Chapter 25
A fingertip brushed past my cheek.
“This side suits my taste more.”
Haewon’s words froze my mind.
Snap – it felt like everything could shatter if touched.
When I saw him in Baekcheon, I thought his eyes were half-empty.
Maybe because he hadn’t met Yugyeom yet.
But the Haewon I met again was different.
Approaching silently like a looming shadow, he was deep and intense.
I quietly avoided his gaze.
Then, Haewon’s jacket was thrown over me.
“Put it on.”
“…What?”
“If you want to get shot, you don’t have to.”
Despite his casual tone, the content was harsh, so I hastily put on the jacket.
But… how do I wear it like this, underneath?
As I pondered, Haewon, who had come close, supported my back with one hand and lifted me slightly.
His firm chest pressed against me, damp from the rain, giving me a strange sensation as it brushed against my cheek.
Using his other hand, Haewon guided my arm into the jacket and buttoned it up.
While he moved smoothly and naturally, I stiffened like a creaking robot.
“At least two, but because of the rain, I’m not sure.”
A low whisper reached my ear.
At his words, I looked at the sparse bushes nearby, feeling like we would be immediately exposed if we moved even a little.
I shuddered at the thought of gun barrels aimed at us from beyond.
Yugyeom wouldn’t suddenly change his mind and send someone to kill me, would he?
“Stop staring there.”
Haewon grabbed my chin, forcing me to face him.
“We can lose them once we widen the distance a bit because of the rain. Once we’re out of the forest, we can get in the car right away.”
“Run from here?”
“If we stay like this and more come, it’ll be a headache.”
The heart-wrenching desire to shake my head wildly and find another way gripped me, as if I wanted to grab Haewon by the collar. But knowing that his judgment was probably the best, I could only cling to reason.
Haewon, who had been carefully scanning the movement beyond the bushes, turned his head towards me.
His gaze landed on my tightly clenched hand.
For a moment, Haewon seemed to be contemplating something, then he firmly grasped my wrist.
The reassuring warmth of his grip, which seemed like it wouldn’t let go even in the rain, strangely calmed my trembling heart.
“The bulletproof jacket won’t stop the bullets completely, but at least they won’t penetrate too deep. Just focus on running.”
The notion of feeling calm was revoked. Was he really reassuring me, or trying to scare me even more?
The fear of being shot surged through me at the thought of bullets.
“Wait, Boss.”
I desperately held onto Haewon’s hand, which was tightly gripping my wrist.
After seeing my pale face, Haewon leaned closer to me.
No.
No, please.
“One.”
No, don’t.
Two, without even waiting for my desperate plea, the countdown continued.
“Three.”
As the low voice echoed in my ears louder than the rain, by the time my heartbeat drowned out the sound,
“…!”
Haewon released my wrist. Then, his thick fingers dug into my hand like a steel grip.
Surprised by the stronger grip than before, I looked up at Haewon, who burst into laughter as if releasing a pent-up breath.
In that moment, I forgot the situation surrounding us and just stared at his face, dumbfounded.
“Hold on tight.”
Before the signal even registered in my mind, I was being pulled along by Haewon, running through the rain.
Holding hands with the male lead, hoping that this path wouldn’t become another route to death.
—
Bang! Bang!
Tang! Tang! Tang!
It was like a shootout.
Even with the sound of gunfire close behind us, Haewon never slowed down, never stopped.
I struggled to stay on my feet, even against the pelting rain, hoping not to fall.
Bang!
A bullet lodged into the tree right beside me, and in the eerie atmosphere, I let out a silent scream.
“This is insane!”
I wanted to grab Haewon’s leg and plead for us to find another way, but I didn’t have the mental capacity to do so anymore.
Despite running for a while, the relentless sound of gunfire persisted. It seemed like we wouldn’t be safe until one of us fell.
Perhaps sensing the same, Haewon suddenly veered off and ducked behind a large rock.
With his hand pressing my shoulder to keep up, I leaned against the rock, practically lying down to hide.
As Haewon approached, breathing heavily, he whispered, “We should wait here and let them pass.”
I nodded earnestly, barely able to control my own emotions.
Even after we hid, the sounds of footsteps and gunfire didn’t cease quickly.
Who could it be? Who was relentlessly pursuing us like this?
In the midst of lamenting my various predicaments, I almost wanted to cry at how dramatically my life had changed.
“It seems like they’re gone.”
Amidst my suppressed sobbing and struggle to regain composure, I didn’t hear Haewon’s words.
“Cha Yeonbyeol.”
“….”
“Cha Yeonbyeol?”
“….Yes?!”
