Don''t hold yourself back."


    She puts her hands over her belly. She doesn''t want it to die. Her miracle. She has never felt this helpless. He sees her eyes full of tears when her tongue starts moving around his shaft. He leans over and tears away the fabric over her back with the knife.


    She tries to move back when the knife cuts first cut. He thrusts inside her and keeps her unmoving by holding her head with his other hand. "Don''t move. Otherwise, it will hurt more."


    "Don''t stop loving me, my dear Hana."


    Her choked cries. Nobody can hear her. He draws the first crisscross on her back. "This is a light punishment for your grave mistake. You should never betray me again. I won''t be this lenient next time. If you stop, I have to become strict with you."


    "Swallow it."


    She swallows what feels like poison to her. He pats her head. His voice is soothing to her ears. "My dear, I can''t hate it. It is your flesh and blood, after all. I will love anything that is borne out of your body. Your body, heart, and mind are mine. This child is also mine."


    He pulls his ???k out of her mouth. She looks at him with an empty gaze. He is not happy with her expression. He lays her down on the bed. When the back touches the bedsheet, she winces in pain. He cuts away the rope around her ankles. She makes no attempt to run. Almost his.


    He needs to sever what is stopping her from becoming his.


    He looks down at her. "Spead your leg for me, my dear Hana."


    She spreads them wide for him.


    "In this world, I am the only one who loves you." He makes the marks of his love on her inner th??hs. "From now on, you cannot let any other man see it. You only belong to me."

 Chapter 45 - Waiting for you

    3 crisscrosses on her each inner th??h. She bites her lips to not cry out in pain. He rubs his thumbs on the wounds. "Does it hurt, my dear Hana?"


    She gives him a painful nod. She doesn''t want to be more hurt. She wants it to be over. She is no pretending to be brave anymore. Her facade is broken now. Satisfied by her response, he says to her in a mellow voice, "If you can endure a little more, I will allow you to bring our child to this world."


    She lets out a gasp when he penetrates her. He runs his bloody palms on her back and squeezes the wounded flesh. Each line on the crisscross denotes the time when she slept with Do Sejin. "Does it hurt more, my dear? You can say it to me if it hurts. You are allowed to only say it to me."


    It''s painful. It hurts. Too much. She whimpers, keeping her voice for only him to hear it. He beams under his mask and begins to pound her hard. Each time he rams into her, he would squeeze the flesh on her back. Each time he slams against her, the mere touch of his crotch with the wounds on her inner th??hs hurt her beyond words.


    "Good girl." His voice is soft. Loving. Soothing. "Get your treatment. Fight the disease and survive, my dear Hana. You can defeat death again. You must bring our child to this world. I am waiting for it. You will be the mother. I will be the father. A complete family. No one else will come between us."


    He is excited by the thought. Their child. He comes inside her, filling her walls with his warm fluid. But, it doesn''t stop. His rod thickens again inside her slippery wall. He doesn''t stop rubbing his palms on her back for a single second. The bed creaks each time he grinds her walls. She pants for air. The pain. It feels good."The name of our child is Ha-Neul."


    Ha-Neul means Sky.


    He slows down his thrusts and kneads her mounds. "Close your eyes, my dear."


    She shuts her eyes close. He removes his mask and takes her lips. Slow and gentle thrusts with soft rubs on her mounds. She allows his tongue to violate her mouth. When she tries to rub her tongue against his, he pulls back. She wh?n?s, but she doesn''t open her eyes.


    "Love me more," She m??ns.


    Love. Sex. Pain. Miseries. She can''t differentiate anymore.


    He smiles and carries her to the bathroom. He lays down her inside the bathroom. She flinches when the cold running water rains down the crisscrosses. He begins kissing them one by one. A soft brush of his lips.


    "You endured your punishment well." He hugs her tightly. "Did you like it?"


    "Yes," She tells him honestly, eyes still closed. "Take me with you."


    "I can''t." He looks at her sadly. "Not yet. You are not ready. Give in to it. Don''t fight it. When you have accepted yourself completely, I want you to find me, my dear Hana. I want you to come to me."


    She hasn''t opened her eyes once. He can''t reveal his face to her yet. Beautiful. He tries to memorize her face. Beautiful. She is the only one in this world. "When the sun rises tomorrow, you will become my Hana. I will be waiting for you to come to me."

 Chapter 46 - My Dear Hana (2)

    His Hana is growing up fast. At the age of four, she laughs easily. She runs around to make him chase her. Whenever he catches her, her eyes lighten up. She would demand candies. She runs her hands through his pockets if he doesn''t give her any. She would argue with him with her tiny voice.


    Instead of reading her colorful books, she prefers peeking at her father''s case files. He likes watching her all the time. She has a rabbit now. A white flurry thing that her father got her. She likes feeding it.


    "Do you like it more than me?" He asks her one day.


    "No." She shakes her head. "I like you more."


    "My dear, what if you have to choose between him and me?" He picks up the rabbit. It is small and fluffy. He can feel its rapidly beating heart with his hand. She blinks at him several times, thinking hard with her little head.


    "You," She finally tells him.


    "Then, you don''t need him." He twists the rabbit''s neck. A short agonizing death. It is lifeless in his hands. She looks at it with curiosity. She pokes it when it doesn''t move. They don''t speak for the next ten minutes. He wonders if she will scream or cry. Whether she will run to her father and complain. It''s a risk that he has taken. Nobody knows about his secret side yet.


    It''s also her first time seeing this side of him. He wants to test her. Is she like other girls?


    "Do you hate me now?" He breaks the silence.


    "No." She smiles at him cheekily. "Now, I only have you."


    He holds her face with the same hands that killed her favorite rabbit. "You only have me. Remember that, my dear Hana."


    "Only you." She sits on his ??p and nods her round head. "I will remember that."


    "I am moving away," He decides to tell her.


    "Noooo!" She looks like she will start crying. "Stay with me."


    "I can''t." He can''t explain the complicated part. His father''s transfer. Moving to a faraway city. He doesn''t want to leave her either, but he has no choice. Nobody listens to the wishes of 11 years old boy. "I am not old enough to stay here with you alone. I have to follow my parents wherever they go."


    She lowers her head, trying not to cry.


    "You can cry in front of me." He lifts her chin. "My dear Hana, you can cry as much as you want. But, don''t cry in front of others."


    "When will you come back?" She asks him sadly. He doesn''t know. When he comes back in the future, things won''t be the same. He regrets leaving now. He wants to watch her as she grows up. What if he comes back and she doesn''t accept him like the way she does now? She might turn out like other people. She might become afraid of him.


    Then, he will have to kill her. His Hana can only belong to him. Nobody else. He should be the only one in her heart.


    "Even if I am not here, you shouldn''t forget me." He kisses her forehead. "My Hana, my dear, I only have you. You can only love me. Don''t let this world change you."


    He will be alone if she changes and becomes ordinary people. They can''t understand him. She is the only one who can.


    Little Hana can b?r?ly understand the meaning of his words. She kisses him back on his forehead. She wipes away his tears and wraps her arms around his neck. "I will only love you."


    "Promise?" He places his hand on her little back.


    She promises him. "Only you."

 Chapter 47 - My Dear Hana (3)

    When he turns 18, he comes back for her.


    He watches her from afar. His Hana is 11 years old now. She is playing with her friend. She has already let someone else in her life. The other girl is scolding her about something. She is grinning and wagging her arms like an idiot. He hides behind the tree and tries to listen to their conservation.


    "Why are you moving your arms up and down?" The other girl asks her, annoyed. "You look like a joker."


    "Ji Won, these are my wings... Oink! Oink!" She imitates and makes sounds like a pig. "I am Mimo, the flying pig."


    "I hate that pig." Ji Won becomes mad. "Why are you copying that? You are annoying me."


    "You irritate me more." Hana crosses her arms. "You are always nagging me when I am playing."


    "You play with boys all the time and get hurt easily." Ji Won copies her action and crosses her arms. "You are worse at sports."


    "If I am bad at it, I can''t play?" Hana argues back. "What kind of rule is that?"


    "Don''t argue with me." Ji Won puts her hand on her waist. "You have wounds over your knees. The boys taught you to pull off the scalp. It''s so gross."


    "My knees. If they are gross to you, just look away." Hana points at the tree where he is hiding. "There are a lot of trees. Flowers. People. The world doesn''t lack the things to look at. Why do you keep looking at my knees?"


    "Because I don''t like it when they are bleeding." Ji Won pouts and walks ahead. Ahn Hana scratches her head. She looks at the tree.


    "I don''t understand her," She says it to the tree before running behind her friend to make up with her.


    He sits down on the ground. Ahn Hana has been changed. She has other people she loves. There is no space for him. She doesn''t remember him or her promise.

 Chapter 48 - My Dear Hana (4)

    He visits her time to time to watch her. He observes her for hours. She is 18 now. She is lively and smart. She attracts gazes wherever she goes. She loves her parents. She has another pet. A furry white dog that looks a lot like the rabbit. She can make friend easily. People are attracted to her like a magnet.


    One day, he hears her say, "I want to become a prosecutor."


    "Why?" Her friend Ji-Won asks her.


    "My father wants me to." She lays down on the grass. "He says that the nation needs smart prosecutors like me."


    "Haha!" Ji Won pats the dog. "Jam Jam, she thinks that she is smart."


    "What? I am smart." She rolls on her side. "Jam Jam, I am smart, right?"


    Jam Jam has his tongue out. He only wants to play with his master. His master is the best whether she is smart or not.


    "Say, what if you have to draw a confession out of a serial killer?" Ji Won also lays down on the grass. Jam Jam slides in between the two girls. He rolls on his back and raises his paws. Three of them are looking at the blue sky. "They are usually smart. Smarter than average people."


    "What about them?" Hana stretches her arms. "I am smarter than them. I will catch all the serial killers in the country. I will become the best prosecutor."


    "Then, I should become a doctor." Ji Won decides. "When you get hurt, you can come to me."


    "I am not a detective. Why would I get hurt?" Hana stares at her.


    "I just have a feeling that you would be running on the street and chasing a serial killer."


    "Prosecutors don''t do things like that."


    "You are not a prosecutor. How do you know it?


    "We terrorize the guilty ones into confessing their sins."


    "Oh? You don''t even have a strong sense of justice."


    "You will send your patients to the mental ward because of your naggings."


    They continue to argue. He listens quietly. Prosecutor. Becoming one is not a problem. His dear Hana has changed into an ordinary person with ordinary life.


    When the girls are gone, he lures Jam Jam to him and takes him along a walk. The dog is already familiar to him. He ??r?sses his dog''s fur. When it is relaxed in his arms, he drives the knife into its heart.


    "Jam Jam, I cannot let go of your master." He whispers to the dying dog. "She has to become my Hana again. It seems that I need to wake her up."


    He cleans up the blood and disposes of Jam Jam''s body quietly.

 Chapter 49 - Please be alive

    Loud noises wake him up. Jung Kwang-soo holds his head in his hands. He feels drowsy. His vision starts to clear up. Did he doze off? He looks at the half-finished bottle of the sweetened milk. He remembers picking it up at midnight. After taking a few sips, he has fallen asleep.


    Someone is trying to break the door. He gets up and opens it. The guards are standing there with a scared look.


    One of the guards speaks up. "Are you okay?"


    "What happened?" He asks. His head begins to clear up. "Is something wrong?"


    "Someone threw a gas bomb in the corridor around 12:15 AM. All the guards fell asleep," The man tells him with fear. "We woke up a while ago."


    He runs to the bedroom. His eyes bulge out when he sees the bloody sheet. Ahn Hana is nowhere to be seen. He looks for her in the bathroom. There is blood on the floor. Ahn Hana is nowhere.


    Where is she? No. No. She can''t die.


    ***


    When he sees the blood on the bed, he can''t move further.


    "The cameras are destroyed," The detective is saying to him. "We found a strong drug in the drink. The killer threw the silent gas bomb first. It was full of strong sedatives. Mr. Jung''s drink was already tweaked by a strong sedative. He entered the house between 12:15 AM to 12:30 AM. He must have left before the dawn. We received Mr. Jung''s call at 9:30 A.M. He is being tested right now."


    Do Sejin has been at the hospital. His father collapsed last night. His father couldn''t bear the sight of his only daughter''s dead body. His mother is also sick and inconsolable. Eun Min Ah is with her. He couldn''t leave them.


    Yesterday, he lost his sister. Today, Ahn Hana is gone. Even her body is not found. Jung Kwang-soo has promised him that he will protect her. Why did this happen then?


    He can''t process anyone''s words.


    "Looking at the blood..." The detective hesitates. "She must have been tortured. The killer must have taken her along with him. The chances of her survival are low. Let''s stay strong and hopeful. We will keep looking for her."


    The killer didn''t leave from the front gate. The backdoor of the building is found open to the alley. The surveillance cameras are nonfunctional.


    "The killer is smart. He must have planned this for a long time."


    He doesn''t want to hear things like this. He wants to find Ahn Hana. He doesn''t know what kind of things she is going through now.


    "We found cameras in her house. She was being watched 24 hours a day."


    Hours turn into days. She is not found anywhere. Nowhere. Doctor Bo Ji-Won also comes back from her honeymoon when she receives the news.


    "We have to find her soon." She is shaken to hear the bloody details. "She is already sick and pregnant. She has to be found soon."


    "Pregnant?" Do Sejin can''t believe what he is hearing. "I thought that she was..."


    "Yes, she was infertile. Not completely. Rather, it was like her chances of having a child was extremely low. It was a miracle that happened to her." Bo Ji-Won tells him honestly, "She really wanted to live. She was looking for surrogacy options too because of her illness. She wanted me to raise the child in case something happened to her."


    She covers her face with her hands in despair. "She told me that she would definitely come to me after the hearing. I shouldn''t have left. I should not have believed her."


    His mind goes back to the day when she called him a miracle in her life. A miracle that happened to her. Pregnancy. His child. She didn''t say a thing about it. Not a word. She didn''t want him to know.


    Even if there has been no killer, she would not have told him anyway. He would have lived without knowing.


    Seol A. The killer cut her belly and took away the organ. He realizes why his sister was killed that way.


    He clutches his ?h?st. His sister. Ahn Hana. Both of them. Did that killer hurt Ahn Hana because he ?mpr??n?t?d her? That kind of obsessive monster would never allow Ahn Hana to bear someone else''s child.


    Too late.


    "Ahn Hana, where are you? Please be alive." He screams, hoping that she would hear him.


    Days to week. Weeks to months. There is no sign of her. With each passing day, chances of her being alive are closing to zero. There has been no new murder. No sign of the killer either. No secret message. Ahn Hana has disappeared along with the killer.


    Baek Han Sol comes out of prison after further investigation. Ahn Hana becomes a legend for connecting the dots between the murder.


    Jung Kwang-soo drowns himself in liquor. He couldn''t protect his only friend. It''s heavy to live each day without her. Nothing is the same. Nothing will be ever the same. He can''t go back to his own house. Sometimes, he would go to her home and try to find her. Maybe she has tricked him and ran away to her secret vacation. Maybe the killer didn''t take her. He hopes, desperately, that she tricked him. It''s better if that is the case. He prays every day.


    ''Please be alive, Ahn Hana. Prove the world that they are wrong. Prove that you are alive. Please come back.''


    Do Sejin''s parents also try to accept the fact that their daughter is gone. Doctor Bo still calls Ahn Hana''s phone every day, hoping that it would connect someday.


    Do Sejin has stopped drinking. He has stopped meeting girls or going to the parties. The playboy inside him is long dead. He is not the same boy who lived as if there is no tomorrow. There is a tomorrow for him. He hasn''t lost hope. That killer owes him a lot. He doesn''t stop investigating for a moment. He lives for tomorrow. That tomorrow when the killer is caught and pays back what he owes everyone. That tomorrow when she reappears alive. Until he finds her body, he refuses to believe that she is dead.

 Chapter 50 - For the sake of our child

    6 months later after Ahn Hana''s disappearance:


    Eun Min Ah watches Do Sejin leaves his house. She runs to catch him. He moves sideways before she can grab his hand. She falls on the concrete, knees scraped. "Do Sejin, don''t be this way."


    He looks down at her coldly. "I don''t have time for this."


    She clutches her bulging belly under her thick coat. "I am pregnant with your child. How could you do this to me? What if I lose the baby?


    Both of them graduated from the university. Do Sejin has already cleared the Bar exam, but Eun Min Ah failed.


    "I don''t believe that it is mine." He tells her sternly, "I have been careful with you."


    "I told you that I made holes in those ??nd?ms when we did it last time." She stands up and yells, "It''s yours."


    "You have refused paternity testing. I am refusing this child." He doesn''t want to be bothered by her anymore. He walks ahead of her. "Besides that, even if you were pregnant with my child, I would never marry you. We can both raise the child without getting married."


    Eun Min Ah is filled with rage. "Why do you refuse me? You never fulfilled the agreement. You gave me one month to make you fall for me. But, you left me after your sister died."


    Do Sejin stops a few steps away from her. He turns around and glances at her threateningly. His old demeanor is gone. He steps back to her and stops only a few centimeters away from her. She shrinks down when she notices the darkness in his eyes.


    "Eun Min Ah, do you really think that a stupid agreement is more important than my sister''s death?" He steps closer. His knuckles turning white when his grip on the suitcase handle become hard. "I appreciate that you took care of my mother during those times, but I don''t love you. I won''t lead you on. Rather than being stuck in a marriage without love, I want to be single for the rest of my life."


    He will live for Hana only. For that tomorrow when she reappears in the world. There is no place for any other woman.


    She starts crying. "What about our child? Do you want our baby to live without a father? What about your parents who want to see their only grandchild?"


    "I am a lawyer. If I want, I can take custody of the child easily." He gives her a dangerous look. "You won''t win in a fight with me. But, I won''t do that. Since you have helped my family once during the hardest moment of our lives, I will accept this child as my child with or without the paternity test. You can stay at my house and raise it with my parents. We won''t marry. Still, you can pretend that you are my wife and lie to my parents and the world that we have already married. I will prepare the fake certificates. The house, my family, and the child will be yours. But, you won''t bother me anymore. Do you accept?"


    Eun Min Ah purses her lips and furrows her brows. She is pregnant. It''s not Do Sejin''s child. They both know it. But, Do Sejin''s parents don''t know that. Her family also believes that it is Do Sejin''s child.


    Back then, Do Sejin didn''t come back to her after his sister died. She didn''t understand what was going on. Ahn Hana and the 100th-day killer were related to Seol A''s murder. After the disappearance of Ahn Hana, the killer also disappeared.


    Those were delicate days. She stayed with his mother to take care of her. Since he didn''t come back to her after that day, she wanted to be sure that she would become pregnant with his child. It was the only way to trap him. She made a choice and slept with some other men she met at the pub. The pregnancy test came positive. She did a paternity test secretly and found out that the child is not Do Sejin''s.


    She doesn''t know who the real father is. She doesn''t care. She has decided that the father is Do Sejin. Since she loves him a lot, only he can become her child''s father.


    He left the house four months ago. Currently, he is staying at some other place. She doesn''t know where.


    Do Sejin is obsessed to find his sister''s killer. His heart is already into that. He doesn''t look at any woman. Until the killer is found, he is unlikely to stop. If someday, a woman appears in his life, she will take care of that woman.


    "I accept." She tells him with a smile on her lips, "If it is a fake marriage certificate, then I will accept that for the sake of our baby."


    Do Sejin leaves without a word. She returns to his parents'' house after her half victory. A lie becomes truth if told loud enough. A few days later, a copy of the fake marriage certificate is delivered to her. She signs it and sends its picture to all the relatives and friends.


    To the world, Do Sejin and Eun Min Ah are married and waiting for their first child.

 Chapter 51 - My Dear Hana (5)

    He continues to watch her as she grows. She makes it to the top university. She is becoming more beautiful day by day. He has visited her at the university frequently, standing far away to watch her. She is radiant. Beautiful. Extraordinary. It takes immense strength to hold back.


    He has to change her first. The real Hana must come out for him. The date of execution finally arrives. He visits her parents'' home. He is familiar with every nook and cranny. He inserts the key and opens the door. Her parents are not in the living room. He already knows that. Her mother is in the kitchen. Her father is in the study.


