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Hye-joo recalled the husband she had met in her dream the previous night.
‘In the end, you were right. That I would eventually change my mind…’
She had stubbornly insisted there would be no forgiveness, yet here she was, smiling weakly.
She had intended to stay put and perhaps even throw a bucket of water at Minhyuk, just as she had before.
But instead, here she was, shedding tears alongside Jin-sook and comforting her.
She lamented her own softness while feeling deeply sorry for Jin-sook, who cried so bitterly.
“That’s enough. Stop crying… Even if my heart doesn’t melt all at once, I’ll try to understand. So please, stop crying.”
“Thank you. Truly… thank you…”
Jin-sook wept even more as memories of the past flooded back, and Hye-joo gently patted her back.
Through the crack of the door, the blurry silhouettes of Minhyuk and Joo-eun stirred overwhelming emotions within them.
For Minhyuk, it was especially profound.
A mother bowing her head for her son—it was a sight he had never witnessed before.
No, it was something he had never even imagined possible.
He had always thought of his mother as fragile and resentful, just as his father had described her.
Now, he regretted how that perception might have only caused her more pain.
Just as she had never shown him maternal affection, he had never once embraced her either—a cold son to a distant mother.
Hot tears streamed down his stiffened cheeks.
“Director Minhyuk…”
Afraid that crying together might make things worse, Joo-eun swallowed her tears and called out to him.
He took a deep breath and slowly turned his head toward her.
Joo-eun tightened her grip on his hand, which they had not let go of once.
“It’s time. The time for understanding and forgiveness.”
Understanding and forgiveness.
He forced a smile and nodded.
Though not everything could be forgiven overnight, this was undoubtedly a moment where understanding could begin to take root.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Swish. The sliding door opened.
Seeing the two of them enter hand in hand, Hye-joo gasped in surprise.
“The two of you… Why are you here together?”
Only then did Jin-sook wipe her tears and turn around.
Unlike Hye-joo, she wasn’t as shocked.
On the contrary, she smiled warmly, seemingly pleased by the sight.
“Hello, Chairwoman… Hello, Mom…”
“You! Didn’t I tell you to go home and rest?”
“Yes… But nothing happened, I promise. Absolutely nothing. Thanks to Director Minhyuk’s patience…”
“Ha! Are you boasting about that now?”
As Hye-joo raised her palm threateningly, Joo-eun shielded herself with both hands.
“Mom! There are people watching… Can’t you hit me later?”
Joo-eun’s playful resistance made Jin-sook and Minhyuk laugh through their tears.
“You, you… Honestly.”
“Mom. Thank you.”
“Thank me? For what? What do I know?”
“I know without you saying it.”
As Joo-eun stepped forward, Minhyuk gently released her hand, which he had held firmly the entire time.
Joo-eun embraced Hye-joo tightly.
“I’ve always known there’s a universe in my mom’s heart.”
Hye-joo couldn’t hide her mix of irritation and joy, pouting slightly.
How could any mother not be moved when her daughter said such heartfelt words?
“Enough. You think I won’t scold you? A grown woman sleeping elsewhere and coming back like this. Unbelievable.”
“Aww, nothing happened, I swear!”
“This again!”
Smack.
Finally, Joo-eun twisted her body dramatically after being hit on the back.
Jin-sook watched the scene with an envious smile, while Minhyuk stole a quick glance at his mother.
That genuinely relaxed expression on her face was something he had never seen before.
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After leaving the hospital room, Joo-eun and Minhyuk walked together to where Jin-sook’s car was parked.
There were moments of suffocating silence, interspersed with light conversation.
Neither felt entirely comfortable, but Jin-sook exuded a certain charisma.
“Please join us for a meal, Chairwoman.”
Jin-sook politely declined the sincere and respectful offer.
“It’s fine. I’m sure the two of you want some time alone. I don’t want to intrude with awkward questions. I’m not that old-fashioned, so don’t worry.”
With a warm smile, Jin-sook continued.
“Thank you.”
“What…?”
“That little girl who hugged my son years ago, sparing me from seeing my own pitiful state—I’ve remembered her ever since.”
“Ah…”
The story of how she had hugged him—though she didn’t remember it—felt vivid in her mind. She could almost picture how harrowing it must have been.
