SELA - 39

Ji-young came to see Ji-hyuk again that afternoon. Without so much as a greeting, she barged in and sat on the sofa, unpacking the things she had brought with her. The food she had prepared was clearly made with great care.

After nearly an hour passed, the smell of the food filled the office. Having finished his urgent tasks, Ji-hyuk finally glanced at Ji-young. She was fidgeting with the hem of her dress and stealing occasional glances at him.

With a long sigh, Ji-hyuk stood up and approached the sofa. Ji-young’s face immediately lit up like the sun. As Ji-hyuk sat across from her, she hurriedly placed the utensils she had prepared in front of him.

“I heard you’ve been sick.”

“……”

“They say this food is better than medicine. Let’s eat together.”

But there was no response. Ji-hyuk crossed his legs, leaned back into the sofa, and stared at Ji-young silently. Though embarrassed, Ji-young forced a smile and pretended everything was fine.

“How did you find my house?”

His first words to her were nothing more than an interrogation. Ji-young’s bright expression dimmed instantly.

“There aren’t many people who know. Was it Secretary Yoon?”

“……”

“Secretary Yoon wouldn’t have told me in her right mind.”

Ji-hyuk sat with his arms crossed, deep in thought. His impassive face gave no hint of what was going through his mind.

As he pieced together broken connections, Ji-hyuk recalled the night Sa-hee had come to him drunk. That must have been when he felt something was off. Realizing this, he smirked.

“Did you drink together?”

Ji-young couldn’t deny it. Her face turned red.

“That’s cowardly, Moon Ji-young.”

“But I—what do you mean?”

“Taking advantage of someone who’s drunk for your own gain? Isn’t that cowardly?”

Ji-young’s insides burned under Ji-hyuk’s icy glare. It felt like he was crumbling into sand in her hands, slipping away from her bit by bit.

“It wasn’t like that…! It just happened, really, by accident. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Ji-hyuk tilted his head at Ji-young’s desperate tone. What could it mean?

“Ji-young.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t play games. I can hear the sound of your scheming from here.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, making them glisten. Humiliated, Ji-young’s face flushed with heat. Her hand gripping the edge of her skirt trembled uncontrollably.

“Does Secretary Yoon mean that much to you?”

“What?”

“Is she really good enough to bring into my house?”

At Ji-young’s sharp question, Ji-hyuk laughed, looking baffled.

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep listening to your whining.”

“Oppa…”

“Should I call Jun-young? Would you prefer to leave quietly holding your brother’s hand?”

Ji-young clenched her teeth at Ji-hyuk’s cold demeanor. He used to be so gentle, so kind. Why was he no longer showing her that side? She couldn’t help but feel resentment bubbling up inside.

“No matter what you say or do, it won’t change anything.”

Regardless of Ji-young’s protests, Ji-hyuk unfolded his arms and stood up. Returning to his desk, he opened the documents he had been reviewing.

“Do you know about the marriage talks between our families? You and I are supposed to get married eventually.”

As Ji-hyuk uncapped his fountain pen, he smirked.

“How amusing.”

Amusing? If he had said something like “disgusting” or “stop joking,” she might have found a way to argue back. But that one short word—”amusing”—left an inexplicable wound deep in Ji-young’s heart. An overwhelming sense of humiliation surged within her.

“As for me, no matter what you do, I’m not giving up on you, Oppa.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. That’s your choice, so do as you wish.”

“……”

“But don’t expect me to acknowledge your feelings or take responsibility for your childish antics. You’re not a kid anymore.”

At his words, a memory from when she was 17 flashed in Ji-young’s mind—the day of Jun-young’s birthday party, when Ji-hyuk had helped her. Back then, his words—”you’re not a kid anymore”—felt like a dismissal: he had only helped her because she was young. Now, she interpreted it as him saying he no longer cared. Could that really be true?

Shaking her head slightly, Ji-young dismissed the thought. No, it couldn’t be. All the kindness and warmth she had experienced from him over the years screamed that such an interpretation was false. It couldn’t be true. So she would keep trying.

