PSS - 17

Chapter 17: What Am I to Do with You

Scratch.

The only sound in the silent office was the pen gliding across paper.

Soo-hyun, impeccably dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, sat upright, having just finished signing off on a document.

“President, the Qatar project is facing difficulties. What should we do?”

Choi Seung-joon, the head of the Management Planning Division and Soo-hyun’s closest confidant, cautiously posed the question.

“The issue lies with Father, doesn’t it?”

“Yes. As you know, he’s hospitalized again, so progress has stalled.”

“Hmm.”

The pen spun idly between Soo-hyun’s fingers as he gazed at its tip, lost in thought.

“Report that matter directly to me. I’ll handle speaking with Father separately.”

“Understood.”

Choi’s eyes were filled with trust as he looked at Soo-hyun.

When people thought of Taesung Group, the first name that came to mind was Chairman Park Yoon-hwa. However, behind the scenes, it was her eldest son, Jung Tae-hoon, who had been running the conglomerate for years.

Tae-hoon had always been frail, rarely appearing in public. Whenever media appearances were necessary, Yoon-hwa stepped in, exuding vitality even in her old age. This led many to believe she still ran the company, while Tae-hoon remained a shadowy figure, quietly managing his subsidiaries.

Though final decisions rested with Yoon-hwa as the majority shareholder, it was impossible for her to oversee every aspect of the sprawling conglomerate. Tae-hoon bore the brunt of responsibility for his designated subsidiaries, but his recurring health issues were a constant obstacle.

Amidst his siblings’ ambitions to seize control, Tae-hoon clung tightly to his domains—thanks largely to Soo-hyun.

Since returning from studying abroad, Soo-hyun had stepped into operations whenever his father was absent, taking charge seamlessly. Despite being labeled a third-generation chaebol heir, his passion, stamina, and sharp business acumen quickly overshadowed seasoned executives. Many compared him to a younger version of Yoon-hwa herself.

This was why Choi Seung-joon, widely regarded as one of Taesung’s most talented executives, never questioned Soo-hyun’s decisions.

As Choi turned to leave, he paused and delivered another report.

“Ah, President. The date for the formal meeting has been set.”

“Oh? Who will attend?”

“Chairman Park’s attendance is still undecided.”

“Noted. You may go.”

Click.

After Choi exited, Soo-hyun swiveled his chair toward the window, gazing out at the cityscape below.

‘Did you like me?’

Reflected faintly on the glass pane, Hae-in’s face lingered in his mind.

Her clear eyes looking up at him, her calm voice asking earnestly. Her posture upright, her neck bearing the reddened marks he’d left behind.

Did you like me?

It wasn’t about liking or disliking—it wasn’t that simple.

Yoon Hae-in had been a fleeting ray of sunlight in his otherwise dark life.

If human emotions could be categorized as joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, then joy and pleasure had long since been stripped from Jung Soo-hyun’s existence.

Driven solely by vengeance, he lived without knowing whether he was human or beast—until Hae-in appeared.

The fluttering excitement and pounding heart he felt when he first encountered her. When she entered his field of vision, it was as though the entire world brightened. Those memories belonged to a purer, simpler time.

Had his life been perpetually shrouded in darkness, he might have lived oblivious to his own identity, wandering blindly within it.

But for that brief moment, bathed in an intense light, Soo-hyun realized he was still human.

Still capable of feeling something for someone.

Whenever he thought of Hae-in, spring came to mind.

Warm breezes, budding flowers, the excitement of a new semester—all pleasant sensations.

In moments of sadness, pain, loneliness, those memories surfaced, few and precious, sparkling fragments in his otherwise bleak existence.

“Ha… Yoon Hae-in. Yoon Hae-in.”

Soo-hyun murmured her name softly.

Every time he faced her, conflicting emotions surged uncontrollably. He craved her desperately while simultaneously wanting to push her far, far away.

These opposing desires clashed constantly.

The mere thought of Chairman Park looming behind Hae-in fueled his rage. Yet, whenever she addressed him with that lovely face and gentle voice, he felt himself unraveling.

Ah, if I let myself accept you, I’d lose all sense of reason. But that’s not an option.

It was like holding a poisoned apple. Even knowing it would lead to ruin, he couldn’t bring himself to discard it.

‘Hae-in-ah. Please don’t come here. You don’t belong here.’

Soo-hyun exhaled a long, heavy sigh.

---

After the date for the formal meeting was set, Hae-in’s thoughts were consumed by Soo-hyun. Whether sitting or standing, she found herself lost in contemplation about how to regain his favor.

