"Hello, Mr. Kim. Choi Kevin," the man said calmly, extending his hand.
Suho stared at him, his brows knitting together. "Choi Kevin?" he repeated hoarsely. "You… you are—"
Realization struck like a quiet thunderclap.
Kevin smiled, polite and unhurried. "You got it right. Co-partner of Mirae Cosmetics, New York outlet."
Suho's jaw tightened. His chest rose sharply as the air grew thinner around him.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded. "And why… why did you keep my wife? Why did you—"
His breath broke midway. Instinct took over.
He stepped back at once, pulling Hauen behind him, shielding her protectively. His other hand tightened around the broken slipper he was still holding, raising it like a weapon, clumsy but determined.
"Stay away from my wife," he warned, voice shaking but fierce. "Whatever intentions you have… forget them. She is mine. My Hauenie."
The words spilled out raw, unfiltered.
He looked like a wounded child guarding the only thing that made him feel safe. Months of grief, fear, and unanswered pain twisted his reactions into something fragile and oddly fierce.
Hauen gently held his hands, trying to calm him.
Kevin blinked. Then chuckled. For some unknown reason, he found the scene adorable... he wanted to have a little fun.
"What will you do if I take her away again?" Kevin teased, taking a step forward. "How will you save her? With that broken slipper?"
He laughed again, clearly amused by the absurdity of it all.
Hauen pressed her lips together, trying very hard not to react.
"Come on, teddy bear," Kevin continued, walking closer. "Fight me."
"Don't," Suho warned, lifting the slipper higher, his hand trembling. "Don't come near. I'm not weak anymore. I know how to fight. I'm trained in boxing."
"When? In elementary school?" Kevin teased him again...
"Why are you doing this to me?" Suho burst out, voice cracking. "What's your problem with me? Why did you kidnap my wife? I'll complain to the police. I know how to get people like you behind bars."
Kevin laughed again, relaxed, almost entertained. "Oh, really? Then do it."
Suho went silent. The confidence in Kevin's tone unsettled him.
"You're standing in America, Bro...," Kevin added casually. "This is my country. Not Korea."
"So what?" Suho snapped. "That doesn't give you the right to kidnap someone's wife. I have contacts here, too. I'll make sure you rot behind bars."
Hauen had had enough.
"Teddy," she called softly, squeezing his hand.
"You don't talk," Suho said quickly, stepping half a pace in front of her. "Stay behind me. I won't let him take you. Not this time, not when I'm alive."
His voice cracked at the last word.
"Oh, okay then," Kevin said, chuckling darkly. "That means I can take her after killing you."
Suho glared at him, still gripping the broken slipper like a weapon.
Kevin burst out laughing, eyeing the man in front of him. "Why are you Koreans so cute?"
"Enough." Hauen finally stepped in, her voice firm, ending it all in one word.
"And you," she said sharply, turning to Kevin, "don't underestimate my husband. He's emotional right now. That doesn't mean he's weak."
Kevin raised an eyebrow, an amused smirk tugging at his lips.
"Fine. Enough bickering," he said. "Now put down that broken slipper. Let's talk seriously."
He walked casually to the bench and sat down.
Suho stood frozen, confused by the sudden change in tone. Then he felt Hauen's gentle touch. He looked at her. She nodded, reassuring him.
"He's not a threat, Suho," she said softly. "In fact, he's the one who saved me from being falsely trapped behind bars."
Suho frowned, unable to understand.
"Come," Hauen said, holding his hand. "You'll know everything."
She pulled him closer.
Kevin watched them quietly, a faint smile on his face, silently admiring the bond they shared.
Suho finally sat on the bench, choosing the very edge as if even the wood beneath him couldn't be trusted. Instinctively, he pulled Hauen closer, almost into his lap, one arm circling her protectively, his body angling in front of her like a shield against the world.
Kevin raised an eyebrow, mildly unimpressed.
Hauen gasped softly. "Suho… what are you doing?"
"Stay still," he murmured, tightening his hold just a fraction. "I don't trust anyone."
Kevin clicked his tongue. "For your information, we're about to have a serious discussion. I'd at least expect some modesty and manners."
Suho shot him a glare. Slowly, reluctantly, he shifted, giving Hauen a little space on the bench, making sure she was seated comfortably. But he didn't let go of her hands. His fingers locked around hers like an anchor.
"Speak," he said flatly. "Why did you do all that?"
Kevin's expression finally sobered. He reached into his coat and handed Suho a small pendrive.
"Take this," he said. "It contains every piece of evidence proving Hauen's innocence. How the call records were manipulated. How the messages were fabricated. How the testimonies were planted."
Suho stared at the pendrive as if it were burning his palm.
"And right now," Kevin continued calmly, "your brother-in-law, Kang Hyunwoo, has been kidnapped. Soon, another false report will surface. Something like he tried to break into your house and fled out of fear when he almost got caught."
Suho's eyes widened. "What?"
Kevin nodded casually, as if he were discussing the weather.
Suho slowly turned toward Hauen.
She was quiet. Too quiet. Her gaze lowered, lips pressed together, shoulders tense. She knew.
His chest tightened painfully.
"Who is doing all this?" he demanded, voice shaking now. "And why did you kidnap my wife? If you never intended to hurt her, why keep her away from me? You could've told me everything earlier. You could've saved her. You could've saved us."
The words spilled out faster, heavier.
"Why did you take her away from me?" he whispered brokenly. "How could you separate her from me?"
Hauen immediately clung to his arm, hugging it tightly, her cheek resting against his sleeve, grounding him before he could spiral again.
"If you were helping us," Suho continued, voice cracking, "why give this evidence now? Why not back then? And how are you even connected to this mess?"
Kevin exhaled slowly and leaned back.
"Can I talk?" he asked.
Suho glared at him, jaw clenched.
"It's complicated," Kevin said after a beat. "But I'll keep it simple."
Suho looked at him, eyes red, breathing uneven.
"I love Yerin," Kevin said plainly.
Suho blinked, confused.
"If you love Yerin, what does that have to do with this case?" he snapped. "And why does that explain kidnapping Hauen?"
Kevin smiled faintly. "Relax. Let me finish."
Suho stayed silent, barely holding himself together.
"I love Yerin," Kevin repeated. "But Yerin loves you. And you love Hauen. ohhh god..."
He chuckled softly, then looked straight at Suho. "Tell me something. Did you really love Yerin for nine long years?"
Suho's eyes hardened. "Did you call me here to talk nonsense in this cold night, calling it a serious discussion?"
Kevin laughed lightly.
"I'm just curious, bro," he said. "Because your nine-year love for Yerin died within months of her leaving you. But a few months of love for Hauen survived even a year of separation."
He shook his head. "How fascinating."
Suho glared at him, but his grip on Hauen tightened subconsciously.
Kevin's voice softened, losing its teasing edge.
"My woman was still into you," he admitted. "I loved her with everything in me. I touched her, stayed close to her, gave her my heart without holding back."
Suho's heart skipped violently.
"But..." Kevin continued, looking up at the dark sky. "I couldn't reach her heart. Not even once."
Suho's breath hitched. His eyes were boring into Kevin.
Kevin glanced back at him and smiled. "Okay. I'll cut the crap. Don't give me that look."
Then his tone changed. "Yerin is behind all this chaos," he said. "To get you back."
The words fell like ice water.
Suho froze.
Something shattered silently inside him. His eyes filled instantly. The night suddenly felt colder than before, biting straight into his bones.
Never. Not even in his worst nightmares had he imagined Yerin capable of something so cruel. So calculated. So devastating.
The bench fell into silence. But inside Suho, a storm raged louder than any scream.