“… Prosecutor?”
Seo Yi-soo felt large, firm hands gripping her shoulders. The person towering over her was at least two spans taller. Trembling with fear, she glanced up, her gaze reaching his chest. After struggling to catch her breath, Yi-soo slowly raised her head.
As the man’s face finally came into view, she let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes. “Attorney Yoon….”
It was Yoon Hyun-seong. He quickly caught Yi-soo, preventing her from collapsing, and held her close. Something was definitely wrong. Even from afar, while running towards her, he sensed that something was off. Now, up close, Seo Yi-soo’s face was pale with fright, as if she had witnessed something terrifying.
Hyun-seong held her firmly, scanning the surroundings. Had someone been following her from behind? However, in Hyun-seong’s line of sight, there was no one else around. Only a grandmother casually walking her dog from the other side.
Yi-soo managed to steady her breathing and wiped the sweat off her forehead. Though still trembling from tension, she began to regain some composure.
“Seo Yi-soo, look at me,” Hyun-seong said gently, holding her forearms and lowering his head. In her pupils, he could see instinctive worry. At his soft command, she slowly raised her gaze.
“…I’m okay now. I was just startled,” she muttered.
“What happened?”
“Can we go somewhere first? I want to drink some water.”
Yi-soo spoke with a weak voice. She couldn’t say anything more because she felt like the person who had been following her might still be watching. Upon hearing her words, Hyun-seong sighed deeply and nodded.
“Excuse me.”
With that, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her towards the entrance of the officetel. Yi-soo raised her head slightly at the intimacy of Hyun-seong’s touch. Their bodies were so close that she could feel his body temperature transferring to her. In the past, she might have felt uncomfortable and pushed him away, but at this moment, Hyun-seong’s actions provided her with a strong sense of security. Though the uneasiness hadn’t completely disappeared, Yi-soo felt her fear subside as she walked in step with him.
The street had grown dark, and a street lamp beside a tree illuminated their path. The characteristic warm and humid breeze of a summer night blew behind them, and the sound of cicadas echoed softly.
***
The elevator’s high-speed ascent made reaching the 41st floor a breeze. Hyun-seong quickly scanned his fingerprint on the door lock and swung it open. “Please have a seat on the sofa. I’ll bring you a glass of water,” he said to Yi-soo, who had changed into indoor slippers after taking off her sandals at the entrance.
“Okay. Thank you, Attorney Yoon,” Yi-soo replied cautiously, walking into the living room. To her surprise, his apartment was incredibly spacious, more than one would expect in the heart of Seoul. It could easily accommodate a family of five comfortably.
Meanwhile, Hyun-seong headed straight to the kitchen, which connected to the living room. Yi-soo settled into the multi-seater sofa against the wall. The apartment’s interior featured a sleek and modern monochromatic theme, dominated by black and white hues with a touch of dark gray.
Curiously, the apartment seemed sparsely furnished, with only the essential items like a large wall-mounted TV and a sofa table, but little else to indicate human habitation.
“Has it been long since you moved in…?” Yi-soo wondered aloud, pondering whether Hyun-seong was naturally neat or if he had recently settled in. As she sat there, she heard the sound of something rattling in the kitchen and instinctively turned her gaze towards the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“The view is amazing,” Yi-soo murmured in awe.
The living room boasted a breathtaking feature—its entire side was made of glass, providing a sweeping panoramic view of Seoul’s night scenery. From this high-rise vantage point, the city below was adorned with twinkling lights, evidence of people toiling away late into the night.
Lost in the enchanting sight, she was momentarily drawn away from her thoughts until Hyun-seong’s voice brought her back. “Have some, Prosecutor Seo,” he offered.
Her attention shifted to him as he handed her a warm mug. A delicate lemon scent wafted from the steaming liquid. While he had initially mentioned just a glass of water, Hyun-seong had evidently taken note of her preferences.
Was he always this considerate…? she pondered silently, before expressing her gratitude. “Thank you.”