CHAPTER 10 – Sweet & Sour Pork (Part 1)

Haewon, who had been fidgeting, entered the room following the guidance of the employee. Sehyun turned around in surprise.

“Sis. Ah…….”

Haewon’s face lit up when she spotted Seo-yeon, but her expression darkened quickly when she spotted Sehyun.

“Since you two already know each other, I’ll skip the introductions. Please, have a seat, Haewon.”

Seo-yeon gestured to the seat next to Sehyun and spoke to Haewon. People call this a triangular confrontation. She never imagined she would experience such a thing with her younger sister.

“Oh, Haewon… Uh… How did you…?”

Sehyun, sitting across from her, stammered with a confused look on his face.

“I’m sorry for inviting you to dinner and then creating this situation. Still, I thought we should address it at least once.”

As a staff member approached and placed a glass of water in front of Haewon, Seo-yeon waited until the employee left before speaking again.

“I’m not the kind of person who will pretend to be nice enough to give my blessings. I won’t hide the reason why we broke up, even if both of you asked. I’m sure you were at least prepared for that when you told me.”

Seo-yeon looked at Sehyun.

“I’ll also tell Sehyun here that if anyone asks me why we broke up, I’ll tell them that it was because you dated Haewon.”

“That’s enough, Seo-yeon.”

Sehyun called out to Seo-yeon, who raised her hand to stop him.

“Don’t call me that way anymore. We’re not on such familiar terms anymore.”

“Last time, you said you wouldn’t break up with me.”

Sehyun said, sounding a little confused. Seo-yeon replied calmly.

“I was very angry back then. I’ll give the ring back to you.”

Seo-yeon returned the ring she had received from Sehyun in its case.

“So you’re really breaking up with me?”

Sehyun said, looking at the returned ring case as if he couldn’t believe it. Seo-yeon nodded her head in response.

“If you both love each other, what more can I say? I have a phobia towards this kind of thing, so even sitting across from you, Sehyun, makes me uncomfortable.”

Distrust towards the emotion of love. Closing one’s heart in an instant to someone they once loved. It’s all due to her father. It was easy to sort it out because there were no regrets.

“Sister… I’m sorry. But I really didn’t do it on purpose… I couldn’t help my feelings… I’m really sorry. I tried to tell you last time, but you said you were tired and sleeping, so…….”

Tears streamed down Haewon’s cheeks, and there was a sniffle as she tried to hold back her emotions. Her crying figure was that of a typical twenty-two-year-old college student.

“My sister…….”

Seo-yeon paused for a moment, contemplating what she could say. 

What could I possibly say? 

Truthfully, she had treated Haewon as if she were non-existent. She hadn’t been curious about how she had lived, what she liked, or whether she was struggling. Seo-yeon didn’t care.

Haewon had simply been an unfortunate stranger who rolled into their house. Seo-yeon never once thought of Haewon as her sister, so she found it amusing that her sister was now whimpering.

“That’s all I have to say.”

According to her stepmother, Haewon’s mother used to own a restaurant in Geoje that sold white rice balls. Given the six-year age difference between Haewon and Seo-yeon, her father’s affair with Haewon’s mother was when Seo-yeon’s mother was still alive and well.

Seo-yeon’s stepmother said that if Haewon’s mother hadn’t gotten cancer, she would have lived her whole life without letting anyone know about Haewon’s existence.

Haewon’s mother seemed like the kind of person who lived loosely, accepting whatever came her way, whether it be men or children. She had been married twice more while raising Haewon, and she had also raised a boy besides Haewon.

At the time, Seo-yeon felt a little sorry for Haewon. She was born out of their father’s mistakes, but while Seo-yeon enjoyed the benefits her father had accumulated within the solid walls of the main house, Haewon couldn’t.

Seo-yeon shudders at the betrayal, but when she first realizes that Sehyun’s partner is Haewon, the first thing to hurt her is her pride.

Yes, to be precise, Seo-yeon was angry because of her wounded pride. The woman Sehyun had talked about loving was the one she pitied, the one she looked down on.

It was just the boomerang effect of daring to pity someone. So, what was happening now wasn’t anyone’s fault but her own. It was Seo-yeon’s own fault.

Seo-yeon sighed lightly and picked up the handbag she had placed beside her. Just then, a staff member brought salad and wine.

“I bought this for you, sis. Enjoy your meal. Take care, Sehyun.”

“Oh, wait. Seo-yeon. Just a moment.”

Sehyun said urgently as Seo-yeon was about to get up.

“Please grant me one last request. I won’t ask for anything else. It’s almost the New Year’s gathering. Can you just stay by my side until then?”

What is he talking about now? 

Seo-yeon looked at him in disbelief. Haewon also widened her eyes and stared at Sehyun.

“Haewon, can you understand? It’s not because I have any feelings for Seo-yeon. It’s because of work, because of my circumstances.”

Sehyun tried to explain, but there was no sign of understanding in Haewon’s big eyes. They only held confusion.

“Well, that’s because it’s related to my father’s affairs. It’s a very important time right now. My father can’t know that Seo-yeon and I are not together anymore. Just think of it as something for us, it’s all for our own good. Okay?”

“What’s the New Year’s gathering?”

Haewon asked Sehyun.

“It’s the Hanseong Group’s New Year’s gathering at the chairman’s house… It’s just… something important.”

Sehyun started to explain but then stopped. He gave her a look that said, ‘You don’t understand even if I explain.’

“Do you have to go to that? Can’t you not go?”

“That’s because you haven’t experienced social life yet, but it’s not something I can opt out of as I please.”

As Sehyun tried to explain in his own way, Seo-yeon stood up. There was no need to stay any longer.

“Are you leaving?”

Sehyun abruptly stood up while in the midst of explaining and grabbed Seo-yeon’s wrist as she tried to leave without responding.

“Just until the New Year’s gathering, okay? Can’t you do that much for me?”

It wasn’t worth answering, but Seo-yeon opened her mouth, afraid that he would interpret her silence as an affirmation.

“Why would I do that?”

“Our relationship…”

“How many times do I have to tell you that there’s nothing between us anymore, and if you keep doing this, I’m going to tell everyone at the New Year’s gathering that you cheated, Lee Sehyun.”

Seo-yeon shrugged off Sehyun’s hand and left the scene. The lingering sensations on her wrist where she’d been grabbed were unpleasant.