When The Phone Rings

Chapter 68

Crash!

The glass, already riddled with bullet holes, shattered instantly upon hitting the water. Baek Sa-eon pulled Heeju into a tight embrace, curling his body protectively around her.

In a blink, water surged up to their chins.

“When did I say anything about dying?”

Baek Sa-eon gritted his teeth. His cheeks rubbed roughly against Heeju’s pale face.

The cold river slammed against their faces, submerging everything in an instant. There wasn’t even time to take a deeper breath. The water’s icy grip threatened to steal their life, and the distant wail of sirens became a muffled echo as they succumbed to the numbing cold.

His hair floated gently before her eyes, moving like strands of silk. Underwater, his pale face held an unsettling stillness, as if time had been inexplicably halted. This man was afraid of water.

Then, an urgent voice rang in her head.

‘Sa-eon can’t stay in the water! Someone, please..!’

The pleading words echoing in her mind struck her dulled consciousness like a whip. Her eyes flew open, releasing a stream of bubbles from her mouth.

Outside the car, the speaker had already escaped and was now yanking the passenger door open.

Heeju gritted her teeth and pulled the unconscious man out.

The man, who had also suffered a momentary blackout, slowly opened his eyes. Baek Sa-eon coughed violently, precious air escaping his lungs in a torrent of bubbles. His limbs stiffened, a wave of panic washing over him.

Heeju quickly grabbed his face and tapped her little finger against the chin in reassurance.

‘You’re okay.’
Tap-tap— ‘It’s okay’. Tap-tap—

Please hear my silent pleas.

The panic-stricken man looked at her dreamily with blank eyes.

‘Try to breathe. Let’s talk about everything we’ve been holding back. Let’s do everything we can, anything we haven’t tried out yet.’

As the surface lightened above them, Heeju kept kicking, fighting toward the light with all her might. But her strength was fading rapidly.

‘No… I can’t give up. Not yet.’

Just as she began to falter, something nudged her chin.

“…!”

Baek Sa-eon, now fully conscious, was tapping her chin gently with his pinky finger.

‘Oh…!’

A strange thrill rippled through her.

Finally, at this moment, I could enter his nightmare and coax the sobbing boy.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. With a powerful push, they broke through to the surface.

“Puh-ha…! Haa…!”

Heeju gasped desperately, drawing in huge gulps of air as sound flooded back into the world around them. Gasping for breath, she looked up to see government forces already establishing a perimeter beyond the riverbank.

Baek Sa-eon trudged through the water while carrying Heeju securely, his own clothes soaked through.

His drenched figure loomed over her, his expression unreadable in the fading light. Sa-eon gently lowered her to the ground, and they stared at each other, their eyes locked in a silent, intimate connection.

“Baek Sa-eon is no more.”

Droplets of water fell heavily from the tips of his hair.

“The real Baek Sa-eon… my damn nephew… he’s gone. I dragged him this far.”
“…!”

Even with his words cut short, the weight of what he left unsaid was clear. The ruthless determination that had driven him to drag a hostage-taker all the way here, through hell and back, was unmistakable.

“Now, I’m nobody. I have no name to hide behind, no family to lean on anymore. I was raised by a fisherman and I’ve always hated people.”

For the first time, his true self was vividly laid bare.

“I was a prisoner in my own life, denied every right and privilege. That’s the truth of my existence.”

The polished elite, the scion of a political dynasty, the presidential aide—all of it had been stripped away. What remained was just a man, soaking wet and raw in his vulnerability.

“I fell for you at first sight.”

With a trembling hand, she weakly struck his arm.

“That day… when you were crying… I fell for you.”

She brushed away a stray tear, her emotions overwhelmed not by the sheer act of survival, but by the unexpected opportunity to finally confess the truths she had buried deep within her for so long.

“I’ve been in love with you since I was nine years old.”
“…!”
“For twenty years, I’ve only had eyes for you.”

The man flinched.

“To me, you weren’t a prime minister’s grandson or some politician’s son.”
“…”
“The one I wanted to see again wasn’t Baek Sa-eon. It was the boy hiding in alleys, silently sobbing, skipping meals, waking up from nightmares.”
“…!”
“That wasn’t Baek Sa-eon.”

His expression twisted, as if unable to bear it any longer. Despite the intimidating expression, Heeju pressed on boldly.

“And the man who had phone s3x with 406—”

His hand suddenly shot out, gripping the back of her head firmly.

