when the phone rings novel

"Wait, let's talk this through properly! Don't do this, let's just have a conversation...!"

— Talk with you? Is there anything more terrifying than that?

"Calm down...!"

— You're the one who needs to calm down, you lunatic.

"This is a misunderstanding, it's not what you think!"

Hee-joo raised her voice almost to the point of madness. Where did it all go wrong? It was just a picture of garter belts—how did it escalate into an affair?

Hee-joo wiped her face with her hand. Even if it sparked his imagination, that doesn't mean I'm her lover! Why couldn't he imagine it as a paparazzi photo, a nightclub worker, or even a professional blackmailer? It could easily have been a leaked photo from a party... so many possibilities! Especially for someone like Baek Sa-eon, who has enemies everywhere.

But why, of all things, this?

Ever since Hee-joo stopped engaging in direct communication, she had almost no experience in navigating delicate conversations. She didn't understand how subtle shifts in tone could change everything. All she could do was parrot others' words, leaving her nearly incapable of true dialogue.

This was Hee-joo's fatal misstep. Her face turned ashen.

— "406, are you even listening to me?"

Hee-joo glanced at the dwindling amount of time left. This wasn't working. She needed a breakthrough. She couldn't let the threats she'd built up turn into an emotional entanglement. A threat had to look and feel like a threat—it needed to deliver a fatal blow.

Hee-joo wasn't giving up. Her eyes gleamed with determination.

"Have you not considered that I'm doing this for Hong In-ah's sake?"

Baek Sa-eon's breath hitched.

"Getting Hong Hee-joo out of the picture is because In-ah needs a place. Without Hong Hee-joo... everything can proceed as it should."

Hee-joo's brow furrowed in pain, her words cutting into her like a knife. Her breath quickened.

"I told you from the very beginning—get rid of Hong Hee-joo and bring back your original fiancée. Don't you understand what that means?"

Baek Sa-eon remained silent.

"Then why would you jump to such a conclusion? I only showed you the photo—I didn't say anything else."

— "...Do you have delusions? What exactly is going on in your head?"

Hee-joo deliberately retaliated sharply, trying to avenge the moment she had been cornered.

— "Ah... I..."

At that moment, a faint, mocking laugh echoed. It sounded like someone muttering to themselves, like someone who had just been slapped. But soon, the man coldly said:

— "406 really doesn't know anything."

"What?"

— "The last person Hong In-ah met before she disappeared was me."

"...!"

— "It seems you didn't hear that from Hee-joo."

...What?

For a moment, I was speechless. My sister had met Baek Sa-eon before she disappeared? And he was the last person she saw?

— "So stop using Hong In-ah as an excuse. Just say it straight. It looks like 406 is panicking and saying anything."

"..."

— "Or would you find it easier to deal with me if I were truly paranoid?"

"...!"

In truth, I didn't hear anything else. The sudden mention of my sister was too shocking, leaving my head in chaos. I couldn't even remember what I wanted to say.

And so, I lost all will to fight, frozen in place.

— "No matter what you do, Hong In-ah won't come back—or rather, can't come back."

His tone was filled with certainty.

— "So, what will you do? I think I just eliminated your motive for making threats."

Baek Sa-eon spoke in an unusually gentle voice.

Meanwhile, Hee-joo's thoughts were entirely on her sister. What was my sister thinking? What did the two of them talk about on the night before the wedding? Does Baek Sa-eon know where she is?

— "So, will you stop these meaningless threats?"

At that moment, my lips moved involuntarily.

"Even so, the threats will continue..."

The words came out before my chaotic mind could process them.

— "Yes, I knew you'd say that."

"But I'm not her lover. I swear, I'm not..."

— "Ah, not her lover. Sure."

"Even I wouldn't do that kind of thing to a married woman."
— "Ah, so you don't touch married women."

"...What?"

— "That means it happened in the past."

"What? Wait, that's not what I meant—"

His unfocused eyes regained their sharpness. But by the time I realized I had misspoken, it was too late to take it back.

— "The world these days is a complete mess. Harassment, stalking, even men murdering women they once dated—scum like that are everywhere..."

In that moment, Hee-joo seemed to finally grasp his trigger point.

— "Do you know how much I despise 406?"

