CHAPTER 29 – Square One (Part 1)

“It’s the hotel, are you sure it’s okay?”

As Seoyeon headed towards the hotel’s lounge cafe, Sehyun, who was following behind, spoke. When she turned around, Sehyun made quotation marks with both hands.

“What about that Hwang Dojun? Is it okay with him?”

Seoyeon, who was staring at Sehyun intently, chuckled. 

What’s not okay about it? And why does he have to worry about whether Hwang Dojun is okay before my own feelings?

“If you have something to say, go ahead.”

Seoyeon said as she was led to her seat by a staff member. Sitting by the window facing Sehyun, memories of the day he said he loved Haewon and asked to break up automatically came to mind. It’s been two months now.

“Didn’t you say you loved Haewon right here in front of me?”

As Seoyeon brought the glass to her lips, Sehyun, looking into the distance at the mountain, sighed deeply and said, 

“I admit it. I definitely said it with my own mouth. At that time, I thought it was sincere.”

Watching Seoyeon drink water and put down her glass, Sehyun continued.

“But that doesn’t mean you can cheat on me with Hwang Dojun, right?”

For a moment, Seoyeon almost burst into laughter. She actually chuckled lightly. It was amazing how a person could make such a leap.

“You have quite the imagination.”

Seoyeon said with a cold gaze. She didn’t know where or how he knew, but she wasn’t naive enough to fall for such tactics. 

And cheating? Even a passing dog would laugh at that.

“I can’t believe what I saw either. I really hope it was just my imagination.”

A staff member approached and placed two cups of coffee on the table. During that time, Sehyun seemed to be gathering his thoughts, looking far away and taking a long, deep breath.

“I… Seoyeon, I didn’t come here to nitpick right or wrong. At first, I was really angry because of the betrayal and thought I wouldn’t see you again, but as time passed day by day, my feelings became clearer. I want you to come back to me.”

Seoyeon was stunned and couldn’t respond.

“Hwang Dojun…He might have had a momentary lapse. After all, his fiancée whom he trusted betrayed him, so who wouldn’t do anything. You were hurt, and Hwang Dojun probably took advantage of that opportunity. But Seoyeon, I  don’t think that’s right.”

“…”

“If this continues, you’ll be the only one hurt. Your reputation will be tarnished. Hwang Dojun is a divorced man. Do you know how dirty divorced people play? They’re trash. Without a doubt, he’ll use you up and throw you away.”

“Why are you worrying about that?”

Even if I get thrown away, it’s me who gets thrown away. 

Seoyeon looked at Sehyun coldly.

“Of course, I’m worried for you. I don’t want my person to get hurt. You’re too good of a woman to be treated like that. Don’t be Hwang Dojun’s second, be my first.”

First? He was having an affair with Haewon, and now he’s begging me to be his first?

Seoyeon really couldn’t understand.

“Mr. Lee Sehyun, don’t you have any pride?”

“What’s the use of pride in front of love? And actually, when you think about it, I was the one who made the first mistake. So, I thought, well, if I can do it once, you might be able to do it too. We’ve both done it once, so now we’ve both come back to square one.”

What square one?

Seoyeon couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

“Come quietly back to where you were. I’ll forget everything. I’m not that petty of a person, you know. I’m a cool guy. They still don’t know at home. Let’s quickly sort this out and do the family introduction this month.”

Sehyun said, gathering his hands.

She hadn’t been able to sleep for days because she was so angry at the scene that her blood was rising. For days, she agonized over whether to just expose it all. For days, she suffered from realizing her own heart that she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

That night, the look in Hwang Dojun’s eyes as he looked at Seoyeon wasn’t just the gaze of a man just toying around. It was the gaze of a man completely smitten.

Hwang Dojun must have found her beautiful too.  After all, he had fallen for her at first sight. The joke about it being difficult to arrange a blind date with her because she was coveted as a daughter-in-law in other households was not just a joke. That meant Yoon Seoyeon was worth that much.

He wanted to own her, to defeat so many competitors and finally, behold her as his. He wanted to stand on a mountain top and shout “Look, she’s mine now.”

Seoyeon stared at Sehyun, then opened her mouth.

“Is that all?”

“Huh? Uh… well… for now, I mean…”

Sehyun mumbled as he looked at Seoyeon.

“Mr. Lee Sehyun.”

“Yeah?”

“Am I the only woman in the world?”

“Huh?”

“Am I the only woman in the world, is that why you’re doing this?”

Seoyeon said, looking at Sehyun with disdain.

“There are many women, but you’re the only one, Seoyeon.”

Sehyun said sincerely. Seoyeon narrowed her eyes and looked at him.

“Have you thought about what to say to your parents when they ask about Haewon?”

“What?”

“Use some common sense. What woman in the world would accept a man who cheated with her younger sister?”

“As I’ve said repeatedly, Seoyeon, that was just a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes.”

Sehyun mumbled to which Seoyeon scoffed.

“How is that a mistake? Wake up. Lee Sehyun. Do you have no brain? Do you not think? Or can’t you understand the word ‘no’? How many times do I have to say it? Do you really need to be publicly humiliated before you come to your senses?”

Sehyun’s neck burned hot at Seoyeon’s words.

“Yoon Seoyeon, I really didn’t want to say this, but…”

Seoyeon’s brow furrowed. Sehyun said to Seoyeon with a firm expression.

“Wake up. There are talks of Hwang Dojun marrying the second heir of Chairman Jeongwoo’s Group. The two families have already worked it out, they just need to set a date to meet. You’re the only one who doesn’t know.”

Sehyun looked at Seoyeon coldly and continued.

“Should I tell you where I got that information? It’s from the vice chairman. Hwang Dojun just sees you as a plaything. Why don’t you know that? Do you think Hwang Dojun will keep seeing you while he’s aiming for the successor position at Hanseong, risking his position as the heir for you? Please, Seoyeon, face reality. Don’t be called a chaebol’s second wife, let’s just live a normal life, you and me.”

When Seoyeon didn’t respond, Sehyun stood up and said, 

“I’ll be away on a business trip. I’ll give you a few days to think.”

Sehyun quickly turned around and left, as if he didn’t want to hear a refusal. Two untouched cups of coffee were left in front of Seoyeon.