The final beep echoed through the office space as the timer hit five. Just like that, another long workday came to a close. Chairs scraped back, monitors dimmed, and quiet chatter buzzed through the hallways as the staff packed up for the evening.
Rae Yoorin, heels clicking against the tile, muttered under her breath as she darted toward the restroom. "Of all times—now? Seriously?"
She slipped into a stall, slammed the door shut, and let out a deep exhale. As she waited, a haze of nostalgia washed over her.
"It's been forever since I had sex," she thought bitterly, her lips twisting in distaste.
Her brow furrowed. "I lost to the manager... that young bastard actually picked that old hag over me. Fresh, hot meat right in front of him—and he went for expired goods."
She finished up and stepped out to wash her hands. Water splashed onto the sink as she stared at her reflection.
"How pathetic," she mumbled. "When was the last time, anyway?"
Her mind flashed back. That one time in Shan's car… during the road trip to recruit Eva. That was what… three months ago? Maybe four?
"I shouldn't be thinking about this," she hissed, shaking her head as she turned toward the door.
Just as she stepped out of the bathroom, a loud thud stopped her—followed by a sudden jolt. She stumbled backward, tripped over her own heel, and landed unceremoniously on the floor. Her thigh-length skirt flipped up slightly from the impact.
"Argh—ouch!" she grunted, face scrunching in annoyance. "Hey!! Watch where you're going—!"
She froze mid-sentence. Her eyes locked onto the last person she wanted to see—Shan Wolf, backpack slung over his shoulder, clearly on his way out of work too.
He blinked at her, then smirked.
"You're really something else," Shan said. "Still clumsy, huh? First me, then the new receptionist. Well... former new receptionist, I guess."
Rae's cheeks burned with both embarrassment and anger. "W-what?! That wasn't my fault! She was the one who—!"
She paused, words catching in her throat, as Shan silently extended a hand to help her up.
Her thoughts spun. Why is he helping me? What is he trying to do?
"I don't need your help," she muttered, turning her head away in defiance. "Hmph."
But Shan didn't wait for permission. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her up with ease, and casually brushed the dust off her top.
"I know you don't like me," he said flatly, without emotion. "And I don't like you either."
He started walking past her, his footsteps echoing toward the elevator. "But you could at least grow up. Stop acting like a spoiled brat who thinks the world revolves around you."
The elevator doors slid shut behind him.
Rae stood there, stunned. "Tch… whatever," she muttered, brushing her skirt back down. "So annoying. I need a damn drink."
---
Meanwhile, at a cozy hotpot restaurant nearby, Sae Jin Mei waited at a private booth. She waved enthusiastically as Shan entered.
"Shan!! Over here!" she called.
"Hey, Mei." He greeted her with a soft smile.
"I know you're Hindu, so I ordered a separate burner for your side of the hotpot," she said, glancing at the food being set up.
"Good call. I was going to ask you that," he replied.
The two chuckled and raised their soju glasses. The atmosphere was warm, easy. A strange comfort between two people used to hiding behind masks.
"So…" Shan said, setting his chopsticks down. "You said you wanted to talk about something?"
"Yeah. It's about this." She slid a thin folder across the table.
Shan opened it and stared. "The next face of Won Group?"
"Yup," Jin Mei said, nodding. "I wasn't supposed to see it yet. It doesn't release till next month."
Shan raised an eyebrow. "How'd you get this?"
She shrugged with a sly smile. "I got spotted."
"You? The infamous fox?" he teased.
"Hey! That was the old me," she said, smacking his arm lightly. "I might've done a few shady things back then, but I'm trying to reform now."
Shan smirked, leaning back. "Well, if they noticed you, then go for it. Every woman in the world dreams of seeing their face on a billboard. And you? You're one in a hundred—chosen by Won Group themselves."
He placed a reassuring hand on hers. "You'd be stupid to say no."
Sae Jin Mei looked down, then back up with a small smile. "Even though I'm a criminal? Falsely accused? Betrayed?"
"I was called the Sly Fox for a reason," she said softly. "Because I lied. A lot. And I was damn good at it."
Shan's eyes softened. "That makes two of us. I was falsely accused too. Before I helped break you out, I had to crawl my way back from hell."
He sipped his soju. "Eventually, I learned how to let go. Not forget—but to keep moving forward."
