CHAPTER 5

*

There was no good in going against him. There was no other way for the powerless Yeonseo. She could only pray that Director Woo wouldn’t ask her any questions that would be difficult to answer.

“Yes.”

After bowing her head to Taeheon, Yeonseo passed him. Eyes widening, she then picked up her pace with long strides.

A familiar man was getting out of the driver’s  seat of a black sedan. He was Director Woo’s eldest son, Woo Seungbin.

With a friendly face, although he wasn’t as handsome as Taeheon, Seungbin had a tall stature and a good physique. He was one of the few good people who occasionally visited this place, accompanying Mrs. Kang and playing the role of a close friend to Yeonseo.

Today, his hands are full of presents. As Yeonseo ran towards him, Seungbin noticed her and smiled.

“Yeonseo, did you exercise this morning?”

“Yes. What brings you here so early?”

“Oh, I had some extra time. I picked up Aunt Yoon-hae on my way here. She said she’s going to Seoul today. Let’s go up there together.”

His gaze reached beyond Yeonseo’s tied-up hair. He looked over to where Taeheon was.

Yeonseo turned around. She thought he had already left, but Taeheon was still here, looking at this place.

Feeling a sense of tension in his staring gaze, Yeonseo quickly averted her gaze.

Let’s avoid crossing paths as much as possible.

The more she spoke, the more she felt caught by him, as if he was reminding her of her past mistakes, which made him irritating.

“Who’s this and when have you arrived?!”

Seungbin waved his hand over his head and greeted Taeheon with delight.

“Have you been well?”

Seungbin asked loudly, inquiring about Taeheon’s well-being.

Are they on good terms?

Considering Director Woo, it was not easy to gauge the relationship between his son, Seungbin, and Taeheon.

When Yeonseo glanced back, Taeheon was walking towards the mountain.

“I guess he didn’t hear you.”

“Of course not. He’s always like that. Wasn’t it uncomfortable being with him?”

“Yes, let me help you, give it to me.”

Yeonseo said, trying to take the items from Seungbin but he stopped her.

“It’s fine, Ms. Han.”

With their shoulders side by side, they climbed the stairs, as Yoon-hae was already gone.

“Oh, I’m hungry. It’s time for breakfast, right?”

“Yes. Madam already had her meal. She’s resting now.”

“Then let’s eat together, just the two of us. Let’s not wake up Grandma.”

Yeonseo remembered someone who wanted to wake up the sleeping Mrs. Kang. Yeonseo smiled and asked if toast would be okay.

She made a promise to herself to eat and clean up quickly before Taeheon returned from his walk.

*

The image of Yeonseo, who ran towards Seungbin, with her cheeks flushing red, was etched in Taeheon’s mind. It was funny how it was such things that occupied Taeheon’s consciousness while he was taking a walk.

A woman rolling her eyes, gripping the rope tightly with a frightened expression, or someone clutching an envelope with shaking lips.

The steps he took to clear his mind grew unexpectedly heavy. Taeheon stopped in the mountains and looked up at the sky. He smirked and burst into laughter.

The clump of weeds carelessly discarded on the roadside, as if it had just been plucked, was Yeonseo’s doing. He imagined how she must have looked like.

Squatting, wiping the sweat from her white forehead with the back of her hand. Her pants would have ridden up a bit, revealing more of her pristine legs.

Why was I thinking that?

Suddenly, Taeheon felt uneasy.

Clearly, his mind was still malfunctioning due to rushing down to Yongin before he had the chance to adjust to the time difference. Taeheon brushed away the overwhelming thoughts and pondered over today’s schedule.

He was back home faster than he thought.

He showered and came downstairs to the first floor, where the sound of cheerful laughter emanated from the living room.

At the round table, Mrs. Kang and Seungbin were chatting happily. Seated next to them, Yeonseo munched on a cookie and listened to their conversation.

It was an affinity that could have been shared by Mrs. Kang to her granddaughter instead of her caregiver.

Seungbin put down his coffee cup and spoke up.

“I think I should go now, Grandma.”

“Already? You haven’t even seen Taeheon.”

“I’ll see him later in Seoul. And I plan to take Yeonseo with me on the way there.”

“Well, it’s been a while since our Yeonseo took a break. Grandma kept her occupied for too long.”

Yeonseo smiled softly and wiped the tea stains on Mrs. Kang’s lips with a handkerchief.

“Yeonseo, I got some on me too.”

In response to Seungbin’s words, Yeonseo’s eyes widened like a rabbit. Seungbin playfully leaned his cheek against her, and she couldn’t do anything but squirm helplessly.

Clumsy woman.

“Come to think of it, Seungbin, you’re spoiling Yeonseo.”

“Yeonseo is kind-hearted. I guess that’s why. Right, Yeonseo?”

“Well then, what about you, Yeonseo?”

“Hmm? Sounds right. Then will you give it to me?”

Seungbin widened his smile. Yeonseo’s face was unbearably red.

Taeheon walked over. He exhaled a deep, stagnant breath, wishing he hadn’t spent so much time eavesdropping on this conversation.

“Oh, you’ve woken up?”

All eyes turned to Taeheon as he entered the living room. Mrs. Kang’s expression brightened considerably, obviously pleased to see her two grandchildren together.

“Taeheon, you’re here. Have you eaten breakfast?”

