Chapter 3 – A Gust of Wind (Part 2)

Finally, on the verge of tears, she cursed, “Choi Dowook, you bastard.” But crying would mean losing. She didn’t want to cry because of that annoying Young Master.

I hate you too. I really hate you. Do you think I want to be your study partner, your playmate? If you don’t like it, complain to your mom. Why take it out on me? Bastard. Bad guy. Childish jerk. 

She swallowed her tears with those words.

She vowed to go straight to Nonsan as soon as she got out. She would call her father immediately and burst into tears. She would tell her grandmother and Song Yeong-joo all about Dowook’s misdeeds. Then her father and grandmother would rush here.

No matter how well the tutors taught, no matter how much money his mother gave her grandmother, she would never come back here.

She didn’t know how many curses she hurled at Dowook while inside.

It’s hot. Too hot. No matter how much she wiped her forehead, sweat kept coming. Her vision grew blurry, but she held on to her anger at Dowook to stay conscious. She cursed under her breath, curled up.

Just as her eyelids were about to close, she heard hurried footsteps. Junhee slowly lifted her head.

The closet door swung open, and bright light flooded in.

“What are you doing here, you idiot!”

The sudden insult made her feel even more miserable.

Tears welled up at the tip of her tongue, and a sharp sensation filled her eyes. A water bottle was thrown next to her. Dowook, who threw it, angrily scolded her.

“You idiot. Trying to die? I told you to stay by my side. Damn it, you don’t listen. Want to die? Want to see someone lose their mind? Like a beggar, like an idiot.”

Dowook ranted and cursed alone for a long time. Eventually, Junhee burst into tears.

“Why, why are you cursing at me? Why are you blaming me? Why, why, why…! Ugh.”

She didn’t want to cry in front of Dowook. Crying meant losing.

Even though she cried pathetically, Dowook’s eyes remained glaring at her. Feeling even more miserable under his fierce gaze, Junhee cried louder.

“Don’t cry.”

He rubbed his face with his forearm and spoke. On closer look, his face was also red and covered in sweat.

“Don’t cry, I said!”

But Dowook’s commanding words only made her feel worse.

How can I not cry, you bad guy. I won’t see you again. I’m going home. I’ll never come back here.

She sobbed, her shoulders shaking, but she wasn’t sure if Dowook understood. Dowook, filled with anger, kept repeating, “Don’t cry,” and Junhee, like a fool, kept crying and spitting out words. Dowook sweated, and Junhee cried like rain.

Heejeongwon’s staff arrived late. Among them was the boy’s older brother who had locked her up. Junhee raised her hand and pointed at him. That brother… that brother locked me up…. She mumbled through her tears, not sure if Dowook understood.

Suddenly, Dowook charged at his brother. Before anyone could stop him, he climbed on top of his brother and started punching. He mercilessly hit his stomach and legs.

The staff screamed. Startled by the commotion, Junhee stopped crying. No matter how much they tried to pull Dowook away, they couldn’t separate them.

Dowook’s brother, three years older, started hitting Dowook back. There was a noticeable difference in strength due to their size. Despite being hit, Dowook didn’t back down and kept swinging his fists and legs. Cries of pain erupted everywhere.

Finally, they stopped fighting when their grandfather appeared.

That day, Dowook received twenty cane strokes from his grandfather. For recklessly attacking his brother. For showing a disgraceful scene in front of the staff. For not admitting his wrongs to his grandfather.

The Chairman of Taesan Group cherished his youngest grandson, Choi Dowook, but couldn’t tolerate him disrupting the family’s order.

Red marks lined Dowook’s calves. He was bedridden for three days and limped for several more days.

Later, Junhee heard that while she was missing, Dowook searched every corner of the vast Heejeongwon. He reportedly stomped his feet and urged the staff to find Woo Junhee.

She heard it, but she couldn’t easily picture it. The annoying and arrogant Dowook, anxiously running around Heejeongwon, stomping his feet.

She quietly changed her mind about going straight to Nonsan.

Since she was already in Seoul. Until this summer vacation. Because Dowook was in pain. Because he was limping. That sight reminded her of her father, making her feel uneasy.

When her grandmother called to ask if everything was fine, she said everything was fine. When her father called, saying he missed his princess to death, she replied maturely, “We’ll see each other soon.”

