SIDE STORY 5

Seoyeon received a call from Branch Manager Kim Sooyoung a week later. She was checking inventory in the warehouse when her phone rang.

“Yes, Branch Manager.”

• How’s the wedding preparation going?

Kim Sooyoung asked her in a cheerful voice. It was going well. The planner had narrowed down the best and most expensive options, and all Seoyeon had to do was make a selection. Though she felt somewhat uneasy, it was true that physically, things were easier for her.

“Yes, it’s going well.”

• That’s good, isn’t it?

“Yes.”

• Can you come over for a bit this afternoon? I’d like to see the face of the newest bride-to-be.

It was meant to be a joke, but Seoyeon couldn’t bring herself to laugh. These days, she had no real struggles. The wedding preparations were going well, and all Seoyeon had to do was take care of her skin and shop at department stores, but for some reason, she didn’t feel comfortable.

“Is this about the one-day workshop for the 30th anniversary?”

She wondered if it was related to the 30th-anniversary event. Heritage has been operating its Korean branch for 30 years, celebrating with various events throughout the year.

• Yes, that too, and something else.

Since the head office was near the department store where Dojun worked, she thought they could look at rings and have dinner if the timing was right.

“Can I stop by before the end of the day?”

• Would you like to?

“Yes, I’ll see you later.”

After hanging up, Seoyeon left the warehouse. There was only a month left until the wedding. Autumn had arrived.

* * *

About an hour before the end of the workday, Seoyeon visited the main office. After a few words of greeting, Sooyoung asked her,

“Will you continue working?”

The unexpected question left Seoyeon momentarily stunned. It was such a given that she had never questioned it so she was at a loss for words.

“I heard Vice President Hwang has been worrying about you. I didn’t expect him to visit, though. He came by the other day and asked me not to tell you.”

You know I’m terrible at keeping secrets. 

Sooyoung shrugged and continued,

“He asked me when you could be transferred to the internal department.”

Seoyeon’s eyes widened. This time, she was truly speechless. Her head felt hot, and she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Dojun did?”

“Yes. It was less of a question and more of a directive not to keep you in the store. He doesn’t want his wife-to-be to be on display for the customers.”

Sooyoung chuckled as she said this. Seoyeon felt her face flush. Sooyoung took a sip of her coffee and said,

“You’ve been on the sales floor for a long time, haven’t you?”

Employees who joined the head office were required to work in the sales store for a period. After three years, they were usually reassigned to departments like marketing or public relations. When Seoyeon completed her three years, she had chosen to stay.

“Whether or not you transfer, my main concern is whether you can continue working.”

“I…”

Seoyeon had never considered quitting her job. She had thought about requesting a transfer but never quit. It was an unimaginable thought. A hot breeze seemed to blow through her mind as she composed herself and spoke.

“I was planning to discuss it with you soon. I didn’t expect Dojun to bring it up first. If it upset you, I apologize.”

“Well, Vice President Hwang brought it up first, but I was also thinking about it. We can’t have the daughter-in-law of the Hanseong group just serve customers, you know. It would be uncomfortable for both of you.”

Sooyoung smiled gently as she set down her coffee cup. The term “Hanseong daughter-in-law” echoed in Seoyeon’s ears.

“I should have discussed it with you first. I was thoughtless.”

“It’s a difficult situation, especially for someone as dedicated to their work as you. But we have to deal with the choices we make.”

Sooyoung’s words struck a chord. Seoyeon took a deep breath and held her coffee cup with both hands. She finally understood the feelings that had been quietly building up since setting the wedding date. The fear that she’d buried in the back of her mind that she’d become a pompous brat now that everything was so comfortable and easy.

She had buried the fear of losing herself and just being “Hwang Dojun’s wife”.

* * *

Dojun spotted Seoyeon on the escalator leading up to the 3rd floor of the department store. The sight of the woman standing at the top of the stairs immediately caught his eye. It was undoubtedly Seoyeon, and Dojun raised his phone.

He dialed her number while following her at a distance, but Seoyeon didn’t answer. It wasn’t that she didn’t hear the phone ringing – she simply stared at the phone in her hand, then put it back in her purse.

“Vice President.” 

Secretary Kang called out, but Dojun waved him off and quietly followed Seoyeon. He kept dialing her phone. Seoyeon’s gaze seemed unfocused as she slowly walked around the jewelry section on the 3rd floor.

Seoyeon took out her phone, looked at the screen, and pressed her forehead. She had a perplexed, troubled expression on her face, hesitating before ultimately not answering.

Is she avoiding my call?