“Just coffee.”

Taeheon lowered his gaze and looked at Yeonseo. Her unsteady attempt to stand up seemed as if she was trying to escape from Taeheon.

“Aren’t you going to greet your cousin?”

Seungbin asked with a smile, and Taeheon replied nonchalantly as he sat down.

“You said you were going out with Han Yeonseo.”

“Yeah. I’m planning to take Yeonseo with me.”

“Stop fooling around and take good care of her.”

Yeonseo had already left Mrs. Kang in the care of Yoon-hae.

As Taeheon pursed his lips while looking at the empty seat she had occupied, Seungbin tugged at the end of his words.

“Something seems subtle in your words.”

“What?”

Taeheon crossed his legs and looked at him.

“No, you make it sound like it’s you asking me to take Yeonseo.”

Seungbin laughed. Their auras clashed soundlessly but as Seungbin stood up, their subtle tension silently dissipated.

“I’d better go, then, Grandma.”

“Sure, I shouldn’t hold you back when you have important things to do. When you go to Seoul, treat our Yeonseo to something delicious.”

“Hahaha. Are you really going to marry me off?”

Seungbin lightly embraced Mrs. Kang and patted her back. As Seungbin, who had been babbling, disappeared outside the living room, the space became quiet.

Taeheon quietly sipped the coffee that Bokhee had brought him. Soon, a commotion could be heard from the entrance area.

Seungbin offers to help with the luggage, and he’s quite amused by Yeonseo’s urgent protests.

What kind of antics are they up to?

Taeheon rolled his eyes and stared into his mug of strong coffee.

“I would prefer if it were you, not Seungbin, taking Yeonseo.”

“That’s enough, Grandma. Are you planning to have Yeonseo for each of your grandchildren?”

“Yeonseo is a pitiful girl. The same goes for you too, Taeheon.”

“It would be easier to make Han Yeonseo your foster daughter rather than to comfort the poor pitiful souls.”

For Taeheon, Yeonseo is a nasty person. She’s manipulated his grandma to this extent, looking at how tightly his grandma holds onto her.

“That’s just your greed, Grandma. If you keep it up, who will protect Yeonseo? She’ll be torn apart from all sides.”

Taeheon rolled his eyes to the side. Outside the large window, the plains stretched out before him like a painting.

In the distance, the sedan disappearing down the road looked like an ant.

“If you really care about her, don’t make a scene.”

Taeheon stood up and buttoned his suit. He still had some time before work, but he wanted to get out of there.

He didn’t care how the bastard Woo Seungbin played with her, but it would be troublesome if he had any interaction with Yeonseo. He was going to use her to screw over Director Woo.

He needed to make Han Yeonseo realize that it’s not a time for her to shyly smile like a girl in love for the first time.

Once again, the scent of sunlight seemed to linger somewhere. It was truly unpleasant.

*

Whenever she visited Director Woo’s home, she felt overwhelmed by its size and atmosphere. It was a grand mansion with a different feel from the peaceful houses in Yongin. The main house and the annex were divided by high walls and a gate, and the garden was spacious.

And many servants come and go. The silence here was similar to the quietness of the Yongin house, but it was filled with a chilling coldness.

As Yeonseo ascended the last stone staircase, she looked up at the sky. The hazy Seoul sky felt suffocating.

“You’re here?”

“Yes. Hello.”

“Director Woo is waiting for you.”

The house caretaker silently approached and guided Yeonseo to Director Woo’s study.

Director Woo always met Yeonseo at his home. There was no other place to meet, but she thought it was a bit odd that he stayed at home when he had to go to work.

Knock, knock, knock.

After the caretaker knocked, he gestured to Yeonseo. It was a signal that she could enter.

“Thank you.”

With a smiling face, Yeonseo pushed open the sturdy door of the study. Creak, a small noise that felt like thunder.

She had gotten a glimpse of Director Woo’s secret agenda through Taeheon. It would be hard to smile at him like before.

She had to do well. Worries rushed in like dark clouds.

As Yeonseo took a step forward, Director Woo, who had his back against the window, putted the golf ball. The golf ball rolled unevenly on the mat as if Director Woo was in the midst of putting practice.

“Hello.”

“You’ve come, sit over there.”

“Sure.”

It was a more natural greeting than she had worried about. Yeonseo took a seat on one side of the couch, as she always did.

Thud.

A small impact sound was heard. Director Woo straightened his previously hunched back and glanced along the trajectory of the golf ball.

His eyes flashed behind his square-rimmed glasses, and his brow narrowed slightly as if he didn’t like the outcome.

Director Woo raised his putter as if to throw it away. It was that moment that Yeonseo discovered a rough side in him for the first time, despite his intellectual and composed image.

She didn’t realize that she was reading too much into something that she would have considered trivial in the past. Yeonseo remained seated, slightly relaxing her tense shoulders.

I can do well. Just like usual.

She repeated the mantra to herself.

After a while, the caretaker who had guided her brought tea, and Director Woo sat down on the main seat just in time.

“Please have some, it’s been a long ride.”

“Thank you. Seungbin gave me a ride on the way here.”

Director Woo’s hand, in the midst of lifting the teacup, paused for a moment. A subtle discomfort, so fleeting that it was difficult to notice, lingered and then dissipated within him.