Chapter 4.1

Chapter 4.1

Gyuho let out a hollow laugh at Yeonwoo’s words, sweeping back his blood-soaked gray hair.

“What does that mean?”

“Just what it says.”

Yeonwoo shrugged as if to ask if more explanation was needed. Gyuho frowned, clearly displeased, as he stared at Yeonwoo’s hand clutching Haewon’s wrist.

Haewon, noticing Gyuho’s jaw clenching tightly, pulled her hand free from Yeonwoo.

“We don’t have time for this. The bait is supposed to…”

“I’ll go. Your arm’s injured.”

“What?”

Only then did Haewon remember the forgotten injury and look down. She had thought it was a minor cut, but it seemed to be a deep laceration, as blood had seeped through, staining the sleeve of her T-shirt.

When did he even see this?

Truthfully, by Haewon’s standards, it wasn’t a very serious injury. She was confident she could escape even as the bait.

“I’m fine. So…”

“I’m not fine.”

Gyuho pulled out a knife and tore off the bottom of the shirt he was wearing. He then pressed the torn fabric against Haewon’s wound, tying it tightly.

“See you at the safe house.”

Finishing his words, Gyuho sprinted off in a different direction before Haewon could even try to stop him.

“Hey!”

Haewon watched Gyuho quickly disappear, then looked up at the large man standing beside her. Perhaps from all the running, Yeonwoo’s fair cheeks were slightly flushed.

He looked at Haewon, a smooth smile curving his lips.

“Interesting. Are all Blacks this altruistic?”

“I don’t know. If saving people is their job, I suppose you could call it altruistic.”

Haewon looked in the direction Gyuho had vanished, and he was now firing his gun towards the rebel forces, feigning a counterattack. It was an act to lure the enemies towards him.

Seriously. Always so meddlesome.

Gyuho’s actions, always for her benefit, made her uncomfortable. She didn’t want to owe anyone anything.

As she watched Gyuho move further away, Yeonwoo approached closely and asked,

“How does it feel to save people? Do you get a sense of justice? Feel proud and fulfilled?”

She had never heard such a question in her life. Haewon looked at him in bewilderment, then, checking the direction of the safe house, she replied,

“Nothing like that. I just hate unjust deaths.”

“Unjust deaths? What’s that?”

“Deaths caused by someone’s malice.”

Haewon paused briefly, then slowly turned to Yeonwoo.

“So, I’ll save you too, Mr. Kwon Yeonwoo. Dying in a foreign country, a stranger to you, would be unfair, wouldn’t it?”

For a moment, the smile on Yeonwoo’s face faltered. As she stared at him, her gaze was drawn to the sky unfolding behind his face. Dark storm clouds were gathering.

“Let’s go. No time.”

She pushed through the thick grass and ran forward. Yeonwoo, who had stood still for a moment, let out a low laugh and followed behind Haewon.

“Are you really going to save me? You said you’d abandon me earlier.”

She pretended not to hear, increasing her speed. She thought it would have been better to be the bait than to be with this man.

Drip. Drop, drop, drop.

The light drizzle gradually grew heavier. Raindrops fell continuously from the dark, cloudy sky, streaming down Yeonwoo’s and Haewon’s faces.

Haewon wiped the rain from her eyes with the back of her hand and looked at the muddy water before them. It was the Mui River. Crossing this river and venturing deeper into the mountains would lead them to the safe house.

She turned to glance at Yeonwoo. The man standing behind her, a monster of stamina, showed no signs of fatigue. The more she looked at him, the more he was full of questions.

He wasn’t even professionally trained, yet he could be so calm in such a situation.

As she stared silently, Yeonwoo asked,

“Why?”

“We need to cross the river. There might be deep parts. Can you swim?”

Yeonwoo looked at the quite wide river and nodded.

“Follow me.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Haewon turned and entered the river first. The damp ground squished under her shoes. After a few more steps, the water deepened considerably.

From that point, Haewon pushed off and began to swim. Fortunately, the river wasn’t very wide, and she reached the opposite bank after just a few strokes.

“Hoo.”

She pulled her heavy, waterlogged body out and onto the land. She turned to see if Kwon Yeonwoo was following well, but he was still standing in the same spot, unmoving.

Why wasn’t he crossing?

Just as Haewon sensed something strange, one corner of Kwon Yeonwoo’s mouth curved upwards. It was an action unfitting for the situation.

The moment she instinctively furrowed her brows, Kwon Yeonwoo suddenly bolted, not towards the river, but in a different direction. Haewon’s eyes widened in disbelief.

What is he doing? Is he running away?

But this was no time to be dumbfounded. She dove back into the river and swam quickly to the other side. Reaching the bank, she heaved her soaked body up and chased after the fleeing Kwon Yeonwoo.