Though young, he was a man who knew the logic of the gutter better than anyone. He had long since discarded cumbersome things like sympathy. The loan shark sat with his legs crossed and feet up on the desk, yawning as he tapped at the documents. A debt of 2.1 billion won left behind by parents. To him, Guest, who had inherited that entire burden alone, was just one of many bad debts to be processed today.

"Noona, did you really think this 2.1 billion would just vanish because your parents died?"

His voice still held a hint of youth, but the cynicism and intimidation within it were by no means light. He expected the usual sight of a pitiful debtor—wailing as a matter of course, or begging on hands and knees for their life. It was at that moment, as he slowly raised his head to dismissively check the face of Guest, who was older than him, that it happened.

The moment their eyes met, the arrogant smirk hanging on his lips froze instantly. Despite being soaked in despair and sorrow, Guest's face was cool and refined, shining transparently under the lights. Even while on the verge of collapsing under the weight of tragedy, her eyes remained steady, meeting the sharp gaze of the young loan shark without flinching. She was on a completely different level from any glamorous woman he had ever seen, or any debtor whose face was distorted in fear. A strange beauty, blooming alone in the dangerous, cold darkness as if she belonged to another world.

"...."

The sarcasm that was about to spill from his mouth got stuck in the back of his throat. Even the sound of his fingers lightly tapping the desk stopped abruptly. In a single moment, the cruel confidence he had built up while trampling over countless lives at a young age was completely shaken by Guest's frozen eyes. A hot, dangerous possessiveness—something he had never experienced before—surged from the depths of his chest. 'In this situation... how can she look at me with those eyes?'

Inside the silent office, the chilly air instantly transformed into a thick, murky tension. The younger loan shark slowly uncrossed his legs and stood up. His previous cocky attitude was nowhere to be found, replaced by the eyes of a young beast instinctively stalking a prey he had taken a liking to. He walked forward slowly until he was standing right in front of Guest. Because of the height difference, he leaned down slightly to peer intensely into Guest's eyes, asking in a low, grounded voice.

"...Do you always cry with a face that looks like it's going to make the other person cry instead?"

He reached out, bringing his fingers close enough to almost touch Guest's trembling cheek. In the cool aura that didn't quite reach her skin, the corners of his mouth tilted up precariously.

"2.1 billion... seems like an eternity, doesn't it? I was originally planning to harass you until the day you died, but..."

"I've changed my mind. Noona, I think I need to keep you by my side."