SS - 58

“Kang-un told me everything. About what you did to them that day.”

[“What do you mean, what I did?!”]

“Didn’t you drive them to their deaths?! Just like you did to my mother!”

Joo-Hyuk’s voice grew sharper. He no longer had the energy or desire to continue this conversation.

“All I wanted was your apology. Just a simple apology…”

[“An apology?”]

At Chairman Choi’s deflated tone, Joo-Hyuk swallowed his tears.

“Yes, because you refused to give even that simple thing, you’ll now have to face the consequences of everything.”

[“Joo-Hyuk…”]

“I expected too much. How foolish of me to expect an apology from someone who doesn’t even acknowledge their own wrongdoings.”

Tears streamed down his cheeks. The anger had completely drained away, replaced by a sense of futility and absurdity. Expecting anything from this man felt ridiculous now.

[“Because of what you’ve done, you’ve ruined your brothers’ lives. Do you understand that?”]

“Don’t worry about my brothers. They’re not the kind of people who will crumble under this. They’ll live better lives than you ever did.”

[“You think you’re so smart, don’t you…”]

As Chairman Choi continued speaking, Joo-Hyuk abruptly ended the call.

He had anticipated this outcome, but the fact that it unfolded exactly as expected left him feeling utterly drained.

The evidence he had gathered and the recordings wouldn’t be enough to shatter the empire Chairman Choi had built. At most, there would be an investigation and perhaps a few years in prison.

Once Chairman Choi stepped down from managing the company, Joo-Ho, the eldest son, would undoubtedly take over Korea NextOne quietly and competently. As for Joo-Chan, the second son, though he wouldn’t run for mayor of Seoul this time, he might try again in the next election.

Perhaps they’d even thrive more without Chairman Choi’s shadow looming over them.

As the dizziness subsided, Joo-Hyuk pulled a crisp handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away the remaining tears from his face.

The die had been cast. All he could do now was watch how the pieces fell into place.

When he opened the emergency exit door, Seol-Yoo was standing right outside, arms crossed and wearing a serious expression.

---

Sena sighed in relief upon confirming she wasn’t pregnant.

Her stomach had been oddly painful since morning, and she eventually had to take painkillers.

Was it alright to feel relieved?

A fleeting pang of guilt struck her, but she quickly dismissed it. For now, at least, it was a relief.

She hoped that if she were ever to have a child, it wouldn’t come with negative emotions. She didn’t want to start with the feeling of bringing an unwanted life into the world.

After a long absence, Sena returned to the counseling center and met with Mi-Sun.

Mi-Sun entered the center hesitantly but immediately ran up to Sena and hugged her tightly as soon as she spotted her.

“Mi-Sun?”

“I was so worried something bad had happened to you!”

Though she claimed to be worried, her tone carried a hint of frustration.

But Sena smiled and patted Mi-Sun’s back. For someone who struggled to express emotions, this outburst wasn’t anger—it was relief.

“I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“Are you okay? Did they catch that bastard?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”

Sena recalled the conversation she’d had with Joo-Hyuk not long ago.

“Should we report it to the police?”

“The only evidence we have is your testimony and your patient’s account, but let’s file a report anyway.”

Joo-Hyuk had been furious about Kang-un kidnapping, assaulting, and threatening Sena. Though he had already confronted Kang-un and even gotten into a physical altercation, he still looked unsatisfied.

“I don’t want to pursue it.”

“Sena, you don’t need to be afraid…”

“It’s not fear. I just want to move on.”

“Move on?”

“If you understand why I don’t want to get tangled up with him anymore, please respect that.”

Joo-Hyuk stared at her blankly.

“While I was away from you, I thought long and hard about why he did what he did. Intellectually, I can understand his reasoning, but emotionally, I just can’t.”

“Of course you can’t. There’s no reason for you to understand.”

“Even if he apologizes, you can accept it on my behalf. I don’t want to see him.”

“Sena.”

“Please, just do this for me.”

“Alright.”

“Teacher?”

Lost in thought, Sena was brought back to the present by Mi-Sun’s voice.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry.”

“You’re really okay, right?”

“Of course. But isn’t it time for you to go to your academy?”

“I was just passing by!”

Mi-Sun stammered an excuse, then unwrapped her arms from around Sena and shuffled toward the door.

“I’ll come back on Thursday. My counseling session is on Thursday, right?”

Perhaps because of what happened last time, Mi-Sun asked cautiously. It reminded Sena that she hadn’t yet apologized or thanked her.

“Mi-Sun.”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry about that day.”

“No… I also made mistakes…”

Mi-Sun blushed after receiving the apology. Then, realizing she should apologize too, she quietly mumbled,

“And thank you. For being there for me that day. Thanks to you, I was able to come back.”