Dojun narrowed his eyes and dialed again. On the fourth try, Seoyeon bit her lip and answered the phone, though her expression showed reluctance.

• Hello.

“It’s me.”

Dojun said, watching Seoyeon from a distance as she moved to sit on a sofa in front of the elevator. He spoke to her in a calm voice.

“Where are you?”

• Outside.

“Outside where?”

• I came to the department store.

“The department store? You should have called me before coming.”

• No… I’m in Euljiro.

Dojun abruptly stopped walking. He had just heard Seoyeon’s blatant lie in real time.

“What are you doing at the department store?”

• Just… looking at rings.

Someone once said that the best way to lie is to mix in some truth. Seoyeon was cleverly concealing her lie with a half-truth.

“What’s wrong? Your voice sounds off.”

At Dojun’s words, Seoyeon tilted her head back and pressed her hand to her forehead.

• No, I’m fine. Dojun, I’ve already entered the store. I’ll call you again later. I’ll hang up first.

With the call ended, Dojun narrowed his eyes as he looked at Seoyeon. She had placed the phone on the sofa and was covering her face with both hands, letting out a deep sigh. Seeing this, Dojun strode over.

“Since when has Euljiro been in Gangnam?”

As he approached, Seoyeon looked up with a startled expression.

Dojun opened the emergency exit door next to the elevator. A dim corridor with lower lighting than the store emerged, leading to a staircase. Dojun sat her down on one of the resting chairs.

“Why didn’t you answer the phone?”

Seoyeon looked up at him, who was frowning. The shadowy space made his face appear more defined as he looked down at her. Seoyeon couldn’t easily find the words to speak.

I came to the department store to have a conversation. I understand you’re worried, but that was an overstepping action. I hope you won’t do that again in the future.

But when Dojun’s call came, her heart was in turmoil. She thought she could calmly talk it through, but the moment she saw his name on the screen, she couldn’t think straight. That’s why she avoided it.

“I met the branch manager.” 

Seoyeon said in a subdued voice. Dojun slightly furrowed his brow.

“You asked her to transfer me, right?”

Seoyeon’s heart raced again. She bit her lip and took a deep breath.

“I understand why you did that, Dojun, but this is my job and my work. Don’t interfere with what happens there. That’s overstepping. Don’t cross that line.”

Fortunately, she was able to speak calmly.

“Don’t do that again. I’ll handle my own work.  I don’t like being treated like a child. It makes me feel like an incompetent fool who can’t do anything.”

Dojun was looking down at her. He looked like he was about to ask her what the big deal was or tell her to quit the trivial job.

But Seoyeon didn’t want to back down when it came to her work. It was her domain, separate from being just Hwang Dojun’s fiancée. Thinking this, she turned to face him, who suddenly bent his knees and sat down. With her in the chair and him crouching down, they were now eye level.

“I’m sorry.”

Seoyeon blinked at Dojun’s words. 

What… what did he just say?

“I know I was wrong. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

Uh… 

Seoyeon stared at Dojun blankly, unable to respond, and he gently wiped the corners of her eyes with his hand.

“You know I have a short temper. I could clearly see you were having a hard time at the store.”

Seeing Dojun’s apologetic smile, Seoyeon’s eyes welled up with tears. The tears gathered so quickly she couldn’t even use her hands. 

Why are you apologizing so easily? I thought about it countless times, suppressing and organizing my thoughts, only to walk around the department store ten times, and now you’re so easily saying you’re sorry. What does that make me?

“Why…”

Seoyeon couldn’t continue, her voice choked with emotion, but Dojun reached out his arm. He gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with his fingers. At his touch, the tears spilled down her cheeks. All the anxiety, uneasiness, and burden she had been holding back threatened to overwhelm her.

“Ah, really. I tried not to make you cry.”

Seoyeon turned her head. She pushed away Dojun’s hand and wiped the tears with the back of her hand. She took a deep breath, trying not to become the overly sensitive woman who cries over nothing. After hastily wiping away the tears, she spoke in a seemingly calm voice.

“Thank you for apologizing. They say people get emotional during wedding preparations, so that’s why.”

Seoyeon didn’t want to become a weak person who cried at the slightest thing. She had made this choice, so she had to handle it. She also didn’t want to blame Dojun for her own anxiety. As she tried to smile at his persistent gaze, he slowly opened his mouth.

“When have I ever been fooled by that kind of talk?”

No. You’ve always, always been able to see through me too easily. 

Seoyeon looked at Dojun. Somehow, he had become the only person she couldn’t hide from.