when the phone rings novel

He remembered that the first phone call was definitely from a man. Baek Sa-eon frowned. His rare expression even carried a trace of panic.

Could this mean there was an accomplice?

— Before I expose everything, take care of it yourself. Abandon Hong Hee-joo and bring back your original fiancée.

The voice was crystal clear and transparent. Thinking that such threats had been made in this voice, he couldn't help but let out a faint smile.

If 406 is a woman...

Then everything would be completely different. The entire situation would...

"...An accomplice?"

"There's that possibility," Park Assistant cautiously responded to his murmuring. "Or it could be bait."

"Or perhaps someone simply used this woman's voice."

However, the frequency of the conversations was far too natural to be mere parroting or instructions. All the exchanges flowed seamlessly, like a live broadcast rather than prepared scripts.

Who exactly was it?

— Brother, were you waiting for me?

He laughed. That delicate voice calling "brother, brother" was so adorable it made him grit his teeth.

It had been a long time since he'd felt so teased. If all of this was merely bluffing—

"The guy before was a real ice corpse."

He pressed a knuckle against the inside of his cheek and chuckled.

— I'll call you again tomorrow.

He moved his mouse and repeatedly played back that part.

— I'll call you again tomorrow.
— I'll call you again tomorrow.

Frowning, he focused on the playback, yet the voice still felt unfamiliar.

Strangely enough, the sound kept echoing in his ears.

...Where have I heard this before?

The tone, the timbre... where on earth had he heard it?

— Ha, ha-oo.

Suddenly, Baek Sa-eon's focused shoulders gave a slight shiver.

— Ha-oo, mm, hm, something like that.

Though it sounded somewhat clumsy, it was undoubtedly a coquettish moan.

He furrowed his brows deeply, forming a pronounced wrinkle.

"This woman is completely insane."

The bluish glow from the monitor reflected in his eyes.

"...!"

At that moment, Baek Sa-eon's face twitched violently.

— Put me down. No, you can't. Please let me down here.

What the hell... What was this?

He slapped the side of his head as if swatting away an absurd idea.

How did this suddenly... what kind of ridiculous thought—

But just as he furrowed his brows and swore under his breath, standing up abruptly, the man's face remained half-doubtful, yet icy cold, as he started rummaging through his desk.

Pulling open the drawers, he overturned their contents, shoving thick stacks of files to the floor.

Finally catching his breath, Baek Sa-eon grabbed a USB stick.

He handed it to the bewildered Park Do-jae standing nearby.

"Analyze the sound waves, down to the second decimal point. See what the match percentage is."

His eyelids twitched as if spasming.

— Can you believe that the Blue House spokesperson secretly spreads illegal rumors and manipulates the entire nation like kneading dough?

"...!"

Hee-joo was utterly stunned, standing frozen.

— A scandal is one thing, but if this comes out, his upright journalist image will be completely destroyed.

"..."

— I've brought you a recording you can use, so let me tell you this as well.

"How... do you know all this?"

She didn't expect an answer, but she had to ask anyway.

A cold snort came from the other end of the phone.

— What don't I know about Baek Sa-eon? His grandfather cherished those three characters like a treasure.

A burst of chuckling followed.

— So, I leave it in your hands. The real orders I must hear, the ones I'm dying to hear.

The kidnapper's voice was almost sing-song.

— If it all goes wrong, just die. Everyone should die.

"...!"

Hee-joo etched those cruel words deeply into her heart.

The other party always dragged things out, rarely revealing their true intentions, so every time such words suddenly appeared, her nerves would tighten.

— So hurry up and get divorced, sis.

"..."

— If it all goes wrong, you'll be the first to die. Because you're the most in the way.

"...!"

— I'm not joking.

Ding-dong. The doorbell rang.

Hee-joo's head turned slowly, creaking like an old iron door.

"...No way?" she asked in a trembling voice.

The eerie laughter from the other end of the phone sent chills down her spine.

Dragging her feet, Hee-joo walked to the living room and checked the intercom. Her face was tense, but there was no one visible in the camera.

— Go back to how it was before.

"..."

— Go back to how it was before.

The call ended just like that.

Hee-joo pressed her hand against her chest and stood there blankly for a while.

Moments later, when she opened the door and stepped out—

"...What is this water?"

The floor was soaking wet, as if someone had spilled water everywhere.

"Ugh...!"

Instantly, a stifled groan escaped her throat.

