Chapter 7
Chapter 7
“Where did you hide the tracker this time? Judging by the sound inside, it must have a microphone too…”
“Sorry, it’s become a habit…”
“I told you not to do this! Please… is this how people live?”
“Sorry, but I have no choice. You are the heir of Chairman Jeong In-seok… if anything were to happen, it could be disastrous.”
“Ha… damn it…”
Jung Jin-woo turned his head to look. Three cars carried the burly men in black suits. One SUV held special operations experts. And then there was the car of lawyer Ko Yoon-seok.
“Tell everyone to go back and rest. Give them a nice dinner or something.”
“Understood. Operation canceled!”
Operation? If the man called “Chairman” had ordered the men to take Jung Jin-woo, it could have been a massive disaster. Maybe even fatalities.
As Ko Yoon-seok spoke, the cars quietly departed. Jung Jin-woo got into Ko Yoon-seok’s car.
“Chairman… I apologize for the inconvenience, but there’s no helping it. This is their duty.”
“Sigh… I shouldn’t have come here in the first place.”
It was ironic—he was essentially telling him not to follow like this.
“Do you really need to shadow me in such a convoy?”
“If we hadn’t arrived in time, it could have been dangerous.”
“No, I could have handled it on my own.”
“Confidence is good, but arrogance is forbidden. Even if uncomfortable, you must endure. It’s part of the responsibility.”
“Hmm…”
Traveling around in a convoy like this for security? Even if hidden, it’s suffocating to think that twenty people are watching from unseen corners. This isn’t normal.
At that moment, Jung Jin-woo recalled something Ko Yoon-seok had said earlier—about a very dangerous individual.
“The person you mentioned back then…”
Instead of answering, Ko Yoon-seok looked toward the driver’s seat.
“Driver Kim, raise the partition.”
Ko Yoon-seok pressed a button, and the partition between the front seat and the rest of the car went up. At the same time, another soundproof partition rose from the front. Double soundproofing.
“So now you intend to use shadow security? If it’s that person, we can relax and step back. In the past, many tried to harm your father. That’s why we had multiple layers of protection. But the person your father trusted the most… is the shadow.”
“Who is that person?”
“A specialist among specialists. From now on, only the shadow will handle security.”
“Can I know who this person is?”
“That’s classified.”
“The person… you said they were dangerous. How dangerous are we talking?”
“That’s why we’ve hesitated to deploy them. Remember, it’s not you who’s in danger—your opponent is. If that person gets involved, someone will definitely die or be injured. Also, you’re not even exposed yet. There was no need to risk it.”
“If someone dies or gets hurt, it’s not secret security, is it?”
“It is. The shadow makes it so quietly that neither the dead nor survivors even realize what happened to them.”
“No way… sounds like a movie…”
“It’s real.”
“Then let me meet them once.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Why? I need to know who it is.”
“Your father only saw the shadow once. If you knew, it wouldn’t be shadow security anymore.”
Does that even make sense? Receiving protection from someone whose face you don’t know.
“If the shadow handles it, all this convoy protection can be pulled back. Many companies worldwide need security personnel. Those currently assigned can be reassigned.”
“Can you really trust this person?”
“Trust or not, they don’t need protection. Any threats are eliminated beforehand. For example, nothing today could have even happened if the shadow were active.”
“Excuse me?”
“They identify threats and neutralize them in advance.”
“That sounds extremely risky…”
“That’s how discreet shadow security works. Still, do you want it?”
Jung Jin-woo’s head spun from all this.
“Let’s be clear. If they don’t kill anyone, I’ll accept their protection.”
“That will probably be even harder…”
“Or forget it.”
“Understood. I’ll explain.”
“And one more thing.”
Jung Jin-woo continued firmly.
“Don’t plant trackers or microphones, okay?”
“Microphones, maybe not, but trackers are non-negotiable. You can’t just think of yourself. Millions of lives worldwide depend on you.”
“Sigh…”
What the hell… He’s not the president. Just a regular divorced guy…
The next day, as soon as Jung Jin-woo appeared, Oh Se-eun gave him a fierce glare.
“What did you tell your uncle?”
“I told him we’re not involved in any way.”
“Not involved? We’re…”
Her fox-like eyes widened even more, making her look cute despite the glare.
“Then are we dating?”
“Then aren’t we?”
Their eyes met briefly. Bold or shameless—was this childlike love or something else?
“What did they say at home?”