“...Jeong-in-ah. What am I to do?”

Hae-in placed her hand gently over her brother’s thin, IV-punctured hand.

“Falling for you on my own, and now saying it means nothing. Ha, I don’t understand. He’s such a strange person, isn’t he?”

Strange, yes—but why couldn’t she stop thinking about him? Why didn’t his cruel words make her hate him?

Sighing deeply, she recalled the fiery intensity in Soo-hyun’s eyes that night.

‘Hae-in-ah, please. Don’t leave.’

His desperate, pleading voice calling her name was still vivid in her memory.

‘I’ll play with you until I grow bored, then discard you.’

Of course, she remembered every harsh word he’d uttered.

How could he work so hard to hurt her yet call her name so fervently?

Jung Soo-hyun was undeniably a complicated man to define.

If only he were a stereotypical chaebol heir—a reckless womanizer, a party animal, or even a drug addict. At least then, Hae-in might know how to approach him.

Having jumped into the workforce at twenty, Hae-in had become adept at navigating others’ moods. From a young age, she learned that reading cues and adapting behavior often led to tangible rewards.

Yet, Soo-hyun was a challenge. Especially since he approached her with hostility from the start, leaving her frustrated and unsure.

“Hmm... What should I do?”

As her sigh faded, the quiet hospital room settled into silence, broken only by the occasional beep of medical equipment attached to her comatose brother.

Since signing the contract, countless things had changed rapidly. Hae-in was acutely aware of how swiftly money could bind and manipulate lives.

Every day, gourmet meals and expensive ingredients were delivered to her home.

Though grateful for the financial relief, seeing these deliveries made her feel like livestock being fattened for breeding—an unsettling sensation. Still, her unknowing parents believed their daughter was cherished and rejoiced.

Two dedicated caregivers now attended Jeong-in, who had been moved to a larger, better-equipped room. A specialized medical team monitored him 20/7, easing her parents’ burden significantly.

After the wedding, a substantial monthly allowance would be deposited into Hae-in’s account under the guise of maintaining proper in-law relations. Though Taesung offered to relocate them to a bigger house, her father insisted on staying in their longtime home.

Everything necessary for her father’s recovery—from transportation to top-tier rehabilitation programs—was arranged meticulously. Her parents no longer worked grueling hours, and their quality of life surpassed what it had been before Jeong-in fell ill.

To her parents, Taesung’s generosity seemed genuine. They believed Chairman Park sincerely sought a humble yet brilliant daughter-in-law.

‘Perhaps it’s for the best.’

Gazing at Jeong-in lying motionless, Hae-in sighed softly.

Seeing her parents slowly regain their former selves brought immense comfort, despite everything else.

Though not required to report daily, Hae-in was instructed to regularly visit the gynecologist to track her ovulation cycle.

Caught between Soo-hyun’s command to “do nothing” and Chairman Park’s insistence on fulfilling contractual obligations, she stood precariously balanced.

No matter which side she obeyed, the other would surely reprimand her.

“I don’t know. There’s nothing to do but face whatever comes.”

Smoothing her brother’s limp fingers, Hae-in forced a weak smile.

“Worrying won’t help. I’ll endure by doing what I can. Tomorrow will be better than today, right? That’s what you used to tell me.”

Whenever stress overwhelmed her during studies, Jeong-in would comfort her like an older sibling, repeating those words like a mantra.

Seeing her once vibrant and lively brother now lying powerless stirred fresh tears. No matter how many times she saw him this way, emotions sometimes welled up unexpectedly.

Staring at her brother, Hae-in whispered softly.

“...Jeong-in-ah.”

As always, there was no response. His peaceful, sleeping face almost made her believe he’d wake up any moment if she called again.

If only she could hear his voice calling her “Unnie” one more time, she’d gladly endure anything worse than this.

Her aching heart spilled over, wetting her eyes.

“Jeong-in-ah, can you hear me? My Jeong-in.”

Rising from her seat, Hae-in carefully straightened his blanket and tucked him in neatly.

Click.

The door opened, and a caregiver entered.

“You’re still here? I thought you’d already left...”

Noticing Hae-in, the caregiver prepared to step back out. Sent by Taesung, the caregiver was sharp and experienced.

“I’m leaving now. I was just about to go.”

Bowing slightly, Hae-in glanced at her brother one last time.

“Take care. I’ll come back soon.”

Though Jeong-in didn’t stir, Hae-in waved goodbye before exiting.

Walking down the hallway, she checked the time. Today, she was meeting her mother at the department store—a shopping trip necessitated by the upcoming formal meeting.