Precious Thing

“There’s no room for you here.”“Then give me yours.”With a menacing expression, Lee Yesin grabbed Tae Woowon by the collar and slammed him against the wall. Tae Woowon looked down at his enraged face with a calm expression.“What makes you think you can act like this?”“Your grandfather.”“…Did he tell you to hit me?”“Are you really that upset about it?”Tae Woowon touched Lee Yesin’s butt with the hand holding the ice pack. Lee Yesin bit his lip, tensing his body, then tightened his grip on Tae Woowon’s collar, shoving him harder against the wall.“Take your hand off me, you bastard.”“I told you not to curse. Want the other cheek to bruise too?”Lee Yesin’s face contorted, feeling humiliated. He had asked for the last three hits so obediently, and now he seemed embarrassed.“Do you enjoy hitting someone’s ass like a pervert?”“Do you think I enjoy this? I hit you because you wouldn’t listen.”“…”“Calm down. You’re going to be seeing me around from now on.”Lee Yesin’s eyelids trembled—not from surprise, but from frustration. He couldn’t release the heat building inside him, and it was making him angry. Tae Woowon pulled back the waistband of Lee Yesin’s pants and slid the ice pack inside.“Take care of the swelling. If it hurts too much, come get some medicine.”Perhaps Lee Yesin had lost the will to fight, because his hands easily let go at that simple gesture. Tae Woowon passed by him, grabbed his bag, and walked further inside the house. He opened each door, looking for a room to stay in. Thankfully, there was a guest room opposite the largest bedroom, with just a bed, desk, and wardrobe inside.“I’m taking this room,” Tae Woowon said, addressing Lee Yesin’s stiffened back as he stood, still staring at the wall. Then he entered the room and shut the door.Tae Woowon had no intention of putting much effort into the “protection” job, which was more of surveillance. He had heard too many stories about Lee Yesin being a troublemaker, and since he had already spoken rudely, Tae Woowon figured he’d just treat him politely and try to get along. But the bratty attitude had made him lose his temper, and he couldn’t help but lay his hands on him.Of course, it would be best to avoid further conflict while living together. Tae Woowon didn’t want Lee Yesin to start suspecting him later if something, like a necklace, went missing. Lee Yesin didn’t know Tae Woowon’s real name, so finding him would be difficult, but since Tae Woowon had already shown his face, it was best to be careful. Hoping for a smooth cohabitation, Tae Woowon flopped onto the wide bed, silently preparing to dive into his real task.Even though he had to stay close to Lee Yesin 24/7, there would obviously be downtime at night. But even though it was now past 3 AM, the light in Lee Yesin’s room hadn’t gone off. Tae Woowon had planned to take a look around the house once Lee Yesin was asleep, but thin beams of light still streamed through the crack beneath his door. Leaning against the wall, Tae Woowon gazed at the door before quietly moving. He’d have to leave the house investigation for another time and first figure out Lee Yesin’s sleeping habits.Turning on a dim kitchen light, Tae Woowon poured himself some water from the dispenser. There was no deadline for stealing the necklace, so there was no need to rush. It was better to take his time and avoid a full-on confrontation with a third-generation chaebol. Getting caught with something he had already stolen would be an even bigger headache.As he set the glass down in the sink, he heard the sound of a door opening. Soon after, faint footsteps approached. When Tae Woowon turned around, he saw Lee Yesin entering the kitchen with a puzzled look on his face. Noticing Tae Woowon, Lee Yesin frowned, quickly turning his back and walking away. Tae Woowon widened his stride and grabbed Lee Yesin’s arm, stopping him. Lee Yesin looked up at him with the same scowling face.“Let go.”“When are you heading out tomorrow?”Lee Yesin remained silent, simply staring at Tae Woowon. Then, with a flick of his arm, he knocked Tae Woowon’s hand away.“When do you plan to stop working?”“When you start liking me.”“…”“Just kidding.”Thud. Lee Yesin shoved Tae Woowon in the chest with both hands and quickly retreated to his room, slamming the door behind him for good measure.