MHD - 82

Chapter 82: Spring Again

“……”

The sudden appearance of Jisun and her unexpected words left Hee-soo staring at her with suspicion still etched on her face.

“I’m not asking for your forgiveness. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve come to realize how cruelly I wronged you. So, feel free to curse me or hate me as much as you want.”

Jisun’s tone was calm, but it didn’t sound like a mere formality.

She had never been someone who easily apologized. Knowing Jisun’s personality well, Hee-soo couldn’t help but doubt her own ears.

Yoon Jisun was not someone who bowed or apologized to anyone.

At least, the Jisun Hee-soo knew during their ten years together had never been that person.

“Why now… Why are you bringing this up now?”

Standing before Jisun, Hee-soo felt uneasy, unsure where to direct her gaze. With a trembling voice, she managed to ask her intent before lowering her eyes to the ground, furrowing her brows.

Haa, Jisun sighed softly. She hesitated, as if debating whether to speak or not, then paused again after starting.

“...Jae-hyuk is waiting for you.”

At the mention of “Jae-hyuk,” Hee-soo’s breath caught. Though she tried to appear composed, her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil.

Amidst her hectic filming schedule, his name was always in her thoughts. But was she ready to see him again? Hee-soo wasn’t sure.

Did she deserve to reunite with him after being the one to initiate their separation? Or would keeping their distance be better for both of them?

After enduring so much together, even though the chains binding her heart had loosened, Hee-soo still hadn’t decided what to do next.

Had something happened to Jae-hyuk?

Her mind raced with questions, but Hee-soo didn’t want to ask Jisun anything. Instead, she remained silent, standing still.

Jisun bowed her head once more.

“If you’ve been keeping your distance from Jae-hyuk because of me, you don’t have to anymore. If my presence makes you uncomfortable, I’ll leave the country. So please… take care of our Jae-hyuk.”

“Has something happened to Jae-hyuk Oppa?”

“No, nothing like that. It’s just… he seems to be shouldering everything alone. I thought it was time I stepped in.”

“……”

Hee-soo couldn’t find the words to respond. Sensing her silence, Jisun spoke again, her voice trembling.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”

A few words of apology after ten years wouldn’t undo the damage done to Hee-soo’s past.

But at least, she now knew her life hadn’t been derailed solely by her own mistakes.

With that realization, another shackle binding her feet seemed to break.

As Jisun apologized and took a step closer, Hee-soo instinctively flinched and stepped back. Hearing an apology didn’t mean her heart could suddenly heal.

“Excuse me, but I need to go now. I have another appointment.”

Hee-soo climbed into her car, leaving Jisun behind. Through the window, she saw Jisun’s face watching her.

Even the once-flawless Yoon Jisun bore traces of time’s passage.

Though the person who started all this was already dead, everyone involved had lived through its aftermath in one way or another.

“Haa…”

Hee-soo sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

Would more time bring clarity to her tangled emotions? Would she find the courage to move forward, or drift further apart?

For now, she didn’t know.

---

One Year Later

“Could you bend and straighten your arm once?”

The tailor asked Jae-hyuk as he adjusted the fit of his suit.

“Is there any discomfort?”

“No, none.”

Jae-hyuk nodded after bending and stretching his arm. The tailor made one final adjustment to the hem of his pants, matching them to his shoes, then stood up.

“It’s perfect.”

At the tailor’s words, Jae-hyuk turned to look at himself in the full-length mirror.

There he stood, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit.

Though his closet overflowed with suits, today he wore one specially custom-made weeks ago—for the evening premiere of My Hateful Darling.

“You seem to have lost quite a bit of weight. Though your figure has become even sharper.”

The tailor cautiously offered his observation while gauging Jae-hyuk’s reaction.

“Hmm…” Jae-hyuk glanced at his reflection and murmured softly. The exhausting months were etched clearly on his face and body.

The memory of facing Hee-soo by the sea felt as vivid as yesterday, yet a year had already passed. He had spent that year in a blur, too busy to notice time slipping away.

Dismantling and rebuilding the organization had been arduous, fraught with frequent disputes. Some employees lost their jobs, while others who couldn’t adapt were let go.

But the restructured organization emerged stronger and more capable than ever.

A year after the press conference, Gangrim Group was experiencing an unprecedented peak.

