TCE 23

Chapter 23

Swoosh—

After finishing preparations for work, the first thing that greeted Yoonjae when he stepped out was a pair of hands politely extended in front of him.

Like a child waiting for Christmas presents.

His eyes instinctively narrowed, a flicker of wariness surfacing before he even realized it. The fact that he was being cautious made him feel absurd.

Yoonjae lifted his gaze from the hands—hands that reminded him of an unpredictable rubber ball bouncing wherever it pleased.

“…What is it.”

Whether she noticed his faint suspicion or not, the rubber ball—no, we—mustered courage and spoke.

“Please give me some money.”

It might not have looked like it to him, but in truth, she was nervous.

As expected, Yoonjae tilted his head. She understood his puzzlement and hurriedly added an explanation.

“I need some allowance to maintain appearances.”

Of course, that only made his doubts grow.

His brows furrowed.

“You need what?”

Her face heated.

It was embarrassing, yes, but since things had already come this far, she decided to brazen it out. She stubbornly kept her hands outstretched.

“I know it’s shameless. I’m sorry. But right now, I can’t earn money myself, and with the cash I have, I can’t possibly match the level of the Yeongdo Group.”

Her reasoning was plausible enough that Yoonjae’s stirred emotions gradually cooled.

“Level, huh.”

That one word pricked at his pride.

“What exactly is Yeongdo’s level.”

The question pulled up memories he’d rather not recall.

[I’ll help you.]
[As long as you give up just one thing.]

That moment when a desperate Yoonjae had once reached for an equally desperate offer.

His eyes clouded over, and she blinked, not understanding what she’d seen. She couldn’t read his thoughts, so she just withdrew her hands.

“The standards of what’s considered ‘level’… they’re not for the person at the center to decide.”

Her sharp definition, so unlike her usual self, was difficult to refute.

Still talking at cross purposes, she scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“You saw the appointment, right? If I show up like this, your stepmother is going to pick on me.”

At that, Yoonjae’s eyes flinched. Not only did the topic of conversation shift in an instant, but a prediction of being scolded was something he hadn’t expected to hear.

She shrugged.

“You know she doesn’t like me. You’ve seen it yourself. So the first thing she’ll do is criticize how I look. Honestly, what about me could she possibly like? Even if I had everything, it wouldn’t be enough, and right now I have nothing.”

“……”

“But knowing it’s coming and just letting it happen—that I can’t do.”

The so-called ‘allowance to maintain appearances’ was nothing more than a shield to prevent herself from becoming an easy target. Yoonjae understood that, yet one doubt remained.

“Do you really need to go that far?”

It wasn’t about stinginess or reluctance. He simply couldn’t understand why Joo Ae-jeong seemed so intent on investing in this marriage when it only needed to last a single year.

“Even if that’s true, someone like you could just ignore it.”

Rubber ball.

Unpredictable as ever.

But she let out a dry laugh, putting her hands on her hips.

“Are you stupid, Ha Yoonjae?”

The ball bounced hard and smacked him right on the chin.

His brows twitched, displeasure obvious, and she continued seriously.

“Just because you can ignore it doesn’t mean you don’t get hurt. Do you know how painful it is until you can ignore it?”

“……”

“I don’t want to get hurt. That’s why I’ll try.”

It was more than just a statement—it was her lifelong vow.

The wounds from never being able to reach her own family, no matter how hard she tried, were countless.

Some people were born resilient, but for most, scars hardened into calluses over time until they simply got used to the pain.

That’s what it meant to become strong.

She had no desire for sympathy, yet ironically, at that moment Yoonjae understood her better than ever.

Her hand had pressed against a wall built without a single crack.

“But if I do get help—”

Her hands, toughened by three years of climbing, found the tiniest crevice in the wall.

“I’ll pay it back in full.”

“……”

“Because if I give my best, then I earn that right.”

Just like that day she had climbed a high wall without hesitation.

Pfft.

An unplanned breath escaped Yoonjae’s lips, curling them slightly. The sound made her eyes widen in surprise.

‘…He can smile?’

She wasn’t sure if it was a sneer or a genuine smile, but the corners of his lips had lifted, and his eyes looked different.

‘No way.’

Impossible.

She must have been seeing things. There was no way Ha Yoonjae would smile so openly.

Collecting herself, she stretched her hand out again.

Without a word, he took out his wallet and handed her a card.

“I’ll switch the payment alerts over to you. Just so you know.”

Oh? She hadn’t expected him to go this far.

