Cold City Romance Chapter 20.1

For a while after Hyun Jaehwi left Korea, he did not notice it at all.

Only much later did he come to know the fact that there was an unidentified stranger of a man who, as if patrolling, strictly observed precise times like the edge of a knife and was guarding the surroundings of the villa in Hwacheon.

Late at night, as he was taking his familiar steps toward the riding stable, he sensed the identity of the stranger following behind his back. Cha Dokyung, who viewed it as suspicious, turned around and asked.

“…Who are you?”

The unidentified man appeared before him and bowed his head to offer a polite greeting.

“Where are you going at this late hour of the night?”

At first, he did not recognize the man. Because he was not wearing an officer’s uniform like he had that day.

—It is on the orders of the Lieutenant Colonel. I will escort you home.

He was the man who had appeared before him at the hotel last time and called Hyun Jaehwi “Lieutenant Colonel.” Because he was tall with an angular face and gave off a very straightforward impression, he recognized him at once.

“Please do not be startled. On the Lieutenant Colonel’s orders, I am protecting Mr. Cha Dokyung. He instructed that at late hours, you must be followed for the sake of personal safety.”

Cha Dokyung recalled what Hyun Jaehwi had said last time. He vaguely remembered hearing that in Korea, he was a non-commissioned officer who handled his personal matters.

“I heard you were a non-commissioned officer.”

“You are mistaken. I am not something like a non-commissioned officer. I am no different from the Lieutenant Colonel’s personal limb. Since he entrusted Mr. Cha Dokyung’s safety and personal affairs to me before leaving, please feel free to give me instructions anytime for anything you need help with in the future.”

Cha Dokyung answered with a puzzled expression.

“I have lived in this villa for more than two years. There is nothing particularly separate that I need to the point of asking someone else for something.”

The detached face let out a plain sigh.

“At night, I often came out like this for night walks from the villa and rode horses. It feels uncomfortable because it seems like someone is monitoring me.”

“…”

“You do not need to do this from now on. Go back. As for the Lieutenant Colonel…, I will contact your superior separately.”

“I must give a report every day on Mr. Cha Dokyung’s well-being to put him at ease. If I disobey the orders and an emergency situation arises, then I must bear all the responsibility.”

The man with the bear-like impression firmly asserted his own will in a stiff tone without any change in expression.

“Is it because he is a soldier…? He does not communicate at all.”

The man stared at Cha Dokyung with an unmoving soldier-like posture and a strict demeanor full of angles.

“It is not like he does that job to be a bodyguard for someone like me, right? Is it not too much of a waste of manpower?”

“As I said, I am not a simple soldier. I am no different from a personal limb handling the Lieutenant Colonel’s affairs in Korea. My duty is to protect Mr. Cha Dokyung according to his orders.”

“Did he order you to tail me?”

“The Lieutenant Colonel is not the type of person who entrusts private matters to just anyone. Since he trusted me and ordered me to guard Mr. Cha Dokyung, I must carry out those orders without exception.”

“…”

“A little while ago, someone intentionally crashed into Mr. Cha Dokyung’s car, and I handled the aftermath. The demands sent through the phone were quite malicious.”

As Cha Dokyung rummaged through his memories, his expression changed to one of bewilderment in an instant.

“If the Lieutenant Colonel had not stepped in personally to resolve it, it would have become a problem in the media.”

“…What does that mean?”

He became worried that he had caused trouble for him once again.

“I heard that Mr. Cha Dokyung is currently in a state without a manager. In preparation for emergencies and unjust accidents like that time, the Lieutenant Colonel ordered me to serve as your temporary bodyguard.”

“I said it already. I do not need something like a bodyguard.”

“Compared to bustling downtown areas with many people, secluded and remote places are ones where criminal acts do not catch the eyes of those around, so you must be even more careful. As a famous person whose face is known, it is dangerous to walk alone through the forest at late hours without a manager or bodyguard.”

