SELA - 31

Chul-Woo was standing face-to-face with Ji-Hyuk, engaged in some kind of conversation. More accurately, it was Chul-Woo rambling on while Ji-Hyuk listened silently, his expression blank.

Seeing Ji-Hyuk’s calm demeanor made Sa-hee feel as though she’d been doused with cold water—embarrassment washed over her. Pale-faced, Sa-hee rushed toward them.

“What? When did you get here?”

Breathing heavily, Sa-hee stepped in front of Ji-Hyuk and glared at Chul-Woo. Chul-Woo hesitated for a moment before smirking and teasing her.

“Is that how you greet your older brother? I just arrived, by the way. Anyway, take good care of him from now on…”

Ignoring Sa-hee, Chul-Woo extended his hand to Ji-Hyuk for a handshake. Sa-hee quickly pulled his hand down. Their gazes clashed sharply.

“Mom’s waiting. Let’s go inside.”

“Hah.”

Chul-Woo started to say something but stopped himself, licking his lips instead and laughing ambiguously. His smile gave nothing away.

Ji-Hyuk, who had been quietly observing, took the initiative and extended his hand again. Chul-Woo, still muttering under his breath, ignored Sa-hee and accepted the handshake.

“See you again soon.”

With his mood lifted by the handshake, Chul-Woo whistled a tune as he disappeared into the hospital. Sa-hee watched his retreating figure, her emotions tangled between embarrassment, disbelief, and something else she couldn’t quite name.

“Your boyfriend?”

Ji-Hyuk asked, referring to what Ji-Young had mentioned earlier about Sa-hee’s “boyfriend,” meaning her older brother. Understanding the question, Sa-hee nodded.

“Yes, he’s my older brother. Did he make any mistakes?”

“No, nothing like that. Don’t worry about it.”

She knew. Even if there had been a mistake, this man wouldn’t tell her the truth.

Sa-hee suppressed the strange surge of emotions welling up inside her and stood in front of Ji-Hyuk.

“Thank you so much for today. Thanks to you, I was able to get to the hospital right away.”

Ji-Hyuk stared at her for a moment before flicking a speck of dust off her shoulder with his finger and speaking.

“Next time, don’t act so foolishly. Who checks their quitting time in the middle of an emergency?”

“Yes.”

“Go ahead and go back inside.”

“You should go first, Vice President. I’ll head in after reporting.”

“I’ll manage on my own. You go ahead, Secretary Yoon. I’ll report later.”

“No, you first…”

“Are we going to stand here all night?”

At his question, Sa-hee bit her lower lip, hesitating briefly before bowing her head. She couldn’t keep standing there forever.

“In that case, I’ll head in first. See you tomorrow.”

Without giving a definitive response, Ji-Hyuk simply nodded. Sa-hee turned and walked away. As she passed through the glass doors and entered the lobby, pressing the elevator button, she glanced back at Ji-Hyuk several times.

Ji-Hyuk, whom she expected to leave immediately, remained standing in the same spot until her elevator disappeared from sight.

________________________________________

“Sa-hee’s boyfriend?”

“No, not yet.”

“Not yet. So, ‘not yet’ means there’s someone on your mind.”

“Yes.”

“All of Sa-hee’s past boyfriends ended up treating me like an older brother. So, this guy…”

As Chul-Woo spoke, Ji-Hyuk chuckled softly. Chul-Woo’s face slowly hardened.

“Why are you laughing? This isn’t the time to laugh, is it?”

“Please, continue.”

“So, this guy… handle things properly, alright? Oh wait, never mind. Actually, none of that matters. Just… money. If you can help out financially, whether you’re with Sa-hee or not is none of my business.”

One of Ji-Hyuk’s eyebrows shot up in irritation, though his face remained otherwise expressionless.

“From the looks of it, you seem to come from a wealthy family. Our household struggles a bit. If you don’t want to see the girl you like struggling, make sure to send money regularly, got it?”

“…”

“Answer me. What, does talking about money turn you off?”

“…”

“Are you reluctant to meet Sa-hee?”

“That’s something I’ll decide on my own.”

“What?”

“It doesn’t matter to me whether Yoon Sa-hee strips me naked or not. Do you understand?”

Ji-Hyuk took a threatening step closer to Chul-Woo. The two tall men stood facing each other, tension crackling in the air.

“So stop meddling.”

Chul-Woo burst out laughing at Ji-Hyuk’s words. Then, suddenly, his expression turned serious, his gaze sharp.

“You better date Yoon Sa-hee. Give her everything you’ve got. Got it?”

Despite Chul-Woo’s taunting tone, Ji-Hyuk merely smiled gently.

“Of course. Absolutely.”

