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chapter 37
Reading Yeong-won’s gaze, which regarded him as if he were a mere insect, Do-hyeon frowned as if he didn’t understand. But Yeong-won merely retraced his words patiently.
“I’ve been following the CEO from the beginning. It wasn’t that the CEO seduced me.”
“A black knight indeed. Who’s going to believe that?”
“Ask Kim Ki-tae.”
“Who’s that?”
“The person who was supposed to be your mentor originally. I wanted a mentor-mentee relationship with the CEO, so I exchanged notes with him. From that point on, I had already decided to follow the CEO.”
Once again, Yeong-won answered without hesitation, and Yoona, who had been listening nearby, widened her eyes. The tears that had begun to swell up dried instantly.
Do-hyeon glanced alternately between Yeong-won and Yoona, let out an unpleasant chuckle, stood up, and faced Yeong-won.
“I didn’t seduce you, so why are you following me, idiot?”
“You end up like that because you like me, don’t you?”
A brief silence fell around them. Even Do-hyeon hadn’t expected such an answer, and he let out a hollow laugh, dumbfounded.
“So Han Yoona stayed put, but you fell for me all on your own?”
“Yeah.”
“‘That’ Choi Yeong-won, going for a divorced woman?”
“Is it really that hard to understand at once? Or is your comprehension just that poor?”
“You act all high and mighty alone, but I guess even a fox like you isn’t anything special. I’ll tolerate your rude tone out of pity for your pathetic situation.”
“Do you think your situation’s the only pitiful one?”
“…This bastard’s at it again…!”
As expected, Do-hyeon, flaring up, tried to grab Yeong-won by the collar, but he was stopped by the woman he had brought along. Only then did a few nearby guys step in to calm Do-hyeon. Yoona remained frozen in place.
Forcibly seated by several people, Do-hyeon muttered curses under his breath. Yeong-won, however, casually gestured with his finger toward someone at the counter.
“Hey. Come here.”
Everyone in the pub turned their gaze toward the direction Yeong-won indicated. Standing there was Min-hee. Startled, she hesitated, then took a step forward.
“Me…?”
Yeong-won sighed, clearly not wanting to say more, and simply nodded. Conscious of everyone’s gaze, Min-hee reluctantly walked closer.
“Why me all of a sudden?”
“Let me see your phone’s photo album.”
“…What?”
Min-hee’s face instantly went pale. Not just her, but a few female executives gathered near the counter looked the same.
Of course, Min-hee didn’t willingly show Yeong-won her photo album. But knowing her motives and cleverness, Yeong-won immediately guessed it would be her.
Back at the pub, once he confirmed where she was standing, he was certain. Posting on anonymous boards, sending screenshots to the business majors’ group chat to get views, making a fuss about how serious it was—all orchestrated by this sly girl. Im Do-hyeon was merely an accidental pawn. And he had to have left a grudge behind. Dumb, yet with initiative.
“The photos on the anonymous board, judging by the angles, were taken from where the execs were waiting, right?”
“….”
“Among them, who else would pull this stunt but you?”
Min-hee couldn’t respond, biting her lip. She probably hadn’t expected Yeong-won to call her out so openly.
“Looking at the flood of comments, it doesn’t seem like you acted alone. You probably played the pity card to get sympathy, saying Yeong-won is an idiot and Han Yoona’s a cunning fox, right?”
“…No… I didn’t do it.”
“Do you want to repeat, word for word, what you told me while babbling that you liked me? Didn’t I tell you back then that it could be public?”
Yeong-won’s mouth twisted, and Min-hee’s flushed face crumpled. Around them, people murmured, wondering what was going on. Do-hyeon, perhaps finding the new spectacle interesting, whistled, forgetting his almost scuffle with Yeong-won.
“The one who confessed to Yeong-won in the comments, was that you? Being pushed aside by a returned girl, what are you going to do? I hear you flirted with all the decent guys around.”
“Really? Did Do-hyeon do that to you too?”
