SIDE STORY 1.5

“If you didn’t notice, that’s unfortunate. I gave it my all back then.”  

Moonkyeong nodded, as if she couldn’t argue with that.  

Thinking back to those days brought a bittersweet ache.  

Those times when they wanted and desired each other so fiercely felt like the last desperate rebellion of two young souls who couldn’t have anything else.  

Meeting her back then had made him so happy, but he sometimes wondered if recognizing her at that time had caused her unnecessary pain.  

That thought had always hurt him.  

Moonkyeong let out a short laugh and leaned in to kiss him.  

“It’s amazing. That we became husband and wife, that we had a child, and that you’re here by my side for so long.”  

Seojun, who had been stroking her thighs, suddenly pulled off her pants in one swift motion.  

He pressed his face against her now-bare lower body.  

He wanted to respond to her warm words, but he couldn’t think straight.  

All he could think about was devouring her completely.  

The wet sounds of his tongue moving in and out echoed softly in the bedroom.  

“Ah… Ahh… Mm…”  

As Moonkyeong’s moans grew louder with excitement, Seojun felt himself losing control.  

Whoever said a woman’s body changes for the worse after giving birth couldn’t have been more wrong.  

Seo Moonkyeong had become even softer, her body so supple and smooth that he couldn’t stop touching her.  

With tear-filled eyes, Moonkyeong grabbed his wrist tightly, signaling that she couldn’t take the teasing anymore and needed him to move forward.  

“You’re always in such a rush.”  

“It’s not that. You’re just too good at this.”  

“At what?”  

“Hmm?”  

“What am I good at?”  

Her words of praise made him smile, and he began exploring her again, parting her underwear and running his fingers through her.  

Not missing a single spot, he teased her thoroughly.  

When his fingers weren’t enough, he used his tongue, pushing deeper and deeper, driving her to the edge.  

“Ah… Mm… Ha…”  

As her voice grew deeper with pleasure, Seojun let out a short laugh and removed his pants.  

“It’s been a while, so I’ll take it slow at first.”  

Moonkyeong, trembling from the overwhelming sensations, grumbled in frustration.  

“No. If you’re going to take it slow, don’t even start.”  

“What?”  

“You heard me.”  

Seojun laughed.  

“That’s why I like you.”  

“……”  

“You try so hard to take everything I give, even though you can’t handle it. It’s adorable.”  

“Ugh.”  

Seojun, now fully undressed, pressed his body against hers.  

During the time he couldn’t be intimate with Moonkyeong, he had focused on working out.  

As a result, his body had become even more toned, his firm glutes and muscular thighs more impressive than ever.  

Moonkyeong had often joked that his body was so perfect it could attract scouts from an idol agency, which had annoyed her to no end.  

Trapped beneath him, Moonkyeong’s gaze slowly traced over his physique.  

“Who are you trying to impress? What are you going to do if your body keeps getting better?”  

“Don’t worry. Even our daughter won’t get to see this.”  

Kim Seojun’s body belonged to Seo Moonkyeong alone. His gaze said as much.  

He didn’t want to act like a starving beast, but he wasn’t sure how long he could hold back.  

Lifting Moonkyeong’s legs, he prepared to remind her of his presence in the most intimate way.  

It was morning, and the sunlight was warm.

*** 

In the southern region, where snow was a rare sight, it had been falling since dawn.  

Though it seemed like it would melt quickly, the unexpected amount of snow prompted Seojun to grab an umbrella.  

After checking the weather forecast, which predicted snow all day, he entered an upscale Korean restaurant.  

It had been a while since he’d seen Chief Secretary Jung, who bowed deeply the moment he spotted Seojun outside.  

“It’s been a while.”  

Ignoring him with a detached gaze, Seojun pushed the door open.  

It had been two years.  

Director Nam Leehyun—no, now Chairwoman Nam—was no longer wearing her usual hanbok but a jade-colored dress.  

After receiving a sudden call from Chief Secretary Jung the previous night, Seojun had been the one to decide the meeting place and time.  

Just in case, he had chosen a location with easy escape routes, though he hoped it wouldn’t be necessary.  

Beside Nam Leehyun stood two bodyguards in black suits.  

Unlike Seojun, who had come alone, she seemed uneasy despite the presence of the two strong men.  

Seojun pulled out a chair and sat across from her.  

They weren’t close enough for pleasantries, so he skipped the formalities.  

“What brings you here? I doubt there’s anything more you can take from me.”  

“Come back.”  

Her voice, now hoarse with age, surprised Seojun.  

Two years ago, when he last saw Nam Leehyun, she had been full of vitality and ambition. Now, she looked unwell.  

Without hesitation, Seojun sipped the coffee placed before him, wiping the moisture from his lips with his thumb.  

“I don’t understand what you mean.”  

Nam Leehyun leaned forward, supporting herself on the armrests of her chair.  

