Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Yeonwoo let out a hollow laugh, as if utterly dumbfounded.

“What are you talking about? I was the one being chased, you know.”

“Exactly. In that situation, you should have ditched him or killed him to prevent any future trouble.”

“I almost died! That woman saved my life.”

“Really?”

Hyunhwa kept probing with a skeptical gaze. Yeonwoo, looking weary, took his feet off the table, stood up, and stretched.

“There won’t be any problems. If something does happen, I’ll take responsibility, so don’t worry.”

Then he asked Kim, the secretary, for the flight time to Korea.

“Departure is in two hours.”

“Then I need to shower. See you later, Mother.”

Yeonwoo left the reception room without waiting for Hyunhwa’s reply. Slam! Hyunhwa stared intently at Yeonwoo’s retreating back until the door completely closed.

“Honestly, what an ungrateful brat.”

Hyunhwa bit her lip, then called Secretary Kim, who had been standing behind her.

“Look into that woman. The agent, Black or whatever she is.”

“Lee Haewon?”

“Yes. Something’s going on between them, I’m sure of it.”

“Yes, I’ll look into it.”

Hyunhwa tapped the armrest of the sofa with her fingers, then pulled out her phone from her bag and made a call. A moment later, when the other party answered, she feigned an emotional voice and said,

“Honey, I found Yeonwoo safe. Isn’t that a relief? I’ll bring him back, so don’t worry about a thing.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile, but her eyes glinted coldly.

“Haa.”

Haewon, drenched in sweat, caught her breath. The surge of thirst made her fingers urgent as she keyed in the door lock password.

Click. The sound of the lock disengaging prompted her to open the door and step inside. Through the living room window, she saw the morning sunlight pouring in.

Haewon casually scanned the living room, where only a single sofa sat, and the kitchen, which showed no signs of use, before heading into the master bedroom. It was just as bare. A queen-sized bed, a built-in wardrobe, and the vanity installed when she moved in were all the furniture she owned.

This was Haewon’s apartment in Korea. Since she only stayed there for a month or two during her breaks after long-term overseas missions, the place always felt new. It was also because she had few belongings and little desire for material possessions or a grand home.

She took a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator and emptied it right there, then shed her sweat-soaked workout clothes and stepped into the shower booth.

A month had already passed since she returned from Myanmar. During that time, Haewon had indulged in all the workouts she’d missed.

Running, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, climbing, shooting, CrossFit. Her schedule was packed from morning till night, entirely dedicated to exercise.

Only when she felt like she was suffocating to death, when her muscles and tendons felt like they would burst from tension, did she truly feel alive.

She knew it wasn’t normal, but she had no intention of changing her methods. If she didn’t even have that sense of accomplishment, she might have given up on this tedious life long ago.

After showering under cold water until steam rose from her skin, she emerged to find her phone vibrating incessantly on the vanity.

She approached it to check, but the call disconnected. The caller was Team Leader Min Hyunseok.

“Four missed calls?”

It wasn’t time for a new mission, so Haewon picked up her phone, feeling puzzled. Just as she was about to call Team Leader Min, he called her again.

“Yes, Team Leader.”

—Lee Haewon. Why aren’t you answering?

“I was showering. What’s the matter?”

—Get dressed and come to the office. It’s urgent, so hurry.

“I have plans.”

She was officially on vacation. To call someone in the middle of their vacation without even stating the reason was, frankly, unwelcome.

However, Team Leader Min scoffed, as if dumbfounded.

—Is working out a “plan”?

“…”

—It’ll only take a few hours, so stop by the office then go work out, you idiot.

Haewon didn’t respond, feeling disinclined, so Team Leader Min changed his approach and pleaded with her. It was an order from higher-ups, he said, so come immediately unless she wanted to resign.

Haewon reluctantly gave an affirmative answer. She hung up and put on a black T-shirt, black jeans, and a leather jacket from her closet.

This was polite enough attire.

“You, you scoundrel! What kind of clothes are those? I told you it was an order from higher up!”

The moment Hyunseok saw Haewon, he launched into a tirade about her outfit. She had expected it, so she just stood there, listening to Hyunseok’s lecture with one ear and letting it out the other.

“Are you really not going to change? You come in here dressed like you just got off a motorcycle! I told you to quickly swap jackets with Jungin!”

