Chapter 18

“Why are you… here…?”

“That’s what I want to ask you.”

At the hotel lobby, Kiwon and Jiyeon met again. Kiwon, who’d apparently just come back from outside, was holding a convenience store bag, and Jiyeon stood with her suitcase, talking on the phone.

It was the first time they’d seen each other since meeting at court over the divorce. About a year, maybe? She’d expected to run into him eventually since Eunjae still worked at his company, but hadn’t thought it would be a year later.

“Did you come following Assistant Manager Shin?”

Assistant Manager Shin… Jiyeon wondered who he meant. When she realized he was referring to her sister, she felt a strange emotion. From the start of their marriage, Eunjae had always been “sister-in-law” to Kiwon. Had enough time passed for that title to change? Jiyeon gave a bittersweet smile.

“Yeah. Eunjae asked me to come with her.”

“Really? She didn’t mention you were coming… Have you been waiting here the whole time?”

Kiwon approached Jiyeon naturally and grabbed her suitcase, as if to carry it for her. Some things never changed, even after divorce. Jiyeon saw his habitual gesture and quickly took her bag back from him.

“Isn’t it a bit much for the President to be so relaxed when a team member got hurt?”

Jiyeon changed the subject, and Kiwon gave her a puzzled look.

“Team member?”

“Yeah. I called Eunjae, and she said Wooseok got hurt and is in the ER.”

“What?”

Seeing Kiwon’s reaction, Jiyeon realized why he was leisurely spending time here. He must not have been informed. Always a beat late, just like before. Jiyeon gave another bittersweet smile.

“Guess he didn’t want you to worry.”

“Still, that’s no excuse. I’ll call.”

Kiwon pulled out his phone and looked at Jiyeon as if to ask for her understanding.

“Wait here a moment. Don’t go anywhere.”

Jiyeon almost said she had nowhere to go anyway, but stopped herself. She watched Kiwon walk toward the hotel entrance to make a call. Had he lost weight? His face looked more gaunt than a year ago. His clothes were a mess without her to look after him. As she was sizing him up, Kiwon glanced over at her. Jiyeon quickly bowed her head like someone caught doing something wrong.

Her heart thudded. She didn’t know why she was pretending not to notice him, but she didn’t want him to know she’d been watching. It wouldn’t change anything, but somehow it felt pathetic. She hated looking pitiful, even after the divorce.

“Sorry. You waited a long time, didn’t you?”

By then, Kiwon had finished his call and ran over to her. Five minutes, maybe? He was the kind of man who apologized for even that short wait—at least to Shin Jiyeon. It was that kind of heartfelt consideration that had made her so happy she married him, but things ended as they did. Jiyeon tried to act cool and ignored his caring words, focusing only on her business.

“So, which hospital is it?”

“Aewol area. I’m heading there now. What about you?”

Jiyeon hesitated. If she went, she’d have to ride with Kiwon. She didn’t have a rental car, and it felt silly to take a taxi alone just to avoid him. The worst would be hiding out in the hotel while her sister’s best friend was hurt, just to avoid her ex-husband.

“I should go too.”

“Yeah. It’s better to go together anyway.”

Kiwon pulled Jiyeon’s suitcase toward himself again.

“I’ll carry it.”

“What?”

They squabbled over the suitcase once more.

“Why are you carrying my stuff? We’re nothing to each other now.”

Jiyeon blurted out her piece and strode out of the hotel lobby ahead of Kiwon. Watching her walk away, Kiwon let out a hollow laugh. Where would Shin Jiyeon go anyway? He snapped back to his senses and followed his ex-wife.

“What, did a war break out? Why is everyone here…”

Wooseok, having almost finished his IV and stopped the bleeding, looked around at the crowd. Anyone would think a major accident had happened. The ER nurse was visibly flustered when so many people showed up. For a patient who only needed a simple stitch, everyone was checking his condition as if it were a disaster, to the point the nurse sighed in exasperation.

“Jung Wooseok, you’re more important than any war.”

Jiyeon replied shamelessly, her face unchanging. Embarrassed by her sister, Eunjae gripped her coat for a moment. She couldn’t understand why Kiwon had brought Jiyeon along just for a painkiller shot.

It wasn’t easy for divorced people to gather like this. No one had left because of an affair, so there wasn’t anything to be truly ashamed of, but they’d signed the papers and hadn’t met in a year. Yet the two walked into the ER together as if they’d seen each other yesterday. Eunjae was so confused she wondered if she was seeing things.

“Let’s please go now. I’m too embarrassed to stay any longer.”

Wooseok pushed through the group and led the way out. Eunjae, Jiyeon, Kiwon, and Minhyuk followed. Minhyuk was belatedly introduced to Jiyeon. When he greeted her politely, Jiyeon remarked on his good looks and even walked beside him, knowing her ex-husband was right behind.

“How tall are you?”

