Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: The Stalker's Gaze
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Lee Jae-hyun sharpened his senses at the gaze trailing behind him.
He first felt it when the photo was taken.
For a split second, he sensed a gaze that could be interpreted as hostility—or outright malice.
If asked how he knew, it was just... instinct.
The kind honed over years as a detective.
‘At the time, I thought it was just my imagination.’
It had been very brief, vanishing almost immediately.
As instincts often do, he figured he’d misread it.
But he hadn’t.
Lee Jae-hyun’s instincts were firing on all cylinders.
‘It’s been 30 minutes already. This isn’t my imagination.’
Perhaps because Han Hyo-jeong started running, and the guy began shadowing them to keep up.
He could definitely sense the suspicious presence pursuing them.
No illusion about it.
Someone was quietly tailing them.
‘She said a stalker was on her.’
Lee Jae-hyun furrowed his brow.
Maybe the gaze Han Hyo-jeong felt yesterday wasn’t her imagination—or his.
As Lee Jae-hyun ran with those thoughts...
Han Hyo-jeong, jogging beside him, glanced his way and came to a stop.
He stopped too, and she frowned slightly before speaking.
“By any chance, are you not feeling well today?”
“Huh?”
She scanned his face as she asked.
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Lee Jae-hyun tilted his head, trying to grasp her intent. She continued.
“You look pale. Are you sick or something? Exercise is great, but pushing too hard when you’re under the weather can do more harm than good.”
“Oh, I’m fine. Just had something on my mind.”
“Ah.”
Under her concerned gaze, Lee Jae-hyun gave an awkward smile.
He must have dwelled on it too long.
His face had betrayed him, distracting him from the run.
One key rule for cops: don’t unsettle victims.
Not very professional.
But hearing it was nothing, she finally relaxed with a sigh.
“You looked so grim, I got worried. Do you usually think about stuff while running?”
“Yeah. No one bothers you when you’re running.”
“Oh! Am I bothering you?”
“No, not at all. I’m good.”
Han Hyo-jeong unleashed another barrage of apologies.
It took Lee Jae-hyun a while to calm her down.
But it wasn’t for nothing.
The moment they stopped, the presence behind them halted too—pinpointing the stalker’s position.
As Lee Jae-hyun focused on the guy’s movements, Han Hyo-jeong, finally settled, smiled faintly and spoke.
“You’re the opposite of me in so many ways, Jae-hyun.”
“Huh?”
“Just... always so confident. When I run, stray thoughts vanish—that’s my type.”
“Oh...”
“Don’t you ever get that feeling? Like you want to forget everything and just run away.”
She gazed at the lake in the park with a bittersweet look.
What was she seeing?
Following her sentimental stare, Lee Jae-hyun turned his head.
Staring at the stagnant lake that couldn’t flow anywhere, he fell silent.
‘Wanting to forget it all and run.’
He knew that feeling.
Or rather, he used to.
Why wouldn’t he?
It had tormented him in his past life.
If he hadn’t let his father go that day.
If he’d paid closer attention to Myeong Jin-han in the back seat...
Whenever dark guilt—that it was all his fault—gnawed at him, he wanted to shut out that memory.
But...
“We still have to endure.”
“Huh?”
“Doesn’t the fact that you’ve held on this far mean you didn’t really want to run?”
He chose to fight instead of flee.
He didn’t want to ignore the ones who killed his father anymore—or any criminals like them.
He didn’t want to run from the Hyeonmin Group that killed him.
That resolve defined Lee Jae-hyun, observed through a third-party lens on his own heart.
“Ah.”
To Han Hyo-jeong, his words must have offered an unexpected perspective.
She stared blankly at him, then smiled softly.
“You’re the first to say that. Everyone always tells me it’s okay to run.”
“Well, sometimes running’s not bad. I’ve bolted myself. Once, I raided a scene and ten gangsters were waiting...”
Even Lee Jae-hyun didn’t always charge head-on.
Sometimes he assessed and retreated.
Situations were full of variables—even the Mad Dog had to turn tail.
“Gasp! What happened?”
“They scattered into the alleys to catch me. I took them down one by one and busted them all.”
But he never ran for good.
He just learned to take a step back.
In the end, he fought and won.
That was who he was.
As Lee Jae-hyun shared a past-life tale, Han Hyo-jeong burst into giggles.
Watching her, he chuckled softly.
‘No need to worry her.’
Even now, eyes watched them.
The impure gaze prickled his detective instincts, but Lee Jae-hyun kept his composure.