A pile of dead goldfish lay there in a heap.

That night.

[Web Notification] This is the Blue House Public Relations Office. Congratulations on passing the third and final interview for the Blue House sign language interpreter position. For detailed information, please refer to the announcement on the Blue House website. If you have questions about follow-up arrangements, please contact the Blue House Spokesperson, Baek Sa-eon (010-xxx-xxxx). In addition, the Public Relations Office's seminar will be held from October 22nd to October 23rd, 202X. For specifics, please check the Blue House website. Thank you.

The first event was a seminar.

At 10 p.m., although Hee-joo had uncovered her husband's new vulnerability, she still hadn't mustered the courage to make the call.

The slick sensation of the plastic bag, the feeling of personally placing the dead goldfish into it, lingered vividly in her mind. She couldn't shake the odd sensation from her fingers.

Under a prominent commemorative banner, people gathered together.

Hee-joo unconsciously scanned the unfamiliar faces but didn't see the one she was looking for.

Adjusting her backpack, Hee-joo took a step forward.

"Baek Sa-eon didn't come home yesterday."

In the early morning, Hee-joo had woken up to find the space next to her unexpectedly empty.

A wave of worry washed over her as she sat there in a daze.

She thought about sending him a message but quickly dismissed the idea.

He was eloquent when threatening others over the phone, yet when it came to Hong Hee-joo, he would revert to being an immature boy.

While tightly gripping her backpack, the atmosphere in the crowd suddenly changed.

"The big boss is here!"

"Oh, you've arrived!"

"Good morning, Mr. Baek!"

Baek Sa-eon entered with the Public Relations Secretary, looking unusually clean and neat as if he had freshened up somewhere.

With his hair falling over his forehead, his typically sharp demeanor seemed slightly subdued.

Baek Sa-eon nodded lightly in greeting and quickly scanned the area.

Soon, he found Hee-joo in a corner, standing apart from the crowd.

The moment their eyes met, he unhesitatingly walked over and grabbed Hee-joo's arm.

Dazed, she was pulled to the front of the group, his hand firmly gripping her shoulder.

His hand was unexpectedly warm, and the familiar scent of his body wash wafted over her.

"Why hasn't anyone greeted the new sign language interpreter yet?"

There was a faint hint of reproach in his words, though it seemed only Hee-joo could sense it.

The crowd fell silent, exchanging glances.

"This is Hong Hee-joo, our new sign language interpreter. I hope everyone will take good care of her; she might face some challenges."

"..."

"In addition, Interpreter Hong Hee-joo is an introvert and has difficulty communicating directly due to personal reasons. However, she is a talented individual chosen for her abilities. I hope everyone will work harmoniously with her."

Lowering her head, Hee-joo felt mortified. Baek Sa-eon had spoken on her behalf, making her unable to lift her head.

"In her research about me, she didn't just watch my briefing videos but even studied my lips, teeth, and palate in detail. Let's look forward to Interpreter Hong Hee-joo's contributions."

Her head sank even lower, her neck burning with embarrassment.

"Why is he giving my self-introduction for me?"

Her ears turned bright red. She wanted to glare at him fiercely, but his firm grip on her shoulder rendered her immobile.

"Everyone, let's give her a round of applause."

"...Wow..."

It's over. Completely over...

The employees began clapping one by one, whispering among themselves.

Their surprised expressions openly displayed their astonishment.

Hee-joo sighed helplessly.

When the bus arrived, people boarded quickly as if escaping.

As Hee-joo hesitated about whether to get on the bus, her backpack was pulled forcefully.

Baek Sa-eon leaned casually against the bus, looking at her.

"Wait a moment. Ride with me."

"Huh?"

"You need to sit next to me."

"...Why should I?"

"Your expression is truly unpleasant."

He stared at Hee-joo's face, speaking in a low voice.3

"We didn't get to sleep together yesterday."

"..."

"This will make up for it."

"This is a public place!"

Hee-joo anxiously gestured with her eyes, signaling to the many people around them. Sitting together would undoubtedly spark gossip.

Baek Sa-eon looked at her with a completely innocent expression.

"You thought I spent the night out?"

He lightly curled up one side of his mouth.

"I went home and obediently slept in my bed all night."

"..."

"I just came back here for a bit this morning."

He suddenly leaned his neck toward her.

"This is the scent of our home."

The tip of her nose lightly brushed against his deep collarbone.

For some reason, the nervousness she felt about her first day of work completely vanished.

