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Chapter 29
You Got Caught
“Was that really Joo Taeuk on the phone?”
Thirty whole minutes after they got into the car, Arin finally spoke.
Jinsu glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
The entire ride, she had stared blankly out the window as though lost in thought, but now her gaze had shifted to him.
Seeing the disbelief written all over her face, Jinsu nodded.
“Yes. It was CEO Joo Taeuk.”
“……”
“You don’t seriously think I’d say ‘President Joo’ and hand you the phone if it wasn’t actually him, right?”
“……”
“If I lied about something like that and got caught, I’d seriously have been fired this time.”
Only after hearing that did Arin finally seem convinced.
“Makes sense,” she muttered to herself.
Jinsu pouted at her reaction, clearly offended, but Arin pretended not to notice and asked another question.
“So you called him first?”
“Why would I?”
“The timing was way too perfect.”
“No way. I’m actually pretty good at staying on the winning side. I wouldn’t risk myself just to—”
“……”
“Y-you know I’m joking, noona, right?”
Jinsu, who had been teasing her, finally noticed Arin’s tightly shut expression and hurriedly forced out an awkward grin.
Arin stared silently at him before turning back toward the window.
“Right. I guess that’s true too.”
“N-noona…?”
“What’s the point of holding onto a broken connection anyway? Life’s already hard enough as it is.”
“A-ah, no, that’s not what I meant—!”
“But we worked together for three years, didn’t we? At least give me a heads-up next time. It’d be depressing if I were the only one who didn’t realize my lifeline had already been cut.”
“A-ah, noona!”
“That way I can wake up and start figuring out another path sooner.”
“Noona, seriously, why are you like this?! I was joking! It was a joke!”
Just then the traffic light changed, and Jinsu hurriedly slammed on the brakes.
Watching Arin sigh deeply like she intended to shred his conscience to pieces, Jinsu groaned in agony and raked both hands through his hair.
After a moment of visibly struggling with himself, he suddenly turned toward her as though he’d made up his mind.
“I really was joking, noona. So don’t say things like finding another path.”
“……”
“I really like your acting.”
His muttered confession made Arin look genuinely surprised.
The instant her expression crumbled, she quickly covered her face with one hand and turned away.
Jinsu knew that was something Arin only did when emotions overwhelmed her, so he continued softly.
“And honestly… I wasn’t even planning to tell you this because your reckless behavior almost got me fired too.”
“……”
“But actually… CEO Joo was looking for you today.”
“…Joo Taeuk was looking for me?”
“Yeah. I don’t know why, but he said it’d only take a moment. But seriously, how was I supposed to hand you the phone in that situation? Our CEO totally would’ve gotten the wrong idea.”
Jinsu shrugged helplessly, saying he didn’t know the details either, then quickly straightened up when an impatient car horn blared behind them.
Arin shut her eyes tightly, a headache building at the thought of Taeuk’s unreadable intentions.
Watching her through the rearview mirror, Jinsu carefully continued.
“Anyway, it seems like things worked out, so don’t worry too much.”
“……”
“No articles came out either, and apparently CEO Joo told our boss not to worry.”
“…What are you even talking about?”
At Arin’s question, Jinsu hesitated before cautiously glancing at her.
When she glared at him to hurry up and explain, he finally gave in.
“It looks like CEO Joo has one too.”
“…Has what?”
“A dedicated photographer worse than the paparazzi.”
“What?”
“Anyway, that’s why he said not to worry. To our CEO, I mean.”
“To be honest, I’d like to drag you out of here right now, but considering Choi Jihoon’s position—and mine—I’ll only say this one more time.”
“CEO Joo!”
“If you’re going to stand in front of me and wave twenty years of history around, then do one thing.”
“……”
“Stay a friend.”
The look in Taeuk’s eyes as he stared at Jihoon resembled a beast.
A predator warning that the moment someone crossed the line he’d drawn, he’d tear out their throat.
“Are you threatening me right now?”
“If that’s what it sounded like, then you heard correctly.”
“CEO Joo.”
“The only reason I’m letting this slide right now…”
“……”
“…is because you’re Han Gyeoul’s friend.”
After finishing his warning that was barely disguised as one, Taeuk slowly leaned back against the sofa.
He pressed the phone sitting on the table beside him and spoke in an emotionless voice.
“Actor Choi Jihoon is leaving now. Secretary Lee, please see him out.”
Even though I hadn’t done anything wrong, why did I feel like the one walking on eggshells?