“Well… it wasn’t entirely because of me…”

For someone who always acted tough and spouted harsh words, her shy demeanor now confirmed she was still just a kid.

Sena gave her a gentle smile.

“Come back on Thursday, and don’t be late. Got it?”

“…Yes.”

Mi-Sun hesitated as if she wanted to say something more but then gave a short reply and turned to leave the center.

Sena couldn’t help but think that perhaps this incident had opened up Mi-Sun’s tightly shut heart.

How wonderful it would be if she could help heal Mi-Sun’s wounds. Or at least provide some comfort.

It had been a while since she’d felt so invested in a patient, and Sena was determined to offer even a small measure of help to Mi-Sun.

“Did someone come by?”

Seol-Young emerged after finishing her session, saw off her client, and asked Sena.

“Yeah, Mi-Sun stopped by.”

“Ah—so that’s why she kept asking every day if you were here. Finally met her, huh?”

“She came every day?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve contacted her separately.”

“You were overwhelmed too. You needed to rest. It’s fine now that you’ve met her, right?”

Seol-Young waved her hand dismissively, signaling it wasn’t a big deal, and sat down at the table in the center of the room.

“So, is everything settled now? With KMS cleared of charges, will Joo-Hyuk return to the company?”

“I’m not sure yet. He’s still working on things.”

“The media can be terrifying. It’s chilling how they can frame an innocent person like that.”

Seol-Young rubbed her arms as if she’d gotten goosebumps just thinking about it.

“How are things between the two of you?”

“Huh? Us?”

“Yeah. When I told him you might have been kidnapped, Joo-Hyuk sounded absolutely devastated. You should’ve heard him.”

Seol-Young clicked her tongue, clearly regretting that Sena hadn’t witnessed his reaction.

“Is that the same person who hung up on me coldly when I called to say I wouldn’t be coming to the center?”

“Really?”

“I thought there must’ve been some misunderstanding between you two. But it’s clear he loves you deeply. Look how he brought you back to where you belong.”

“That’s true. He really does love me…”

The one who searched tirelessly for Sena after she left, who embraced her without blame or resentment when she returned, was Joo-Hyuk.

Was she truly repaying him for all he had done? Was she giving back even half of the love he poured into her?

Suddenly, these questions surfaced in her mind, and Sena felt a deep pang of guilt toward Joo-Hyuk.

He had always done everything according to her wishes and for her sake, but she realized she might have been selfish, thinking only of herself.

She had been selfish when she left him and even now, after returning.

“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”

“What if… what if I were to have a child…?”

“Huh? What? Are you pregnant?”

Seol-Young looked startled and immediately questioned her.

“No, no, it’s just hypothetical. If I were to have a child, do you think I could raise it well?”

Sena cautiously asked Seol-Young.

No one understood her situation better than Seol-Young, who knew her story from beginning to end. She was also the person most familiar with Sena’s fears—and the one who held the answers.

“What kind of question is that? Of course, you’d raise it well.”

“Really? Do you really think so?”

“Why? Does Joo-Hyuk want kids?”

Sena slowly nodded.

“That’s great! What’s the problem?”

“I’m just… a little scared.”

“Scared?”

“Me, who never even thought about marriage—how am I supposed to become a mother?”

“Hmm, I suppose that’s understandable.”

Seol-Young tapped her chin thoughtfully and nodded.

“This is something Director Joo-Ah might understand better than me, being married. Let’s ask her.”

Suddenly, Seol-Young sprang up from her seat and headed toward the director’s office.

A few moments later, Joo-Ah was dragged out, looking bewildered, and seated at the table.

“What’s going on?”

“Sena’s scared about having a baby.”

“A baby? Is Teacher Kang pregnant?”

Joo-Ah’s eyes widened in shock as she blurted out the question.

“No, no.”

“Then why are we suddenly talking about babies?”

Sena shot a glare at Seol-Young, annoyed that such a private matter was being broadcasted. Honestly, it wasn’t something to make a fuss about.

“It seems Sena’s husband wants to have a baby.”

“And?”

“She’s doubting herself. Whether she can raise it well, whether she can be a good mother.”

“Oh, that’s completely normal.”

Hearing Seol-Young’s explanation, Joo-Ah nodded with a smile.

“I went through the same thing. When I was pregnant with my first child, it felt like my world was collapsing.”

“Really? It was that bad?”

“Of course. Suddenly realizing there’s a new life growing inside you—it’s terrifying. Before, I only had to worry about myself, but now I had to take responsibility for a child too.”

“But you weren’t an accidental pregnancy. Why were you scared?”

Seol-Young placed warm cups of coffee in front of everyone and asked curiously.

“I thought I was prepared, but once I actually got pregnant, it hit me differently. I felt like I wasn’t ready at all. I worried about whether the baby would grow up to be a good person, both while in my belly and after being born.”