CHAPTER 290: THIS GUY WAS DEFINITELY A PLAYER

There was a handsome red-haired guy standing at the door with a smirk on his lips. He looked like he had just stumbled upon a secret treasure while looking at me amusingly.

At least, that’s how the look in his eyes seemed.

He walked in here, into Seo-Jun’s office, without permission, and caught me trying to open the secret door.

This wouldn’t get me in trouble, would it?

But... Was this allowed? How could he come in without permission? Or did Seo-Jun send him in here?

I quickly shook my head. These thoughts were distracting me from the issue in front of me.

"It seems I caught you snooping." He said and started walking in. I felt I needed to retreat my step but I clenched my fists, wondering, why should I?

Even if he had caught me snooping around, it’s not like I stole anything.

"And do you have a problem with that?" I boldly asked, and he paused, looking at me, surprised.

Usually, when someone gets caught doing something wrong, they try to come up with an excuse to get out of the mess or apologize immediately to lessen the punishment. Still, I was so boldly standing there, eyes wide and nerves in the air, asking if he had a problem with that.

I’d say I’d gone crazy at this point, kya.

"Wow, I didn’t expect that." He said and started walking in again. "You think it’s fine to snoop around the CEO’s office?"

"I don’t see why I can’t." I continued, taking up courage to not falter on this path I had taken. "He didn’t tell me I had to sit still and..." I scanned him from head to toe. "He certainly didn’t tell me that he had a younger brother."

Okay, first of all, I knew he wasn’t his younger brother because Seo-Jun was an only child from start to finish. I was just trying to sound him out. You know, get him to spill his identity without having to ask directly.

The red-haired guy laughed.

Though they probably weren’t related, they had some similarities. Like... That vibe around him was very similar to Seo-Jun.

This guy was definitely a player.

"So, you think the CEO and I are related?" He asked, but I didn’t respond, simply stared at him, baring my teeth like a skinny guarded chihuahua. "That’s amazing. It’s the first time someone actually guessed that."

Wait, what? Were they really related?

I looked at him, showing a shocked expression on my face.

"Yeah, we’re distant relatives but I work for him regardless. We’re not in the same league after all, haha." He was taking this lightly, but I felt like I had stumbled on a secret that I, as a reader and the owner of this life living it a second time, had never come across.

The only one whose relative was involved in the plot, after all, was Ki-hoon. His cousin scheming behind the scenes and trying to overthrow him was an arc in the novel and my life.

But let’s not go to that. This guy...

He seemed to have recalled something and snapped his fingers.

"Ah, where are my manners?" He asked. "I know you, but you don’t know me, so I should probably introduce myself properly."

"Y-you know me?" I asked, confused.

Did Seo-Jun tell him about me?

He got closer, stretched his hand out and I looked at it.

"My name is Hae-Jin, head of the CEO’s security team." He said and my eyes gradually grew. "Let’s get along well, Hwang Jo-Pil. You’re under my care as of now."

Hae-Jin?

This was the Hae-Jin who was going to escort me?

Suddenly, the image of a bulky man with tight sunglasses on his eyes, a bulging vein, and a bald head immediately burst, and what was left was this handsome red-haired man smiling politely at me.

And he was in casual clothes too.

Ah, how did I not think about this? Maybe because the thought of being head of security closed whatever thoughts I’d have aside from the stereotype version of bodyguards.

But it seems like Seo-Jun took my preference for a ’normal-looking’ guard well and gave me this guy.

Hae-Jin tilted his head.

"What? Is there something on my face?" He asked and I immediately bowed my head. I had been staring for too long while lost in thought. How embarrassing.

I looked at his hand. It would probably be rude to leave his hand hanging for long, so I decided to shake him, but just before my hand reached his, I paused.

Why did Seo-Jun send me a handsome guy to be alone with me all day while he was busy?

I looked up, taking my hand back and refusing to shake him.

Ah, something suddenly smelled fishy.

Of course, we can’t compare Seo-Jun’s jealousy level to the rest, especially Min-Cheol’s but... He was still an Alpha with a high ego, and I, the guy he fancied, would go around with his bodyguard, who was ’handsome’?

What did this mean?

It could just be me putting too much meaning into it but...

"I think my hands are going to fall off at this point." He said, wriggling his wrist but I didn’t shake him.

Instead, I lightly bowed my head and said,

"Nice to meet you, I’m Jo-Pil." I tried not to be rude and at the same time, express that I had no interest in shaking his hand.

Whatever it may be. If it were just me being paranoid or if it were a trap set up for me, I would just stay cautious and be the way I usually am.

"Unbelievable." Hae-Jin mustered under his breath. "You did exactly what he said you’d do."

It was a mutter that was no louder than a whisper but I heard it.

"What does that mean?" I asked but he shrugged and took his hand back, shoving it in his pocket.

"I did wonder why the CEO held you in high regard." He said. "You’re not different from the rest, to me, but he was acting different and saying things like you’re definitely different, so I asked for proof. Do you know what he said?" He asked, smiling widely. A smile that was starting to make me uncomfortable.

"I don’t know," I said, rubbing my arm. I was getting goosebumps for some reason. Was this a sign or something?

"He said you won’t shake hands with me." He said and laughed.

I tilted my head, confused. What sort of sign was that?

"I was very sure I would get to shake hands with you if I appeared as natural as possible but in the end, I failed. How? Did he tip you off or something?" He asked but I stayed silent, listening to my beating hand and the sound of my grinding teeth.

"What does it matter?" I suddenly asked. "Whether I shake you or not. And if I’m like the rest of them or not, what does that have to do with you?" I asked, and he stared at me for a minute, his smile completely disappearing from his lips, and he stared at me like a puzzle.

But then, as if he had figured out the piece, he smirked, emanating an energy that forced me to clench my fist.

And then he said this, the single sentence that triggered me.

"Why, of course, I’d like to have my master’s leftovers before dumping them away. You’re my master’s whore." He said and I threw a punch he didn’t expect.

Head of guards or not, he was still a human who did not expect a frail-looking thing like me to raise my hand on him.

I punched his face hard, being reminded of the reality that Seo-Jun was living in and the people he surrounded himself with.

The anger and fierce rage inside me moved my fist before I could process thoughts, and I dashed him a tone lip and bruised cheek, leaving myself with a throbbing fist, but I didn’t care.

I think I need to start washing away the evil around Seo-Jun. If the evil remained, there was no way he would be able to keep basking in the light I would shine on him.

And I’ll start with the ones who shared the same nauseating hobby with him.

"Sorry, buddy, but you’re done," I said, waving my throbbing fist. "I don’t want to hear a single thing from you from this point on, and if you dare disobey, I’ll take it that you don’t want to be my escort, and I’ll have to ask Seo-Jun to bring someone else."

Truthfully, I was scared he’d hit back but... That would only be an opportunity for me to flush him out of the system.

"If you dare call me a whore one more time then--"

"Kekeke," he suddenly started making a creepy laughing tone that made goosebumps crawl over my skin.

What was wrong with him? A loose screw?

"Haha, that was so refreshing." He said, shoving his fingers over his hair and pushing his hair back, smirking like a maniac. "It’s been a while since I got hit but this... This was not half bad." He said and rolled his eyes towards my hand. "But I guess now, I’m going to get a scolding from my boss."