IT - 13

13. Thanks to You, the Afternoon

Every Saturday lunch was reserved for a family meal at their parents’ house. Recently, due to Eun-ho’s increasingly distant behavior, Kim Madam had been sighing deeply. Though she wanted to keep him around even through tea time after the meal, today he seemed unusually hurried. 

“Mom, I think Eun-ho has someone he likes. I just have this gut feeling.” 

Yoo-ri, who became Eun-ho’s twin sister by a mere three-minute difference in birth, spoke as she watched Eun-ho rush about. Having heard the forecast of afternoon rain, Eun-ho had gone down to the garage and returned with not one but two umbrellas before heading out. 

“Look at that! I’m telling you, something’s definitely going on.” 

Even though Kim Madam had just heard the exact words she wanted from her daughter, she remained unimpressed, picking up her teacup with an indifferent expression. 

“Other people’s kids date on their own and bring home partners when the time comes, but why do both of my kids seem to be lacking something? Why is there no news from either of them?” 

Yoo-ri, who had been standing by the window watching Eun-ho’s car disappear into the distance, turned back to her mother. With a soft clink, she set down her teacup and moved closer to her mother. 

“That’s why I’m trying to be a good daughter by going on blind dates for you.” 

“Right, only you, Yoo-ri. Since you have time until next weekend, don’t overexert yourself with scheduling. Modeling and acting gigs are great, but take it easy.” 

After accidentally appearing in a casual interview program during college, Yoo-ri made a successful debut as an advertising model. She then starred in a blockbuster film, earning herself the title of “Queen of the Screen.” While her success stemmed from her stunning looks and unique charisma, the fact that she was the granddaughter of the founder of Jinshim Foods played a significant role. 

Naturally, both Kim Madam and Chairman Kang were initially dead set against her career. Eun-ho, too, shared their sentiment, advocating for happiness above all else. 

Her parents hoped Yoo-ri would quietly work on public relations after graduation and eventually marry a fine young man from a similar background to start a stable family. Eun-ho, who had kept his family name hidden while working at a company, didn’t want Ji-soo to find out about Yoo-ri’s rising fame. 

“Mom, did you hear? Cha Tae-ha is coming to the matchmaking meeting?” 

“Oh, Mrs. Oh will handle it well enough. Regardless of what’s in his heart, publicly, Vice President Cha Tae-ha is like her fifth son.” 

With Cha Tae-ha’s aggressive and expansive business strategies, Taesung Group was experiencing dazzling growth year after year. Chairman Cha, settled with his fifth wife, Yoon Mi, poured all his remaining passion into work. The immense wealth, prestige, and automatic power that came with it were undeniable. 

Taesung Group was the linchpin controlling its top subsidiaries. This was why Kim Madam, despite her messy family affairs, wanted her beloved daughter to become part of the Taesung Group. If they could form a marriage alliance with Taesung Group, even Eun-ho—who was indifferent to marriage benefits—would feel less neglected. 

“Did Eun-ho say anything to you?” 

Only now did Kim Madam turn her attention to Eun-ho. Though busy building ties with Taesung Group, she planned to actively search for a daughter-in-law once Yoo-ri’s situation progressed further. 

“Eun-ho doesn’t tell me things like that anymore. He’s grown up, hasn’t he? But what if some femme fatale has ensnared him and is draining him dry?” 

In this regard, Yoo-ri and Kim Madam were perfectly aligned. Yoo-ri didn’t dismiss the idea of marrying someone chosen by the family at a young age as outdated. Moreover, she planned to retire from acting upon engagement. She understood that life wasn’t always about doing what you wanted—it was often about fulfilling obligations. She also knew that doing what you loved didn’t necessarily guarantee happiness. 

Yoo-ri had grown into someone who fully enjoyed the money and power bestowed upon her, while also knowing how to show generosity and compassion. As part of society’s elite, she prided herself on practicing these values diligently. 

“Oh my, heavens! Yoo-ri, my heart is racing. Don’t even joke about such things. Words can manifest into reality.” 

Kim Madam picked up a glass of cold water instead of her warm teacup. Based on her sharp intuition, she sensed that Eun-ho’s recent actions hinted at a major event looming on the horizon. 

“Yoo-ri, make sure to exercise regularly and take supplements good for your heart.” 

Who could it be? She couldn’t quite picture anyone. Eun-ho didn’t particularly like the kind of people Yoo-ri associated with, so it probably wasn’t someone from that circle—or anyone overlapping with their social sphere. 

However, it was clear that Kim Madam would strongly disapprove of whoever it was. Otherwise, Eun-ho would have at least mentioned meeting someone to his persistently nagging mother. It wasn’t that she cared who he dated, but she wished he’d maintain a certain standard. Could Eun-ho’s mental state even allow for that? 

Eun-ho’s car, having stopped by a flower shop after leaving his parents’ house, slowly merged onto the road. He glanced again at his still-silent phone. 

There was plenty of time before the movie, but he wanted to meet Ji-soo beforehand and do other things together. Yet, she hadn’t been reachable since morning. Earlier, at least there had been a signal, but now the phone was completely off. 