“They told me to break up and study abroad immediately.”
“Good.”
“I said no way. Why should they decide my life?”
“Don’t hammer your parents’ hearts—just follow their orders.”
“Don’t hammer my parents’ hearts and then nail stakes into mine?”
Again, words were useless against Oh Se-eun.
“Do you like me?”
“Like…? I’m still figuring it out…”
Not passionately, but…
“See… then there’s no difference between ‘nothing’ and this. Don’t give too much meaning to trivial things.”
“What?”
The normally obedient Oh Se-eun now glared with a spark of madness.
“Am I nothing to you?”
“Well, would a guy seven years older be crazy enough to fall for a girl barely an adult? That’s ridiculous.”
Truth be told, Jung Jin-woo was increasingly fond of her. And realizing that made him uneasy. He had a conscience—how could a divorced man feel this way toward a barely adult girl?
If it were thirty-two and twenty-five, seven years difference wouldn’t be so bad. But twenty-eight and twenty-one… not okay. Every odd feeling brought guilt.
“Say it again. You don’t dislike me?”
Oh Se-eun’s eyes glistened. His heart ached, but he had to be firm.
“Do I dislike you? Of course not… I like you as a human being, but not in the dating sense.”
“Same here… spending time together could make us grow attached, and then maybe date.”
“Do that with someone else!”
Oh Se-eun glared like a laser.
“You’re just an old cowardly guy.”
“Got it!”
Sometimes, a little cowardice is for someone else’s sake. When she understands later, she’ll appreciate it.
Oh Se-eun pouted and spun around, leaving.
“Goodbye, kid! Find a good person!”
Jung Jin-woo could only call after her fading back.
With Oh Se-eun not shadowing him, keeping up with classes became harder. But thanks to her previous help, he could manage. Occasionally, they’d pass each other in class, pretending not to notice.
Even if there were no romantic feelings, she was someone too valuable to lose…
By the end of the first semester, after finals, Jung Jin-woo left the library to find Oh Se-eun waiting.
“Just one question.”
“Go ahead.”
She walked silently toward the bench where they had spent two months together. Jung Jin-woo followed without a word.
“Tell me honestly. You don’t dislike me, right?”
“On the contrary, that’s the problem.”
June evenings were perfect for sitting and enjoying the breeze. Her scent teased his nose—like baby powder, innocent but pleasant.
“You’re a divorced man and older, and I’m young. We can’t date, right?”
“That’s right… I have a conscience.”
“Good! Then…”
Oh Se-eun smiled contentedly. They had spent two months together daily, so Jung Jin-woo knew her well. Her smiles often preceded bold actions.
“Two years…”
“Huh?”
“Let’s meet again in two years… I’ll be twenty-three then. Not a naïve kid anymore. You’ll be thirty, right?”
“Thirty… in my thirties… ugh…”
Awkward atmosphere. She exaggerated, yet still awkward.
“Then we’ll see… by then, I won’t be a rookie… I’ll finish my master’s abroad.”
His heart twinged. Wanting to be together, yet painful to stay.
“You can’t leave, since you must graduate. So I have to leave… it’s better than keeping this vague tension.”
He had no proper words.
“This is weird. A divorced man seven years older…”
“Sorry.”
“No need to apologize… I’m leaving for the best.”
“Study well!”
“Yeah… but don’t expect too much! I might come back with another guy, and you might be with someone suitable too.”
“True… who knows…”
“Enough… I’ll get up now.”
“Okay…”
Oh Se-eun stood, and Jung Jin-woo followed.
“One hug!”
She opened her arms wide.
“Okay…”
Jung Jin-woo spread his arms, and she came in. Not a child anymore… she hugged him tightly for a moment.
“There are many handsome men in the world… meet plenty of them…”
“Take care of yourself. Don’t sit crying just because you’re a divorced man.”
“Will do.”
As he let go, she released her hold too. Two months of simple fondness, now paused before it could deepen.
If people could like each other without complications… it would be perfect.
Jung Jin-woo knew Oh Se-eun felt the same. Spending time together made them aware of each other’s feelings. So they stopped here.
This was the courtesy owed to a still young girl.
“Take care… don’t think of me…”
Jung Jin-woo brushed her hair back.
“Ha, take care of yourself too. Don’t miss me. I’m leaving.”
With that, Oh Se-eun slowly walked away. Jung Jin-woo could only watch until she disappeared completely, his chest aching.