She obediently accepted the card, staring at him with wide eyes, and Yoonjae, tucking away his wallet, instinctively grew wary again.

“What now.”

“Sometimes…”

She fidgeted with the card, rocking slightly side to side until her hair swayed, then spoke honestly.

“You’re really generous. Or maybe… kind? You don’t seem like the type.”

She hadn’t had many real conversations with him before, but every time they spoke, a new side of him surfaced.

Maybe that smile she thought she imagined wasn’t just an illusion.

Yoonjae quickly masked his face again and brushed past her.

“Let me return your own words to you.”

“What…?”

His subjectless reply puzzled her until a memory flashed.

[Do you know me, Ha Yoonjae?]
[Don’t pretend you do when you don’t.]

The words she had arrogantly thrown at him came back to slap her. Her cheeks flushed, and she clutched the card awkwardly.

“……”

Let’s just seal our lips shut.

Elegant fingers lifted a teacup, a delicate scent rising with the steam.

The little finger, raised in refined posture, pointed toward the sky as Hye-won sipped the rosy liquid, lips soft and proud.

The fragrance and smoothness slid down her throat, and a smile spread across her face.

“Not bad.”

Her rare words of satisfaction were met with a flippant remark from Eun-se, who was busy admiring her nails across the table.

“Mom, should I study abroad again?”

The graceful little finger twitched.

Hye-won turned her head toward her beloved daughter.

“Again? For what?”

“I don’t know. Maybe business studies, improve my English.”

“You had native tutors since you were three, and before middle school you studied abroad four times—eight years in total. And every time you came back because you failed. What are you talking about?”

“At least when I was fifteen, it was because Ha Yoonjae was stressing me out!”

Clink!

The teacup slammed against the table.

Tea sloshed over the edge, wetting her hand. Hye-won exhaled sharply and dabbed at it with a handkerchief.

“While you were wasting time, Ha Yoonjae became an executive director.”

Her gaze was sharp, but Eun-se only pouted.

“So what? He’s still just cleaning up after me.”

“Say it properly. It wasn’t cleanup—you lost to him.”

“……”

“Do you want to keep losing until Yeongdo itself is taken away?”

It was bad enough that her husband had put an illegitimate son on the family register. But to hand everything over, too? Every compliment she heard about Yoonjae made Hye-won’s stomach turn.

Sensing her mother’s foul mood, Eun-se pressed her knees together demurely and changed the subject.

“So why did you invite her today? To use her as a pack mule or something?”

Indeed, they were sitting in a department store’s VIP lounge, both dressed more formally than usual.

“What do you take me for? Do I look like the sort of person who would call her out just to do something so petty?”

‘…Aren’t you?’

Eun-se swallowed the thought, blinking innocently.

Wiping her hands and putting the handkerchief aside, Hye-won lifted her cup again.

“To teach her.”

“Teach her what?”

“That’s the problem, isn’t it. She probably doesn’t know a thing. My head already hurts. Do you remember how much trouble it was teaching Ha Yoonjae when he first came?”

“At least he’s Father’s son. But why bother teaching her?”

“She still has to learn the basics. Everyone knows she married Yoonjae—imagine the gossip. Do you want us to be ridiculed because of her?”

“In that case, Go Woori would’ve been better. At least she matched our level. If only—”

“Ha Eun-se.”

Cut off once again, she bit her lip.

But this time, it was warranted. That wasn’t just a broken engagement—it was a death.

Sip.

Crossing her legs, Hye-won finished her tea.

“Sometimes it’s better to start from scratch than to fix someone with half-baked knowledge.”

For a moment, she thought of Go Woori, then set the cup down.

“So when is she coming? Don’t tell me she’s planning to arrive exactly on time?”

Thirty minutes early, they had already finished their nearby errands and were waiting. Hardly the ones to talk.

Blinking prettily, Eun-se pulled out her phone.

“Mom, should I call her and say something—”

Click.

Before she could start picking a fight, the lounge door opened.

Both women turned.

The last piece of today’s meeting stepped inside.

A beige coat, neatly tied-back hair, thick glasses.

Eun-se snuggled closer to her mother, whispering loudly on purpose.

“See? How clueless can she be, showing up to an outing dressed like—”

But her words cut off when the woman removed her coat.

The dress underneath was graceful, elegant, refined.

Flawless. Not a trace of carelessness.

She handed the coat smoothly to the attendant who followed her.

“Please take this.”

Then she approached, eyes flickering with unease as she looked from Hye-won to Eun-se.

“I think I’m late. I’m sorry.”

“……”

“Mother. Young Lady.”