“If this is because of Secretary Yoon, you should stop, Oppa.”

She would shake this man if she had to.

Ji-hyuk, who had been focused on his documents, suddenly raised his eyes to look at Ji-young. A sharp glint flashed in his gaze. Ji-young’s neck tensed with anxiety.

“Why don’t you tell me why you’re saying this?”

To her surprise, his tone was unexpectedly polite. Leaning his head slightly to the side, Ji-hyuk openly displayed his curiosity as he watched her.

“I’ll keep it short since you hate long explanations. Secretary Yoon Sa-hee has been leaking information about you to the women you meet.”

Ji-hyuk’s expression twisted in disbelief.

“Haven’t you noticed? Every woman you meet seems to like the music you like and dislike the food you dislike. They seem to know all your hobbies and preferences. Of course, they wouldn’t make it obvious. If they’re smart, they’d act like it’s all just a coincidence.”

Raising an eyebrow, Ji-hyuk leaned back in his chair, as if signaling her to continue. Ji-young licked her dry lips and pressed on.

“To be honest, I was the same. I asked Secretary Yoon for help because I wanted to impress you. And honestly, she was very helpful—almost too helpful, to the point it felt suspicious.”

“……”

“Setting aside everything else, isn’t it a problem that she’s sharing her boss’s schedule so freely? Isn’t that confidential information? As an employee, this is completely unacceptable.”

Ji-hyuk let out a short breath, clearly amused. After a brief pause, he tapped his fingers rhythmically on his knee and smiled.

“And why exactly are you telling me all this?”

“I don’t want you to have any illusions about Secretary Yoon.”

“Being disappointed in Secretary Yoon doesn’t mean I’ll start liking you. You do realize that, right?”

Ji-young swallowed hard. Of course, she knew. Ji-hyuk had an infuriating way of cutting straight to the truth.

“Anyway, what I’m trying to say is this: no matter who you date, whether you have a lover or not, I’m not giving up!”

“Enough.”

Ji-hyuk’s face was devoid of warmth as he looked at her blankly. His expression made it clear how annoying he found her. Hurt by his apathetic attitude, Ji-young’s hands began trembling involuntarily. Unable to bear it any longer, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

The loud bang echoed through the room, and Ji-hyuk frowned.

“……”

He tossed his fountain pen onto the desk and ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek. Staring out at the cityscape beyond the window, his stomach churned. Marriage talks, Yoon Sa-hee… All the stories he’d heard gnawed at his nerves.

Lost in thought, Ji-hyuk pressed the intercom button to summon Sa-hee.

“Please bring me a glass of cold water.”

• Yes, Director.

Funny enough, even in this situation, Sa-hee’s voice somehow eased his suffocating frustration. Realizing this, he couldn’t help but laugh at his own foolishness.

Exhaling deeply, Ji-hyuk unbuttoned another button on his shirt as he waited for her. He hoped she would hurry and appear through the door. Each passing second felt like an eternity.

“While bringing the cold water, I also prepared some vitamins. It’s almost time.”

Sa-hee set down the tray with precise movements. Ji-hyuk’s gaze lingered on her hands. To avoid saying something harsh, he deliberately avoided looking directly at her. But…

“Secretary Yoon.”

“Yes, Director.”

“No, Yoon Sa-hee.”

“Yes.”

“What exactly have you been doing lately?”

“Pardon?”

It seemed impossible to stay soft with her any longer. Sa-hee appeared slightly flustered as she lowered the empty tray and shifted her gaze around. She genuinely seemed to be thinking about what she’d done recently, innocently.

“I’ll ask directly.”

“Yes.”

“Why have you been sharing my information with other women?”

“Ah…”

Sa-hee’s face immediately flushed with panic. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away.

Regardless, Ji-hyuk had no intention of letting her escape his gaze. Even if his boiling emotions scorched her, he would watch until the end—to uncover her true intentions.