Chapter 1 – The Shameless (Part 2)

“Oh, giving me the death stare?”

“…….”

“Are you feeling humiliated after coming all this way? Hey, that’s strange. I thought you had no pride.”

Soo-yeon was utterly fearless. Just seeing her walk confidently into a golf course to meet a thug with no one to help her was proof enough. She didn’t seem to have any sense of danger about what might happen to her. Hee-tae found it amusing and strange. Despite standing in front of him, a man twice her size, she showed no signs of shrinking back. In many ways, she was an irritating presence.

“Then what should I offer to make you let Min-jun go?”

The moment Hee-tae heard those words from Soo-yeon, he felt his mouth go dry. The scorching midday sun suddenly felt overwhelmingly hot. He wanted to see all the different types of anger blossom on Soo-yeon’s face. If her eyes narrowed and she glared at him, it would be thrilling beyond measure.

He stared quietly at the sweat on Soo-yeon’s forehead before speaking.

“I’ll get your lover out of there, but you have to leave your number.”

“Do you need an account number that can’t be traced?”

“Are you kidding? It has to be your phone number.”

Hee-tae responded with a chuckle. She kept mentioning untraceable accounts even though she probably hadn’t done proper money laundering, which he found ridiculous and cute.

As Soo-yeon took his phone, she looked at Hee-tae with a suspicious gaze, trying to gauge his intentions. When Min-jun, barely able to speak, started whining pathetically beside her, saying, “Soo-yeon, Soo-yeon, please,” she finally moved her fingers. Hee-tae pressed the call button and confirmed that Soo-yeon’s phone was ringing. Then he turned to the thugs.

“Hey, it’s time to dig him out. Get him out of there.”

“Yes, sir.”

No sooner had Hee-tae spoken than the thugs, holding shovels, rushed over and started digging up the bunker. Hee-tae watched Soo-yeon go to Min-jun, who was emerging from the sandpit, and took out a new cigarette. He wasn’t planning on sleeping with Soo-yeon. He just wanted to taste those lips that had been getting on his nerves. He shamelessly justified to himself that since she had explicitly asked about compensation, it wouldn’t be too much to ask for a kiss.

However, that night, when he called, an unexpected automated voice message played.

– The number you have dialed is not in service.

Hearing the unfamiliar automated message for the first time in his life, he pulled his ear away from the phone and glared at the screen. It clearly showed the saved contact name “Chae Soo-yeon,” but it said the number was not in service.  Even though he had called the number she gave him to confirm it was hers, she had changed her phone number on the way. He let out a dry laugh at her audacity. Hee-tae felt a sharp pain at the back of his head, realizing he had been thoroughly outplayed by Soo-yeon. It was her perfect mistake to strike him, of all people, in the back.

***

HJ Food’s daughter, Chae Soo-yeon. While she was considered a burden by her father, President Chae, at home, she was used as a proud figurehead at various events outside. Today, Soo-yeon was invited to an HJ Foods event that had nothing to do with her, serving as a figurehead. People often brought up Min-jun when they saw Soo-yeon next to her father.

“Oh, are you still seeing the son of the Myung-woo Foundation?”

Soo-yeon had been dating Min-jun for five years. Her father, who disapproved of everything she did, was the only one who wholeheartedly welcomed her relationship with Min-jun.

He even made a point to bring Min-jun to events, subtly hinting that he would soon become his son-in-law. However, now that Min-jun’s family had fallen from grace, just mentioning his name darkened President Chae’s expression.

“They were together for a long time, right? With so many memories from such a long relationship, the next guy will probably feel a bit pressured.”

One of the people who mentioned Min-jun said with a smile. Speaking kindly with a friendly tone didn’t always mean they were saying nice things. Sometimes, it was filled with more malice than any other words. It was as if they were cursing her, implying that no one would want to court Soo-yeon knowing she had been with Min-jun for so long. President Chae forced a smile, loosening his previously stern expression. 

“Well, as kids grow up, they go through various relationships, don’t they?”

President Chae implied that Soo-yeon had already broken up with Min-jun, even though she was still dating him. The others, realizing this, quickly moved on to another topic as if nothing had happened. After they left, President Chae lowered his voice and growled.

“Meeting such a good-for-nothing guy and bringing shame to your father’s face.”

“You used to like him.”

Soo-yeon spoke while keeping her back straight and looking ahead, even though she knew her father was glaring at her. President Chae looked like he wanted to slap her for talking back. However, while he might vent his anger on those around him, he couldn’t hit her.