No reason to tell her.
He stared straight at her.
Despite her forced smile, he saw it in her eyes.
The wounds she carried, the burdens weighing her down...
No need to add anxiety to that load.
‘...or I’ll get blindsided.’
He sensed the gaze’s malice intensifying with their talk, letting out a hollow laugh.
Han Hyo-jeong’s stalker.
Lee Jae-hyun met it head-on, clenching his fist.
His lips smiled at her, but his eyes blazed like a volcano.
‘I’ll catch him.’
No ignoring the gaze aimed at him.
It might turn threatening...
But his verdict on criminals was always one.
‘I’ll catch him.’
For criminals, arrest only.
Recalling the Ilsan West Police Station motto, Lee Jae-hyun gripped his fist tighter.
Gazing at the serene lake with her, his breath grew hot.
* * *
“Please, just give me one chance!”
Han Hyo-jeong pleaded desperately.
Tears streamed down her face as she clasped her hands together.
“No. Go home.”
“I’m begging you. I’ll get on my knees.”
She dropped to her knees.
But the woman before her shook her head firmly.
“No swaps. Go!”
“Aaah! Please!”
At her resolute tone and expression, Han Hyo-jeong screamed and collapsed.
Sprawled on the ground, she gasped for air.
Her back heaved and fell repeatedly.
“Sob, hic.”
Tears flowed from her eyes.
The woman watching her had sharp eyes.
But only for a moment.
“Cut. That’s it for now, Hyo-jeong.”
“Okay!”
At her words, Han Hyo-jeong’s tear-streaked face brightened instantly.
The woman smiled proudly and reached out.
“You’ve got tears on your face.”
“Oh! Thank you.”
Han Hyo-jeong grinned at her trainer wiping her tears.
“Hyo-jeong, your acting’s improved a lot. Practicing on your own?”
“All thanks to your great teaching.”
“I am pretty good.”
“Exactly!”
Han Hyo-jeong thumbs-upped the shoulder-shrugging trainer and nodded.
Giggles filled the practice room during the break.
“...Hmm.”
Outside, a middle-aged man watched, eyes narrowing.
Arms crossed, he turned to the man beside him.
“Hyo-jeong seems much brighter lately.”
“Yes, President. She does.”
Manager Kim Eun-soo nodded at CEO Hyeon Woo-yong’s words.
Hyeon Woo-yong glanced down at the nonchalant manager.
“Nothing unusual? Speak up if something comes up.”
“Nothing yet. She goes straight home from the company.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
Kim Eun-soo nodded promptly.
“Her acting’s improving too.”
“Yes. The trainer’s been praising her.”
“Good. This level’s not bad.”
Tap, tap.
Hyeon Woo-yong drummed his forearm, mumbling.
Kim Eun-soo eyed him sideways.
“Any auditions we can go for now?”
“One in two weeks, another in a month.”
“Yeah? Who’re the directors?”
“One’s Choi Hyeong-gil, the other Joo Jin-hyuk.”
Kim Eun-soo checked her smartphone schedule and answered.
“Set up a meeting with that Joo Jin-hyuk. Enter the audition too.”
“Got it.”
Kim Eun-soo nodded, noting it on her phone.
She paused, turning to him.
“Where and when?”
“Coordinate the date with Joo Jin-hyuk. Place is our usual spot—book it.”
“Our usual... Oh, got it.”
Kim Eun-soo nodded in understanding, fingers flying over her phone.
Hyeon Woo-yong glanced at her, then fixed on Han Hyo-jeong.
“Um, President.”
“What.”
“Should we tell Hyo-jeong?”
“...Tell her what.”
“To prepare.”
Kim Eun-soo glanced at Han Hyo-jeong as she spoke.
Hyeon Woo-yong clicked his tongue lightly.
“Just keep quiet. Why spoil it.”
“...”
“She’ll be fine finding out then.”
“...Yes, sir.”
“Keep this under wraps. Let Hyo-jeong keep doing her thing like now. Looks good.”
“Yes.”
Hyeon Woo-yong turned away.
Kim Eun-soo flinched at the motion, watching him.
“Do well. Don’t cause trouble.”
Tap, tap.
He patted her shoulder and walked off.
Kim Eun-soo glanced at her shoulder, then at Han Hyo-jeong.
Staring intently, she smiled faintly and made a call.
“Teacher, let’s start practice again!”
Oblivious, Han Hyo-jeong focused on her rehearsal.