His lips crashed into hers, devouring her words. It was a fierce, soul-searing kiss, taking everything she offered and then more. It was more suffocating than being underwater. Damp flesh rubbed urgently against damp flesh. Wet clothes clung to each other.

When he finally pulled away for air, Heeju gasped, her chest heaving.

“When I was a kid, I used to rummage through the rubbish bins for snacks,” Heeju said with a flushed face.
“What?”
“And… my farts are actually really loud.”
“…”
“Those are my secrets.”

Embarrassment washed over her, and she quickly looked away.

“What I mean is…”

‘Was speaking this hard?’

Maybe it was because she had never practised anything other than threats. The ordinary conversation felt strangely alien.

“If we’re going to be a couple, we need to be honest with each other. We shouldn’t have avoided these conversations for so long.”

Although his face remained emotionless, Heeju pushed on.

“From now on, let’s be our true selves.”
“…”
“While interpreting messages is helpful, we shouldn’t neglect our own thoughts and opinions. We have so much to discuss and explore together.”
“I don’t know if there’s much left to talk about,” he murmured.
“What?”

The subtle rejection made her freeze, a surge of anxiety tightening her chest. But she refused to back down so easily.

“No, communication is crucial for couples—”
“I love you.”

His voice cracked, thick with emotion made Heeju stop in her tracks.

“I love you, Hong Heeju.”

The setting sun bathed him in golden light, his face raw and achingly vulnerable, as if he were baring every wound he’d ever carried.

Heeju couldn’t tear her eyes away from that glorious face. Not even a second was wasted.

‘I see, I don’t need to say anything more.’

Heeju caught him in a daze and pressed her lips to his again, as if knowing he would respond. Saliva trickled over our tangled tongues.

“Hmph…”

My whole body tingled. He let out a faint chuckle during the kiss.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the night eagerly awaited its turn.

The two clung to each other as if this were their last day together. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, a symphony of vulnerability and desire. Their bodies collided, tumbling together in a breathless dance of passion and desperation.

Baek Sa-eon pulled away first, noticing Heeju shiver in the gust of wind. Seeing Heeju’s pale face, he clicked his tongue.

The man took Heeju’s hand and began walking across the vast plain. Meanwhile, soldiers helped the speaker into a military vehicle nearby. None of them stopped the man wandering off with Heeju.

“What should we start with?” she asked.
“Until sunrise,” he replied curtly.
“What…?”

He cast a meaningful glance her way, and even that simple look sent heat coursing through her.

“But, um… I’m widowed,” Heeju said hesitantly.

He stopped abruptly.

“I lost my husband. Is that okay with you?”

His brows furrowed as he stared at her as if trying to read her completely.

“I don’t even know your name…” she added.
“6-7-5.”
“What?”
“Call me 675.”
“…!”
“It’s the number I made up to match 406,” he said dryly.

For a moment, Heeju was dumbfounded before bursting into laughter. Her bright, ringing laughter made the corners of his lips curl ever so slightly.

In the distance, a faint ringtone broke the stillness. Both of them glanced at each other.

“Did you bring a phone?” he asked.
“Well, I did, but—”
“Turn it off for today.”
“…Just for today?”

Heeju’s eyes, representing fear and longing, met his. He held her gaze, his expression a mixture of tenderness and something else she couldn’t quite decipher.

“Do you have a phone too?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Then keep yours off forever.”
“…!”
“I’m so sick of phone calls now,” she said with a grin, cupping his face in her hands.
“From now on, I’ll only talk with my own lips.”

She leaned in, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. As she pulled away, he bent down, whispering something softly into her ear. His lips lingered, leaving a sweet warmth behind.

Heeju shivered slightly, giggling at the ticklish sensation in her ear.

Then, throwing her arms up in the air, she dashed off across the plain, shouting, “675 loves 406!”

He watched her for a moment before pulling her back into his arms and kissing her deeply. Their loving whispers filled the night and the kiss was the culmination of a journey that had tested their love, making it all the sweeter.

Eventually, it became the language they would share from that moment on.

 

~End of the Main Story~

 

---

TL/N:

We finally reached the end of the main story but there are still 10 more extra chapters to go which are filled with our 406 and 675’s sweet moments. I’ll be taking a day break before starting to post the side stories. See you all then! ❤️

 

This almost slipped from my mind.. that is… around chapter 67 the way Heeju addresses Sa-eon has changed. She now calls him “Oppa”. As it’s quite awkward to put the literal meaning in the text, I had to skip mentioning Oppa in the sentences. I was expecting Sa-eon to react (maybe a bit) but he seems pretty chill with it. That is all.