THE UNEXPECTED INTERROGATION
A brilliant, radiant smile completely bloomed across Sana's face, her dark eyes sparkling with an absolute warmth that completely washed away the lingering shadows of their tears. She looked down at the silver photo frames, then back up at the towering global icon standing before her. The deep, reverent sincerity in his voice had sent a profound thrill straight through her chest, but seeing him look so completely earnest made her playful, mischievous nature violently reassert itself.
After all the apocalyptic weight they had carried tonight, the sheer freedom of this quiet bedroom felt like an absolute luxury. And with only one precious hour left on the ticking clock, Sana was entirely determined to fill every remaining second with something other than sorrow.
She slowly set the silver frame back down onto the marble nightstand, her movements deliberate and laced with a sudden, sharp shift in energy.
She turned her body fully toward him, slipping her hands casually into the pockets of her crisp police trousers. She straightened her spine, pulling her shoulders back as she flawlessly adopted the rigid, imposing posture of a high-ranking Indian law enforcement official. Her soft, affectionate gaze instantly transformed into a mock-stern, piercing glare, though the wicked, dancing glint in her dark eyes completely betrayed her true intentions.
"Hmm," Sana hummed loudly, her voice dropping into a deep, authoritative, and thoroughly professional officer's tone. She stepped away from the bed, slowly pacing a small semi-circle around him as if she were inspecting a prime suspect in a highly sensitive investigation. "So... your girlfriend is very important to you, is she?"
Woonseok stayed completely frozen in place, his dark eyes tracking her movements with a mixture of sudden surprise and immediate, immense amusement. A small, fascinated twitch appeared at the corner of his lips as he realized exactly what she was doing.
Sana stopped directly in front of him, tilting her chin up to bridge the massive height difference between them. She locked her eyes onto his, her expression entirely serious, perfectly mimicking a strict detective conducting a formal cross-examination.
"Let me ask you something, Mr. Woonseok," she demanded, her voice crisp and entirely authoritative. "As an officer of the law, I am highly concerned here. Does this precious girlfriend of yours know that you are currently hidden away in a dark bedroom with a police officer right now? Don't you think knowing that would deeply, profoundly hurt your girlfriend's feelings?"
Woonseok stared down at her for a fraction of a second, completely captivated by her sudden role-play. The sheer brilliance of her mind—the way she could effortlessly pivot from crying like a child to teasing him with such fierce, breathtaking confidence—completely enthralled him. A low, beautiful rumble of laughter built deep inside his chest, but he fiercely suppressed it, his actor instincts instantly locking into place as he decided to play along with her game.
He slowly raised his hands in a gesture of mock surrender, though he was entirely mindful of the white medical gauze wrapped securely around his bruised knuckles. He let his broad shoulders slump slightly, his immaculate features contorting into a brilliant, theatrical display of pure, panicked innocence.
"Oh, you are completely right, Officer," Woonseok stated, his deep, velvety voice carrying an exaggerated layer of utter terror. He looked around the bedroom as if terrified that a hidden camera was capturing the entire scandalous interaction. "My girlfriend... oh, she is incredibly jealous. She is so easily angered, and her heart is so fragile. If she ever finds out that a beautiful, powerful officer is standing this close to me in my private sanctuary, she will be absolutely devastated."
He stepped a microscopic fraction backward, putting a hand over his heart as he looked at her with wide, pleading eyes. "Please, Officer, I am begging you. You must go out of my house right now. If she sees us like this, she will completely lose her mind, and I will be in catastrophic trouble."
Sana's heart did a violent, joyful flip at how flawlessly he caught her cue. The sight of the world-famous, untouchable billionaire idol acting completely intimidated by her mock authority was the most intoxicating thing she had ever witnessed.
"Ahh, is that so?" Rashi murmured, her voice losing a bit of its strict edge, melting into a low, incredibly dangerous purr.
She entirely ignored his request for her to leave. Instead, she took a slow, deliberate step forward, completely erasing the physical boundary between them. The tip of her black police boot tapped against the toe of his custom slipper. She slowly lifted her right hand, her small, delicate fingers rising to touch his face. With agonizing slowness, she traced the sharp, immaculate line of his jaw before resting the pad of her index finger directly against his lower lip.
