Chapter 9 (Part 1)

Seongtae was riding in the Chairwoman’s car with his son, Kyung-soo.  

Seated in the front, he was watching the Chairwoman in the back seat.  

In the middle of a phone call, Seongtae suddenly made a fuss, yelling at the driver,  

“I’m going to go! Stop the car! You’re so stubborn.”  

The driver glanced at the Chairwoman through the rearview mirror. Without looking, the Chairwoman nodded.  

Only then did the car stop. Seongtae hurriedly opened the door and ran toward the bushes.  

“Dad!”  

“I’ll be right back. Wait for me, okay?”  

The Chairwoman sighed.  

“Tell Seongtae to take the next car.”  

“Yes, Chairwoman.”  

The driver informed Seongtae by phone to take the next car, then immediately drove off.  

As the car left, Seongtae emerged from the bushes, stomping his feet. He quickly called Seong-jun.  

“Hyung, what should I do? Mom’s heading to the columbarium.”  

• You couldn’t even buy some time? Forget it.  

Seong-jun hung up. Seongtae called out desperately,  

“Hyung! Hyung!”  

Frustrated, he shouted,  

“What am I supposed to do if they just leave? Damn it, why did he show up so early, damn it!”

Jinwon was performing a memorial service with his mother at the columbarium. It was his father’s death anniversary.  

After the service, he packed up the offerings.  

“Mom, I’m heading to the restroom.”  

“Take your time. I’ll be down first after stopping by the office.”  

“Okay.”  

Carrying the bag with the offerings, he started down the hill.  

Just then, Kyung-soo, who was running up, tripped and fell.  

Startled, Jinwon rushed over and helped him up. Recognizing him first, Jinwon said,  

“Oh? Hello. We meet again.”  

Kyung-soo nodded silently in greeting.  

“What brings you here?”  

“I came with Grandma.”  

With a sullen expression, Kyung-soo asked,  

“What are you doing here?”  

“I came with my Mom, too.”  

The Chairwoman approached them. Jinwon bowed in greeting.  

The Chairwoman glanced at the bulging bag Jinwon was holding.  

“Did you come to pay respects too?”

“Yes.”  

“This is a place where you gather the sorrow of not being able to see loved ones.”

Jinwon nodded slowly in agreement and bowed.  

“If we can, let’s meet again. I’m leaving.”  

As the Chairwoman and Kyung-soo walked back up, the Chairwoman suddenly stopped with a hardened expression.  

Standing some distance away, facing them, was Jinwon’s mother, her expression equally cold.  

“Why are you here?”  

The Chairwoman’s sharp words pierced her.  

She answered calmly, unfazed by his presence,  

“Even if you don’t acknowledge it, I’m Seong-ha’s wife.”  

“Shameless.”  

She didn’t back down.  

“Why am I shameless?”  

“What?”  

“Have I ever asked you for anything? No. I’ve never done anything to deserve your criticism either.”  

The Chairwoman glared at her silently.  

Their gazes clashed like sparks.  

Without taking her eyes off her, she warned,  

“Don’t let me see you again.”

She let out a hollow laugh,  

“Just bear with it. I won’t deliberately appear before you.”  

Suppressing her rising anger, the Chairwoman took a deep breath.  

“You’ve always been like this. Never losing an argument. So stubborn.”  

At that moment, her phone rang. It was a call from Jinwon.  

“Yes, I’m coming down now.”  

After hanging up, she spoke dryly to the Chairwoman,  

“Then take care of Seong-ha.”  

She bowed slightly and walked past her.  

The Chairwoman took deep breaths, trying to calm her anger without looking back.  

As Seong-jun approached the Chairwoman, he noticed her.  

When she passed by Seong-jun, he turned his head to watch her retreating figure.  

His gaze was icy, as if it could freeze anything it met.  

***  

In-ah and Hye-yoon were busy preparing to leave the office. They packed their bags and documents and stood up.  

“For today’s meeting, only Hye-yoon should go.”  

At Jinwon’s sudden remark, she and Hye-yoon exchanged glances.  

Hye-yoon shrugged, as if she didn’t know why, and followed Jinwon out.  

Today’s meeting was with the Corners Hotel. Jinwon wanted to avoid unnecessary encounters, possibly with Shin-hye.  

Staying at the office to work, she was focused at the printer.  

Seong-jun approached her.  

“Seo In-ah, a moment please.”  

At his gesture, she followed him into the hallway.  

He hesitated, watching her.  

Unlike his usual self, he seemed hesitant, so she patiently waited.  

“Do you have plans the day after tomorrow evening?”  

“Me? No. Do you have something for me?”  

“Well…”  

He seemed to make a decision and spoke,  

“There’s a Jinseong Group anniversary event…”  

“Jinseong Group?”  

“Since we’re handling the Jinseong Resort project…”  

She focused intently on his eyes. He avoided her gaze and quickly said,  

“I’d like you to attend.”  

“Me? Alone?”  

“Of course, I’ll be there too.”  

“I don’t think I can. Can’t someone else go?”  

His brows furrowed noticeably.  

“Aren’t you the Jinseong Resort project manager? If you don’t attend, Team Leader Lee Jinwon might face difficulties.”  

Her expression grew complicated. But she quickly responded,  

“Then I’ll attend.”  

His face brightened instantly, voice noticeably louder.  

“Great. It’ll be beneficial for the project’s progress.”  

This time, she asked him seriously,  

“But, it’s not a formal event where I need to wear a dress, right?”  

“Of course not.”  

Seeing her worried face, he smiled happily.  

***  

On the way home from work.  

As Jinwon, In-ah, and the other employees stepped outside the building, loud music suddenly shook the ground. It was unmistakably celebratory music.  

