CHAPTER 30 – Necklace (Part 1)

Over the next five days, Dojun had sent Seoyeon some messages. Late at night, he would ask “Are you asleep?”. 

If she replied “No”, he would then say “Go to sleep”.

When Seoyeon replied “Yes”, Dojun would then call her. 

In a voice resembling the night, he would ask “Want to come over here?” and if she declined, he would say “Shall I come over?”.

Seoyeon couldn’t have the same conversation with the same feelings as before, so she remained awake but didn’t reply. The next morning, she would send a message saying she fell asleep and couldn’t see it.

By the third day, her period had almost stopped flowing. The excruciating pain in her back and abdomen had also improved. Her deeply depressed mood and gloominess had recovered a lot as the period ended as if it was just a hormonal thing.

As day after day passed, Seoyeon was able to sort out her mind a lot. On her morning commute, evening return, short lunchtime walks, and conversations with colleagues – during those ordinary moments, she thought it wouldn’t be that difficult.

When she really thought about it, the time that Dojun occupied wasn’t much. Just a Friday night to a weekend morning, less than a day out of the whole week. Even if that time disappeared, her everyday life would likely continue without much change.

Lost in thought, Seoyeon shook her head to clear her mind. She looked over the partition and spoke to Assistant Manager Sohee.

“Assistant  Manager Sohee, please change Professor Lee’s appointment to Saturday evening.”

“Yes, yes. I got a call earlier. She asked if you’d be coming in on the weekend. Thank you for switching shifts.”

Sohee bowed her head in gratitude towards Seoyeon.

“Why? What are you thankful for?”

The quick-eared Seongmi bounded over and asked the two. Sohee gave an awkward smile as she answered.

“It’s because of Valentine’s Day. Manager switched with me so I could go to Busan.”

“No need to thank me. I didn’t take over; I just switched.”

Seoyeon had switched the schedule after seeing Sohee arguing with her boyfriend on the phone. It was a story she had heard many times.

The boyfriend had made a surprise hotel and restaurant reservation for Valentine’s Day, but it turned out to be on the day his girlfriend had to work. Her boyfriend was upset that she didn’t appreciate the gesture, and she was angry that he didn’t check her schedule first.

“I don’t know why he made the reservation without even asking me. He didn’t check my schedule at all.”

Feeling a bit guilty, Sohee added with an awkward expression. Seoyeon smiled and responded.

“Have fun on your trip. It’s been a while since you went down there.”

“You don’t have any plans? It’s Valentine’s Day and it’s stretching into the weekend.”

Seongmi asked from the side. Seoyeon shook her head and answered,

“No, that’s why I’m working.”

“Our manager is secretly a homebody, you know. If you look closely, she lives a pretty boring life.”

At Seongmi’s words, Seoyeon just smiled. The phone in her pocket buzzed. A single short buzz usually meant a message from Dojun.

“I’ll be right back, I’m going to the restroom.”

Stepping outside the store, Seoyeon opened her phone.

[Are you feeling better?]

After reading the message, she typed a reply.

[Yes, thanks to you.]

[Can I see you briefly today?]

Seoyeon carefully typed out her response.

[Sorry, I have a prior appointment with a friend today.]

And she added one more line.

[I’ll see you on Friday.]

[I’ll buy you something to eat, so think about what you want.]

It was Valentine’s Day on Friday. Dining out like a couple on such a day didn’t seem like a very good idea, so Seoyeon sent another message.

[No, I need to prepare your outfits, so I’ll go to your home right after work. See you at your home.]

After a while, Dojun replied.

[Alright then.]

Scrolling through the conversation with Seoyeon, Dojun leaned back on the sofa. Tilting his head back, he propped his feet up on the table. Gazing at the ceiling, he twirled the phone in his hand, then twirled it again.

Straightening his head, he could see the gloomy winter forest landscape through the window frame of his office. Dojun stared intently at something in the distance beyond the window.

The sparse, bare trees, the winding path beyond, the hotel building below. And at the far left, the Heritage store. Where Seoyeon would be inside.

During this time, the phone remained in Dojun’s hand. Every time his long fingers twirled the dark screen of the phone, the light would turn on and off in a subtle, repetitive cycle.

A very subtle and slight change.

Something Yoon Seoyeon hides.

Something I missed.

Swinging his legs off the table, Dojun held his cell phone straight in his hand. He opened the message window with Seoyeon.

He quickly scrolled up, reading through the messages they had just exchanged, then continued scrolling all the way back to their very first exchange.

As Dojun’s finger scrolled through the conversation with Seoyeon, it paused at a certain point.

[Yes.^^]

It was the message from the day Seoyeon had informed him that her period had started. She had said she wouldn’t be able to meet for about a week and had initiated the contact. The emoji that made him laugh at the time.

Dojun’s gaze lingered on that emoticon, lost in thought.

Yoon Seoyeon. Lee Sehyun. SNS. Yangpyeong. Bouquet. Friday. Store. Period. Seaweed soup. Appointment. Leaving work.

Recalling them one by one, he narrowed his eyes, trying to find any turning points that might be hidden somewhere.

There it was.

Dojun, having finally solved the puzzle, opened his phone and pressed the call button. There was something he needed to confirm first.

“Secretary Kang.”

— Yes.

“Check on Lee Sehyun’s latest whereabouts and let me know.”

— Okay. Should I also check on Chairman Hwang?

“No, just Lee Sehyun. Ah, and also check if anyone has been tailing Yoon Seoyeon.”

— Okay. What should I do if someone has been tailing her?

“Just report back for now.”

— Understood.

After hanging up, Dojun stood up from his seat. Stuffing his hands in his pants pockets, he looked down at the hotel building.

What is Yoon Seoyeon not telling me?

Something she’s quietly preparing by herself.

Dojun seemed to have an idea of what it was, and a bittersweet smile spread across his face.

* * *

Friday evening, as Dojun got out of his car in the department store parking lot, he took out his phone. It rang a few times before Seoyeon’s voice came through.

— Yes, CEO.

“You haven’t left the store yet, right?”

— No, I’m still at the store. I’m about to leave soon.

“Good. Don’t go home, stay at the store.”

— Ah… Why?

Her voice sounded a bit flustered. Dojun continued undeterred.

“Secretary Kang told me that today is Valentine’s Day. Is that right?”

— Well, yes.

“Come out, I’ll buy you something delicious. It is the day for lovers, after all.”

The sound echoed loudly in the underground parking lot. Dojun walked towards the escalator leading up to the store.  After a moment, her reply came.

— Okay, where should I go?

“I’ll send a car to pick you up at the hotel entrance.”

— I’ll just drive there myself.

“I’ll send you the arrival time and car number by message.”

After another brief pause, Seoyeon responded.

— Okay, I’ll see you later.

“Alright.”

Hanging up the phone, Dojun looked up. The lavish display of luxury brand stores was gradually getting closer at the top of the escalator.

Dojun entered the most classic-looking of the prominent brands. As he stepped inside, the sales associate who seemed to recognize him immediately ushered him further inside.

“Let me show you to the private room.”