Chapter 40
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Drawing Out the Stalker
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“Ha, haa……”
Chu Miyoung checked my face and steadied her ragged breathing. She must have been truly terrified, thinking someone was chasing her from behind.
“Sorry. I didn't mean to scream like that.”
She pulled a tissue from her bag and wiped away her tears. They stopped quickly enough, but her hands kept shaking—she just couldn't calm down.
“No, I'm the one who should apologize. It was a secluded spot, so I should have been more careful. That was short-sighted of me.”
It had been so long since I'd felt any threat to my own safety that I'd overlooked the fear Chu Miyoung must have been feeling.
“Um, could you walk me to my car?”
“Of course.”
Chu Miyoung leaned against me as we walked, practically clinging. She looked too unsteady to even stand on her own, and as soon as we reached her car, she collapsed into the seat.
“Haa… I'm really sorry. It wasn't something to get so worked up over. I guess I've just been on edge because of this stalker.”
“A stalker?”
“Yeah. There's this guy who's been hanging around the area for almost a year now, making it obvious.”
“Oh no, Director Chu. That must have been tough on you.”
I sat in the passenger seat and took her hand, channeling some energy into her.
I'd thought she was stressed from work when I saw her scouting things out, but a stalker? No wonder she was always on high alert if her basic safety was at risk.
“I'm even more sorry now. You were recording, so I thought you might have bad intentions, but it was because of the stalker.”
Ah, I really need to reflect on this. I'd jumped to conclusions and even inwardly criticized her for not being able to treat her own issues as a doctor.
My cultivation was sorely lacking.
“Pardon?”
But Chu Miyoung, who had been sighing in relief, suddenly snapped her head up.
Her expression froze as she doubted her own ears and asked again.
“You just said… recording? And Director Chu…?”
“Ah, yes. You're Director Chu Miyoung of Seongsu Clinic, right?”
“N-no. Wait, did you know from the start?”
“Ah, I should have mentioned that right away. My apologies.”
Chu Miyoung covered her face with both hands, flustered.
“No need for that. I've actually been to your clinic as a patient before.”
“……Huh?”
I pulled a mask from my pocket and put it on, then made a circle with my fingers and placed it over my eyes like glasses.
“Anony……”
“I went in complaining of ankle pain. Don't you remember?”
At first, she thought I was teasing her about my morning disguise and grew even more embarrassed. But soon, she recalled me visiting her clinic a few weeks ago in the exact same getup.
“Ah! That person whose skin was impossibly flawless!”
“Yep. That was me.”
“Haaaa. So that's how it was.”
Once I'd revealed we'd both been equally rude, her embarrassment seemed to ease. She closed her eyes in relief and leaned her head against the steering wheel.
“So that's it… That's how you recognized me.”
“Yes. I was curious about how a network clinic operates. We were both spying, so we're even.”
“Haha. Yeah. Let's call it that.”
Chu Miyoung nodded, the corners of her mouth lifting. She tried to smile politely, but it didn't quite come naturally.
“You still haven't calmed down, have you? Think you can drive?”
“Ah… Honestly, no.”
“If it's okay with you, I can drive you home.”
“Oh.”
“If you don't want to share your address, just say no. I can call a designated driver.”
“No, I'd be so grateful if you drove.”
Since she accepted, I switched to the driver's seat, and she took the passenger side.
Chu Miyoung set her home as the destination on the car's navigation, and after noting the general location, I started the engine right away.
Her place was an apartment not too far away.
“It'll be a hassle for you to get back. Thank you.”
“Not at all. I was the rude one, so this is the least I can do. More importantly, are you okay? A stalker… That must be incredibly stressful.”
For me, masking my presence and using lightness skill to slip through crowds made this distance nothing. Letting someone mentally and physically drained drive was what worried me.
“I'm fine. He hasn't approached me directly yet.”
“So how does he… lurk around?”
“Yeah.”
Chu Miyoung opened Instagram, pulled up someone's account, and when the light turned red, handed me her phone.
“Like this. Ever since I was in Cheonan, he's been posting photos of restaurants near where I go. Ah, I was a deputy director there before transferring down here not too long ago.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Back then, I was active on Instagram and didn't think much of it. He'd visit places I'd posted about eating at and leave tons of comments. With a lot of followers, you get that sometimes.”
“He didn't follow you all the way to Busan, did he?”
“……Yes.”
Looking closely at the account she showed me, recent posts included a restaurant I knew.
Not an Instagram hotspot at all—a Chinese place near the station and a franchise cafe. It was clear he was signaling that he knew she was here.
“After I opened the clinic and got busy, my posts slowed down. Then DMs started: 'I miss you,' 'What are you up to?' I ignored them, and he got personal: 'Got a boyfriend?' 'You're not married, right?'”
“Did you keep ignoring him?”
