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  "??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ??? ???... ??? ? ??? ???? ????."

  ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????.

  Assistant Han So-hee was already hovering around him like the president of his fan club. "Manager, do you need more coffee? Should I get you a cushion?"

  Hyun-ah bit her lip.

  ‘Just wait. I’m going to crack that mask tonight.’

  5:00 PM.

  As soon as the clock struck five, Tae-yoon packed his bag with military precision.

  "Team Leader, I have an urgent appointment with my bed. May I leave?"

  "Of course! Go! Rest is important for the brain!"

  Tae-yoon walked out.

  Five minutes later, Lee Hyun-ah grabbed her coat and slipped out like a stray cat. She wasn't just an assistant; she prided herself on her sharp observation skills. She kept a safe distance, hiding behind pillars and street trees, tracking the beige trench coat moving through the crowd.

  Tae-yoon walked past the subway station, through a winding alleyway, and past a row of old shops. Finally, he stopped in front of a familiar sign.

  [Moonlight Cafe]

  ‘I knew it. He goes there every day.’

  Hyun-ah quickly hid behind a telephone pole across the street. Her heart pounded. This was it. She would catch him meeting a secret contact, or maybe making a suspicious phone call.

  She pulled out her smartphone and zoomed in with the camera.

  The lens focused on the cafe window.

  Tae-yoon was standing inside, near the glass.

  But something was wrong.

  He wasn't looking at the menu. He wasn't looking at his phone.

  He was looking straight at the camera lens.

  Straight at her.

  Tae-yoon smiled—a playful, teasing smile—and waved his hand. His lips moved clearly, enunciating each syllable for her to read.

  [Assistant. Lee. It's. Windy. Behind. That. Pole.]

  "Kyaaak!"

  Hyun-ah shrieked, nearly dropping her phone.

  She had maintained a distance of at least fifty meters. She had used cover. She had been perfect. Yet, he looked at her as if she were standing right next to him holding a neon sign.

  Flustered and red-faced, she froze. Before she could decide whether to run or hide, the cafe door opened.

  Cling-clang.

  Tae-yoon walked out, his hands in his pockets, wearing that same infuriatingly innocent expression.

  "Assistant Lee! Is my back view so sexy that you couldn't resist following me? Or did you want to enjoy a latte with me? Since I got a bonus today, it's my treat!"

  Hyun-ah huffed, marching up to him.

  "You... What on earth are you? How did you know I was there? Do you have eyes in the back of your head?!"

  "Come in, come in. It's cold out here."

  Tae-yoon practically ushered her into the cafe.

  Inside, the warm scent of roasted beans and jazz music welcomed them.

  "Boss! Two lattes, please!"

  Chae Yuri, the owner, leaned over the counter, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

  "Oh my, Manager Kang is back. And who is this beauty? Finally got a girlfriend?"

  Hyun-ah’s face turned a deeper shade of crimson. Tae-yoon waved his hand frantically.

  "Eyy, Boss, don't say scary things. This is Assistant Lee Hyun-ah. The scariest person in our office. She came all the way here to surveil me."

  Yuri winked at Hyun-ah. "Surveillance, huh? If a pretty lady like this monitored me, I'd be grateful. Enjoy your drinks!"

  As Yuri retreated to the espresso machine, Hyun-ah slammed her hand on the table. She leaned in, her voice low and sharp.

  "Manager Kang. Don't change the subject. Talk. The office incident yesterday. The 'Stew' story. And how you knew I was following you. You have an informant, don't you?"

  Tae-yoon took a sip of the foam on his latte. For a split second, the playfulness vanished from his eyes. They became deep, dark pools that absorbed the light.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Hyun-ah swallowed hard. Is he finally revealing his true self?

  Then, Tae-yoon opened his mouth.

  "Assistant Lee. Do you know where Audit Team Leader 'Ji Gae-tae' is from?"

  "What? His hometown? How would I know that?"

  "He's from Sunchang, North Jeolla Province. And what is Sunchang famous for? Gochujang (Red Chili Paste). That man is obsessed with spicy stews made with Gochujang. When I worked briefly as a cleaner in the main office lobby years ago, I heard him complaining about lunch menus every single day. 'The stew is bland, the stew is salty.' My ears practically bled."

  Tae-yoon shrugged, fiddling with the sandwich wrapper Park had given him.

  "So, I just took a guess. 'The stew is salty.' It's a common complaint for him. I didn't expect it to hit the jackpot like that."

  Hyun-ah blinked, dumbfounded. It sounded... ridiculous. Yet, strangely plausible.

  "And... the security equipment? The 'mine' you planted?"

  "Aii, that was just overheating! Team Leader Namgung loves his gadgets too much. The tablet was hot enough to fry an egg. I just tapped it thinking, 'Cool down, buddy,' and the system overloaded at that exact moment. Pure luck. I told you, I should have bought a lottery ticket yesterday."

  "Really? That's all? What about spotting me just now?"

  Tae-yoon grinned, leaning back in his chair.