    Slowly, he approaches her mother. Ahn Hana has her eyes and nose. He is grateful that she has given birth such a precious person. He will make it quick. He grabs her mouth to keep her from screaming and runs the knife across her throat. The woman dies. Fast. He lays her down on the cold floor respectfully. After all, she is Ahn Hana''s mother.


    He walks to the study. Her father is absorbed with the case. Ahn Hana loves her father the most. He places his hand on her father''s shoulder. Her father looks at him. His eyes become big when he sees the knife in his hand. "You..."


    The knife pierces through his father''s skin. Her father''s muffled screams please him. He stabs him again and again. 6 times. He tells her father, "You shouldn''t have changed Hana so much."


    The old man dies with a terrified look in his eyes. He starts working. He takes away the case files and burns it. People will think that the corporation is involved in his death. It''s enough to change doubts and the direction of the investigation.


    He doesn''t go home right away. He goes to see his dear Hana. It''s 3 in the morning. He looks at the open barred window of her room on the first floor of the building. She must be asleep now.


    "Have sweet dreams, Hana," He whispers to the breeze, hoping that it will carry his message to her.


    "Dream of me."


    The morning comes. Ahn Hana runs out of the dormitory with tears in her eyes. She takes the old car that her father let her when she begged him a lot. He follows her car. He wants to be there when she sees her parents'' corpses.


    He calls the ambulance right away. He keeps whispering to her to hold on. She is not conscious. She doesn''t respond. He is afraid that she will go away from him.


    "Don''t go into the light," He tells her and wipes the blood from her face. "Don''t leave me. I am waiting for you, my dear Hana."


    When the ambulance arrives, they only find Ahn Hana and the truck driver. There is no one else. They don''t know who called them. They didn''t have the time to care.

 Chapter 52 - Its not her

    Half a year later, Do Sejin is sitting across Jung Kwang-soo. They are looking at the pictures of a woman who looks similar to Ahn Hana. The picture is slightly blurry and taken at a jewelry store. Only the side of her face is shown.


    He takes a long look. "It''s not her."


    "How do you know?" Jung Kwang-soo protests. "Look, she is 75% similar to her according to some AI. I think that it is her. It''s taken in Spain. It''s a perfect vacation spot."


    Two weeks before the disappearance, Ahn Hana transferred all of her funds in a secret account. She took care of loose ends secretly. She seemed prepared to leave on the day of hearing to the place where Ji-Won went for a honeymoon with her husband. Though her passport is still at her house along with other crucial documents required for traveling abroad, they can never be sure.


    "I just know that it is not her." Do Sejin rests his elbow on the table and leans forward. "It''s the vibe of this woman. Ahn Hana didn''t own much jewelry. I rarely saw her wearing any ornaments on her body. She was the type who found these things bothersome."


    "She might have changed." Jung Kwang-soo utters weakly. He knows that Do Sejin is right. "The whole nation believes that she is dead. They light candles on her grave that relatives built for her. I am tired of seeing these things. Ji-Won is also breaking and thinking that she is truly gone."


    Do Sejin looks at the picture of the woman again. It has been a year. If she has been alive, she would have given birth to his child. The child would have been 4-5 months old. Ahn Hana would have fiercely protected the child at any cost. It seems plausible that she would disappear like that. She wouldn''t trust anyone after what happened to her at Jung Kwang-soo''s house.


    If it''s the killer who took her away, he is more afraid. He doesn''t know if his child would have lived. The killer might have killed both of them by now. Worse, she could be alive and tormented each day.


    Then, she also had the illness. Would the killer take her to the hospital? Her illness is not something that is cured in one day or one visit. No hospital in the country has seen or reported Ahn Hana. Her face is famous throughout the world because of the nature of the crime.


    If she ran away and hidden somewhere, he is still afraid. What about her illness? Where would get she get treated? If she is in the country, he would have found her. He is sure.


    Where could she go if she escaped the killer''s clasps?


    First, explore the possibility of her escape.


    "Jung Kwang-soo," He exhales loudly. It''s difficult to talk about that night. "They found the pieces of her clothes at the crime site. If she escaped, she wouldn''t run out n?k?d. Was any of your clothes missing?"


    Jung Kwang-soo hasn''t been in his house much after that day. That place feels haunted to him. He is living in a different apartment. "I don''t know. I didn''t check. I have a lot of clothes. Unless it is my favorite, I would not notice if anything else is gone."


    Ahn Hana, if she wants to disappear, won''t take anything obvious. She would take something that Jung Kwang-soo wouldn''t even remember that he ever had. In any case, those are men''s clothes.


    Still, Do Sejin is gloomy. "You are not helpful, are you?"


    "I know." Jung Kwang-soo knows that a bit too well. "If I hadn''t drunk that juice, I would not have slept. This wouldn''t have happened."


    Do Sejin doesn''t blame him anymore. The killer is cunning and calculative. He is sure that the killer had a plan B to take care of Jung Kwang-soo. In the worst-case scenario, Jung Kwang-soo would have died. He didn''t like this man once, but he is the biggest support right now. He is the only other person who still believes that Ahn Hana is alive.


    "Don''t think of what-ifs. The killer would have found another way."


    Jung Kwang-soo looks away. "She told me the same thing before that. I promised her that I would keep her safe. I hate myself, Do Sejin."


    Do Sejin also hates himself. He knows the reasons behind her outbursts now. She was pregnant and ill. A crazy killer was chasing her. Her pregnancy provoked the killer. What did he do to her that night at Jung Kwang-soo''s house? He is terrified. He cannot imagine. The sight of blood won''t disappear from his mind. He is afraid that she will never be the same even if he finds her.


    "She was acting strange. She put the knife on her belly," Jung Kwang-soo recounts her strange actions. "Did she want to kill herself and her child before the killer?"


    She might have. Ahn Hana was afraid. She was b?r?ly clinging to the last strand of her sanity. The killer took away Seol A''s internal organs. He might have wanted to do the same to Ahn Hana and take away the fetus.


    Last scenario: She could be alive. The child might be alive too. They might be living with the killer. That night, she might have given into her obsessive lover. The illness? She could have left the country to get it treated secretly. If she didn''t want to leave the killer, she wouldn''t come back to this life. There was nothing here for her.


    He is sure that she wouldn''t come back for him in any of the scenarios.

 Chapter 53 - Its been a while

    Her parents'' house, abandoned and dusty, shows an unforgettable story of a happy family. He walks around the house. There is a picture of her with Ji-Won and a white furry dog. She is grinning ear to ear and pulling up Ji-Won''s ponytail with her right hand. The dog is ???k?n? her chin in the picture. She looks happy here.


    In another picture, she is standing between her parents with a high school diploma. They are looking at her proudly. Her parents took pictures of every stage of her life until she went to university. Birthdays. Many pictures with family and friends. Bicycle rides. Pouting. Grinning. Angry. Puffy cheeks. Reading her father cases. Dozing off on the dinner table. Many moments.


    Ahn Hana seems like a different person before her parents were murdered.


    In the previous year, Do Sejin had visited it a lot of time to find any clue. But, he feels that he will find something here. Anything. A clue to that man.


    That man murdered her parents when she was 21. The reason? Hana had ?ssumed that he wanted to change her. He didn''t have any hand in the accident, meaning that he didn''t want her to die. He might have wanted to take her life with his hand. She might have been his first target. But, there was something else that he wanted from her.


    Changing her was more important to him. That man didn''t want this happy and notorious Hana. He wanted someone else. But, who?


    He slept with her a few months after she woke up from her coma. He made it painful to her while loving her wholeheartedly. He tried to reprogram her mind with pain. He might have been successful. Somewhat. Ahn Hana was no longer the same happy and notorious Ahn Hana. She changed into a different person.


    10 years later. He met her again on the street. He gave her the coat.


    The case? He already knew that nobody would win Baek Han Sol''s case other than her. It would go to her eventually. It was her destiny. He was waiting for her to accept the case. Love letters. Noe Kyung-Hee. Acts of revenge. When she accepted the case, he knew that it was time for him to reveal himself to her.


    Everything comes back to her. That man has a lot of patience. There is no doubt. That man loves her, but it twisted beyond words. He wants this love to turn her into something else. Someone who would love him back despite who he is. Whether dead or alive, Ahn Hana will only belong to him.


    That kind of obsession. Where did it start?


    Do Sejin inhales and exhales to relax. He puts his hands in his pockets and looks at the pictures again.


    He has looked through her classmates at university, talked to professors, and friends. He couldn''t find a single one. 3 years at the university. If it was her classmate, senior, or junior, 3 years are not a long time. During that period, she didn''t visit her parents frequently because of the distance and studies. She wasn''t the type who talked about her family at the university. In reality, nobody at the university including Jung Kwang-soo knew that her parents were famous lawyers until they were found murdered and she got into an accident.


    If the killer was from her university, he wouldn''t have thought that she was close to her parents. He wouldn''t have just decided to kill her parents to change her. Her parents were murdered a few months before the bar exam. It was planned. To change her decision. The killer knew that she would perform well. The killer planned 10 years to reveal his love letters to her.


    To turn her into a lawyer who defended criminals whether they were guilty or not. It was his way to change her into someone who would accept his dark side even if the whole world didn''t.


    To make her the sun that blinded people. So, nobody would try to come close to her. She would have fewer people who would matter to her. In her life, those people are Jung Kwang-soo and Bo Ji-Won.


    Why would he not take care of Jung Kwang-soo and Bo Ji-Won yet? Perhaps, he takes them as a challenge. Perhaps, they won''t matter enough if she changes. Perhaps, he wants to use them as a weakness to control her until she becomes the person he wants her to be.


    It feels like the killer has been planning for a longer time.


    Think like the killer.


    Do Sejin comes out of the house and stares at it for a long time. Soon, the darkness envelops the house. He reenters through the front door. The killer had a copy of the key. He must have followed Ahn Hana for a long time.


    Do Sejin goes to the kitchen. He can imagine Ahn Hana''s mother preparing the dinner. He imagines the killer grabbing her from behind and driving the knife across her throat. A quick death. Why?


    Then, why not?


    He turns around and slowly go to the study room. Ahn Hana''s father must have been working at that time. He stands near the chair where Ahn Hana''s father was sitting. Her father must have looked up. 6 stabs. Not a quick death for her father.


    Bo Ji-Won told him that Ahn Hana loved her father the most. She was quite close to him. They used to study the cases together and argued like a prosecutor and a lawyer. Ahn Hana would take the role of the prosecutor.


    The killer cannot be someone from the university. If the killer was someone she met during her university years, he wouldn''t know such details of her life. He killed her parents just a few months before the bar exam which was important to her and her parents. He might have seen the bond closely. He was jealous and angry. He wanted to remove the biggest obstacle from his path to Ahn Hana''s heart. He wanted her to be alone and hopeless. He did it right before she could shift to the next phase of her life.


    Beads of sweats appear on his forehead. He wipes it with his hand. He is not afraid. He closes the door of the study room and turns around.


    A person is standing near photos on the wall. Her hair is white and short. The rim of the white dress is fluttering with the wind. Being bathed under the moonlight pouring from the windows, she looks like a beautiful painting coming alive. Her eyes are detached. She looks like an otherworldly creature who has manifested in the darkness of the moon. He doesn''t know whether he is hallucinating or not.


    "Hana." He calls her name. She looks at him. Even her brows and eyelids are white. He touches her cheek with his fingers. Is she real?


    "It''s been a while, Do Sejin."

 Chapter 54 - My Dear Hana (6)

    He puts the orchids in the vase. He sits next to her bed. She is breathing on the machine. She is strong. His dear Hana wouldn''t die. She wouldn''t leave him alone in this world.


    She is in pain. A lot of pain. He is not happy. It hurts him to see her like this. He whispers to her ear to come back. She must not give into death. She must win and come back for him. He is alone. She is his life. If she has to die, it must be him. Her soul must go to him instead of death.


    He reads his favorite book to her. The protagonist of the book is struggling to accept his darkness.


    He knows that she is listening. The protagonist is like her. She has been alluded by the light of the world and forgot about her radiance. The protagonist is tempted to become ordinary in every second of her life. In the end, the protagonist gives into her darkness and becomes whole. Her shimmering light reaches all the corners of the darkness. She is baptized by the blood. Finally, she accepts her fate.


    Every day, he tells her to become strong and fight death. She must not let it win. She must not be tempted to fall to the grasps of death. Pick up the shadows and make a bridge back to him.


    She wins. She wakes up. For months, he watches her struggling in her daily life. Steeling her heart, she goes back to university and takes the Bar exam. She gets enough score to become a prosecutor, but she decides to be a lawyer. That''s his first victory over her. She is unbecoming.


    That day, she drinks to numb her sorrows. He knows that she is upset. The love for her parents hasn''t been washed away. Removing people from her life is easy. However, people can still occupy hearts after their deaths. Little by little, he must purify her heart and write his name on it. Her heart, mind, soul, and body are his only.


    When she goes to the hotel with Jung Kwang-soo, he knows that she has mistaken that boy for him. How can he let other men take her first night? He won''t. He takes the pieces of her purity and naivety. She cries and mourns in front of him. Only him. He comforts her. He loves her wholeheartedly. He sees a shadow of her true self returning. When he leaves, he leaves a new Hana for the world.


    He keeps a close watch on her. He celebrates her birthdays and victories with blood. He returns pain to the people who give her pain or trouble. He visits her time to time. It''s easy to guess the code of her door. It''s last four digits of her father''s case files number. To keep a watch on her, he installs cameras in her apartment.


    One day, he sees her touching herself in the screens at his house. She must be thinking about him. She has not gone to any other man. He decides to go to her. How can he resist when she wants him so much? But, he can''t reveal himself to her yet. Ahn Hana is not his Hana yet.


    He mixes the sedatives in her leftover food before she comes back. When she falls to her dreams, he goes to her. She is beautiful when she is sleeping. He takes her clothes and drinks her beauty with his eyes. He must make her body familiar to his.


    When he makes love to her, he whispers to her. He is sure that she is subconsciously listening to her. He pleads her to give in. Be his dear Hana. He is alone and suffering without her in this ordinary world. Come to him. How long must he wait? He has so much love for her. When will his Hana dear realize that she also loves him back?


    She would never respond. He would love to hear her voice. It will take time. He will wait for the right time. For now, he must reach his dear Hana buried beneath the layers inside her.

 Chapter 55 - My Dear Hana (7)

    He finds Noe Kyung-Hee in the library. She is a 13 years old girl who pretends to be ordinary. He knows that she is like him. He observes her a while. She is struggling to accept her true self. He decides to help.


    He slips a note in her favorite book. As he has expected, she comes back to pick that book again. She finds the puzzle inside the poetry book. She takes it back home. Next day, she returns the book. He finds the solved puzzle. They play this game for a while until he is sure. One day, he invites her to his secret place. She comes fearlessly. The little girl sees him as her teacher, her mentor, and her only friend who is like her. She is like a little cub. He prepares her for a long time to make her first kill.


    Her first target is her classmate. Ok Min Ji. He knows why she chose her. She loves that girl. Ok Min Ji is the one who ignited the d?s?r? in her.


    But, she fails. She can''t kill Ok Min Ji. Ok Min Ji isn''t someone who will accept her true self either. Ok Min Ji isn''t his Hana.


    Noe Kyung-Hee is weak. She can''t make her first kill. She can''t be initiated. She resigns herself as his next love letter bravely. She is special to him. He decides a special date. He gives her the book in the library. The day finally comes. He takes her to a special place. She doesn''t make a sound when the knife pierces her skin.


    Love.


    He goes to Ahn Hana after writing that letter. She is sleeping on the bed soundlessly after eating the leftover food mixed with sedatives. He snuggles her body. He loves her. A lot. There is no limit to his love. He kisses her lips tenderly. His dear Hana is soft as cotton. He opens her mouth with his finger and slips his tongue inside. She is warm and sweet as honey.


    Love. His love. His dear Hana. She reminds him of sleeping beauty. He is the prince who is trying to wake up his sleep beauty. Their love is a fairytale and eternal.


    She is sleep, but she is loving him back. It''s true love. She is wet for him. He stands on his knees and raises her waist higher to meet his lips. He brushes his lips over her flower. The scent is making him go crazy. He drinks her essence like a starving man. He reaches her supple br??sts and squeezes them hard. She stirs and let out a soft m??n in her sleep. His p?n?s hardens instantly.


    He can''t wait anymore. He spreads her legs wider. He pierces his pulsating member into her drenched v???n?. He can''t hold himself back tonight. His firm member pulverizes her cave and slams the wall of her uterus. He hears her pained gasps. His dear Hana wants him so much.

 Chapter 56 - He is okay now

    She smiles at him. "It''s been a while, Do Sejin."


    It''s been a while. He still can''t believe his eyes. She has reappeared in the world. He grabs her shoulder with his trembling hands. "Where have you been?"


    "I was on a vacation." She tells him, amused by his reaction. "Did you miss me, Do Sejin?"


    Miss her? That''s an understatement.


    "I felt like I was dying every second not knowing where you are..." He pulls her into his arms. She has lost weight. The lingering scent of Magnolia. He realizes that nothing is the same with her.


    "Where is our child?"


    She pushes him away. She blinks at him once. "Our child?"


    Is she pretending? Do Sejin doesn''t know what to say. If she lies, he can''t do anything about her. He is afraid of her right now. She has a different look. He doesn''t know who she is. She is Ahn Hana, but she has a different aura around her. Like the surface of the sea, she is glittering under the moonlight. However, like the bottom of the sea, the gravitating darkness insider her is unmistakable.


    "I know that you were pregnant when you left." Do Sejin cannot run away from this. He needs to know the truth. His life hasn''t been the same since he met her. If something happened to his child, he needs to hear it.


    She shrugs her shoulder nonchalantly. She turns around and looks at the pictures. A sigh leaves her lips.


    "Just because it was your sp?rm, it doesn''t make him your son."


    He is relieved. He has a son. His and Ahn Hana''s child. He releases his breath. A year of tightness in his ?h?st is released. "Where is he? How old is he? When was he born?"


    She walks out of the house without a word. Do Sejin rushes after her. She keeps walking on the road, ignoring his calls. There is no way that he will let her run away like this. He clasps on to her wrist and drags her to his car. It''s cold. She is only wearing a thin white dress.


    "Don''t go like that." He covers her with his coat. "Let''s go back home. Everyone is waiting for you."


    If she doesn''t want him to tell about their son yet, he will wait. She needs time. He also needs time. They can''t rush it. He will wait for her to speak up. He will hear everything that she has to say.


    "I will take the bus." She points at the road. "Bus station is not far away."


    "Are you kidding me?" Exasperated by her words, he pushes her inside his car. "Just sit there."


    When they are halfway back to the S city, she chuckles in a low voice. "Thanks, Do Sejin. I guess I saved some bucks since you are driving me back."


    Strange. If she was the same Ahn Hana, she would have never said things like that.


    "Where did you go?" He can''t resist asking.


    "You won''t tell me ever, right?"


    She doesn''t answer him. He peers at her She is sleeping. He sighs. He didn''t expect that he would find her like this.


    ***


    "Hana!" Jung Kwang-soo lifts her into a hug. She feels smaller now. He is just glad to see her alive. She has proven the world wrong. She has come back alive. "You scared me to death. Where have you been?"


    She squirms in his hold. He lets her down. She looks up with a mellow smile. "Kwang-soo, why are you acting like you had no idea? Didn''t you allow me to go on a vacation for an indefinite period?"


    Vacation? What about blood? Why would she disappear like that for nearly a year? Jung Kwang-soo opens his mouth to ask, but he sees Do Sejin shaking his head.


    What happened to her? They will ask later. "Are you hurt somewhere? What about your illness?"


    "My head is fixed." She touches her scalp unintentionally. "I am hungry."


    Jung Kwang-soo and Do Sejin share a look.


    "I will make something." He gives her a small smile. "Just wait for some time."