“Cute,” Tae Woowon muttered.With a cold expression, Tae Woowon brushed off his chest where Lee Yesin’s hand had touched and walked back into his temporary room. No matter how hard he tried to stay amicable, he still couldn’t bring himself to like such a bratty, self-centered kid.٠ ࣪⭑It was well past noon when Lee Yesin finally crawled out of his room. Tae Woowon, who had been sitting with an unlit cigarette in his mouth while browsing a tablet, glanced at the clock and stood up.“Can you smoke in your house?”“You can’t.”That meant he could. Tae Woowon lit his cigarette and followed Lee Yesin to the entrance.“I said no smoking.”Lee Yesin roughly snatched the cigarette from Tae Woowon’s lips and threw it on the floor. Then, without a word, he put on his shoes and stormed out.“There are ashtrays everywhere in this house,” Tae Woowon muttered, lazily running a hand through his hair. He watched Lee Yesin quickly walk toward the waiting car, then left the house himself.It took about 30 minutes by car to get to the university that Lee Yesin attended. He always traveled to and from school in a car with a chauffeur. Tae Woowon didn’t know what the atmosphere in the car was usually like, but today, you could say it was far from pleasant. The tense air reflected that, as the anxious driver glanced back and forth between Lee Yesin and Tae Woowon in the rearview mirror.“Damn it.”That was the third time. It was the number of times Lee Yesin had cursed under his breath. His bruised butt must have been hurting because, every time the car jostled, he broke out in a cold sweat, grimacing with pain. He should’ve brought some medicine like I told him, Tae Woowon thought.“Ugh…”Lee Yesin gripped the armrest tightly. Tae Woowon glanced at his pale hand and his fingers, which had turned red from clenching so hard. Though he didn’t say a word, his entire body was clearly screaming in pain. Tae Woowon briefly considered stopping at a pharmacy when a sudden phone vibration broke the silence in the car. Lee Yesin furrowed his brow, irritably rummaging through his bag for his phone. When he checked the caller ID, his face softened a little.“Yeah.”Even his voice had relaxed.“I’m almost there. Hey, can you pick up some Tylenol for me?”The faint voice from the other end of the call sounded worried. Despite his personality, it seemed like Lee Yesin had friends.“Never mind. See you soon.”After ending the call, Lee Yesin wiped the sweat from his forehead with the palm of his hand.He was turning out to be quite unpredictable to Tae Woowon. He hadn’t expected him to attend school today, and if he did, he thought there was no way Lee Yesin would show any signs of pain in front of him. Or perhaps he would’ve thrown a fit, blaming Tae Woowon for his condition. But instead, Lee Yesin didn’t bother hiding his pain. And yet, he wasn’t blaming Tae Woowon either.“Stop staring at me before I gouge your eyes out.”He was still being rude in other ways, though.“Your mouth is filthy.”“Like you’re any better.”“I don’t curse.”“Well, you will. I’m gonna make your life hell.”Tae Woowon chuckled quietly and looked away. Lee Yesin gave him a cold glare before turning his head to stare out the window. A bandage was wrapped around his right palm, which rested on his lap. It was a reminder of the self-inflicted wound from the department store. How should he interpret that? Tae Woowon thought. As far as he knew, only people with serious mental issues hurt themselves just to mess with others.“Are you left-handed?” Tae Woowon asked suddenly, causing Lee Yesin to flinch and glance up at him. He didn’t seem inclined to answer, though, and quickly turned his attention back to the window. After that, the only one who occasionally spoke was Lee Yesin, muttering curses. The car remained relatively quiet as it continued on its way to the university.When they arrived, Lee Yesin got out of the car without a word, and Tae Woowon followed suit. Naturally, he trailed behind as Lee Yesin walked toward the building, prompting him to stop and turn around.“Where are you going?”“I’m following you.”“Why?”“Don’t you know what ‘close protection’ means?”Clearly exhausted from the constant back-and-forth with Tae Woowon, Lee Yesin ran a hand over his face and let out a deep sigh.