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Chapter 22
“Did something really happen?”
“Nothing.”
Despite Suyeon’s answer, Yoonjae’s attention lingered on the redness in her eyes.
“Please… don’t cry alone.”
The gentle voice, the warm tone—it reached deep into Suyeon’s heart.
“Thank you for your concern. Truly, I’m fine.”
Her gaze fixed on the floor, Suyeon kept her voice as calm as ever when she shifted the subject.
“Are you sure you don’t need to visit a hospital?”
“Secretary Chae must not know yet, but our Do-won Group has its own private physician. I received proper treatment, and the doctor confirmed there’s nothing abnormal. So you can rest assured.”
“Then, I’ll see you in the conference room.”
Even after she turned away, Yoonjae’s eyes refused to leave her retreating figure.
The scheduled interview time drew near. In the grand conference hall, tea and light refreshments had been laid out. The camera crew had finished their setup, and the secretarial team waited alongside them.
“Today, the Executive Director looks perfect as always.”
At Secretary Kwon’s remark, Director Han chuckled.
“Tomorrow he’ll be just as perfect, no doubt.”
“Exactly. Even as a man, I have to admit—he’s flawless, like a sculpture. That nickname wasn’t given for nothing.”
Their banter was cut short as the journalist entered the room.
Under the soft lighting, Yoonjae took his seat, and the interview began.
“First, congratulations on being chosen as Architect of the Year.”
“Thank you.”
Straight posture, natural charisma, and a face one couldn’t look away from.
In Suyeon’s eyes, beneath that refined image, she still saw the boy with dimples in his pale cheeks—the beautiful youth from long ago.
“Do-won Construction is renowned for its eco-friendly designs that preserve nature. Could you share your thoughts on receiving this award?”
Yoonjae answered every question with ease, his thoughts and feelings flowing smoothly into words. The interview moved without a hitch, and the photographer’s shutter clicked rapidly.
“According to reports, Director Jeong Yugeon will soon return from abroad. It’s said that your approaches to architecture differ. Do you anticipate any changes at Do-won Construction upon his return?”
Though the name was unwelcome, Yoonjae’s expression remained calm and unshaken.
“Change? Not particularly. The Director can focus on his division, and I on my projects. We’ll each pursue our roles with integrity. If our different visions end up influencing each other positively, all the better.”
The interview continued for nearly an hour before arriving at the final question.
“One last question, though it strays from today’s award. May I?”
“Of course.”
“As you’ve achieved great success as an architect, I’d like to ask about your personal life. Specifically—your marriage plans. This award has drawn more public attention to your private life, and many women are curious. Could you share your thoughts?”
“I wasn’t aware my marriage was such a public concern. I’m not seeing anyone at the moment. But… who can say what the future holds? It’s hard to give a definitive ‘no.’”
“So, is it a matter of high standards? Or perhaps an unforgettable love still lingers in your heart?”
“…Perhaps.”
A faint smile curved on Yoonjae’s lips, drawing every gaze in the room.
“If I may—could you tell us a little about your first love? Knowing about it might reveal your ideal type. Of course, this is partly my selfish curiosity.”
At the reporter’s half-joking tone, Yoonjae’s expression softened. His reply was slow, deliberate.
“When I was in elementary school… I had an accident.”
“An accident?”
The reporter’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Yes. A blow to the head caused partial memory loss. If I had a first love, I believe she exists somewhere in those lost memories.”
“So the name, the face… all gone with that memory? And yet you’re certain there was a first love. Why is that?”
“Because… once in a while, I catch fleeting fragments. Like short films flashing by.”
Suyeon’s face stiffened at his words.
When she’d first heard from others that he had memory loss, her heart had raced—yet secretly, she had prayed that he had forgotten every moment they’d shared.
Because even the act of recalling those days had felt like someone tightening their hands around her throat.
“Some claim my memory was tampered with after the accident. But I know with certainty—my first love did exist.”
Ever since that day, no one dared mention Yong-su Valley in Yoonjae’s presence.
Whenever fragments resurfaced, Chairman Jeong, the Jeju housekeeper, or Director Han would all dismiss it the same way: just your imagination.
A heavy lock sealed the box of memory. And inside, Yoonjae’s childhood in Yong-su Valley remained trapped.
“Whoever she is, if she was your first love, I’m sure she must be a beautiful woman.”
“Memory loss… it’s like a puzzle. I’m still searching for those last missing pieces.”
“And if you find them—if she’s still single—would you pursue her again?”
“That would depend less on me… and more on her.”
“Then I hope you do find that final puzzle piece, along with your lost memories and your first love.”
When the interview ended, all attention among the staff shifted to one topic—Yoonjae’s first love.
As with any impossible romance, the yearning seemed even more poignant. And as the “sculpture of Do-won,” Yoonjae had no shortage of women quietly admiring him. Naturally, every word he spoke about love was scrutinized with keen interest.
“Did you hear? His first love.”
“Back in his student days, maybe? Or during his studies abroad?”
As the women whispered, Secretary Kwon let out a soft laugh.
“Surprising, isn’t it?”
“What is?”
“The Executive Director. I thought he’d brush it off—say something like ‘first loves fade long ago’—and laugh it away. But when he spoke just now, his eyes… they were so earnest. So desperate. It made me want to find that missing piece for him myself.”
The last puzzle piece.
At those words, Suyeon’s brow twitched faintly.
When Yoonjae left with the staff, Suyeon and Secretary Kwon hurried to pack up as well.
“Secretary Chae, we’ve got about an hour free. Want to grab some tea in the break room? I feel parched, though the interview wasn’t even mine.”
As they walked, Secretary Kwon cast careful glances at Suyeon before asking softly:
“When was your first love?”
First love.
At the mere words, only one person surfaced in Suyeon’s mind.
“…I’m not sure.”
“Whoever it was, if they were your first love, I’m sure he must’ve been wonderful. You know, people say—first love isn’t the first person you liked. It’s the one you loved the most, the deepest. By that definition, I guess I haven’t had a real first love yet.”
She kept sneaking side glances at Suyeon, her lips curving faintly.
“Either way, I see the Executive Director differently now. I thought he was too cold for something like a first love.”
For Suyeon, it had always been Jeong Yoonjae.
Through middle school, high school, university—all those years had passed in a blur of classes and endless part-time jobs.
Love, relationships—those were luxuries, irrelevant to her life.
Her one dream had been simple:
To save enough money quickly, so she could live with Yong-soon in Seoul.
But before that wish could come true, Yong-soon had left this world, never to return. And once again, Suyeon was left utterly alone.
Shaking off the memories that surfaced for a fleeting moment, she hurried into the newly remodeled break room.
At Yoonjae’s orders, it had been transformed into something entirely different from before.
As she entered, several male employees from other departments immediately drifted toward her.
After exchanging glances, one of them finally spoke.
“You’re the new secretary in Executive Director Jeong Yoonjae’s office, right?”
His curious eyes lingered, and a sly smile tugged at his lips.
“I’m Choi Young-min, from Accounting.”
Watching him introduce himself so readily, when no one had asked, Secretary Kwon’s eyes narrowed slightly.