He remembered that the first phone call was definitely from a man. Baek Sa-eon frowned. His rare expression even carried a trace of panic.

Could this mean there was an accomplice?

— Before I expose everything, take care of it yourself. Abandon Hong Hee-joo and bring back your original fiancée.

The voice was crystal clear and transparent. Thinking that such threats had been made in this voice, he couldn't help but let out a faint smile.

If 406 is a woman...

Then everything would be completely different. The entire situation would...

"...An accomplice?"

"There's that possibility," Park Assistant cautiously responded to his murmuring. "Or it could be bait."

"Or perhaps someone simply used this woman's voice."

However, the frequency of the conversations was far too natural to be mere parroting or instructions. All the exchanges flowed seamlessly, like a live broadcast rather than prepared scripts.

Who exactly was it?

— Brother, were you waiting for me?

He laughed. That delicate voice calling "brother, brother" was so adorable it made him grit his teeth.

It had been a long time since he'd felt so teased. If all of this was merely bluffing—

"The guy before was a real ice corpse."

He pressed a knuckle against the inside of his cheek and chuckled.

— I'll call you again tomorrow.

He moved his mouse and repeatedly played back that part.

— I'll call you again tomorrow.
— I'll call you again tomorrow.

Frowning, he focused on the playback, yet the voice still felt unfamiliar.

Strangely enough, the sound kept echoing in his ears.

...Where have I heard this before?

The tone, the timbre... where on earth had he heard it?

— Ha, ha-oo.

Suddenly, Baek Sa-eon's focused shoulders gave a slight shiver.

— Ha-oo, mm, hm, something like that.

Though it sounded somewhat clumsy, it was undoubtedly a coquettish moan.

He furrowed his brows deeply, forming a pronounced wrinkle.

"This woman is completely insane."

The bluish glow from the monitor reflected in his eyes.

"...!"

At that moment, Baek Sa-eon's face twitched violently.

— Put me down. No, you can't. Please let me down here.

What the hell... What was this?

He slapped the side of his head as if swatting away an absurd idea.

How did this suddenly... what kind of ridiculous thought—

But just as he furrowed his brows and swore under his breath, standing up abruptly, the man's face remained half-doubtful, yet icy cold, as he started rummaging through his desk.

Pulling open the drawers, he overturned their contents, shoving thick stacks of files to the floor.

Finally catching his breath, Baek Sa-eon grabbed a USB stick.

He handed it to the bewildered Park Do-jae standing nearby.

"Analyze the sound waves, down to the second decimal point. See what the match percentage is."

His eyelids twitched as if spasming.

— Can you believe that the Blue House spokesperson secretly spreads illegal rumors and manipulates the entire nation like kneading dough?

"...!"

Hee-joo was utterly stunned, standing frozen.

— A scandal is one thing, but if this comes out, his upright journalist image will be completely destroyed.

"..."

— I've brought you a recording you can use, so let me tell you this as well.

"How... do you know all this?"

She didn't expect an answer, but she had to ask anyway.

A cold snort came from the other end of the phone.

— What don't I know about Baek Sa-eon? His grandfather cherished those three characters like a treasure.

A burst of chuckling followed.

— So, I leave it in your hands. The real orders I must hear, the ones I'm dying to hear.

The kidnapper's voice was almost sing-song.

— If it all goes wrong, just die. Everyone should die.

"...!"

Hee-joo etched those cruel words deeply into her heart.

The other party always dragged things out, rarely revealing their true intentions, so every time such words suddenly appeared, her nerves would tighten.

— So hurry up and get divorced, sis.

"..."

— If it all goes wrong, you'll be the first to die. Because you're the most in the way.

"...!"

— I'm not joking.

Ding-dong. The doorbell rang.

Hee-joo's head turned slowly, creaking like an old iron door.

"...No way?" she asked in a trembling voice.

The eerie laughter from the other end of the phone sent chills down her spine.

Dragging her feet, Hee-joo walked to the living room and checked the intercom. Her face was tense, but there was no one visible in the camera.

— Go back to how it was before.

"..."

— Go back to how it was before.

The call ended just like that.

Hee-joo pressed her hand against her chest and stood there blankly for a while.

Moments later, when she opened the door and stepped out—

"...What is this water?"

The floor was soaking wet, as if someone had spilled water everywhere.

"Ugh...!"

Instantly, a stifled groan escaped her throat.

A pile of dead goldfish lay there in a heap.