“My vision was blurred, and I couldn’t see anything. But there was that little girl, hugging my son while I was abandoning him and running away. Seeing her hold him with more sincerity than I ever could—it woke me up, somehow…”
Her trembling voice tugged at Joo-eun’s heartstrings.
“If it’s painful, you don’t have to bring up those memories…”
“No. I need to. I’ll express my gratitude. I won’t delay it any longer.”
“…”
“Thank you. It was you who saved me, even before Joo-eun’s mother did.”
Her sincerity was palpable—conveyed through her moist eyes, quivering voice, and the warmth of the air between them.
Slowly, Joo-eun extended her arms and embraced Jin-sook.
Startled by the sudden hug, Jin-sook’s eyes widened.
Minhyuk, watching nearby, was also surprised but tried to hide it by averting his gaze.
“Don’t hurt yourself anymore. Don’t entertain dark thoughts. Understood?”
Jin-sook, who had often felt the world was meaningless and longed to disappear unnoticed, found herself inexplicably moved to tears by Joo-eun’s words.
“Yes. I will. I promise I will…”
Though she had already shed many tears in Hye-joo’s arms, Jin-sook couldn’t stop the floodgates from opening again.
Minhyuk pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. Jin-sook, barely managing to stop her tears, forced a smile.
“When did you grow up like this…? Now you’re a gentleman carrying a handkerchief. I don’t even know what I was doing while you grew up.”
“You lived.”
“…”
“That was enough for me.”
Jin-sook nodded, wiping her fingertips along the handkerchief.
Thick teardrops fell onto the fabric—one after another.
These were tears of the time she had endured, finally comforted by her son.
This time, it was Minhyuk who embraced her.
Though awkward, the hug carried a depth of sincerity no other comfort could match.
The dam Jin-sook had clung to for so long finally broke, and tears flowed endlessly.
May the seeds of understanding and forgiveness sown through those tears bloom into laughter one day.
Joo-eun wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and watched the two with a warm smile.
________________________________________
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When Joo-eun returned to work, she was greeted with open arms.
Manager Choi, who had waited anxiously for her because of work, and Assistant Manager Kim, who was simply happy she was back, both spent the day in high spirits.
But no one struggled with keeping a straight face more than Minhyuk.
Pacing in and out of the office, he eventually summoned Joo-eun to the director’s office.
She entered, holding a report, wondering aloud,
‘Is he not here…?’
Her head tilted quizzically.
He had asked her to come in briefly, so she assumed he’d be there. Where could he be…?
As she turned to leave, the door clicked shut behind her.
“Director Minhyuk…!”
He emerged from behind the door, grinning mischievously as he pulled her waist toward him.
They had agreed not to act this way at work.
Flustered, Joo-eun tried to push him away, but his firm arms only pulled her closer, refusing to budge.
“The office felt like hell without you.”
His tone was serious and low, despite the playful embrace.
“For me too… The days I thought it was over with you were pure hell.”
“Ha… What should I do? I can’t focus on work.”
The desk was piled high with documents.
What was he even talking about?
As his lips drew closer, Joo-eun leaned her head back to avoid them.
“Everyone’s worried you only care about work. If they knew you were thinking about kissing me, they’d be so disappointed.”
“None of that matters. Only your heart matters to me.”
“My heart says not to get excited at work, so let’s stick to that.”
Joo-eun squirmed to escape, but her movements only pressed her closer against him.
Unbeknownst to her, her wriggling was only making him more aroused.
“How about we review the progress of the ad campaign for the U.S. market?”
“Like this…?”
“Calm down a bit.”
What was…?
Come to think of it, she could feel something stirring.
Oh no, why was he suddenly turning her on without warning?
Why was she the one blushing when he was the one excited?
Face flushed, Joo-eun hurriedly began her report.
“Ahem. So… the submission deadline for the U.S. market ad campaign has passed, and we’ve scheduled a public presentation for next Monday with all five companies…”
“Stop.”
“…”
“All I can see are your lips, and it’s making me even more excited.”
Joo-eun’s mouth snapped shut in shock.
Was he asking her to continue or not?
Caught between options, she could only stare at him helplessly.
“I’ve never seen a woman with such beautiful ears.”
Gazing at her reddened earlobes, he whispered seductively,
“I want to taste them.”
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