Chapter 57

Smooch, Haji’s eyes slightly opened at the touch of lips on her forehead.

“Where are you going?”

“Work.”

Seojin spoke softly as he brushed Haji’s hair aside.

“Will you be late?”

“No, I’m just meeting Seonghee. I’ll head there.”

“Okay, got it.”

Seeing Haji mumbling with half-open eyes, Seojin leaned down again and lightly kissed her near her eyes.

“Sleep more.”

Okay, see you later.

Her heavy eyelids fell.

***

Seojin arrived early at the site to ensure there were no issues at the opening ceremony of the youth housing complex he had poured his heart into.

While looking around, he saw Matthew walking leisurely.

“You’re early.”

“Tell them to remove all the wreaths over there.”

“Ah, the wreaths have been a mess since a week ago.”

Matthew looked at the wreaths with an irritated tone. They never ended, no matter how many were removed.

“Why are there so many politicians and board members? When we asked them for some investment, they acted like they didn’t know us.”

“That’s how people are. Now they’re trying to get involved.”

“Ah, it’s even more so after they heard you’re the director of Laonhilljo Resort in Jeju.”

Seojin had been gradually revealing his identity. The immediate response was, of course, the youth housing complex.

“What about the bank president?”

“I got a call. Just as you thought. Mentioning the resort made him positive.”

Seojin nodded, as if he expected it.

“But is it necessary to go this far?”

“Yeah.”

Without needing to think, Seojin replied, making Matthew chuckle dryly.

“We just need to build the housing. Why do we have to worry about how the young people living here get loans and repay them?”

Leaking that he was the resort director was purely intentional.

Laonhilljo Resort, which started gaining worldwide attention for its unique structures and became a representative tourist destination in Korea, had many businessmen curious about who the director was.

Now that they knew who the director was, they started contacting him, trying to build relationships and make business connections. The starting point was related to the youth housing project.

“Take care of it.”

“That’s easy for you to say! The Mayor of Seoul, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Minister of Health and Welfare, the Minister of Employment and Labor, and even the bank president of the top-tier financial institution!”

Matthew, listing them while counting on his fingers, seemed out of breath and exhaled heavily.

“Does it make sense to call all these people for a youth housing complex?”

“It makes sense. They’re all coming, right?”

“Who’s going to say no when you go this far?”

Matthew looked at Seojin as if he couldn’t believe it. The one who made it impossible for the leaders of the political world not to come.

Not only did he reveal he was the director of Laonhilljo Resort, but he also let slip that his parents were the director of the top university hospital in Korea and the CEO of a pharmaceutical company.

It’s a background and environment that would pique interest even from those who weren’t interested before.

“Are you planning to enter politics?”

“No way.”

Even with Seojin’s answer, Matthew’s narrow eyes didn’t relax. Seojin, receiving suspicious looks, just maintained his ignorance.

“If you go into politics, I’m out.”

“That’s a relief.”

“What?”

“Because I’m not going. Just remove the wreaths.”

Seojin turned away from Matthew and scanned the surroundings once more.

“Hey! Aren’t you going to do anything? Change your clothes!”

At the rough voice coming from behind, Seojin raised his hand.

It had become a habit to wear comfortable clothes when coming to the site, so today was no different. He had left his suit at the office and came to the site.

Checking his wristwatch, Seojin glanced at his reflection in the glass door.

“I guess I should go change.”

There wasn’t much time left now.

The time for the dream that began with her to unfold.

***

Sitting in front of the dressing table, Haji switched her phone call to speakerphone.

“I’m getting ready now.”

• Okay, let me know when you leave. I’ll match your timing.
•  

Haji smiled brightly at Seonghee’s cheerful voice.

“Okay, got it.”

• Oh! I met Hyein yesterday!

“Hyein?”

• You remember the friend from our first year of high school? The really cute one.

“Ah…”

Was that so?

Haji tilted her head, holding the puff she was applying to her face.

Trying to recall the face of a friend from ten years ago didn’t come easily.

• You were probably in the same class as her in the third year of high school too.

“Really? Was I?”

• You really don’t pay attention to people. Let’s look at the graduation photos together next time.
•  

At Seonghee’s words, Haji’s gaze turned to the door. Seonghee’s graduation album was there.

Haji, who had lost her graduation album due to frequent moves, became curious.

“Seonghee, your graduation album is at Seojin oppa’s place.”

• Huh? Why is it there?

“It must have gotten mixed up when moving.”

• Did Ki Seojin do that? That’s ridiculous…
•  

Seonghee’s grumbling voice was heard. The words were too soft to catch, but it seemed like there were curses mixed in.

“Should I bring it today?”

• No, just leave it. He’s so desperate.

“Desperate?”

• I’m just going to give it.

Give it?

Giving our graduation photos to Seojin oppa?

Would he need this?

Although something seemed strange, she ended the call, responding to Seonghee’s request to contact her when leaving.

Haji, who had finished her light makeup, looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror. The puffed shoulders of the white long dress looked cute as if flowers had bloomed.

“There’s a bit of time left, so should I look at the graduation photos before going?”

Having prepared for an outing after a long time, Haji walked lightly to the study. The hem of the white skirt fluttered like her heart.

“I think I saw it here…”

Haji, who entered the study after a long time, slowly scanned the bookshelf, looking for the graduation album she had seen before.

“Ah! Here it is.”

Haji happily pulled out the album. She never thought she’d find her graduation photos at Seojin’s house.

As she opened the album, a photo tucked inside fluttered to the floor.

“Huh?”

What photo is this…?

As Haji bent down to pick up the photo, her pupils widened.

“Why is this…?”

Why is it here?

Haji’s fingertips trembled. But the strength in the hand holding the photo didn’t weaken. She held it tightly with both hands to prevent it from slipping.

“How…?”

Haji, unable to take her eyes off the people in the photo for a while, covered her mouth with one hand. She blinked repeatedly to stop her vision from blurring.

It was clearly a photo of her parents and herself taken in Jeju.

The fact that there hadn’t been a single photo was painful and difficult, and she never expected to encounter a photo like this.

“How did oppa…”

Have this?

Holding the photo in her hand, Haji headed straight for the entrance.

She had to ask. Why he had this.

***

Haa, haa.

Even with her labored breathing, Haji couldn’t stop her running legs.

Just thinking she had to see Seojin, she took a taxi and came to the company.

Ding, as soon as the elevator doors opened, Haji’s body shot out. Then, her shoulder was caught, and everything came to a halt.

“Haji.”

Ah…

It was the voice of the person she was looking for. Haji quickly raised her head.

“What’s going on? Why are you like this?”

Seojin, surprised by Haji’s tear-streaked face, pulled her into his arms.

“Oppa…”

“Yeah, tell me.”

Haji’s trembling shoulders made her whole body falter, and Seojin wiped her face and tidied her disheveled hair.

He steadied her shaking body, aligning his height with her unstable gaze.

“Tell me, Haji.”

At the soft voice, she finally realized why she came here. All the way here, she was lost in her sorrow and not in her right mind.

Even now, it was impossible to regain her usual rationality. Having already shown him everything, she didn’t even think to save face.

Swallowing, Haji held out the photo in her hand.

“I found this.”

“…You came because you were curious.”

Seojin murmured softly, as if he already knew about the photo’s existence.

“Can we talk in the car? There’s something I want to show you too.”

Haji, with tears still in her eyes, looked at Seojin as if she didn’t understand what he meant. Right now, she was only curious about the existence of this photo.

“I’ll tell you everything. This photo, our first meeting. And what I want to give you.”

Everything.