  "Ah, that. I used to be a Reconnaissance Scout in the army. I went on five reward vacations for my skills. When you spend two years staring at bushes, you get a sixth sense. If someone follows me, my butt itches. And besides... your beige coat reflects perfectly in the shop windows."

  He slid a sugar stick toward her.

  "Assistant Lee, don't live so complicatedly. Sometimes, what you see is all there is. Do I look like a ghost or a spy? I'm just a middle-aged uncle whose life goal is to earn a salary and buy coffee."

  Hyun-ah stared at the sugar stick. The tension in her shoulders slowly released. She let out a dry, defeated laugh.

  "You really... have a talent for making people feel stupid. Do you know I felt like I was filming a spy movie all day?"

  "Spy movie? With me? It would be a comedy at best."

  Hyun-ah took a sip of her latte, looking out the window at the setting sun.

  ‘Maybe I was too sensitive. Things like movies don’t happen in real life.’

  While she looked away, Tae-yoon’s eyes turned cold again.

  Through the hidden earpiece in his left ear, a microscopic signal beeped.

  [Level 2 Entry Complete.]

  It was a report from his shadows. But Tae-yoon didn't react. He simply tapped the table.

  "Alright, let's get up. You worked hard stalking me, so I'll provide a special service. I'll walk you home safely. Consider it a scout's honor."

  The streetlights flickered on, casting orange glows on the pavement. The evening air was crisp. Tae-yoon walked a step ahead, his sleeves rolled up, humming a tune.

  "Assistant Lee, you said you lived around here, right? My specialty in the army was 'navigation' and 'safe escort'. Since you suffered behind a telephone pole today, I'll treat you like a VIP."

  Hyun-ah scoffed, adjusting her bag.

  "Who asked you to? And stop with the 'Scout' talk. If you mention the army one more time, I might actually hit you. Why do Korean men always revert to the military when they clock out?"

  "Ouch, scary. But you know, real experts hide their past behind boring army stories. If I told you I was a former CIA agent, you wouldn't believe me, right? So just accept the scout story. It's comfortable for both of us."

  Tae-yoon stopped in front of a convenience store. He went in and came out with a black plastic bag containing two hot canned coffees and a bag of premium, organic baby snacks.

  "Baby snacks? Do you have a kid hiding somewhere, Manager?"

  Hyun-ah asked sharply.

  "A kid? No, I'm a certified bachelor on paper. This is a bribe. There's a toll gate ahead."

  They reached a narrow staircase leading up to an old villa complex. It was dark.

  Suddenly, two pairs of glowing eyes appeared in the shadows.

  Hyun-ah flinched. Tae-yoon casually tore open the snack bag and scattered the contents on the ground.

  "Here, toll paid. Don't fight."

  Two chubby stray cats emerged from the darkness, munching on the expensive treats. Tae-yoon squatted down, stroking their heads with a gentleness that seemed out of character.

  "Assistant Lee, these guys are my informants in this sector. They look like they just sleep all day, but at night, they watch everyone who passes by. If you plan to stalk me again, you better bribe them first. Otherwise, they'll meow the alarm."

  Hyun-ah watched him. The sharp, terrifying genius who humiliated the Sungjin Group was gone. In his place was just a neighborhood oppa feeding stray cats.

  ‘Who is this man? Where does the acting end and the truth begin?’

  "Manager Kang," she asked suddenly. "Do you really believe... it's all luck? I still can't believe it."

  "Assistant Lee."

  Tae-yoon stood up. The streetlight backlit his figure, casting his face in shadow.

  "Life isn't an edited movie. There aren't always grand plot twists. Sometimes, it's just a bunch of small coincidences piling up to make a conclusion. I mentioned Sunchang Gochujang, you followed me, and now we are walking together. To someone else, it might look like a plan. To us, it's just today."

  He pressed a warm can of coffee into her hand. The heat seeped into her cold palm.

  "If you think too much, the walk home feels longer. Tomorrow, Park will nag us, and the Sungjin project will give us headaches. For tonight, just think that you took a walk with a lucky parachute manager. It's better for your skin."

  Hyun-ah held the can silently. Then she asked, almost in a whisper.

  "Don't you... get tired? Always laughing, acting oblivious. Don't you rot on the inside?"

  Tae-yoon looked up at the moon.

  "I do rot. But if I show the rot, it just smells. So I spray some flower-scented perfume and live on. You shouldn't try to be so perfect either, Assistant Lee. A few cracks let the human smell out. That's why a guy like me buys you a sandwich."

  They reached the entrance of a quiet alley. A red brick villa stood at the end.

  Tae-yoon bowed theatrically, 90 degrees.

  "Alright! Scout's Safe Return Service complete. I expect a 10 out of 10 rating. And don't forget to put a coffee on my desk tomorrow morning. That's a direct order from your superior."

  Hyun-ah chuckled, shaking her head.

  "Coffee, yeah right. Just clean up the sandwich crumbs tomorrow. And... thanks for today. Except for the army stories."

  She turned and walked up the stairs to the villa entrance.

  Step, step, step.

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