Chapter 18 – Black Shadow  

What Seo-jun saw was the black shadow reflected on the frosted glass door.

The person had been peeking in through the slightly open door and disappeared without a trace, just as So-yeon turned her wide eyes to Seo-jun after confirming the slightly shaking door.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the practice room door.

When Seo-jun strode over and flung the door open, standing there was none other than Go Won-hoo.

The entire CN building had tight security, making it impossible for outsiders to enter. Moreover, from the 7th floor onwards, it was a restricted area where affiliated celebrities had to make reservations to come and go. At this time, in this area, only Eom So-yeon and he should have been present.

So it was strange for someone to be loitering in the 9th-floor corridor. But if it was Go Won-hoo, it was possible.

“Was it you?”

“What?”

“Did you meet anyone on your way here?”

“Not at all.”

“Why did you come here?”

“I was craving some drinks.”

Won-hoo, who had just arrived at the practice room after trying to leave the CEO’s office, responded briefly with a look asking why Seo-jun was asking such odd questions.

“There’s still a long way to go before training ends, so why a drink?”

“It’s late, so I thought we could go for a drink if you’re done.”

“A rat is running around the company, so if you’re free, catch that.”

“What? A rat? There’s no way we have something like that in our company.”

“Not a mouse, but a human rat.”

Wondering if it could be himself, Won-hoo chuckled as if the joke was dry. But Seo-jun’s expression was serious and stern, without a hint of laughter.

“Why, did someone snoop around here?”

“If you know, have the security team do another sweep before you leave.”

“Alright, I’ll go now, so don’t overwork Ms. Eom So-yeon.”

With someone flashing through his mind but uncertain, Seo-jun sent Won-hoo away without further comment and continued practicing with So-yeon.

Over an hour passed, and So-yeon’s stiff expressions became as natural as flowing water. Acting is about conveying a character’s emotions, and she was surprisingly doing more than that.

“Let’s call it a day.”

“Did I get a bit better?”

“From the look in your eyes, you’re a completely different person.”

Wasn’t that a good thing? 

So-yeon, who had been anxious because Seo-jun’s expression didn’t seem pleasant, finally felt relieved.

“I didn’t expect you to compliment me.”

“I didn’t compliment you.”

Seo-jun, who merely stated a fact, chuckled as if he found it amusing.

“Ah…”

Oh, I must have gotten ahead of myself.

Feeling embarrassed, So-yeon lowered her gaze awkwardly.

Her long, dense eyelashes covered half of her large eyes. Should it be called captivating? The feeling of being drawn in every time she blinked seemed to stem from that.

Loose strands of her long hair, tied in one, flowed from her neck to her shoulders. Her ears gradually turned a rosy hue, like her blushing face.

The sensation of touching her soft skin and holding it in his mouth unintentionally resurfaced for Seo-jun, who easily remembered her skin that blushed at the slightest touch. No, his body still remembered every part of Eom So-yeon.

The soft touch that cuddled up cutely.

The breath that quickened, not knowing what to do with unfamiliar excitement.

The beautiful smile that melted his cold heart.

I was utterly smitten with everything about her.

That night, her small, plump lips were incredibly sweet. She, who gave me an ecstatic joy I’d never felt before, cut the last reins of my reason without doing anything special.

And then.

That woman.

While I’m still vividly marked by the memory of that day, you just quietly look down, is that it? Are you trying to mess with me?

Seo-jun, who hadn’t relieved a man’s desire for years, had his last time that winter night. Maybe that’s why he was filled with pent-up frustration. Though he should be used to not controlling his impulses well in front of Eom So-yeon by now, today it was particularly severe.

“But…”

After a moment of silence, Seo-jun suddenly tried to speak but frowned.

“High heels that show your toes, and do you only have such clothes, Ms. Eom So-yeon?”

His sharp tone mixed with dissatisfaction due to the throbbing heat somewhere.

“…!”

Startled, So-yeon glanced at the large mirror. She had picked out her outfit with care, going through her wardrobe, so she was taken aback.