Startled by Haewon calling my name again, I jumped at the warm breath against my ear and answered.
Only then did I realize how quiet it had become around us.
In the end, we survived that shootout.
Relief washed over me, leaving me drained of energy.
Thankfully, the entity that sent me here had some conscience. It was certainly a close call.
“It seems like we took the wrong path.”
But before I could fully relax, Haewon dropped another bombshell.
“We should find a cave before it gets darker and leave tomorrow morning.”
“Are you serious?”
I squinted, wondering if I had misheard.
“We can use a phone! Isn’t there anyone else around? Or a radio?”
“The signal is weak in the mountains.”
“Oh! I have a cellphone…”
I reached into my pocket to grab my phone, but I couldn’t continue speaking.
“…I thought it was here, but it’s gone.”
The screen seemed to be shattered, either from the fall or some other impact.
The surroundings were enveloped in a deep blue darkness, indicating that the sun had set. Winter days were short, and soon it would be so dark that we wouldn’t be able to see the trees in front of us.
Haewon was right.
Despite him being the male lead, and despite us being in a situation straight out of a romance novel cliché, if I were to be with Haewon, it felt more like a thriller than a romance.
As I turned my head, almost in denial of the situation, I noticed something.
“…Haha. Look, there’s a cave right there?”
A cave appeared right in front of us without the need for searching.
Haewon stood up and walked towards the cave entrance.
Following behind him with the mentality of a condemned criminal heading to the gallows, I thought, ‘Wow. Isn’t this just perfect? Sleeping and getting bitten by a snake?’
Reluctantly, we entered the cave, which was as ominous and imposing as one would expect from a place where bears or snakes might pop out at any moment.
The darkness inside seemed to stretch deeper than the size of the cave suggested, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. The sound of rain outside was faint, and occasional echoes of dripping water from the ceiling resonated like whispers.
Near the entrance, not far from where we stood, there were dry branches arranged almost as if they had been prepared in advance.
Haewon settled beside the pile of branches, and I sat down not too far away, but not too close either.
With a flickering flame from the lighter, warmth enveloped us as the wood quickly caught fire.
I gathered my knees to my chest, trying to stop the shivering, but the chill seemed to seep deep into my bones, refusing to dissipate.
Despite my attempts to calm down, I eventually gave up and simply waited for my body to warm up.
Haewon leaned against the cave wall with his eyes closed.
‘I never imagined I’d be like this with Haewon.’
Though he wasn’t my type, his handsome face was undeniable.
With flawless skin, dense eyelashes, and a sharp jawline, he captivated even in the darkness.
If there were nobility in real life, he would fit the bill perfectly.
Feeling strangely conflicted about gazing upon a face that would never exist in reality, I found myself lost in thought.
“Close your eyes a bit.”
I flinched at the voice that resonated softly, causing my body to tense up. For a moment, I wondered if I had been caught eavesdropping, but thankfully, seeing Haewon’s still closed eyes reassured me that wasn’t the case.
“I find it more comfortable not to sleep.”
His eyelids slowly lifted, revealing his dark pupils gazing towards me.
Whenever I slept, I always had nightmares without fail. The original story, my fate – despite not wanting to care about such things, I couldn’t escape the nightmares that visited me every night.
“Save me. Please, save me, Oppa…”
In my dreams, I only ever saw his back, never facing me, before I died. The desperation and fear in those dreams felt suffocating, as if I truly were Cha Yeonbyul and not just inhabiting her body temporarily.
So, I couldn’t help but struggle even more.
Even now, with trembling fingertips, I rested my face on my knees, fearing that if I fell asleep, I would surely have a nightmare. The thought of having such dreams in this situation felt unbearable.
With my hands still shaking, I held my head on my knees. That’s when Haewon suddenly leaned halfway up against the wall.
Then, he began unbuttoning his black shirt from the top, slowly revealing his chest as each button was undone.
“Why… Why do you keep taking off your clothes?”
Despite my question, Haewon continued to unbutton his shirt until it was completely unbuttoned and then shrugged it off, revealing his shoulders adorned with intricate tattoos.
What’s going on? This isn’t R-rated, is it?
No, what am I thinking, Cha Yeonbyul?
Various thoughts swirled in my mind as I instinctively lowered my head, but in that moment, my wrist, which I had used to cover my face, was grasped.
“When did you come this close?” Haewon lowered my hand beneath his face.
His gaze swept up and down my figure before speaking again, “It would be better to hurry and undress.”
His hand was cold, but his gaze was hot.
“If you don’t want me to undress you myself.”
Haewon added with a whisper that missed the mark by a long shot, then chuckled softly.