Baek Sa-eon was someone whose arrogance knew no bounds. To provoke him, you had to trample on his domain. Even in a political marriage, the title of "wife" fell under his jurisdiction.

— "It seems you hate me too. So why don't we settle this properly, head-on?"

Ha... Hee-joo shut her eyes tightly, as if resigning herself to the chaos, and decided to play along with the situation.

"...But does Hong Hee-joo only have a mole on her thigh?"

— "...!"

"It's always so fun to play with Hong Hee-joo."

As soon as the words left her lips, there was a sharp sound of something shattering—crack, clink. Hee-joo flinched slightly but felt herself growing more focused. Her anxiety boiled over, pushing her to speak faster.

"You're not afraid of fire, or even pulling teeth, so what if I get closer to Hong Hee-joo—"

— "I'll give you two billion won."

"What?"

The unexpected proposal stunned her into silence.

— "But you'll have to meet me."

"...!"

— "Let me see 406's face."

The timer began to beep loudly. Baek Sa-eon spoke leisurely.

— "Looks like it's time to run. You hang up first."

Call #4_mp3

Hee-joo collapsed onto the couch, exhaustion etched across her face.

"Senior! We analyzed the CCTV footage from the nursing home—it's the same person who set the fire!"

Assistant Park burst into the room but immediately froze, stepping back in shock.

Baek Sa-eon was leaning against the desk, his head bowed as if in repentance. His posture was unnerving, radiating an indescribable rage.

The pronounced bones of his neck and his mountainous shoulders twisted unnaturally. As he took deep breaths, his entire body shuddered like a trembling spine.

"Uh... Chief Spokesperson?" Park Do-jae sensed the strange atmosphere and cautiously approached.

"...Shibal—"

The assistant was even more shocked. The man who was always composed and articulate was now muttering vulgar curses in his low, trembling voice.

Scattered documents were clenched between Baek Sa-eon's fingernails, and a savage smile played at the corners of his mouth. Normally calm and collected, he now seemed unable to contain the fervor boiling within him.

Some lunatic's words had burned through him, from his esophagus to his stomach.

"When I was a child, there was a small fish tank."

"What?"

Park Do-jae's eyes widened. This was far from Baek Sa-eon's usual demeanor.

"The world was always greedy, noisy, and irritating. But whenever I stood near that fish tank, I felt a strange sense of peace."

"..."

"Among everything surrounding me, that was the quietest thing. Just staring at it let me breathe more freely."

He kept his head lowered, his voice dark.

"I must have been very skilled at using that fish tank."

"..."

"A small fish tank that could swallow up all the noise of the world—"

A faint warmth throbbed at his temples, an irritant that only deepened his annoyance.

"Keeping it nearby was quite useful."

He began to slowly straighten his posture.

"But..."

His usually indifferent gaze was now tinged with something unfamiliar.

"I placed that fish tank there myself. But someone... secretly drank its water."

"...!"

"In that case, who does the fish tank belong to?"

"...What?"

Park Do-jae was utterly confused by his words. But as an experienced assistant, he knew how to pick out the critical point. His eyes darted cautiously as he tried to interpret.

"Is this a new theft case?"

Baek Sa-eon silently stared at him. Yet it didn't feel like his focus was on the assistant's face but rather on the emptiness beyond him.

Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Park Do-jae desperately tried to respond. His superior never discussed personal matters, and this seemed like a rare chance to score points.

"Of course, the fish tank at home belongs to you, sir!"

But Baek Sa-eon's expression remained completely blank, sending a chill down his spine.

"I never cleaned that fish tank. I just placed it in an obvious spot. Every day when I returned home, I would look at it and always think it was mine."

"..."

"But I forgot... it could move."

He twisted his neck from side to side and suddenly laughed.

Park Do-jae quickly masked his shock, forcing his expression to remain neutral. Everyone had their own cherished things, but his superior was undeniably... unique. Perhaps it was for the better that his superior wasn't entirely human.

If the fish tank were to symbolize a woman instead, the chill running down his spine would have been far harder to bear.

"So filthy..."

The man murmured to himself as he quickly put on and took off his jacket in a repetitive motion.

The assistant, ever sharp, seized the moment to respond.

"If it's just a matter of drinking the water, sir, you can always refill it."

