CHAPTER 62

The sound of footsteps approaching her, steadily and deliberately, was reminiscent of the footsteps of an executioner. The footsteps clearly conveyed a sense of purpose.

Siyeon finally lifted her head with a resigned expression. He, who had come so close that his footsteps seemed to be right in front of her, looked down at Siyeon, tilting his head slightly.

“You didn’t come to work.”

Though it had only been about ten days since they last met, he seemed quite unfamiliar. His overall demeanor had changed.

“Family business isn’t always a pleasant affair.”

Siyeon now met the plain gaze of Ijun. It was a gaze that, during the seven years that had passed, had made her lose sleep whenever thoughts of its warmth surfaced, despite her reluctance to become accustomed to it.

“I have someone to meet here. I’ll call you later.”

He casually ignored Siyeon’s words and pulled the chair opposite her, crossing his legs and neatly placing his hands with interlocked fingers on his thigh.

“Sorry for changing the plans. Something important came up yesterday.”

“What do you mean?”

Ijun spoke so calmly that Siyeon had to take a few seconds to process what she had just heard. Then, suddenly, her mind cleared.

“First, let me assure you that the CEO of the publishing company is relatively innocent. He didn’t intentionally give me your email address. It was the alcohol’s fault.”

“When did you find out about me?”

Stunned, Siyeon’s mouth hung open involuntarily.

“About a week ago. I saw the signature on a book on your father’s shelf, and the handwriting seemed familiar. He thought I already knew, so he happily told me that you signed it.”

“This is unbelievable.”

“Well, I felt the same way.”

“…”

As Siyeon stared at him with an angry expression, Eun-kyung approached quietly and placed an Americano in front of Ijun.

“I added an extra shot.”

Ijun nodded appreciatively. Eun-kyung blinked her eyes at Siyeon, her face filled with a generous smile. It seemed like an encouragement for things to be resolved amicably. She was offering words of support to the newlyweds, who had been married for less than a month.

“So, what did you want to confirm by coming all the way here?”

Siyeon calmly asked, raising her mug as she observed him. He didn’t immediately respond; instead, he took a sip of his coffee, placed the cup back down, and then finally locked eyes with her.

“Let’s go home. That’s what I came to say.”

“Which home?”

“Our home.”

“Did you lose your memory or something?”

“No.”

“I don’t like your house. I can endure what I don’t like, but I can’t concentrate on work because it makes me uncomfortable.”

For a newlywed home, it was overly luxurious. Paintings by famous artists adorned the walls along the corridor, the latest appliances and luxurious furniture were tastefully arranged—a picture-perfect home seen in magazines or on the internet. However, Siyeon had never thought of that house as her own. She always felt like she was living under someone else’s roof.

“I went to Hannam-dong to find the mother-of-pearl box made by your great-grandfather, Choi Deok-gu. I had to spend the whole afternoon in Hannam-dong for that.”

“You came all the way for that?”

Siyeon’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yeah, on the day you left home. Grandma really had it. When I said I wanted to formally propose by putting a hair comb in that box, she handed it over with a big smile.”

Ijun shared the news of his visit to Hannam-dong to find the mother-of-pearl box, along with his innocence.

“I don’t care about the hair comb, but give me the box. It originally belongs to our family.”

Siyeon demanded confidently. As the great-granddaughter of the creator Choi Deok-gu, she had every right to reclaim it. Her heart pounded fiercely. It felt as if news had come that an important cultural heritage, once exported overseas, had returned to its home country.

“The next day, I entrusted the hair comb and the box to a reliable appraiser, and the detailed results came out yesterday. That’s why I had to postpone our meeting hastily.”

He also provided a valid reason for canceling their appointment yesterday.

“Why did you have it appraised? You’re not going to sell it anywhere, are you?”

“Don’t you want to clear your great-grandfather’s name?”

“Of course I want to clear it. But there’s no evidence.”

“There was. I just hadn’t found it until now.”

Her lips parted slightly. Siyeon widened her eyes and looked straight at Ijun.

“…Don’t deceive me with something like this. I won’t forgive you then.”

“Does it take a long time to pack?”

“Can we really prove Baekya as the work of my great-grandfather?”

“Yeah.”

As Siyeon bit her lower lip tightly, Ijun chuckled lazily. He knew that he had thrown a proper bait at her. It was a temptation too great to simply ignore.

“How so?”

“I’ll wait outside Eun-kyung’s house, so pack your things and come out. If you find our current home uncomfortable, I’ll find a nearby studio for you to work in, and commuting from there should be fine.”

“…Do you believe everything I say now? Is that why your attitude has changed?”

“No. I don’t believe everything.”

Ijun’s expression turned somewhat cold as he spoke. The speed of his change was enough to make it challenging to keep up with his emotional shifts.

But one thing remained unchanged. The fact that she would eventually follow Ijun. Siyeon opened her mouth with a resigned look on her face.

“I can’t have breakfast with you in the morning. My workplace now is sufficient with the rooftop and my room. And as long as you don’t bother me, I don’t mind anything else.”

“Do as you wish.”

He casually responded as if the conditions she suggested were nothing special.

“Are you suggesting that we live like a real married couple?”

