PBWY - 10 

An elegant melody filled the banquet hall.

Yeonhee moved between the elegantly dressed guests and celebrities, checking the schedule and monitoring the situation. The event was being held on the top floor of a hotel in central Seoul, commemorating the 30th anniversary of a corporate brand launch.

One person from each team had been assigned to a special task force to plan the event, and Yeonhee, somehow, ended up as the youngest member of that team.

“This is the first time I’ve seen so many celebrities,” she whispered to Manager Jung, who had been dispatched from the PR team, while standing near the window overlooking the night view. Manager Jung, who had been staring blankly at the LED screen, chuckled lightly.

“At first, it’s fascinating, but later, it gets tiresome.”

It seemed that Manager Jung, having attended numerous events, was used to seeing celebrities.

“Is that so?”

“If you want to keep seeing celebrities, how about transferring to the PR team? By the way, there’s an opening since Assistant Manager Lee just left for another job.”

Yeonhee shook her head and walked toward Assistant Manager Yoo, who was calling for her.

“I think I’ll just stay tucked away in the planning team. These bright lights are overwhelming.”

As she passed beneath the chandelier, dazzling as if it could spill starlight, her gaze inadvertently fell to the center of the banquet hall. But she quickly turned her head. Under the radiant spotlight, even brighter than the light itself, stood Junghoon.

Unlike herself, who was attending as a staff member, he wore a sharp suit—somewhere between formal attire and partywear—greeting the guests with a polished smile that exuded familiarity with such an atmosphere.

The unsteady appearance he sometimes showed before her was nowhere to be found; instead, he looked poised and confident, as if such sophistication was second nature. In moments like these, the stark difference between them became undeniable—a realization she had grown accustomed to over time.

Yeonhee deliberately quickened her pace, weaving through the guests like a shadow.

The planning team wasn’t directly involved in the event. She was only present because she had been selected for the task force.

But for a department head like him to attend a party primarily for executives…

“Looks like it might be true that Manager Min Junghoon has ties to the company owner’s family…”

The words Manager Jung had whispered into her ear half an hour ago echoed in her mind.

Yeonhee let out a self-deprecating smile without realizing it. Out of your league. The meaning of that statement, which Junghoon had once said so casually, hit her fully now.

Out of my league? No one knows that better than I do, she muttered internally as she quickened her steps. The distance between them grew wider.

“Ugh… this is exhausting.”

The party dragged on, long and dull. Maybe it would have been different if she were dressed in glamorous clothes and attending as a guest. But working while monitoring the event made even the dazzling lights feel like a headache.

Standing behind a secluded table, her back to the glittering night view, she rubbed her shoulders and caught sight of two familiar figures.

The faint smile she’d been forcing quickly faded.

One was someone she had once been very close to—Min Junghoon. The other was a celebrity she had recently been seeing often on TV—Joo Hanbyeol.

Joo Hanbyeol was a model-turned-actress who had recently transitioned into acting. Even Yeonhee, who rarely watched TV, knew her as a rising star.

Yeonhee stared blankly at the two of them. Both were strikingly tall and attractive, the kind of people who could effortlessly catch anyone’s eye. Together, they looked like a perfectly matched pair of earrings.

Hanbyeol tilted her head slightly as she spoke to Junghoon, her smile confident. Junghoon, in turn, smiled kindly as he nodded.

Yeonhee found the sight unpleasant, yet she couldn’t stop looking at them, which made it all the more frustrating.

She wished she were as busy as earlier, too preoccupied to notice anything. But the event was winding down, leaving her with little to do.

Leaning against a pillar in the corner, she nibbled on finger food while stealing glances at Junghoon.

The two of them gradually moved closer. Then Hanbyeol leaned in and whispered something into Junghoon’s ear. Their intimate exchange looked so natural, as if they were lovers.

“……”

Yeonhee turned her head to gaze at the Han River, flowing leisurely in the distance. But before long, her eyes drifted back to them. The spot where they had been standing was now empty.

Without realizing it, she scanned the hall quickly and spotted them easily—Junghoon and Joo Hanbyeol leaving the banquet hall together. Hanbyeol’s cheeks were flushed as she spoke to Junghoon.

It wasn’t hard to imagine what might come next. A party nearing its end. Two people slipping away. The subtle, intimate atmosphere between them. And to top it off, they were in a hotel filled with rooms spanning dozens of floors.