Confused, the employees looked around.  

Shin-hye, holding a bouquet as big as herself, ran toward Jinwon.  

“Jinwon, congratulations! It’s our 3rd anniversary since we met!”  

The employees stared at him, mouths agape. He, however, looked at Shin-hye with a blank expression.  

In-ah watched him with a bittersweet smile.  

“Ta-da~”  

As the trunk of a nearby car opened, balloons floated into the sky.  

The banner rising with the trunk read, ‘Jinwon♡Shin-hye, Our Love Forever.’  

It was practically a public declaration of their relationship.  

The employees focused intently on Jinwon’s reaction. They wondered how he would respond.

But he didn’t say a word to Shin-hye.  

He simply looked at her silently, then walked past her.  

“Jinwon!”  

Panicked, Shin-hye hurriedly chased after him.  

Watching the two from a distance, the employees’ eyes widened. Shin-hye seemed to be clinging to his arm, pleading.  

“Team Leader Lee is strong. A strong man.”  

Sang-wook nodded in agreement, giving a thumbs up. Then, Seong-jun’s voice came from the side,  

“Team Leader Lee doesn’t know how to do business.”  

The employees turned their attention to Seong-jun, who walked away with a blank expression.  

Sang-wook immediately agreed with him.  

“Right. It’s not good for relations with Corners.”  

Hye-yoon couldn’t hold back and interjected,  

“Come on, would they drag personal matters into work?”

“Rejecting an owner’s advances? It’s bound to make things difficult.”  

“Is that so?”  

Listening to their conversation, In-ah’s expression wasn’t great either.  

***  

Standing side by side in the convenience store, they filled their baskets.  

She glanced at him,  

“Aren’t you being too harsh on Jeong Shin-hye? You have a history together.”  

“We never built anything.”

His response was immediate. Surprised, she asked,  

“Really? None?”  

He nodded as if it were obvious.  

“Then why did you keep her around for three years? You kept her close all that time.”  

“Well…”  

He hesitated, stopping when he saw her eager eyes waiting for an answer.  

Seeing his closed lips, she narrowed her eyes.  

“You must’ve been worried about hurting her. You’re too soft-hearted…”  

Feeling exposed, he rubbed under his nose with a finger and quickly changed the subject.  

“Shall we have a drink today? At my place.”  

“You can’t even drink. What do you mean, a drink?”

“Your place is fine too.”  

“No thanks. Let’s have a meal together next time.”

She headed to the counter with her basket. He followed closely,  

“When’s next time?”

She turned to him with a face that seemed ready to burst into laughter.  

Was he always this cute? Yes, he was always cute,  even back then.  

Reaching their respective doors, he hesitated, glancing at her as she entered her door code.  

“Oh no!”  

At his sudden exclamation, she turned to him.  

“What?”  

“I forgot the code.”  

“What?”  

She was so dumbfounded she was speechless. This was a habit for him.  

“Wait a moment.”  

She pulled out her phone to find the locksmith’s number.  

“Mister, I forgot the code here…”  

• I’m on a business trip.  

“When will you be back?”  

• Not for a while.  

“What? Mister! Mister!”  

The locksmith hung up suspiciously fast. As she puzzled over this, his phone chimed with a text.  

Checking it, he urgently said,  

“It’s Jeong Shin-hye. She’s coming here. Can you hide me?”  

“Why not just talk to her?”  

“I already did earlier.”  

She crossed her arms, studying his face.  

Growing anxious, he showed her the text,  

“She’s at the elevator. She’ll be up soon. Let’s just avoid her today, okay?”  

Sighing, she opened her door, and he quickly followed her inside.  

He cautiously took off his shoes and entered,  

“Sorry for intruding.”  

She laughed at his antics. 

How had he restrained his playful side all this time?  

She pressed her ear to the door, listening intently.  

Meanwhile, he comfortably leaned back on the sofa, turning on the TV with the remote.  

Finding nothing outside, she turned back inside. He casually suggested,  

“Shall we have ramen?”  

She snorted.  

“That’s an old story. It’s been at least 20 years.”

Feigning shock, he covered his mouth with his hand,  

“What are you thinking?”  

Embarrassed, her face turned red. She pulled out her phone.  

“I’ll call another locksmith. Get out, oppa.”  

“No way!”  

He rushed over, trying to grab her phone. She didn’t let him take it easily.  

In the ensuing struggle, his sudden cry froze them both.  

Startled, she looked at his hand.  

“Did you hurt the same spot as before?”  

“Ow! Ow!”  

“Does it hurt? Where exactly?”  

She anxiously examined his fingers. Watching her, he suddenly spread his arms wide,  

“I think a hug would help.”  

Startled and annoyed, she slapped his chest.  

“You scared me! You’re so funny!”

Clutching his chest where she hit him, he grimaced,  

“Ouch! It hurts! Just one hug.”  

Jinwon approached In-ah with open arms. She ran away to avoid him. With arms wide open, he chased her, and she ran from him, creating an unexpected chase around the house. It was a chase filled with laughter, not tension.

“What is this, a game of ‘catch me if you can’?”

While running, Jinwon’s arm hit a box on the dresser, knocking it over.

‘Crash!’  

The loud noise came from a box of accessories spilling onto the floor. Only then did their chase come to an end.  

Panting from running around, she headed to the kitchen.  

“I’ll make ramen. You have to eat before you go, okay?”  

“I’ll think about it after eating the ramen.”  

Jinwon, with a playful smile, began picking up the scattered accessories and putting them back into the box.  

He picked up a necklace, earrings, and then a rolling bead from the floor.  

Suddenly, he paused. He had found another identical bead on the floor.  

He took out the bead he had just put in and couldn’t take his eyes off the two identical beads.