“I’ll come back through this door after class.”“Do you think the people who plan to kidnap you would actually let that happen?”“Kidnap me? No one would even bother. Besides, you’re not guarding me; you’re just keeping an eye on me.”Lee Yesin flashed a sharp smile. He wasn’t wrong, but Tae Woowon still had to at least pretend he was doing his job properly outside.“Give me your phone.”“No.”“Then I’m coming in with you. And for the record, I’ll follow you even to the bathroom.”“…”After silently glaring at Tae Woowon for a moment, Lee Yesin scowled in annoyance. Begrudgingly, he pulled his phone out of his bag and handed it over. Tae Woowon grabbed his hand and used his fingerprint to unlock it, installing a tracking app.“This is pointless. I can just turn off the GPS.”Without replying, Tae Woowon handed the phone back to him, the screen open to the ID registration page. With a face full of suppressed anger, Lee Yesin registered his phone, while Tae Woowon calmly installed the same app on his own device. He added the contact information and confirmed that the app was working properly, seeing Lee Yesin’s current location and address displayed.“If you turn off the GPS or if you’re not where you’re supposed to be, you won’t be leaving the house again.”“…”Lee Yesin stared at Tae Woowon with a blank expression, but his eyes burned with intensity.“Yesin hyung.”As they stood there staring at each other, a low voice cut between them. Lee Yesin quickly turned and grabbed the arm of a man who had approached, walking away briskly with him.“You just got here? Oh, I brought the medicine.”The man, after glancing at Tae Woowon standing by the door, rummaged through his bag and handed the medicine to Lee Yesin.“Thanks.”Lee Yesin replied quietly, taking the medicine and heading up the stairs with the man without hesitation. Left alone, Tae Woowon stretched his stiff neck and walked out of the building. Should I bother looking into this guy? If it were Ji Geonwoo, it might be necessary, but Tae Woowon didn’t care either way.٠ ࣪⭑“Wow, I was literally just thinking about scones. Can I eat this?”Not waiting for an answer, Baek Hyeyun broke apart the hard scone with a fork. Sitting across from her, Tae Woowon took a sip of his hot coffee and nodded absentmindedly. He had been killing time in the car, staring at his tablet, when she texted him. When she suggested they meet, he told her he couldn’t leave his post, so she came to the university café instead. Out of courtesy for her long trip, he had treated her to a drink and a scone.Baek Hyeyun, like Tae Woowon, was also a thief. She often worked with larger groups, so she had more connections than him, and the scale of her heists was generally bigger. They had met over a decade ago, competing over the same target, which led to their first introduction. Of course, Tae Woowon had won that competition.“This reminds me of when I used to hang out in cafés all the time during my college days.”Tae Woowon gave a halfhearted reply, not really interested in the information.“So, what brings you to a university? Did you suddenly get the urge to study?”That was a ridiculous thought. Tae Woowon had barely managed to graduate from middle school due to poverty, and he had zero interest in studying.“It’s for work.”“What kind of work? Don’t tell me you’ve already burned through the money you made from the last job?”“I bought a house.”“You bought another house?”Baek Hyeyun’s scolding tone made Tae Woowon laugh. He had indeed bought a house, but it wasn’t even in Korea. Still, there was no need to go into detail with her.“Don’t worry about it. So, why did you want to meet?”Sensing the conversation was veering into small talk, Tae Woowon decided to ask about the real reason she’d contacted him. Finishing off her scone quickly, Baek Hyeyun wiped her lips with a napkin and downed half of her iced latte in one go.“I heard you’ve got a juicy job lined up. The price seems pretty high.”She was friends with Kim Yeonseong, the fence. Although she probably didn’t know all the details, she seemed to have heard enough.“For something as rare as that, the payout’s a bit underwhelming.”