CHAPTER 28 – So That’s What It Was (Part 1)

Sehyun parked the car in front of the hotel entrance. He took out the large bouquet of tulips from the passenger seat and handed over the keys to the valet. According to a conversation he had with a Heritage employee that afternoon, Seoyeon would be staying late to help customers with their shopping today.

“Ah, Manager Yoon? She’s fully booked today. Yes, she’s booked until the last slot. No, please feel free to inquire again anytime.”

Sehyun had asked about the reservation using his mother’s name, hoping to surprise her. Even though she was a regular at another location, the employee was able to provide the information smoothly, as she seemed to be a frequent customer.

As the employee had mentioned, the front door of the Heritage store was firmly closed, likely because Seoyeon was busy assisting with a private shopping session. The store, dimly lit, could be seen through the glass doors, but no people were visible inside even when Sehyun squinted.

Ah, VIP customers must have a separate area for assistance.

Sehyun was willing to wait, no matter how long it took, to give Seoyeon the flower bouquet. If she had seen the photos he posted on SNS, she would know how much effort he had put in. Judging by the messages he constantly sent, which she always checked, she might even be softening up, even if she didn’t express it.

Today, he planned to just give her the flowers and leave coolly.

As he recall, Seoyeon used to leave work through the back door. The employee entrance required circling around the entire store to exit. Sehyun stood leaning against the side wall of the store, waiting for the door to open so he could approach her. A strong gust of wind blew through.

Whoosh.

Sehyun breathed warmth into his chilled, curled-up hands as he waited for Seoyeon to come out. The cold made his stomach shiver, but if it would help thaw Seoyeon’s heart, this small ordeal would be nothing. His frozen, pale appearance would surely touch her deeply.

Chuckling, Sehyun was startled by the sound of the glass door opening with a jingle. He straightened up from the wall, taking a step forward and rounding the corner of the store, just as Seoyeon emerged.

Seo…

Before the words could escape his throat, Sehyun stopped in his tracks. A man had just come out behind Seoyeon and wrapped his coat around her.

“…To the hotel.” 

Seoyeon’s voice, slightly carried by the wind, responded as she pushed the man away. The man replied with a laugh.

“Just until there.”

The man pulled Seoyeon back into his embrace. The voice sounded familiar, and the silhouette and tone were disturbingly recognizable. Sehyun craned his neck to get a better look, and the man suddenly turned his head.

Sehyun’s mouth dropped open as he hid in the darkness. The streetlight clearly illuminated the man’s face.

“What is it?”

Seoyeon asked, and the man, Hwang Dojun, replied.

“Nothing. I thought I heard something.”

With his heart pounding, Sehyun glanced away. Dojun pulled Seoyeon closer, blocking her view, and kissed her cheek. Seoyeon laughed and pushed him away, and Sehyun watched with narrowed eyes.

Hwang Dojun’s arms wrapped possessively around Seoyeon’s waist. Their affectionate gaze toward each other. Yoon Seoyeon’s smile that he had never seen before.

Was it him?

Was it Dojun? Was he the reason she pushed me away? So, even you, Seoyeon, are just like the rest.

Sehyun raised his head in disbelief and looked up at the sky. That look, that atmosphere—they could only belong to a couple who had gone all the way.

So that’s what it was.

Ha.

A sigh escaped Sehyun’s lips. He remembered Seoyeon’s words about being assigned to handle his attire. It was obvious. She got close while dressing him up and fell for Dojun’s tricks.

Yeah, it must have been nice. Being pursued by a rich third-generation chaebol, how could a mere department store manager, like me, compete?

Unaware that she was playing around with the hotel’s CEO, he had chased her all the way to the store to apologize and give her flowers. Thinking back, Dojun’s displeasure at the Chinese restaurant entrance made sense.

Lucky bastard, born with a silver spoon.

Sehyun had always found Dojun annoying. Because Chairman Hwang doted on him a bit, he acted high and mighty. Arrogant and shameless, he dared to reach out to a woman engaged to another.

How much must he look down on my family to brazenly pursue someone he knew was promised to me? 

This wasn’t just an insult to Sehyun but to his entire family.

Overwhelmed by a sense of outrage, Sehyun threw away the bouquet. The sound of the thud accompanied the bowed heads of the purple tulips. Biting his lip as he looked at the crushed flowers, Sehyun thought about how Seoyeon, who hadn’t even allowed him to hold her hand, must have done all sorts of things with Hwang Dojun. Imagining their antics in the store while he waited made the back of his head burn.

How could she move on so quickly after our breakup?

Sehyun trembled with a sense of betrayal.

After playing hard to get, even the dignified Seoyeon becomes easy for a chaebol’s son.

Scoffing, Sehyun stomped on the fallen tulips. Crushing the petals under his feet didn’t make him feel any better.

* * *

By the time they reached the bed from the front door, Seoyeon had only one piece of underwear left. Dojun kissed down her shoulder, chest, sternum, and stomach, hooking his finger in her remaining underwear. As the underwear slipped down, so did Dojun’s lips.

“Wait a moment.”

Laughing and wriggling from the ticklish sensation, Seoyeon lifted her head. Feeling hot where Dojun’s breath touched, she arched her neck, clutching the sheet, then regained her composure and lifted her head.

“I want to wash up first.”

Dojun, never one to listen right away, looked up at Seoyeon and replied with a grunt before lowering his face again. Hot marks were imprinted on the inside of her thigh, making Seoyeon twist her waist and close her legs. Dojun pulled her legs apart and lowered his lips again.

“Really… I want to… after washing.”

Seoyeon’s desperate plea made Dojun lift his head.

“I don’t mind.”

“But it bothers me. I want to wash up.”

Dojun sat up, extending a hand to help Seoyeon to her feet. As she slid off the bed, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, planting kisses on her shoulder and nape. When Seoyeon started walking toward the bathroom, Dojun followed, his arms still encircling her waist.

“You’re making it hard to walk.”

Seoyeon said, laughing as she tried to drag the large man with her. Dojun’s hands moved from her waist to cover her br*asts, lightly grazing the sensitive tips.

“Seriously.” 

Seoyeon said chastisingly, and Dojun, who had buried his face in her shoulder, chuckled. The pair shared a playful struggle as Seoyeon attempted to move forward, while Dojun tried to hinder her, both of them eventually breaking into laughter.

“Why are you tormenting me like this?”

Seoyeon looked back at Dojun. He gave her a look that said “When have I ever,” and lifted Seoyeon’s body, placing her on top of his feet. Amused by the laughter in her eyes, he brushed the long hair behind her ear and leaned in for a kiss.

“Mmm.”

Seoyeon responded, opening her lips and wrapping her arms around Dojun’s neck. Together, they walked step by step into the bathroom. When he opened the door to the bathroom and stepped inside, carrying Seoyeon on his hip, she parted her lips and narrowed her eyes.

“Why are you coming in, CEO?”

“Don’t ask.”

Dojun replied, putting his arm behind his back and closing the door behind him. The sound of the rushing water drowned out Seoyeon’s short scream of laughter. It was a long time before the door opened again, and Dojun lifted a n*ked Seoyeon into his arms.