“Is something wrong? Should I go check on her?” 

Eun-ho was aware of Ji-soo’s situation—her lease was expiring soon, and she needed to move. He hadn’t deliberately investigated; he’d simply overheard bits of information while dropping her off late at night. 

The fact that her phone had rung earlier but was now off suggested intentionality. What could possibly make someone turn off their phone on a Saturday morning? He decided he should visit her place, but just as he was about to turn the steering wheel, a familiar vibration startled him. 

[Han Ji-soo] 

The glowing name on the black screen brightened Eun-ho’s clouded mind, which had been heavy with worry. Quickly pulling over to a quiet spot, he answered the call. 

“Ms. Ji-soo! I was just wondering why you weren’t answering. Is everything okay?” 

- Ah, Team Leader Kang… 

The hesitant, strained voice made Eun-ho’s heart race anxiously. Something was clearly wrong with Ji-soo. 

“What’s wrong? Are you in a situation where talking is difficult right now?” 

Should he call the police? Or bring a lawyer? If she was in danger, he began brainstorming ways to ensure her safety while helping her. 

- No, it’s nothing like that. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can make it to the movie today. 

“The movie isn’t important. Are you really okay?” 

- Yes, I’m fine. I just woke up and thought to call you. 

Despite her reassurances, her voice sounded far from okay, and Eun-ho couldn’t shake his unease. Suddenly, he wondered if she might have simply woken up late and suddenly felt reluctant to go out, without any illness or trouble. 

“If you’re okay, then that’s a relief. We still have plenty of time for the movie, so let’s watch it another day.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“I guess it’s because I’ve been overworking on the newsletter. Rest well, and I’ll see you after the vacation when you’re feeling better.”

Eun-ho ended the call first, worried that Ji-soo might feel guilty. The soft, gentle voice still lingering in his ears transformed into a scent reminiscent of her at the tip of his nose. Had even his sense of smell fallen under Ji-soo’s spell? Chuckling at his own absurd reasoning, Eun-ho soon realized the culprit was the bouquet of flowers sitting in the backseat.

The clever excuse he had prepared while buying the flowers—claiming he got them cheap thanks to his connection with the florist—was now useless. 

“Are you eating properly and resting?”

Even after confirming she was okay, Eun-ho couldn’t bring himself to start the car. Now he was obsessing over whether she had eaten lunch properly—it was driving him mad.

---

As soon as Ji-soo hung up, Tae-ha snatched her phone away.

“Why are you taking that?”

He frowned at the lingering traces of Eun-ho’s name on the screen and promptly deleted them. The situation felt strangely intimate and unsettling. Tae-ha’s actions seemed almost like those of a jealous lover, despite Ji-soo knowing full well that wasn’t possible—or perhaps it was exactly what she secretly desired?

“The prior appointment is gone, so does this mean I’ve freed up your afternoon?”

Technically, it wasn’t freeing up her time but more like forcefully claiming it, though Ji-soo didn’t bother to correct him.

After finishing what they needed to do, the heated night they had spent together left them with nothing more to say. An awkward Ji-soo busily scanned the overly extravagant and spacious room.

Only now did she fully grasp that she had spent the night here with Tae-ha. A suite like this was something Ji-soo could never have chosen for herself, not even in her dreams. Her wandering gaze eventually landed on Tae-ha, who was intently watching her.

Their eyes met in the air, and Ji-soo’s lips trembled faintly. She recalled the soft sensation of his lips enveloping hers and the deepening moans that followed the rising heat.

Struggling to look away from Tae-ha, Ji-soo noticed her neatly folded clothes on a table in the corner of the bedroom. Only then did she realize that, unlike Tae-ha, who was impeccably dressed as usual, she was still wearing only a loose nightgown.

Though she hadn’t been drunk, the memory of entering this room with Tae-ha and everything that had happened since felt distant and surreal. When had she taken off her clothes and folded them like that?

No, it wasn’t her—it was Tae-ha who undressed her last night. Then who folded the clothes she had worn? As this realization dawned on her, Ji-soo’s face flushed bright red in an instant.

When Tae-ha took a step forward, Ji-soo instinctively retreated. Behind her was the soft bed. Unaware that her retreat only made it easier for the predator, she continued backing away.

“Han Ji-soo, who meets various men so easily and comfortably. What usually happens next?”

Tae-ha kept repeating words he barely remembered saying himself, having tossed them out carelessly. He enjoyed watching her squirm with embarrassment every time he mentioned it explicitly. Though she claimed to meet men casually, her ears turned red, and she looked like she desperately wanted to crawl into a hole. He couldn’t understand why.

“We just broke up.”

The moment Ji-soo’s calves touched the bed, Tae-ha lightly tapped her shoulder. Her light frame collapsed onto the sheets. Straddling her wriggling body, Tae-ha pinned both her wrists above her head.

“Let me go. I need to go home.”

“No.”

With a soft rustle, he loosened the belt of her nightgown with one hand.

“I don’t want you treating other men the same way.”