“Still, you’ve got guts. Planning to steal something worth over 10 billion all by yourself?”Tae Woowon originally never worked with others. Thieves couldn’t be trusted. Even Baek Hyeyun, standing right in front of him, had betrayed her own team multiple times. Tae Woowon, who had witnessed it all firsthand, always vowed never to join hands with another thief.“Why? Are you tempted?”“I know exactly what you’re after, but no. Besides, I don’t even know what that item is. It’s not like I couldn’t find out if I spent some money.”“Why did you come here, then?”The conversation kept skirting around the issue. Tae Woowon glanced at his watch, waiting for Baek Hyeyun to speak up. In ten minutes, Lee Yesin’s class would end. His location had been quiet, indicating he was still calmly attending the lecture.“I wanted to ask if you’d be interested in a job that’s coming up in about a month.”“I don’t do group activities.”“I know. This is a personal request.”Tae Woowon quietly stared at the smiling Baek Hyeyun. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking, but her faint smile irritated him.“When did you become a strategist?”“I never really liked fieldwork. I prefer planning and gathering intel. Now that I’m good at it, it seemed like the right time for a change.”“So, you’re quitting fieldwork altogether?”“If this job goes well, yes. If not, I’ll have to jump back in. I can’t just sit around and do nothing.”Thieves were all the same. Instead of thinking about doing something productive when they were broke, both she and Tae Woowon were thinking about what to steal next.“I think I’ll be busy around that time.”Though the offer was tempting, considering Baek Hyeyun’s reputation for working on high-stakes jobs, the timeline was tight. If the job was in a month, that meant at least two weeks of preparation would be necessary. Accepting her request would leave Tae Woowon with just two weeks for his current project, and stealing the necklace wouldn’t be completed in such a short time.“Sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate. But still, give it your best shot. This one pays well.”“How much?”“A solid forty.”Forty billion won would be enough to live comfortably for years. He could also buy the best equipment without a second thought. Seeing Tae Woowon considering it, Baek Hyeyun leaned forward to further persuade him.“The infiltration route is complicated, but it’s not difficult if you get the timing right. And my cut is very small. I’m not one of those leeches who take all the money. Plus, if this goes well, we could keep working as a team in the future. Right?”After thinking for a moment, Tae Woowon lifted his gaze from the table and spoke up to decline.“Maybe next time. I can’t do this one.”He didn’t want the upcoming job to interfere with his current plans. Besides, he wasn’t so desperate for forty billion that it would cloud his judgment. Tae Woowon leisurely sipped his coffee, his decision made.“Is it really not possible? I seriously want to work with you. There’s no one as good at lock-picking as you are. If it’s because of your current job, I could help.”“No. Find someone else. I’m leaving.”The building where Lee Yesin was attending class was a bit of a walk from the café. If Tae Woowon left now, he’d arrive just in time. As he stood up to leave, Baek Hyeyun quickly stood and blocked his path.“I’ll ask again in two weeks. If you still say no then, I’ll drop it. How about that?”“Do whatever you want.”Tae Woowon walked past her, returned his cup, and exited the café. Left alone, Baek Hyeyun clicked her tongue and ruffled her hair.٠ ࣪⭑When Tae Woowon got the job as Lee Yesin’s bodyguard, he underestimated how difficult it would be. Days had passed, and he still hadn’t made any progress in locating the Sandrite necklace, much less any other part of the job. Lee Yesin was simply too vigilant, giving Tae Woowon no openings.During the brief days he had tailed Lee Yesin, Tae Woowon discovered that once he went out to a club or bar, he would stay out for a long time. That meant, even though he didn’t know Lee Yesin’s sleep schedule, there would be enough time to search his house for the necklace. However, Lee Yesin was unusually diligent, returning home straight after school and locking himself in his room, even on weekends.The most likely place where the Sandrite necklace was kept was the dressing room. According