Chapter 13 (Part 6)
Seated in the audit office, Jinwon was watching a video on a laptop.
“Well? Are you ready to confess now? The evidence is undeniable.”
Said an audit staff member, arms crossed and looking down at Jinwon smugly.
The video showed Jinwon in the underground parking lot of an office building, receiving a box from someone.
It even captured him opening the box and checking stacks of cash inside.
Jinwon had never met the person in the video, nor had he ever received such a box of money.
Then how could this video exist?
The audit staff member, noticing Jinwon’s unbroken focus on the monitor, gestured at the screen.
“What’s there to look at? It’s obviously your parking lot.”
“It does seem so.”
Jinwon’s calm demeanor and response left the audit staff member momentarily flustered.
To regain control of the situation, he pressed harder, raising his voice.
“Look at the video again. Even if the quality is a bit grainy, your face is clearly visible. It’s your face!”
Still staring at the video, Jinwon casually remarked,
“Does the audit office not conduct basic verification procedures?”
“What are you talking about?”
Pointing at the video on the monitor, Jinwon explained,
“For example, checking for video manipulation.”
“Ridiculous.”
The audit staff member scoffed at Jinwon’s suggestion but suddenly froze as if something had occurred to him.
***
Meanwhile, In-ah, waiting anxiously for Jinwon to return from the audit office, couldn’t sit still.
She paced back and forth in the break room, biting her nails nervously.
It was then that Director Lee Seong-jun, passing by the break room, stopped when he noticed her.
He stepped inside.
“Director!”
As In-ah greeted him, Seong-jun, who had entered thoughtlessly, pointed at the vending machine.
“Oh, I was just thirsty.”
“Do you have cash? I can get something for you.”
“That would be great. Thanks.”
Smiling warmly, Seong-jun accepted the drink In-ah handed him.
“Thanks to you, I had a great time in Jeju.”
“Did you? I’m jealous.”
Sipping his drink, Seong-jun muttered to himself,
“I wonder if I’ll ever get to fly again.”
“What? Why?”
Startled by her reaction, Seong-jun looked flustered.
He had only meant that he might become too busy to travel, but her response made him pause.
After taking a deep breath, Seong-jun spoke slowly.
“I haven’t told anyone yet.”
Hearing this, In-ah’s expression grew serious.
“I was told there’s no guarantee of a full recovery…”
Startled, In-ah quickly covered her open mouth with her hand.
“Since you’re the Director, it’s important this doesn’t get leaked, right?”
She glanced around nervously.
Lee Seong-jun, maintaining an air of gravity, lowered his voice and said,
“I’d appreciate it if only you knew, In-ah.”
“Yes, I’ll keep it to myself. But… you just called me by my name, didn’t you?”
Confused, Seong-jun looked at her. In-ah smiled brightly and explained,
“You didn’t call me ‘Seo In-ah, staff member.’ You always used to say it like that.”
“Oh…”
Seong-jun hadn’t even realized.
“Don’t worry about confidentiality. You can trust me.”
In-ah mimed zipping her lips shut with her thumb and index finger.
“I’m more tight-lipped than I look. Well, I’ll be going now.”
As she turned to leave the break room, she suddenly spun back around, raising both fists high.
“Director, fighting!”
Caught off guard, Seong-jun mimicked her pose and shouted back,
“Fighting!”
After she left, Seong-jun’s thoughts grew tangled.
Did I… do the right thing?
He let out a small laugh, which soon turned into uncontrollable chuckles.
***
In-ah paced back and forth in her home, waiting for Jinwon.
He had messaged her to go home first, so she had, but she couldn’t stay seated for even a moment.
When Jinwon finally texted that he was home, she rushed over to his place and rang the doorbell.
The moment the door opened, she ran inside and pulled Jinwon down to sit.
“What happened? Tell me!”
“It looks like it’ll work out. It’ll take some time because of the procedures, though.”
Jinwon’s calm response only made her more suspicious.
“How?”
“The audit office received a black box video as a tip. It shows me receiving money in the underground parking lot of our office building.”
“What?”
Seeing In-ah freeze in shock, Jinwon continued explaining.
“But it happened to be that day.”
“That day?”
A mischievous glint appeared in Jinwon’s eyes.
“The day I got a little too impatient.”
“Impatient?”
When In-ah repeated his words, her face suddenly turned red.
“The day you said you weren’t ready…”
“Stop! That’s enough.”
Waving her hands frantically, she cut him off.
“I get it. I know which day it was. But what about it?”
“I submitted the CCTV footage from that day. It shows me entering my girlfriend’s house. There’s clear footage of me coming into your home.”
As she processed his words, her eyes darted around as if piecing together a puzzle.