The contrast was absolutely breathtaking—her sun-kissed, fierce hand against his pale, flawless skin. Woonseok's breath completely hitched in his throat, his dark eyes instantly darkening as the playful game suddenly sparked with a fierce, undeniable undercurrent of pure electricity.
"But your girlfriend isn't here right now, is she, Mr. Idol?" Sana whispered, leaning in so close her warm breath ghosted across his lips, her eyes locked entirely onto his. A highly seductive, knowing smirk touched her features. "She is far away... hidden safely in India, right? She has absolutely no way of knowing what happens behind these closed doors."
Woonseok felt a sudden, powerful wave of heat rush straight through his veins. Her touch, her proximity, the sheer, intoxicating audacity of his beautiful Butterfly playing the role of a corrupt, seductive temptress completely shattered his focus. He wanted nothing more than to violently pull her against his chest and end the game right then and there.
But the sheer look of playful triumph on her face told him she was thoroughly enjoying herself, and he refused to concede victory so easily.
With a supreme effort of pure willpower, Woonseok forced himself to take a dramatic step backward, pulling his lips away from her intoxicating touch. He tucked his bandaged hands behind his back, rigidly standing at attention like a pristine, completely uncorruptible citizen holding onto his morals for dear life.
"I am so incredibly sorry, Officer," Woonseok declared, his voice trembling with a flawless blend of mock-terror and absolute theatrical dedication. He fiercely shook his head, looking at her with a desperate, wide-eyed stare. "You... you cannot touch me like that. It is highly illegal to abuse your authority to compromise an innocent civilian! Please, I am begging you to leave before my loyalty is questioned. My girlfriend wouldn't like this at all."
Sana stood in the center of the bedroom, her hand still hanging slightly in the air where his lips had just been. She looked at him standing there, acting so completely terrified, so utterly dedicated to his fictional 'loyalty,' and a loud, bright laugh completely broke through her professional facade.
She slowly crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head to the side as she looked him up and down with a thoroughly impressed, deeply amused expression.
"Oh, wow," Sana said, her voice dripping with a beautiful, rich sarcasm. "Is that so? Such an incredibly loyal boyfriend we have here. A completely pristine, unshakeable man."
She let out a dramatic, exaggerated sigh, shaking her head as if she were thoroughly disappointed by his lack of cooperation. "Okay then. Since you are so completely unyielding, and since you care so much about your precious girlfriend's rules... I suppose my investigation here is completely finished. I am leaving."
Without a single second of hesitation, Sana turned completely on her heel. She didn't look back, intentionally making her steps heavy and decisive as she began to walk straight toward the open bedroom doorway, fully intending to head back to the living room.
But she didn't even make it past the edge of the bed.
The absolute second her back was turned, Woonseok's theatrical restraint completely, violently snapped. The playful, terrified civilian instantly vanished, replaced entirely by the fiercely possessive, deeply captivated man who couldn't bear to let her step an inch away from him.
Before Sana could take her next breath, a shadow completely loomed over her.
Woonseok moved with a blinding, effortless speed that completely defied his massive frame. He surged forward from behind, his long, powerful arms instantly wrapping securely around her waist. He didn't care about the act anymore. He didn't care about the rules of the game.
With a low, possessive growl, he pulled her back violently against his broad, solid chest, locking her completely within the iron fortress of his embrace. Sana let out a sharp, surprised gasp that was instantly cut short as her back collided flush against his warm torso.
His large, bandaged hands came together over her stomach, holding her so tightly against him that she was completely lifted off her heels for a brief second. Woonseok buried his face instantly into the side of her neck, his sharp jaw pressing firmly against her collarbone as his deep, rumbling voice vibrated directly into her skin.
"Where do you think you are going, Commander?" Woonseok whispered fiercely, his grip tightening with a sudden, overwhelming emotion that made the playful atmosphere instantly shift into something deeply intimate, something completely undeniable. "You think you can just walk into my world, completely shatter my sanity, play with my heart... and then just turn around and walk out the door?"
sana stayed completely still, her arms resting over his as a thrill of pure, unadulterated happiness crashed through her soul. She tilted her head back against his shoulder, her eyes closing as a soft, breathless laugh escaped her lips.
