Well folks, here's the backstory of Eric and Solar...
Hold onto your hats. It ain't fun.

Trigger warning: mentions of manipulative, controlling and predatory behaviour

Eric slammed a slightly crumpled manila envelope onto his desk.

“Take a look at this. It’s another threat.” He looked a little manic with his normally perfect hair in disarray and his tie askew with the top button undone. He rubbed his slightly bloodshot eyes with his fingers and sunk into his chair as he continued. “It says, ‘Solar, it’s time. If we can’t have you, then no-one else can’. Those s.”

He reached over to pull out the folded plain white A4 paper with the threat printed on it to show the bodyguard.

“And before you ask, I checked the CCTV footage. You can see someone slipping the envelope under the main door a few hours ago but they’re wearing a generic long black coat with a plain cap, so you can’t see a damned thing… I only happened to see the envelope on the floor because I was still in the office.”

Moonbyul listened with an unreadable but serious expression on her face.

Because this meant that the “white bunny mask” group was definitely not the only threat.

     With Seulgi’s help, she had ensured that this group of sasaeng fans were arrested and charged; using the evidence they had gathered since Byul first noticed them. They were able to get a decent lead after Seulgi showed the Police CCTV footage of someone wearing a white bunny mask setting off the fire alarm on the day they tried to ambush them (with batons and a taser) at the carpark and fingerprints taken from the device identified a small petite female nurse, who just happened to have been the very same temp agency nurse that had worked closely with the mental health patient responsible for the stage invasion attack. Once under arrest, the girl gave up her 3 co-conspirators for a lighter sentence and their confiscated electronic devices was enough to prove their involvement in not only sending threats but also: previous attempts at following Solar to her block of flats to try and find out exactly where she lived; the incident where they incited fans to break through the barricade and sliced open Byul’s back; the aiding of the poor psychiatric patient’s escape and his attack; and wilfully setting off a fire alarm under false pretences to attempt a kidnapping or, at the very least, harm the idol. 

When asked what their motive was, they had all separately replied with the same answer: so that Solar would notice them and remember them above all other fans.

However, while they were quick to admit to and disturbingly proud of their crimes (including conspiracy to abduct and cause serious harm), they adamantly denied any knowledge of or involvement in a bomb plot. They also insisted that they had a 5th member, who had joined most recently (less than a year ago) and quickly became their ringleader as they always had the most up to date information on the idol and pushed them to be more aggressive to get Solar’s attention. But none of them had ever met this leader in person and they only kept in contact online.

And Byul believed them. 

Because, thanks to Hani’s analysis of the failed IED, she knew that the bomb had been made with military grade C4 but had been poorly and perhaps hastily built and it had failed to go off due to faulty and shoddy wiring. Gloves had been used and so there were no prints to speak of. 

Why would you use gloves on an object likely to blow up and not leave evidence, but not when pressing a fire alarm as part of a kidnapping plot?

Especially if you wanted your victim to know who you were.

It made no sense.

She also knew that all of the “white bunny mask” group had been in custody at the time of the lodge attack and that only Solar’s closest and most senior staff members knew where she was going for her winter holiday.

The partial plates from the New Year’s car-tailing incident did not match any of the vehicles owned by the “white bunny mask” group either, despite them using their personal vehicles to stalk Solar to her apartment block.

All this had led Byul to conclude that the bomb, the hitmen and car-tailing were part of a completely different threat. Perhaps one that involved said “white bunny mask” group ringleader and one who worked within Nam Entertainment. And so, she advised the Police and RVSM to keep everything under wraps for as long as possible to see if anyone at Nam Entertainment would slip up, while they ran background checks in the meantime on target individuals at the company, which unfortunately was slow progress. She even asked Seulgi to make the group look at least semi-active in chat rooms online, so that the aforementioned ringleader would not suspect that they had not been arrested.

“So, what are you going to do about this, Byul-ssi?” Eric asked, pulling the bodyguard out of her thoughts.

“With your permission, I will send it away and have it checked for fingerprints.” Byul replied as she made a few more notes in her small black notepad. “And I’ll take another look at the CCTV foot-”

“B-But I’ve touched the envelope and paper to open it!” The CEO interrupted.

“And the Police will of course take that into account, Nam-daepyonim.” 

“O-Oh, right…” Eric mumbled slightly sheepishly as he watched the bodyguard push the envelope and folded paper into a plastic folder with her pen. He suddenly frowned and studied Byul with narrowed eyes, his tone switching to a sharp accusing one, “I’m not even sure I should be trusting you with this, to be honest.”

The ex-soldier stopped all movements and steadily met his gaze. 

“And why is that?”

“I’m not deaf. I’ve heard all the rumours flying around about you and Solar.”

“I’m sorry sir, but what rumours?”

“That you’re sleeping together !” Eric roared as he leapt to his feet and slammed his hands on the desk, but Byul barely blinked much to his annoyance. 

In fact, she merely let out a sigh and put away her pen and notepad.

“I was not aware of such rumours but I can assure you, Nam-daepyonim, Solar-ssi and I are not sleeping together.”

“Well, gossip doesn't start from nothing , Byul-ssi…” 

“I’ll admit that we have become… more friendly with each other, which is something I do not make a habit of doing with our clients. So if you feel that this was crossing the line, sir, then I will step back immediately.”

Eric glared down at the bodyguard, who held his intense gaze calmly. 

Finally he deflated and slumped back into his chair, holding his head in his hands.

Byul subtly let out a breath she had been holding. She had witnessed a few and heard of several instances of the highly strung CEO’s mood swings but this one had hit a little close to the mark.

‘Yes sir, Solar-ssi and I are not sleeping together… But we very nearly did earlier.’

“... I’m sorry…” The apology came out a little muffled initially as Eric’s hands dry scrubbed his face but he let them drop and leant back in his seat. “It’s just… I get really protective when it comes to Solar, because I care about her so much.”

Byul gave him a brief nod whilst thinking that he had a funny way of showing it, but then his next statement derailed all thoughts for a moment.

“We were engaged, you know? Before we broke up. Sometimes, I’m not even sure what happened… but I don’t think I ever got over my feelings for her.” Eric sighed almost wistfully and looked up at the ceiling. “At least we separated on good terms so that we could continue working together.”

Byul said nothing, completely stunned at the revelation but used experience to keep her face neutral; betraying nothing.

“And I know I didn’t take these threats seriously before but I will now. I want these sasaengs caught and locked up, Byul-ssi.”

"I'll do everything that I can."

"Thank you. And thank you for coming in so quickly. That'll be all."

She once again nodded at the dismissal and rose from her seat to give the CEO a curt bow but just as she picked up the plastic folder containing the new threat, Eric added quietly, “You know, I’m glad your reputation precedes you, Byul-ssi.”

Byul stopped all movements and merely gave him a questioning glance.

“They say you’re a true professional. T