Chapter 3 (Part 1)

Back in Seoul, a few days later, In-ah visited Jinseong Hotel where her younger brother worked. This time, her brother, who had a day off, her sister, and even her parents were all present. It was to celebrate their mother’s birthday.

“Why come to such an expensive place? It costs a lot of money.”

Her mother kept repeating the same words while marveling at the course meals.

“I wonder if our regulars will be disappointed when they come.”

Her father was worried about the restaurant, which they decided to close for the day. In-ah’s parents had been running the restaurant together for a long time, working even on holidays. Today was a rare occasion that the three siblings had managed to arrange after much persuasion. Though her father’s worried expression was concerning, seeing her mother so happy brought a smile to In-ah’s face as well.

After finishing their meal and while waiting for dessert, In-ah excused herself to go to the restroom, leaving the restaurant room.

“Oh my? Who is this?”

Hearing a familiar voice, In-ah closed her eyes tightly, immediately recognizing who it was. Despite her efforts to avoid this woman at the Milan Hotel, they had met again like this.

“I thought our paths would never cross, but this is unexpected.”

Shin-hye approached In-ah with a curious smile.

“Who?”

The middle-aged woman next to Shin-hye showed interest. Shin-hye linked arms with the woman and spoke in a nasal voice, as if they were close.

“Oh, mother! I told you about her, the…”

She whispered into the woman’s ear, unlike when she had loudly picked a fight in the hallway from  before. In-ah sighed in front of them.

The middle-aged woman’s eyes widened after hearing Shin-hye’s whisper. She then approached In-ah and stared intently at her face.

Startled, In-ah avoided the middle-aged woman’s gaze and asked,

“Why are you doing this?”

“Are you the one who dumped my son?”

In-ah, shocked, met the eyes of the middle-aged woman. 

Was this woman Jinwon’s mother?

“I’ve always been curious about what kind of person would do such a terrible thing.”

In-ah was so taken aback and surprised by Jinwon’s mother’s reaction that she couldn’t close her mouth. Shin-hye raised the corners of her mouth endlessly, as if finding In-ah’s reaction amusing.

“Well, she doesn’t look like much. Mother! Since I’ve lost my appetite, why don’t we move to a place with good pasta? I’ll take you there.”

In-ah felt like smoke was rising from her head. This must be what it feels like to be furious. Just as In-ah was regaining her composure and about to speak,

“Ack!!”

“Oh my, what is this!!”

Shin-hye and Jinwon’s mother, covered in food, screamed loudly. Startled, In-ah turned around to see In-kyung, expressionless, brushing off the remaining food from her hands.  

Somehow, In-kyung had come out of the room and thrown a dish from the cart at the two women. Shin-hye, with food covering her clothes, face, and hair, glared fiercely.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“What are you doing?”

In-kyung, dealing with Shin-hye, even exuded a sense of ease. Jinwon’s mother, seemingly at a loss for words, just kept sighing.

“I thought you weren’t human since you don’t seem to know basic courtesy.”

“Who are you?”

“You seem quite curious for someone who doesn’t look like it. No need to know.”

Unable to watch any longer, In-ah intervened.

“Sister, please stop.”

Hearing this, Shin-hye exploded.

“What? Sister? Hey!”

“Why do you have to point your finger at the end of every sentence? So uncultured.”

Seeing the confident In-kyung, Shin-hye couldn’t contain her anger and kept huffing.

“This is ridiculous. You’ve picked the wrong person to mess with.”

“I didn’t pick anyone. Did you pick someone, In-ah? A thoughtless person who doesn’t know basic courtesy?”

“Hey!!”

“What!!”

Just as the two were about to confront each other, In-ah and Jinwon’s mother barely managed to intervene. Defeated in the verbal battle, Shin-hye reluctantly left with Jinwon’s mother.

Finally, In-ah sighed and looked at In-kyung with a reproachful expression. In-kyung, looking embarrassed, started wiping the scattered food remnants on the floor with a napkin. In-ah, with a worried frown, spoke to In-kyung in a lamenting tone.

“She’s a noisy person. What if she reports this to your school?”

“Should I just stand by while my sister is being mistreated? That’s not how I was raised.”

“I have nothing to say.”

“Good, you’ve thought it through.”

“Sister!”

Startled, In-kyung flinched and put on a serious expression.

“Lower your voice, dear. Mom and Dad might hear.”