Chapter 25
A fingertip brushed past my cheek.
“This side suits my taste more.”
Haewon’s words froze my mind.
Snap – it felt like everything could shatter if touched.
When I saw him in Baekcheon, I thought his eyes were half-empty.
Maybe because he hadn’t met Yugyeom yet.
But the Haewon I met again was different.
Approaching silently like a looming shadow, he was deep and intense.
I quietly avoided his gaze.
Then, Haewon’s jacket was thrown over me.
“Put it on.”
“…What?”
“If you want to get shot, you don’t have to.”
Despite his casual tone, the content was harsh, so I hastily put on the jacket.
But… how do I wear it like this, underneath?
As I pondered, Haewon, who had come close, supported my back with one hand and lifted me slightly.
His firm chest pressed against me, damp from the rain, giving me a strange sensation as it brushed against my cheek.
Using his other hand, Haewon guided my arm into the jacket and buttoned it up.
While he moved smoothly and naturally, I stiffened like a creaking robot.
“At least two, but because of the rain, I’m not sure.”
A low whisper reached my ear.
At his words, I looked at the sparse bushes nearby, feeling like we would be immediately exposed if we moved even a little.
I shuddered at the thought of gun barrels aimed at us from beyond.
Yugyeom wouldn’t suddenly change his mind and send someone to kill me, would he?
“Stop staring there.”
Haewon grabbed my chin, forcing me to face him.
“We can lose them once we widen the distance a bit because of the rain. Once we’re out of the forest, we can get in the car right away.”
“Run from here?”
“If we stay like this and more come, it’ll be a headache.”
The heart-wrenching desire to shake my head wildly and find another way gripped me, as if I wanted to grab Haewon by the collar. But knowing that his judgment was probably the best, I could only cling to reason.
Haewon, who had been carefully scanning the movement beyond the bushes, turned his head towards me.
His gaze landed on my tightly clenched hand.
For a moment, Haewon seemed to be contemplating something, then he firmly grasped my wrist.
The reassuring warmth of his grip, which seemed like it wouldn’t let go even in the rain, strangely calmed my trembling heart.
“The bulletproof jacket won’t stop the bullets completely, but at least they won’t penetrate too deep. Just focus on running.”
The notion of feeling calm was revoked. Was he really reassuring me, or trying to scare me even more?
The fear of being shot surged through me at the thought of bullets.
“Wait, Boss.”
I desperately held onto Haewon’s hand, which was tightly gripping my wrist.
After seeing my pale face, Haewon leaned closer to me.
No.
No, please.
“One.”
No, don’t.
Two, without even waiting for my desperate plea, the countdown continued.
“Three.”
As the low voice echoed in my ears louder than the rain, by the time my heartbeat drowned out the sound,
“…!”
Haewon released my wrist. Then, his thick fingers dug into my hand like a steel grip.
Surprised by the stronger grip than before, I looked up at Haewon, who burst into laughter as if releasing a pent-up breath.
In that moment, I forgot the situation surrounding us and just stared at his face, dumbfounded.
“Hold on tight.”
Before the signal even registered in my mind, I was being pulled along by Haewon, running through the rain.
Holding hands with the male lead, hoping that this path wouldn’t become another route to death.
—
Bang! Bang!
Tang! Tang! Tang!
It was like a shootout.
Even with the sound of gunfire close behind us, Haewon never slowed down, never stopped.
I struggled to stay on my feet, even against the pelting rain, hoping not to fall.
Bang!
A bullet lodged into the tree right beside me, and in the eerie atmosphere, I let out a silent scream.
“This is insane!”
I wanted to grab Haewon’s leg and plead for us to find another way, but I didn’t have the mental capacity to do so anymore.
Despite running for a while, the relentless sound of gunfire persisted. It seemed like we wouldn’t be safe until one of us fell.
Perhaps sensing the same, Haewon suddenly veered off and ducked behind a large rock.
With his hand pressing my shoulder to keep up, I leaned against the rock, practically lying down to hide.
As Haewon approached, breathing heavily, he whispered, “We should wait here and let them pass.”
I nodded earnestly, barely able to control my own emotions.
Even after we hid, the sounds of footsteps and gunfire didn’t cease quickly.
Who could it be? Who was relentlessly pursuing us like this?
In the midst of lamenting my various predicaments, I almost wanted to cry at how dramatically my life had changed.
“It seems like they’re gone.”
Amidst my suppressed sobbing and struggle to regain composure, I didn’t hear Haewon’s words.
“Cha Yeonbyeol.”
“….”
“Cha Yeonbyeol?”
“….Yes?!”