After hanging up, she obediently brought water to Dowook as he instructed. She brought watermelon, peaches, books he wanted to read, and game consoles he wanted to play. Even though she wasn’t interested, she played the fighter jet game with him and even deboned the fish that came with lunch.

Even though it was Dowook’s brother who did wrong, for some reason, Junhee felt sorry, so she quietly became Dowook’s sidekick that vacation.

On the day she was going home, her father was limping as he carried her luggage. He chatted amiably with one of Heejeongwon’s staff as they headed to the parking lot. Junhee followed behind them when she heard her name called from a distance.

Turning around, she saw Choi Dowook.

Dowook approached her with a normal stride. Junhee’s eyes widened. Until yesterday, he was still limping, saying his calves hadn’t fully healed. So she had sat next to him, playing the boring Mario game.

Only then did Junhee realize she had been deceived by Dowook.

“Hey.”

Junhee looked at Dowook with a face full of displeasure. Dowook bluntly said,

“Come again.”

“…….”

“Come again.”

Even while saying that, his expression remained annoying and arrogant. He had a knack for making every word sound like a command.

Indeed, there was nothing in this house that didn’t go by the name ‘Choi Dowook of Taesan.’ Whenever he needed something, he would call somewhere and say, ‘I’m Choi Dowook of Taesan.’ Soon enough, whatever he needed would appear before him.

“Make sure to come.”

So that’s why he acts like this even to her.

Junhee didn’t respond and turned away. She felt a slight betrayal. She walked back towards her father. She thought she heard him say, ‘Come see me again.’ Glancing back, his face looked unusually anxious.

Suddenly, she remembered what she had said to Dowook while crying the day she was locked in the closet. That she would never come back here. That she wouldn’t have to see him anymore.

Had he been holding onto those words all this time? 

She stopped walking.

“We’ll see.”

Junhee finally replied nonchalantly. Dowook raised his eyebrows skeptically. He walked up to her with long strides.

“What are you going to see?”

“I’ll decide after seeing how you behave.”

Dowook looked puzzled. That expression didn’t suit him. He was always someone who openly showed his desires.

After contemplating for a while, Dowook grumbled,

“I’ll play whatever game you want next time.”

“…I don’t like fighter jet games.”

“Then what?”

“I don’t like Mario games or fighting games either.”

“Then what do you like?”

“…Seotda.”

“What?”

“Seotda.”

“…Are you kidding me?”

“Huh?”

“Damn it, what’s Seot—!”

Dowook’s face turned bright red. He took a step back, swore repeatedly, and then fumed, calling her a crazy girl. It was the first time Junhee saw Dowook so flustered. She didn’t understand why he was so angry.

“Do you not know Seotda? It’s a game played with Hwatu cards.”

It was a game that appeared in a movie that was a big hit a few years ago. During holidays, it was shown everywhere on TV as a special feature. Her grandmother and the people in Nonsan loved playing it. After working in the fields, they would play it in huts, at the senior center, sitting on tree stumps, sometimes in houses late at night.

Originally, they played Go-Stop, but after the movie, Seotda became popular among the elders. Kids who watched them play also often played Seotda.

Junhee didn’t want to keep playing games where Dowook always won. She was confident in Seotda.

Realizing what Junhee meant, Dowook turned his head sharply.

“I’ll play it.”

“Huh?”

“I said I’ll play it. That Seotda, damn it. Whatever, Seotda. I’ll play it.”

She saw Dowook’s ears turn red. It was strange seeing him stammer and frown, unable to meet her eyes. She didn’t know why he was so flustered, but it was amusing.

His ears look like they’re about to burst.

She finally burst into laughter. Only then did Dowook look at her again.

With a face as red as a beet, his dark eyes under his raised eyebrows stayed on her. He didn’t take his eyes off her until she stopped laughing, not feeling the heat or the embarrassment, just watching her laugh.

“See you next time.”

Junhee greeted him and turned away. As she ran towards her father, she glanced back to see him still standing there. She waved slightly. Dowook turned abruptly. With his hands in his pockets, he strode away quickly.

What a jerk.

Swallowing her complaints, she thought that the sight of him crossing the vast Heejeongwon alone somehow looked lonely.