Side Story 2.4

“I don’t like people who break promises.”

But now, Junhee’s voice was firm. 

Had she forgotten how often she used to break promises with me in the past?

No conscience at all, my girlfriend.

“I don’t care whether you keep your promises or not.”

Well, maybe she did have a sliver of conscience. As if reminded of something, Junhee averted her gaze, her eyes darting as if she were searching for the right words to persuade him.

“…I like men who work hard.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. 

That was the best she could come up with?

No conscience, no creativity, no memory, and utterly shameless. Yet, he had been hopelessly in love with Woo Junhee for nearly ten years. Dowook pressed his lips to her shoulder and chuckled.

“Don’t laugh. I’m serious.”

“Want to know what my type is?”

“Me, obviously.”

“How shameless.”

Even as she said that, Junhee’s shy glance away, embarrassed by her own bold words, made him feel like he was going to lose his mind from how much he loved her. He kissed her neck softly, but Junhee’s response was blunt.

“The Chairman would probably be happy to see you working hard at university.”

Sigh…. Dowook exhaled deeply onto her shoulder.

Even after realizing that Dowook’s mother had tried to use her for selfish purposes, the ever-kind Woo Junhee couldn’t bring herself to completely sever her affection for his mother. Even a month ago, when Song Yeong-joo had invited both Dowook and Junhee to a meal under the pretense of goodwill, Junhee had simply said, “Thank you,” with polite gratitude.

Dowook’s cunning mother undoubtedly understood Junhee’s deep-seated desire for maternal approval. Recently, she had begun using Junhee again to try to control Dowook.

Of course, his mother probably believed she could manipulate Dowook through Junhee.

In reality, Dowook was empowering Junhee. He was letting the people of Taesan Group know that the only person who could control him was Woo Junhee. That the only person he would listen to was Junhee.

This ensured that no one at Heejeongwon would dare treat Woo Junhee disrespectfully.

“Fine, if Woo Junhee says so.”

What choice did he have? If Junhee wanted to be his Princess Pyeonggang, then he’d gladly be her Ondal.

“I’ll attend my lectures diligently.”

With a theatrical sigh, Dowook let Junhee go from his embrace. He knew well that for Junhee’s words to carry weight within the Taesan family, he needed to faithfully follow her advice.

“I’ll go, so praise me when I get back.”

Yet, he couldn’t entirely suppress his twisted nature, speaking in his characteristic arrogant tone. Suddenly, Junhee broke into a bright, innocent laugh.

“You’re really… like a dog sometimes. A big dog.”

Not particularly fond of the nickname, Dowook’s eyebrow arched slightly. But then he barked, “Woof, woof,” as if ready to play along whenever Junhee asked.

Junhee laughed, dimples forming on her cheeks. Like she was playing with a dog, she reached out to pat Dowook’s head. Dowook willingly lowered his head to her hand. If he could, he’d even put a leash on himself and hand it to her, but Junhee seemed content with just stroking his hair, her clear laughter filling the air.

Dowook etched that laughter deep into his memory. It was a sound he never wanted to lose again.

***

[Junhee, I’ve been thinking about this a lot before saying it….]

It was at the central library.

[There’s a rumor that Choi Dowook and Joo Ha-yeon from the business school are seeing each other again.]

The message appeared on Junhee’s phone while she was in the restroom, having left it behind in a rush.

[They were rumored to be dating last year too.]

At the time, Dowook had just woken up from a nap, having fallen asleep beside Junhee while she studied.

[They’re often seen together, and their families know each other. I was worried you’d get hurt….]

Resting his chin on his arm, he lazily blinked at the messages popping up on the screen.

[They’ve been close since forever…. Someone from Joo Ha-yeon’s group told me Choi Dowook has a bad reputation when it comes to women—]

The rest of the message was cut off as the screen went dark.

Dowook let out a short, sharp breath. A few students nearby glanced at him, but he paid them no mind, sitting up and running a hand through his hair. His brief smile quickly faded. Scanning the library with an irritated gaze, his eyes landed on the entrance where Woo Junhee was walking in.

Holding two cans of drinks, Junhee spotted him awake and smiled brightly. When Junhee smiled, Dowook smiled too. Raising his hand in a casual greeting, he waved at her while suppressing his rising anger, carefully maintaining a gentle expression.

