Runaway Secretary - Chapter 57
CHAPTER 57
The darkened officetel lit up one by one in sync with Taeheon’s steps. He walked through the entrance, hallway, kitchen, living room, and bedroom.
The space Yeonseo had occupied still faintly carried her scent. In the bedroom, especially, the fragrance that emanated from her hair lingered subtly.
As if intoxicated by it, after work, Taeheon headed to this place rather than his residence.
At first, he thought it was bearable, a pain that would soon be forgotten. However, as the days went by, his longing to see Yeonseo intensified.
The primal need to hold her in his arms consumed his every waking moment. As fast as paint smears, he was losing himself in it.
After taking a shower, Taeheon lay down in the bedroom. Placing his palm on his forehead, he endured a sleepless night.
The faces and clear voices of Yeonseo’s fleeting words constantly plagued him.
[Sir, what kind of food do you like? I like meat, especially chicken.]
[Sir, I think my legs are tired. Can you hold me?]
[Stop, stop… Uh, you naughty!]
The words Yeonseo had said here on the bed came back to him in vivid detail, slashing at his dead heart.
“Hah…”
The excited chestnut-colored eyes, the honest heart that didn’t hide the beating pulses, the candid voice—Yeonseo, who danced prettily with reddened cheeks like peaches, was now gone.
She turned away, and the reason was Taeheon, whose ways had become poison and drove her away.
[You smell, you smell like another woman’s perfume.]
[No, it’s not. This isn’t protection, it’s surveillance.]
[…You brought that person here.]
[I don’t blame you for what you did, but Hyeonho, put him back where he belongs.]
[Really? After what you did, you still have the nerve to talk to me?]
[Not you, you’re despicable.]
[You’re already a bad person, and you’re blaming me for that….]
Yeonseo was innocent, pure, and wise. Escaping from Taeheon was the right direction for her in any case.
[How can you trample on people’s hearts so casually……. I’m scared of you, because you keep hurting me.]
He couldn’t think of a way not to hurt Yeonseo.
If he dared to bring Yeonseo, who had left Korea, back by force, and put her in front of him, would he be able to resolve his tormented feelings?
[…I like you, otherwise, I wouldn’t go this far.]
Her voice, cheeks, lips. Her.
Ha, he lowered his pants to see what’s beneath and squeeze the hardness. The backs of her veined hands worked against his heat.
I want to see you, I want to hold you, I want you.
…I want to take you back.
For sending Yeonseo away like that. For the despicable things he’d done to destroy her world.
I like you, Han Yeonseo.
I like you.
He, like a monster who has never liked anyone so much, didn’t know.
It didn’t take much to bring him to climax, just thinking about her skin. The expressing fluids dripped with reluctance.
“Ha, Yeonseo….”
I like you, the only one.
Every time he realized that, it was like someone slashed his chest with a knife.
Taeheon’s desire was far from over, and he was constantly thinking of ways to get her back after making such a mistake.
* * *
Taeheon’s family gathered for the first time in a long time for Leehyeok’s birthday. Leehyeok was the last to arrive, having just finished an off-site event.
First, the family members waiting in the dining room stood up to welcome him home. In the middle of them, Taeheon greeted him emotionlessly.
“Welcome home.”
The food at the main house was mostly bland and healthy. Today was no different, as the table was set to reflect Seonye’s tastes. Scanning the table, Taeheon realized that there wasn’t a single thing he could think of that Yeonseo would like, and then laughed to himself.
I’m thinking of her again.
“Let’s eat.”
As Leehyeok bluntly suggested, Seonye, Taeheon, and Taeseon’s husband Jeongwoon picked up their cutlery.
Taeheon quenched his thirst with water. He had no appetite; he hadn’t eaten in days. His desire to sleep and his appetite had evaporated at the same time.
He was channeling that lost energy into missing Yeonseo.
“Taeheon, you look like you’ve lost some weight.”
Leehyeok asked about his son’s state with a toneless voice.
It wasn’t significant enough to worry about changes in weight. It was just that Taeheon’s condition was noticeable to his father.
Having lost 5 kg, Taeheon’s appearance seemed sharper to everyone who saw him.
“Yes.”
“I heard you’ve been busy with overseas marketing issues lately.”
“This isn’t the time to talk about work-related matters at a birthday celebration.”
As if avoiding concerns, Taeheon gave a dry response, then raised and lowered his utensils. Seonye frowned. It was a sign that he was uncomfortable with Taeheon’s attitude.
Normally, Taeheon would go along with the harmonious family fun on a day like today, but he couldn’t afford to right now.
He wasn’t good at reading people’s moods and calculating how he would be perceived. He’d fallen into a routine that only brought out his natural sharpness and rude personality.