Yeonhee let out a faint laugh.

Come to think of it, wasn’t this how things had started between her and Junghoon? Admiring the hotel’s beautiful night view together, then beginning a relationship that started with physical intimacy.

"How can I get you back?"

“I’m sorry,” he had said. “I was wrong. Please come back.”

And yet, at the first opportunity, he left the room with another woman. The saying was true—people don’t change.

She wondered if she should be grateful instead. After all, someone who could spend the night with a celebrity had stayed with her for so long.

Yeonhee downed her wine, letting out a small laugh. The bitter aftertaste lingered in her throat.

Of course. He couldn’t have been sincere.

Joo Hanbyeol looked up at Junghoon, who was waiting for the elevator, and gave him a seductive smile.

When she’d suggested they talk in a quiet, private place, the man in front of her—Min Junghoon—had guided her out of the party.

Hanbyeol smiled inwardly, satisfied.

"See? There’s no such thing as impossible."

Junghoon was someone she had seen in passing at Choi Yundo’s birthday party. At the time, Junghoon hadn’t stayed at the party long, and they hadn’t even exchanged greetings. She’d been so regretful about it that she ended up pestering Yundo, asking for an introduction. But:

"Give up on Junghoon. He won’t do it. He’s never liked that kind of thing."

For some reason, Yundo had shown up with a swollen bruise on the bridge of his nose, a bandage over it, and had shaken his head firmly, ending her request there.

"Fine, then at least introduce me. Who says sponsorship is the only kind of relationship? I could just date him."

To her grumbling complaints, Yundo had simply said, "I don’t know. Figure it out yourself."

And so, she did. She hadn’t expected to meet Min Junghoon again here of all places.

“Shall we have a drink at the lounge, Junghoon? Or should we go to my room?”

When Hanbyeol asked, Junghoon smiled gently and replied kindly, “Your room sounds good. Ah, one moment.”

He pulled out his phone and began making a call. Judging by his demeanor, it seemed like he was calling a secretary or someone involved with the event. Hanbyeol nodded and waited quietly.

The person on the other end of the line must have picked up because Junghoon got straight to the point without exchanging pleasantries.

“Where are you?”

The response on the other end must have displeased him because his expression hardened.

“Fuck, I don’t care about your excuses. I’m asking where you are, you bastard.”

Hanbyeol’s face stiffened for a moment. The man in the classic, well-tailored suit, with his clean, handsome face, was casually spewing profanities. And yet, the vulgar words sounded oddly elegant, perhaps because his expression remained composed and calm.

Feigning indifference, Hanbyeol tilted her head slightly. After all, it wasn’t unusual to hear coarse language. She had seen all kinds of dirty things while working in the entertainment industry.

In any case, the insults weren’t directed at her, and she already knew that even the most refined people often had darkness lurking beneath the surface, so it was easy enough to dismiss.

“If you had a functioning brain, you would’ve stopped when I said I didn’t care. What the hell are you trying to pull?”

Hanbyeol’s fingers twitched slightly as she listened to the low, gravelly voice delivering harsh curses—words that somehow felt as if they were directed at her, despite being meant for someone on the other end of the line.

Even so, Junghoon’s call continued.

“What part of this don’t you understand?”

Letting out an irritated sigh, Junghoon lowered his phone for a moment. Then, turning to Hanbyeol, he flashed a radiant smile as if nothing had happened.

“Your call is running long. By the way, Joo Hanbyeol, what’s your room number?”

At the sudden question, Joo Hanbyeol reflexively answered in a polite tone.

“Pardon? Oh, it’s room 8303, the Premier Suite—”

Before she could even finish speaking, Junghoon lifted his phone again and resumed speaking harshly into it.

“Come to the XX Hotel, room 8303. Come here, assess the situation, and call me back. If you don’t give me a satisfactory answer, it won’t just end with a broken nose this time, you bastard.”

With that, Junghoon ended the call abruptly.

Letting out a sharp, irritated sigh, Junghoon ran his hand through his hair and lifted his head. The furrowed brows and stern expression from moments earlier were gone, replaced by his soft, gentle smile as if nothing had happened.

Joo Hanbyeol found herself at a loss, unsure whether to return his smile or not, so she forced an awkward grin.

But wait. Room 8303… wasn’t that her room? And what did he mean by “assess the situation and call back”?

As she blinked her long lashes in confusion, unable to grasp the situation, Junghoon spoke to her in a kind tone.