"I thought you wanted the officer to leave, Mr. Idol," she teased softly, her voice losing all its mock authority, returning to the pure, devoted melody that belonged entirely to him.
"Never," Woonseok murmured fiercely, his lips pressing a warm, lingering kiss right below her ear, sending a delicious shiver straight down her spine. "The officer stays right here. For the rest of the hour, for the rest of the night... you are permanently under my arrest."
The playful, electric laughter that had filled the master bedroom slowly drifted away, leaving behind a deep, comforting silence that wrapped around them like a heavy velvet blanket.
Exhaustion, pure and unyielding, finally claimed their bodies. Moving in perfect, synchronized harmony, they both tilted backward, letting themselves sink deeply into the expansive, plush mattress of Woonseok's bed. They lay there side by side, completely tangled in each other's presence. Their upper bodies rested comfortably against the dark gray silk sheets, but because the movement had been so utterly spontaneous, their legs still hung casually off the edge of the high mattress, their feet dangling just above the dark hardwood floor.
Woonseok immediately rolled onto his side, propping his head up with his uninjured left hand while his right arm—still wrapped securely in the clean white gauze—drew Rashi tightly against his torso.
Sana lay flat on her back, her eyes drifting upward to stare blankly at the smooth, white ceiling of the bedroom. The soft, ambient glow from the bedside reading lamp cast long, artistic shadows across the modern architecture above her. As she watched the steady play of light and dark, the warmth of Woonseok's body against her side suddenly felt profoundly heavy.
The peace was beautiful, but her sharp, analytical mind couldn't completely shut down. Looking up at that blank canvas of a ceiling, the image of her family home back in India suddenly flashed vividly across her mind. She thought of her father—a man of immense stature, rigid principles, and deep traditional values. He was a man who lived within a structured world of absolute honor, strict societal expectations, and unyielding duty.
The sheer, monumental reality of her situation hit her all over again. She was an Indian police commander, and the man holding her like she was the most precious thing in the universe was a global South Korean icon—a billionaire superstar whose every movement was scrutinized by millions. If she suddenly dropped this reality into her father's traditional world without proper preparation, it wouldn't just create a shockwave; it would entirely destabilize her family's universe.
It has to be done perfectly, Sana thought, her heart giving a nervous, anxious thud against her ribs. I need to make sure he understands the boundaries. I have to protect both of our worlds until the timing is absolutely flawless.
Realizing she needed to reinforce the boundaries before her one-hour clock ran out, Sana slowly turned her head toward him.
The moment her gaze shifted, her breath completely caught in her throat, and a bright, sudden blush violently rushed up her neck, coloring her cheeks a deep, furious crimson.
Woonseok wasn't looking at the ceiling. He hadn't been looking at the room at all. He was already staring directly down at her, his dark, intensely expressive eyes locked entirely onto her face with an unwavering, deeply penetrating focus. He looked as if he had been studying every single micro-expression, every flick of her eyelashes, and every silent thought tracing across her features.
"What..." Sana stammered, her voice pitching up slightly in her classic, flustered embarrassment as she tried to look anywhere but his eyes. "What are you staring at again, Mr. Idol?"
Woonseok's lips curved into a tiny, thoroughly captivated smile. He didn't pull away. Instead, his long, elegant fingers softly reached out, gently twisting a strand of her dark hair around his index finger, his touch infinitely reverent.
"Speak, Butterfly," Woonseok murmured, his deep, velvety voice vibrating softly in the quiet room.
Sana blinked, her heart skipping a beat at his uncanny ability to read her mind. She tried to maintain her stoic officer persona, though her burning blush completely ruined the effect. "How... how could you possibly know I wanted to say something?"
Woonseok let out a low, incredibly fond chuckle, his fingers gently releasing her hair to softly stroke the side of her face. "Sana, I have spent months memorizing every single detail of your soul. I know your eyes far more than I know your words. The moment you looked at that ceiling, the light in your eyes shifted. You went straight back into your mind, calculating, worrying. Tell me what is bothering you."
