Chapter 2: Quietly Escaping the Situation

"Soo-jin," Ji-eun whispered urgently, gently shaking her awake. Soo-jin stirred, barely conscious, and Ji-eun quickly helped her up as they made their way inside.

Together, they disappeared into the safety of the building, the driver trailing behind them, while Soo-jin's bodyguards stayed at the gates, ensuring protection alongside the building's security team.

Outside, the media was in a frenzy, capturing every moment. Seeing Soo-jin in such a weak state only intensified the already enraged fan's anger.

As the chaos from the Baeksang Awards continued outside, Joon-ho arrived in his car. His once neat and pressed suit was now disheveled, a reflection of his frantic escape from the mob.

Spotting Joon-ho's car, the furious crowd turned their attention to him. Eggs, tomatoes, and stones were hurled at his vehicle, but the bulletproof glass withstood the assault.

Inside the car, Joon-ho, with bloodshot eyes, could barely comprehend the scene outside. His mind was consumed by one thought: Soo-jin.

As he stepped out of the car, the enraged fans, frustrated by their inability to shatter the glass, turned their aggression on him. Joon-ho stood there, emotionless, while his suit became stained with eggs and tomatoes.

In a final act of rage, one fan poured a bucket of red water over him, drenching him from head to toe. Looking at him now, no one would recognize him as the CEO of the world's largest tech company—the cold, commanding figure that so many women admired and men aspired to be.

But Joon-ho remained indifferent. A stone struck his forehead, causing it to bleed. The sight of blood brought the mob to a halt, and an eerie silence fell over the crowd.

Joon-ho began walking toward the building's gates, and the crowd parted to let him pass. But when he reached the gates, they remained closed.

The security guard addressed him, "Sir, we have strict orders. No one is allowed through these gates. Please leave."

Once, even though he wasn't well-liked by those in the building, he was still allowed to enter. But now, he wasn't even granted access through the gates.

The entire scene was broadcast live across all news channels and social media platforms. Many of the women who had once adored him now pitied his situation.

Inside the building, Ji-eun and the driver had helped Soo-jin to their office, where Ji-eun laid her down on the couch. She closed the curtains and turned to the driver.

"You should have taken her to the hospital. Didn't you see how unwell she is?" Ji-eun scolded.

The driver, head lowered, responded, "Miss Park, at the venue, Miss Kim Soo-jin seemed fine when she boarded the van."

"But didn't you hear the news?" Ji-eun shouted. "She's sick! She has less than three months to live! You should have driven her straight to the hospital!"

Soo-jin, overhearing the conversation, weakly defended the driver. "It's not his fault. I was going to go home. He was the one who suggested we come here."

Ji-eun shuddered at the thought of Soo-jin going home. If she had, it would have been a disaster. This place was much safer than her house. She looked at the driver with a softened expression.

"Thank you for not listening to her and bringing her here instead," she said.

It was late at night. The building was empty; the top management and all the employees had long gone home. Ji-eun was the only one who worked late, and now she found herself worrying over Soo-jin's health.

If the news were true and Soo-jin had less than three months left, she should have been in a hospital, not here. But leaving wasn't an option either. The crowd outside had grown, and getting out would be far more difficult than getting in earlier.

Pacing back and forth, Ji-eun muttered to herself, "What should I do? I need to get her to a hospital…"

Soo-jin, hearing the concern in her friend's voice, tried to calm her. "It's just a slight fever. Don't worry. I've taken some medicine, and I'll be fine after a night's sleep. Let's deal with everything tomorrow. Hopefully, things will cool down by then. Get some rest, too."

As Soo-jin slept, the heavy rain outside showed no signs of stopping. Joon-ho, drenched and alone, stood all night in front of the gate, unflinching in the downpour.

At dawn, Soo-jin woke up, refreshed and showing no signs of the fever from the night before. She glanced at the driver, fast asleep in a chair, while Ji-eun, still awake, was working on her laptop.

"Hey, Ji-eun, didn't you sleep last night? Why are you working so early?" Soo-jin asked, stretching.

Ji-eun glanced at her friend and quipped, "You're the only one who slept last night," gesturing to the sleeping driver. "And this blockhead."

Ji-eun then showed Soo-jin the news, displaying live footage of Joon-ho still standing outside the gate, drenched and disheveled.

Soo-jin's heart sank when she saw him. She felt guilty for what he was enduring because of her. "Let's leave through the other gate before anyone arrives," she said to Ji-eun.

Ji-eun was confused. "Why are we running? Who are we running from?"

Soo-jin sighed, answering calmly, "I just don't want to deal with a bunch of questions. Let's leave before anyone shows up."

After speaking, Ji-eun quickly packed her things while Soo-jin freshened up. Once ready, they both started heading toward the other gate.

The opposite building was connected to theirs for situations like this—an escape route designed to avoid the media and paparazzi. Fewer people knew this path.

When they reached the parking lot of the other building, both Soo-jin and Ji-eun wore sunglasses, face masks, and, in Soo-jin's case, a hat pulled low over her head. They made sure to disguise themselves as much as possible before leaving the building.

They got into an ordinary-looking car, its license plate registered under a different name to avoid suspicion. This escape plan had been devised long ago, but it proved invaluable today.

With Soo-jin in the passenger seat and Ji-eun behind the wheel, they quietly drove away, unnoticed.