    Jung Kwang-soo holds her hands before she could refuse. "Do Sejin''s cooking is the best. It has improved a lot since he started living alone. Tell me, Hana. Where did you go for your vacation?"


    "Somewhere far away," She gives him a vague answer.


    "How much far away?" He leans closer. "Out of our country?"


    "I need to earn more money." Ahn Hana changes the conversation. "Did you give away my job to someone else?"


    Jung Kwang-soo gets the idea that she doesn''t want to talk about her vacation. Noticing that look in her eyes, he also drops it. "I would never give it to someone else. Your office is cleaned and dusted every day. Everything in that room is where you left it."


    Do Sejin let them talk and goes to the kitchen to prepare something for her. He realizes that he doesn''t know her favorite foods. He decides to make shrimp soup, hoping that she would like it as she did in the past.


    Sound of the doorbell. Do Sejin looks at the screen and sees Bo Ji-Won''s face. She is trying to break open the door. He unlocks it and let the storm come inside. She doesn''t even give him a glance. She walks straight to Ahn Hana.


    "Hana." She blinks her eyes, trying to accept what she is saying. White hair. Pale skin. Skinny. An otherworldly look in her warm brown eyes like she has been stolen by the fairies and returned to the world. A detached smile.


    "What happened to you?" She explodes into tears and hugs her. "Why are you like this?"


    "How are you, Bo Ji-Won?" Ahn Hana looks at Ji-Won''s belly. "Your husband took my advice."


    "You idiot!" She sobs harder in her arms. "I thought that you died. Where have you been? Did you get your surgery? What about your child?"


    Ahn Hana pats her back and answers her each question calmly. "I was on vacation. I survived my surgery and afterward treatments. My son was born premature, but he is okay now."


    Do Sejin gasps when he hears her answers. Surgery. Treatments. Premature birth. It must have been hard for her.


    "Where is my nephew?" Bo Ji-Won looks around to see the baby.


    "He is not here." Ahn Hana rests her chin in her palm with a distant look in her eyes. "Ha-Neul is in a safe place somewhere far away."


    Do Sejin clutches his ?h?st. The name is Ha-Neul. He likes this name. His and Ahn Hana''s sky.

 Chapter 57 - Not an accomplice or killer

    Ahn Hana picks up the chopsticks and digs into the shrimp soup. It is better than the last time. She gives him a small compliment. All of her normal actions are sinking his heart deeper into his stomach. Normal smile. Normal talks. But, nothing is normal about her. She seems like a total stranger. A new person.


    They chat about normal things. Bo Ji-Won talks about her marriage and her balding husband. Jung Kwang-soo teases her for her new look and says that she should marry him since she became more beautiful. She laughs and shakes her head. Three friends talk about the past before everything changed in their lives. Do Sejin listens quietly. It''s already morning.


    *Ting Tong*


    It''s the cops. He has called them because he knows that he has to. The investigation has little progress after Ahn Hana''s disappearance. Since she has come back, they would have found her anyway.


    "Miss Ahn, what happened that night?" The detective asks her straight away. She glances at Do Sejin once. A small smile appears on her lips.


    "I was punished for letting my heart swayed by someone else." She answers the detective honestly.


    "That is all."


    The detective keeps a poker face. He has never found this woman normal since the day he met her. Something about her is just disturbing. "How did he punish you?"


    She leans back on the chair, feeling the pressure on the stars on her back. She won''t say it.


    The detective finds her response normal. A lot of victims doesn''t like talking about what happened to them. He can''t let her without knowing. He decides to ask other questions.


    "How did you escape that night?" The detective asks her quietly. "Miss Ahn, were you with killer all this time?"


    ***


    At dawn, she opens her eyes. She touches her belly. Ha-Neul. She gets up. Her back feels numb. She finds clothes and some cash in the wardrobe. She takes only enough cash that Jung Kwang-soo won''t notice. She wears his old faded clothes. She walks out of the bedroom and finds Jung Kwang-soon on the couch, unconscious. Before she leaves, she doesn''t forget to take the knife.


    The guards are in the same condition as Jung Kwang-soo. She knows that the cameras aren''t working. She is taking a risk. If she meets the killer on the way, she doesn''t know what will happen to her. She is just following her instinct. A blind bet on her luck.


    She makes it to the road. She takes the first bus that she finds. Layers of men''s clothes, she looks like a little runaway from home. She can feel the glances. She boards off the bus in the next stop. She goes to the alley and cuts away her hair to make her look like a boy. She buys a hat, new male clothes, and a mouth mask. She changes her clothes in a public washroom and boards another bus to the nearest seaport.


    ***


    "No, I wasn''t with him." She looks down at her fingers longingly. "I was on a vacation."


    Thank god. Do Sejin closes his eyes. She has been on a run. That''s a lot better than being with the killer.


    "Can you tell us anything about him?" The detective doesn''t find this conversation helpful. "Height? Weight? Age? Skin color?"


    "He is a few inches taller than Do Sejin. He is physically fit. He is a few years older than me." She shrugs her shoulder. "I have only seen him n?k?d once, but I was way too drunk to remember his skin color. It''s been more than 10 years."


    "When did you come back?" Seeing that she has no intention to talk about certain things, he decides to ask her in a roundabout way.


    "I came back yesterday evening." She tells him, "I went to my parents'' house first. I met Do Sejin there."


    The detective scribbles it down on his notebook. Something is better than nothing. "Why did you leave without telling anyone?"


    She purses her lips. No intention to answer. The detective asks her a few more questions. He warns her that she is helping the killer by not revealing her whereabouts in the previous year. They need to verify, but she says nothing.


    "I am not an accomplice or killer." She finally opens her mouth to speak. "Knowing my vacation spots will not help you. The killer had no idea either. If he had some idea, I wouldn''t be here talking to you."


    The detective yaps for a little more to make her reveal more about the night and her vacation, but little did it help him. He gives up in the end and leaves Do Sejin''s house.


    "Drop me at my home, Kwang-soo." She stands up, getting ready to leave.


    "Wait." Do Sejin also stands up. "You can''t go back there."


    Bo Ji-Won also agrees with him. "Hana, we don''t know whether the killer will come back or not. It''s not safe for you to stay alone."


    "I wasn''t alone that night," She squints at her. Jung Kwang-soo feels heavier when he hears her words.


    "Hana, I am sorry for not being able to protect you that night." Jung Kwang-soo apologizes to her.


    "Because of me, you had to go through something horrible."


    Ahn Hana looks at her friend. Jung Kwang-soo has been deeply affected. No matter what she says, he will keep blaming himself.


    "Don''t blame yourself." That''s all she says regarding that night. "I will take a cab and see you at the office."


    "You can''t go back there." Do Sejin could speak of 1000 better reasons for her not to go back there, but she wouldn''t accept them. "It''s been a year. There was water leakage. They started reconstructing that apartment building recently. It''s not complete yet."


    Bo Ji-Won nods her head. "I heard about it. Jung Kwang-soo took care of your things. You can stay at my place until when the reconstruction is going on."


    Ahn Hana creases her brows. She didn''t see this coming. "I won''t stay at your place. You will nag me to death."


    "I won''t." Bo Ji-Won shows a warm smile. "I do want to conduct a thorough check-up of your body."


    That''s enough reason for Ahn Hana to reject her offer. She will never go to Bo Ji-Won''s house.


    "You can stay at my..." Jung Kwang-soo hesitates. He isn''t sure whether she will be safe with him or not. Then, some woman visits him every night because he doesn''t like to be alone anymore after that day. "Do Sejin, let her stay at your place."


    She frowns deeper. "I can rent out a different place or go to a sharehouse."


    "No, no, you can''t." Do Sejin smiles at her cordially. "I was also thinking of finding someone to share this apartment. You see, apartment rent is high. My salary isn''t high. You have just returned from a long vacation and it will take some time to go back in the field. How about we share this apartment and the rent?"


    She purses her lips. She doesn''t like this option.


    "I won''t bother you, mentor. There are two rooms." He looks at her seriously. "Finding a new apartment or a share house in a short time will be difficult. Stay here until then."


    "I also think that this is a good idea. Going to a new place or a sharehouse is not safe." Bo Ji-Won takes her hand. "Hana, Do Sejin''s place is in a good area. It''s close to the office, unlike your apartment. It''s close to my place too. Jung Kwang-soo is living two blocks away. Isn''t it perfect? We can all feel better if you stay close to us."


    Ahn Hana gives in to her friends begging. "Alright."


    Do Sejin relaxes his tensed shoulders. He didn''t think that it was possible that she would agree. But, thanks to Jung Kwang-soo and Bo Ji-Won, she will live with him from now on.


    He plans to lure that killer into a trap using her.

 Chapter 58 - You are acting like my girlfriend

    After some hours of sleep, she still feels jet-lagged. She walks around the apartment once as if she is looking for something. Do Sejin watches her quietly, asking nothing. After some time, she wears her shoes and walks out of the apartment.


    Jung Kwang-soo asked her to come to the office the next day. He wonders where she could be going. He follows her and sees her entering the mall. She picks up some clothes and other necessities. Then, she makes a stop at her old apartment building. It''s really being redeveloped. She sighs and takes a cab back to his place. Her actions won''t seem suspicious to anyone. It makes him more suspicious.


    At the door, she realizes that she doesn''t know the passcode. She calls him right away. Do Sejin hangs up.


    "Mentor, I am here." He grins at her and punches the code. "I went out to buy dried persimmons. The code is 9387."


    It''s her birthday. She doesn''t make a comment. She goes to her room and tosses the bags of clothes on her bed. She stares out of the window for a while. She gets up to change her clothes. Her movement seems robotic and restless at the same time. When she gets ready to leave again, Do Sejin calls her.


    "You must try these dry persimmons."


    "You are acting like my girlfriend." She turns away from him.


    He steps in front of her. "Hana, where are you going?"


    "Don''t call me that." She takes a deep breath. "I am older than you."


    "Don''t be too formal." He shoves a dried persimmon in her hand. "Call me if something happens."


    She leaves with the persimmon in her hand. She walks for a long time. The sun is about to set. People recognize her easily and take her pictures. Her eerie aura repels everyone at some distance. She looks like a living ghost.


    Do Sejin watches her put down the dried persimmon where Seol A died. She doesn''t leave immediately. It''s getting dark. Hours pass. She doesn''t make a move from the spot. He clenches his fists. She is waiting for the magnolia killer.


    No one appears in the street.


    ***


    It''s been a week. Since her return, the internet is in the uproar. The seemingly dead case is revived again. The case has been transferred to the prosecution. There has been no movement from the magnolia killer.


    She sits in the chair and reads the new case. A high school bullying case. The defendant is accused of attempted murder. 10 students have testified that he was bullying the victim. The victim is at the hospital, breathing on the machine.


    "Knock. Knock." Jung Kwang-soo grins at her. "It''s Lunchtime."


    "I will skip it." She smiles at him. "I am heading out to meet the defendant. "


    "You can go after eating." He makes a face. "I will call Do Sejin to accompany you."


    "I am not a kid." She sneers at him. Since she returned, both of them are taking turns in babysitting her. It''s annoying to death. She nearly has no privacy. "If you call him, I will resign and go to another place to work."


    Jung Kwang-soo''s fingers are frozen on the screen. "It''s still dangerous."


    "The killer hasn''t reappeared. So," She picks up her purse. "Don''t be alarmed for no reason. I need to live a normal life."


    Jung Kwang-soo gives her a nod, but he isn''t convinced. He texts Do Sejin. Ahn Hana reveals the shadow of a smile as she walks out of the office.


    ***


    "You are not that pretty." He smirks. "To make someone commit 39 murders, I thought that you would be a world-class beauty."


    Ahn Hana rests her hands on the table. It''s not unusual for the high school kids to be interested. "Confess your crimes. I will talk to the prosecutor for reducing your sentence."


    "I want to be acquitted." He leans forward, lowering his head a bit. "I didn''t push him off the roof."


    She has a dull expression. "Your student ID was found in his hand. Some students saw you threatening him earlier."


    "He stole it." Corner of his lips curls down. "I might have bullied him a bit, but everyone in the class did it. Why I am the only one blamed? Besides, I didn''t push him. I would never go that far. He probably jumped on his own."


    Ahn Hana sighs. "If you lie to me, I can''t help."


    "I am telling the truth." The boy wrinkles his forehead. "I didn''t push him. I was at the club when he jumped."


    She chuckles. "Your friends are not saying those words."


    "I don''t know why they would do that." He cusses and slams the table. "I was with them at the club. I am being framed. You have to help me. My parents told me that you are good. If you can help Baek Han Sol, why can''t you get me out of here?"


    "Alright."

 Chapter 59 - Shes not the same person

    The blinding light outside the prison feels refreshing. However, no light in the world can dismiss the darkness in her eyes. As she walks toward the car, the memories of that day return to her mind. Her tranquil face doesn''t waver as she gets into the car. She''s not drenched in someone else''s urine this time.


    She doesn''t notice the eyes that seem to be following her everywhere. The person follows her car. The distance between them is long enough that she doesn''t think much of it. Ahn Hana makes a quick decision and decides to visit the hospital first. She should see the victim with her eyes and then, decide whether this defendant can be saved or not.


    After an hour, her car stops in front of the hospital. A bike comes to halt a little behind the car. The person gets down and takes off his helmet. He wipes his sweat from his forehead. After two minutes, he gets on his bike away and leaves the vicinity.


    Ahn Hana doesn''t know anything about this. After a quick inquiry, she finds the victim''s ward. The boy is 18. He has no father and the family is in debt. The mother still insists on punishing the defendant. The defendant insists that he didn''t push the boy off the roof.


    It could have been a suicide. That won''t save the defendant.


    "Who are you?" Ms. Kim looks up at the woman with an icy demeanor. There is no warmth in her eyes. She seems like a person who has died and come back to life. Ms. Kim is intimated by her aura.


    "I am Mr. Ji''s lawyer." Ahn Hana glances at the young boy breathing on the machine. "How is your son?"


    "Get out." Ms. Kim is afraid of the woman, but she''s a mother. She won''t back down when it comes to her son. "I am not settling the case. I will fight until the end."


    "I am not asking you to end the case." Ahn Hana''s voice is low and lacking empathy. Her body is devoid of any emotion. "I want to know how it happened."


    Ms. Kim widens her eyes in anger. She yells at her, "Want to know how it happened? That rich boy bullied my son every single day. The school wouldn''t do anything because his father is powerful. When he wasn''t satisfied, he pushed my son off the roof."


    "Why didn''t you transfer him?" Ahn Hana asks with a monotonous voice.


    "That..." Ms. Kim steps back a little. She hesitates before she says, "He wanted to continue studying there."


    "It was the scholarship." Ahn Hana reveals the real reason. "The school also paid a monthly stipend to the honorary students from a poor background. He also won other scholarships. He was quite talented."


    "My son..." Ms. Kim regrets not transferring him. "It was only a year."


    There was only a year left to graduate. "How was his mood before he left that day?"


    Ms. Kim denies answering any question of this cold woman. She pushes her out of the room. Ahn Hana falls on the floor due to the sudden impact.


    "Leave. I don''t want to see your face. I am going to make sure that he rots in jail for his life."


    Ahn Hana sighs. Why does she never have a good conversation with parents? She tries to stand up. She winces when she feels the pain in her ankle. This pain is nothing compared to what she had gone through.


    Her presence is as quiet as the air. She limps as she walks to the elevator. She doesn''t want to get her foot checked. It''s likely to get healed on its own. She can''t make a quick drop at the school today.


    She goes to the apartment. She realizes that she has forgotten the code again. She looks behind her. The feeling of being watched makes her paranoid. Unsatisfied with this delay, she calls Do Sejin.


    "What is the code?"


    Do Sejin chuckles when he hears her voice. "9387."


    The call is disconnected right away. Do Sejin looks at Jung Kwang-Soo. "Nothing happened so far. The magnolia killer is quiet."


    "Perhaps, he''s not interested in Ahn Hana anymore?" Jung Kwang-soo can only hope that is the case.


    "I don''t think so." Do Sejin can''t believe that the killer will let go of Ahn Hana. He''s worried that Ahn Hana might have been in contact with the killer. Then, why she is back? He has checked her phone. Jung Kwang-soo is also keeping an eye on her.


    "Perhaps, something happened to the killer." Jung Kwang-soo says hopefully, "He had an accident or he died of cancer. There''s always outside factors."


    "We aren''t that lucky." Do Sejin narrows his eyes on Jung Kwang-soo, "Why did she not come back for a year? We have to know where she was. I have to find my son."


    "Then, are you sure about your next step? Ahn Hana might find you irritating."


    "She''s not the same person. I am afraid that... " Do Sejin purses his lips. She might have changed too much. He''s been living with her for a week. Her presence has changed. Though she laughs while watching the television, she doesn''t sound natural. She avoids him most of the time. When she can''t avoid him, she acts warmly. She doesn''t speak much. She hasn''t answered his single question.


    She keeps telling him that Ha-Neul is not his son.


    Then, who is the father?


    He is afraid to know the answer.

 Chapter 60 - You are interested, mentor?

    Ahn Hana looks into the fridge. She sighs and takes the leftover food from the last night. She sits on the couch and eats the food while rereading the case. She must talk to the victim''s classmates. Then, it would have been better if the victim woke up. Is her luck great?


    She doesn''t feel sleepy. She glances at the food again. She places the chopsticks down and checks her phone. There are some messages.


    How long? What kind of chaos must she create? Why isn''t he coming back? He told her that he would wait for her. Then, why isn''t he here already?


    She recalls the night. She has escaped that night. Now, she is back. Her son is hidden in a safe place. She must have offended him.


    What must she do?


    "Mentor." Do Sejin enters the room with a wide smile. "You are back early."


    She gives him a nod and says nothing. Her dark eyes follow him as he goes to his room. After 15 minutes, he comes out of his room. Ahn Hana hasn''t moved from the couch.


    "What should I make for dinner tonight?" Do Sejin asks her loudly and enters the kitchen.


    "I will cook." Ahn Hana is fast on her feet, ignoring the pain. She takes the knife from his hand. "I don''t want to turn you into my chef."


    Do Sejin smiles mildly. His smile doesn''t meet his eyes. He watches her chop the vegetables into unshapely pieces. She throws in all the ingredients in the container and boils it. That''s it. Dinner is ready.


    She sets the table. When he doesn''t move, she asks him quietly. "Don''t want to eat?"


    He shakes his head. Can he dare not to eat? He takes the spoon and digs into the food. His tongue goes through the ride through the depth of the hell. Though Ahn Hana has changed, her horrible cooking didn''t change.


    "How is it?" She asks him with a small voice.


    He chuckles. "Delicious."


    "You still lie." There is a faint smile on her lips. There is a hint of something unfamiliar in those eyes.


    Do Sejin wonders about this change, but he dares not ask. "I am sorry."


    She stops eating. "For what?"


    "For not following our agreement." He stares at her. "For lying to you."


    "You are forgiven." Her voice is easy. "You paid a great price for your mistakes."


    His sister died because he met her. His family doesn''t know about this fact yet. He doesn''t know how they will react. His father has given up on his career. His mother cries every day. Eun Min Ah''s child is the reason why they breathe every day.


    That''s the only reason why Eun Min Ah can still pretend to be his wife.


    "It wasn''t your fault."


    Ahn Hana doesn''t reply. She picks up the chopsticks and continues eating quietly. He watches her in silence. His defense break into the pieces as the emotions swell into his body.


    "What happened that night?"


    She ignores his question and fills her mouth with food.


    "Where is Ha Neul?"


    She swallows the food with difficulty. She picks up the glass of water and takes a sip.


    "Who is Ha Neul''s father?"


    She finally looks at him. "Him."


    Ripples are formed in his mind. He doesn''t know why he is still calm after hearing that. She finishes eating and takes the bowls to the kitchen. He can''t eat after hearing that.


    "Hana."


    She doesn''t stop walking away from him. Her quietness is gnawing his mind. He clasps her wrist and turns her around to look at him. "Why are you like this?"


    "He''s Ha Neul''s father." She repeats the words. "Stop asking me the same question."


    "Where is he?" He doesn''t let go of her wrist despite her struggles. "Tell me now."