"Wait, let's talk this through properly! Don't do this, let's just have a conversation...!"

— Talk with you? Is there anything more terrifying than that?

"Calm down...!"

— You're the one who needs to calm down, you lunatic.

"This is a misunderstanding, it's not what you think!"

Hee-joo raised her voice almost to the point of madness. Where did it all go wrong? It was just a picture of garter belts—how did it escalate into an affair?

Hee-joo wiped her face with her hand. Even if it sparked his imagination, that doesn't mean I'm her lover! Why couldn't he imagine it as a paparazzi photo, a nightclub worker, or even a professional blackmailer? It could easily have been a leaked photo from a party... so many possibilities! Especially for someone like Baek Sa-eon, who has enemies everywhere.

But why, of all things, this?

Ever since Hee-joo stopped engaging in direct communication, she had almost no experience in navigating delicate conversations. She didn't understand how subtle shifts in tone could change everything. All she could do was parrot others' words, leaving her nearly incapable of true dialogue.

This was Hee-joo's fatal misstep. Her face turned ashen.

— "406, are you even listening to me?"

Hee-joo glanced at the dwindling amount of time left. This wasn't working. She needed a breakthrough. She couldn't let the threats she'd built up turn into an emotional entanglement. A threat had to look and feel like a threat—it needed to deliver a fatal blow.

Hee-joo wasn't giving up. Her eyes gleamed with determination.

"Have you not considered that I'm doing this for Hong In-ah's sake?"

Baek Sa-eon's breath hitched.

"Getting Hong Hee-joo out of the picture is because In-ah needs a place. Without Hong Hee-joo... everything can proceed as it should."

Hee-joo's brow furrowed in pain, her words cutting into her like a knife. Her breath quickened.

"I told you from the very beginning—get rid of Hong Hee-joo and bring back your original fiancée. Don't you understand what that means?"

Baek Sa-eon remained silent.

"Then why would you jump to such a conclusion? I only showed you the photo—I didn't say anything else."

— "...Do you have delusions? What exactly is going on in your head?"

Hee-joo deliberately retaliated sharply, trying to avenge the moment she had been cornered.

— "Ah... I..."

At that moment, a faint, mocking laugh echoed. It sounded like someone muttering to themselves, like someone who had just been slapped. But soon, the man coldly said:

— "406 really doesn't know anything."

"What?"

— "The last person Hong In-ah met before she disappeared was me."

"...!"

— "It seems you didn't hear that from Hee-joo."

...What?

For a moment, I was speechless. My sister had met Baek Sa-eon before she disappeared? And he was the last person she saw?

— "So stop using Hong In-ah as an excuse. Just say it straight. It looks like 406 is panicking and saying anything."

"..."

— "Or would you find it easier to deal with me if I were truly paranoid?"

"...!"

In truth, I didn't hear anything else. The sudden mention of my sister was too shocking, leaving my head in chaos. I couldn't even remember what I wanted to say.

And so, I lost all will to fight, frozen in place.

— "No matter what you do, Hong In-ah won't come back—or rather, can't come back."

His tone was filled with certainty.

— "So, what will you do? I think I just eliminated your motive for making threats."

Baek Sa-eon spoke in an unusually gentle voice.

Meanwhile, Hee-joo's thoughts were entirely on her sister. What was my sister thinking? What did the two of them talk about on the night before the wedding? Does Baek Sa-eon know where she is?

— "So, will you stop these meaningless threats?"

At that moment, my lips moved involuntarily.

"Even so, the threats will continue..."

The words came out before my chaotic mind could process them.

— "Yes, I knew you'd say that."

"But I'm not her lover. I swear, I'm not..."

— "Ah, not her lover. Sure."

"Even I wouldn't do that kind of thing to a married woman."
— "Ah, so you don't touch married women."

"...What?"

— "That means it happened in the past."

"What? Wait, that's not what I meant—"

His unfocused eyes regained their sharpness. But by the time I realized I had misspoken, it was too late to take it back.

— "The world these days is a complete mess. Harassment, stalking, even men murdering women they once dated—scum like that are everywhere..."

In that moment, Hee-joo seemed to finally grasp his trigger point.

— "Do you know how much I despise 406?"