Startled by Haewon calling my name again, I jumped at the warm breath against my ear and answered.
Only then did I realize how quiet it had become around us.
In the end, we survived that shootout.
Relief washed over me, leaving me drained of energy.
Thankfully, the entity that sent me here had some conscience. It was certainly a close call.
“It seems like we took the wrong path.”
But before I could fully relax, Haewon dropped another bombshell.
“We should find a cave before it gets darker and leave tomorrow morning.”
“Are you serious?”
I squinted, wondering if I had misheard.
“We can use a phone! Isn’t there anyone else around? Or a radio?”
“The signal is weak in the mountains.”
“Oh! I have a cellphone…”
I reached into my pocket to grab my phone, but I couldn’t continue speaking.
“…I thought it was here, but it’s gone.”
The screen seemed to be shattered, either from the fall or some other impact.
The surroundings were enveloped in a deep blue darkness, indicating that the sun had set. Winter days were short, and soon it would be so dark that we wouldn’t be able to see the trees in front of us.
Haewon was right.
Despite him being the male lead, and despite us being in a situation straight out of a romance novel cliché, if I were to be with Haewon, it felt more like a thriller than a romance.
As I turned my head, almost in denial of the situation, I noticed something.
“…Haha. Look, there’s a cave right there?”
A cave appeared right in front of us without the need for searching.
Haewon stood up and walked towards the cave entrance.
Following behind him with the mentality of a condemned criminal heading to the gallows, I thought, ‘Wow. Isn’t this just perfect? Sleeping and getting bitten by a snake?’
Reluctantly, we entered the cave, which was as ominous and imposing as one would expect from a place where bears or snakes might pop out at any moment.
The darkness inside seemed to stretch deeper than the size of the cave suggested, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. The sound of rain outside was faint, and occasional echoes of dripping water from the ceiling resonated like whispers.
Near the entrance, not far from where we stood, there were dry branches arranged almost as if they had been prepared in advance.
Haewon settled beside the pile of branches, and I sat down not too far away, but not too close either.
With a flickering flame from the lighter, warmth enveloped us as the wood quickly caught fire.
I gathered my knees to my chest, trying to stop the shivering, but the chill seemed to seep deep into my bones, refusing to dissipate.
Despite my attempts to calm down, I eventually gave up and simply waited for my body to warm up.
Haewon leaned against the cave wall with his eyes closed.
‘I never imagined I’d be like this with Haewon.’
Though he wasn’t my type, his handsome face was undeniable.
With flawless skin, dense eyelashes, and a sharp jawline, he captivated even in the darkness.
If there were nobility in real life, he would fit the bill perfectly.
Feeling strangely conflicted about gazing upon a face that would never exist in reality, I found myself lost in thought.
“Close your eyes a bit.”
I flinched at the voice that resonated softly, causing my body to tense up. For a moment, I wondered if I had been caught eavesdropping, but thankfully, seeing Haewon’s still closed eyes reassured me that wasn’t the case.
“I find it more comfortable not to sleep.”
His eyelids slowly lifted, revealing his dark pupils gazing towards me.
Whenever I slept, I always had nightmares without fail. The original story, my fate – despite not wanting to care about such things, I couldn’t escape the nightmares that visited me every night.
“Save me. Please, save me, Oppa…”
In my dreams, I only ever saw his back, never facing me, before I died. The desperation and fear in those dreams felt suffocating, as if I truly were Cha Yeonbyul and not just inhabiting her body temporarily.
So, I couldn’t help but struggle even more.
Even now, with trembling fingertips, I rested my face on my knees, fearing that if I fell asleep, I would surely have a nightmare. The thought of having such dreams in this situation felt unbearable.
With my hands still shaking, I held my head on my knees. That’s when Haewon suddenly leaned halfway up against the wall.
Then, he began unbuttoning his black shirt from the top, slowly revealing his chest as each button was undone.
“Why… Why do you keep taking off your clothes?”
Despite my question, Haewon continued to unbutton his shirt until it was completely unbuttoned and then shrugged it off, revealing his shoulders adorned with intricate tattoos.
What’s going on? This isn’t R-rated, is it?
No, what am I thinking, Cha Yeonbyul?
Various thoughts swirled in my mind as I instinctively lowered my head, but in that moment, my wrist, which I had used to cover my face, was grasped.
“When did you come this close?” Haewon lowered my hand beneath his face.
His gaze swept up and down my figure before speaking again, “It would be better to hurry and undress.”
His hand was cold, but his gaze was hot.
“If you don’t want me to undress you myself.”
Haewon added with a whisper that missed the mark by a long shot, then chuckled softly.