    "Safe." She ceases her struggles and glares at him. He is partially glad to see some emotions in her eyes. It''s fine if she''s angry. If she beats him up again, it''s fine. It''s fine if she breaks his skull.


    But, the anger is gone right away. She smiles at him eerily. She stands up on her toes suddenly and kisses his lips. He doesn''t react. Her cold fingers curl around his neck and pull him toward her to kiss him harder. He gazes into her empty dark eyes.


    She knows how he feels toward her. Yet, she''s offering her body like this to protect a man who killed his sister and tortured her to become this way.


    He pushes her face away from his. He asks her lightly, "You are interested, mentor?"

 Chapter 61 - Lets have a new agreement

    Ahn Hana doesn''t answer him. She didn''t expect that he would ask that question. His hands are hot against her skin. His gaze is equally colder.


    Is she interested?


    "Yes." Her voice is b?r?ly a whisper. "Come to my room."


    She walks into her room. Do Sejin fists his hands. He takes three deep breaths before he goes into that room. She is sitting on the bed and fiddling with a scarf in her hand.


    "Let''s have a new agreement." She tells him quietly, "I don''t care if you go to other women. You shouldn''t care if I have other men in my life. My only condition is that you must wear this blindfold whenever we are together."


    He stands there, frozen. Her words are repulsive. If it was old him, he would have accepted this agreement happily. But, he is disgusted by his old him. "Why must I wear a blindfold? Haven''t I seen everything?"


    She climbs down the bed and comes to him. "Then, there is nothing new to see."


    "Why are you doing this?" He takes the scarf from her hand. "Do you love him?"


    She doesn''t say yes or no. "If you aren''t interested, just leave."


    "If you love him, you wouldn''t be sleeping with me." He ties the scarf around his eyes. "You want me to stop asking questions."


    Ahn Hana undoes the bu??ons of her shirt one by one. Her shirt falls on the floor. Her back is full of scars. But, Do Sejin can''t see it. She removes the pieces of his clothes one by one. There is silence. Only a foreboding silence. The man and woman are familiar and yet stranger. Do Sejin isn''t the same boy. Ahn Hana isn''t the same woman. He lies down on the bed. His hands don''t move. She kisses him on his lips again. When he doesn''t kiss her back, she sighs and lies down beside him.


    "You have changed." She takes time to observe his face.


    "You too." Do Sejin turns his back on her, not wanting to feel her gaze on him.


    "Why did you come to my room if you don''t want to do it?"


    He feels her cold finger on his back, drawing lines with her tip of his finger. He realizes that she''s tracing crisscrosses on his back with her finger.


    "Do Sejin, do you know that I want to feel the heat kept by fresh blood pouring out of a body?"


    She waits for him to say something. Perhaps, he will be afraid. He might run out of the room and call the police. It''s better if he does that.


    Why did she come back?


    She is afraid of being found.


    She wants to protect her child.


    She wants to feel someone''s blood in her hands.


    Do Sejin turns to face her. He doesn''t remove the blindfold. Maybe, she can say these words because he can''t see her. He takes her into his arms. His fingers touch the skin on his back. He freezes for a moment before he finds the courage to run his palm on the scars. He traces every single line of crisscrosses.


    Angry tears glide on his skin and drop on the space between their faces.


    Ahn Hana sighs and moves away. She finds her clothes first. She glances at the man who is still silently crying. She remarks, "I was wrong. You are still a boy."


    She leaves the apartment and walks to the alley where Seol A was killed.

 Chapter 62 - Did you see the magnolia killer?

    Walking alone into the quiet night, she doesn''t feel any terror. Her heart only feels emptiness. She isn''t afraid of death. She finds the cold street where the girl was killed and the message was sent to her. The place has a flower near the garbage bin. She picks up the flower and stares at it. The man in the dark clothes marches toward her silently.


    Her eyes are fixed on the white magnolia flower.


    He stands behind her. She gets up silently. She doesn''t close her eyes. The white magnolia flower is crushed in her hand. The man lifts his left hand.


    "No!"


    Do Sejin grabs the hand that is carrying a knife. The man struggles to get free.


    Ahn Hana turns around and looks at both men. She notices that the masked man is shorter than Do Sejin. She purses her lips. He''s not him. Disappointed, she calls the cops.


    Do Sejin grunts in pain when the knife cuts Do Sejin''s arm. He punches the man in his stomach with his left arm. Both of them rolls on the ground. Do Sejin pounds the man with his punches until he can''t move. He removes the mask to see the man''s face.


    "You..." His eyes enlarge in shock. "Why, you...?"


    The boy''s face is a bloody mess. Do Sejin can still recognize him. Son Tae-Ho. Seol A''s boyfriend. Last time, he saw Son Tae-Ho at Seol A''s funeral. He would never imagine that he would see him again in this situation.


    "Why are you keeping her at your house?" Tae-Ho screams at him. "Why? She is the reason Seol A died. Her lover killed my love. She still comes here every night and waits for him. See that flower in that hand? I didn''t leave it. It must be the killer. My Seol A was killed mercilessly. I want to do the same to her. I wanted to take her away from the killer before he got his hands on her."


    The knife is near Ahn Hana''s feet. Do Sejin''s blood is still on it.


    "You should have killed her the day she appeared." Tae-Ho glares at Do Sejin hatefully. "She doesn''t deserve to live. She ran away that night with her killer. She came back, but she doesn''t do anything. My Seol A''s soul is still wandering restlessly. You are her brother. Why aren''t you doing anything?"


    "She didn''t kill Seol A." Do Sejin utters the words slowly. "You bastard! The killer deserves death. Don''t put the blame on her for the sins that she didn''t commit."


    Ahn Hana stares at the knife. She bends her knees and takes it in her hand. The cops arrive. Son Tae-Ho is arrested. She doesn''t understand what the cop is saying. The weapon is taken away.


    "We need your statement."


    She doesn''t say much. "I was just taking a stroll."


    "That flower." The male cop looks at her hand. "Did you see the magnolia killer?"


    "No."


    They repeat the questions several times. Ahn Hana doesn''t answer them any more. After some time, they let her go. Do Sejin follows her without a word. She stops in front of their apartment building.


    She looks at his arm. "You need stitches on that arm."


    There''s no way that he''s going to leave her alone. The magnolia flower has reappeared. Then, the killer isn''t dead by sheer luck. "You take me there."


    Ahn Hana says nothing. She takes him to the hospital. She watches the doctor stitch the large cut on his arm. The scent of the white magnolia flower is still lingering in her hand.

 Chapter 63 - Did you say something to her?

    Ahn Hana starts her day as if nothing happened last night. She''s actually happy. She hums a tune as she makes the breakfast. She often smiles and glances at the knife in her hand. Do Sejin sees it all and says nothing.


    They eat breakfast in silence. She doesn''t ask about his arm. She leaves for work straight away. Do Sejin recalls the words that she said to him last night. She''s been testing him.


    She arrives in the office and goes to see Jung Kwang-soo. She knocks once before entering the office. She finds him talking to a woman. It seems that Jung Kwang-soo hasn''t heard the knock. She frowns slightly.


    "Senior Ahn." Eun Min Ah''s round eyes become big. She is genuinely shocked to see Ahn Hana. She has heard that Ahn Hana has returned. "I am glad to see you that you are doing well."


    Ahn Hana notices the baby in her arms. Eun Min Ah smiles warmly. "He''s my and Sejin''s son. We got married after you left."


    She takes a glance at Jung Kwang-soo who seems perturbed by Ahn Hana''s presence. He takes a breath before turning to her. "Min Ah, I will call you later. Ahn Hana and I need to discuss something."


    Eun Min Ah doesn''t mind. She nods at Ahn Hana once. She takes her baby. At the door, she turns around once and looks at Jung Kwang-soo. Ahn Hana has taken a seat opposite him. They haven''t started talking. They are expecting her to leave. She bites her lower lip and leaves.


    "Don''t tell me that you are fu?k?n? Do Sejin''s wife?" Ahn Hana glares at Jung Kwang-soo. She didn''t know about Do Sejin''s and Eun Min Ah''s marriage or the son. "I thought that you didn''t like doing married women because they bring troubles."


    Jung Kwang-soo doesn''t deny his accusation. "She''s an exception."


    Ahn Hana doesn''t bother asking why. She''s disturbed by the fact that Do Sejin''s married. Do Sejin has been living alone before she started living with him. She can guess the situation, but she''s not happy. She nearly slept with him yesterday night.


    "Why didn''t anyone tell me that the boy is married? I am living with a married man."


    "Their marriage is complicated. I thought that Do Sejin would tell you when it''s the right time." That''s all Jung Kwang-soo could say. He doesn''t know much details. He only knows that Do Sejin married Eun Min Ah because of the child. "Ahn Hana, it''s not best for you to live alone."


    "I see." Though her words sound angry, she''s not angry. Her happy mood is ruined though. "I am moving out after I get paid."


    "Hana, darling," Jung Kwang-soo takes her hands. "Where will you stay?"


    "I will find a place." She jerks his hands off her. "I am here to discuss the case."


    "Okay." Jung Kwang-soo leans back.


    "All the pieces of evidence are against him."


    "I know." He lets out an exasperated sigh. "If it''s bothersome, I will transfer it to someone else."


    She smiles at him. Her happy mood is returning. Jung Kwang-soo gets the glimpse of the old Ahn Hana again.


    "He will get acquitted. At most, he will get charged for bullying." Ahn Hana smirks at him. "It''s true that the victim was bullied, but he wasn''t pushed."


    That''s one possibility. No, that''s what they want to prove.


    "How can you prove that in the court?"


    "The boy will wake up."


    "What?" Jung Kwang-soo frowns. Now, she''s talking strangely. "How are you sure?"


    Ahn Hana doesn''t tell him how. "I need your help with that."


    ***


    The elevator door opens. Do Sejin''s foot halts in the air. He sees Eun Min Ah coming out with a baby in her arms.


    Why she is here? Is it because of Ahn Hana?


    Eun Min Ah is equally surprised. But, it''s a pleasant surprise. "Sejin, what are you doing here?"


    Do Sejin slaps her hand away before she can touch him. "What are you doing here?"


    She doesn''t know how to answer him.


    "Did you come here to see Ahn Hana?" He glances at the baby. "Did you say something to her?"


    She doesn''t understand the meaning of the words. "I saw her, but she and Boss Jung had something to discuss. I didn''t get to greet her properly. Sejin, you already knew that she is alive?"


    He frowns at her. As long as she doesn''t bother Ahn Hana or interfere in his personal life, he doesn''t care what she is doing with her life and the boy in her arms. He gets on the elevator without a word. She sees the elevator door closing.


    "Hmm... is he going to work here from now on?" Eun Min Ah looks at the changing floor number. "I guess that I can''t come here from now on."


    She pats the baby''s back. She wonders why Do Sejin talked about Senior Ahn like that. She must be overthinking. Do Sejin admires Senior Ahn for her work.

 Chapter 64 - I was just lucky

    Do Sejin reaches the floor. Coincidentally, he finds Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo waiting for the elevator. He frowns. Ahn Hana is smiling at Jung Kwang-soo. They give him a nod and enter the elevator.


    "Aren''t you going to get off?" Ahn Hana asks him.


    "Oh, he''s working here from today." Jung Kwang-soo informs her. "Let him come. He''s a rookie. He will learn from watching you."


    Her expression doesn''t change. "You make a lot of decision without consulting me."


    "I am your boss." Jung Kwang-soo rolls his eyes. "Our law firm is famous. We get a lot of cases. We need people."


    Her aura is easy and carefree. "I get it."


    Do Sejin sighs. She isn''t affected at all. She nearly got killed last night. Though it wasn''t the killer, it was still dangerous. What would have happened if he wasn''t there? He''s sure that Jung Kwang-soo doesn''t know yet. He''s scared of her and for her.


    "Where are we going?" Do Sejin asks them with a calm voice.


    "To wake up a boy." Jung Kwang-soo shares a look with Ahn Hana. Do Sejin is bothered to see that look between them. The chemistry between them has awoken again. They go straight to the hospital. Jung Kwang-soo and Ahn Hana don''t tell him much.


    When they arrive in the ward, they notice something is wrong. There are already people at the scene.


    "What''s going on?" Jung Kwang-soo asks a cop.


    "The boy has been pretending to be unconscious for four days." The cop informs them. "The prosecutor noticed it during his last visit."


    The case was given to Ahn Hana yesterday. It''s already solved today?


    Ahn Hana walks toward the room. The boy is sitting on the bed with his head lowered. The prosector is talking to him in a mild voice. His mother is looking at the boy with a complicated gaze.


    "You shouldn''t try to kill yourself because you were tired of studying. You shouldn''t try to frame someone either. If you are being bullied, you should report him."


    "I did." The boy''s voice is full of despair. "The school didn''t care. My mother only wanted me to go to school. I was tired of everything. I hated him the most. He had everything that I didn''t have. So, I stole his ID and jumped. I didn''t die."


    The prosecutor sighs. "Trying to frame someone is also a crime."


    Ahn Hana has studied the case and the height of the building. The building isn''t high. The boy fell through the tree. She had read the medical reports. When she visited last time, she noticed him open his eyes once when she talked about the scholarships.


    She glances at the man in a baggy and creased white shirt and black trousers. His dark hair is somewhat rumpled. He seems a bit tired. He is holding a pen, but he hasn''t written anything on the notebook. Under her penetrating gaze, He scans her carefully. "You look familiar. Where have I seen you before?"


    "Prosector Im." She smiles at him politely. Her tone is neither warm nor cold. "My name is Ahn Hana. I have seen you at the court frequently."


    "Lawyer Ahn." His gapes at her foolishly. "I got demoted because of you."


    The mother and the boy are ignored. They don''t know what to do. Prosector Im gives Ahn Hana a nod and resumes questioning the boy. Ahn Hana comes out of the room.


    "Well..." She can''t help but feel sour. "He is caught. Let''s go."


    "What were you planning to do anyway?" Jung Kwang-soo gives her the bottle of the juice. "I am amazed that he pretended to be asleep for 4 days because he didn''t want to go to school."


    "I have done worse." Do Sejin sighs heavily. Ahn Hana and Jung Kwang-soo stare at him. "I didn''t pretend to be asleep, but I did pretend to stomach pain and got surgery for the appendix. My father knew everything, but he wanted to teach me a lesson."


    Jung Kwang-soo doesn''t know what to say.


    "Lawyer Ahn!" Prosecutor Im comes running to Ahn Hana. "You also noticed it during your last visit?"


    "Yes." She gives him a short reply.


    "I didn''t notice it earlier. I read the testimonies, but it didn''t match. I questioned the teachers and checked the CCTV. One of the witnesses was too nervous during the last questioning. Then, I felt that there was something not right." Prosector speaks fast as if they are running out of the time. "It turned out that they were scared of being blamed for bullying. So, they blamed everything on the defendant. When I came here again, I heard from the doctors that his injuries aren''t grave. They were looking into brain injuries When I -"


    Ahn Hana puts up her hand to stop him. "I get it. Don''t prosecute my client then."


    Prosecutor Im Jihoon and Ahn Hana have met before, but they aren''t friends.


    "You noticed it after one visit?" He asks her with awe.


    "I was just lucky."


    The boy wasn''t good at pretending. She might have intimated him.


    "Oh!" Im Jihoon nods at her. "You are amazing. You were the one who gathered the clues for the 100th-day murder case. I prosecuted wrongly and lost. I was demoted."


    Ahn Hana gets the meaning of his earlier words.


    "It''s not her fault." Jung Kwang-soo grins at the man. "Prosecutor Im, you lost because you didn''t try to look deep into the case."


    "We found fake evidence at his place." Prosector Im clicks his tongue. "They couldn''t find the magnolia killer yet."


    "He will be found soon," Do Sejin mutters.


    Im Jihoon glances at Ahn Hana. "Lawyer Ahn, I hope to see you in the court in the future."


    "Mhm."


    They exchange a few more words politely before they part.

 Chapter 65 - Is my mentor jealous?

    He puts down the picture of the magnolia flower on the table. There are other pictures of the people connected to the magnolia killer committed - the 100 days murders, Baek Han Sol, Ahn Hana, and even Do Sejin. He writes about his latest observation in his notebook.


    "What are you doing?" Im Jihoon''s wife comes into the room. It''s the middle of the night. Her husband usually works at night like this. "Are you still into that murder case?"


    "I met her today." He taps Ahn Hana''s photo. "She is unusual."


    She sighs loudly. "Jihoon Oppa, you should ditch it. You got demoted because of this case. Your obsession isn''t healthy. Let others deal with it."


    Im Jihoon smiles at his wife with tired eyes. "I will get promoted if I find out who the magnolia killer is. Then, we will go on vacation with the kids."


    She looks at him with disbelief. "You always say that whenever you are solving a case."


    "This time for sure." He plants a kiss on her lips. "How are you still young and beautiful? We are of the same age, but I am the only one getting old."


    She laughs at his words. Only she knows how hard she works on her appearance while taking care of their 2 kids. She is delighted to see that her husband has finally noticed her efforts. The demotion is probably good for her workaholic husband. "Who says that you are getting old? You are s?xy to me."


    He pins her beneath her on the couch. "Really?"


    They have been married for nearly 10 years. Despite that, he can make her blush with that glance alone. "What if the kids wake up?"


    Im Jihoon looks around. The daughter is five and the son is seven. They are quite s?ns?t?v? to the noises and overly curious. He lifts his woman in his arms and sneakily walks to the bedroom like a thief. His wife covers her mouth to stop herself from laughing. He lays down her on the bed and locks the door.


    Seeing the lascivious grin on his face, she tries to playfully get away from him. He wraps his strong arms around her slim waist. "My lovely wife, where are you going? Tell me again how s?xy do you find me."


    She doesn''t get the chance to answer him though. Her lips are already taken by him. Ravenous kisses. Soft m??ns. A muffled sound of laughter mixed with soft murmurs between lovers. The tired husband turns into a wolf that night.


    ***


    "Look for another room partner. I am moving out soon."


    "Huh?" Do Sejin drops the chopsticks. "Why?"


    She watches him quietly for a long moment before she utters her reason, "I don''t want to stay with a married man."


    He widens his eyes. So, Eun Min Ah did say something to her. Ahn Hana is bothered about his marriage then. He is slightly pleased. "Mentor, I am not married. There were circumstances. I helped that girl by procuring a fake marriage certificate. The whole world might think that she and I are married, but she knows the truth."


    "If a lie is told long enough, it becomes a truth." She leans back and smiles at him inhumanly. "It''s none of my business what kind of agreement you have with her. I don''t want to be called the other woman who is cohabitating with a married man."


    "Is my mentor jealous? "Do Sejin rests his elbows on the table and smirks at her. "I ?ssure you that Eun Min Ah is not my lover or my wife. Her child is not mine. You are my only son''s mother."


    She lets out a tired sigh and looks away from him. How many times has she said it to him? Nothing will change.


    "Ha-Neul is not your son. He will never be your son."


    Do Sejin has heard it many times. He resists the urge to thrash the table and forces himself to remain calm. "Just tell me one thing. The child... is he with him?"


    No reply.


    She goes to her room and locks the door. Do Sejin begins to understand her silence. If the child was with the killer, she would have said yes. If the child was with the killer, she wouldn''t be here.


    ''Safe'' She told him that word many times.


    He lets out a breath of relief. Their child is at a safe place wherever that is.

 Chapter 66 - She wouldnt agree for an interview, would she?

    Around 3 of the morning, she gets up quietly. She leaves the apartment without a word. This is the third night since she got attacked here. The magnolia flower didn''t appear again. She waits until the dawn break. She sighs tiredly and returns to the apartment. She plans to get some sleep before going to the office.


    Do Sejin enters the apartment after some time. He looks at the door to her room. He purses his lips as strange thoughts come to his mind. Why would she go there alone without any weapon? If she had taken any weapon, he would have understood.


    He can''t understand her reasons. She wouldn''t tell him anyway.


    What will she do If the killer contacts her?


