Chapter 100 – Results – Part 8

Chapter 100 – Results – Part 8

Lee Hyerim put down her water glass and asked,

“You wanted to hit ten million, didn’t you? Is there anything more important than that right now?”

Even after saying that, Lee Hyerim chuckled.

What was important to Woojin…

Woojin was unpredictable, going beyond common sense.

Lee Hyerim tucked her hair behind her ear and asked again.

“What is it? You’re not talking about a urology clinic, are you…?”

Woojin nodded lightly and replied.

“Aren’t I funny-sad?”

“You mean funny and sad?”

“Yeah.”

“No, not that… You don’t mean…”

Lee Hyerim’s eyes narrowed.

“You don’t mean that was a joke you pulled? And you didn’t even go to a urology clinic?”

After all, Woojin often made strange jokes.

“Tsk, comedy is really hard, it seems.”

“Was it really a joke?”

“But I’m thinking of going at least once later.”

“Who on earth called you a seedless watermelon, Ira…?”

Lee Hyerim, who was about to continue speaking, pressed her lips together and brought a glass of water to her flushed face.

It was because a Staff Member was bringing the food.

Soup was placed in front of Woojin and Lee Hyerim.

Woojin picked up his spoon and once again shifted his gaze over Lee Hyerim’s shoulder.

The Thug entered about 3 minutes after he and Lee Hyerim did.

As soon as he entered, he cast his gaze around as if searching for something, then briefly looked at Lee Hyerim and himself before sitting down.

It was an action indicating he had found something.

The evidence was that his movements briefly stopped when the Thug cast such a gaze.

Even predators sometimes freeze like ice for a moment when they spot their prey, and the Thug was a similar case.

The same goes for humans.

They discover, stop, and react.

It’s the same principle when very close friends coincidentally run into each other on the street; their eyes widen, their movements freeze for a fraction of a second as if turned to stone, and then they express their joy.

Of course, the pupils also dilate.

People who dislike, and people who like, all have different emotional reactions, but the freeze response is the same.

The distance to Lee Hyerim was about 5 meters.

His feet were crossed outwards, but his navel was diagonally pointed towards Lee Hyerim.

That action also implies some form of interest.

The result of observing the thug from the beginning was that he had followed Lee Hyerim in.

Woojin was right not to have gone to the urologist.

It was to create a natural atmosphere with trivial jokes before he sat down.

In short, it was to take control of the situation.

Woojin, who had finished the soup very slowly and cleanly, picked up his water glass and spoke.

“Hyerim, don’t move and listen to me.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Someone seems to have followed you in. He’s a man, looks like he’s in his mid-30s.”

Her expression, as she swept her hair back, hardened.

As Woojin said, she had experienced such situations a few times.

The kind of people who persistently followed her around, demanding her number.

Her hardening expression regained its composure.

“I’ve experienced it a few times, so I know how to deal with it very well…”

“I think it’s a tail. It’s different from just following. It’s better not to look back. It’s also not good to look unnatural.”

Being the object of observation is as good as losing. But that was a situation that only applied when one didn’t know.

The other person thinks their presence hasn’t been detected by this side.

Therefore, he was defenseless, and it was Woojin who could freely observe his actions.

If it were someone else, they would have been more careful and wary, but with Woojin, it was different.

Because he was someone who could cast a glance for a fleeting moment and read even a 0.2 candle micro-expression.

He didn’t even feel the need to go up and ask who it was.

Know Yourself and Your Enemy, and You Will Never Be Defeated (Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated).

The control was Woojin’s responsibility.

Lee Hyerim, feeling a slight sense of seriousness from Woojin’s words, looked at the wine poured by the employee.

Woojin watched him for a moment as he picked up his fork, then slowly nodded his head.

A yellow gold bracelet is visible whenever his suit sleeve moves.

Black discoloration is visible on each joint of his fingers, which look thick and rough.

The hand not holding cutlery is on the table, and his chest is puffed out, making him look even larger.

Puffing up his body like a cobra.

He is someone whose usual habit of self-display is unconsciously ingrained in his body.

His beard is cleanly shaved today, and his hair is neatly styled.

As if he prepared for today as if it were a special occasion.

Even his shoes are spotless, without a single wrinkle.

He frequently touches his cellphone, but he seems relaxed, as if he doesn’t need to check the time.

Woojin opened his mouth.

“He looks about 178 centimeters tall, and weighs 80 kilograms. He doesn’t have money, but he’s someone who physically shows off. He’s dressed up to match someone, as if moving up a social class. That seems to be you.”

Lee Hyerim blinked her eyes.

Because she didn’t quite understand what Woojin was saying.

Woojin cut his steak and said,

“As I said, he doesn’t seem to have financial余裕. Showing off usually means a deficit, and his body tells the story. He earns money doing physical work. And he’s someone who used his fists a lot.”

“What do you mean…”

A thought flashed through her mind like lightning as she looked at Woojin.

‘It’s not dangerous. He’s just profiling.’

“Profiling?”

“It’s a bit different from that. It’s easier to think of it as cognitive inference.”

Lee Hyerim looked at Woojin as if trying to understand his very existence, regardless of who might be behind her.

I’ve always thought about it, but as soon as I think I understand, Woojin is already far ahead.

Like an onion, no matter how many layers you peel, new aspects keep appearing.

Lee Hyerim chuckled and regained her composure.

Because she could just get rid of guys like that with a single phone call.

“Well… is he some kind of pervert, like a gangster?”