to the layout of the house, the dressing room was connected to Lee Yesin’s room, with no other entrance. Lee Yesin barely ate, like someone with anorexia, and he barely slept, like an insomniac. Because of this, he hardly ever left his room, leaving Tae Woowon with no chance to even glimpse inside.Waiting for an eventual outing and searching other parts of the house, like a safe, was still an option. It was possible that Lee Yesin valued the Sandrite necklace enough to keep it locked away in a safe. But this, too, was difficult. Lee Yesin, who seemed like he would hole up in his room for hours, would suddenly and unexpectedly come out. Just like now.With a loud bang, Lee Yesin stormed out of his room and glanced at Tae Woowon, who was sitting on the living room sofa. Tae Woowon, a cigarette in his mouth, watched as Lee Yesin moved toward the kitchen. He paused flipping through channels with the remote and followed Lee Yesin with his eyes as he took out some strawberries from the fridge. For his late dinner, Lee Yesin chose fruit, washing the strawberries under running water before placing them on a plate. Once the plate was filled, he turned off the water and shook his hands dry. Then, almost instinctively, he wiped his hands on his rear before suddenly flinching.Ah, now Tae Woowon finally understood why Lee Yesin had been avoiding going out. He chuckled as he flicked the ash from his cigarette. It seemed his butt was still sore from the spanking he got a few days ago. Tae Woowon didn’t feel petty satisfaction, just found the situation amusing. He had practically prevented Lee Yesin from going out, though it should’ve been the other way around.“What’s so funny?”Although Tae Woowon’s laugh had been quiet, Lee Yesin, who happened to glance back, gave him a rough smile. Unable to tell the truth, Tae Woowon looked at the plate of strawberries in Lee Yesin’s hand and replied nonchalantly.“I was just wondering if that’s all you’re eating.”Though it was a made-up excuse, he genuinely thought it too. A plate of strawberries for dinner seemed a bit sparse.“Why is that funny?”“It’s small.”Tae Woowon took a drag from his half-smoked cigarette as he spoke. Lee Yesin wasn’t very tall, standing at about mid-170s at best. Being quite slim, he appeared even smaller to Tae Woowon’s eyes. Lee Yesin’s expression soured at that remark. His forced smile grew wider as he let out a brief chuckle. He then walked over to Tae Woowon, standing right in front of his crossed legs, and suddenly flipped the plate. The plump strawberries fell onto Tae Woowon’s head, shoulders, and lap.“You’re seriously such a jerk.”Tossing the empty plate onto the sofa, Lee Yesin picked up a strawberry that had landed on Tae Woowon’s crotch and popped it into his mouth. He sucked the juice from the fruit and carefully swallowed before placing the green stem atop Tae Woowon’s hair. His voice was soft as he spoke.“Now, you look a bit prettier.”Tae Woowon’s lips curled into a grin. He couldn’t hold back his laughter. Slowly shaking the stem out of his hair, Tae Woowon chuckled and looked up at Lee Yesin. As Lee Yesin leisurely chewed and swallowed the strawberry, his face darkened. With his smile gone, he took a step back.“Don’t be scared. It’ll get boring,” Tae Woowon murmured as he grabbed Lee Yesin by the waist. Lee Yesin, now on his knees on the sofa, tried to swat Tae Woowon’s hand away. But Tae Woowon dodged his hand and grabbed Lee Yesin’s bruised buttock hard.“Ow! Let go!”“Want me to put some ointment on it? Is that why you’re acting out?”“Let, let go, you bastard!”Lee Yesin scratched at Tae Woowon’s arm, yelling. Tae Woowon released his grip on Lee Yesin’s rear and grabbed him by the neck, shoving him down onto the sofa. Slowly, he climbed on top of him. Now restricted, Lee Yesin struggled to pry Tae Woowon’s hands off his neck, panicking. Tae Woowon neither tightened nor loosened his grip.“You… bastard… let go… agh.”Fear began to fill Lee Yesin’s eyes. His irises darkened, and the thin skin beneath his eyes trembled. Tae Woowon stared down at his face in silence until he felt a sharp pain in his wrist. Glancing down, he saw that Lee Yesin had scratched a long line across his wrist with his short nails. Tae Woowon, staring blankly at the wounded Lee Yesin beneath him, slowly released his grip. Gasping, Lee Yesin clutched his neck, pushing Tae Woowon away and tumbling to the floor. Breathing heavily, he glared up at Tae Woowon, who calmly brushed his hair back and stood.