    ***


    Next day, Ahn Hana is in her office. There are piles of cases, but she''s not interested. Her thoughts are blurry. She keeps thinking about her past. Who could it be? Her magnolia lover knows her so well. She has come back, but he hasn''t come to meet her once. Is it because she is staying with Do Sejin or is it because he is mad at her for leaving him?


    She has to make him appear.


    The sharp sound of ringing snaps her out of thoughts.


    ***


    In another chamber, Do Sejin''s is looking at a list of suspects. He has been looking into each person. But, he has already cut down some names. It''s not someone from her university or school.


    As of now, he only knows a few things.


    The killer didn''t meet her during university time. He was aware of her dreams. He knew her parents and the layout of her parents'' house well.


    The killer is about his height, but he has a well-built body. He''s strong physically. He is clever and always a one step ahead. He knows Ahn Hana more than anyone else in the world.


    The killer harbored hate toward Ahn Hana''s father. He killed her mother cleanly. Bo Ji-Won told him that Ahn Hana was close to her father. Before her parents'' murder, she had a strong sense of justice. That strong sense of justice was ingrained by her father into her.


    Bo Ji-Won had mentioned that Ahn Hana''s dog disappeared mysteriously when she was 18.


    He has a gut feeling that the dog''s disappearance is related to the killer. If that''s the case, then he wouldn''t accept anyone who is close to Ahn Hana whether its a dog or human.


    Do Sejin makes another list of people who are close to Ahn Hana.


    Bo Ji-Won


    Jung Kwang-soo


    As much as he knows, there are two people who are quite close to Ahn Hana. Jung Kwang-soo is her friend since the first year of the university. Bo Ji-Won and Ahn Hana''s friendship go back to their childhood days.


    And him? He can''t make it to the list. He loves her, but she doesn''t love him. Perhaps, there could have been something between them if he didn''t make the mistakes that he made.


    His sister was killed mercilessly because he gave pain to Ahn Hana. Seol A''s dead heart was stabbed because Ahn Hana let him enter her heart once.


    Do Sejin shuts his eyes and clenches his jaw. He shakes in anger as he recalls the details of the gruesome state of his sister.


    He walks to her office chamber. It''s empty. He frowns and calls her phone. She doesn''t pick it up. He runs to the elevator and turns on the GPS app on his phone. The tracker on her car is active. He follows the tracking device and reaches the location.


    "Why did she come here?" He stares hard at the 43C channel''s building. "She wouldn''t agree for an interview, would she?"


    She wouldn''t be that crazy. Does she want to provoke the killer?

 Chapter 67 - Dont make me lose my sanity

    "Today, we have an important guest with us."


    Ahn Hana taps her fingers on the table as the host finishes his introduction. Earlier, they requested her for an interview. She agreed under the condition that it had to be a live broadcast. They were more than happy to do it.


    "Miss Ahn, you are an important person to the killer." The host asks her a deep curiosity in his tone. "The 100th-days murders were connected to you. How do you feel about it?"


    The host is either crazy or a fool. She smiles at the host. "The murders were his love letters to me."


    There are loud gasps. The host does his best to keep a poker face. She''s calling them love letters. The show''s rating would increase if she keeps talking this way. The director signals the host.


    "Love letters?" The host prods her to say more. "I don''t quite understand."


    "He announced his love for me to the world." Her voice is warm. Her eyes glimmer strangely. She repeats, "Each murder was a love letter for me."


    The host feels his blood turn cold. He swallows down his saliva. He''s talking to a psychopath. He glances at the director helplessly who gives him a nod to continue. The host doesn''t want to continue. he wants to run away from the woman.


    "Miss Ahn, what happened that night?" The host asks the questions that everyone wants to know. "Why did you disappear a year ago? Did you meet the killer that night?"


    Ahn Hana looks at the camera quietly. Each person in the room is holding their breath and waiting for her words. The atmosphere is stiff and strangulating.


    "After he made love to me, he left me that night." Ahn Hana speaks in a gentle and loving manner. "I was also sick. He told me to fight the disease and survive. He was happy that I was pregnant. The detectives and other people were going to bother me because of the case. So, I went away to a place where I could fight the disease and give birth to the child quietly. Our son name is Ha-Neul. I know that he is mad at me for leaving him alone. I want to use this opportunity to apologize to him."


    Instant silence. The host doesn''t know what to say or ask. Everyone is in trance. Who is this lunatic speaking like that in front of the camera? This is a live broadcast. The whole nation will turn against her.


    The trance is suddenly broken. A man storms inside and slams his hand on the table in front of Ahn Hana. "Ha-Neul is not his son. I am his biological father. He''s not the killer''s son."


    Everyone''s eyes turn to Do Sejin who is looking at Ahn Hana with extreme loathing in his eyes. He never imagined that she would go this far. Did she not think about the child''s future for once?


    The host finds his voice. "Is it true?"


    Ahn Hana is not perturbed by Do Sejin''s actions. She sighs weakly and says, "Yes, he ?mpr??n?t?d me. But, I am the mother. I will decide who is Ha-Neul''s father. Ha-Neul''s father is the man who sent me 36 love letters."


    Do Sejin covers her mouth tightly. "Stop it. Ha-Neul is my son. Stop calling him that psychopath''s child. Just stop it, woman. Don''t make me lose my sanity."


    She strikes his face hard, but he still doesn''t let go of her. Seeing the man and woman nearly fighting each other, the director indicates the host to finish it quickly. The camera turns to the host who finishes it with short rushed polite words.


    Do Sejin drags her out of the place forcefully. He wouldn''t listen to anyone or stop to answer any question. He takes her straight to his home. The live broadcast is seen by the whole nation. He can''t imagine people''s reaction. Before the killer, the angry masses might come and kill her.

 Chapter 68 - Law will help me

    Do Sejin clenches and unclenches his fists. He takes deep breaths to cool down. But, it''s not working. He understands. The killer did horrible things to her. She''s acting strange. But, why must she sacrifice their child? He would never accept it.


    "Tell me why would you do it?" He squeezes out the word one by one with difficulty. "Ha-Neul is my son. Mine. I would never accept it. Why would you do that to my son? Where is he? Ahn Hana, tell me where is my son right now."


    Ahn Hana meets his eyes. Her eyes are empty like her soul. "I only said the truth."


    "Truth?" He is disgusted by her mentality. "He hurt you that night. Snap out of it. He did those horrible things. Your back still carries the scars."


    "That was a little punishment because my heart wavered once." She shrugs her shoulders. "He loves me."


    Do Sejin grabs her shoulders and shakes her body. "That''s not love, Ahn Hana. We don''t hurt people we love."


    He hears her laugh coldly.


    "Oh, then how do we hurt people we love? Everyone has their own way to love someone and hurt someone. Don''t you have yours?"


    She grips his hands and pushes them away from her body.


    "You broke my trust and slept around. You decided to make a similar agreement with Eun Min Ah and slept with her. You fu?k?d her in my office. I know that you were in love with me at that time. Didn''t you try to hurt the woman you loved back then? Then, are you any better than him?"


    Each word shakes his core. She''s comparing him to the killer. He deserves her hate, but he is not someone who ever killed an innocent one. He''s not like the killer. "I didn''t kill anyone."


    Her bitter smile pierces his heart. "He didn''t kill me."


    He steps away from her. He doesn''t know what to say. One can''t argue with a person like her.


    "I am going to take rest." Ahn Hana turns her back to him. "Don''t disturb me. I have nothing to say to you."


    Do Sejin sits down and holds his head. Ahn Hana. He doesn''t know her at all. Did she really become the person the killer wants her to be? He has been hoping that she wanted to catch the killer and punish him. But, he isn''t sure anymore. She''s likely to go to the killer by herself if she knew him.


    Someone rings the doorbell. Do Sejin is hesitant. He checks the screen first and sees that it''s Jung Kwang-soo standing at the door. He lets out a relieved breath and unlocks the door.


    Jung Kwang-soo comes inside with a worried expression. "Just what happened?"


    "She went insane." That''s all Do Sejin''s can say.


    "Just went insane?" Jung Kwang-soo knows Ahn Hana well. She''s not the type to make a careless mistake. She will never do something that in the live broadcast. "I don''t understand."


    Do Sejin doesn''t understand either. His voice is desperate and angry. "I want to find my son. I have to find him. She can''t keep my son with her. I am not going to let her anywhere close to him."


    Jung Kwang-soo purses his lips. If he was the father, he would have thought the same. "Nobody knows where he is."


    "Law will help me." Do Sejin smiles at him. "I will fight for my son in court. Then, she has to tell where he is."


    "I think that we should find the killer first," Jung Kwang-soo tells him quietly. "The child and Ahn Hana aren''t safe as long as the killer is out there."


    "That''s why I am scared." Do Sejin screams. "I am scared for her and my son. I have been patient. But, I can''t forgive her after what she did today. He''s my only child. I haven''t even seen his face. The whole country will hate him because of this stupid woman who claimed that the killer is her lover and the father of her son during a live broadcast on the national TV."


    A few months child can''t live alone. Someone must be taking care of the child. What if the people who are keeping his son see that live broadcast? What will they do to his son?


    Ahn Hana has been hearing. She finishes packing her suitcase. Jung Kwang-soo and Do Sejin stand up when they see her dragging the suitcase out of her room.


    "Where are you doing?" Jung Kwang-soo stands in front of her. "Ahn Hana, think with a cool head. You can''t leave now. There is no telling what will people do if they see you."


    "They won''t kill me." She looks at Do Sejin. "You can do whatever you want. I will see you in court."


    Do Sejin locks the door with the key and runs to the bathroom. He comes out after flushing the key away. "That was only set of the key. Even if you punch the code, it won''t open. You aren''t allowed to leave until you tell me where my son is."


    Jung Kwang-soo stares at the woman and the man. Both of them have gone insane. "We all need to sit down and address this problem. Ahn Hana, please talk. Do Sejin, calm down."


    Ahn Hana says nothing. She calls the cops.


    "I am being threatened and held inside the house against my wishes."


    Do Sejin walks to her and tries to take the phone. But, she''s quick. She runs to her room and locks herself inside.


    "Ahn Hana!" Do Sejin slams her door in anger. She doesn''t open it anyway. After some time, the cops are at his door and breaking open the door.

 Chapter 69 - You have different opinions

    "Were you being held here against your wishes?" The cop asks her to reconfirm.


    "She lives here," Do Sejin barks. He knows that he shouldn''t lose his temper. "She''s my roommate."


    "Is that true, Miss Ahn?"


    Ahn Hana nods. "I don''t want to live here anymore. I want to move out, but he stopped me from leaving."


    "Um..." Jung Kwang-soo decides to help Do Sejin. "There was a misunderstanding, Officer. My friend made a blunder on national TV. Do Sejin wanted to keep her inside because it''s not safe for her to go out. That''s it."


    She glares at him. Jung Kwang-soo shifts uneasily toward Sejin on the couch.


    "I saw the broadcast." The cop observes the woman and then, he looks at Do Sejin. "You are Ha-Neul''s father?"


    Ahn Hana: "No."


    Do Sejin: "Yes."


    "You have different opinions." The cop looks around. "Where''s the kid?"


    Nobody replies.


    The cop finds both of them strange. He scratches it off as lover''s quarrel over what happened during the broadcast and leaves after giving them some pieces of advice. As soon as they leave, Do Sejin throws her suitcase in her room.


    "You aren''t leaving." He tells her quietly, "Until the killer is caught, you will stay here with me."


    Jung Kwang-soo also blocks the door. The two men are against her leaving the house. She regrets not leaving with the cops.


    "You are helping him." She looks like she wants to kill him. "Kwang-soo, I thought that we were friends."


    "I am doing this for you."


    Fuming, she goes back to her and locks herself inside again.


    "I will stay here too." Jung Kwang-soo declares. "Until the killer is caught."


    Do Sejin''s and Ahn Hana''s are pitting against each other. If he leaves them alone, she is likely to kill Do Sejin. Ahn Hana''s temper has never been good.


    "Do whatever you want." Do Sejin doesn''t think that it''s a bad idea. He might lose his temper and do something to her. He might fight with her again. "I am leaving."


    "Where are you going?" Jung Kwang-soo yells after him.


    "Office. Then, I will file a case for the custody of our child," Do Sejin replies as he walks out of the apartment.


    "Damn!"


    ***


    Do Sejin picks up the necessary documents from the office. He gets on the elevator full of people. He is being stared, but he tries his best to keep his cool. Thanks to Ahn Hana, he is also famous. He should buy a hat on his way.


    At the entrance of the building, Eun Min Ah is waiting for him with a baby with her arms. She is red with anger, but the tears in her eyes are clear. Do Sejin ignores her. He doesn''t have time for this drama. Eun Min Ah runs to catch up to him and blocks his way. People around them are watching them curiously.


    She knees on the concrete. She places the child near his feet. "Leave that woman. I am your wife. He is your son. How can you have an affair with a crazy woman like her?"


    "Have you gone mad?" Do Sejin can''t believe his ears. What the hell she is saying? "I am having an affair with who?"


    "I saw it on the news. Some journalists followed you and her. They saw you entering the same apartment. After some time, the cops came. When they questioned the neighbors, they found out that she has been living with you since she came back." Eun Min Ah ignores the crying boy near Do Sejin''s feet. "Your son is Chang Min. Your parents are crying sick. Come back home now. Don''t fall for an evil woman."


    The scene is being recorded by many cameras on phones. It''s hard to believe that Eun Min Ah used to admire Ahn Hana once. She wouldn''t forgive anyone who tries to steal Do Sejin from her. If she hadn''t seen and heard it on the TV by herself, she wouldn''t have believed it. She would go to any extent to save her marriage. Even if it''s fake.


    "Eun Min Ah." He grits his teeth in anger. The baby is crying on the cold concrete."I told you that you can''t interfere in my life."


    She is relieved when he picks up the baby. But, her relief doesn''t last long. Do Sejin shoves the baby in her arms. "Eun Min Ah, our agreement is over."


    Do Sejin doesn''t respond to her crying voices. He has a bigger worry. His home location is known by everyone.

 Chapter 70 - please leave Do Sejin

    Two days have passed.


    Some people are calling her insane. Some people are calling her a homewrecker.


    Ahn Hana couldn''t care less. She is chilling at her home and waiting. She''s sure that there will be a response. He will come this time for sure. She isn''t allowed to leave the house. Do Sejin and Jung Kwang-soo has locked her in the room. In their eyes, she''s the most untrustworthy person at the moment.


    In her room, she has a lot of time to think. She writes down the names of people who could have been the killer. Some names match the names on Do Sejin''s list. There are other names. Deep down, she knows already that it''s not the person on the list.


    How long has he known her?


    She doesn''t know. She can''t remember.


    Do Sejin is busy suing people who have taken pictures of his apartment without his permission. The apartment photos are taken down, but the information is not gone. He has informed his parents about the fake wedding and told them that the child is not his. He doesn''t know what happened to Eun Min Ah. He has no interest. If she hadn''t done what she had done, he wouldn''t have done what he had done.


    "Must you?" Jung Kwang-soo asks when he sees the papers in Do Sejin''s hands. "Think carefully."


    Do Sejin looks at the closed door. He has given her enough chances. This is his last option. He can''t live another day not knowing about his child. He will take legal actions to get his child back. He leaves without answering Jung Kwang-soo.


    After some time, Ahn Hana comes out. She doesn''t talk to Jung Kwang-soo. She prepares her meal silently, ignoring his existence. Jung Kwang-soo is already used to it. He sighs. Then, the doorbell rings again.


    Jung Kwang-soo is surprised to see Eun Min Ah. "Why are you here?"


    Eun Min Ah didn''t think that Jung Kwang-soo would be here. She has been waiting for Do Sejin to leave. She wanted to have a talk with Ahn Hana.


    "I-I..." She stammers weakly. Under Ahn Hana''s unaffected gaze, she is nervous. "Senior Ahn, please leave Do Sejin."


    "He broke the marriage with me. He wouldn''t accept my Chang Min as his child." Eun Min Ah pleads her desperately. "I didn''t know about your relationship with him. But, I love him a lot. Please, Senior Ahn, you must help me."


    She sobs like a woman who has lost everything.


    After hearing the truth from their son, Do Sejin''s parents didn''t know how to react. Both Eun Min Ah and Do Sejin have lied to them. Now, they are hearing about Ahn Hana and another grandchild. The link between Ahn Hana, Do Sejin, and Seol A''s murder is exposed. They don''t want to accept Ahn Hana in any way.


    They can''t let go of Chang Min either. They love that child. So, they reluctantly let Eun Min Ah stay.


    Still, Eun Min Ah is stubborn.


    "You love him?" Ahn Hana crosses her arms. "Then, why are you fu?k?n? Jung Kwang-soo?"


    Eun Min Ah ceases her cries. She didn''t know that Ahn Hana knew. She turns her head and looks at Jung Kwang-soo.


    "Don''t look at him." Ahn Hana bends her knees and looks into Eun Min Ah''s eyes. "Kwang-soo didn''t tell me, but I can tell easily. You are too inexperienced and young to hide it properly. Ah, the child... I already know that he''s not Do Sejin''s son. Surprisingly, he''s not Jung Kwang-soo''s son either. You still say that you love Do Sejin?"


    Eun Min Ah feels the pressure on her soul under Ahn Hana''s glance. She crawls away from her, shaking. She can''t answer any of Ahn Hana''s questions. Jung Kwang-soo releases a tired sigh. Eun Min Ah''s obsession with Do Sejin has been her downfall. She had gone too far to imprison him. Jung Kwang-soo pities the girl, but she had helped him once. After Ahn Hana left, he was in a hell hole. At that time, Eun Min Ah sought him. She let him stay with her at her place.


    He puts his hand on her trembling shoulder. "Min Ah, go home."


    Eun Min Ah notices the pity in Kwang-soo''s eyes. She rubs her tears away. Why both men want Ahn Hana and not her? In a way, she loves Jung Kwang-soo too. She glimpses at Ahn Hana hatefully once before she leaves the apartment.


    After Eun Min Ah is gone, Ahn Hana stares long and hard at Jung Kwang-soo. "Don''t tell me that you are in love with that girl."


    "I might be." Jung Kwang-soo doesn''t deny it.


    "Fool." She gulps down the cold water. "Tell her before she takes any foolish action."


    Jung Kwang-soo pinches his lips. Is it that easy? The girl is crazy about Do Sejin.


    "She might have loved Do Sejin once. Now, she''s being obstinate. Like a child who wouldn''t let go of her favorite toy, she''s holding on to Do Sejin." Ahn Hana pours down another glass of cold water. "She can be saved if you go to her and take her into your arms. Stop hesitating."


    The human heart is vicious. It gets sick and twisted easily. It''s hard to say which emotion might become a disease that only causes pain. Because there is Jung Kwang-soo, it''s not late for Eun Min Ah.


    Jung Kwang-soo tells her with a neutral voice, "I will wait for Do Sejin to come back."

 Chapter 71 - You are still resisting it, my dear Hana

    "No, Ji Won didn''t come here."


    Jung Kwang-soo turns pale when he hears the words on the call. At morning, Bo Ji Won left home for her appointment with her doctor. But, she didn''t reach there even now. Bo Ji Won''s husband called her later, but she didn''t pick up. After some time, her phone turned dead. He became suspicious. He has been calling her friends and relatives. It hasn''t been 24 hours yet.


    "We are coming."


    Jung Kwang-soo has a bad feeling that the disappearance might be connected to the killer. Ahn Hana guesses what might have happened. The change in her eyes is instant. The darkness is swept away by slight concern.


    "We have to find Ji Won." Jung Kwang-soo types a text on his phone and sends it to Do Sejin. He can''t leave Hana alone in the house. Ahn Hana takes the knife and hides it inside her clothes.


    As soon as he unlocks the door, a knife delves into his gut. Jung Kwang-soo looks down at the blood gushing out of his body. The killer is masked, dressed in tight leather clothes. The second stab comes instantly. Jung Kwang-soo turns around and screams, "Ahn Hana, run."


    Ahn Hana widens her eyes, but she doesn''t run. She clenches the hilt of the knife and charges at the killer. He pushes away Jung Kwang-soo and grabs her wrist. Her hand is twisted until the knife falls down. The killer kicks away the knife and laughs lowly. "My dead Hana, you have gone naughty."


