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chapter 54
Quite a lot of alcohol had been consumed.
One drink, two drinks. Drinking as many as the number of people present, it wasn’t until after more than usual that the gathering ended.
He wasn’t fond of drinking, but there was no choice.
It was a gathering with Ha Tae-won and Ha Yun-jae.
For the first time, at this most official and private gathering of Yeongdo’s influential figures and closest aides…
In the car on the way home, sitting with an unusually pleased expression, Chairman Ha suddenly asked,
“When do you plan to settle it?”
At the subjectless question, Yun-jae’s head turned slightly to the right.
Chairman Ha continued,
“Set it at the right time and send it outside. Then it’ll be mostly done and things can be settled.”
Though still arbitrary, this time Yun-jae understood.
He turned his head back to its original position and asked,
“That settlement… is it about my wife?”
“My wife?”
Chairman Ha snorted briefly.
“Are you serious?”
That hollow laugh used to provoke intense unease.
“When you brought her into the house, I didn’t say anything because I could send her out anytime. You even said it yourself.”
“….”
“So why are you suddenly getting all high and mighty?”
He had said so plainly. Naturally, Chairman Ha’s words didn’t resonate with him at all.
Settlement? That kind of thing didn’t even register.
But it seemed he wasn’t the only one who had changed.
The fact that Chairman Ha, who usually cared about nothing except Yeongdo, was saying something like that now…
“Don’t create unnecessary flaws. They’ll only hold you back.”
That was the advice of someone experienced.
And Yun-jae, the subject of that experience, now found himself sitting next to Chairman Ha, looking down as he spoke.
“Will you give me Yeongdo?”
The blunt question, without any curtain to soften it, made even the quiet driver’s seat stir slightly.
Of course, it wasn’t a completely reckless question.
With rapidly increasing responsibilities and frequent calls from Chairman Ha, this wasn’t just about doing more work.
Now, everyone could clearly see that Ha Tae-won truly recognized Ha Yun-jae as his own son, by blood.
That’s why he asked.
Only then did Chairman Ha turn to Yun-jae.
“You must’ve grown enough to speak so boldly. Well, a man needs that kind of guts.”
No displeasure came with it; instead, there was a deep smile.
“If you continue as you are, and don’t go against my will…”
“….”
“That’s what she wanted, isn’t it?”
Forever in Yeongdo.
As someone of Yeongdo.
“Don’t delay too long. If you let it sit, it’ll rot and only stink.”
With that final piece of advice, Chairman Ha fell silent.
Neon signs flashed past the window. A dizziness came with the alcohol.
Yun-jae swallowed hard, trying to calm his twisted insides.
Whether from drinking or from receiving an undesired reward, he felt unusually suffocated.
“Settle it.”
And unexpectedly, it was Chairman Ha who gave the clue that eased that suffocating feeling.
“The gathering today…”
Chairman Ha’s words continued, but Yun-jae didn’t hear them.
The moment the subject of “settle it” came to mind, a strange ‘gap’ appeared.
A carefree spirit who lounged on the sofa, eating cereal with her hands and sleeping freely, completely honest.
He felt a smile unconsciously appear on his lips and quickly turned his head to the window.
His long-suppressed desire surged.
Tonight, he would see her face when he got home.
Even if she pushed him away in chaos and confusion, he needed to see those endlessly brilliant black eyes, that white smile, to breathe freely again.
But, as expected, the warmth Yun-jae hoped to see inside the door wasn’t there.
The entryway had scattered shoes, the house was less tidy than usual.
A balcony window left open.
A phone thrown anywhere.
Food left on the table, already cold.
A door wide open.
And…
“….”
Only a discarded ring shone alone, reflecting the light coming in from outside.
“Eun-jin!”
Mrs. Kim rushed into the ER, spotting her daughter instantly and running toward her.
A woman sitting by the bedside jumped up at the sudden commotion.
In the rush, some clothes on the bed fell to the floor, but it didn’t seem to matter.
“Mom!”
Even from a distance, she saw her daughter in disarray and crying uncontrollably.
“What happened? Are you hurt? How’s Ji-young? She was supposed to have surgery. Where’s Ji-young’s dad?”
“I-I’m fine, and so is Ji-young. They thought she’d need surgery, but it wasn’t that serious. Hee-chan is coming… but I was just so scared.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. You’re not badly hurt?”
