SELA - Prologue

“How perplexing.”

A dry voice drifted over from across the table. Ji-Hyuk pulled out a handkerchief and casually tossed it toward Sa-hee. She looked at him quizzically, glancing back and forth between the handkerchief and his face. In response, Ji-Hyuk lightly tapped the corner of his eye with his index finger to gesture.

My eye? Did something get in my eye?

Following his indication, Sa-hee gently touched the corner of her eye and only then realized she was crying when she felt moisture on her fingertips. How foolish. She hadn’t even noticed her own tears. She had been so preoccupied staring at Ji-Hyuk that she lost all sense of herself.

“I’m sorry.”

Sa-hee hastily apologized and wiped her tears with her hand. As a result, the handkerchief he had offered was left abandoned on the table. Ji-Hyuk sat upright, his posture relaxed as he glanced down at the handkerchief. His hand rested lightly on his knee, one leg crossed over the other. He exuded an air of calm composure.

“Why are you crying?”

His low, composed voice pierced through to her ears. Flustered by the tears that kept flowing no matter how much she wiped them away, Sa-hee could do nothing but look up at Ji-Hyuk with her tear-soaked eyes.

“A-ah, well… it’s just…”

“The people here will undoubtedly think I made you cry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? A man who makes a woman cry deserves the criticism.”

Sure enough, Sa-hee could feel the occasional glance from nearby tables directed their way. Feeling increasingly flustered, she bit her lip and nervously picked at the skin around her nails beneath the table.

“So, whether I deserve the criticism or not, I might as well hear why you’re crying. Otherwise, it’d feel unfair.”

Though his words sounded indifferent, there was no trace of feeling wronged on his face. Instead, his expression carried only a faint curiosity, as if he were prying into someone else’s affairs.

“Vice President.”

“I’m listening.”

“It’s nothing. Just…”

Before Sa-hee could finish her excuse, her words faltered under the sharp gaze fixed on her from across the table.

“If it’s nothing, then why are you crying in front of me?”

“…”

“You’re making me curious.”

His tone was rather cold. Ji-Hyuk disliked it when people hid things from him, even if it was for his own good. Knowing this all too well, Sa-hee wanted to be honest, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so.

I’ve finally found you—my husband who passed away.

If she revealed the truth now, everything would fall apart.