“Choi Yundo will be coming here in a bit.”

“…Excuse me?”

“He mentioned wanting to have a drink, so I invited someone to join you. Have a nice time.”

And just like that, he stepped into the elevator, which had just arrived, and left without even saying goodbye. He disappeared alone, leaving her behind.

All Joo Hanbyeol could do was stare blankly at the closed elevator doors.

They had chatted cheerfully at the party and left together with the atmosphere feeling good. She had assumed they would spend time together afterward, but out of nowhere, he’d called Choi Yundo over and then left on his own.

“What is this…?”

Her voice, twisted with frustration, echoed in vain.

“Yeonhee, happy birthday. Let’s grab a meal together next week?”

“Yes, Assistant Manager. Thank you for the birthday wishes. I’ll see you next week.”

Friday evening. As soon as the clock struck six, Yeonhee sprang up from her seat.

It was her birthday weekend. She had plans to meet her high school friends and spend time at a vacation rental, so she needed to hurry to avoid being late. Holding the box of chocolates that Assistant Yoojeong had given her as a gift, she left the office.

When she stepped outside the building, the pleasant evening breeze wrapped around her neck. The season was subtly changing—the biting chill that had stung her nose had mellowed. Time had flown by like the wind, and before she knew it, she had endured another season amidst the rush of daily life.

Pausing to take in the evening air, Yeonhee took a deep breath and then started walking. She was heading back to her dorm to gather the luggage she had packed in advance.

Carrying her bag, Yeonhee descended from her small room and stood briefly in front of the building. A familiar foreign car approached—it was Junjae’s.

Junjae pulled up, turned on the blinker, and got out with a bright smile, holding a bouquet of flowers. He was also part of the group heading to the vacation rental. Since Yeonhee was the only one without a car, he had come to pick her up.

“Jung Yeonhee! Happy birthday!”

“You didn’t have to go through all this trouble. Thank you.”

Feigning annoyance, she smiled warmly as she inhaled the scent of the flowers. The rich fragrance reminded her of the same time last year.

Back then, she had spent her birthday not with friends, but with Junghoon. They had stayed at his house, where he had made her steak. Afterward, they had sat by the garden on the terrace, gazing up at the black night sky.

The wind had been cold, but his arm around her shoulders had been warm. The details of that day had grown hazy, but the warmth and the faint scent of him were as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. Before going back inside, she remembered how he had pulled out a large bouquet of roses he had hidden in a corner.

Smiling brighter than the roses, he had kissed her on the cheek, gently brushed back her hair, and whispered softly.

“Thank you for being born. I hope I’ll always be the one by your side for your birthdays.”

…Ah. Enough of that. Stop thinking about it.

There are times like that. Moments when fragments of the past surge forward, causing forgotten emotions to well up unexpectedly. And every time it happened, Yeonhee would force those memories back down and plaster a smile on her face.

This time was no different. Yeonhee deliberately spoke to Junjae in a cheerful tone.

“Did you eat yet?”

“Not yet. Ah, should we grab some snacks at the convenience store on the way? I’ll go get them. Just wait in the car for a bit.”

“Okay.”

As she watched Junjae head toward the convenience store across the street, Yeonhee placed her hand on the passenger door handle of his car. At that moment, someone forcibly slammed the half-open car door shut with a loud thud!

A strong, veiny hand pressed firmly against the door.

Startled, Yeonhee turned around.

When did he get here? Junghoon stood there, his face twisted with pain. He seemed to be suppressing his emotions, speaking in a low, tightly controlled voice.

“I tried to hold it in, but I just can’t. What’s going on between the two of you? Why are you meeting this guy alone on your birthday?”

“…”

“You said he was just a friend. You said he was only a friend.”

“What does that have to do with you, Team Leader?”

At Yeonhee’s cold response, Junghoon exhaled harshly and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He bit his lower lip slightly, his uneasiness palpable.

Without a word, Yeonhee turned and walked toward the alley beside the building. She wanted to resolve this before Junjae returned from the convenience store and stumbled into the situation. She had no intention of engaging in a pointless argument in the middle of the street.

Junghoon followed her with determined strides, pouring out his pent-up emotions as if he didn’t care how tired he sounded.

“Are you dating him? Are you really seeing him?!”

Yeonhee remained silent and continued walking until she reached the end of the narrow alley. Only then did she turn around. Junghoon stopped as well, standing there aimlessly, his tightly clenched fists trembling slightly.