“Clean up and go to bed.”Leaving Lee Yesin sitting on the floor, Tae Woowon entered the room and closed the door behind him. He stared at his scratched wrist, feeling strange.Of course, he hadn’t intended to kill Lee Yesin. But he hadn’t intended to stop either. Yet, he hadn’t been able to muster the strength. Normally, he would’ve choked someone without hesitation until the blood vessels in their eyes burst and slapped them across the face. Tae Woowon clenched and unclenched his fists a few times before grabbing some tissues and wiping the blood running down his wrist. Though the strange feeling lingered, he wasn’t about to dwell on it for long over a soon-to-be-ended relationship. He grabbed the tablet PC from his desk and leaned back against the headboard. But after reading the same sentence three times, he started to drift away from reality.٠ ࣪⭑As expected, Lee Yesin hadn’t cleaned up the strawberries scattered across the sofa. The next morning, Tae Woowon saw them and said, “I told you to clean it up.” Lee Yesin’s response was, “Mind your own business, it’s my house.” Tae Woowon stared at him for a long time, watching his face as Lee Yesin snapped back in a low voice, eyes glaring. He continued glaring at Tae Woowon until his frustration grew, and he furrowed his brows irritably before heading out.“Looks like the young master is running late today.”The driver checked the time on his phone and said, “The young master is running late.” Tae Woowon, sitting beside him, glanced at his watch. It was past seven o’clock. Normally, Lee Yesin would appear around five or six, but there was no sign of him today.“I’ll be right back after checking on the orchard,” the driver added.“Oh, sure,” Tae Woowon replied, stepping out of the car. Just as he was about to enter the building, Lee Yesin appeared—accompanied by a man Tae Woowon had seen before.“Uh… hello. I’m Kwon Heechan,” the tall man with a clean-cut face said politely, bowing to Tae Woowon. Kwon Heechan was Lee Yesin’s only friend and the one who had once bought him medicine.“I’m Ji Geonwoo,” Tae Woowon introduced himself. Though they had seen each other a few times, this was the first time they were formally exchanging greetings. Kwon Heechan lived in the dorms and would usually part ways with Lee Yesin in front of the school building.“I’ve heard about you. I know you live together with Yesin…”“Yes,” Tae Woowon replied as he and Kwon Heechan briefly introduced themselves. Meanwhile, Lee Yesin, uninterested, climbed into the back seat of the car.“I’m one of Yesin’s classmates. We study togeth—” Kwon Heechan began, but was cut off.“Hurry up and get in,” Lee Yesin said, rolling down the window and interrupting him. Despite Lee Yesin’s rude attitude, Kwon Heechan didn’t seem offended and smiled lightly, quickly getting into the seat next to him. With an expressionless face, Lee Yesin glanced at Tae Woowon as he rolled up the window. Tae Woowon met his gaze until the window was fully shut before getting into the front passenger seat.“Are you heading straight back without eating?” the driver asked as he looked back at Lee Yesin. Without lifting his eyes from his phone, Lee Yesin nodded indifferently. Kwon Heechan, noticing the awkwardness, smiled sheepishly and replied on his behalf.“We’re planning to grab some food and drinks later.”“Ah, I see. Let’s go then,” the driver responded, and the car finally set off.With Lee Yesin out of the house for the evening, Tae Woowon had an opportunity. If nothing opened up this week, he planned to return home while Lee Yesin was at school, even if it meant keeping the driver silent. Though he wasn’t certain of the driver’s exact role, it was possible he was tasked with keeping an eye on Tae Woowon. That’s why Tae Woowon hadn’t been able to leave Lee Yesin’s side so easily until now. But tonight, Lee Yesin had conveniently arranged a drinking night, giving him the perfect chance. As he glanced at the top of Lee Yesin’s head through the rearview mirror, Tae Woowon began forming a plan.Once Lee Yesin and Kwon