After Junhee finished her studies, they ate together at the campus cafeteria. She teased him for sleeping instead of reading the book he was supposed to, and Dowook quietly accepted her scolding while playing with her curly hair.

Afterward, he helped her with her assignments. Teaching her how to use Excel, which she struggled with, he patiently guided her through the program. They attended their respective lectures, and afterward, he picked her up, drove her to the Han River, and they rode bikes together.

At a convenience store they stopped by, they bumped into some of Junhee’s classmates. While they laughed and chatted with Junhee, they occasionally glanced at Dowook. When their eyes met his, their expressions stiffened awkwardly.

Staring at them intently, Dowook smirked. His eyes didn’t smile, but his lips curled upward, creating a strange expression.

Reading the disdain in his gaze, the classmates visibly flinched. Dowook paid for their items, covering the cost of various snacks and drinks, which added up to a considerable amount. Some thanked him, while others awkwardly protested, saying he didn’t need to do that. In response, Dowook gave them a faint smile.

“I just want to make a good impression on my girlfriend.”

They awkwardly smiled again at his words.

“If there’s something you want to eat next time, let me know. I’ll buy it for you. Please take good care of Junhee.”

Dowook disliked them—both the men and the women. The men annoyed him with the way they constantly eyed Woo Junhee, and the women irritated him by stealing Junhee’s attention and time away from him.

But they were Junhee’s friends. He knew that being cold and dismissive toward them would upset Junhee, so he tried his best to maintain a polite demeanor and treat them appropriately. Still, it seemed he couldn’t completely hide his disdain, and they found him difficult to approach.

Perhaps his cold and indifferent attitude toward them was too obvious. Sometimes, they even seemed afraid of him. This wasn’t surprising, considering there had been times when he acted on impulse—toward those who approached him with suspicious intentions while Junhee wasn’t around, or those who tried to get close to Junhee when he wasn’t present.

Dowook’s dislike for them wasn’t just because they took Junhee’s time and attention away from him. It went beyond that—they often crossed the line.

‘Be careful, Junhee. If you get too involved with someone like Choi Dowook, you might end up with a broken heart.’

‘He’s not just good-looking; he’s too flashy. I’m sure there are plenty of girls trying to get close to him, whether you know it or not. There have even been rumors. Men who look like that never fail to live up to their looks.’

‘And he’s rich, isn’t he? Guys like that are usually fickle and have all the right conditions to attract women. Just wait until he graduates and enters the real world—it’ll be even worse. A short-term relationship might be fine, but don’t fall too deep. You’re still new to college, so you might not know, but his reputation last year wasn’t great.’

He was well aware of the things people said to Junhee, encouraging her not to trust him, not to give him her heart, and to always be ready to walk away. 

Junhee had never openly mentioned these things to him, but Dowook, who was hypersensitive to anything related to her, knew all too well about the malicious rumors surrounding her.

The thought of it twisted his stomach again. The reason he had been indifferent and detached toward them was simply because they weren’t Woo Junhee. The reason he had spent last year drowning in alcohol and cigarettes, neglecting his studies, and living carelessly was because Junhee hadn’t been by his side.

Now that Junhee was with him, he wasn’t like that anymore. He endured and worked hard to earn her affection.

‘Choi Dowook’s temper is no joke. Not long after he started college, he got into a fight at a bar with three upperclassmen and ended up at the police station. And that wasn’t the only incident—there were several others. But despite all that, women still flock to him. I’ve even heard there are girls who approach him knowing he’s with Woo Junhee. With someone like Choi Dowook, how long do you think they’ll last?’

If such words ever reached Junhee’s ears, Dowook would sit in front of her, resting his face on her lap, and say, ‘I was like that because you weren’t there.’ He would pretend to be pitiful.

‘I was so afraid of losing you back then that I couldn’t see anything else. But now that you’re here, I’m not like that anymore. You know that, right? You’re the only one for me. Nothing else matters—everything else is just a bother.’

He would confess his feelings to her as if begging for forgiveness, and then, behind her back, he would subtly torment the ones who spread those rumors.

He wanted to crush anything and anyone that tried to come between them. No matter how much he stomped them down, though, they never completely disappeared.