Even that small movement seemed to strain her, making it clear she was struggling just to sit upright.  

“You know as well as I do—the company is in shambles.”  

“Ah, shambles. And?”  

“I need you.”  

Seojun crossed his legs. Despite Nam Leehyun’s discomfort, he leaned back in his chair with an air of ease.  

“What about your two beloved daughters?”  

“This isn’t entertaining.”  

“If you couldn’t even last two years, what’s the point?”  

He brushed his chin and neck as if looking at something bothersome.  

“You’ve always been skilled at being a nuisance.”  

“……”  

“What’s wrong? Not having fun?”  

Nam Leehyun couldn’t hide her troubled expression. She didn’t even seem to want to.  

Seeing how much she had weakened, Seojun chuckled softly.  

“I’m finding this quite amusing.”

Even without the media constantly reporting on it, it was well-known that Leehan Group had collapsed within two years.  

Leehan’s corporate image had plummeted due to the power struggle between the two daughters.  

Though they had only pointed sharp knives at each other, ironically, the one who ended up getting hurt was Nam Leehyun herself.  

Betrayed and conspired against by her two daughters, with her sons-in-law adding to the chaos, she was now little more than a powerless old woman, merely holding the title of Chairwoman.  

Sleepless nights, frequent stress, and bursts of anger had left her with a terminal diagnosis.  

Six months. That was all the time she had left.  

Seojun, who also knew about this secret, smirked.  

“Did you come here to see my face before you die?”  

Nam Leehyun let out a deep sigh before straightening her back. Even with death looming, she seemed determined to maintain her pride in front of Seojun until the very end.  

“Enough about me. Let’s talk about you. I heard you had a daughter? I heard she’s very beautiful. Her name is Inyoung, right?”  

At her words, which touched on his vulnerability, Seojun’s expression turned cold and twisted.  

In a low, firm voice, he warned her.  

“Shut up. Don’t let my daughter’s name come out of that filthy mouth of yours.”  

“So, you have things you want to protect now.”  

Only then did Nam Leehyun lift her teacup and sip her coffee.  

Seojun glared at her with contempt.  

“Do I need to take my entire family and flee abroad for you to give up your greed? You wear the crown; enjoy it. Don’t think about seeking my help or harming me anymore.”  

“I thought I’d be happy. I believed that this was all I needed.”  

“……”  

“I should’ve abandoned Leehan earlier. When your father left me and brought that woman into the house, I should’ve left then.”  

As Nam Leehyun’s face twisted with grief, Seojun mocked her freely.  

“It’s too late for confessions. I tend to believe that people don’t change. That greed of yours—where would it go? Your eyes are still filled with desire.”  

Nam Leehyun laughed aloud. Stroking the thick gold ring on her third finger, she narrowed her eyes.  

“I tried to kill you.”  

“……”  

“I recognized early on that you were different. I knew that keeping you close would put everyone in danger. I knew that one day, you’d devour Leehan entirely, taking the positions of my sons-in-law and my daughters.”  

“……”  

“I know. I know we made you this way. I know you had no choice but to grow into what you are. That’s why, at times, I was afraid of you. When you first slashed Seouk’s face with a knife, I felt a chill here.”

She pointed to her chest. 

“Of course, I didn’t show it.”  

“……”  

“I thought, ‘One day, he might point that knife at me too.’ So I sent people after you, but every time, you survived.”  

It was the moment when Nam Leehyun’s teacup slipped from her fingers.  

A gun was suddenly pointed at Seojun’s head. The bodyguard standing to the right had drawn his weapon, aiming it squarely at him.  

The situation gave Seojun a sense of déjà vu, reminding him of that rainy day from his childhood.  

Looking into his deep eyes, Nam Leehyun spoke.  

“Take my hand.”  

Without breaking eye contact, Seojun’s lips curled into a faint smile.  

“What if I refuse?”  

“Don’t let me exploit your weakness.”  

“You’re shameless.”  

“I don’t have much time left anyway. If you don’t take my hand now, you’ll eventually take over Leehan again. Just as you need to protect your family, I need to protect mine, don’t I?”  

Even as the knives wielded by her daughters had pierced her heart, Nam Leehyun was still a parent.  

She wanted to prevent Seojun from stepping into her place after she was gone, even in her final moments.  

Seojun found her pitiful. Her daughters had torn her apart and made her a laughingstock in front of the world, yet she still couldn’t let go of her greed. It was almost tragic.  

“Now, with that disgusting face, you reach out to me. What do you expect me to do?”  

“……”  

“Watch closely how I survive.”  

Seojun kicked the table. As the bodyguards scrambled to protect Nam Leehyun, he quickly disarmed the one on the right.  

Bang!  

The gunshot tore through the air, silencing everything around them.  

Seojun swiftly exited the restaurant.