He was emphasizing exactly the same words that Hyun Jaehwi had said to him, not missing a single syllable.

He had settled in this place because of freedom. Moreover, for Cha Dokyung, whose face was known, the act of using the late hours to go on night walks on his own two feet and ride to the riding stable held very special meaning.

“Sigh, that damn danger…. That guy must have firmly instructed you on that side before leaving; it is excessive overprotection.”

At the words “that guy,” the eyes of the tall, bear-like straightforward man who called himself a non-commissioned officer flashed sharply for the first time.

“Please refrain from disparaging my respected superior in front of me.”

Cha Dokyung let out an absurd hollow laugh and shook his head.

What a devoted loyal retainer you are….

After Hyun Jaehwi left, Cha Dokyung dramatically signed a contract with Hyun Serin. Under the agreement that he would receive independent management separate from Representative Yeom, he accepted the contract proposed by Hyun Serin.

However, the contract conditions were still that he would not take advantage by flaunting his alpha status, would not shoot advertisements, and would not show his face in media other than filming. Cha Dokyung hoped to focus solely on acting with activities limited only to being an actor. Since it was a decision he had mustered the courage to make even for the contract, Hyun Serin reluctantly agreed to it.

During the three months that passed slowly, Cha Dokyung ended up making a very small role cameo appearance in a new film directed by Director Moon Jeongho. Cha Dokyung’s appearance throughout the film barely filled five scenes. There was not even a single line of dialogue, but it was the role of a mute informant who held the key to the incident.

Hyun Jaehwi’s resolute and firm voice was still vivid in his ears.

—Look at me straight! Do not have idle thoughts and listen well.

—I will never let the Cha Dokyung I love be pointed at with fingers by the people of the world! No one but me has the right to ever criticize you!

—From now on, you will continue to live as an actor. For the top star Cha Dokyung, that work has been his entire life since he was twenty years old.

Thanks to the desperate measure that he, who was not even the person involved, had pondered over for a long time, and his steadfast will, Cha Dokyung was able to escape a little from the anxious obsession that had crushed him for many long years.

There was nothing more comforting up to now than the fact that someone existed who was more desperate to protect him and more reliably guard him than he himself was. The fact that it was the straightforward Hyun Jaehwi, who had silently watched over him from behind for more than ten years since he was twenty years old, became the most solid consolation and healing in the world.

Before he knew it, the three months that had seemed like they would never return had passed. It was only three months, but subjectively, it felt like an incredibly long time.

Whether he was a non-commissioned officer or Hyun Jaehwi’s attendant, the man did not yield to Cha Dokyung’s persistent dissuasion in Hwacheon and faithfully protected Cha Dokyung’s safety and personal affairs for three months while serving as his dedicated bodyguard.

He was like a wall with which he could not communicate. Were all those soldier types like that? It seemed like there was nothing else in their heads besides the mission given to them and the goal of carrying it out even if it meant dying.

The man who proudly claimed to be his personal limb, not a non-commissioned officer, took the wheel. Today, Cha Dokyung obediently got into his car.

The car was heading toward the airport.

This time, in response to Cha Dokyung’s message that he really wanted to go out to the airport to greet him, Hyun Jaehwi replied like this.

[For three months, just take that friend’s car who has been guarding you and come to the airport. Since he watched over you by your side for three months, you know well that he is someone trustworthy enough for me to entrust your safety to, right?]

To the bear-like straightforward man, Cha Dokyung asked for his name for the first time in three months.

“What is your name?”

To the taciturn man who never uttered a single unnecessary word, Cha Dokyung asked again.

“After three months of acquaintance, now I should know your name. Calling you Mr. Soldier feels a bit odd…. Why, did your superior tell you not to even exchange names with me?”

He replied after a long while.

“It is Kim Kangil.”

When they arrived at the airport exit where some VIP passengers were coming out, the car with Kim Kangil at the wheel parked in the special waiting area.