    Her body becomes stiff. "I am sorry."


    He puts the cloth over Ahn Hana''s nose. The As she closes her eyes, he leans closer to her ear and murmur, "You can lie to the world, but you can''t lie to me."


    Jung Kwang-soo manages to press the speed dial before he closes his eyes.


    ***


    The sound of stifled cries wakes her up. When her hazy vision clears away, her eyes meet Bo Ji Won''s eyes. She''s tied to a metal chair with an iron chain. Her mouth is taped. Ahn Hana finds herself in a similar situation. But, she''s tied with a rope.


    Ahn Hana looks around. She finds herself in an unfamiliar place. The sunlight is pouring in through the small ventilation. The floor is clean. How long she has been here?


    She glances at Bo Ji Won with her haunted eyes. "Did he hurt you?"


    "Did he say something?"


    Bo Ji Won shakes her head again. The panic and terror in her eyes are contaminating Ahn Hana''s mind. She doesn''t want to be frightened. One can''t think clearly with a frightened mind. She needs to free herself first.


    Ahn Hana didn''t think that the killer will take this kind of action. She did everything to fool him and lure him out. She wanted to make him believe that she loved him back. She had been investigating for the past year. She sat down and looked through her memories to find anyone who fit the killer''s profile. But, she couldn''t think of anyone. She couldn''t remember anyone who could be like that. She could have stayed hidden for life, but she was afraid that the killer would find her and her child. Her disturbing thoughts didn''t help her either.


    There were times when she wanted to embrace the rising darkness inside her.


    There is only one reason why she resisted that thought every day. She wanted to protect her child from herself and this killer.


    That''s why she came back.


    No matter how hard she tries, she can''t even move her fingers. The daylight disappears. The room is immersed in darkness. She can''t see Bo Ji Won, but she can hear her rough breathing sounds. Their hearts are startled when they hear the sound of a click.


    The masked killer switches on the lights. Bo Ji Won tries to scream when she sees the killer with a silver knife in his hand. He walks behind her and places the knife on her throat.


    "My dear Hana, do you like her more than me?"


    "Answer me, Hana." The killer''s voice is deep and tranquil.


    What kind of answer is right?


    Bo Ji Won is looking at her pleadingly.


    "You don''t want to answer" The Killer sighs. "At least, you aren''t lying."


    He pushes the knife into the throat. The blood spurts out of the windpipe. Ahn Hana watches her die in front of her. She looks at the bulging belly of Bo Ji Won. Until the last moment, Bo Ji Won has been pleading her to save her with her eyes.


    The killer waits for her to react. She doesn''t scream or cry. He sees her eyes become quieter. The remnants of light in her eyes is disappearing. Pleased, he cuts away the ropes on her body. She doesn''t move or fight. They both know what would happen if she does that.


    "You are still resisting it, my dear Hana." He lays her down on the floor. Bo Ji Won''s blood is still warm. It soaks her clothes. The killer cuts down her clothes away one by one. She closes her eyes. A single tear rolls out on her cheek.

 Chapter 72 - You have already chosen me

    He runs his fingers into her white hair soaked in Bo Ji Won''s blood. "Why do you dye your hair white? Are you pretending to be a white magnolia flower?"


    When she doesn''t answer him, he chuckles quietly. She''s resigning herself to fate. She would rather accept death.


    "I understand, my dear Hana. You were acting on your mother''s instinct." He traces the cesarian scar on her lower belly with his gloved hand. "You are still acting on your mother''s instinct."


    He pulls her legs apart and examines her inner th??h. Ji Won''s blood is cold now. She doesn''t answer him. She watches him unzips himself. He thrusts his enlarged ???k. He doesn''t hold back. She gasps in pain because of the sudden ?ssault.


    "I am happy to see that you are acting honestly. You have no will to live. You would rather die than give in to your darkness."


    He pulverizes her insides, making it painful in every way possible. Tears form in her eyes. "Hana, do you think that I don''t know where our daughter is?"


    Her eyes react to his words with shock. "Why?" She screams at him. "How do you know that?"


    "I knew from the start. saw you running away that night. I knew where you were going." He ?ssails deeper into her as he laughs heartily. "I watched you change clothes in the alley. I saw you board the ship. I knew where you were hiding all this time."


    She tries to grab for his mask. He grasps her wrists and pins them on the floor. "Hana, my dear, you can''t escape from me. I didn''t come to you because I knew that you would come back. I knew that you couldn''t live hiding from me. You want me too. You know that nobody loves you more than I do."


    "Don''t hurt her," She beseeches him frantically.


    "Ha-Neul has your eyes." His voice is darkly alluring. "When I held her, she smiled at me. She recognized me as her father."


    "No, you aren''t her father." Her helpless sobs fill the cold room. "Her name is not Ha-Neul."


    "You didn''t give her any name." He is satisfied to see her like this. All hope is not lost. His Hana is not completely gone. He won''t kill her yet. She will give in. If she didn''t have any hope, she would have named the child differently. She wouldn''t have come back to him.


    "Close your eyes."


    She is in too much in pain. Her body is covered with Bo Ji Won''s and her blood. She doesn''t stop crying. She''s afraid for her daughter. She can''t fight this man. She can''t win.


    "Close them." He grasps her small peak. "Otherwise, I will gouge them out now. You will never be able to see our daughter again."


    The thought scares her to the core. She closes her eyes in the next instant. He rolls his mask up, revealing only the lower half of his face. Ahn Hana has lost a lot of weight. She''s bones mostly. "You haven''t been taking care of your body."


    "Where is my daughter?" She asks him with her eyes closed. She knows that she will die the moment she looks at his face. "What did you do to her?"


    He doesn''t answer her questions.


    "Stop fighting your love for me, my Hana. Submit yourself to me." He embraces her affectionately. "We will start a new life with our Ha-Neul."


    Ahn Hana trembles when his lips brush against her skin. He showers her with ravenous kisses. The blood doesn''t disturb him. Instead, he finds her more captivating this way. He sucks the curve of her neck. He grazes his lips on her collar bone. She lets out a strangulated m??n. He is unable to hold back and bites her almost white earlobe, leaving a red mark on her ear. She lets out a soft gasp.


    "Hana, you are mine. I love you and I know that you love me too," He tells her with a soothing voice. "I understand that you are in pain. I live every day watching you suffering. You keep struggling between right and wrong. You don''t want to submit to your true self."


    She screams in pain when his teeth sink into her br??st hard. He licks off the tears on her cheeks. The gentle brushes of his lips on her face don''t match his continues ?ssaults into her ravaged tunnel to hear her scream more. The pain triggers something in her mind.


    "Ah... more... ah... " Her screams turn into sensual m??ns. "Ahh...want more..."


    His fingers curl around her pale and slender throat. Her face contorts in pain. Her teeth pierce her lower lip when he begins to choke her. She scratches his hands coiled around her neck. She still doesn''t open her eyes and looks at his face. He is on the verge of breaking her neck. Her body struggles naturally to save itself until it becomes limp.


    He loosens his fingers. He looks at her unmoving bruised body beneath him and sighs sorrowfully. He draws out his p?n?s from her body. It''s covered with her blood. He plants a kiss on her forehead and strokes her head.


    He can''t kill her. His Hana is still in there.


    "I know that you need some time. You have already chosen me, but you are being cowardly. Ha-Neul and I will be waiting for you. I hope that you find the courage to find us and make our family whole."

 Chapter 73 - I am taking Ha-Neuls mother with me

    "Jung Kwang-soo?"


    Nobody speaks on the other side of the call. Do Sejin wonders if he has called him accidentally. It''s late at night. He is already on his way back home. He''s about to hang up the call when he hears a voice.


    "I am taking Ha-Neul''s mother with me."


    There is a short laugh and the call is disconnected right away. His blood becomes cold when he hears that voice. His heart beats loudly. He pushes the acceleration to reach his house. He makes a call to the detective handling this case.


    "Please be safe." He mumbles to himself anxiously. He forces himself to breathe. He is still 20 minutes away from his house. The cops already at his house when he arrives. Jung Kwang-soo''s unconscious and bloody body is taken away to the ambulance. Ahn Hana is nowhere to be seen. They find the knife that she tried to use on the killer.


    Sejin is devastated when he sees the recording of his house. Ahn Hana tried to fight the killer. Jung Kwang-soo called Do Sejin before losing consciousness. Ahn Hana''s mouth was covered with a cloth. She passed out in the killer''s arms.


    They see the killer turn off her phone at his house. But, the killer doesn''t throw it away. They check the CCTVs. They see him take Ahn Hana''s car. The car is found abandoned at a CCTV blindspot. From that point on, they can''t trace the Killer and Ahn Hana.


    Do Sejin punches the wall in frustration.


    "Mr. Do, calm down. We have got a glimpse of the killer in the recording. We will find him," The detective says with a heavy voice.


    The killer was covered from his head to the toes. They couldn''t find any substantial evidence at his house. How are they going to find them? He can''t imagine the things the killer will do to her this time.


    The killer came again and took her. He laughed at him and took her right from his house. He thought that she was safe there, but he was a fool to think that.


    It''s already been 20 hours since he took her.


    "It''s on," The detective shouts. "Ahn Hana''s phone is turned on."


    They track the signal into outskirts of the city. He hopes that it was Ahn Hana who turned on the phone. If it''s the killer, then...


    The house is at the edge of the woods. There is eerie silence. They approach it with caution. The door is not locked. Do Sejin''s heart is caught in his throat. He runs inside before the detective could stop him.


    The living room is under a thick layer of dust. It seems like the owner didn''t place the foot inside the house for years. Do Sejin looks down and sees footprints on the dust. He follows the footprints toward the basement. The smell of blood and death wafts into his nose.


    He doesn''t want to see what''s inside. The detective tries to pull him behind. He yanks his hand away and pushes the door. He climbs down the staircase. The lights are turned on.


    Nothing has prepared him for this scene.


    Bo Ji Won''s corpse is tied to the chair. Her blood has painted on the floor. A little far away from her corpse, Ahn Hana''s battered body coated with blood is lying on the floor. Her feet are widened apart. Her arms are crossing over her head on the floor. Her eyes are closed as if she''s asleep. The distinct red and blue handprints are visible on her pale neck.


    He can''t tell whether she is alive or dead.

 Chapter 74 - I hope you cooperate

    The detective comes out of the ward. He whispers something to his colleague before going to Do Sejin. "She wants to see you."


    Do Sejin stops in front of the door. He doesn''t know how long he keeps standing there. He can''t bring himself to enter or leave. He can''t bring himself to meet her eyes. He can''t forget how he found her in the basement.


    He kept asking her what happened to her that night at Jung Kwang-soo''s place. She didn''t answer him once. The killer tried to make her submit that night. He laughed and did the same thing to her after a year later.


    Ahn Hana stares down at her hands. She''s still alive. That man didn''t kill her. She remembers how she begged him to continue. She started enjoying the pain. She had been a fool. She lied to the world to lure him out. He saw right through her. She was desperate to protect her daughter. She failed to do so. He knew everything from the start. He even got hold on her daughter.


    She smiles apathetically.


    Do Sejin pushes the door slowly. He doesn''t know what to expect. But, he notices her smiling coldly at her hands with a murderous look in her eyes. He steps back instinctively. She lifts her head. The look in her eyes is gone and replaced by a familiar calm. "Do Sejin."


    "Hana." He releases a tensed breath and takes guarded steps toward her. He has a thousand things to say, but her empty eyes prevent him from saying so. "You wanted to see me."


    "You wanted to know about the child." She signals him to take a seat near the bed. "I will tell you."


    He doesn''t know what she had said to the detective. He releases a breath and takes the seat. He waits for her to say something.


    "She is 5 months old. I didn''t give her a name. Before I came here, I left her at an orphanage in C country for her safety. I donated all of my money there to keep her identity hidden. She wouldn''t be given up for adoption in any case." She stares into his eyes. "I was going to bring her here after the killer was caught."


    She continues with her business tone, "After I came back, I didn''t contact them once. They couldn''t contact me either. I used Detective''s phone to call them and confirm what the killer told me. The killer has her."


    Do Sejin doesn''t know about to absorb that information. His worst nightmare has come true. His 5 months old child is taken by the killer. Ahn Hana''s sanity is breaking. It''s been a year and he couldn''t find the killer. He couldn''t prevent his worst nightmare becoming true.


    "Hana, did you see the killer''s face? Anything that can help us identify him?" He asks her. "We have to find our daughter. Please, think. You have seen him enough times."


    "You have also seen him." She lets out a cynical laugh. "You think that I don''t know about the cameras in your house?"


    "If you help me -"


    Do Sejin is interrupted. Someone knocks the door. He looks behind and finds a familiar man standing at the door.


    "Excuse me." Prosecutor Im Jihoon walks into the room. "Lawyer Ahn?"


    Why is this prosecutor here? Do Sejin frowns deeply. He remembers meeting this man at the hospital the other day. "Prosecutor Im, why are you here?"


    "I am handling this case." He smiles awkwardly. "I begged my seniors to give me another chance. I was wrong to prosecute the wrong person last time. I want to give justice to all the victims of the magnolia killer including lawyer Ahn. I hope you cooperate."


    Do Sejin has heard of Prosecutor Im during his college days. He''s quite a legend. His other name was Prosecutor Justice. When the 100th-day murder case first sprung to light and the professors were using that opportunity for debate between the wannabe prosecutors and wannabe lawyers, the two sides were mainly divided into one who supported Prosecutor Im and one who supported Lawyer Ahn. The court trial between Ahn Hana and Im Jihoo was highly anticipated, but Ahn Hana disappeared before that.


    Hearing and seeing has a difference. Do Sejin didn''t think that Im Jihoon''s personality is like this. Prosecutor Im is just... Do Sejin has a feeling that Im Jihoon wants to use this case to get his fame back.


    "Lawyer Ahn." Prosecutor Im looks at her with a mild smile on his face. "Are you okay now?"


    She slightly furrows her brows. "If I am not okay, will you stop doing your job?"


    Im Jihoon laughs awkwardly with a low voice. "Sorry, I have to bother you."


    She shrugs her shoulder. "Ask what you want to ask."


    "Tell me what happened." Im Jihoon''s aura change instantly. He shifts the glasses on his eyes and looks at her gravely.


    "I have already told everything to the detective," She replies coldly. "Before I left, I didn''t hide anything. After I came back, I told him everything today. So, what else do you want to know?"


    "I want to hear from you." Im Jihoon persists. "The truth loses its sharpness when it''s circulating around. I have taken the statement from your friend, Jung Kwang-soo. I need to hear your version."


    Im Jihoon pauses for a moment and glances at Do Sejin. "It''s better if you leave us alone."


    "Let him stay." Ahn Hana leans back and closes her eyes to gather her thoughts. "He has been curious a lot."


    Do Sejin purses his lips. He wonders if he has the strength to hear what happened to her. He has to hear it. He needs to find the killer. For the sake of his daughter and Ahn Hana, he must hear it.

 Chapter 75 - I wont repeat these words again

    Ahn Hana thinks about the time when she found out about the killer. The day of her wedding. Meeting the killer on the same night. The scent of Magnolia on the killer. Baek Han Sol. The connection between her and the 100-days murders. The love letters. Her parents'' death. Noh Kyung-Hee. His voice when she was in the coma after the accident. Her first time with the killer. Every word that he spoke to her every time he met her. The fact that he violated her several times at her house and she had no idea. He knew about her secrets codes. Seol A''s death and the message to her. He knew her more than she knew herself. That night at Jung Kwang-soo''s place. Her escape. Her foolish belief that she could escape him.


    She admits that the killer loves her. When she got into the accident after her parents'' death, she woke up from the coma because of the man''s voice that pulled her out of her miserable state. When she was heartbroken and depressed after qualifying the bar exam, he came to her that night and healed her heart. He loved her so much each time he was with her. She might have continued living with such blinding arrogance toward the world because of him. She found the courage to fight the disease and give birth to her daughter because of the killer''s words that night.


    He''s the only man who understands her thoroughly. He is the one who destroyed her world and helped her rebuilt it. He is the source of her misery. He is the one who has taught her that there is love in pain too. He is the one who can make her body feel so much p???sur? while giving her the most pain. He wants to be the only resident in her heart.


    Ahn Hana didn''t leave out any detail. Her voice cracks toward the end of her story. "I am in love with him. But, I don''t know how to love him."


    Do Sejin is numb to the point that his mind is whirring. Especially, her last words have shattered his soul. He doesn''t speak. He doesn''t have the strength to get up and walk away. He sits there, unmoving and wan.


    Im Jihoon places his hand over her hand and squeezes it sympathetically once before stroking it. "You have been through a lot. I will do everything in my power to find him and your daughter. Stay strong."


    She gazes at the large and rough hand that is patting her small hand. She shrinks away from him and asks, "Are you satisfied? I won''t repeat these words again."


    "Thank you, Lawyer Ahn." Im Jihoon is more than satisfied now. He pulls back his hand. "If the killer contacts you again, don''t go to him. Contact the authority first. Don''t act on your own. I will talk to the journalist and clear up the things related to your confession on the national TV."


    "You are kind, Prosecutor Im," She replies with her usual monotonous voice.


    "The public might try to harm you. A crazy killer is more than enough to handle." Im Jihoon sighs. His shoulders are hunched. He places his card in her hand. "If you recall any more detail, give me a call anytime."


    Ahn Hana says nothing. She gazes toward the window, deep in thought.


    "Mr. Do, you are also closely related to this case." Im Jihoon gives his card to Do Sejin. "Your daughter was taken by the killer. I also have a daughter. If something happens to her, I will go crazy. I will do my utmost to find your daughter. If you find any information or just want to have a talk, I will wait for your call."


    Do Sejin nods at him. Im Jihoon leaves the ward quietly. He has a lot to do.

 Chapter 76 - Start by calling my name first

    "Say... why did you lie to me?" Do Sejin asks her quietly.


    "I only trust myself." Ahn Hana leans back and stares at the open window. Her daughter is gone. She can only hope that the magnolia killer will not hurt her daughter. She managed to hold on to the sanity because of her daughter. Even now, she''s this calm because of her daughter. "She looks a lot like you."


    Do Sejin rests his elbows on the bed and holds his head. He can''t cry. He doesn''t know what to say to this woman. He knows that she can''t trust him. She won''t even give him a chance to become her person. For his past mistakes, how long does he has to suffer? His sister is dead. His daughter is taken away. The woman he loves has been tortured over and over again. The killer is doing it to torment him.


    Ahn Hana mumbles to herself, "I will find him."


    ***


    When Jung Kwang-soo opens his eyes, he finds Eun Min Ah sitting beside him. "You are here."


    He didn''t expect to survive. He didn''t expect to see her sitting beside him either. She seems tired. There are dark circles around her eyes. It seems like she hasn''t slept for days.


    "You are awake." A smile breaks on her lips. "Boss Jung, I am relieved."


    Its been a week. The doctor couldn''t tell whether he would wake up or not. He lost a lot of blood when he was attacked. Eun Min Ah has been here, waiting for him to wake up. When she saw him lying still as if he was already dead, she felt like she was also dying.


    "What happened to Ahn Hana?"


    She gets a sharp pain in her heart. Why does both men only care about Ahn Hana?


    Jung Kwang-soo looks at her with deep fear when she doesn''t answer. "Is she...?"


    "No, she''s fine and already discharged." She answers him while holding herself from bursting into tears. "Do Sejin is with her."


    "Thank goodness." Jung Kwang-soo lets out a breath of relief.


    Eun Min Ah looks down at her pale hands. She doesn''t know when she started to care for this man. She had always wanted to have Do Sejin despite the way he treated her. But, Boss Jung was always there to listen to her. He never treated her harshly. She knew that she was just one of the women who warmed his bed, but she still could not stop herself from seeing him.


    To be honest, Eun Min Ah is tired of running after Do Sejin. At first, she thought that he would never fall for anyone. When she heard about Ahn Hana and noticed his feelings for her, she realized something crucial. When she met Ahn Hana, she knew that she could never defeat that woman. It didn''t hurt her as it should have. She was forcing herself to feel hurt. It hurt her more when she heard that Jung Kwang-soo might die.


