Chapter 34

After Seonghee left, Haji let out a long sigh. As the sudden tension eased, fatigue washed over her.

“Phew……” 

When she encountered Seonghee at the door, she thought her heart would jump out of her chest. The shock from that moment was only now subsiding. 

Hearing the door sound, Seojin came out and approached Haji, who was leaning against the entrance. 

“Did she leave?”

“Yes……”

“Are you okay?” 

Haji nodded as she looked up at Seojin, who was naturally stroking her cheek. 

What is this man thinking as he strokes my face like this? 

“What kind of relationship do we have?”

“What?” 

Seojin’s brow furrowed as if hearing something strange. 

“Other people think we’re newlyweds.”

“Really?” 

Not bad.

Seojin’s words, almost like talking to himself, were heard. Unlike Seojin’s relaxed face, Haji’s expression hardened.

She didn’t think there was an expression between a man and woman that could define their relationship. 

“Since when did you become my husband?”

“We can just make it so. Your husband.”

“What?”

“Why not?” 

A large shadow loomed over Haji’s body leaning against the entrance. It felt dark, as if she were trapped inside it. 

Tap, Seojin tapped the tip of Haji’s nose with his fingertip. 

“Why so serious? Isn’t it something a couple can think about?”

“A couple?”

“Then what did you think we were?” 

Seojin raised his eyebrows at Haji’s questioning response. As if it was absurd.

“After even kissing, you think we’re nothing?”

“Th-that was…”

“Were you more open-minded than I thought? But I’m not really like that.” 

Seojin tilted his head and moved closer as if he would kiss Haji’s cheek.

“Looks like you’ll have to take me.”

***

Woobae and Sehee finished cleaning the cafe interior and approached Haji, who was said to be making sandwiches for a new product. 

“Boss?”

“……” 

While her hands were making sandwiches, her gaze seemed lost in thought, unfocused. 

“Boss!”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t there too much bacon?” 

Startled, Haji looked at the sandwich she was making and was surprised. The layers of bacon seemed to be about 20 slices, even at a glance. 

“I’ll have to make it again.”

“Aren’t you making too many when there’s no bulk order today?”

“There’s someone I’m going to give them to.”

At Haji’s words, Sehee smiled and nodded knowingly. 

“I knew you’d go at least once. It’s about time, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re going to that person’s company, right?”

“That person?”

“Your boyfriend’s.”

“Boyfriend?”

Haji asked back in surprise. It was the first time she had heard it from someone else since a few days ago when Seojin had clearly defined their relationship as lovers. Of course, she had fled the scene like a runaway that day. 

“That’s right, isn’t it? Am I wrong?” 

But I thought you were already dating? 

Sehee stared at Haji’s face curiously. Her face was getting redder and redder, almost to the point of bursting.

The thought that others saw their relationship as a couple made her feel even more embarrassed.

“So you are, and you’re shy about it?”

“Ahem, it’s true that I’m taking these there.” 

Haji cleared her throat unnecessarily and rubbed her nose bridge while averting her gaze. 

“Should I help you pack? It seems like quite a lot.”

“No, I’m fine. Tell Woobae to make the sandwiches going out today.” 

Haji pressed the sandwiches firmly with her reddened fingertips. Refusing, as it felt like she was using her employees’ labor for her purely personal matter. 

“Is this enough?” 

Haji pondered, looking at the 20 well-packed sandwiches that were now stacked. 

Should I make more? How many employees are there?

Since she wasn’t mentioning her visit to Seojin in advance, she couldn’t figure out the number of office employees.

She chose to go without notice because it was clear he would tell her not to come if she said she was going. 

“Today, I must get his account number.” 

The reason for visiting Seojin was to pay the rent. Because he wouldn’t accept it no matter how many times she asked or tried to give cash, she was now determined to get it no matter what. 

“Surely he won’t run away from the company?” 

It’s his own company.

Recalling how Seojin had fled from home several times, Haji grasped the shopping bag containing the sandwiches. 

“I’ll catch him somehow.” 

Definitely.

***

Haji entered the familiar building and checked the floor number. Seojin’s company was closer than she thought. Close enough to arrive within 10 minutes on foot.

“8th floor.” 

Haji, who found SA Construction, got on the elevator. Just as the doors were about to close smoothly, a hand like a pot lid wedged into the gap.

“I’m sorry. I’ll ride with you.” 

