When The Phone Rings

Chapter 32

/explicit WAP lyrics ahead/

Please don't...!

'... I need a deep stroke, I need a Henny drink, I need a we*d smoker, Not a garden snake, I need a king cobra...'

'Gaahh!!'

Heeju jumped up and tried to grab the paper, but it was no use. Sa-eon easily dodged her and continued to read line by line.

"...I want you to park the big Mack truck right here in this little garage..."

Baek Sa-eon's jaw tightened again.

""It's got a beard, well, I wanna wet it... I wanna gag, I wanna choke..."

His soft, deep voice poured out lascivious words as if reading from a script. Heeju was too ashamed to look him in the eye. She wanted to bury her head like an ostrich.

"...Hop on, I want a ride... Now make it rain if you wanna see some wet.... Hahh"

The man finally let out a sigh as he kneaded his temple. The bulging veins on the back of his hand made him look as stern as a strict schoolmaster.

"Who wrote this?"

"......!"

He crumpled the paper with a dangerously sharp glint in his eye.

"Why do you have such a thing? Don't tell me... did you write this?"

Overwhelmed by the absurd suspicion, Heeju quickly pulled out her phone. She opened a long-dormant chat page labelled "Business Husband" and quickly typed out a message.

[9:52 PM] [ This is the lyrics of a foreign artist that director Han Joon introduced to me...! I was offered a job as an interpreter for a concert, but I turned it down. T- The paper stayed in my pocket. ]

Baek Sa-eon immediately checked his buzzing mobile phone. For a man used to speed-reading, his gaze remained on the screen for an unusually long time.

"It may not seem like it, but I'm more conservative than you think, Hong Heeju.

'......?'

"I really don't like this director Han. What should we do about it?"

"...!"

"Since you got this as an offer, did you go through the script in front of him? Did this man, who's 12 years older than you, 'guide' you through the text?"

'.......'

"Did you discuss the subject, the context... or the scenario?"

Baek Sa-eon tilted his head.

"Big..or wet..."

'......!'

"You haven't even discussed such things with your own husband."

He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek.

"Well, you almost did."

Anxious, Heeju quickly typed another message.

[9:53 PM] [ It's unfair for you to judge me like this. This artist is known for her bold lyrics...]

"So what...?"

His crooked look pierced her.

"I saw Hong Heeju interpreting at the office today. I'm curious how you were going to translate those spicy, explicit lyrics with a straight face."

"What...?

Sa-eon suppressed his latent anger.

"No way."

He sneered, crumpled up the paper and stuffed it into his jacket pocket.

"This paper is now confiscated and the subject ends here. I won't prolong this conversation."

"...."

"And as for going to the supermarket, forget it. Go inside and sleep."

His sharp gaze stopped her in her tracks. Hiding her nervousness, Heeju tapped her phone again.

- "Fine."

"I'll go first."

- "Go ahead."

Her mouth felt dry. Pacing the living room, she finally retreated to her room and lay down on the bed.

Questions remained unanswered. Words she couldn't say struggled to be heard.

"Your fiancée... do you know where she is right now?"

- "I do."

"...!"

The short answer struck Heeju more than anything else.

He knew...? Heeju's legs felt as if they had gone numb.

"Where is she now?"

When she asked hastily, Baek Sa-eon replied indifferently.

- "My turn."

"What?"

- "Did you ever really hear Heeju's voice? Not her breath - her real voice."

"...!"

Caught off guard, Heeju froze, her thoughts derailed by the unexpected question.

"If it's the moaning you're talking about..."

- "Not that."

He cut her off coldly. But Heeju didn't back down.

"I've already answered, so it's my turn now, right?"

- "...."

Strangely, the silence on the other end carried a trace of annoyance.

"Where is Hong In-ah right now?"

- "She's not here."

"What kind of answer is that? Give me a proper answer!"

Heeju frowned, her irritation flaring.

- "Doesn't that count as an additional question?"

"Don't be so stiff...!"

- "I don't understand why you're so curious about Hong In-ah."

"Should I consider that as your next question?"

- "Let's call it one."

For Baek Sa-eon, "Blackmailer 406" was probably nothing more than a psychotic ex-boyfriend Heeju had dealt with in the past. So Heeju tried to play the part.

"Heeju... she always paid attention."

- "Be specific."

"To the relationship between you and her sister."

- "I don't see any point in answering."

"What?"

Startled by his brazen refusal, Heeju stared in disbelief.

- "If I tell you, I'm sure 406 will use it against Heeju somehow. So, no. I won't say a word."

"...!"

- "That's my answer."

What the...? Heeju could only stare in astonishment.

- "No matter what nonsense 406 tries to pull, I'll take care of it personally. Let's keep this grudge between us."

"...."

"Instead of approaching Heeju, you might as well try setting my car on fire a few times..."

His voice remained distant, eerily so, even as he spoke harshly and then went straight to the point.

- "What did Heeju tell you?"

The question made her laugh briefly.

"Are you curious what she told me?"

What was this man thinking? Why on earth did Baek Sa-eon ask such a thing? But since her "mute" condition kept her far from being suspected as blackmailer 406, she couldn't risk compromising that.

- "Technically, she didn't 'talk' to me."

"I see..."

He let out a soft chuckle, dragging out his words leisurely. For some reason, he seemed content with the answer.

It felt strange.

Heeju quickly shook off the inexplicable uneasiness and moved on to her next question.