The slightly short skirt and the slightly sheer blouse seemed a bit much, but they were in style, so they passed. What crime did the shoes have, even if they showed the whole foot? Her face was pale without makeup, but thanks to her pink lips, it was passable.

Criticizing her outfit, which seemed to fall within the normal range, naturally led to a sulky response from So-yeon.

“What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“You seem unfazed, but isn’t your outfit a bit much for someone here to practice acting?”

“I didn’t realize you were so conservative that you’d interfere with my dress code, Director.”

The heat around So-yeon’s eyes wasn’t because she felt hurt by Seo-jun’s sudden criticism.

It was because, looking at him, a face kept resurfacing. The face of a child that overlapped perfectly with this man stirred her mind. She missed and longed for the child in Canada.

Jo Yeon-hee, So-yeon’s biological mother, cherished her grandchild but also valued her daughter’s life, which had become a mother too soon.

Thus, she had to be colder than anyone else, pushing her daughter, who clung to her, crying and begging not to be separated from her child, to go to Korea.

So-yeon cried for days, feeling resentful of her mother, who was trying to separate her from her son.

She even considered secretly running away with her child. But she had nothing. Without her parents, she had neither a home to stay with her child nor enough money for immediate needs. Reality was that harsh.

So So-yeon finally made a tough decision. For her mother, her child, and herself, she would succeed no matter what. With that determination, So-yeon returned to Korea.

But the firm resolve she had until now wavered helplessly at Tae Seo-jun’s words.

Seeing So-yeon’s expression, Seo-jun realized he had gone too far.

Did I speak too harshly?

But even if she had been wrapped in a long coat, he would have said the same thing. That’s how stimulating Seo-jun found So-yeon’s very existence.

Her pouting lips seemed like they were about to cry.

Her tear-filled eyes sparkled like the glistening light on a river. From the first time he saw her, he felt it, but So-yeon was a naturally beautiful woman. Maybe that’s why he fell for her at first sight.

Her white skin, delicate features, and the vivid emotions shown on her face always seemed like sadness. Seo-jun slowly extended his arm toward So-yeon’s face, stroking her white, transparent cheek with his fingers and gently lifting her slender chin.

Though it was an unconscious action from Seo-jun, So-yeon accepted it without resistance.

“I guess I was sensitive. I had no intention of making you cry…”

“…”

The kind touch was unexpected, and a kind apology even more so. Moreover, his abruptly halting tone was excessively seductive, causing So-yeon’s already fragile heart to nearly burst.

Seo-jun’s upper body slowly tilted as if pulled by a magnet, and the gap between their faces gradually narrowed.

Until the large hand touching her back slid down to grip her waist, So-yeon remained still in a frozen posture. In truth, she was on the verge of a heart attack, struggling just to support her body on her two legs.

She wanted to confide everything that had happened and entrust it all to him. She wanted to cry her heart out in his arms.

Her heart wanted that a hundred times, a thousand times. But knowing that reality wasn’t so easy, So-yeon was startled by her own weakness.

If she got entangled with this man again. If she ended up loving Tae Seo-jun more than she did now, there would be no small exit this time.

With her mind suddenly clear, So-yeon spoke.

“We… shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Why…”

Seo-jun, who raised his black eyebrows and asked in a calm voice, buried his gaze deeply in her brown eyes.

He was urging her to explain why they should stop here, to convince him, who found it hard to stop.

“Even if you don’t mind, Director, I won’t be able to face you starting tomorrow.”

“Why can’t you?”

The low, rough tone of his repeated question meant he couldn’t accept her reason.

“Why? It would obviously be awkward.”

Making a plausible excuse, So-yeon leaned back, almost touching his face.

“Oh, right!”

Barely escaping Seo-jun’s grasp, So-yeon quickly retrieved the lunch bag she had placed in the cabinet.

“Let’s recharge with vitamins. I packed plenty at home for us to share when we’re hungry.”

“Are we parting after eating this?”

“No. You’re driving me home today, right? It’s a small token of my appreciation.”

“Ha…”

Astonished, Seo-jun let out a shallow laugh.

The laughter that burst from his handsome lips was sheer frustration. It was so typical of her to cleverly dodge the issue.