Yeonhee let out a low sigh. This, from the same man who had been entering and exiting hotels with unfamiliar celebrities. She couldn’t understand why he was clinging to his ex-lover in such a pitiful way. This was beyond frustrating—it was downright absurd.

Perhaps his incomprehensible behavior stemmed from the fact that he’d never experienced rejection before. Maybe he simply wasn’t used to it.

Yeonhee spoke firmly, her voice cold and stiff.

“And if I am? Whoever I see has nothing to do with you, Team Leader.”

Junghoon stared at her desperately, then slowly lowered his gaze to the ground.

“…Don’t do this, Yeonhee. Please. Don’t do this…”

The anger in his tone had completely vanished, replaced by a voice so fragile it seemed as if it might extinguish like a dying candle. The large man before her now looked like a lost child, teetering on the brink of collapse.

Yeonhee bit her lower lip lightly. The sight of him, usually so confident, was unfamiliar and strange today. At one moment, he had been laughing with ease at a party, and now he was on the verge of breaking down in front of her.

What was the real Junghoon like?

“Just the thought of someone else being by your side is enough to drive me insane… I messed up. I messed up everything…”

His eyes, now lifted to meet hers, were filled with desperate, trembling emotion.

Yeonhee stared back at him expressionlessly. She couldn’t help but find it absurd. She couldn’t understand why he was clinging to her so desperately.

It couldn’t possibly be love. If anything, it was closer to obsession. Perhaps a vengeful desire born of wanting to reclaim what he’d lost, only to break it again.

She closed her eyes, her thoughts tangled. What could she say to make him give up? Would it be easier to just get back together with him, only to let him break up with her this time? Was the problem that she’d been the one to end things first?

As she wrestled with these painful thoughts, a sound came from in front of her. Yeonhee opened her eyes cautiously and immediately gasped, stepping back in shock.

“I messed up. I was wrong… Please, don’t do this. Just give me one more chance…”

He was kneeling on the ground. His immaculate attire now dirtied as he collapsed onto the filthy alley floor in despair. His face was so filled with anguish it bordered on desperation. He was pleading, begging her to give him another chance.

Yeonhee quickly reached out and grabbed his shoulders.

"Team Leader, what are you doing? Please stop."

Instead of standing up, Junghoon grabbed Yeonhee’s hands that had come to rest on his shoulders. He brought the back of her hand to his cheek, whispering in a pleading tone.

"Please, just give me a chance. Please… Please. Every day feels like hell."

"……."

Yeonhee averted her gaze, deliberately avoiding his eyes. She tried to pull her hand away from his grip, but his grasp was like a final lifeline—she couldn’t escape it.

"Team Leader, please… stop…."

Although his appearance was pitiful, Yeonhee had no feelings left to give. Her heart, which had been scratched, clawed at, and wounded endlessly, had long since worn out.

Clearly, this was only because she had been the one to turn away first. His pride couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t stand to admit that he had been rejected by someone as insignificant as Jung Yeonhee.

Forcing her hand out of his grasp, Yeonhee felt the warmth of his touch slowly fade from the back of her hand.

She turned to step away from him. But Junghoon, desperate and urgent, grabbed her hand again.

"Yeonhee. Don’t go. Please don’t turn your back on me. Seeing you walk away from me is the most painful thing in the world."

He clung to her as if he had lost everything. Gone were his proud demeanor and arrogant attitude, buried beneath his raw, pleading emotions.

"……."

Without a word, Yeonhee leaned forward slightly. Then, she gently wrapped her arms around the pitiful man’s shoulders.

Junghoon froze for a moment, startled, before wrapping his arms around her with desperate intensity. He held her tightly, as though he could never let go, as though he could never be apart from her.

His ragged breathing brushed against her.

Yeonhee helped him up, the man clinging to her as if embracing her completely. Despite the time that had passed, the embrace felt neither unfamiliar nor strange—it was all too familiar.

The familiar scent, the familiar warmth, the strong arms that firmly encircled her back. Being in his arms had once made her feel like a child, wanting to lean on him, to trust him completely. He had once been such a comforting and warm presence.

‘…But.’

But now, what she felt toward him was more pity than love.

Perhaps the love she had so desperately craved from him had been an obsession all along.

