Chapter 1.1

The summer of his twenty-third year.

A party was held to celebrate Seo Young-hoon’s birthday. The party took place inside his villa, which the chairman of Daeam Group had supposedly gifted him as a birthday present. The ultra-luxurious villa, designed by a world-renowned architect, boasted an overwhelming grandeur befitting its reputation. 

A villa as a birthday gift? Seo-hwa felt anew the vast gap between Seo Young-hoon and herself. She could somewhat understand why her father—who was nothing but pride—had bent even that pride and acted as though he would offer his liver to Daam Group in loyalty. 

Seo-hwa continued walking along the path that led inside, passing the entrance where a massive sculpture stood imposingly. She walked past the meticulously trimmed garden trees and the fountain at the center of the garden when she began to hear familiar voices accompanied by the splashing sound of water. 

“Seo-hwa, you’re here? Why are you so late?”

Seo Young-hoon, who had just emerged from the pool and was casually drying his wet body with a towel, strode over and naturally pulled Seo-hwa’s shoulder close to him. The dampness of his wet skin soaked into her dry shoulder blade. 

“The traffic was bad.” 

Seo-hwa awkwardly smiled as she subtly brushed off Seo Young-hoon’s hand. At the same time, she tried her best not to be conscious of the cold gaze that had pierced through her. She pulled out a gift box from the shopping bag and handed it to Seo Young-hoon. 

“Here’s your gift. Happy birthday.” 

“Oh, well, thanks. I’ll make good use of it.” 

Seo Young-hoon smiled brightly as he accepted the gift, only to toss it onto the sunbed beside him without even bothering to check what was inside. 

“……” 

‘As expected.’

The image of her father agonizing for weeks over what would make the perfect birthday gift for Seo Young-hoon flashed through Seo-hwa’s mind. 

The recipient wouldn’t care even if the box were completely empty, so why had her father worried so much? A hollow laugh escaped between her teeth. 

“Come on in.” 

“I didn’t bring a swimsuit.” 

“So what? I’ll give you a new outfit if you get wet.” 

“No, I’m…” 

As she shook her head and stepped back, Seo Young-hoon scanned Seo-hwa up and down with a dissatisfied look. She was dressed in a thin blouse and a modest skirt that ended above her knees. As always, Seo-hwa’s attire was formal, as if she were about to attend an interview. 

“Don’t be a buzzkill. Come on, let’s have fun. Stop being boring.” 

As her gaze lingered on the gift box, Seo-hwa’s wrist was suddenly yanked forward. Seo Young-hoon, with a playful glint in his eye, seemed ready to throw her straight into the pool. As her body tilted halfway, Seo-hwa hastily pulled her arm free and waved her hands frantically. 

“I’m not feeling well. I’ll just watch. Have fun.” 

“Ugh, you’re no fun.” 

“Seriously, I’m not feeling well.” 

“Whatever. Fine. Just rest.” 

Seo Young-hoon clicked his tongue and shot her a displeased look before turning his back on her. He then threw himself back into the pool. 

Every time his body cut through the water, loud splashes echoed. The people in the pool cheered and surrounded Seo Young-hoon as if he were the center of their world. 

Seo-hwa glanced at them briefly before sitting on a sunbed in the corner. 

She sat awkwardly and quietly scanned the faces of the people invited to today’s party. Most of the guests were the lowly crowd Seo Young-hoon usually hung out with. 

He enjoyed mingling with the heirs of companies ranked lower than Daam Group. Among them, Seo Young-hoon reigned like a king. The kids were hypersensitive to his every word and tried desperately to win his favor. 

Watching them throw out blatantly obsequious remarks and Seo Young-hoon accept them without a second thought made her scoff. Yet, perhaps to an outsider’s eyes, she might look no different from them. 

Though it wasn’t her own choice, Seo-hwa herself was also trailing behind Seo Young-hoon wherever he went. 

If only time would pass quickly, if only this day could end already… 

Seo-hwa pressed her tired eyes firmly and rolled her stiff shoulders. 

Who knows how much time had passed? 

Just as she was beginning to feel self-conscious about being the only one dressed in casual clothes and sitting alone, she heard murmurs rise above her head. 

She had been staring blankly at the ground when she slowly lifted her head, bringing her hazy mind back into focus. 

“……” 

A stranger among familiar faces caught her attention. 