    Jung Kwang-soo sees her devastated expression. The girl only pretends in front of Do Sejin and others, but she lowers her inhibitions only in front of him. This relationship between them started after Ahn Hana was gone. At that time, he was trying to drink to death, afraid to go back to his home. He couldn''t live while knowing that Ahn Hana was tortured in his bedroom and he could do nothing. This girl found him. She would stay beside him when he was too afraid. She would hold his head and stroke his hair to calm him when he woke up because of the nightmares. The world might see her as a horrible woman who would do anything to tie a man to her. He has seen her other side. She even took care of Do Sejin''s parents when his sister died. He is not saying that she didn''t do any wrong, but she''s not exactly a bad person.


    Behind the girl who would do anything for Do Sejin, there is a kind girl who would even stay beside people like him.


    He recalls Ahn Hana''s words. The girl can still be saved. He wants her to be beside him. There''s something between them. It''s love or not. It''s hard to tell. Maybe it''s something more or less than love.


    "Min Ah..." Jung Kwang-soo reaches for her hand. "I want to see your face first thing in the morning for the rest of my life."


    Those sudden words shock her. She didn''t think that she would ever hear a man say those words to him, especially him. She blinks once. A tear drops down from her left eye. "Why?"


    "When I felt like I was dying, I thought that I wanted to see you once." Jung Kwang-soo''s words are honest. "When I woke up and saw you first, I knew that I would like to see you beside me for the rest of my life."


    "But, you asked about her first." Eun Min Ah wants to slap him. "You like Ahn Hana. You didn''t follow me that day."


    "I told you already that she''s my friend. There''s nothing between us." Jung Kwang-soo sighs. "There can never be anything between her and me. I don''t see her as a woman. Also, she''s the one who told me that I should confess my feelings to you."


    Pale, Eun Min Ah purses her lips. She doesn''t know how to take this information.


    "You were interested in Do Sejin. That''s why I didn''t say anything earlier. Because she insisted that I should atleast try, I am revealing it to you today." Jung Kwang-soo closes his eyes. "I know that I am old. If you are still interested in marrying me for real, let''s get the marriage certificates after I get discharged. I will accept your son as my son, not just in the name like Do Sejin did. We will raise him together if you agree. You should start by calling my name first if you want to marry me."


    Eun Min Ah breaks down into tears then. Jung Kwang-soo pats her hand. It''s been years of shame and hurt. Her son is being called a bastard by people. It''s her mistakes. She doesn''t want her son to pay for it. She didn''t think that this playboy would ever look at her something more.


    Eun Min Ah stares at him. "Kwang-soo, don''t cheat on me."


    Jung Kwang-soo chuckles. "Who would cheat on such a pretty and young wife?"


    "Shut up." She looks away with a blush on her face. Their past isn''t clean. But they can have a clean future that only consists of them.

 Chapter 77 - I will see whether you have the guts

    Ahn Hana doesn''t move out of Do Sejin''s apartment. She resumes going to the office and handling minor cases as if nothing happened to her. Do Sejin keeps her eyes on her while investigating people on the list. There is silence between them even at work. She''s not warm or cold. At home, she would rarely utter a word to him. She leaves before he wakes up and goes straight to her room after coming back. She would eat food outside.


    Do Sejin is used to this silence. In this chamber, he is looking at the list carefully. He has a feeling that the killer is not anyone among them. The person who can help him the most is Ahn Hana herself. He wonders if he should talk to her about this. Is there any way?


    He has visited the library. He has taken the book that the killer read to her when she was in a coma. The book has a haunting message. The killer has aesthetic senses. They have caught him on the camera, but it''s useless. Aside from his shoe size, height, and body shape, he doesn''t know anything. Still, it''s a start. Most people in this list cancels out after checking. Then, who is it?


    His head is hurting. It''s not possible to check all the men in the city.


    Bo Ji Won is dead. Jung Kwang-soo nearly died. What does the killer want from him? When will this be over?


    His daughter is with the killer. There''s not even a picture of her. Ahn Hana has nothing of her.


    That woman... he doesn''t know what to say to her. There are times when he wants to shake her awake and say that she should trust him and give him a chance. She should talk to him. But, the woman is stubborn.


    He walks to her chamber in frustration. How could she be this calm after everything that happened? It''s not only about this woman anymore. It''s about their daughter. He can''t accept that a murderer is holding his daughter somewhere.


    "Hana." He slams the list in front of her. "It''s enough. Tell me who you are suspicious of. You must have someone in your mind."


    She scans the list with a poker face. "None of them."


    He could guess it already. "Who is it? Tell me the names of people who could be the magnolia killer."


    Who? Ahn Hana is not 100% sure. There is someone in her mind, but she can''t find the connection between them. She''s still looking. If her doubts are correct, then they would only know the person. They have zero evidence against the person.


    Before she finds out what he wants from her, she can''t make a move.


    "There''s no one in my mind." She looks up at Do Sejin. "If you stop being so emotional, you might be able to find something."


    "Blaming me for being emotional..." He grasps her shoulder and glares at her. "Damnit, woman! He has our daughter."


    Ahn Hana''s shoulder hurts. She doesn''t react to the pain. "Our daughter won''t be harmed."


    "How are you so sure?" He can''t believe what he is seeing. The woman is really a mother? A mother can''t be this calm. "How are you sure that she isn''t already dead?"


    "Because he loves me. He wouldn''t hurt her because he thinks that she''s his daughter. She came from me." She grabs his collar and pulls him closer. "You also love me, don''t you? Your love is nothing compared to his. Stop haggling me now. If you want to find her, go find her yourself. I will find her in my way."


    "What will you do when you find her?" Do Sejin smiles at her scornfully. "Will you go to him and become his? Playing a happy family with him somewhere?"


    He can''t forget how she declared that she loved him. Now, she''s demeaning him by comparing his love with that killer. This woman might have gone insane. It''s not her fault. But he can''t accept her falling deeper into the darkness willingly. To save her and their daughter, he will do anything.


    "Ahn Hana, you will only belong to me. I am the father of the child you bore in your w?mb for months. Nobody can change that fact." He leans closer to her. "I won''t let that killer take you away. I will find him and bury him with my own hands."


    Ahn Hana stares at him without any change in her expression. One can''t tell whether she hates him or admires him for his declaration. Suddenly, there is a shadow of a smile on her lips.


    "When the moment comes, I will see whether you have the guts."

 Chapter 78 - Even if I remember, I wouldnt tell you

    Ever since their confrontation in the office, Do Sejin has been continuously pestering her.


    "Tell me the name. I know that you have thought of someone." Do Sejin follows her around the apartment. Even when she enters the bathroom, he would stand outside and keep yelling at her to say anything. He wouldn''t let her stay alone in her bedroom.


    If these little tactics could work on her, Ahn Hana would not be known as the legend in her field.


    "Stop.Bothering.Me." She turns around tells him calmly, "Unless you want to have s?x with me, get out of the room."


    "How can you think about s?x when our daughter is abducted?" He feels like choking the woman. "Ahn Hana, the killer has her. She''s not even a year old. Do you feel nothing?"


    Does she not? How many times would he ask that question? Losing calm would never get her the solution. "He won''t harm her. At most, you would find my mutilated body somewhere or maybe not. He might not like my body to be found. Get out of the room now."


    Do Sejin is stumped for words. She''s so chill. "Is it someone from your childhood? He has even killed your dog. I am sure of it. Then, he must be someone who has known you for a long time. Did you meet him after you met Bo Ji Won or way before that?"


    "I don''t remember meeting him, but that doesn''t mean that he and I have never met." Ahn Hana gives in to him. "Go find him if you can now."


    "You are right. He knew the layout of your house and your parents well. Bo Ji Won told me that only she visited you as a child. That man must have visited you before you met Bo Ji Won. If you were too young, you would probably not remember." Do Sejin scratches his chin thoughtfully. "He hated your father. He didn''t make your mother''s death as painful as he did it for your father. He''s someone who is older than you, but he''s fit and not too old. Then, he must be also a child when he met you? Since you can''t recall, it must be someone you met when you were too young to remember. How young is too young? I can recall up to the age of 3. When does your memory becomes fuzzy when you think back?"


    Ahn Hana is slightly impressed. She has also deduced the same. But, she wants to be sure of the connection. There is something that man wants from her. She also wants to remember. She lays down on the bed and stares at the ceiling. For someone who loves her that much, that man must have suffered when she forgot.


    "Hana?" Do Sejin grips her jaw and turns her face to meet his eyes. "I am right then."


    "Even if I remember, I wouldn''t tell you." She slaps his hand away. "Get out now. I need to sleep."


    He sighs. At least, he has something more now. The killer couldn''t make his presence known later in her life. From the point of the killer''s view, he must have thought that Ahn Hana changed. Then, what kind of person Ahn Hana was when she was a child?


    Only people who knew her back then can answer him.


    The killer must be someone who visited her when she was young. She couldn''t remember, but he could remember her. A neighborhood kid who moved away?


    Do Sejin finally gets out of the room. Ahn Hana lets out a sigh. She also needs to check something.

 Chapter 79 - If you are capable, find him by yourself

    Jung Kwang-soo isn''t discharged yet. Ahn Hana has visited the hospital after she heard that he is awake. When she sees Eun Min Ah in the ward, she leaves without meeting him. It''s better if they make a distance. She doesn''t want to cause any problem between him and Eun Min Ah. Also, Jung Kwang-soo has suffered enough because of her. She doesn''t want him to die like Bo Ji Won.


    At around noon, she drives to her parents'' home. Everything has started from that point. The house is the same. She looks at the photos again, replaying the memories in her head one by one in reverse. School graduation. Bo Ji Won. Her dog. Her parents'' friend and colleagues. Her attempt at cooking. Pictures with her father and her. In nearly all the photos, she''s smiling. Her father also was also happy. Her mother is also there in some pictures.


    She looks at the picture of her standing alone in the lawn. There is no dust on the picture. She picks up the frame and takes out the picture. Someone scribbled something behind the picture. It''s a child''s handwriting. This handwriting doesn''t belong to her parents.


    [My dear Hana, you turned 4 on this day.]


    She checks more pictures of her taken in similar poses, always alone. The handwriting is the same. There''s always some innocent message scribbled behind the pictures.


    [My dear Hana, you spoke for the first time.]


    [My dear Hana, you learned to walk on this day.]


    [My dear Hana''s happiness is my happiness.]


    Behind the picture of her 100th-day photo, she also finds a message.


    [My dear Hana, you chose me on this day.]


    In the hazy memories, she sees a boy smiling at her. She hears herself making a promise. It was so long ago. Why did she forget someone like him?


    "Only you," She mumbles the promises that she made to him once. "I will only love you."


    ***


    Do Sejin is waiting outside the house. He has seen her walking in. But she''s taking too much time. He decides to go inside as it is turning dark. It''s not safe to stay here anymore.


    "Hana?" He finds her standing with a photo in her hand with a dazed look. He peers into the picture and sees the scribblings. His face turns pale when he reads the words. He checks all the other photos. The person has known her since she was a baby. He''s too horrified to say anything.


    How did she choose that person when she was a baby? Do Sejin can''t figure out the killer''s thinking. He''s too sane to peep into an obsessed man.


    These writings... can he find that person after analyzing the handwriting? It''s a child''s handwriting. It is still a clue. He gathers the pictures first. He glances at Hana and asks her, "Do you remember the name?"


    "Hana!" He shouts. "Have you gone mad? You have to say if you remember. Any feature you remember about him might help me find him sooner."


    "Find him on your own." She walks past him. He takes a long step and pulls her back.


    "Don''t run away. Tell me the name."


    "Do Sejin!" She glowers at him and roars at him. "If you are capable, find him by yourself."


    Stunned, Do Sejin lets go of her. Is she really gone? Can he not save her? How come she still refuses to tell him? He needs to do anything to save her and his daughter. He needs to do it fast.


    Now, he knows what kind of person the killer must be. Finding him would be easier.


    "I will find him by myself then."

 Chapter 80 - He was just being nosy

    Im Jihoon is looking at the video from Do Sejin''s house to make a profile of the killer. It''s 11 of the night. His wife and kids are already asleep. He lits the cigarette and goes out to the balcony to take a smoke. He stares at the distance. His wife doesn''t like him smoking, but he needs to smoke on nights like this.


    His phone rings suddenly. He furrows his brow. Who could it be? The number is new. He has only given his personal number to a few people only.


    [Prosecutor Im?]


    Do Sejin.


    Im Jihoon recognizes the voice right away. "Mr. Do, did something happen? It''s quite late."


    [I found something recently. I need to talk to you.]


    "Do you want to meet me now?" Im Jihoon asks him with a smile.


    [I am driving right now. I will arrive back in the city within an hour. If you are fine with meeting me now...]


    "Can you come to WS apartments? I live here. We will talk at my house."


    [We can meet tomorrow morning. I don''t want to intrude.]


    "No, it''s okay. I can''t sleep anyway."


    He often suffers from insomnia.


    [Okay, I - Tell him that I am also coming - No, I will drop you at home first. - Prosecutor Im, this is Ahn Hana. I hope that you have coffee at your home.]


    The call is hanged up. Im Jihoon looks at the phone blankly. Lawyer Ahn is also coming. Does he has coffee? He needs to check.


    Im Jihoon doesn''t want his wife to wake up. So, he goes out and waits for them near the entrance. After around one and a half hour, he sees the car coming. Do Sejin and Ahn Hana step out of the car.


    "You two don''t look good." He looks at them with concern in his dark eyes. "Did you fight?"


    "He was just being nosy," Ahn Hana murmurs and looks away.


    He gives him the photos. "Someone like him must have been obsessed with her since her 100th-day birthday."


    Im Jihoon''s glances at the child''s scribbles behind one of the picture. "Let''s discuss this at my home."


    Do Sejin hesitates. "Will your family be okay?"


    "They will be fine. Come with me." Im Jihoon grins at Ahn Hana. "Lawyer Ahn, I do have coffee. I also know how to make it."


    At his apartment, he signals them to become quiet. He guides them to the study room and closes the door. He puts down the pictures on the table and says, "I will come back in a while. Take some rest."


    Ahn Hana and Do Sejin sit on the chair. Ahn Hana is gazing at the bookshelf, reading the names of the books. Do Sejin looks around. The study room is a mess. There are piles of papers and thick books of codes. On the bookshelf, there are books only related to law and crimes. As he has expected, this is prosecutor Im''s study room.


    Im Jihoon comes back with a tray of coffee cups. He offers them one each. "I hope that you like it. I am not a best coffeemaker in this house. I doubt that anyone can make it better than my wife."


    "You didn''t have to trouble yourself, Prosecutor Im." Do Sejin glances at Ahn Hana. "She''s just being unreasonable."


    Ahn Hana knows that he''s not talking about the coffee. She ignores him and takes a sip.


    "It''s better than what I make." Ahn Hana looks at him deeply. "There''s nothing much to say. Do Sejin believes that the killer had known me since I was a few months old. The killer must be a neighborhood boy who moved away when he was young. He wrote those words behind the photos he had taken of me."


    "He should be around 40 and his height is about 6''1''''. You must have seen him on the video," Do Sejin tells him. "He likes reading philosophy. He met Noe Kyung Hee at the library. We have some grasp of his personality. He must be someone good with technology, explosives, and chemicals. He is someone who knows how to remove his traces. He must be rich if he can manage so much."


    "Lawyer Ahn, do you perhaps remember the person now?" Im Jihoon asks her hopefully. "Even if you remember his family name, it would help us a lot."


    "I remember." She gazes at him with her incomprehensible dark eyes. "I have no interest in revealing it to a prosecutor."


    Both men become quiet. They stare hard at her thoughtfully.


    Do Sejin hasn''t given up on her. She might say things like this. He knows that there''s hope. If he is wrong, he will still protect her. This time, he won''t let the killer have her. He won''t fail her and his daughter.


    "If that''s your decision, we can''t force you," Im Jihoon says tiredly after a long time. "You have been through a lot. There are victims who often suffer from Stockholm syndrome. I won''t force you. I advise you to see a therapist to figure out your true feelings."


    "I don''t need a therapist to tell me how I feel." Ahn Hana''s red lips curl up into a smile. "I love him. Only him."


    Im Jihoon looks away and picks up the coffee cup. He takes the sip. It''s too bitter.


    There''s a knock on the door before it opens. Im Jihoon''s wife steps inside while rubbing her left eye.


    "Honey, it''s late. Are you done with your work?"


    She''s surprised to see Ahn Hana and Do Sejin. Puzzled, she looks at her husband. Did he invite his colleagues for a work sleepover again?


    "Ji Hye, this is Lawyer Ahn Hana and Lawyer Do Sejin. We are discussing a case." Im Jihoon introduces them first. "This is my wife, Ji Hye."


    Ahn Hana and Do Sejin give her a subtle nod. Im Jihoon laughs nervously. His wife might get mad at him later for sneaking people into the house.


    Im Jihoon''s wife notices the coffee cups. His husband is really a workaholic. What will she ever do about him?


    "Please continue with your discussion. I will leave now," She apologizes before going back to her bedroom.


    "There''s nothing more to say. Thank you for meeting us at this time of night." Do Sejin shakes Im Jihoon''s hand. "We will leave now. I will call you again if I find something."


    "Thanks for coming to me first." Im Jihoon walks them to the entrance. He takes a glance at Lawyer Ahn. "Lawyer Do, Lawyer Ahn needs a lot of care. You should keep a watch on her."


    Do Sejin sighs and thanks Im Jihoon. Im Jihoon watches the car until it disappears from his sight.

 Chapter 81 - Finding my daughter is my top priority

    After another week, Im Jihoon meets Do Sejin with a new piece of information.


    "The house where Bo Ji Won was killed..." Do Sejin can''t digest what he''s hearing. "That house is registered with Ahn Hana''s name. How''s that possible?"


    "I don''t know either." He places the copies of papers on the table. He points at the imprint of the seal. "There''s her seal. It was bought 7 years ago."


    Do Sejin is having a headache. "He came to her apartment when she was sleeping. So, he could have stolen it. Did you talk to the previous owner?"


    Im Jihoon nods at him. For the last few days, he''s been tirelessly working. The case always ends up in a circle. "The previous owner was an old man with no children. He sold the house and took the money to travel. He died around six years ago due to a stroke."


    The hell! Do Sejin is cursing the killer in his mind. How can someone be so cunning? There''s no option but to investigate the people from her past. He is remaking the list of people, starting by looking at the records of local schools around 28 years ago. Even if it is nearly impossible, he will investigate everyone.


    "There is no perfect crime. We will find something." Im Jihoon picks up the paper. "How is Lawyer Ahn?"


    "She''s same." Do Sejin tells him quietly, "She won''t tell the name no matter what I say."


    "Have you tried convincing her to see the..." Im Jihoon trails off.


    "I understand how you feel." Im Jihoon straightens his back. "Let''s meet again if we find something."


    "Sure, Prosecutor Im."


    ***


    At the same time, Ahn Hana''s phone keeps ringing, but she never picks up.


    She looks at her reflection. She''s wearing a dark blue dress. The heels are newly brought. She puts some makeup on her face. She turns around and looks over her head. She doesn''t look bad from the front and the back. She glances at the clock. She doesn''t want to be late.


    Before leaving, she looks in the direction of the hidden camera once.


    ***


    When Do Sejin returns, he doesn''t see Ahn Hana anywhere. Worried, he calls Jung Kwang-soo who recently got discharged from the hospital. She''s not at his place. He''s restless and afraid. He is about to call the cops when he sees something on the kitchen''s table. It''s Ahn Hana''s table clock from her office chamber at the Theseus Law Firm. He wouldn''t forget it because she nearly killed him with that once. It''s pointing toward the hidden camera.


    He checks the recording. He needs to see what kind of message she left him.

 Chapter 82 - How lonely I was without you?

    Im Jihoon tosses the cigarette on the ground and crushes it with his foot after Do Sejin leaves. He is exhausted from overnight works. He stretches his arms. Just then, he receives a mail on his phone from an unknown sender.