“Living like that wouldn’t be so bad.”

“…”

“If we’re done talking, shall we go?”

As Siyeon got up with a stern face, Ijun also got up from his seat.

While Siyeon went to Eun-kyung’s apartment to gather her belongings, Ijun parked his car near the entrance of the apartment building and sat in the back seat. He only left after confirming that Siyeon’s car had come out of the underground parking lot.

* * *

When Siyeon entered the house in Samseong-dong with Ijun, the maids greeted her at the entrance with smiling faces. One of them took her suitcase and went up to the second floor.

“Madam, did you have a good trip?”

“…Yes.”

When she glanced at Ijun, he raised his eyebrows as if asking, “How was it?” Probably, he tried to give the impression that he knew she had gone on a trip.

“We haven’t had our meal yet.”

“Yes, Mr. Jeong. We will prepare it right away.”

After confirming that the two of them had disappeared into the kitchen, Siyeon turned to Ijun and asked, 

“Where’s the evidence?”

“After washing up and having a meal. After that.”

“Can’t you show it to me first?”

“No. I can’t.”

Siyeon was frustrated by his refusal and stomped up the interior stairs leading to the second floor.

Whether intentionally or not, Ijun took his time with his meal. To exaggerate a bit, the speed at which he finished eating seemed as if dinner would be over as soon as he was done.

“Today, you only need to prepare dinner, and you can go back early.”

After finishing his late lunch, Ijun stood up and addressed the housekeepers with these instructions. Then, he asked Siyeon to go to the rooftop, who had been patiently waiting for his words. In Siyeon’s opinion, it seemed like the optimal place for a quiet conversation.

“I have something to take from my room, so you go up first.”

“Do you need any help?”

“No.”

She wanted to contribute at least a small effort, even if it was minimal, to the process of moving the evidence. However, her offer was swiftly rejected.

“Oh, wait. I do.”

As she was about to leave with a lonely look on her face, Ijun suddenly corrected himself as if he had just remembered something. Siyeon waited with a tense face, anticipating his next words.

“A black gel pen.”

“What?”

“Bring a black signature pen up with you.”

“…”

Leaving Siyeon with narrowed eyes, he turned around and soon disappeared from her sight.

Following Ijun’s instructions, Siyeon brought up a black signature pen and even extra blue and red pens to the rooftop.

A little later, a househelper carrying a teapot and cups came up to the rooftop and lit the fire in the fireplace before leaving. The red flames flickered beyond the transparent window of the fireplace. Watching it quietly, Siyeon felt her body relaxing and her mind easing.

She slowly closed and opened her eyes, gazing at the crackling wood in the fireplace.

At that moment, she heard heavy footsteps approaching the rooftop. When Siyeon turned her head, Ijun was holding several books and a small wooden box in his hands. She had an instinctive feeling that it was evidence related to his great-grandfather.

As Ijun placed the items he was carrying on the table, Siyeon reached out toward the wooden box, but he quickly stopped her. She looked up at him with a strong sense of protest in her eyes.

“This first.”

He gestured toward the books. Just by looking at the corners of the book covers, she could identify what kind of books they were. He had brought one copy of each book from the series Siyeon had written.

“Why did you bring my books up here?”

“They need your signature.”

“You already have it. Besides, you said you don’t need it.”

“But you didn’t give it to me directly. And now, I need them.”

“You said you don’t like Drumstick.”

“I didn’t say I don’t  like the books.”

“…”

In short, he didn’t like the author but did like the books. Siyeon opened the cap of the black signing pen, glaring at him directly.

He gestured toward the books as if urging her to proceed. Siyeon reluctantly started signing inside the cover of the book.

“Why is your pen name ‘Drumstick’?”

Ijun, who had been observing her with his arms crossed, suddenly spoke up.

“I came up with it without thinking while eating chicken.”

“Did you eat a lot of drumsticks?”

“Yes. Because there was someone who always offered them to me.”

“Park Yoonsoo?”

“…”

Siyeon, who had been answering hesitantly, flinched while signing. What surprised her internally was that every time she ate chicken, Yoonsoo really gave her the drumsticks. She had only just realized it now.

“Did you two date?”

“…It’s none of your business.”

“Did you?”

Siyeon lifted her head and looked at him. It was surprising to see him digging up the past, even after showing her kindness after marriage.

“I never asked you about what you did with Kim Eunhye in the bedroom.”

She pushed aside the book she had finished signing and opened another book.

“Did you two sleep together?”

Siyeon looked at him with a shocked expression, not finishing the signature.

“Did you sleep with Kim Eunhye?”

“What did you expect? There was no other woman around to sleep with, only the secretary.”

In response to his vague answer, she lowered her gaze and silently continued signing.

“Choi Siyeon.”

“……”

She pretended not to hear his call.

“Siyeon.”

“Don’t call me like that, Mr. Jeong Ijun.”

“…Are you really going to die?”

This time, she couldn’t ignore it. Siyeon looked up and met his gaze. He was staring at her with a serious expression.

“…I don’t know.”

“If you put me in this situation and die… … .”

It felt like a fleeting cold smile hung on his lips.

“I’ll really kill you.”

“…”

It was a sincere voice.