Realizing there was absolutely no hiding from him, Sana let out a soft, defeated sigh. She slowly pushed herself up from the silk sheets, shifting her position until she was sitting cross-legged on the center of the bed, facing him entirely. Her expression turned serious, her dark eyes reflecting a deep, protective earnestness.
"Woonseok," Sana began, her voice soft but completely unyielding. "Do you remember what you promised me before? When we spoke on the screen, during that chaotic time... you gave me a solemn promise. I need you to remember that promise right now, and I need you to honor it fiercely."
Woonseok slowly sat up to face her, his long legs crossing elegantly on the mattress, his dark eyes instantly mimicking her serious tone. "I remember every single word I have ever spoken to you, Sana. What part of it are we discussing?"
"The boundary, Woon," Sana said, reaching out to gently take his uninjured hand into both of her small, trembling palms. She squeezed his fingers tightly, her eyes searching his with a desperate need for absolute understanding. "You promised me that you would never come to India until I explicitly gave you the word. You promised you would stay here, focus on your world, and wait until I said it was time."
Woonseok's sharp jawline tightened slightly, a faint shadow of reluctance crossing his features, but he kept his eyes locked on hers, listening intently.
"I am asking you this because I still haven't told my parents about us," Sana confessed, her voice dropping into a vulnerable, slightly pained whisper. "It doesn't mean I don't want to tell them. God, Woon, I want nothing more than to shout it to the entire world. But my father's world... it is incredibly traditional, strict, and bound by a million societal rules. I am just waiting for the absolute right time, the right moment to sit them down and prepare them. If you suddenly show up in my district with your private jets and your media entourage before I have paved the way, it will ruin everything. Please... you have to trust me on this."
Woonseok looked down at their joined hands, his thumb softly tracing the back of her palm. For a long, agonizing moment, he remained completely silent, the weight of his intense protective instinct warring with his absolute respect for her authority.
"I remember," Woonseok finally spoke, his deep voice carrying a heavy, resonant seriousness. He lifted his head, his dark eyes burning with an unshakeable, fierce devotion. "And I give you my word, Sana. I will honor my promise. I will not step foot in India until you tell me the stage is set. I trust your judgment implicitly."
Sana let out a massive, relieved breath, her shoulders visibly relaxing. "Thank you, Woon—"
"But," Woonseok interrupted sharply, his grip on her hand suddenly tightening with an intense, unyielding strength that made her look up instantly. His eyes narrowed, a dark, lethal protectiveness flaring deep within his pupils. "There is a absolute condition to that promise, Commander. If anything—and I mean anything—ever happens to your safety again... if a single threat crosses your desk, or if you are ever put in danger like you were tonight... I am completely throwing that promise into the fire. I do not care about your father's rules, I do not care about international protocol, and I do not care about the media. I will get on my jet, I will fly straight to your district, and I will tear down anyone who dares to look at you the wrong way. Do you understand me?"
Sana stared at him, completely stunned by the sheer, terrifying magnitude of his devotion. He was perfectly willing to be a patient, respectful gentleman for her sake, but the absolute second her life was threatened, he would instantly become a ruthless king who would burn the world to protect her.
A soft, profoundly emotional smile touched her lips. She reached up with her free hand, gently patting the side of his face, her touch grounding his fierce energy.
"Don't worry, Woonseok," she murmured tenderly, her eyes shining with absolute certainty. "Nothing like this will ever happen again. Tarun is gone, the syndicate is broken, and I am a highly trained officer. I will be perfectly safe. Just keep your promise, and everything will be fine."
Woonseok let out a long, defeated sigh, leaning his face into her warm palm. "Fine. I will wait for your command, my general."
The serious atmosphere completely fractured as Sana's eyes randomly drifted back to the bedside clock. The numbers were shifting mercilessly.
Suddenly, a completely loud, deeply ungraceful rumble echoed from the lower region of her torso. Sana instantly froze, her hand dropping from his face as she looked down at her stomach in absolute betrayal. The intense adrenaline, the crying, the fighting, and the emotional roller coaster of the last few hours had completely drained her body of all physical sustenance.
