Chapter 41
Chapter 41
“Ah, Ms. Seo Wan-yi, we’ve prepared a separate room next door for you, so if you need to wash up or rest, you can do so there.”
“Thank you.”
“If you’re more comfortable staying here, that’s fine too.”
It felt like he was reading my mind, but it was just Shin Chi-woo being thoughtful. No matter how close we were, being crammed into a tiny motel room with my dad—and a male guard, no less—wasn’t exactly ideal.
It was a genuine relief that he had considered my comfort. For that, I was truly grateful.
“Dad, I’m going next door to wash up, okay?”
“Yes, that sounds like a good idea.”
“I won’t be long, so don’t eat without me if the food comes. Let’s eat together for once.”
“Alright. I didn’t even get to be with you on your birthday… Take your time, Wan-yi. It must’ve been tough getting here.”
“I got it, Dad.”
“Ms. Seo Wan-yi, this way.”
“Yes.”
In front of my father, Shin Chi-woo spoke to me with polite formality, even using ‘Ms.’ He was so courteous, it almost felt absurd—especially since he personally escorted me to the next room.
Once the door to my dad’s room closed, we stood in front of the room next door. At a place like this, I wasn’t expecting a card key, but wouldn’t it at least need an old-fashioned key to unlock?
Ding-dong.
Shin Chi-woo rang the doorbell. I leaned forward from behind him to take a look. Unlike my dad’s room, this one didn’t have a peephole. That alone suggested that my dad’s room was built—or altered—to allow monitoring or added security.
Scratch that gratitude I just felt toward Shin Chi-woo. I should’ve known better.
“Uh…”
“Don’t act so surprised.”
I sighed deeply when I saw who opened the door. Now I understood why the bob-haired woman hadn’t followed us upstairs. She must’ve come up separately and waited in this room. I hadn’t expected her to be stationed right next to me as both my bodyguard and watchman.
“My dad and that guy are just next door, so I’ll be fine on my own.”
“It’s not safe to be alone. You’ll be safer with someone here—I’ll feel more at ease, too.”
“I get what you’re saying, but… it’s going to be uncomfortable for both of us.”
“I’m fine.”
“It’s not even half a day until midnight. Just hold out until then.”
Even this woman, normally quieter than most men, declared she was fine and told me to treat her like she wasn’t there. And Shin Chi-woo firmly insisted I couldn’t be left alone. There was no way I could overpower that kind of stubbornness.
And in all fairness, there was a chance this place could be attacked. What if something happened while I was in the shower or dozing off from exhaustion? I really wouldn’t be able to handle it alone.
So yeah, there was no reason for me to push back. Shin Chi-woo was right. I nodded my head in agreement.
“Okay. I’ll stay with her.”
“I’ve prepared everything I could, but if you need anything, let Deputy Cha know. She’ll get it for you somehow.”
“Alright.”
On the boat, and now again here, he referred to her as ‘Deputy Cha.’ I wasn’t jealous because she was a woman—it wasn’t like that. What I was really curious about was this odd dynamic. The man next door, her, and Shin Chi-woo—three completely different people. What kind of trust did they have between them?
I had a hunch Shin Chi-woo didn’t bring the big guy to the island just to protect my dad. And Deputy Cha didn’t seem like someone he saw as a woman either—she was just highly capable, and he kept her close for that reason.
Outwardly, both probably worked under Pyeonjae Trading, directly beneath Shin Chi-woo. But weren’t they afraid of betraying Chairman Pyeon? If it were me, I’d never want a boss like Shin Chi-woo. But surprisingly, he seemed to treat his people pretty well.
“You still have the phone I gave you earlier, right?”
“Yes.”
“Give it to me.”
“Why?”
“If this gets turned on, even by mistake, it could be tracked. We’re not on the island anymore.”
“Ah… here.”
I pulled the burner phone out from the inner pocket of my work clothes under the padded jacket and handed it to him. I wondered if he had somehow sensed that I had briefly considered betraying the two of them, as if under a spell. Feeling oddly guilty, I gave him the phone without a word.
