Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Three CCTV cameras monitored the main gate and the perimeter wall. The house was designed to conceal its interior completely from outside view.

The house was excessively luxurious, its security prohibitively tight, enough to pique anyone’s interest. Haewon gazed at the formidable wall, which stood like a fortress, then reached out and pressed the doorbell.

“Who is this?”

“I’m Lee Haewon, in charge of Kwon Yeonwoo’s security starting today.”

“Yes. Come in.”

With a click, the main gate swung open. Before her lay a meticulously landscaped garden and the elegant facade of a three-story detached house. Haewon was once again struck by the realization that Yeonwoo truly belonged to a different world than her own.

This was just a chaebol, wasn’t it?

A moment later, the door opened and a middle-aged woman appeared.

“Hello. I was informed of your arrival. Please come inside.”

“Excuse me.”

Perhaps Haewon’s appearance wasn’t what she’d expected; the woman’s eyes widened as she kept glancing back at her.

“Are you really a bodyguard? I thought we had a model standing here. The young master is so lucky, with such a pretty young lady protecting him. Hoho.”

The house’s interior, which Haewon entered, was as magnificent as its exterior. Haewon’s gaze swept over the artworks, decorative items, and designer furniture displayed throughout. The modern, sophisticated ambiance felt like a scene plucked straight from an interior design magazine.

“I’m Lee Yeonsil, the housekeeper in charge of this house. I don’t live here; I come in the morning and leave in the evening. You can call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“Ah, right. Is Kwon Yeonwoo here now, by any chance?”

“The Young Master will be in his studio on the second floor.”

“Thank you.”

“Your guest room is also on the second floor, so you can unpack there.”

After giving her instructions, Yeonsil mentioned she was in the middle of making soup and headed into the kitchen. Left alone, Haewon stood for a moment, taking in the unfamiliar house, before she carefully ascended the stairs.

It seemed Yeonsil was the only one working; no other human presence could be felt anywhere else. As she crossed the silent space and reached the second-floor hallway, her eyes caught a half-open door.

She had a feeling Yeonwoo might be inside, so Haewon altered her path.

“…”

The first thing she saw through the half-open door was a white curtain swaying gently in the breeze. Midday sunlight streamed in through the large window, but the white curtain failed to block it, merely fluttering in the autumn wind.

She watched the curtain ripple like waves, then spotted Kwon Yeonwoo seated beneath it.

He was sitting in front of a large canvas. He wore an apron splattered with colorful paint.

Haewon stopped and watched him for a moment. Even though she thought she knew enough about him, the Kwon Yeonwoo in this room felt like a different man entirely from the one she’d encountered in Myanmar.

She frowned slightly.

It suited him. The brush in his hand.

The feeling was completely different from seeing him with a gun. It was unsettling.

Then, as if sensing her gaze, Yeonwoo turned his head. His eyes, which had been impassively observing the canvas, suddenly caught a spark of recognition.

“…Lee Haewon?”

Yeonwoo stared intently, confirming it was indeed Haewon standing before him, and only after a long moment did he finally speak.

“That’s strange. We’re in Korea.”

“I’m Lee Haewon, in charge of security starting today. It’s a pleasure to work with you.”

“Security?”

Only then did Yeonwoo let out a hollow laugh, as if something had just clicked.

“You’re the bodyguard my father said he was sending?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, what a coincidence.”

He put down the brush he was holding and stood up. A smile curved his lips, but his eyes held no warmth. Haewon stared intently at Yeonwoo as he approached her.

She’d expected him to laugh playfully, or perhaps brazenly try to flirt, upon seeing her as his new bodyguard. But Yeonwoo’s current expression was far from what she’d anticipated.

He didn’t welcome Haewon. There was even a subtle hint of displeasure on his face.

“But how is such a coincidence even possible?”

“The President requested it. I have no power to refuse.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard. You know I don’t. Do you really think I’d need something like that?”

As Yeonwoo stood tall before her, his shadow fell across Haewon’s face. A chilling gaze was fixed on her, but Haewon didn’t flinch, meeting it head-on.

