🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 30
Juyoung ended up having breakfast with the couple, Bae Sungwon and Min Yuyoung.
The switch from a lunch appointment to breakfast had been sudden because Bae Sungwon and Min Yuyoung had to return to Seoul urgently.
“Sorry, Juyoung. Changing the appointment like this must have caught you off guard.”
“It’s alright, Madam.”
“Thank you for understanding. Next time, we’ll go somewhere to eat something even better. It’ll be my treat.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
Juyoung responded with a smile, but honestly, Min Yuyoung’s kindness felt overwhelming. She had never received such care in her life, so it was natural not to know how to react.
Sungwon, who had been quietly observing Juyoung, handed the empty cup to Seonghun.
“Make me a hot tea, please.”
“Why not ask an employee instead of me?”
“It tastes better when my son makes it himself.”
“You’re not trying to get rid of me, are you? So you can talk to me alone?”
“If you understand, just go quickly.”
Sungwon firmly handed the empty cup to Seonghun.
Sighing deeply, Seonghun glanced at Juyoung, his eyes silently asking if she’d be fine on her own.
Juyoung deliberately curled the corners of her mouth and nodded.
“I’ll be right back.”
Eventually, Seonghun left.
Sungwon then immediately spoke, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“President Choi Juyoung, may I ask you something?”
His voice carried weight.
Yesterday, when they talked about art, it had not been this serious—his tone had been soft but not heavy.
Now, this was different. It was a formal setting.
Bae Sungwon, as the chairman of Sungwoon Group and Seonghun’s father, was addressing Juyoung directly.
Juyoung put down her fork and straightened her posture.
“You may ask anything, Chairman.”
“Thank you for saying that… then I’ll ask.”
Juyoung swallowed nervously.
“What do you like, Choi Juyoung?”
“…Excuse me?”
Despite his serious tone, the question was unexpected.
“What do I like?” Juyoung blinked, unsure of the intent behind the question.
“What do you usually enjoy doing in your free time? Golf? Movies? Or do you like reading?”
“Ah…”
Chairman Bae’s question didn’t require any complicated interpretation—it was simply asking what she liked.
Juyoung thought carefully.
What do I like?
What do I usually do to relax?
As she pondered, Sungwon briefly glanced at Yuyoung before returning his gaze to Juyoung.
“It seems it’s a question too difficult to answer quickly.”
“…I’m sorry, Chairman. The truth is, I’m a boring person. There isn’t anything I particularly like.”
Sungwon smiled meaningfully, and Yuyoung, sitting beside him, gently held Juyoung’s hands.
Min Yuyoung and Bae Sungwon knew Juyoung’s family history well.
For anyone in their world, it was a notorious farce.
This wasn’t to criticize Juyoung’s mother, Ryu Siyun, for her suicide—it was impossible to imagine the pain that drove her to make such an extreme choice.
The real culprit in this farce was Choi Kwon-yong.
Abandoning his young daughter and beautiful wife, chasing only fleeting pleasure, the wounds he left on Juyoung were unimaginable.
Wounds from your closest family never truly heal or fade.
“I understand why Seonghun is with you.”
“Our son is the same, Juyoung. He doesn’t like much, doesn’t know how to rest. He lives this one life rather dull and uninteresting.”
Yuyoung gently patted Juyoung’s hands.
“Juyoung.”
“…Yes, Madam.”
“The past will never return. You don’t know what the future holds. Even if you were to die tomorrow, it wouldn’t be strange. We never really know how much time we have left.”
Yuyoung continued gently patting Juyoung’s hands.
“So try to enjoy your life. It’d be unfair to end it all while gritting your teeth through it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime life.”
A long-forgotten feeling surfaced.
When she was a child playing hard at the beach, exhausted and drenched in sweat, she would lay her head on her mother’s lap. Her mother would gently brush away the hair stuck to her forehead.
Mother…
Mother…
“You understand what I mean, right?”
“…Yes. I understand, Madam.”
Juyoung bit the inside of her lip while still showing a polite, bright smile.
Just then, Seonghun returned.
He placed a steaming cup in front of Sungwon.
“Here’s what you asked for.”
“Thank you, Seonghun. Coffee made by my son really is the best.”
“Where did you even learn to say that?”
“Why? Got a problem with it? Using the expressions of young people keeps you young. Wait till you’re my age.”
“Honey, Seonghun. Please stop fighting. What are you doing in front of Juyoung?”
Sungwon and Seonghun bickered, while the warmth of Yuyoung’s hands holding Juyoung’s offered comfort.
Outside the window, the clear blue sea of Jeju stretched endlessly.
A view she had never even seen in dreams.
A moment straight out of a drama.
Everything was so peaceful and ordinary that it almost brought tears.
The plane landed at Incheon Airport.
Originally, Secretary Shin was supposed to pick her up, but Seonghun insisted on driving her home.
Juyoung initially refused—after all, they had already spent a 1-night, 2-day trip together, and did she need a ride home too?
But…
“Now we should talk about the wedding, right? Let’s do it on the way.”
At the mention of marriage, Juyoung obediently got into Seonghun’s car.
About 30 minutes had passed since they left the airport, and Juyoung quietly stared out the window.
Seonghun glanced at her sideways.
“You’ve been quiet since yesterday.”
“I’m tired. Aren’t you, Bae Seonghun?”
“I’m tired too.”
“We’re both tired, so let’s just be quiet. We can talk about the wedding when we get home—it won’t be too late.”
Juyoung, folding her arms and closing her eyes, gave the clear signal not to be disturbed.
“…Alright, then,” Seonghun said, looking at her before returning his gaze to the road.
The car stopped.
Though her eyes were closed, Juyoung wasn’t asleep. She opened her eyes as soon as they arrived home, looked around, and clicked her seatbelt open.
“Thank you. The ride was comfortable thanks to you.”
“No problem.”
Seonghun nodded and unfastened his seatbelt.
“What did you want to say about the wedding? It feels like we haven’t even had ten dates yet.”
“According to the contract, yes. But recently, we’ve been seen together often. I think it’s a good time for a conversation about marriage.”
“…True. Attending an important event together as partners shows the seriousness of the relationship. Talking about marriage wouldn’t seem odd.”
They had also formally met each other’s parents at official events—effectively a preliminary wedding meeting.
“The wedding is three months from today.”
Seonghun gave the exact date.
“What do you think?”
“Considering the venue, dress, and photos… it’ll be quite busy.”
“Should we postpone?”
“No. Since we’ve decided to do it, let’s get it over with. There’s nothing money can’t solve, right?”
“I’ll handle the minor things like the venue and invitations. Just focus on picking your wedding dress, Choi Juyoung.”
When did the venue and invitations become ‘minor things’? Weren’t they the most troublesome?
But since he offered to handle them, there was no reason to object. It was a bit unexpected, but fine.
As Juyoung was about to respond, Seonghun interrupted.
“Next time we see each other…”
He reached out, gently pressing his thumb against Juyoung’s lips.
Juyoung instinctively held her breath.
His thumb slid across her lips as if wiping them, smearing her shiny lip gloss.
“Open your eyes properly. Don’t act like a wet cat.”
Seonghun withdrew his hand, then rubbed his own lips with his thumb.
The pink gloss transferred from Juyoung’s lips to his, haphazardly coating them.
Like the night he had come to her home uninvited, boldly mixing lips.
“This isn’t like you at all.”
But today, he didn’t kiss her. Still, seeing Seonghun with the gloss smeared beyond his lips was suffocatingly sensual.