It was while he was sitting quietly in the back seat of the car, waiting for Hyun Jaehwi to come out of the exit.

As usual, to avoid people’s gazes, Cha Dokyung, who had pulled down a black ball cap low over his face inside the car with heavy tinting, quietly stared out the car window and, after a long while, spotted a familiar man emerging from the distant exit.

Kim Kangil, who was in the driver’s seat, jumped up as soon as he saw Hyun Jaehwi in the distance and got out of the car already. Standing in front of the car, Kim Kangil adopted a tense vigilant posture and meticulously scanned the surroundings in front and behind.

Cha Dokyung’s gaze fixed on the man in the suit who had entered his distant field of vision. The tall man with perfect proportions, who at a glance captured others’ gazes, walked holding a document bag, paying no heed to the stares following him from around.

However, in an instant, Cha Dokyung’s expression hardened.

It was because of one woman who had followed him out of the airport.

A refined woman in office attire who had hurriedly chased after him called out to stop him. Although she quickly approached and handed him a business card, Hyun Jaehwi gave a short reply with an expressionless face, then showed her something and turned his back to leave.

It was not indifferent neglect, but even in the momentary response shown by Hyun Jaehwi, Cha Dokyung felt his mood become uncomfortable.

The beauty, who at a glance seemed to be a elegant and capable career woman, appeared to be older than Hyun Jaehwi. Hyun Jaehwi bowed his head in a gentlemanly polite manner and turned away with impeccable cool composure. The woman’s hand, which had extended the business card confidently as she followed him out, became awkward.

From afar, Hyun Jaehwi exuded a cool aura that was hard to approach, with his refined features. He was gradually approaching toward Kim Kangil, who was bowing his head from afar in greeting.

Far away, the woman with luxurious beauty holding the business card in her hand was still watching his back with bewildered eyes.

It was early evening, and the airport had quite a crowd of people. Because it was a busy time with many people, despite the extreme dissuasion not to come out to the airport, this time Cha Dokyung had nagged Hyun Jaehwi that he really wanted to come out to greet him.

After putting on a mask like armor, as Cha Dokyung was about to open the door and get out of the car, Kim Kangil stopped him.

“He instructed that because there are many gazes around, you must absolutely not get out and wait inside the car.”

At Kim Kangil’s obstruction, Cha Dokyung, with the hat pulled low, quietly stared out the window. Cha Dokyung’s gaze was still fixed on the elegant beauty far away who was staring intently at Hyun Jaehwi’s back.

She did not return inside the airport. She stood there for a long while, intently watching the entire series of actions where Hyun Jaehwi gave orders to Kim Kangil and Kim Kangil bowed his head.

The man in the neat suit climbed into the back seat of the car where Cha Dokyung was sitting, thrusting forward his imposing physique.

As if by prior agreement, Kim Kangil did not get into the car but stood guard like a bodyguard outside the door, looking around.

Cha Dokyung, who had taken off the stuffy mask, met eyes with Hyun Jaehwi and asked that peevishly first.

“…Just now, who was that?”

When he asked that before even a greeting of welcome, Hyun Jaehwi stared at Cha Dokyung and then answered.

“It is someone I do not know.”

“Then why did she follow you out to the airport exit?”

“Well…”

The sight of her handing the business card to Hyun Jaehwi and the seductive gaze filled with ulterior motives following his back did not leave his mind.

“Did she come out following you and give you her contact to say contact her?”

He thrust forward his sharp, straight nose bridge and came very close. Then, he loosely undid the dark-colored tie that had been constricting his neck. The thick scent of a refined and mature man coldly permeated up to the tip of his nose.

“Are we going to talk only about someone I do not know now that we are meeting after three months?”

Hyun Jaehwi quickly showed the unfamiliar ring on his own ring finger and said.

“When I showed this ring and said I am a married man, she immediately accepted it and apologized to me.”

On the thick-jointed, long fingers of the man, there was a ring of unknown identity fitted.