The drive home with Taeuk after leaving work early felt far more suffocating than I expected.
Taeuk had looked furious after hearing the things Jihoon blurted out.
I didn’t know whether it was because Jihoon had hit a nerve or because he’d crossed the line between friendship and something more.
But I couldn’t forget the look in Jihoon’s eyes as he was practically thrown out of the agency by Taeuk’s order.
Was it anger? Frustration? Or some other emotion I failed to recognize?
Jihoon had always been especially sensitive whenever it came to my sister.
Whether that was because he worried about her weak health or because he had feelings for her, I didn’t know.
Maybe I really shouldn’t have said anything.
The dangerous atmosphere from earlier—the one that had seemed moments away from turning violent—made another sigh escape my lips.
And at the sound of my sigh, Taeuk finally spoke in a low voice.
“I’m not apologizing.”
“…What?”
“I don’t think I did anything wrong.”
His sudden words caught me off guard, and I stared at him blankly.
Taeuk, who had been glaring hard enough to burn through the front seat, turned his head to meet my eyes.
Apparently, he’d misunderstood my sigh.
“Don’t.”
“Han Gyeoul.”
“I don’t think you were wrong either.”
“……”
“Not that I think you were right, though.”
The extra comment made the tension in his face loosen, and a quiet breath escaped him.
Relieved by the lighter mood, I started to turn toward the window again, but Taeuk quickly spoke as though he still had more to say.
“Why did you hide it?”
His voice had calmed a little compared to before.
I frowned and looked at him.
Mirroring my expression, he spoke with certainty.
“He contacted you that day, didn’t he?”
He wasn’t asking.
There was already certainty in his voice. Lying now would be pointless.
And if the lie wouldn’t work anyway, there was no reason to say one.
“…Yes.”
“Han Gyeoul.”
“I didn’t think telling you would change anything.”
“……”
“The phone had just been activated that day.”
“……”
“And less than a day later, he’d already figured out the number and contacted me.”
“……”
“So changing my number felt pointless. I didn’t think someone like that would fail to track me down again.”
“……”
“I just didn’t want to waste energy over it.”
I thought I’d explained myself calmly, like it was no big deal.
But for some reason, his expression only darkened further.
Seeing the displeasure on his face, I frowned too.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’m reflecting on my life.”
“What does that even mean?”
“I’m wondering if I’m really that unreliable.”
“……”
“Suddenly I’m feeling pretty miserable about the life I’ve lived.”
Maybe he hadn’t meant it as a joke, but the serious look on his face made me burst out laughing instead.
At my sudden laughter, Taeuk’s eyes widened in surprise before he replied teasingly,
“I wasn’t trying to make you laugh.”
“So I’m not allowed to laugh?”
“No, you are.”
“……”
“Han Gyeoul can.”
The amusement mixed into his low voice made my chest feel strange.
My heart started pounding wildly again.
Shaking my head as if denying it, I slowly pressed a hand against my chest.
Beneath my palm, my heartbeat hammered violently, proving the feeling was real whether I wanted to believe it or not.
Watching me frown in confusion, Taeuk mirrored my expression.
“What? Are you sick?”
“I think we should call Dr. Min tomorrow.”
“Dr. Min?”
“I’m pretty sure I have arrhythmia.”
“…What?”
“Otherwise there’s no explanation for what’s happening right now.”
We had parked in the underground garage of the apartment complex and were waiting for the elevator.
“You really should work on your personality, Taeuk.”
His head turned toward me at my sudden comment.
He’d always been my type visually, but lately his face felt especially dangerous for my heart.
I shivered as though trying to physically shake his lingering gaze out of my head.
“Why?”
“I honestly didn’t even want to say this.”
“Say it.”
“Whether it’s contractual or not, I’m still technically your wife right now. But you looked way too happy hearing me say I have arrhythmia.”
At my sulky complaint, he burst into laughter again, and I scowled.
“At this point, I’d believe you took out insurance on me.”
“I’m enjoying this. Aren’t you?”
“What exactly? You’re not seriously laughing because you think I have arrhythmia, are you?”
“No.”
“……”
“The fact that you care about me.”
His words hit without warning, and I just opened and closed my mouth soundlessly in shock.
Then he reached toward me.
Before I could react, his long fingers brushed gently behind my ear.
Startled by the sudden touch, I covered my ear and stumbled back a step.
The corners of his lips curved upward in a satisfied smile.
“You got caught, Han Gyeoul.”
“Joo Taeuk—”
“I caught you caring about me, Gyeoul.”
