Secret Love

The Favour

(A/N: did we just passed 500 votes? You guys are awesome. Thank you for loving this little AU of mine 🥺🥺🥺

Min-jun returns to office. Haru and Han-seo sit down for a chat before the auction. Han-seok asks Myung-hee a favour)

ITALICS - JAPANESE

Hana set the food on the table. She wiped her hands and hung her apron.

"Dear! Children! Breakfast is ready!", she called out.

Min-ryu set his papers down and went into the kitchen. Haru and Min-jun, all set to go to work, came running down.

Min-jun had to return to office for a debriefing. He was worried for his sister, but with Vincenzo around, his worries were lessen.

Before leaving for work, Hana handed them both two omamori charms. Haru's was pink and Min-jun's was blue and both charms had the picture of a phoenix.

"This is a yakuyoke omamori. It is meant to ward off evil. My mother and sister had given these to me when I left home after marrying your father, hoping to keep me safe when I'm far away from home".

Haru hugged her mother. "Don't worry mama, we'll be fine", she smiled reassuringly.

"We'll take extra precaution, mama. Don't you worry too much", Min-jun hugged her next.

Min-ryu stood next to his wife as they watched their children left for work. She turned to him and he gave her a kiss to the forehead.

"All shall be well".

INTELLIGENCE OFFICE

When Min-jun entered office, everyone clapped for him. They congratulated him and some even shed tears, happy to see him again.

An took him to the director's office. Director Tae hugged him, glad that he was back and cleared for field duty once more.

"Right, let's get to work", said the director.

GEUMGA PLAZA

Han-seo texted Haru and waited by the bus stop, cautiously watching over his shoulder. Even with his incognito disguise, he can't help to be paranoid.

While Cha-young gathered the tenants for a reward, Haru went to see Han-seo. The minute she spotted him, she took him somewhere secluded before engulfing him in her arms.

"What were thinking, you idiot?!", she sobbed.

"Our future, Haru. It was all I could think of. I don't him to hurt you. I just want to protect you", Han-seo spoke solemnly.

"I want to help, but you can't keep me in the dark, Han-seo. I'm not the scared girl anymore. I want to help you. I want to see a future, where we can grow old together", she rest her forehead.

Han-seo chuckled lightly. "I was going to propose to you", he smiled.

"I'm serious, Jang Han-seo. Stop keeping me in the dark. It takes two to tango".

"Of course it is, you can't tango on your own", he frowned.

Haru chuckled. For a moment, she actually missed the idiot that she had fell in love with.

Haru handed him the charm her mother had given earlier. "Promise me, Jang Han-seo..., please".

Han-seo took the charm and smiled. "Promise", he kissed her.

HOSPITAL

Choi Myung-hee was surprised to see a fruit basket in the room. "Did you receive a visitor?", she asked.

"I did. Lee Min-jun and his mother".

"WHAT?!".

"Don't worry, they didn't do anything to me", Han-seok took an apple from the basket and bit into it.

"Sir, wait! That could be poisonous!".

"Nah, they won't go that far. Otherwise, I'd be dead hours after I put her daughter in the hospital".

Choi Myung-hee frowned. She wondered what did Han-seok do to the small intern from Jipuragi. Han-seok chuckled at her expression and told her what he had done.

"Gosh, now I feel bad for what I've done", he chuckled, wondering to himself if he truly meant it.

"Sir..., have you made the decision?", she asked.

"I have. I want you to get me discharged tomorrow".

"Tomorrow?".

"It's the auction day, isn't it? I must be discharged that day and I need to make sure the auction goes well. They will want to see who the real chairman is".

"Very well, sir".

"Oh, one more thing...", Han-seok finished his apple and threw the core away, "...Before I make my first public appearance, I want you to arrange a meeting with Lee Haru. My brother or hers or Jipuragi cannot know about it".

"You want me to..., kidnap her?".

"No, that would raise an alarm. Just..., get her to meet me somewhere".

"May I know what it is all about?".

"I want her to know what she'll have to face when I truly become Babel's CEO", Han-seok chuckled.

For a moment, that made Choi Myung-hee worried. What could he possibly want to say to that intern? And how was she supposed to get her away from her brother and Vincenzo Cassano?

"Can you do it?", Han-seok asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"You can count on me, sir".

Han-seok thought long and hard on what to say to Lee Haru. He pondered on what to do with her. Surely, if he harmed a single hair, maybe his nightmare might come true for real. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Gosh, Lee Haru. What do I do with you?".

JIPURAGI

Vincenzo studied Haru, who was busy doing reports and studying for her finals at the same time. He sighed, worried for her and wondered if she could get hurt, he might never forgive himself.

"Don't you worry about her, Mr Cassano", Mr Nam set a mug of coffee in front of Vincenzo.

"I see her like a little sister, Mr Nam. I'm worried what Jang Han-seok would do if we lose".

"He may hurt her, traumatised her even, but Haru is stronger than she looks", said Mr Nam.

Haru got up and handed Vincenzo the report he needed. He thanked her and Haru returned back to her desk.

Vincenzo contemplated in telling Haru and Min-jun about the gold. There's too many people knowing about it now. Should he tell them or...?