Woonseok blinked in sheer shock, before his head snapped down to look at her stomach, and then back up to her face.
Sana gave a sheepish, completely embarrassed giggle, wrinkling her nose playfully as she patted her stomach. "Now look at the time running, Mr. Idol... and it seems your Commander is actually a little hungry. Can you make something quickly before I have to catch my flight?"
Woonseok's eyes widened in sudden, absolute realization. He immediately slapped his own forehead with his uninjured hand, a look of pure, unadulterated guilt crossing his features.
"Oh, Butterfly," Woonseok exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine panic as he quickly slid off the bed, his tall frame instantly moving toward the doorway. "I completely forgot! You haven't eaten a single thing since you arrived in Seoul. You went straight into a war zone, and I didn't even think to offer you food. Come, come to the kitchen quickly. I will make ramen for you right now."
Sana laughed softly, her heart melting at how fiercely he panicked over her hunger. She quickly scrambled off the bed, her boots clicking softly against the floor as she followed his towering frame down the hallway and into the massive, ultra-modern kitchen.
The kitchen was an architect's dream—pristine white marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a massive island that overlooked the dark city. Woonseok moved with a practiced, effortless efficiency. He immediately pulled out a shiny copper pot, filled it with filtered water, and set it on the high-tech induction stove, turning the flames to high.
Sana slid onto one of the sleek, high barstools at the marble island, resting her chin in her hands as she watched him work. It was the most beautiful, domestic sight she had ever seen—a man worth billions, whose face was plastered on billboards across the globe, currently tearing open instant ramen packets with his teeth, entirely focused on making a midnight snack for his girl.
Woonseok skillfully dropped the noodles into the boiling water, tossing in the spicy seasoning packets, some fresh scallions he deftly chopped with one hand, and cracking a perfect egg directly into the center of the rich, crimson broth. The savory, intensely spicy aroma instantly filled the air, making Sana's mouth water aggressively.
Within ten minutes, Woonseok smoothly slid a steaming, beautifully presented ceramic bowl of spicy ramen directly in front of her, along with a pair of sleek titanium chopsticks. He sat down on the barstool right next to her, pulling a smaller portion for himself.
"Eat carefully, it is incredibly hot," Woonseok instructed gently, his eyes watching her with an intense, eager anticipation, as if he were a chef waiting for a Michelin review.
Sana didn't need to be told twice. She expertly lifted a massive tangle of steaming noodles with her chopsticks, blew on them softly, and took a huge, enthusiastic bite.
The rich, fiery, and deeply comforting flavors exploded across her tongue. A loud, completely satisfied groan escaped her lips as she chewed, her eyes closing in pure bliss.
"Oh my god, Woon," Sana mumbled around her food, her face completely lighting up. "This is so incredibly delicious! You have no idea how much I missed your cooking. The instant ramen back home just doesn't taste like this."
Woonseok's expression instantly morphed into a look of supreme, immensely smug triumph. He leaned back against his barstool, picking up his own chopsticks with a thoroughly entertained grin.
"Do not get too attached to just the ramen, Butterfly," Woonseok teased, his dark eyes flashing with a playful, highly ambitious spark. "In the future, you are going to get absolutely sick and tired of my cooking. Because the moment I have a free schedule, I am going to completely master traditional Indian cooking as well. I have already ordered three highly rated cookbooks."
Sana paused mid-bite, her eyes widening in pure delight. She swallows her food quickly, a brilliant smile breaking across her face as she pointed her chopsticks at him. "Really? You are going to learn how to make proper biryani and butter chicken for me, Mr. Idol?"
"I am going to make the best biryani you have ever tasted, Commander," Woonseok vowed smoothly, tilting his bowl to take a sip of the spicy broth.
Sana giggled happily, leaning over to gently bump her shoulder against his. "Alright then. That is a permanent deal done, Mr. Idol. I am holding you to that."
The comfortable, domestic warmth hung beautifully in the air as they continued to eat. The quiet clinking of their chopsticks and the soft sound of the rain outside created a perfect, peaceful sanctuary. But as the bowl of ramen began to empty, the looming reality of her departure started to creep back into Rashi's thoughts, bringing an awkward, hesitating tension with it.
