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Chapter 12
The painting “Whisper of a Starry Night” by Alexander Laforet showed a mysterious woman walking in a forest under sparkling stars.
Sometimes the woman looked like she was dancing. Sometimes crying. Sometimes sad. Sometimes empty.
The way the painting changed depending on who looked at it proved it was a true masterpiece.
But in Cheonmyeong, this painting was more than just art—it was part of the family’s history.
“I’m not asking you to love me right away. Just… think about it.”
“Honestly, I was surprised today.”
Sunghoon knew the necklace Dasom brought was the same one his mother, Jang Jubin, had desperately wanted.
He himself had once tried to find it, hoping to score points with her, but it had been nearly impossible.
“I thought you were just a childish girl… but now, I see you differently.”
“I told you, I’m greedy. So, are you really going to throw me away and keep fooling around with those low-class women?”
“Hey! Don’t compare yourself to them. And I told you, I won’t do that anymore. I already introduced you to the Chairman. If I mess up now, I’m finished. I’m sorry I disappointed you… and thanks for trusting me.”
Sunghoon scratched his neck awkwardly.
Other women had left him, saying it was his fault every time something happened. But Dasom was the first one who said, “I believe in you.”
“Anyway, even if it’s late, we should still greet everyone.”
“Yeah.”
Sunghoon changed the topic, embarrassed.
Because of the necklace, Jubin didn’t look at Dasom with hostility anymore.
Dasom knew how to act naturally, making people curious instead of suspicious.
Finally, she and Sunghoon went to Jinwoo.
“Meeting you again,” Dasom said.
“Yeah,” Jinwoo replied shortly.
Sunghoon chuckled, “Ha, you should’ve brought Hana too!”
Enjoying the attention from people around, Sunghoon looked pleased. Jinwoo just quietly sipped his cocktail.
The birthday party ended after Chairman Yoon, feeling tired, went to rest.
Later that night
Behind the annex was a private garden with a pond and a small pavilion.
It had been cared for by the Chairman’s late wife, but now, hardly anyone visited.
There was also a small hut.
Dasom sat there, gazing at the moonlight filtering through the clouds.
Step. Step.
She looked down when she heard footsteps on the grass. Jinwoo stood there in casual clothes.
“Don’t you feel uncomfortable here, even though it’s your house?” she asked.
He wasn’t in formal wear, just black pants and a thin autumn sweater—but it still looked stiff.
Dasom, meanwhile, wore a white nightdress, short enough that her bare thigh peeked out with red marks. Jinwoo quickly turned his head away.
“What are you doing?” he demanded.
“What do you mean?”
“The text.”
Earlier, he hadn’t planned to stay over. But at 3 AM, she texted him to meet her in this secret garden.
He stared at the message for a long time, shocked.
“Are you crazy? What if I hadn’t come?”
“Then I would’ve just gone back inside after some fresh air.”
“How do you even know about this place?”
Dasom stood and walked toward him. Her pale collarbone showed beneath the oversized nightdress.
When her finger almost touched his lips, Jinwoo grabbed her wrist in shock.
“Are you insane…?”
“You don’t need to know everything, do you?”
She reacted as if she had expected him to stop her. Still, the warmth on his lips lingered.
He let go of her hand quickly.
“Looks like I won the bet.”
“How is this winning? You lost.”
“But you came.”
“……”
“You never said what time you’d come. You’re here, so I won.”
“If you called me here just for word games, I’ll leave.”
Jinwoo turned to go.
“Jinwoo.”
He stopped.
“Do you know why I asked you to come?”
He didn’t want to ask, but the question slipped out.
“If I hadn’t called, you wouldn’t have come. Then you would’ve won instead.”
“Lying suits you. You could be an actress.”
He turned back slowly. He knew the necklace hadn’t been prepared at the last minute. Dasom had planned everything—being late, fighting with Sunghoon, then impressing Jubin.
In his eyes, she was like a nine-tailed fox.
A creature that tempts men and drives them mad.
She looked innocent, widening her eyes at him as if she knew nothing. Clearly acting.
“Let’s have a meal together.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I won the bet.”
Her confidence left Jinwoo speechless.
“This could’ve been said by text. Why drag me here? What are you trying to do with me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Stop pretending to be innocent. What’s your real game?”
This time, Jinwoo stepped closer—but then stopped when he noticed her thin clothes.
“Go ahead and trick my brother however you want. I won’t interfere. But this… this, I don’t like.”
“It’s just talking. Is that such a big deal? At the party, we didn’t even exchange a word.”
“Like this? At this hour? Seduce my brother all you want, but don’t try it with me, Ms. Kang.”
“I never seduced anyone.”
“You say that after sleeping with him? Who would believe you? Are you crazy?”
Dasom noticed his eyes on her thigh. She touched the bare skin, then gasped softly.
She sat back down in the pavilion and lifted the hem of her dress slightly.
“It’s a mosquito bite.”
“……”
“I didn’t sleep with Sunghoon. Do you want to check?”
Half a lie. She had drugged Sunghoon’s drink before he could touch her.
The fabric slid higher, showing her leg. Jinwoo panicked, rushing forward to stop her. His hand brushed her thigh.
“Ah.”
At that moment, he realized she had tricked him. Pulling his hand back fast, he saw the red mosquito bite clearly.
His heart pounded. He turned away, embarrassed.
“Let’s just pretend this never happened. Both of us.”
“No one knows. Only you and I met here.”
“I already have someone I’m seeing. So…”
“Do you love her?”
The question froze him.
“What else would it be? If not love, why date?”
“I mean… does she love you back the same way you love her?”
His eyes trembled.
In the past timeline, Sunghoon and Hana had a long affair. Once, Sunghoon had even brought a child—but never revealed who the mother was.
Jinwoo had three kids with Hana. But… were they truly his?
Or had Hana had more than one affair?
“You’re such a pitiful man.”
Dasom realized Jinwoo was just like her.
A butterfly trapped under someone’s shadow, desperately clinging to love that had no value.