Jin Mei chuckled. "Yeah. Maybe I should, too."
After finishing dinner and paying the bill, they stepped outside. Jin Mei got into a cab, and Shan held the door for her.
"Take care, Fox," he said.
The cab drove off, her hand waving through the window.
Shan lingered there for a moment, deep in thought. A vibration buzzed in his pocket. The caller ID read: CESW.
He answered with a sigh. "It's me."
Sliding his hand into his coat, he activated a small device—a signal jammer. Now it was just him and the voice on the other end.
"Whose idea was this?" Shan growled. "You know this is going to turn everything to shit, right?"
Muffled voices responded on the other side.
"Yes. She's thinking about it," Shan muttered.
"Look," he continued, voice firm, "you do your part, I'll do mine. Just make sure that bitch daughter of yours gets it through her thick skull."
A pause. Then his tone turned cold, dangerous.
"And if you ever lay a finger on her... I will kill you."
He ended the call without waiting for a reply.
---
Two blocks away, in a dark office above a karaoke bar, Jen Heo Won slammed her drink down.
"Did you get it?" she asked.
Her assistant, Gon Jun San, nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I lip-synced the audio. Still can't trace the caller though."
Jen sneered. "Figures. That damn Wolf always covers his tracks."
Gon Jun San adjusted his glasses. "From what we gathered, he was talking about a girl. Said he'd kill the caller if they hurt her."
"Tch. What a pain in the ass," Jen muttered. "He's getting too bold…"
---
Back on the street, Shan wandered aimlessly. That call had shaken him more than he let on.
Then he stopped. Across the road, he saw a familiar figure—Rae Yoorin, stumbling drunk.
"Seriously… Rae?" he muttered.
Some sleazy guy had his arm wrapped around her, clearly trying to pull her along.
"Come on, babe. A hotel's just around the corner," the man cooed, his grin oozing predation.
"Ugh, you're not my fucking type," Rae slurred, pushing against him.
Shan narrowed his eyes. "Not my business," he whispered, turning away.
"You bitch! Plenty of other hoes to fuck besides a prissy slut like you," the guy snapped.
"Oh, go ahead! Or is your sad little cucumber scared of rejection?" Rae spat, her words venomous.
"That's it!" the man snarled, grabbing her top aggressively.
"Kyaa!! What the fuck—! Are you trying to hit me now?!"
"Hit?" he laughed, darkly. "Nah, I just wanna see what you're hiding under there."
He dragged her toward a dim alley, but before he could get far, his wrist was suddenly gripped tight.
A hand.
Shan's.
"Tch… why was I born with a kind?" Shan muttered to himself.
He shoved the guy hard against a nearby truck.
"Hold my bag, will you?" he told Rae, tossing her his satchel.
"Who the fuck are you, you N—!"
The guy never finished.
Shan's grip tightened. "No racism," he warned with a grin, then swept the guy's leg and sent him stumbling.
Before he could regain balance, Shan grabbed his collar, yanked him forward, and drove a brutal elbow into his nose. The sickening crunch echoed.
He slammed the guy down, a final blow to the stomach rendering him unconscious.
Shan picked up his bag from Rae, brushed his coat off, and started walking away.
"Hey!!" Rae shouted.
Shan paused.
"You're seriously just gonna leave me here? At least help me get back to my apartment, dumbass! You do know where I live!"
"Why would I do that?" he asked over his shoulder.
"If you're gonna help a woman," she slurred, "then take fuckin' responsibility!"
"Just take a cab, bitch."
He turned to walk off—but then heard a loud snap.
He turned to see Rae holding one of her heels—broken.
"There! Take responsibility!" she declared, chucking the heel at him. "If you don't, I'll sleep right here in the streets. I'll get raped and blame you!"
She flopped dramatically onto the asphalt like it was a king-sized bed.
Shan looked up and down the deserted street.
"Goddammit," he muttered. "This bitch is gonna kill me."
And so, with a heavy sigh and a grumble of threats under his breath, Shan crouched down and hoisted her onto his back.
As he trudged through the quiet night, carrying her toward her apartment, he groaned in his head.
"I'm gonna kill her. Then kill myself. Then go back in time… and kill her again!"
---
Chapter 34 – End.