She slowed down her movements, idly swirling a single noodle around her chopstick. She cleared her throat softly, her eyes staring intently down at the remaining broth, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious.
"Woonseok..." Sana began, her voice carrying a distinct, hesitant tremor. "I know I just made you promise not to come to India because I haven't told my parents yet. There is... there is a really deep, complicated reason behind why I can't tell them just yet, and I can't quite explain it to you right now. I need you to just trust my timing on that."
Woonseok paused, setting his bowl down smoothly onto the marble counter. He looked at her softly, his expression completely filled with patient, unyielding understanding. "Sana, you don't have to explain anything to me. I told you, I trust you completely. Take all the time you need with your family."
Sana gave a small, grateful nod, but her eyes suddenly darted up to meet his, a spark of sudden curiosity and slight nervousness igniting in her dark pupils. She shifted on her barstool, leaning a fraction closer.
"But... what about you?" Sana asked, her voice dropping into a quiet, intensely curious whisper. "I mean... did you tell your parents about us? Do they know that their superstar son is deeply involved with an Indian police commander?"
Woonseok didn't even blink. His expression remained completely blank, entirely unbothered by the question. He casually reached for his ceramic bowl, lifting it directly to his lips as he took a long, thoroughly relaxed sip of the warm ramen soup, swallowing it down with absolute ease.
He slowly lowered the bowl back to the marble counter, casually wiping his lip with the back of his hand. He looked at her completely unbothered, as if he were stating the weather forecast.
"I already did," Woonseok stated smoothly. "I told them the exact day I first saw you."
Sana completely froze in her seat.
The chopsticks slipped instantly from her fingers, clattering loudly against the marble island before rolling uselessly onto the counter. Her mouth fell wide open, her dark eyes expanding to the absolute size of saucers as she stared at him in pure, unadulterated shock. She completely stopped chewing the noodle currently in her mouth, her entire brain short-circuiting at his casual admission.
"Wait..." Sana choked out, forcefully swallowing her food as her voice pitched up in absolute disbelief. "Wait, what?! Why on earth did you do that? How could you just—"
Woonseok casually leaned his back against the marble island, thoroughly relaxed, a brilliant, completely unbothered shrug of his broad shoulders on full display. He looked at her panicked expression with a thoroughly amused, incredibly calm grin.
"Yeah," Woonseok continued, his deep voice smooth as silk. He gave a casual shrug of his broad shoulders. "Because they always ask me. They kept nagging me, like, 'When are you going to marry?' But when they asked me again, I just told them. I told them everything."
Sana's mind completely exploded. She slammed both of her hands flat against the marble counter, leaning forward so aggressively her face was just inches from his, her expression a wild mix of absolute shock, flustered embarrassment, and pure panic.
"How could you do that, you, absolute idiot?!" Sana yelled out, her voice a mixture of a laugh and a panicked shriek. She threw her hands up in the air, completely losing her professional composure. "Are you completely insane, Woonseok?! What on earth did your parents even say to that? How can you just casually sit down and tell your family that you are going to marry a foreign girl you just met? How can a person be so absolutely, completely sure just by seeing a girl for the first time?!"
Woonseok didn't flinch at her outburst. Instead, his grin slowly softened, the playful amusement in his eyes melting away into a deep, completely unshakeable, and profoundly romantic clarity.
He slowly reached out, his long, bandaged fingers gently wrapping around her wrists, smoothly pulling her flustered, trembling hands down from the air and resting them securely over his chest, right above his steady, powerful heartbeat. He leaned in close, his dark, striking eyes locking onto hers with a depth of absolute certainty that instantly silenced the entire room.
"Because when a man looks directly into his entire future, Sana, he doesn't need to double-check his vision," Woonseok whispered, his voice holding the absolute, undeniable authority of a king. "The absolute second my eyes met yours, my soul completely recognized its owner. I didn't need time, I didn't need a second meeting, and I didn't need permission. I knew with absolute certainty that you were my love . And my parents? They know me better than anyone. When they heard the absolute clarity in my voice... they simply told me to make sure I didn't let you slip away."