Heechan were safely inside a bar, he would send the driver home early to move more freely. The driver typically followed Lee Yesin’s class schedule, but Tae Woowon had noticed from previous tailings that sometimes the driver was there, sometimes not. It was unlikely the driver would refuse to head home early just this once. Once the driver was gone, Tae Woowon could go straight to the house, search the dressing room for the Sandrite necklace, and, if it wasn’t there, locate the safe and figure out its model and position.Once he had that information, it was just a matter of time. Depending on the type of safe, he’d gather the necessary tools and quickly unlock it when Lee Yesin wasn’t around. If the safe was in Lee Yesin’s room, he’d wait until Lee Yesin fell asleep before making his move. Searching the large house would be the hard part; cracking the safe, once located, would be neither difficult nor time-consuming.There was a slim chance the necklace wasn’t even in the house, which would be a bigger issue. If Lee Yesin had enough funds to purchase an entire villa, he might have a secret location to store his valuables. But this was only a possibility if Lee Yesin truly valued the necklace. As far as Lee Yesin knew, the main gem in the necklace was just an ordinary yellow diamond. So unless something unexpected happened, the necklace was likely sitting quietly with his other accessories in the dressing room’s jewelry display.“Are you sticking to the original concept?” Kwon Heechan’s low voice interrupted Tae Woowon’s thoughts. In the rearview mirror, Tae Woowon saw Kwon Heechan tapping Lee Yesin lightly on the back of his hand.Lee Yesin, who had been quietly staring out the window, nodded and turned to face Kwon Heechan.“The professor doesn’t seem to like it, but I’m sticking with it,” he replied.“I think it looks great. Why does the professor dislike it so much?”“Probably because it’s too simple. But I’m not changing the first outfit. That goes for the accessories too.”“It was semi-formal, right? Yeah, some of the other students’ women’s wear was a lot flashier and more eccentric.”Contrary to what one might expect, Lee Yesin was quite diligent when it came to school. Even when he was avoiding going out due to his sore behind, he still attended classes on time. Tae Woowon wondered if he had some kind of agreement with Chairman Lee. Maybe if he attended school diligently, he’d be rewarded. As this thought crossed his mind, a small question occurred to him. Do third-generation chaebols typically attend domestic universities?“I’m thinking of going for a sporty look. As long as I nail the story, it should work,” Kwon Heechan added.“I like your designs. They’re stylish and beautiful,” Lee Yesin said, his voice soft yet affectionate. Kwon Heechan chuckled quietly, clearly pleased with the compliment.“Then next time, wear something I make for you. I’ll make it in your size.”“Sure,” Tae Woowon muttered, letting the cringeworthy conversation between them pass through one ear and out the other as he stared out the window. The driver seemed familiar with the destination, as he was steering without even turning on the GPS. Once they turned into a narrow alley, it seemed they were almost there. A small wine bar came into view at the end of the winding alley.“We’ve arrived,” the driver announced.Tae Woowon had expected a noisy bar packed with people, not a quiet wine bar with a more antique look, considering the location wasn’t suitable for flashy clubs. He absentmindedly bit his lip as he observed the vintage-style establishment.“You can go home. We’ll take a taxi back,” Lee Yesin said.“No, it’s okay,” the driver responded.“I said, go home.”Lee Yesin grabbed his bag, opened the door, and stepped out first. Kwon Heechan, who had been smiling awkwardly, followed him out of the car.“Thanks for the ride,” Kwon Heechan said politely before closing the door. With a cigarette in his mouth, he trailed behind Lee Yesin into the bar. Tae Woowon simply watched them walk away in silence. Then, the driver cleared his throat and spoke cautiously.“When he says that, it usually means he won’t be home until two or three in the morning. And when he’s with Heechan, he always comes back safely without any issues….”“Do you go home in these cases?” Tae Woowon asked.