Baek Sa-eon was someone whose arrogance knew no bounds. To provoke him, you had to trample on his domain. Even in a political marriage, the title of "wife" fell under his jurisdiction.

— "It seems you hate me too. So why don't we settle this properly, head-on?"

Ha... Hee-joo shut her eyes tightly, as if resigning herself to the chaos, and decided to play along with the situation.

"...But does Hong Hee-joo only have a mole on her thigh?"

— "...!"

"It's always so fun to play with Hong Hee-joo."

As soon as the words left her lips, there was a sharp sound of something shattering—crack, clink. Hee-joo flinched slightly but felt herself growing more focused. Her anxiety boiled over, pushing her to speak faster.

"You're not afraid of fire, or even pulling teeth, so what if I get closer to Hong Hee-joo—"

— "I'll give you two billion won."

"What?"

The unexpected proposal stunned her into silence.

— "But you'll have to meet me."

"...!"

— "Let me see 406's face."

The timer began to beep loudly. Baek Sa-eon spoke leisurely.

— "Looks like it's time to run. You hang up first."

Call #4_mp3

Hee-joo collapsed onto the couch, exhaustion etched across her face.

"Senior! We analyzed the CCTV footage from the nursing home—it's the same person who set the fire!"

Assistant Park burst into the room but immediately froze, stepping back in shock.

Baek Sa-eon was leaning against the desk, his head bowed as if in repentance. His posture was unnerving, radiating an indescribable rage.

The pronounced bones of his neck and his mountainous shoulders twisted unnaturally. As he took deep breaths, his entire body shuddered like a trembling spine.

"Uh... Chief Spokesperson?" Park Do-jae sensed the strange atmosphere and cautiously approached.

"...Shibal—"

The assistant was even more shocked. The man who was always composed and articulate was now muttering vulgar curses in his low, trembling voice.

Scattered documents were clenched between Baek Sa-eon's fingernails, and a savage smile played at the corners of his mouth. Normally calm and collected, he now seemed unable to contain the fervor boiling within him.

Some lunatic's words had burned through him, from his esophagus to his stomach.

"When I was a child, there was a small fish tank."

"What?"

Park Do-jae's eyes widened. This was far from Baek Sa-eon's usual demeanor.

"The world was always greedy, noisy, and irritating. But whenever I stood near that fish tank, I felt a strange sense of peace."

"..."

"Among everything surrounding me, that was the quietest thing. Just staring at it let me breathe more freely."

He kept his head lowered, his voice dark.

"I must have been very skilled at using that fish tank."

"..."

"A small fish tank that could swallow up all the noise of the world—"

A faint warmth throbbed at his temples, an irritant that only deepened his annoyance.

"Keeping it nearby was quite useful."

He began to slowly straighten his posture.

"But..."

His usually indifferent gaze was now tinged with something unfamiliar.

"I placed that fish tank there myself. But someone... secretly drank its water."

"...!"

"In that case, who does the fish tank belong to?"

"...What?"

Park Do-jae was utterly confused by his words. But as an experienced assistant, he knew how to pick out the critical point. His eyes darted cautiously as he tried to interpret.

"Is this a new theft case?"

Baek Sa-eon silently stared at him. Yet it didn't feel like his focus was on the assistant's face but rather on the emptiness beyond him.

Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Park Do-jae desperately tried to respond. His superior never discussed personal matters, and this seemed like a rare chance to score points.

"Of course, the fish tank at home belongs to you, sir!"

But Baek Sa-eon's expression remained completely blank, sending a chill down his spine.

"I never cleaned that fish tank. I just placed it in an obvious spot. Every day when I returned home, I would look at it and always think it was mine."

"..."

"But I forgot... it could move."

He twisted his neck from side to side and suddenly laughed.

Park Do-jae quickly masked his shock, forcing his expression to remain neutral. Everyone had their own cherished things, but his superior was undeniably... unique. Perhaps it was for the better that his superior wasn't entirely human.

If the fish tank were to symbolize a woman instead, the chill running down his spine would have been far harder to bear.

"So filthy..."

The man murmured to himself as he quickly put on and took off his jacket in a repetitive motion.

The assistant, ever sharp, seized the moment to respond.

"If it's just a matter of drinking the water, sir, you can always refill it."