Haewon glanced at Jungin, who had been summoned to the team leader’s office in the middle of work, and let out a hollow laugh. Jungin’s beige suit jacket looked quite neat, but Haewon didn’t want to wear it. It also seemed much too small.

“It won’t fit.”

“Or, alright, take off that T-shirt and swap shirts with Jungin. Huh?”

“If the jacket doesn’t fit, do you think a dress shirt will?”

Haewon spoke without expression, then motioned for Jungin to return to her seat. Jungin, after a quick glance at Hyunseok, bowed respectfully and approached Haewon, whispering softly.

“Welcome back safely, Senior.”

Jungin gave Haewon a thumbs-up and smiled shyly. Jungin, a head shorter than Haewon, was a capable White agent but always admired field agents.

“Welcome, nothing. Let’s grab dinner later.”

“Oh yeah! Understood!”

Jungin left the team leader’s office, practically flying with joy. Just as Hyunseok, who had been watching disapprovingly, was about to add another remark, the team leader’s phone rang loudly.

“Yes, this is Min Hyunseok.”

Hyunseok’s face stiffened as he picked up the receiver. He held the phone, flustered and awkward, then said, “I’ll leave immediately,” and hung up.

“Hah, I don’t know anymore. Let’s just go, Lee Haewon.”

“Go where?”

“The fifth floor.”

With that reply, Hyunseok dramatically straightened his suit jacket, patted it down, and walked out the door. Haewon followed behind him, her expression clearly annoyed. She didn’t ask where on the fifth floor they were going.

There was only one office on the fifth floor: the National Intelligence Service Director’s office.

Haewon couldn’t understand why she had to go there. Could they be giving her a medal? She had already repeatedly refused such things.

“Team Leader.”

“Shh. Be quiet and follow me. It’s an order.”

When the elevator reached the fifth floor, Hyunseok’s face grew even more rigid. His fingertips even trembled a little when he knocked on the Director’s office door.

Just as a deep question formed in her mind—Why is this man acting like this?—the door opened. Only then did Haewon understand why Hyunseok was so tense.

“It’s a pleasure, Agent Lee Haewon.”

The person sitting on the sofa in the Director’s office was very familiar to Haewon, even though she was often out of the country.

“How could the President…”

As Haewon murmured softly, Hyunseok stepped inside and greeted him.

“Good morning, sir. This is my first time meeting you. I am Team Leader Min Hyunseok of Overseas Intelligence Team 2.”

“Yes, Team Leader Min. I’ve heard much about you from the Director.”

President Kwon Ildo smiled, his facial muscles softening. While his sharp features could make him appear cold when expressionless, it was different when he smiled. His eyes, curving like crescent moons, and his open, clear smile made him seem like a harmless man.

Haewon was a little flustered, facing a smile she had only seen on election posters. Why had President Kwon Ildo called for her?

As she tried to gauge his intentions, Hyunseok next to her nudged her back, signaling her to greet him. Haewon cleared her throat and bowed her head.

“Good morning, sir. I am Lee Haewon of Overseas Intelligence Team 2.”

“Finally we meet.”

Kwon Ildo rose from his seat, a smile still on his lips, and calmly approached Haewon. When their eyes met, her entire body inexplicably stiffened, and her back straightened on its own.

Despite his gentle expression, a sense of overwhelming presence emanated from him. It was as if his aura dominated the space. The feeling was distinctly different from seeing him on TV.

Indeed, as the President of a nation, his presence was extraordinary. Haewon felt intrigued by this unfamiliar sensation and gazed at President Kwon Ildo.

He, too, looked at Haewon with interest, not averting his gaze, and extended his hand to shake hers.

“My apologies for the delayed introduction. You saved my son, I hear.”

Haewon replied as she grasped Ildo’s hand.

“I merely did my job.”

His hand was very thick and firm. Judging by the calluses on his palm, he seemed to be a man who enjoyed exercise.

Kwon Yeonwoo suddenly came to Haewon’s mind. A sturdy body that didn’t match his gentle appearance. Those were practical muscles, not just for show. It was a very unusual physique for a twenty-seven-year-old college student.

And what about his athletic ability and combat skills, comparable to an agent’s? Even recalling it now, Kwon Yeonwoo’s existence defied her understanding.

As Haewon briefly thought of Yeonwoo, Ildo fixed his gaze on her and said softly,

“Shall we sit first? I have something important to discuss.”