SS - 59

“But you ended up having three kids?”

“Hahaha, that’s the thing! The fear, the pain, and even the frustration after giving birth—it all just fades away over time.”

Joo-Ah added that even she couldn’t fully explain it.

“Don’t be too scared, Teacher Kang. If anyone can raise a child well, it’s you.”

“To be honest…”

Sena hesitated before speaking.

“I’m still debating whether I even need to get pregnant in the first place. Is it really something we have to do? Just because we’re married, does that mean we need to have kids and expand our family? Or is it okay for Joo-Hyuk and me to live as just the two of us? Those are the kinds of thoughts I’ve been having.”

“Aww, why worry about things like that?”

Joo-Ah smiled brightly and took Sena’s hand.

“There’s no rulebook that says you must do this or that. Don’t let other people’s made-up rules scare you into doing something you don’t want to do.”

“Okay…”

“Still, since your husband brought up the topic of kids, talk it over with him. And even if you don’t want kids right now, your feelings might change over time.”

“Do you think so?”

“Definitely. So there’s no need to overthink it.”

After hearing Joo-Ah’s words, Sena felt some of the heavy burden pressing on her heart lift.

As Seol-Young vigorously nodded and kept repeating, “That’s right,” Sena couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“Joo-Hyuk is busy with work anyway, so take your time deciding.”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

Sena smiled as she replied.

Just then, her phone rang loudly from where it was placed on the desk in the counseling room.

She rushed to answer it and heard her aunt’s urgent voice on the other end.

[Sena!]

“Yes, Aunt. What’s wrong?”

[Did you see the news? The news!]

“The news?”

[Yes, the news! What is Joo-Hyuk saying on TV right now?]

“Oh…!”

Caught up in other matters, she had completely forgotten that today was the day. Sena quickly went outside and turned on the TV in the waiting room.

“What’s going on?”

Curious, Seol-Young followed her out.

When she switched the channel to KMS, she saw Joo-Hyuk seated next to the anchor, delivering the carefully prepared report.

[Aunt, yes, Joo-Hyuk is accusing his father.]

[Is this really okay?]

“It’s an article Joo-Hyuk worked hard to prepare. Please don’t worry too much.”

[But the content…]

“It’s fine.”

After briefly reassuring her aunt, Sena ended the call.

“Oh my, oh my! Director Joo-Ah! Come look at this!”

Seol-Young called Joo-Ah over to watch the news together. The three of them stood side by side in the waiting room, listening to the conversation between Joo-Hyuk and the anchor on TV.

When the segment ended and the anchor moved on to the next story, the three of them finally exhaled the breath they had been holding.

“What on earth is this about?”

“Should Joo-Hyuk really be doing this?”

“Did you know about this, Teacher Kang?”

With both of them firing questions at her, Sena was momentarily speechless and just stared blankly at them.

“I said, did you know about this?”

“Huh? Oh, yes, I knew.”

Not only did she know, but she was also the first person to read the draft of the article Joo-Hyuk had written.

“What’s he planning to do? Accusing his own father like this—what’s he thinking?”

“I don’t know exactly. I’m just supporting Joo-Hyuk.”

And that was the truth.

Because she trusted Joo-Hyuk, all she could do was stand by him and cheer him on. That was all she could offer.

“This isn’t an ordinary situation. If what Joo-Hyuk said is true—and of course it is, because it’s him—this is huge.”

“Exactly. It’s going to shake up both politics and business. Twenty years means countless people are involved.”

Both Seol-Young and Joo-Ah exchanged serious looks as they discussed the implications.

But Sena’s concern wasn’t about the scandal itself—it was about Joo-Hyuk. Would he be okay?

Surely Chairman Choi had already heard the news. No matter how much he loved his son, he wouldn’t just sit idly by.

“Can I leave early? My sessions for today are done.”

“Yes, yes, go ahead. It’s way past closing time anyway.”

Though the center stayed open late that day, Joo-Ah nodded willingly.

Sena quickly returned to her office, gathered her things, and left the center. Before getting into her car, she tried calling Joo-Hyuk, but the line was busy.

I hope nothing bad has happened.

With an uneasy feeling, she headed home.

---

After parking his car, Joo-Hyuk turned off the engine, leaned back against the seat, and closed his eyes.

The conversation he’d had with Seol-Yoo after speaking with his father floated around in his mind.

“The shareholders are furious. Why did you release something like this without consulting us?”

“Since when have we had to review every single news story?”

“They probably thought they could control everything after pushing you out.”

“You’re underestimating Seol-Yoo too much.”

Though he said it jokingly, Seol-Yoo’s serious expression didn’t waver.

“So what exactly are they saying?”

“Your father isn’t just going to let KMS be. Even if it’s not your father, implicating the Chief Prosecutor is a big deal. They’re freaking out.”