    He checks the mail and frowns deeply. Anyone would look at it suspiciously if they see a hotel''s address. This looks like one of those escort services spam.


    He makes a call at his home before turning the car around.


    [Honey, are you coming?]


    "Sorry, darling. There are new leads. Sleep early, ok?"


    [Okay, I will see you tomorrow. Don''t overwork yourself to death. Take care.]


    "You too."


    He reaches the hotel. It''s the same one where Noe Kyung Hee died. So, the message cannot be from a scammer. With his one hand in his pocket, dressed in a typical white shirt and black trousers, thick-framed spectacles on his straight nose, he makes his way to the room.


    He knocks once. Nobody answers him. He turns the knob and walks inside.


    Ahn Hana is sitting on the bed with one leg over the other. She''s dolled up prettily as if she''s on a date or meeting her love. Im Jihoon furrows his brows slightly, creases showing up on his forehead. He closes the door behind him and walks in front of her. He stares at her for a long time before asking, "Lawyer Ahn, what is the meaning of this?"


    "I received a message." He makes some distance between them and leans back on the wall, gazing at her with his dark eyes. "Are you the sender?"


    She taps her chin. "I am, but that message wasn''t for you. It was meant for Hong Yi Hwan."


    Hong Yi Hwan. That name. Nobody has called him for nearly 26 years.


    He takes off his glasses and puts them into this pocket. He straightens his posture. There is a smile on his face that doesn''t match the dark menacing look in his eyes. As his personality changes, there is a large contrast to his appearance. Even in the same white shirt and dark trousers, he looks like someone powerful and captivating, unlike Prosecutor Im Jihoon who had a nerdy and justice seeker personality.


    When he speaks, even his voice is not exactly the same. It''s magnetic, unattached, and deep, unlike Prosecutor Im who would speak with a smile or concern. It seems like everything about him has changed in a blink of an eye. Even his wife won''t recognize him.


    "Hana, my dear, you have taken too long to remember." He steps toward her. She gasps when he grabs her hair in rage. "Did you know how lonely I was without you?"


    "Oppa, I am sorry." Tears form in her beautiful eyes. "Forgive me once."


    "I have forgiven you a lot of time." He tightens his fingers in her silky hair. "You broke your promise You said that you would only love me. But, your heart has been crowded with your parents, your dog, Bo Ji Won, Jung Kwang-soo, and then, Do Sejin. I could forgive you for others. Why did your heart love someone else the way it should have loved me?"


    "I wavered for a moment." She doesn''t try to fight him. Heaving her ?h?st up and down, she looks at him with such raw emotions. "I am sorry for taking too long to come back to you. I only love you. There is no one else. I love you, Oppa."


    At the age of 11, he left with his parents and siblings. Fate had other decisions for him. On the way, they met with an accident with a bus. When he woke up, he was suffering from temporary amnesia. They didn''t know who he was. They sent him to the orphanage. After a few months, a wealthy family adopted him. At the age of 15, he remembered Hana. His name was already Im Jihoon. He didn''t have any feeling for his younger sister who also survived. He never sought her. He wanted Hana. When he looked for her at the age of 18, she already forgot him


    He observed her for years, tempted to kill her for changing and breaking her promise. He waited to see if there was some hope. At the age of 19, he killed his adopted parents who wanted him to become a businessman and made it look like an accident. He sold everything and funded the money while pursuing law. Even without formal education, he easily cracked the bar exam to become a prosecutor. He wanted to know law because he knew that it suited him more. When he heard her making the decision to become a prosecutor like him, he knew that he couldn''t let her go.


    It was a long and slow plan. At this moment, he knows that it was all worth it.


    "Oppa..." She sighs when he hurts her. "Do you hate me for forgetting?"


    Hate her? Never. He might become angry, but he would never hate her. He presses his lips on hers, kissing her tenderly before embracing her with a need. There is no need to hide and watch her from afar anymore. His Hana is back.

 Chapter 83 - I will also take care of them

    "This is our home." He shows her around the house. It''s a two-storey building in the outskirt of the city like the house where he killed Bo Ji Won. "I brought this when you won your first case."


    Silently, she follows him around while holding his hand. There''s everything that one might need for living. It''s clean too. There are pictures of her from every phase of life. Though he''s not showing it, he''s happy. He has imagined this a lot of time, but he has been never sure if he could ever show this place to her.


    He takes her to the basement. There, she can see a big television, bottles of chemicals, different types of knives, small cameras, and even the clothes that he wore when he met her as the magnolia killer. "I had to become this person for you."


    With deep sorrow in her eyes, she hugs him from behind. "I am sorry."


    "My dear, you have a lifetime to love me and pay for your sins." He chuckles darkly and squeezes her hand. "Hana, thank you for coming back to me."


    "Oppa, thank you for loving me so much." She presses her face on his face. "You have suffered alone for a long time. You don''t need to do it anymore. I am here. You won''t be alone anymore."


    Im Jihoon pulls her in front of him. He looks into her eyes. She''s honest. He knows his Hana best. There is no trace of false feeling. After such long tiring years, she''s here with him.


    He hugs her again. He will never have enough of his. "You really chose me, my dear."


    "Yes, I have chosen you only." Hana places her palms on his back. "Only you."


    ***


    He takes her to their bedroom. He opens the window. The scent of magnolia lingers into the room. If one outstretches the arm, they can touch the branch of the magnolia flower tree. She plucks one flower.


    She does. It''s the day of her 100th-day celebration day - the day she chose him. It is the reason why she decided to see him tonight. "I remember."


    "If you had delayed more, I would have lost my patience." Im Jihoon tears the petals of the magnolia flower one by one. Something in eyes flash. "Since you have chosen me, you don''t need Do Sejin and Jung Kwang-soo, right?"


    Jung Kwang-soo should have died that day. Since he didn''t die the first time when Im Jihoon was being kind, Im Jihoon would make sure that he dies in the most painful way for not taking his kindness.


    Do Sejin. Im Jihoon wonders what kind of death is suitable for that boy. He has seen her with Ahn Hana. Even after everything, that man dares to covet his Hana. Everything nearly went wrong because of that boy.


    Ahn Hana pulls away from him and looks at him indignantly. "Tell me why do you have a woman beside you. You even have two children. What about our Ha-Neul now? What about me?"


    The jealousy in her eyes is clear. He laughs when he sees her like that. "I will take care of them. She is a front in the society that wants to conform me to them. I will take care of her. If the children annoy you too much, I will also take care of them."


    He has been married to his wife for years. That woman is dumb as a cow. She never doubted his love once. Maybe he is that good at bed and pretending as her loving husband. If one is married, one has to have children because that''s what normal is. There is only one person in his heart. Nobody else has been there.


    "How will you take care of them?" She frowns and grumbles to him. "It should be only you, me, and our daughter only. I don''t want anyone else. I don''t care about what you do to Do Sejin or Jung Kwang-soo."


    Im Jihoon is delighted to see her like this. He holds her face in his palms. "Don''t worry, my dear. I will remove them from my life. I only belong to you. Don''t you trust me?"


    "You didn''t love him. So, I don''t care. You also had your needs." His eyes trail down on her curves. "I wanted to be with you like this. I wanted you to love me back."


    She smiles at him. Her eyes shine like stars, pulling him into her. All of a sudden, she kisses him fervently, fumbling with the bu??ons of his shirt. When their lips part, they pant for air. He shoves her on the bed. She lays there, watching him taking off his shirt. For the first time, she''s allowed to see him. He smiles when he notices the d?s?r? in her eyes. She is restless for him. He bends down and unzips her dress slowly while looking into her eyes.


    He glances at the scars covering her body - both new and old. "You are beautiful, my dear Hana."


    "Yi Hwan Oppa..." She whispers his name and raises her arms to invite him in her embrace. "Come."


    He falls into her embrace, seeking the love that he has been craving for all his life.

 Chapter 84 - What is the name of the childs father?

    "Oppa, how is it?" Dressed in a long t-shirt and nothing else, Ahn Hana looks at him expectedly. There are traces of lovemaking visible on her neck and arms. It''s full of bruises and hickeys. Hong Yi Hwan didn''t let her sleep for one second last night. She also gave all of her to him. He moves closer to her and sucks the cut on her lower lip before nibbling it with his teeth. When she lets out a m??n, he pulls away and takes a sip from the coffee that she made him.


    "It''s delicious."


    Ahn Hana laughs. "Everyone told me that my cooking skills are horrible."


    "Not to me." Yi Hwan drinks the coffee with relish. "I can eat anything that you make."


    "Oppa loves me that much." She grins at him. Seeing her like this, he is dying to take her right there. However, the phone''s ringtone interrupts him before he can take any action. His wife is calling. Anger flashes in his eyes once before he picks up the call. But his voice doesn''t indicate his mood.


    "Ji Hye, you are awake."


    [When are you coming home?]


    "I will come back after a while." He pauses and glances at Ahn Hana who is staring at him with sorrow in her eyes. "I will talk to you later."


    He hangs up right away. "My dear, don''t bother your heart because of her. I promise that I will take care of her soon."


    "I trust you." She sighs and looks away. "When will I see our daughter?"


    "I will bring her when I come back." He strokes her head softly. "Stay here while I am gone."


    "Okay." She wraps her arms around her knees. "I will wait for you here."


    Im Jihoon doesn''t go to his house first. His wife must have already gone to work. He needs to sort out everything as he planned before beginning his new life with Ahn Hana. He takes a day off from his work and goes to the place where he has hidden their daughter.


    He couldn''t regularly visit Ahn Hana when she hid away from him. But, he has paid some people to keep eyes on her. When she returned, he took a short trip to bring their daughter back. He has hidden her with a live-in nanny at one of the cheap apartments he brought after selling all of his adopted parents'' properties.


    He is shocked beyond words when he arrives at the place. There are cops'' cars. From the distance, he sees Do Sejin holding Ha-Neul. He curses and turns around the car. Ahn Hana has betrayed him.


    ***


    "How did you find out about this place?" The detective asks him suspiciously.


    "I received a mail." Do Sejin shows him. After watching the recording five times, he could only make out one word that Ahn Hana mouthed to him when she stared at the camera. ''Wait''


    He has been waiting. When he was about to call the detective in the morning, he received a mail from an unknown sender with this address. He has been suspicious of it. It could be another one of her tricks. Still, he decided to take a chance and came here. He didn''t see her here. When he was about to leave, a woman came out with a baby in her arms. Do Sejin found it odd. He went to the woman to ask some questions. She told him that the owner was not here. Do Sejin looked at the baby girl. She was 6-7 months old. There was something about her. Out of curiosity, he asked about the name of the child.


    ''Ha-Neul''


    It was too big of a coincidence. He called the cops right away. The woman was scared witless. She told the cops that she had seen the owner who came to watch the child frequently around evening. She was hired through an agency. There was everything provided at the home. She would receive weekly payments directly in her bank. The cops were also suspicious because of the name of the child and the unusual circumstances.


    "Hong Yi Hwan." That''s all she knows. "I don''t know anything else."


    Do Sejin is startled to hear that name. When he investigated, there was a boy called Hong Yi Hwan who was the son of one of the closest friend of Ahn Hana''s mother. However, the family died in an accident. So, he scratched that name from the list. Is it that Hong Yi Hwan never died?


    The second mail arrives a little while after Im Jihoon turns around his car. Do Sejin''s breath is taken away when he reads the content. In the mail, there are pieces of evidence against Im Jihoon and how his identity has been switched with Hong Yi Hwan. Did Ahn Hana investigate this after she met in the hospital that day? Where she is now?

 Chapter 85 - My Dear Hana (8)

    Im Jihoon''s phone begins to ring again. He doesn''t even take a glance before throwing it out of the car. He knows that he is at the end. Ahn Hana has trapped him. But he is still going back to her. She told him that she would wait for him.


    He thinks about all the words that she said to him. How she loved him last night? Every ??r?ss had a meaning. She loved him with everything inside her. Then, why? He can''t understand why was he betrayed. If she wanted to do this, she could have done it before coming back to him. Why did she destroy? For the first time, he realizes that he doesn''t understand his Hana.


    He glances at their house before going in. There aren''t any cop. She didn''t call anyone here. He walks into the house. There is a warm scent of food in the air. She''s wearing a dress from the wardrobe that he prepared for her.


    "You are back already?" She glances at him and smiles lovingly. "I have made some food. Take a seat, Yi Hwan Oppa."


    He takes the seat and keeps his eyes on her while she sets up the table. She leans forward toward him. "Yi Hwan Oppa, it might not be as good as your wife''s cooking. I have put all the love in it."


    He closes his eyes. "Why?"


    She picks up the chopsticks. "Let''s eat first. We will talk later."


    Is this their last meal? He quietly let her feed him. He won''t let her leave him again. Even if she has betrayed, she will belong to him until her last breath.


    She cleans his mouth with a cloth. "Come with me, Oppa."


    He follows her to the bedroom. There''s a knife in the center of the bed. She hands it to him. "I didn''t lie. I love you. Only you. There''s no one else."


    "Then, why?" He clutches the handle of the knife hard. His heart is pained.


    "When I was away, I always wanted to feel the warm blood in my hands. When I came back, I often thought about whether it''s Do Sejin''s blood that I wanted to feel in my hand." She sits down on the bed. "When you held my hand in the hospital and squeezed it with the love that you had to hide it from me, I just knew that it was you. You might change your voice, your personality, way of walking, or your name. But you can''t change your touch. I could never forget how it felt when you loved me for the first time on the night you changed me for the first time."


    The night when they slept for the first time...The night he changed her into the blinding sun that people could only look with awe...


    "You did this because you chose me." Hong Yi Hwan climbs over her and presses the tip of the knife on her throat. "You still betrayed me. There''s no way that we can live... Why did you do this?"


    He knows what awaits him in the future. He also knows that he can''t go back to his life. But the most painful part is that he has to be parted from her.


    "I was afraid that you would love Ha-Neul more than me. Same way, you would have been afraid that Ha-Neul would take place in my heart someday. We wouldn''t accept anyone else in each other''s heart. That was our promise." She looks at him fearlessly. "I love you. So, I chose this. Let''s become one, Oppa. There''s only one way."


    Let''s become one.


    He understands the meaning of those words.


    Ha-Neul might be their daughter, but they won''t accept the other person to love her. Ahn Hana won''t accept if he has both Ha-Neul and her in his heart. Likewise, he might not have accepted that Ahn Hana having someone else in her heart in the future. He could have tried, but it would have ended the way Ahn Hana had said.


    She understands him the most.


    "My dear Hana." He places the knife away. "Let''s become one."


    He wants to make love to her. The woman has completely surrendered to him. He has also only hers. There is no one there to stop them. Not even their daughter. They kiss each other, fingers entangled, never wanting to let go of each other. He kisses her each scar that he gave her. She touches him everywhere as it will be the last time. When their bodies join and move in synchronicity, he finds her crying softly.


    She smiles at him. There is only love in her sad eyes. She''s the only one who has loved him despite knowing his true nature. She''s the only woman that kept his heart since he met her. "I am not afraid, Hong Yi Hwan. Until my last breath, I will only love you."


    That''s a promise that she will fulfill this time.


    Hong Yi Hwan takes her hand and curls her fingers around the handle of the knife. She looks at him, bewildered. "What are you doing, Hong Yi Hwan?"


    "Unlike me, you can still stay with Ha-Neul," He tells her softly. "Our heart will be together. I will always live inside you as a part of you for the rest of your life even if my body dies."


    Before she could refuse, he kisses her for one last time. As he releases his seed and his last breath into her, he shoves the knife into his throat. His warm blood rains on her skin. She stays still, crying and tasting the blood until his body becomes cold.

 Chapter 86 - The End

    At the outskirt of the city, they find a house registered under the names of Hong Yi Hwan and Ahn Hana. It is burned to ashes. They never find Im Jihoon or his body. They didn''t find Im Jihoon''s phone at the location where it was last disconnected. Either someone picked it up or it was already destroyed. They tried to pinpoint his location through CCTV, but he was easily lost. The man was an expert.


    When Ahn Hana turns at Do Sejin''s doorstep, he knows that everything had changed. She isn''t wearing the same dress that she wore when she left his house. Though she looks clean, she has a scent of blood on her.


    "Do Sejin, still want?" She asks him with a bitter smile. "Still dare to love?"


    He embraces her. "Still dare."


    "However, Ahn Hana cannot love you." She looks up at him. "She can only love Hong Yi Hwan. There cannot be anyone else."


    That''s her final answer to him before she goes to her bedroom and picks up Ha-Neul in her arms.


    "Your mother and father will be together with you from now on," She tells the baby with a sweet voice. Her voice wakes up Ha-Neul who blinks her eyes at her. In Ha-Neul''s vision, there are two people who are holding her. She laughs when she sees the familiar man. She has not forgotten her mother either, though they have been separated for some time. The family is complete.


    Do Sejin hears her words. He feels his heart clench tightly. He knows that the father is not him.


    Next day, the detective arrives. They have suspicions on Ahn Hana regarding Im Jihoon''s disappearance. Im Jihoon''s family can''t believe that he was the magnolia killer. Her wife refuses to believe that her husband, who was once called the Prosecutor Justice, could commit such heinous crimes.


    "Where were you yesterday?" The detective asks the pale woman.


    "She was at the house," Do Sejin answers for her. Luckily, he didn''t tell anyone other than Jung Kwang-soo that she left. He asked Jung Kwang-soo to keep quiet after seeing her message in the recording. "She didn''t leave the house once. After I came back with Ha-Neul yesterday morning, we have been staying together."


    Im Jihoon had talked to his wife yesterday morning. The detective glances at the woman. The woman seems crazy, but she''s too skinny to kill a man like the magnolia killer. Her phone has been at home too. In any case, they have no evidence. The detective leave after telling them to be cautious. The magnolia killer might come back.


    Only Do Sejin know that he won''t come back ever.


    Ahn Hana moves out of Do Sejin''s apartment to her new place. She takes a job at another law firm, even though Jung Kwang-soo begs her to come back and work for him. She doesn''t stop Do Sejin from visiting Ha-Neul or spending time with her. In everyone''s eyes, there is nothing wrong with Ahn Hana. She has turned into her old self - the same blinding sun that awed the world.


    After two months, she finds out that she''s pregnant again. Do Sejin doesn''t dare to ask who the father is. His family and Jung Kwang-soo naturally ?ssume that the child is his. Ahn Hana says nothing. She doesn''t try to clear things. As usual, there is a barrier between them - a silence that shouldn''t be broken.


    "Ha-Neul, you will have a brother soon." She coos to her daughter. "We will become a family of four then."


    He knows that he''s not included in the family of four.


    She gives birth to a son. On the certificate, she keeps the father''s name empty. On Ha-Neul''s certificate, there''s at least Do Sejin''s name. He knows that she still doesn''t think of him as Ha-Neul''s father. Do Sejin gets the answer that he didn''t want to know. Both of her children follow her surname - Ahn Ha Neul and Ahn Jae Hyun.


    Do Sejin doesn''t dare to disturb the silent agreement between them. In front of the world, he is a part of her world. He comes to her home every night after work. He cooks for her while listening to her children. Sometimes, he hears her talking to herself.


    "Oppa, don''t mind Do Sejin. He helped us once. This is the little that we can do to show our gratitude. He has also accepted us."


    "Oppa, Jae Hyun looks like you more."


    "Oppa, I am content that you are always inside me. I am never alone."


    "Oppa, our children are growing up well."


    The silence between Ahn Hana and him is all he has left with.

 Chapter 87 - The Devil Speaks To Me Everyday

    If you liked this novel, you might give this novel a try --


    The Devil Speaks To Me Everyday


    Genre: Dark Comedy, Thriller, Psychological, Mystery with a touch of philosophy.


    If you didn''t like the ending of this novel, you might want to stay away from that one because I can''t promise a happy ending (._.)"


    P.S. I thought a lot, but I decided to end the novel the way it is. I did add an alternative ending in my other novel (His Mischievous Time-Traveler: How To Capture A Celebrity Husband?) for those who want to find solace in happy endings.