“It seems the President isn’t very well-acquainted with his son. He told me he was worried that since Kwon Yeonwoo’s return, he hasn’t been able to go out, can’t trust anyone, and has even developed trauma.”

“Is that so?”

Yeonwoo’s lips curled as if he found her interesting, and he eyed Haewon, daring her to continue. Haewon went on.

“It’s a shame. If the two of you had communicated a bit, I wouldn’t have had to come all the way here. So, should I relay the message?”

She’d felt Ildo seemed oblivious to Yeonwoo’s true nature during their last conversation. If he’d known, he never would have assigned a bodyguard to this man.

“What do you plan to tell him?”

“That his son is very healthy. Exactly as I saw him in Myanmar.”

She replied without being intimidated by his challenge, and he let out a scoff. As if in disbelief, Yeonwoo ran a hand through his hair, then quietly untied the apron he was wearing and hung it on the studio’s clothes rack.

“Haewon, you’re quite something, aren’t you? Fine, whatever. I suppose I have to be a good son for my father.”

Yeonwoo muttered lowly, then brushed past Haewon and headed for the studio door. He spoke without looking at Haewon’s face.

“But do you really think you can handle it? Living in the same house as me.”

Truthfully, she’d been at a loss when she first heard she’d have to live in this house and guard him. Just seeing Kwon Yeonwoo again was taxing enough, but the thought of guarding him without any off-hours felt utterly unmanageable.

But having accepted the mission, she couldn’t show any of that in front of Yeonwoo. Haewon turned towards him and replied calmly.

“What’s there to not handle? We even shared a bed.”

“…Playing cute, Lee Haewon.”

Yeonwoo turned his head, his eyes taking her in, and the corners of his lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile.

“Just stay in this house as if you’re dead. Don’t bother me.”

Once he finished speaking, Yeonwoo left the room. Once he was gone, Haewon finally released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

Kwon Yeonwoo’s demeanor had been so different from what she’d expected, and the sheer intimidation he exuded was so significant, that her body had tensed without her even realizing it.

It was like he was a completely different person.

Who was it who’d kissed her like a madman, doing whatever he pleased?

Haewon mumbled to herself, then left the now-empty studio. Stepping into the hallway, she dragged her suitcase towards the second-floor living room. Beyond the spacious, cozy living room lay a hallway with two doors.

Haewon hesitated, then approached the closer of the two. Just then, Yeonsil’s voice came from behind her.

“Oh, no!”

“What?”

She turned to find Yeonsil, holding a bowl of fruit, standing there. Yeonsil quickly approached Haewon, shaking her hand to signal ‘no’.

“That’s the Young Master’s room.”

“Oh… right.”

“Your room is this way!”

Yeonsil went to a room a little further down the hall from where Haewon stood and threw the door wide open. Filled with warm sunlight from a large window, the room was, honestly, better than most hotel suites.

Perfectly decorated, with pristine, unused furniture.

“I’ve brought some cut fruit. Please eat this and then unpack your things.”

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“Come down for dinner around six o’clock later. I’ll have dinner ready before I head home.”

“Ah, alright.”

“Go ahead and rest.”

Yeonsil explained with a bright smile, then left the room. Left alone, Haewon unbuttoned her tight jacket and slowly looked around the room.

She still couldn’t quite believe she was in Kwon Yeonwoo’s house. Haewon took a deep breath, then pulled out a small device from inside her suitcase. It was a detector for wiretaps and hidden cameras. With practiced ease, she powered it on and began scanning the room.

It was a task she performed every time she started a mission. She swept through the room once, but the device found nothing. With an impassive face, she put down the detector and sat on the edge of the bed.

A sigh escaped her.

She recalled Kwon Yeonwoo’s face from their earlier encounter. Their reunion had been vastly different from what she’d anticipated. He was wary of her, now that they’d met again.

Had he caught on?

Haewon ran her tongue across the inside of her mouth. She remembered the President’s voice, who had secretly contacted her last night.

“It seems Yeonwoo is up to something suspicious. I’d like Agent Lee Haewon to undertake Yeonwoo’s surveillance, not his protection. Can you do that?”