When she was younger, he refrained because he feared that any scar on his doll-like daughter’s face would disgrace him. As she grew older, he couldn’t touch her because she became a symbol of Korean painting. Among the many children he had with different women, the reason he brought Soo-yeon to these events was because she was useful.

“You should have cut ties with him when you weighed the pros and cons. You’re still meeting him like a fool, and that’s why you’re hearing these things.”

President Chae scolded Soo-yeon in a low voice. But it was impossible for her to easily cut off a lover she had been with for five years. While it might be possible for President Chae, who didn’t get attached to any of his many children, it wasn’t possible for Soo-yeon. President Chae was displeased that Soo-yeon was still seeing Min-jun and didn’t know what to do about it. Finally, he added an ultimatum to his words.

“I’ve arranged a blind date for you next week.”

“I have no intention of going on a blind date.”

“You don’t have the right to refuse. You’re in a slump and haven’t produced any proper paintings. You need to do something right to earn the right to speak up.”

President Chae added a sharp threat toward Soo-yeon. Then, as if nothing had happened, he turned to greet someone approaching him with a smiling face. Soo-yeon watched him for a moment before excusing herself and bowing as she left.

She felt eyes following her but ignored them and walked forward. She couldn’t remain there with a composed expression. Even without the pressure from those around her to break up with Min-jun, their relationship was already steadily deteriorating.

‘I love you, Soo-yeon. No matter what happens, my feelings will never change.’

Soo-yeon believed Min-jun’s vow that he would never change. She believed the insubstantial words from the mouth that once whispered eternal love. Soo-yeon wanted to marry the person she loved and build a happy family.

Her parents, who had an arranged marriage, easily split up, and her biological mother was now living in a common-law relationship with a man eight years her junior. Up until a few years ago, Soo-yeon had visited her mother’s house, but naturally stopped after hearing that they had a child and were getting married. She couldn’t bear to see that happy picture. After meeting Min-jun, she thought that if she married him and had her own family, she might be able to visit her mother again.

‘Soo-yeon, you won’t abandon me, right?’

Soo-yeon recalled the time when political scandals rocked Min-jun’s family. Min-jun came to her, looking haggard, and pleaded with her. Up until then, Soo-yeon felt deeply pained. Min-jun was someone she had been with since she was treated as a nobody and hadn’t succeeded as an artist.

‘How could I abandon you?’

Soo-yeon told herself that if she couldn’t endure her beloved’s worst, she didn’t deserve to share his future. However, from the moment she placed a sense of duty on their relationship, which had been built on excitement and happiness, it began to twist.

She supported Min-jun in anything he wanted to do so he could stand up again. She wanted to be in a relationship where they could look towards the future together again. However, Min-jun, who was born into a noble family and lived without working in the family’s subsidiaries, struggled even in the company he entered as a parachute.

(Parachute – In Korean, this term is also used to describe employees that were hired through connections rather than going through the typical scouting or interview process.)

‘There’s nothing I can do. I’m always on edge, and when I come home, I just collapse. Life isn’t the same as before.’

The mouth that once whispered sweet words now only spewed complaints. He whined about how uncomfortable and difficult his recent life was, how little his family helped him, and never asked about Soo-yeon. Soo-yeon tried hard to understand, thinking it was because his situation had suddenly become difficult. She spent days like this for two years. Min-jun, after quitting several parachute acquired jobs, finally said:

‘I’m not someone who can work under others.’

Min-jun talked about a grandiose dream of multiplying his money through investments. He claimed to have heard valuable information from somewhere and even recommended that Soo-yeon invest. She repeatedly dissuaded him. Naturally, Min-jun failed, incurred debts, and several times asked Soo-yeon for help.

Soo-yeon felt like a wife giving money to a husband going gambling. When she stopped giving him money, he borrowed from loan sharks, ending up in a situation like a few days ago. Soo-yeon couldn’t describe her feelings as she went to pick him up.

‘You think I’m the worst too, don’t you?’

Soo-yeon couldn’t answer Min-jun’s question as he emerged from a sand bunker. It wasn’t Min-jun who was spiraling into the worst, but their relationship. Even so, Soo-yeon couldn’t abandon Min-jun. It felt like her life was spent pulling him out, as if he were waiting with his face buried in the bunker’s sand, thinking no one but her could save him. The paintings she created in her studio every day couldn’t be shown to the world. She couldn’t bear to seem like she was thriving while Min-jun was falling apart.