“So, at the time the black box video supposedly shows you… the CCTV proves you were entering my house?”
Jinwon nodded.
Her eyes widened as she stared at him in astonishment.
“Then who faked it? Who manipulated the video?”
“That’s what needs to be known.”
“Who could it be?”
Jinwon shook his head, as if he didn’t know.
Lost in thought, In-ah suddenly looked up and said,
“Then I saved you, didn’t I?”
Jinwon tilted his head, puzzled, as she confidently declared,
“I gave you a solid alibi!”
“Is that how it works?”
Jinwon didn’t seem convinced, glancing at her skeptically.
“Of course! You’re not planning to just brush this off without showing gratitude, are you?”
Jinwon leaned his chin on his hand, looking directly into her eyes.
“What should I do to thank you?”
His low, suggestive tone and the way his dark pupils stared at her so closely left her flustered and unable to respond.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Jinwon’s expression stiffened as he checked the monitor. He turned back toward In-ah.
“Who is it?”
She got up and walked to the monitor. On the screen—or rather, at the door—Jeong Shin-hye was standing there.
“Just leave it. She’ll tire herself out.”
Despite Jinwon’s words, In-ah almost gasped when she saw who stepped forward behind Shin-hye.
It was Jinwon’s mother.
“Jinwon, your mom’s here.”
Jinwon quickly got up and checked the monitor himself.
“What do we do?”
In-ah asked, looking up at him worriedly.
Jinwon’s mother pressed the doorbell repeatedly, then started knocking on the door.
“Jinwon! Open the door. It’s your mom.”
Jinwon grabbed In-ah’s hand and headed toward the door.
Startled, she pulled her hand away and shook her head, looking conflicted.
Frantically looking around, she dashed to the balcony and hid there.
From her hiding spot, she waved at Jinwon to open the door.
Sighing softly, Jinwon finally opened it.
“What brings you here without calling first?”
His mother walked in with a pout.
“Do I need to call before visiting my son’s house?”
Following behind her, Shin-hye neatly arranged her shoes and chimed in eagerly,
“Of course not, Mother. You can come anytime. Right, Jinwon?”
Jinwon stayed silent, avoiding her gaze.
His mother sat on the couch and gestured for him to sit beside her.
“Jinwon, come here and sit down.”
Glancing toward the balcony, Jinwon reluctantly sat next to her.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I heard that person became your company’s Director.”
Jinwon shot Shin-hye a reproachful look, but she avoided his eyes and quietly slipped away—heading straight for the balcony.
“Jeong Shin-hye, where are you going?”
“Just getting some fresh air.”
Her casual response only made Jinwon more agitated.
“Why are you suddenly getting fresh air in someone else’s house?”
His mother intervened, scolding him.
“Leave her alone. How can you talk like that to someone who brought me here out of kindness?”
With a gentle smile, she addressed Shin-hye sweetly,
“Go ahead and take your time. I’ll talk with Jinwon.”
“Yes, Mother. Please talk comfortably.”
Jinwon had no choice but to let her go, though he looked visibly uneasy.
Oddly, Shin-hye stayed quiet on the balcony.
What’s going on?
“Jinwon, quit that company immediately. Submit your resignation tomorrow and leave.”
“No. It’s the company I chose. Why should I leave?”
Jinwon’s expression was firm and resolute.
His mother tried to reason with him again.
“Jinwon…”
“I’ve spent my life running away. I won’t do that anymore.”
Raising her voice in frustration, she asked,
“And if you don’t? What then? Are you going to keep getting hurt, breaking down, and struggling?”
“Why do you assume that’s what will happen?”
“That’s…”
She faltered, unable to answer. Jinwon sighed and spoke calmly.
“I understand why you’re worried. Of course, you’d be concerned. But my decision won’t change.”
His mother sighed deeply, looking exasperated.
Meanwhile, Jinwon cast another glance toward the balcony.
“When are you and Shin-hye going to settle down together?”
Her sudden question made Jinwon frown deeply.
“What are you talking about? I’ve told you several times, I’m not in that kind of relationship with Shin-hye. We’re just friends.”
“Just friends, huh? There’s no one like Shin-hye. Are you still going to keep spouting nonsense?”
Jinwon let out a hollow laugh, exasperated.
“Are you going to choose my marriage partner for me now?”
“Why not? Can’t I make that decision for you?”
At her words, Jinwon stared at his mother intently.
His mother’s voice grew louder as she became more agitated.
“After the accident, when they said you’d never walk again, I was the one who made you who you are today. I’m the one who endured all those difficult years. And now, I can’t even do this much for you? I’m doing it all for your own good…”
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