Chapter 40: Earning a Bodyguard's Wages

Krystal could not for the life of her understand what kind of charm this man possessed to make her older sister so infatuated; she really wanted to see him for herself.

On second thought, she feared being ensnared by his dark arts. If she were to walk right into his trap, it would be a disaster. Her mind was currently filled with prejudice against Cha Lun-hoo.

"Who knows? Maybe his suitcase is half-full of hair, and surely a good portion of that belongs to Jessica. I certainly don't want to end up as one of his collectibles."

She secretly resolved not to let curiosity kill the cat, focusing instead on how to pull her sister out of this sea of misery before she was completely devoured.

"If you're so worried, just hand him over to Bae Suzy! This younger man clearly doesn't suit you, Unnie. Regardless of financial status or anything else, you can't keep supporting a gigolo forever!"

"Besides, even if you wanted to keep a gigolo, you aren't as rich as Suzy! She's one of the highest-earning female idols in the industry."

"If I were a gigolo, I'd stick with Suzy, too! Where else are you going to find a young, wealthy woman like that?"

Krystal’s disparagement infuriated her sister. Jessica reached out and grabbed her younger sister’s now rather chubby cheeks, pulling at her face.

"I’ll give you thirty seconds to apologize to me. No—before that, you need to properly apologize to Lun-hoo. He is a hero, not a gigolo; he’s just going through a brief period of misfortune."

Jessica knew her sister was concerned for her and wasn’t truly angry, but that woman Bae Suzy really got under her skin. How had she never noticed that girl was this kind of person? Back when she first debuted, she had been so respectful, but now she was making Jessica lose hair from sheer frustration.

Still, Suzy was an actress now, and Jessica was no longer an idol; even if she wanted to retaliate, she had no leverage. She didn’t agree with her sister’s assessment. Although he came from humble beginnings, Lun-hoo didn't seem like someone obsessively fixated on money; she assumed he was just momentarily bewitched by Suzy.

It had to be said that Cha Lun-hoo not only carried himself with an upright air and demeanor, but the aura surrounding the insubordination incident had also etched a deep impression on everyone’s minds. It was only someone like Krystal, who hadn't had any personal contact with him, who could analyze the situation based on specific incidents and label him a bad man. Yet, defining a person simply as "good" or "bad" was perhaps too simplistic.

"Fine, fine! You’re right, you’re both right, it’s all Suzy’s fault, okay? The real question is: does this gigolo—I mean, this handsome guy—think it’s Suzy’s fault? For all we know, he’s getting along just fine with her!"

***

The younger sister’s words left Jessica silent, a deep sense of grievance welling up in her heart. As expected, young people prefer to play with their peers; after all, this guy was even younger than Krystal.

Although his transfer wouldn't be official until after the new year, the specifics of his assignment were mostly settled. Recently, he had been dining with his brothers-in-arms, and he could faintly sense that he was gradually establishing a leadership position within their small circle.

According to the plan laid out by Reporter Chen, if these young officers could eventually gain a foothold of influence in veterans' offices across the country, any projects he might promote through their association would yield twice the result with half the effort.

As for how to stand out among the various units, there was no secret—it was all about mutual benefit. If they could concentrate their efforts for lobbying at critical moments and help other members after securing promotions, a virtuous cycle could be formed.

"Two years ago, at the graduation ceremony of the Military Academy, when we were commissioned, my brothers and I were full of ambition, dreaming that we would one day wear stars and become generals. Who knew that a single incident would leave us at a dead end, resulting in the discharge of so many of our brothers?"

"But we did nothing wrong. We shouldn't have been subjected to such unfair treatment. Now that our names have been cleared, we must walk the path ahead carefully. I wish us all smooth sailing in our new units. Cheers, gentlemen!"

The young officers, filling two round tables, raised their glasses, each of them brimming with determination. How could they not have aspirations after so many years of military training? Being offered these special positions was a decent outcome, all things considered—what more could they complain about?

Watching these faces as they drained their glasses, Cha Lun-hoo had the fleeting illusion that he was witnessing a gang initiation ceremony—a group of young street toughs hoping to make a name for themselves in society. He wondered how many would actually get their wish.

The path Reporter Chen had mapped out for him was to leverage external power, and Suzy had also expressed a clear desire to help him. While he wasn't particularly chauvinistic, he knew that precious resources should be used where they mattered most, and he needed to show his value to his investors.

This particular investor kept him at arm's length, and he could tell she enjoyed playing these games. However, such feminine schemes weren't particularly annoying; she knew exactly how to handle the nuances of their budding relationship.

She wasn't like those foolish women who randomly put their boyfriends through "submission tests." It was only when she teased his older sister in front of him that he found himself at a loss for words—truly, even the smartest women were prone to holding grudges.

"Any news linking you and me is beneficial for you at the moment. But if you were to stir up some scandal with her, you’d be painted as a man of loose morals. You wouldn't want to see all your hard work go down the drain, would you?"

While she took jabs at Jessica, she was also genuinely looking out for him. Moreover, since her business partner held a grudge against him, if they were to uncover any evidence, it might truly cost the older sister everything she had at the company.

***

Suzy had been in a great mood lately. Since returning from Morocco, good news had been pouring in. Regarding the litigation scandal from some time ago, the deceased former representative of the photography studio had been found guilty by the police, with definitive charges brought by eight victims. The recruitment manager involved had been detained, and the police officially ruled the former representative’s suicide as the result of the immense pressure from six separate summons.

Although the other side had fought tooth and nail, the situation now seemed settled. The public didn't care much about the matter anymore; in fact, they were discussing it less than they were the gossip about Cha Lun-hoo.

In high spirits, Suzy had once again donated 100 million won to the "Sharing Life" foundation this year, striking while the iron was hot to consolidate the public image she had just managed to turn around. It had to be said that this girl was incredibly generous; these donations were coming one after another.

Four years ago, at the age of just twenty, Suzy had already signed an organ donation agreement and subsequently joined the "Honor Society," a group for high-value donors.

It was the heart of a lady who couldn't bear to see the poor suffer. When he thought about how Jessica was also someone who lacked for nothing, he felt Se-jeong was really losing face for their circle, still worrying about whether to pay a deposit for a *jeonse* lease or just endure the high monthly rent.

Cha Lun-hoo thought it hardly mattered, even offering to pay for it himself—he could suffer a little, but he couldn't let such a good girl struggle. But Se-jeong adamantly refused, saying it wouldn't be too late to rent once she got her next paycheck.

"I can't let you earn money from other women just to pay for my rent! It feels strange. Please, don't do that again. Besides, Suzy is your client; just earn the money you're paid as a bodyguard. Don't go breaking the rules."

Se-jeong couldn't help but add that final remark. That brat Somi was relentless, and she felt she had to warn this *oppa*—after all, money from someone like that wasn't easy to spend.

"*Oppa* is about to serve the country; if people find out you're spending a woman's money, it will have a very bad impact. People will look down on you, and it will be bad for your future career."

Se-jeong’s parting words of concern warmed his heart, yet for both public and private reasons, he seemed to have few options left. Just then, a message from Suzy arrived, laced with resentment. This behavior of wanting to catch a fish that simply wouldn't take the bait clearly made her furious.