“Yeah, Taeheon, with that sharp jaw of yours, you might stab someone.”
Taeseon tried to lighten the atmosphere by making a joking remark.
“She said she’s not in Korea anymore. How did you two break up?”
Seonye’s words broke through the calm, or rather, the pretense of calm, and Taeheon laughed out loud at how much it hurt.
“Everyone is so interested in my love life, it’s almost like I never told you to stay out of it.”
Taeheon slowly scanned the water in his glass. The look in his eyes prompted Taeseon to cheekily said.
“Taeheon, it’s for the best. Yeonseo will think of it as a good experience. You should marry someone good too. You should get over it. Okay?”
“Both of you.”
Taeheon interrupted as if to cut off his anger, then raised his eyes to look at the two of them. It was a look so intense and ominous that it made people forget he had been quietly drinking water.
Whereas before he had been stoic and urbane, these days Taeheon was as wild as a wild horse, and the family, finally recognizing the change, clamped their mouths shut.
“Don’t you dare bring up Yeonseo’s name.”
“Taeheon, you’re so…!”
“Woo Taeseon, why are you always meddling?”
“Brother-in-law, it’s not appropriate to call my wife like that….”
Jeongwoon interrupted, then, as soon as he did, Taeseon grabbed his thigh and coughed awkwardly.
“Leave me alone, don’t think I forgave you because I’m tired.”
When Taeheon slickly raised his lips and laughed, Taeseon bit his lip and then pulled away. Even though he was her younger brother, every time this happened, it felt like dealing with a wild beast.
“Taeheon, you’re your own person, but I was thinking about Yeonseo………….”
“Do you have the time to think about other people? You should be busy clearing the s**t your father-in-law left. There were a lot of talks about the sale of land due to tax issues. It seems your father-in-law is having quite a hard time dealing with the National Tax Service investigation.”
Alternating glances between Jeongwoon and Leehyeok, Taeheon stood up with a grimace.
“I’m not in the mood to congratulate you, but I didn’t want to ruin it either, so if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go.”
Taeheon bowed briefly to his father.
Leehyeok roughly knew the situation. Seonye, probably nagging and urging Taeheon on what to do about Yeonseo.
“Taeheon, wait a moment, let’s talk.”
Leehyeok stood up and walked out of the restaurant. Though determined to leave, but Taeheon followed him without a word.
With the two of them gone, Taeseon sighed, rubbing her forehead, and mumbled gloomily.
“I don’t know, Taeheon is strange. It’s not the same flow we’re used to seeing. I thought he would do whatever it takes to find Yeonseo, but it’s not like that. Why… is he like this?”
Seonye remained silent. She, too, was surprised and confused by Taeheon’s unexpected reaction.
She thought they were on the verge of breaking up. Maybe he needed a partner like that at his age and of family background.
So, while pushing for a blind date, she didn’t feel sorry for Yeonseo. Taeheon was born to run a company, and he had a lot on his shoulders.
For the sake of the company, to become the leader at the forefront of the group, he was supposed to use marriage as a business tool. Taeheon also agreed to these terms.
But right now, Taeheon looked like any other man who had failed in love. Seonye rubbed his temples and asked Taeseon.
“What was that just now? About forgiveness and not? What were you talking about?”
“To be honest, I helped Yeonseo go to Canada.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Taeheon seemed completely obsessed, so I tried to protect Yeonseo.”
“Woo Taeseon, why are you saying that now?”
“I didn’t want Yeonseo to get caught. Seeing it now, it would have been better if she had just been caught. What if Taeheon goes wrong like this?”
“Just keep quiet and don’t make a scene. Do you understand?”
The filled dining table was left with a bitter sigh. They overlooked something. It wasn’t Yeonseo they had to worry about, it was Taeheon.
* * *
They headed for the balcony overlooking the backyard. The evening breeze was cool on the last day of August. They had met in early summer. An entire season had been colored by Yeonseo.
A deep, intense color.
“Have a smoke.”
Leehyeok held the cigarette out to Taeheon but he shook his head.
“I quit.”
He quit smoking when he came to Korea, when he started holding Yeonseo.
He didn’t want to hold her while smelling like cigarette, so he gradually reduced and eventually quit smoking.
Taeheon smiled bitterly as he realized that not having a cigarette in his mouth even now was almost like an anticipation of their reunion.
“You seem to be going through a lot these days.”
“It’s not enough to worry you, Father.”
“Still, I’ve been meaning to tell you someday, but it feels awkward to say it.”
There was a pause, and Leehyeok blew a cloud of cigarette smoke into the air. Taeheon could see his father’s wrinkles, deeper than before.
“I don’t know about your mother, but I married her out of love.”