Her love for Junghoon had been genuine, but because he had never returned it, because he had never truly looked at her, she had clung to that unreciprocated affection. She had been thirsty for the love he couldn’t give her, so she had held on even tighter.

Now, in Junghoon’s desperation, she saw a reflection of her own past self. She remembered how she had once clung so futilely to someone who wouldn’t love her back. And because of that, she felt sorry for him. This man, who had once seemed untouchable like a flower on a cliff’s edge, now looked unbearably pitiful.

Had she once longed so desperately, throwing herself into a pit, for her mother, who never gave her affection? For Junghoon, who never truly loved her?

Had they ever abandoned her as cruelly as she had abandoned herself?

Junghoon clung to her with all his might, embracing her as though he could absorb her warmth through his arms and chest. The slight body in his arms felt so fragile that he almost couldn’t believe it was real. His head swam with the sheer dizziness of it all.

But it didn’t take long for Junghoon to realize the truth. She wasn’t embracing him back. She wasn’t truly reaching out to him.

When he realized this, their bodies naturally parted, and she spoke.

"What am I to you? What am I to you for you to act like this?"

There was no love in her gaze as she looked at him. Her eyes were barren, like a desolate desert, lifeless like a withered old tree. Yet Junghoon, desperate and earnest, poured his heart out to her.

"You’re everything to me, Yeonhee. You’re my everything."

Without realizing it, Yeonhee had already taken a step back. Shaking her head for no particular reason, she moved away, and Junghoon instinctively took a step forward.

"I love you, Yeonhee."

Her pupils wavered visibly.

"I didn’t know my own feelings. That’s why I hurt you, why I said such cruel things to you."

"……."

"From the beginning, it’s always been you. Yeonhee, you didn’t know, but the first time we met… that wasn’t really our first time. Actually, we had met before—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Yeonhee took a deep breath and interrupted him.

"Team Leader."

Her voice, cutting and firm, carried no hesitation. Yeonhee looked straight into his eyes, as though she wasn’t speaking to him but to her past self, and continued in a calm tone.

"Team Leader, it’s only because it’s your first time."

"……."

Junghoon stared at her, seemingly unable to understand her words.

"It’s because it’s your first time being rejected. That’s why you can’t handle it. Because you’re not used to being hurt. That’s all."

"No, Yeonhee. That’s not it."

Shaking his head vigorously, Junghoon denied her words, but Yeonhee offered him a faint, sorrowful smile.

It couldn’t be. After all, her first love had shaken her just as violently.

Because it was the first time. Because it was my first time, I didn’t know where to let my heart bloom. So I planted it in the barren desert that was Min Junghoon. I stretched my roots toward a love that I could never receive, scraping through dry sands in a burning thirst, only to shed my petals alone.

I endured it through tears, thinking that everything is difficult and painful the first time. My love had bloomed desperately and withered cruelly.

And surely, it must be the same for Junghoon as well.

"The first time is always like that. It's just that I ended things first... That’s why it feels unfamiliar to you."

"Yeonhee… Please…"

Yeonhee quietly reached out her hand toward him. Junghoon stared at her hand, dazed, before slowly taking it as if drawn to it. His large hand was completely limp, void of strength.

Holding his hand, Yeonhee spoke softly, as if comforting him.

"I'm not rejecting you, Team Leader. We simply weren’t a good match. That’s why we broke up."

"……."

"You’ll be able to move on soon. It won’t even take a year. The way you feel now will fade. You might even regret what happened today."

"That’s impossible, Yeonhee… I could never…"

He spoke as though to himself, his voice trembling with anguish. His hand, still touching hers, was faintly shaking. Yeonhee tried to pull her hand away, but he wouldn’t let go. So, still holding his hand, she gazed quietly at him.

"I'm sorry, Team Leader. I’m sorry for hurting you. But truly, you’ll be fine in less than a year."

This relationship was only poison for the both of them. All they did was hurt each other. Yeonhee wanted to break free from this exhausting cycle. She wanted to set this pitiful man, clinging because it was his first time, free.

"So, please, stop. Let’s end this, here and now. Us."

Speaking both to him and to herself, she brought things to a calm conclusion.

With those words, Yeonhee forcibly pulled her hand away. Leaving the sorrowful man standing behind, she turned and walked away from the alley as if fleeing.

She didn’t know what expression he wore as he stood there, abandoned and alone. The only thing she knew for certain was that their relationship had truly come to an end.

Just as she had wanted—completely.