Still, what bothered me most was the thought that all the messages exchanged with Shin Chi-woo over the past three months would now be gone. I hadn’t backed anything up, so if the phone disappeared, all of it would remain only in my memory.
“I’ll be back later. Get some rest and make sure you eat properly.”
“Okay.”
“I need to go say goodbye to Director Seo, too.”
Shin Chi-woo glanced at his left wrist, then tapped his watch with his right index finger. He was letting me know he was busy, and with a dry farewell, he turned and disappeared. Just like that—so fast it almost felt cold.
Hmm…
I had been sensing it since the reunion with my father, but now it was certain—Shin Chi-woo’s attitude toward me had shifted. He was treating me no longer as just Seo Wan-yi, but as Director Seo Gyoyong’s daughter, keeping a professional distance.
It was the change I had hoped for, yet now that he was actually treating me like a stranger, it left an odd feeling in my chest. Maybe he was just being careful in front of my father, but the sudden emotional distance was difficult to ignore.
Maybe it was because we’d soon part ways, each going our separate paths… Maybe he thought we had grown close enough that he needed to draw a line now. I didn’t know. I wasn’t even sure what I was thinking anymore.
“I’ll stay tucked away in a corner as much as I can, so please feel free to relax while I’m here.”
“…Alright. Thank you for your hard work.”
“Don’t worry. I promise you—if anything happens, I’ll protect you.”
The bob-haired woman, who rarely spoke first, calmly reassured me that I was safe. It felt a little absurd to try to relax while being monitored, but she seemed like someone who worked under extreme conditions herself, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for her.
I offered her a sheepish smile and asked,
“How did you end up working with Mr. Shin?”
“I joined the company through a regular recruitment process.”
“Oh… I see.”
“Does that answer your question?”
“Yes, perfectly.”
It wasn’t out of jealousy—I was just genuinely curious. But she answered without any unnecessary sympathy or fluff, sticking to the point.
I could see why she worked well with Shin Chi-woo. That ability to remain detached and focused was something I could learn from. Doing the job without letting emotions interfere. But then again, that kind of basic principle might just be the hardest to maintain.
I gave up on the idea of winning her over to my side. With a restless expression, I looked around the motel room. It wasn’t much different from the one my dad was staying in.
It was just like any motel room you’d imagine—old and a little tacky, nothing more, nothing less. The only thing that stood out was the mirror mounted awkwardly beside the bed, which only added to the sleazy atmosphere.
“I’ll go wash up now.”
“One moment. Please change into these.”
“Oh… thank you.”
“Take your time. No need to rush.”
“Alright…”
As I informed her that I’d be washing up, she pulled out a paper bag from the corner by the bed. I nodded slightly in gratitude and took the bag before heading to the bathroom.
Though there was no bathtub—only a small shower booth—it was more than enough. After nearly a hundred days of sharing a public shower, this moment felt like a luxury.
Feeling lighter with the prospect of being alone for once, I opened the paper bag without much thought—and my eyes widened in surprise.
Wait… these are my clothes. These too.
Inside a transparent vinyl pouch were clothes I’d normally wear. These weren’t just any clothes picked up in a rush; they were the comfortable outfits I used to wear all the time. Even the underwear—multiple sets of my own bras and panties—were all there.
Beige cotton pants I used to wear like a uniform to the lab, a light gray sweater, and the socks with the cute logo I often wore… every single item had once been in my closet. They even smelled like my fabric softener.
“…”
Now that I thought about it, this room had a familiar scent, unlike my dad’s. It smelled like the diffuser we kept in our living room. Wait—this towel is mine too?
I looked around the motel bathroom. From the shampoo to every other toiletry, everything was exactly what I used back home. These were the kinds of preferences only someone who had closely observed my life could know. Shin Chi-woo must have gone to my empty house and brought them all here.
“Not even half a day until midnight. Just hang in there until then.”
He could’ve just grabbed whatever from the store. But he went out of his way to bring these things just so I could rest a little more comfortably for a few hours… This paradoxical man’s kindness always stood out in the most unexpected ways. It was impossible not to be moved.
I held the clothes to my chest. I didn’t know why, but I just wanted to. Whatever I was feeling in that moment—I hoped he’d never find out.