“They’re worrying about everything, aren’t they?”

Joo-Hyuk had prepared for the possibility of the Chief Prosecutor coming after him aggressively and had already coordinated with Prosecutor Lee for the next steps, but his mouth still felt dry with anxiety.

Fortunately, on his way home, he received a call from the Justice Minister’s secretary, who assured him of their support. After hanging up, Joo-Hyuk couldn’t help but cheer aloud in relief.

But as soon as he arrived home, all the energy drained from his body. The feeling that everything was over—though in reality, it was only the beginning—left him suddenly exhausted.

“It’ll work out. Right?”

Despite mobilizing all his connections to prepare for this moment, Seol-Yoo seemed to ask hesitantly, perhaps feeling fear now that the deed was done.

“It’ll work out. It’ll… be fine.”

Joo-Hyuk pressed his tired eyes firmly with his palms.

Knock, knock.

The sudden sound of someone tapping on the car window startled him. He opened his eyes wide and looked outside to see Sena leaning down, her face filled with worry.

Through the tinted window, which made it hard for her to see inside, she couldn’t gauge his condition, so her brows were deeply furrowed.

“Why are you sitting out here in the cold?”

Joo-Hyuk quickly rolled down the window and smiled as he asked.

She was wearing a thin dress with a shawl draped over her shoulders. Seeing him, she finally exhaled softly and smiled.

“The intercom showed your car arriving, but you didn’t come upstairs after waiting a long time. I got worried something might’ve happened…”

In an instant, Joo-Hyuk leaned out of the car window and pulled her toward him by the back of her head.

Her eyes widened in surprise at the sudden movement, but as their lips met, they fluttered shut.

And just like that, his eyes slid closed as well.

Her lips were soft, moist, and carried the faint scent of apples—whether from cosmetics, perfume, or because she’d actually eaten an apple, he didn’t know. But the scent was so pleasant that he pressed his lips against hers again.

With a soft “hmm,” their lips parted slightly, and his tongue slipped between them.

The force of his pull was so strong that her body was half-drawn into the car through the open window.

He kissed her deeply, pulling her lips into his, sucking gently on her tongue before swirling it with his own. Sena’s mind grew hazy.

What if someone sees us?

The thought briefly crossed her mind, but it was quickly swallowed by the thrill of the moment.

A tingling sensation ran from the tips of her hair to the soles of her feet, and her body went limp.

“Haa─ Wait a moment.”

Out of breath, Sena managed to push him away slightly and looked at him.

His lips glistened with saliva, smudged with the red lipstick she had applied before leaving the house.

Joo-Hyuk’s mischievous eyes sparkled as he licked the corners of his lips with his tongue, clearly signaling his desire to continue.

“What if someone sees us?”

“Let them. We’re married. What’s the problem?”

“Do you want to end up on the news? Plus, my back hurts.”

“Hurts? Oh!”

Only then did Joo-Hyuk release his grip on her head.

Sena straightened her back and pulled herself out of the car window. She quickly scanned the area to check if anyone else was around.

Thankfully, no one was in sight, and she sighed in relief. In the meantime, Joo-Hyuk stepped out of the car and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“No one’s around, right?”

“Yes, thankfully.”

“Your lipstick’s smudged.”

He gently rubbed her plump lips with his finger. The warmth of his touch sent shivers down her spine, making her feel as though her hair was standing on end.

“Let’s go inside.”

His large hand intertwined with hers, and he strode confidently toward the building.

Half-expecting and half-dreading what might follow after they entered the apartment, Sena hesitated. They hadn’t yet fully discussed the issue of having children, and she wondered if it was okay to give in to him just yet.

However, contrary to her mixed feelings, Joo-Hyuk immediately headed to the bathroom to shower as soon as they entered the apartment.

While reheating the dinner the housekeeper had prepared and setting the table, Sena waited for him to come out.

“Mmm, something smells delicious.”

Joo-Hyuk emerged with a bright smile, drying his damp hair with a towel.

“The housekeeper left grilled abalone for you, saying how hard you’ve been working.”

At her words, Joo-Hyuk’s smile widened even more.

They sat across from each other at the dining table and began tasting the carefully prepared dishes.

“What do you think will happen? The reaction to the news seems intense.”

“The response has been bigger than I expected.”

“Has your father contacted you?”

“How could he not? He called me right after the interview ended.”

With the tone of someone sharing an amusing story, Joo-Hyuk recounted the details of his conversation with his father.

“Are you okay?”

“With what?”

“All this effort you’ve put into living your life so far… wasn’t part of it to show your father that you could succeed without his help? Not just to fulfill your mother’s dream, but also to gain his recognition?”

“…What are you talking about?”

He stared at her blankly, as if he truly didn’t understand.

“Even though you hate him, you still have a desire for his acknowledgment… Why are you making that face?”