Seeing Mrs. Kim gently wipe her daughter’s tear-streaked face, we cautiously picked up the fallen clothes from the floor.
The IV in the sleeping child’s arm looked pitiful.
“It’s fine as long as you’re not badly hurt. That’s enough. Your dad must’ve helped from heaven. That’s right.”
“Mom…”
The woman held her child’s hand, and Mrs. Kim held hers. We witnessed the tender, desperate, precious bond.
An ordinary, natural relationship.
‘So that’s what it’s like.’
Seeing such a scene, unknown and perhaps forever unknowable to her, she hugged the clothes in her hands.
At that moment, Mrs. Kim’s daughter, Eun-jin, exclaimed in shock,
“Oh my! That has blood on it!”
Even tear-streaked, she cared for others—it was just like Mrs. Kim.
Thinking how alike mother and daughter were, Mrs. Kim finally noticed us and quickly turned.
“Oh dear, what have you done? It’s all stained.”
“It’s okay. It’ll come out in the wash.”
“Still… oh, this is expensive.”
She seemed ready, in her heart, to take it off and wash it immediately.
“Don’t worry. Really, it’s okay.”
Eun-jin, calmed slightly, approached us.
“Who are…?”
Mrs. Kim introduced us to her daughter.
“Oh, this is someone from where I work…”
We quickly grabbed Mrs. Kim’s arm and smiled lightly. There was no need to introduce a younger companion formally.
Grateful for her small courtesy, Mrs. Kim returned her attention to her daughter and granddaughter.
We took a step back, feeling a strange mix of emotions—lonely, sad, envious—difficult to describe.
‘Really.’
The purest emotions anyone could show were before us.
Had I ever felt like that?
Not merely in body, but in spirit. In all her life as ‘Go-woo,’ she had never shown her true heart to anyone.
She had lived like that, naturally.
“I was just so scared all by myself…”
“Yes, yes. It’s all okay now. Mom is here.”
Hearing Eun-jin’s sorrowful words, we quietly turned away.
Somehow, a pang struck my chest.
Perhaps seeing Mrs. Kim’s real family, with whom she shared her heart, heightened that feeling.
‘I gave too much affection.’
Here and there.
Unintentionally, with a kind heart.
She stepped back from them, realizing once more that this wasn’t her place.
About three hours later, Mrs. Kim’s son-in-law, who had gone on a business trip, arrived.
“Honey! Ji-young!”
“Brother!”
Rushing in, he saw his wife and daughter in the room and wept as if he’d lost the world. We struggled to control our expressions, both pitying and oddly amused.
Finally thinking our part was done, she told Mrs. Kim to rest for the week and left the hospital.
Driving home again, she felt her body go slack.
“I’m tired.”
Two hours back and forth, plus three hours at the hospital.
After such a frenzied few hours, she didn’t know how the day had passed.
“Phew.”
She rested her forehead on the steering wheel, letting out a sigh. Thinking about the busy day, she chuckled bitterly.
‘This might be better.’
Her chaotic mind could temporarily forget her own agonies thanks to the busy day.
She murmured to herself, forehead still on the wheel, almost in a trance:
“I’ve been at home too much. Constantly thinking about enjoying myself just leads to more thoughts. Normally, there wouldn’t be time for this. I’d split time for sleep, work, meet people, study, exercise…”
She stopped, exhausted, and lifted her head.
‘Let’s go.’
After all, this was the only place she truly belonged.
She dragged her tired body out of the car. Only her coat and keys in hand, she stepped out without a bag, mentally noting something.
“Oh, right.”
The house she had rushed from, unable to care for it, came to mind.
The unfinished cleaning, the food left on the table, now dried out.
She hurried toward the parking lot elevator, wanting at least to tidy what was left before the owner came.
‘It’s just past 10.’
Yun-jae hadn’t returned yet.
To avoid running into him, it was crucial not to create a chance encounter.
Feeling the urgency, she hastened to the elevator.
“Before I run into him… before I run into him…”
A cowardly tactic, but the best way to calm the lingering chaos.
Waiting for the descending elevator, she muttered to herself the same words like a mantra.
Ding-dong.
At the clear chime, she lifted her head.
“Before…”
Her unfinished whisper continued until the heavy metal doors opened.
And with her gaze lifting unconsciously, she finished the unspoken words.
“…I ran into him.”
She had encountered him after all.