As So-yeon spread out the snacks neatly on the table and gestured for him to come sit, Seo-jun once again caught a suspicious figure flickering in the frosted glass.

This time, it was at the window, not the door. Even at a glance, it was clear that the tall, slender figure was anything but ordinary. It was likely the same person from before.

“That bastard, I’ll catch him!”

Muttering quietly to himself as if growling, Seo-jun dashed out of the practice room in an instant.

***

Why?

Why did Yoo Jung-hwa suddenly come to see me?

There must be many agencies that would welcome her with open arms, so why did she choose CN? Especially now that Tae Seo-jun has returned.

Is it because she coolly thinks of the past as just the past? Or does she have a plan to reconcile with her ex-boyfriend? Or perhaps she genuinely wants to coexist beneficially with the agency?

After pondering for a moment, Won-hoo could easily reach a conclusion. Even excluding the smooth relationship between Tae Seo-jun and Yoo Jung-hwa, his precise intuition said that Yoo Jung-hwa was definitely a no-go.

“We’re honored by your interest in our company, but what more can CN offer to someone as prominent as you, Yoo Jung-hwa?”

CEO Go expressed the difficult-to-directly-express part smoothly.

Even if he praised her with words like honor and prominence, she knew it was a prelude to rejection. But even knowing she’d been rejected, Jung-hwa pondered what to do next.

She hadn’t yet secured the money to give to her biological father.

Besides that, she needed a large sum of money.

While there wasn’t a big problem maintaining her lavish lifestyle yet, the money she’d saved had been leaking away to silence reporters, and it was now running out.

Yes.

Yoo Byung-hwan wasn’t the only one blackmailing her with her dark past.

Moreover, the increased spending on maintaining her dignity meant Jung-hwa was far from free from financial pressure.

After worrying for days, what she came up with was an exclusive contract fee. Coincidentally, her current contract with her agency was nearing expiration.

If it was CN Entertainment, the industry’s best, she might receive a hefty contract fee. Additionally, for Jung-hwa, who hadn’t yet forgotten Tae Seo-jun, it was like killing two birds with one stone.

Her hurried steps to Samseong-dong today were driven by such circumstances.

Money and Tae Seo-jun.

To catch these two rabbits, all Yoo Jung-hwa could do was express her intentions once more without damaging her pride.

“If the best company and the best actor join hands, it’s a win-win, isn’t it? If my name is added to CN Entertainment’s prestige, the company’s recognition and stock price will surely soar. Surely, CEO Go, you didn’t become a businessman without that ambition, did you?”

“Ambition without ability is just a delusion. If you can’t distinguish that, the ship goes off course, and the business fails. It also means our company is too small to accommodate an actor like you.”

What bigger and more solid agency is there than this? While it was a humble statement, from Yoo Jung-hwa’s perspective, she was being rejected twice in a row.

Go Won-hoo’s appearance, which would be enough to debut as a model, resembled Tae Seo-jun a lot. However, Jung-hwa, who only knew CEO Go as Tae Seo-jun’s close friend, had no idea that the two men were more tightly bound by blood than friendship.

Five years ago, CN Entertainment was nothing more than a small shop that couldn’t recruit even a proper actor, let alone a rookie.

At the time, Tae Seo-jun’s introduction as a CN-affiliated actor was just as a long-time friend, as he never shared his personal affairs with Yoo Jung-hwa.

“…”

Ha! Did CEO Go just snub me, Yoo Jung-hwa? He’s really grown!

It was natural for the top actress, welcomed everywhere, to look incredulous.

But CEO Go didn’t care.

Uncrossing his arms and checking his wristwatch, Won-hoo straightened his tall frame in the swivel chair, furrowing his brows slightly.

Yoo Jung-hwa’s unannounced visit to the CEO’s office. Due to the unwelcome guest, the departure to the airport was already delayed by 20 minutes, so it was understandable.

“I’m sorry. I have to leave for a business trip soon.”

Fastening the buttons of his jacket neatly, Won-hoo opened the CEO’s office door wide and nodded politely.

It was a courteous prompt to leave the CEO’s office.