“Oh, me? About one eighty-eight centimeters.”

Minhyuk answered Jiyeon’s question politely.

“Wow. You’re really tall. You could be a model.”

“Intern Ju.”

Suddenly, Kiwon called out to Minhyuk from the back.

“Yes? Oh, President!”

“You can drive that car, right?”

Kiwon gestured toward Wooseok’s approaching car.

“Yes, I’ll drive.”

“Then I’ll ride in that car too.”

Jiyeon hurried over and got into the front passenger seat of Wooseok’s car. Kiwon watched with disbelief. It was fine when he couldn’t see her, but seeing her now drove him crazy. The woman who’d made him stare silently out the window all the way here was now bright and cheerful in front of others. How was he supposed to keep up? Kiwon felt his nerves fraying.

“Then I’ll take this car.”

Eunjae, sensing the situation, joined Kiwon. Wooseok grabbed her clothes and pulled her back.

“Where are you going? You need to take care of me.”

“What?”

Before Eunjae could react, Wooseok shoved her into the back seat of his car. After locking her in, he glanced at Kiwon, as if asking if he’d be alright alone. Was he trying to leave someone out? Kiwon irritably opened the car door and drove off with a roar.

“Look at that twisted personality.”

Watching Kiwon’s car, Jiyeon muttered. Minhyuk, in the driver’s seat, looked puzzled. Even if she was Eunjae’s sister, she seemed awfully informal and comfortable with the company president.

“Oh, I didn’t explain, did I?”

Jiyeon immediately caught on to Minhyuk’s thoughts.

“President Han Kiwon is my ex-husband.”

“…What?”

Minhyuk looked like he’d been hit. Wooseok, watching, let out a snort. Eunjae poked his side, telling him not to laugh, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“Oh, no!”

Minhyuk waved his hands, denying it.

“It’s fine. I’m really uncomfortable too.”

Jiyeon laughed as if she’d reached enlightenment. Eunjae could only shake her head again at her incorrigible sister. The only one enjoying this was Jung Wooseok, who’d just gotten stitches in his shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

“I told you, I’m not.”

Jiyeon answered, spreading her suitcase out under the bed. Her face looked so peaceful for someone who claimed to be unwell that Eunjae didn’t know what else to ask. What could she do, anyway? It had already happened. No one could be sent away now. Eunjae dropped her bag and sank onto the sofa, exhausted.

“How about you?”

Jiyeon took out her cleansing foam and started removing her makeup.

“Me?”

“Yeah. You must’ve been really shocked when Wooseok got hurt.”

That was true. He was the one injured, but Eunjae’s whole body felt sore and achy. She must have been too tense. He’d walked into the hotel room just fine, but she was the one worn out.

“I bet the injured guy was more shocked than me.”

Jiyeon tilted her head at Eunjae’s reply.

“Really?”

“Even if he seems fine now, who knows later.”

“So you’re worried?”

Jiyeon smiled slightly, as if she had something in mind.

“Isn’t that obvious? …He’s my friend. And he got hurt because of me.”

“What?”

Jiyeon, as if she’d stumbled upon some juicy gossip, suddenly stood up and approached Eunjae. Her sister’s face was smeared with cleansing cream. She had even removed her eye makeup, making her look a bit frightening. Eunjae instinctively stepped back and got up from her seat.

“Can I wash up first?”

Eunjae pulled out her toiletries pouch from her suitcase.

“What about dinner?”

“Ah…….”

She was so distracted that she’d forgotten about eating. Originally, she’d planned to have a simple meal near the hotel with Wooseok. But unexpected members had joined, and with the unforeseen accident, it seemed tonight’s dinner would have to be skipped.

Just then, a clear bell rang at Eunjae’s room door.

“Who could that be?”

“Go check.”

Jiyeon pointed to her own face and asked Eunjae to do it. Eunjae quietly asked at the door,

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

The voice beyond the door was familiar. Eunjae quickly opened the door. He had changed out of his blood-stained clothes and was dressed comfortably, but his shoulder was wrapped in a bandage, making that side bulge out. Eunjae’s gaze naturally drifted there.

“Do you need anything?”

“No. Let’s eat.”

Wooseok gestured with his eyes toward his room, signaling that the others were coming.

“The President says he’ll treat us to Jeju black pork.”

“Hey, what treating. He’s charging it to the company card.”

Kiwon’s grumbling voice came closer, and Minhyuk followed behind him. Eunjae knew she had to join this dinner, but she couldn’t help but worry about her sister.

“You three just go. My sister’s here too…….”

Wooseok raised his voice toward the inside of the room.

“Noona, do you want black pork?”

“Oh, I’d love that!”

Freshly washed Jiyeon greeted him cheerfully. When she spotted the rest of the group, she hesitated briefly, but soon grabbed her small bag as if to show she wouldn’t be bothered. And so, once again, an awkward gathering was set.