Investments in research began yielding results, partnerships with multinational companies soared, and stock prices skyrocketed daily.

The reopening of the ‘Haedam Museum’—carefully prepared over months—was also a resounding success.

Jisun was now preparing for her retirement ceremony.

Having maintained the chairmanship for her talented but still-young son, she recently expressed her desire to step down and return to the museum.

Please do.

Thank you.

No lengthy conversation was needed. Jisun was slowly changing—a result of Jae-hyuk’s persistent persuasion.

Though he never said it aloud, Jae-hyuk knew Jisun occasionally watched Hee-soo’s films. According to Team Leader Gong, she sighed deeply every time.

Perhaps Seo Hee-soo no longer felt like an enemy.

That was Jae-hyuk’s guess.

Though everything seemed to have returned to its rightful place, Jae-hyuk’s heart remained heavy, submerged in longing.

Hee-soo.

On sleepless nights, Jae-hyuk gazed at her face on TV screens, replaying her films.

The wait felt like a punishment.

Investing in Hee-soo’s movie was a secret only he and Director Kang shared. Jae-hyuk used an overseas investment company he owned, routed through another firm unrelated to her agency.

Director Kang occasionally called—short updates about how Hee-soo was doing, how filming was progressing. Even those brief conversations brought him immense comfort.

It wouldn’t have been difficult to monitor the set daily through intermediaries. In truth, he could have done far more intrusive things.

But he chose not to, wanting to give Hee-soo space to decide for herself. He believed she would return when the time was right.

Until then, he resolved to let her be free.

On nights when missing her felt unbearable, he reminded himself:

Don’t become the same kind of monster as the one who created you. Forced love isn’t love.

Though Director Kang mentioned attending the premiere, Jae-hyuk initially declined. He changed his mind only after receiving a ticket directly from Hee-soo.

「Hee.」

Neatly folded at the corner of the white envelope was Hee-soo’s handwriting.

From the moment he received the envelope until today, Jae-hyuk’s heart had been pounding like someone who had just run a hundred meters.

Spring again.

As Jae-hyuk climbed into the car heading to the premiere, he gazed out the window at the scattering cherry blossom petals.

The closer they got to their destination, the more his chest tightened, as if his heart might burst. It wasn’t just excitement—his entire body trembled like a leaf in the wind. The tension was overwhelming.

The spring they had reunited a year ago had been cruel and unforgiving. What would this year’s spring bring?

At the thought of seeing Hee-soo again, Jae-hyuk’s hands grew slick with sweat.

---

As soon as the screening ended, the audience rose from their seats. Some cried, others cheered and clapped enthusiastically.

Voices buzzed with excitement, declaring it a blockbuster hit unseen in recent years.

A desk was set up for the press conference, and soon the cast appeared on stage, bowing together in unison.

Amidst the excited crowd, Jae-hyuk sat quietly, his gaze fixed on Hee-soo standing center stage.

She answered each question with wit, unfazed by the incessant flashes of cameras. Her poise was refreshing.

“Seo Hee-soo, every movie you’ve starred in has sparked dating rumors with your co-stars. Is this one an exception? The filming seemed unusually quiet this time.”

At the mischievous reporter’s question, Hee-soo’s cheeks flushed red. Glancing briefly at the male lead seated beside her, she smiled and took the microphone.

“After spending months working together day and night, the entire cast became like family. As they say, that kind of thing doesn’t happen among family, right?”

Her response sent waves of laughter through the venue.

Watching Hee-soo’s bright demeanor, Jae-hyuk couldn’t help but chuckle softly before his eyes welled with tears.

Seeing her under the spotlight reminded him of the Seo Hee-soo who once soared gracefully on stage.

You’ve endured so much, Seo Hee-soo.

Nodding to himself, Jae-hyuk rose from his seat. He planned to leave the theater before the press conference concluded.

In the basement of the theater was a VIP parking lot reserved for celebrities and notable guests attending the premiere. Jae-hyuk walked slowly, his footsteps echoing against the concrete floor.

Suddenly, another set of hurried footsteps overlapped with his own.

Kick, kick.

And then—

“Oppa!”

A voice called out from behind him. Reflexively, Jae-hyuk turned his head.

There stood Hee-soo, right behind him.