That night.

[Web Notification] This is the Blue House Public Relations Office. Congratulations on passing the third and final interview for the Blue House sign language interpreter position. For detailed information, please refer to the announcement on the Blue House website. If you have questions about follow-up arrangements, please contact the Blue House Spokesperson, Baek Sa-eon (010-xxx-xxxx). In addition, the Public Relations Office's seminar will be held from October 22nd to October 23rd, 202X. For specifics, please check the Blue House website. Thank you.

The first event was a seminar.

At 10 p.m., although Hee-joo had uncovered her husband's new vulnerability, she still hadn't mustered the courage to make the call.

The slick sensation of the plastic bag, the feeling of personally placing the dead goldfish into it, lingered vividly in her mind. She couldn't shake the odd sensation from her fingers.

Under a prominent commemorative banner, people gathered together.

Hee-joo unconsciously scanned the unfamiliar faces but didn't see the one she was looking for.

Adjusting her backpack, Hee-joo took a step forward.

"Baek Sa-eon didn't come home yesterday."

In the early morning, Hee-joo had woken up to find the space next to her unexpectedly empty.

A wave of worry washed over her as she sat there in a daze.

She thought about sending him a message but quickly dismissed the idea.

He was eloquent when threatening others over the phone, yet when it came to Hong Hee-joo, he would revert to being an immature boy.

While tightly gripping her backpack, the atmosphere in the crowd suddenly changed.

"The big boss is here!"

"Oh, you've arrived!"

"Good morning, Mr. Baek!"

Baek Sa-eon entered with the Public Relations Secretary, looking unusually clean and neat as if he had freshened up somewhere.

With his hair falling over his forehead, his typically sharp demeanor seemed slightly subdued.

Baek Sa-eon nodded lightly in greeting and quickly scanned the area.

Soon, he found Hee-joo in a corner, standing apart from the crowd.

The moment their eyes met, he unhesitatingly walked over and grabbed Hee-joo's arm.

Dazed, she was pulled to the front of the group, his hand firmly gripping her shoulder.

His hand was unexpectedly warm, and the familiar scent of his body wash wafted over her.

"Why hasn't anyone greeted the new sign language interpreter yet?"

There was a faint hint of reproach in his words, though it seemed only Hee-joo could sense it.

The crowd fell silent, exchanging glances.

"This is Hong Hee-joo, our new sign language interpreter. I hope everyone will take good care of her; she might face some challenges."

"..."

"In addition, Interpreter Hong Hee-joo is an introvert and has difficulty communicating directly due to personal reasons. However, she is a talented individual chosen for her abilities. I hope everyone will work harmoniously with her."

Lowering her head, Hee-joo felt mortified. Baek Sa-eon had spoken on her behalf, making her unable to lift her head.

"In her research about me, she didn't just watch my briefing videos but even studied my lips, teeth, and palate in detail. Let's look forward to Interpreter Hong Hee-joo's contributions."

Her head sank even lower, her neck burning with embarrassment.

"Why is he giving my self-introduction for me?"

Her ears turned bright red. She wanted to glare at him fiercely, but his firm grip on her shoulder rendered her immobile.

"Everyone, let's give her a round of applause."

"...Wow..."

It's over. Completely over...

The employees began clapping one by one, whispering among themselves.

Their surprised expressions openly displayed their astonishment.

Hee-joo sighed helplessly.

When the bus arrived, people boarded quickly as if escaping.

As Hee-joo hesitated about whether to get on the bus, her backpack was pulled forcefully.

Baek Sa-eon leaned casually against the bus, looking at her.

"Wait a moment. Ride with me."

"Huh?"

"You need to sit next to me."

"...Why should I?"

"Your expression is truly unpleasant."

He stared at Hee-joo's face, speaking in a low voice.3

"We didn't get to sleep together yesterday."

"..."

"This will make up for it."

"This is a public place!"

Hee-joo anxiously gestured with her eyes, signaling to the many people around them. Sitting together would undoubtedly spark gossip.

Baek Sa-eon looked at her with a completely innocent expression.

"You thought I spent the night out?"

He lightly curled up one side of his mouth.

"I went home and obediently slept in my bed all night."

"..."

"I just came back here for a bit this morning."

He suddenly leaned his neck toward her.

"This is the scent of our home."

The tip of her nose lightly brushed against his deep collarbone.

For some reason, the nervousness she felt about her first day of work completely vanished.