#5. Don't Come Near Me!

"I couldn't see his face clearly because of the mask..."

Though it had been a mere flash of a gaze, the hollow despair pooled inside those eyes still occupied Gye-yeong’s mind. Staring at the news screen, he sank deep into thought. The boy’s physique had been slender enough to scatter in the wind, and his voice had been a sweet, lingering melody. Recalling those beautiful, cold eyes, Gye-yeong figured the face hidden behind the mask would be spectacular. Gye-yeong felt a strong, sudden urge to check the actual CCTV footage to catch another glimpse of the brat. Right then—

"Gye-yeong? Hey! Gye-yeong!"

At Gang-mu’s sharp call, Gye-yeong finally snapped back to reality and turned his head.

"What?"

"Why aren't you answering? What's so urgent that you're completely spacing out?"

To think he would pour this much focus onto a single human being. Gye-yeong found it strange himself.

"Gye-yeong, we need to push this redevelopment through quickly and cross over to Hong Kong."

"Exactly. You're personally taking care of the redevelopment zone? Are you really a workaholic?"

Gye-yeong casually brushed off his friends' words, keeping his eyes locked onto the television screen.

"Just cooperate. I don't want to waste my time."

Listening to Gye-yeong, Gang-mu furrowed his brows deeply and let out a long sigh.

"One has too much time and runs wild, while the other splits his life by the minute to torture himself... Why can't my friends ever find a middle ground?"

At those words, Gyoo-ryeon burst into a delighted laugh, entirely agreeing with the sentiment. He then turned to Gye-yeong, adding a slick remark.

"Gang-mu, I feel like Gye-yeong is going to suddenly get hyper-fixated on something strange if he keeps this up."

At that, Gang-mu also let out a soft laugh, nodding his head in agreement.

"True. After obsessing over work like a maniac, a moment will come when he gets completely hooked on some woman. When that happens, his eyes will flip 180 degrees, and he'll do nothing but chase after her."

Instantly, Gyoo-ryeon shot a mischievous glance at Gye-yeong, while Gang-mu delivered a heavy piece of advice.

"Gye-yeong, you better watch yourself."

"Watch what?"

"I just mean I hope you have a normal romance like everyone else."

"Shut up."

Gyoo-ryeon privately nudged Gang-mu’s shoulder, whispering with a playful glint in his eyes.

"Haha, anyway, the world is vast and women are everywhere."

Deeming it unworthy of a response, Gye-yeong checked his watch and turned around without hesitation.

"Stop wasting precious time and move."

"Haha, alright, alright. Let's go."

Gyoo-ryeon and Gang-mu continued their conversation while chasing after Gye-yeong’s retreating figure.

"By the way, Gye-yeong. The owner of that burned-down orphanage holding out in the redevelopment zone—I heard it's a woman?"

"That's what I heard."

"Let's scan the property first. I heard she's completely unreachable."

Listening intently to Gyoo-ryeon, Gang-mu pulled out his phone.

"Yeah, sounds good. I actually planted a security CCTV at the house across from the orphanage. I think someone will show up soon."

"Oho, meticulous as always. Detective Kim Gang-mu. Let's hurry."

Keeping his mouth firmly shut, Gye-yeong led the way out of the hospital lobby.

= = =

Once they departed, the nurses who had been hiding in the corners of the lobby slowly gathered toward the center, breaking into hushed chatter.

"Our Dr. Kim Gang-mu is seriously so handsome. I wonder who will take a man like him?"

"Don't even dream of it. You can't even show your face unless you're from a chaebol family."

"The guys next to him have completely fantastic looks too. They say that black-haired handsome man is only twenty-six or seven, but his wealth is in the trillions."

"Right! I heard if a building or hotel has Kenz in the name, it all belongs to him..."

Chasing the lingering afterimages of the three men, the nurses' intense, sticky gazes lingered in the lobby for a long time.

= = =

Late in the afternoon, as the sun dipped sharply and stretched the shadows long.

Above the courtyard of the ruined orphanage in Seoul's old downtown, the raw roar of a motorcycle engine left a sharp echo.

Where should she lay her body tonight? Lately, the sorrow of being homeless seemed to penetrate deep into Hyeon-sin's very bones. The small flat-house area where she had recently stayed had been cleared out by the fierce storm of redevelopment. Whenever her heart felt this heavily burdened, there was one place Hyeon-sin always sought—the place harboring the brilliant memories she shared with her parents.

I wonder if any mail arrived.

Standing precariously at the very edge of a worn-out alley, this orphanage was the sole inheritance left by Hyeon-sin's parents. Though now, it had become a two-story building enveloped in an eerie silence, showing nothing but a bare skeleton clawed by fire. The moment she drove her motorcycle up to the orphanage entrance, Hyeon-sin's instincts sounded an alarm.

"Ah..."

Three black sedans and massive, heavy vans occupied the alley entrance.

"Damn it...!"

Sure enough, unfamiliar male voices were drifting out from inside the orphanage, which should have been dead silent.

"Who are you?"

The man who appeared to be the leader of the bodyguards noticed Hyeon-sin and strode forward aggressively.

To step onto my land and take such a high-handed attitude. Hyeon-sin found it absurd, but she fought to keep her composure.

"Why are you doing this? You don't even own this place."

"Stepping in here without a shred of fear, are you a kid from this neighborhood? It's dangerous, so go back immediately!"

Deeming Hyeon-sin a stray, rebellious teenager, he waved his hand dismissively.

"Chief Ma, don't yell so much. Why are boys these days as pretty as idols?"

"Han Gyoo-ryeon, that constitutes sexual harassment. Restrain yourself."

Who on earth were these people? Suppressing her mounting fury, Hyeon-sin glared at them, but cold sweat poured down her spine as the names that followed hit her like a tidal wave.

"Gang-mu, this is a pure compliment. I mean that brat looks like he's going to make a lot of girls his age cry."

As Gyoo-ryeon’s piercing eyes flashed through his blonde hair, staring straight through Hyeon-sin, a visceral chill ran down her spine. Then, the man named Kim Gang-mu also slowly turned toward her.

"Come to think of it, he really is a beautiful boy. Hey kid, we won't eat you alive."

Contrary to his words, his searching gaze was extremely threatening. Right then—

"What kind of brat are you? Why did you come here? What is your identity?"

Gye-yeong's voice pierced her eardrums like a cold shard of glass. Taking one step, then two, closing in like a predator cornering its prey, he hurled his questions at Hyeon-sin.

A pleasing mid-to-low bass voice carrying absolutely zero emotion—bored and arrogant. An overwhelming physique, an immaculate face, and a dominant aura that suffocated the opponent.

The moment Hyeon-sin connected this man's voice to the image he exuded, she tasted a terror that made every hair on her body stand on end.

Surely, it couldn't be. The man stepped in so close that his nose almost touched hers.

A cool, luxurious scent of musk pierced her nose, radiating an intense gravity that made it impossible to look away.

'Damn it! 40,000 dollars! It's that man!'

In an instant, a severe vertigo washed over Hyeon-sin, making her feel as if the ground beneath her feet had vanished completely.