Seo-hwa’s gaze traveled upward, starting from his long legs. Slowly, her eyes moved up to take in his tall, lean figure, his broad shoulders, and his strikingly sharp features that stood out even from afar. 

The man didn’t just capture Seo-hwa’s gaze but also drew the attention of dozens of eyes lingering around the pool. 

Even under the weight of so many stares, the man walked leisurely along the path, his steps unhurried and composed. 

Perhaps it was his heavy presence, which clashed with the light and boisterous atmosphere, that made him stand out. As he drew closer, the laughter of the crowd gradually faded away. 

Her admiration for his exceptional appearance lasted only a moment. What followed was a strange sense of familiarity that tilted Seo-hwa’s head slightly to the side. 

‘Where had I seen him before…? Had we met somewhere?’  

The man was certainly not part of the usual crowd Seo Young-hoon hung out with. Yet, strangely, he lingered in her mind. A vague, needle-like sense of déjà vu pricked at her thoughts, leaving her restless. 

As she tilted her head and delved into her thoughts, the man continued to close the distance between them. 

Before long, he reached the vicinity of the pool, where Seo Young-hoon stepped forward to block his path. From a distance, the two exchanged a few words. While Seo-hwa couldn’t make out what they were saying, the peculiar tension between them was unmistakable. 

Unlike the others who eagerly ran to Seo Young-hoon at the slightest gesture, the man seemed entirely uninterested in currying favor with him. His gaze toward Seo Young-hoon was devoid of warmth—dry, even. There was no artificial smile, no obsequiousness. That barren expression only heightened the unique aura he carried. 

After exchanging a few words, the man broke eye contact with Seo Young-hoon and shifted his direction. He began walking purposefully toward where Seo-hwa was seated. 

It felt as though their gazes kept sticking together, almost tangibly. 

Was it just her imagination? 

As the distance between them shrank, an inexplicable tension built up, causing her body to stiffen. Her breathing grew shallow, as though the oxygen in the air had diminished. Sweat dampened her palms as she clutched the hem of her skirt tightly. 

Even when he was five steps away, the man didn’t look away. The illusion of locking eyes persisted. 

“……” 

“……” 

At around three steps apart, the man finally stopped. 

Their gazes intertwined at a distance close enough to discern the colors reflected in each other’s eyes. At that moment, Seo-hwa felt as though time had frozen. The surrounding noise and movement blurred, and a strange tension seeped in, as if they were the only two people isolated in a confined space. 

The sticky heat clinging to her skin—was it because of the weather, or the intensity of their locked gaze? She couldn’t tell. 

Unlike Seo-hwa, who instinctively lowered her head, the man didn’t avert his eyes. Even when she lifted her head again, his gaze remained fixed on her. 

Just as her sense of dismay deepened, the corners of the man’s lips slowly curved upward. His reddish lips moved deliberately, as if conveying a message. 

Seo-hwa stared at his lips, trying to decipher the unspoken message. 

Bea……u……ti……ful…… 

…Beautiful. 

Her brows furrowed instinctively, and the man nonchalantly erased his smile. Then, as if nothing had happened, he turned away with an indifferent expression. Without a second glance, he walked past her and disappeared into the building behind her. 

‘Did I imagine it?’

Seo-hwa blinked, staring blankly at his retreating figure. The brief word that had escaped his lips lingered in her mind. 

Even as she repeated to herself that it was just a misunderstanding, the vivid trace of his unwavering gaze remained. Though the man had walked away, his lingering presence stretched out like an unraveling thread—long and chaotic. 

Lost in the confusion without answers, Seo-hwa mustered the courage to ask Seo Young-hoon, who had approached her side. 

“Who was that man just now?” 

“Who?” 

“The one you were talking to earlier…” 

“Oh, him? My errand boy.” 

Ah. Seo-hwa let out a small sigh and bit her lip. 

The people Seo Young-hoon kept around him fell into two categories: friends or errand boys. In truth, even those called friends weren’t equals—they maintained their relationships by sucking up to Seo Young-hoon. 

That man belonged to the latter category. With just that brief reply, Seo-hwa could infer his position in Seo Young-hoon’s hierarchy. 

“Why? Are you curious?” 

“No, not really. I just felt like I’d seen him somewhere before…” 

“How could you have seen him? He hasn’t been back in Korea for long.” 

“……” 

“Don’t even think about getting close to him. He’s a lunatic.” 

Seo Young-hoon twirled his finger beside his temple and furrowed his brow.