Chu Miyoung shook her head, letting out a deep, regretful sigh.
“I replied. Said I was moving far away and too busy to keep up with Instagram. Opening the clinic meant tons of admin and a flood of patients.”
“Ah… And then those photos started appearing.”
“Yes. I've always been open about being a Korean medicine doctor on Instagram, so finding Seongsu Clinic's site probably wasn't hard.”
That made sense. With her face and name out there in ads, pinpointing the clinic was easy for anyone determined.
“Any DMs after that?”
“One. 'So it's true. I'll always be watching.'”
Chu Miyoung gritted her teeth as she relayed the message. Anger, fear—tears welled up again.
“No family or friends to walk with you to and from work?”
“No, no one. I have no ties in Busan. HQ sent me here to open the branch, so I came alone.”
What a tricky situation. Reporting to the police wouldn't get her 24/7 protection, and since he wasn't approaching directly via his account, nabbing and punishing him would be tough.
“Hmm……”
“We're here. That apartment over there. Thanks for bringing me all the way.”
No solid plan had come to mind, but just talking it out seemed to help. Chu Miyoung expressed her gratitude, her face flushing as she admitted she hadn't even told her family, not wanting to worry her parents about their daughter far from home.
“No trouble at all. If our schedules line up, I can even pick you up after late-night clinic on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Good thing I got my license.”
I parked smoothly and got out.
She did late nights on those days? By 9 p.m., it was pitch dark. Safe in the car, but heading to the next building's lot could spell trouble, like today.
“Oh, did you get it recently? You don't seem used to driving—I feel bad for asking.”
Chu Miyoung startled and apologized again. She was sorry for everything. We'd exchanged apologies countless times in this short trip.
“Yeah, just two weeks ago, but it's no big deal.”
Chu Miyoung's mouth fell open again.
Drurrruk.
Her head turned mechanically.
She hadn't realized I was a newbie and now fretted over her safety and the luxury foreign car.
“R-right. Got it.”
“Ahaha. Don't worry. I'm good with physical stuff, so even if a stalker's car tails us, I can shake them off like in the movies.”
Chu Miyoung's eyes widened as she shook her head vigorously. No way did she want to ride in a car chasing down a pursuer.
“Yes…… You're so, um, confident. And a great driver. Yeah.”
After dropping Chu Miyoung off that day, I checked the stalker's Instagram whenever I had time.
Somehow, I'd ended up sharing a secret none of her acquaintances knew.
She turned down my offer to drive her home ongoing, but I walked her to the parking lot after late shifts a few times.
No sign of the stalker during those escorts, but Instagram saw uploads every 2-3 days.
“Huh, this place?”
F5 refresh, and a new post popped up. This time, a Chinese restaurant near our clinic—Yongho Noodles, run by Jin Yongho, whom I'd treated for frozen shoulder.
“Hello? Sorry to call out of the blue. This is Director Han Yeowon from Haneul Clinic.”
I looked up the number online and called right away. Luckily, Jin Yongho picked up, so I explained briefly and asked if a lone diner had just left.
- Not sure. Plenty of office workers eat alone here on weekday afternoons.
Jin Yongho wanted to help but couldn't recall what he didn't know.
“No problem. Thanks for your time.”
I hung up without lingering and checked the account again.
“Hmm. Judging by the movement pattern… Does he live in the dense one-room area near my place?”
If he made a clear threat, we could involve the authorities. This level was frustratingly ambiguous.
Staring at the screen wouldn't yield clues.
Chu Miyoung had already tried IP tracing and such to her limits and shied away from private investigators.
“Argh, why am I playing detective now?!”
In the martial world, I'd just ask Master to look into it, and he'd deliver the culprit.
But with patients to see and no one to assign, I felt stuck.
I couldn't wait forever for him to show during my time with her…
“Ah, right.”
If he doesn't show, make him come out.
A great idea struck me.
I messaged Chu Miyoung on our private chat—we'd exchanged contacts recently and texted occasionally.
[Director Chu, I've been thinking.]
[Yes?]
[Instead of staying anxious, let's bait him out.]
Why hadn't I thought of this sooner?
The stalker was orbiting Chu Miyoung, hyper-aware of 'something.' She was convinced he'd eventually approach directly, even if he hadn't yet.
[Bait? Like what? He won't come if I call.]
[He'd think it's the police?]
[Duh, calling him out directly won't work. It could even help his court case.]
[Then?]
[What if we pretend you have a boyfriend? Bet he'll react.]
[Ah?]
He'd hounded her about boyfriends and marriage, trailing her to Busan to watch.
She'd been solo so far, no changes. But stage a romance, and he'd respond somehow.
[Hmm. No one suitable to ask for that. Could be dangerous.]
[Of course. Needs to be someone safe even if the stalker shows up threatening.]
And there was the perfect person for the role.