Startled, Haji stepped back. Soon, a man with a large build entered through the opened door, greeting her. 

Hmm? He looks familiar. 

Haji glanced furtively at the familiar back of the man. 

“Do you know me?”

“Pardon?” 

The man, who had seen Haji’s reflection in the elevator interior, turned his head, and Haji stepped back again.

“No, you kept looking. I’m not a bad person.”

The man blurted out as if making an excuse, sounding a bit wronged. Unique accent, large build, rugged face. 

It suddenly dawned on her. 

“Ah, the building owner.”

“Pardon?”

“I think I saw you by chance a while ago.”

“Me?”

“Didn’t you buy the villa building inside the five-way intersection at the mart?”

Haji remembered that this man was the new building owner of the villa she was about to move into recently. 

“How do you know that? It shouldn’t have been announced yet.”

“I was about to move in there, but I couldn’t because I was told it was sold.”

“I see. The company I work for bought it. That’s fortunate. That building……” 

Ding, Matthew’s words were cut off as the elevator stopped.

Then, Matthew checked the time and hurriedly exited.

“I’m in a hurry, so I’ll go ahead.” 

Watching the back of the man who seemed to be really in a rush, Haji pouted. 

“Fortunate, he says. How much trouble did I go through because of that?”

I’ll have to ask him next time why they didn’t accept tenants. 

Haji, who got off the elevator after the man, stopped walking in the corridor.

“Did he go in here?” 

Haji looked at the company nameplate and then at the entrance again. It took some thought to accept the fact that the man from earlier had entered the office clearly labeled SA Construction.

“Is this the company?” 

He definitely said the company bought it. 

She needed to confirm. Haji pushed the door open, trying to calm her uneasy heart.

***

Seojin sat face to face with Matthew, who had come to hear directly about the results of the housing support project.

“We’re as good as confirmed, implicitly.”

“Why?”

“Other construction companies don’t want to do this project with no net profit, and they’re subtly showing it.”

“I guess so. They’d just waste time if they took it unnecessarily.”

If one didn’t properly understand the essence of this project, they could end up wasting time. It was something other construction companies would sufficiently consider. And that’s what he had aimed for.

“We’ve already secured land suitable for construction, have an exact budget, and even have an advertising model lined up. They have no choice but to pick us.”

“How are we handling all the buildings?”

“The villas inside the five-way intersection you mentioned are being prepared for demolition, and we’re waiting for signatures from some nearby shops and houses.”

Seojin nodded at the smoothly progressing content and checked the schedule written on the tablet. 

Just then, thud, a sound of something falling was heard.

“What’s that?”

Matthew got up from his seat and opened the closed door.

“Oh? How did you come here?”

Hearing Matthew speak as if addressing someone familiar, Seojin stood up.

“Who is it?” 

There was no curiosity in the casually uttered voice. He just asked to confirm. 

Soon, Seojin’s indifferent attitude disappeared when he faced the other person, and bewilderment showed. 

“Haji.” 

It was an unexpected figure. Seojin looked at Haji and the shopping bag and packed sandwiches that had fallen around her.

“How did you come here?”

“Is that important right now?” 

He knew it wasn’t important. He just needed to confirm. Whether it was the worst-case scenario he had anticipated. 

“Come in first. Let’s talk inside.”

As Seojin approached to wrap his arm around Haji’s shoulder, she stepped back, rejecting him. 

“Stop. Don’t come. I’m angry right now.” 

He already felt the anger in her eyes looking at him. Along with the betrayal, disappointment, and various other emotions visible in them. 

“There’s a misunderstanding. We can resolve everything through conversation.”

“……” 

Seojin swallowed hard at the clear gaze glaring at him as if not wanting to speak at all. It felt like his heart was being squeezed, but he waited silently. 

“Even if there’s a misunderstanding, the fact that you haven’t said anything until now isn’t a misunderstanding.”

“Let’s sit down and talk.”

“……” 

As the confrontation in front of his room prolonged, the employees’ gazes were gathering. Seojin didn’t care about such things, but Haji might care later. 

“Come in.”

“…… Alright.” 

When Haji, who had been glaring at him for a long time, finally gave permission, Seojin opened the door. 

“Get out.”

“Huh?”

“I said get out.” 

Matthew, who had been watching the situation at the door, was kicked out before he could even grasp the situation. He left quietly, reading the atmosphere, but with an expression of great curiosity about their relationship. 

Thud, Seojin’s room door closed…