“He doesn’t seem like a pervert, but there’s a high possibility he’s a gangster.”

Lee Hyerim wiggled her crossed foot and furrowed her white brows.

“How annoying… Sorry, I brought something troublesome while we’re eating.”

As Lee Hyerim picked up her cell phone, Woojin said,

“If you act now, your tail will be cut off.”

“Cut off? What do you mean by that?”

“Like a lizard, the body cuts off its tail and runs away.”

“So, he didn’t just follow us in?”

Woojin tasted the potato salad and was slightly impressed.

“Oh… this tastes like honey. This is a great potato salad place.”

Woojin nodded again and said,

“He’s not showing any signs of approaching. He’s just observing the situation. You’re at a restaurant with someone. It seems he’s just trying to gather information about this righteous path. Can you think back?”

“About what?”

“People you’ve met recently, someone you’ve had a dispute with, or someone you’ve shared a secret with.”

Lee Hyerim’s eyes flickered slightly upwards.

Just as Woojin said, she was recalling the past.

However, she wasn’t the type of person to associate with the kind of individuals Woojin was talking about.

Her older sisters and brothers came to mind, but no one specific stood out.

After all, they always thought little of each other.

“Someone who might be indirectly connected to that person.”

Suddenly, someone came to mind. A strange light gleamed in Lee Hyerim’s eyes.

She revealed the weakness of her younger brother, Lee Yohwan, whom she had met yesterday.

‘He’s trying to evade responsibility by dissolving the union, firing people, and using subcontractors as an excuse for the main company. Dad would be so pleased if he knew,’

No, it wasn’t a revelation of weakness, but a warning.

She told her younger brother to stop meddling in her affairs after his blackmailing remarks.

“My younger brother is childish, but he’s not so baseless as to involve someone like that on the Righteous Path.”

“Who knows.”

A sigh escaped Lee Hyerim’s lips.

Even if it was someone her younger brother had sent, couldn’t he just deny it?

Woojin spoke as if he had read her thoughts.

“You have to catch the main culprit.”

“There’s no legal way. Wouldn’t it be over if that person just played innocent?”

The suspicion was just Woojin’s word; there was no evidence.

“There’s also the saying about a mud fight. If the arena is muddy, you have to fight.”

Suddenly, Woojin stood up from his seat and continued speaking.

“I’ll try to find some pearls in the mud.”

Lee Hyerim’s expression turned uneasy at Woojin’s actions.

“Woojin?”

“I’m going to the bathroom. Don’t look back.”

Woojin headed straight for the bathroom, and Lee Hyerim was torn.

She desperately wanted to turn around and check on him, but Woojin’s words held her shoulders, not letting go.

She didn’t know it, but the thug was no longer in the bathroom.

Woojin, following the thug, entered the hallway but didn’t go inside.

He just stood in the hallway, blocking the way.

Swaaaaa.

Woojin started walking as he heard the sound of water and the bathroom door opened.

Just then, Woojin and the Thug bumped shoulders.

The Thug, whose shoulder had been bumped, glared at Woojin with a scowl.

“Ah, damn it…”

He couldn’t continue his curses.

Because the person he’d bumped into was with Lee Hyerim.

It would be troublesome to get involved when he was supposed to just observe.

He forced a smile and said,

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

He made a gesture of bowing his head and walked past Woojin.

No, Woojin’s words stopped him in his tracks.

It was the kind of ruffian-like speech you’d hear in movies.

“Hey, old man, you call that an apology? Oh my… it feels dislocated. What are you going to do about this?”

The Thug’s face was filled with bewilderment.

“What are you talking about? We just lightly bumped…”

“Don’t you know that hitting someone with that build can cause a fatal injury? I think I need to go to the hospital for this, but if you settle it here, I won’t make a big deal out of it either.”

The Thug’s face twitched.

He’d never seen such a brazen punk.

But Lee Hyerim, the granddaughter of Shinhwa Group, meeting such a punk?

If he had met this guy on the street without knowing who he was, he would have thrown him and broken something.

Of course, that was just the Thug’s thought, not knowing who Woojin was.

“Don’t pick a fight. We came to a nice place, let’s just enjoy our meal and leave.”

“Does this old man think I’m joking?”

Woojin swayed his shoulder as if it were dislocated.

It wasn’t even teasing; the Thug muttered at the absurd sight.

“You really are a son of a bitch…”

“What? Did you just swear?”

The Thug scratched his head and put both hands on his hips.

“What are you trying to do now?”

“What do you mean? We’re trying to reach an agreement.”

The Thug strode over.

And he whispered menacingly into Woojin’s ear.

“You’re really lucky, you know that.”

Woojin muttered in return.

“You’re the one who’s unlucky.”

“This son of a bitch, to the very end…”

The Thug flared up but didn’t lose his temper.

After a deep sigh, the Thug completely turned his body around.

Just then, Woojin’s voice drifted into his ear.

“Every step you take will bring you closer to the Police Station. There might even be a Detective standing at the entrance of the Mask after you leave the Restaurant.”

The Thug stopped moving, frowned deeply, and looked back.

Woojin was shaking his Cellphone.

“What kind of bastard are you? Are you really crazy?”

“A ‘pa’-tient one.”

The Thug’s cheek twitched as if in a spasm.

His casual delivery of such a bad Dad Joke seemed like a deliberate attempt to mock him.

“You son of a bitch!”

It was the moment Woojin’s continuous provocation took effect.