In-ah, feeling exasperated, gave up and sat next to In-kyung. They began cleaning together.

“But who was that lady earlier? With her son…”

In-kyung suddenly stopped speaking. Someone had appeared in front of In-ah and In-kyung. The person exuded an aura that made even In-kyung pause.

“Director!”

In-ah’s exclamation, almost like a scream, surprised In-kyung even more.

“Who is he?”

Curious, In-kyung poked In-ah’s side, and In-ah reluctantly whispered.

“He’s the director at our company.”

In-kyung, using deep breathing, barely managed to suppress her exclamation.

“Clean this up. You can’t have guests cleaning.”

Seong-jun, with a voice befitting his title as director, instructed the staff. At Seong-jun’s words, not only the accompanying staff but also the restaurant staff moved in perfect unison.

“Why is the director so young? Amazing!”

In-kyung couldn’t hide her pleased smile and whispered into In-ah’s ear. In-ah mumbled like a ventriloquist.

“He might hear you.”

“Why is he also so handsome?”

At that moment, a voice broke the tension that filled the hallway.

“Are you going to live here?”

It was their younger brother, In-woo.

“What are you two doing here, leaving Mom and Dad?”

“We’re going in.”

In-ah and In-kyung awkwardly bowed to Director Lee Seong-jun and headed back to the room. Seong-jun, who followed their retreating figures with his gaze, smiled contentedly. He had heard In-kyung’s whispering.

“That young lady knows something.”

***

Back home, In-ah couldn’t shake off the words of Jinwon’s mother that kept echoing in her mind late into the night.

‘Are you the one who dumped my son?’

Did Jinwon say that? Is that why his mother mistakenly believes her son was dumped? Why? 

Her thoughts kept stopping at that point.

To clear her mind, In-ah went out for some late-night convenience store shopping. Opening the convenience store refrigerator, she picked up a cold bottle of soju with a satisfied expression, but then she paused. She had locked eyes with Jinwon, who was closing the refrigerator door next to hers. In-ah threw a gaze into the air, feigning ignorance.

Clearly pretending not to know him, In-ah completed her purchase and left the convenience store. As she hurriedly dragged her slippers along, Jinwon, who had followed her out, quickly caught up. Walking beside In-ah, Jinwon asked without looking at her.

“Should I pretend not to know you too? Oh, the wish ticket!”

As if just remembering, Jinwon slowed his pace and fell behind In-ah. With a sulky expression, In-ah stopped dragging her slippers.

Jinwon, following In-ah’s brisk steps, fell into thought. When he returned to Korea after studying abroad, there were countless companies that wanted him. Among all those options, it was Jinwon who chose the company where In-ah worked.

Now, after seven long years had passed, it wasn’t that he had any particular intentions. He just wanted to see her. That was all.

But he hadn’t expected to run into In-ah at this officetel. It was supposed to be a temporary place while waiting for his apartment to be ready, but he met In-ah, whom he had longed to see, here.

In the end, Jinwon decided to stay at the officetel instead of moving to the apartment.

While waiting for the elevator at the officetel, In-ah repeatedly chanted internally, “Come quickly, come quickly!” but the elevator cruelly ignored her pleas. It was only when Jinwon arrived at the elevator that it finally came. The two ended up riding the elevator together.

Jinwon raised his hand and pressed the elevator floor button. The sight of Jinwon’s finger in a cast caught In-ah’s attention.

“When will you take off the cast?”

At In-ah’s curt question, Jinwon widened his eyes and looked at her, even shrugging his shoulders as if puzzled. With an incredulous expression, In-ah asked again.

“What are you doing now?”

Finally, Jinwon raised his eyebrows and, as if he didn’t understand, spoke.

“You’re getting involved with me now. Are you sure you want to ask that?”

“Never mind.”

In-ah barely suppressed a sarcastic laugh. Jinwon, after a brief pause, spoke as if doing her a favor.

“Don’t worry. It’s not long now.”

“Goodness. Who’s worried? You sure are presumptuous.”

Jinwon smiled slightly, as if finding In-ah’s reaction interesting. Though he quickly concealed his smile with a serious expression, In-ah didn’t see Jinwon’s genuine reaction.

In-ah, keeping her gaze fixed on the changing elevator floors, clenched her teeth.

‘Ignore it, please.’

Thus, In-ah decided to bury her curiosity about Jinwon’s mother. There was no point in trying to figure out the reason now; nothing would change.