“Yes, well… I know it’s against the rules, but when the young master says something like that, it’s basically his way of saying he’s going to be fine. Nothing bad has ever happened before….”“It’s against the rules,” Tae Woowon cut him off.Though Tae Woowon wasn’t familiar with the driver’s rules, he needed to get more information, so he probed further while the driver babbled.“I do oversee the young master’s comings and goings, but when he gives the all-clear like today, there’s never been any real danger…. Um, you’re not going to report this to Chairman Lee, are you…?”The driver’s anxious gaze darted around, clearly afraid Tae Woowon would report him for negligence. Satisfied with the information he’d gathered, Tae Woowon glanced at his watch and unbuckled his seatbelt.“Is this car yours?” Tae Woowon asked.“No… it belongs to the company.”“Take a taxi home. And take a taxi to work tomorrow too.”Tae Woowon got out of the car and walked around the front, opening the driver’s side door. The driver looked up at him, bewildered.“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything. Just go home and rest. I’ll take care of it.”“But—”“It’s fine. I live with him anyway, so I’ll handle it. Go home.”“…Okay,” the driver finally agreed.After grabbing his wallet from the console box, the driver glanced nervously at Tae Woowon before getting out of the car. Tae Woowon watched him walk down the alley for a moment, then pulled out a cigarette from his inner pocket and lit it.Though the alley was a bit long, the bus stop was close once you got out. It would take the driver about five minutes to get there at his walking pace. Add another ten minutes to wait for a taxi or bus. Factoring in potential delays due to traffic signals, that was another two minutes. To be safe, Tae Woowon gave himself about twenty-five minutes. In twenty-five minutes, he would head to Lee Yesin’s house. From the wine bar to the house, it would only take ten minutes by car.After finishing his cigarette, Tae Woowon climbed back into the car and spent the time thinking about Lee Yesin’s house. When the twenty-five minutes were up, he glanced at the quiet bar one last time before starting the car.As soon as he arrived at the house, Tae Woowon slipped on gloves and entered Lee Yesin’s room. Thanks to the housekeeper’s visit earlier in the day, the room was spotless. The spacious room, almost as big as the living room, had a two-seater sofa and a TV. Behind them was a large desk with a desktop computer and a mini fridge. A translucent partition stood nearby, so thin you could almost see through it. Beyond that was the bed, situated under the window, and a hallway that led to the bathroom and the door to the balcony on the opposite side.It’s big, Tae Woowon thought briefly, then headed towards the desk. While there were only a few books, there were plenty of notebooks. Tae Woowon skimmed over the desk, then opened each drawer one by one. They were filled with random items: pens, safety pins, needles, notebooks, lighters, and other miscellaneous objects.After circling the room and finding no picture frames or personal touches, Tae Woowon moved towards the inner part of the room. In the hallway leading to the bathroom was a small vanity, and opposite it, as shown in the house’s floor plan, was a door that likely led to the dressing room. Before opening the door, Tae Woowon checked his phone. Lee Yesin was still at the wine bar. He put his phone back in his pocket and opened the dressing room door.The light revealed a smaller space than he had anticipated, softly illuminated by the overhead lights. Three of the walls were lined with sliding wardrobes, and in the center of the room was a display case with a glass top. Tae Woowon ignored the wardrobes and approached the display case. It was filled with various accessories: watches, bracelets, necklaces, and piercings. He examined them one by one and opened every drawer beneath the display case, but the Sandrite necklace was nowhere to be found. There weren’t many pieces with valuable gems either. Suspecting that there might be a separate safe for jewelry, Tae Woowon reorganized the display case as it was, then opened each wardrobe, inspecting their interiors. All he found were clothes.