“Yeah. I said I was preparing for law school, and he said he was thinking about it too, asking for my contact to buy me a meal. But I don’t care about kids, sis.”
With this conversation between Do-hyeon and the woman he brought, the murmuring grew louder. Some had noticed Min-hee’s dual nature but had kept quiet. Witness accounts and rumors began surfacing. Yeong-won chuckled.
“Seems like you’ve been busy.”
“….”
Cornered, Min-hee began trembling visibly. Her anger and sense of injustice erupted as her carefully laid plan collapsed. Suddenly, she yanked Yoona’s wrist beside her.
“Hey! You were clearly playing the field! Why are you acting innocent and making a scene?”
“…What…?”
“You told me you weren’t interested in Yeong-won! Yet you didn’t set boundaries and kept hitting on him! Do you think no one noticed you sticking around even on weekends?”
“….”
Yoona, previously lost in thought, was instantly brought back to reality by Min-hee’s desperate anger. She knew Min-hee was right; she herself hadn’t drawn any line.
Even when Yeong-won’s sharp expression and tone implied he was asking about Chang-min, she couldn’t immediately cut it off.
“If you really have no feelings, why not just say it now?”
“….”
When Yeong-won first confessed he liked Yoona, it had been an odd confession, but she felt light, as if a heavy sandbag tied to her ankle had been lifted. She felt like she was floating.
She barely registered the surrounding chatter. Only Yeong-won’s words, “You end up like that because you like me,” repeated in her ears.
She knew she should stop now. Yeong-won always made her feel a spectrum of emotions, but there was nothing she could do that would benefit him. Less than a semester had passed, and it was already like this.
Whatever the truth, she couldn’t let him be associated with a girl of ill reputation. As long as messy gossip lingered from Han Yoona, Yeong-won would be treated the same way indefinitely.
Knowing this, she had tried in vain to distance herself. But when it really came time to push him away, her heart ached as if it were being squeezed.
Yoona met Yeong-won’s gaze again, her lips trembling.
“….”
Yeong-won was just as unsure. He wanted to hear an answer, but also just to leave with Yoona. Either way, the result might have been the same. Regardless of the answer, Yoona wouldn’t come close again.
But seeing her crying, he seemed to understand. It was entirely different from the tears she shed at the restaurant before.
In that case, it was better not to hear it. Even if they couldn’t stay close, it was far better than being strangers. He quickly turned his body.
“CEO, let’s just go—”
“Yeong-won.”
Yoona’s dry voice was something Yeong-won had never heard. He froze. Their eyes were locked, and yet she continued.
“I’m sorry.”
“….”
“Before meeting you, I never had a close friend, so I misunderstood. Your kindness to me, I thought it was because you wanted to be a ‘close friend.’”
As she spoke, her heart seemed to settle; her tears stopped. Min-hee, clearly not expecting this, widened her eyes in surprise. She let go of Yoona’s wrist.
“I failed to consider you properly. I should have thought more deeply about the fact that we’re of different genders.”
Her calm voice flowed over the surrounding silence. Even the voice of someone she had liked so much sounded stifling. Yeong-won swallowed hard.
Facing Yoona’s resolve, he couldn’t say a word. Once again, he had almost ruined things out of emotion. He felt so pathetic that he regretted making Yoona reveal her true feelings.
“I’ll make sure this never happens again. I don’t see you as a romantic interest. I also apologize for my past behavior, which may have caused misunderstandings. I’m truly sorry.”
“….”
“From now on, let’s live our lives separately, as if we never knew each other. Once again, I apologize.”
Having said that, Yoona bowed respectfully. Yeong-won could see it even from his angle. Everyone around was amazed that it really wasn’t a romantic situation—including Im Do-hyeon. Only Min-hee, unable to contain her anger, stomped away.
It was truly a perfect refusal. Yeong-won lowered his head.
“…Yes.”
Yoona didn’t straighten up until she heard Yeong-won’s footsteps fading. The crowd buzzed around them.
