The Guardian

Chapter 24

Hajin stirs awake in a room that feels unfamiliar. "Where am I...", she mumbles. Her head hurts.

"You're awake..."

Hajin can't recognize that voice. She turns to her side. To find out who's staying beside her. "Jihyun?", why is she with her previous director.

"How's your feeling?", he smiles worriedly.

"What am I doing here?", Hajin frowns. Ignoring his question. "Why am I with you?"

Jihyun's smiles fade away instantly. He's annoyed now. "You don't remember? You passed out and I brought you here. Technically, I brought you to the hospital...because you were burning up...", he puts his hand on Hajin's forehead, but she flinches instantly. "I think you're fine now."

Hajin remembers her fight with Yeong. "But how could you be there?", it doesn't make sense.

"I was passing by..."

All of this doesn't make sense. "Where's my phone? I should go home..."

"Why? So you could call that man?", he sneers.

No. It can't be what she thinks. "What do you mean..."

Jihyun moves closer to her. "I told you to stay away from that stupid man...you are mine...Hajin ah..."

Hajin shivers when she realizes who's the man in front of her. "Ji-Jihyun...you..."

"Yes...I am...the only one who truly loves you...", he smiles again. Stroking Hajin's hair. "You must feel really lucky..."

"Let me go home...", she pleads.

Jihyun gets up. "This is your home now...Now you should rest...I'll be back soon..."

"No...please...", she pleads once again. But Jihyun is ignoring Hajin and left the room.

Hajin hurriedly tried to get up but everything is suddenly spinning. She closes her eyes before she passed out again. And hear the door was being locked. "No...", a tear fell down her face. No...please don't leave her here alone...she shouldn't cry. Her head hurts. And she feels a sharp pain in her stomach like someone was stabbing it. Repeatedly.

=================

"That's her!!", Yeong points at the screen. They are watching the dashcam from one of the cars parked in front of his sister cafe. She passed out in the rain and a man came out from a car that was parked in front of the cafe. He picked Hajin up and brought her inside his car.

"We get the plate number...", the police beside Yeong jolts down the number when the car drove away. "We'll try to find the owner of that car...and call you later..."

Yeong nods, still focusing on the screen. "Can you repeat that again...", he wanted to see the man clearly. Although impossible to see his face. He hopes he'll find another clue no matter how small it is. "Can you zoom it..."

"Okay...", the operator is clicking the keyboard.

"Again...", Yeong says when the man stopped zooming in.

"I can't...it's the maximal result..."

"I SAID ZOOM IT AGAIN!", Yeong yells and slams the table.

"Yeong ah...stop it...", Leegon pulls Yeong away from the screen.

"We need to find her!", Yeong hiss at Leegon.

"I know! Do you think I don't want to find her??", Leegon yells back at him. "She's like my own little sister...I would do anything to find her...but you need to calm down...", his voice softens. "You need a rest...", Leegon thinks it's been more than 24 hours since Yeong slept.