________________________________________

Chul-Woo chuckled as he recalled his meeting with Ji-Hyuk. It felt like a big fish had leapt onto the cutting board—a rare catch indeed.

“For now, I’ll take care of Mom.”

As he lit a cigarette, Sa-hee immediately approached and snatched it away. Her face was full of confusion.

“No smoking indoors. And… you’re going to take care of Mom?”

“Yeah. Why are you so surprised?”

“No, I’m not. Thank you. Just stay with her until I finish work. I’ll come back after I’m done.”

“Sure, whatever.”

Chul-Woo casually replied and flopped down onto the caregiver’s cot, closing his eyes. Behind his eyelids, images of stacks of cash flooded his mind.

Judging by the man’s appearance and demeanor earlier, if he could just use Yoon Sa-hee—the stubborn, stone-faced girl—he might easily earn enough for a house.

When Chul-Woo opened his eyes again, he saw Sa-hee organizing the patient’s belongings.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing. Keep doing what you were doing.”

“You’re so bland.”

No matter what Sa-hee said, Chul-Woo’s mind was already filled with visions of a prosperous future. That night, in the same room, their thoughts drifted in entirely different directions.

________________________________________

A week later, sunlight poured through the building’s large windows, illuminating the morning. Sa-hee stood before Ji-Hyuk, who appeared more exhausted than usual. She was briefing him on schedules and work-related matters.

“I’ve uploaded the list of related companies to the file. Please review it. Um, Vice President?”

“Yes, go on.”

“You look pale. Would you like a warm cup of tea?”

After Sa-hee’s words, Ji-Hyuk rubbed his face with one hand and sighed.

“No tea. What time is the afternoon meeting?”

“It’s at 2 PM, Vice President.”

“I’ll handle lunch outside and be back by then.”

“I’ll have Driver Song ready.”

“No, I’ll drive myself.”

With that, Ji-Hyuk set down his pen, grabbed his jacket, and walked past Sa-hee. His retreating figure looked unusually weary. Sa-hee followed behind, deep in thought, before cautiously calling out to him.

“Um, Vice President.”

Ji-Hyuk turned around at Sa-hee’s voice.

“I’m worried. Let me drive.”

“Secretary Yoon wants to drive?”

“Yes.”

After a moment of contemplation, Ji-Hyuk closed his eyes briefly before responding.

“Alright. Fine.”

________________________________________

Ji-Hyuk and Sa-hee sat side by side in the waiting area of the psychiatric clinic. The space was decorated in warm wood tones and lush greenery, creating a calming atmosphere. But Sa-hee’s heart was anything but calm. Despite having worked closely with Ji-Hyuk and lived through his marriage, she had never imagined he would need psychological treatment. She had prided herself on knowing him well, but now she realized it was all arrogance. It hurt.

“It’s just insomnia, so don’t overthink it.”

“Yes.”

Noticing Sa-hee’s conflicted emotions, Ji-Hyuk tried to reassure her. Still, her unease didn’t dissipate easily.

“Shin Ji-Hyuk.”

Just then, the nurse called his name. Ji-Hyuk, who had been sitting relaxed with his legs crossed, stood up naturally. Sa-hee rose as well.

“You can stay here. I’ll be fine.”

“That’s not it. If it’s okay with you, may I join you?”

Ji-Hyuk tilted his head slightly, curiosity flickering across his face.

“Why would Secretary Yoon want to come?”

“Well, I am your secretary. I’d like to know, if it’s not too much of a burden. Of course, I’ll wait here if you prefer.”

Though his words didn’t explicitly grant permission, Sa-hee’s eyes conveyed a desperate sincerity. Ji-Hyuk, fully aware of it, paused briefly before responding.

“Come along.”

As soon as they entered the consultation room, Jun-Young’s overly cheerful and boisterous voice greeted them.

“Well, well, who do we have here? Secretary Yoon! How did you two end up coming together?”

“Hello.”

“Nice to see you! It’s been so long since we last met. I’ve wanted to see you, but Shin Ji-Hyuk here didn’t give me your number…”

Squeak , the sound of the chair creaking interrupted Jun-Young’s words. Ji-Hyuk had slumped into the chair, unbothered.

“Our patient certainly has a unique personality.”

“Let’s start the session. Secretary Yoon, please sit.”

“Yes.”

Once Sa-hee settled into the extra stool, the session began. Despite Sa-hee being present, Ji-Hyuk casually nodded when Jun-Young asked if he was comfortable sharing openly.

Most of the session revolved around dreams again. This time, Ji-Hyuk recounted a dream where a stretcher emerged from a building, carrying a body covered with a white sheet, and he woke up just as he reached out to touch it.

Jun-Young, usually playful, adopted a calm demeanor as he listened intently, jotting down notes. Meanwhile, Ji-Hyuk calmly unraveled his inner thoughts.