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“If it’s about what happened last time, I understood, so stop it.”
Han, who couldn’t get Hyun-soo to meet him, went straight to Guk to plead.
“Stop what?”
“You know. Don’t deliberately keep Hyun-soo noona away from me.”
As soon as Guk returned to his office after a meeting, he was confronted by Han’s face. He knew Han would come, but he didn’t expect him to follow him to the company.
Guk took off his jacket, casually draped it over the chair, and turned to face Han.
“It’s because you’re acting like this.”
“What?”
“Hyun-soo might not, but you’re different.”
“......”
“It’s obvious you see Hyun-soo as a woman. Do you think I’m such a fool that I’d just leave you alone?”
“Hyung.”
“I think I was patient enough with what happened last time. I think I’ve done enough for you. You should stop. Don’t make things messy.”
“What if I can’t?”
Unlike when he was pleading, Han’s expression was calm as he asked back. Guk stared at Han and sat down in his chair.
“You’re going to keep liking her?”
“Yes.”
A strange smile flickered across Guk’s face as he leaned back in his chair. Han’s hand twitched at the enigmatic smile.
“You think this is all my unilateral decision, don’t you?”
“Then does noona think the same way?”
Guk, who looked tired and frowned, lightly scratched his forehead with his finger.
“Yoon Han.”
“I’m listening.”
“You know Hyun-soo and I are intimate every day, right?”
This time, Han’s face twisted horribly. His trembling hand clenched into a tight fist.
“So?”
“Do you really think we only developed a physical connection from touching each other?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Hyun-soo and I are both sincere about each other now, to some extent. I’ve come to understand what she wants, too.”
Han’s jaw muscles visibly tightened and relaxed. It was clear how hard he was gritting his teeth and enduring.
“Give up hope. When Kim Hyun-soo embraced you, she mistook you for Yoon Guk.”
“......”
“Surely you’re not deluding yourself that Hyun-soo did it out of her own volition.”
“......”
“I hope not. Otherwise, you’re...”
“......”
“Too pitiful.”
Contrary to his words, Guk’s eyes held no pity or warmth as he looked at Han. He genuinely cared for Han as a brother, but he wouldn’t extend any kindness to someone who coveted what was his, even if they were family.
“Haha...”
Han couldn’t suppress the sudden, involuntary laughter. The lament that rose from the depths of his burning heart was mixed with his laughter.
Guk, who was propping his chin on his hand with his legs crossed, looked at him with a relaxed and leisurely expression. His eyes seemed to regard Han as nothing more than a stray puppy’s outburst, not even a threat.
Han turned away, unable to bear the look that made his jaw ache from clenching his teeth. He walked out of the office without saying goodbye. The sound of the door slamming shut felt like a rejection of the path he wanted to take, making his stomach churn.
“......”
As soon as Han left the office and the door closed, Guk’s face turned icy cold. He sat still for a moment, thinking of someone. His beloved brother, Han, who had always been so obedient, and the man who didn’t hide his feelings for his wife, Hyun-soo, even though she was his.
He felt resentful. It was an emotion he never thought he would feel towards his own brother.
Several files awaiting Guk’s approval were piled on his desk.
Guk straightened his posture and quickly began to work. The sound of reviewing and signing documents filled the quiet office.
Misfortune has a scent. That’s why you can sense it before it strikes.
That afternoon, Hyun-soo woke up before the phone even rang for that very reason.
Hyun-soo, who had been confined to her bed since morning with a cold, had fallen into a light sleep. What woke her was the incessant ringing of her cell phone.
“......Hello?”
-Ah. You finally answered.
“Who is this?”
-It’s Jun-woo. Do you remember me?
Jun-woo? If it was Jun-woo, he was probably one of Han’s friends she had seen a few times.
“Ah, yes. But why are you calling at this hour? How did you get my number... No, wait, isn’t this Han’s number?”
The name “Yoon Han” was clearly displayed on her phone screen. So why was someone else answering? Hyun-soo, wondering if she had misread in her drowsy state, pulled the phone away from her face and checked again. It was definitely Han’s number.
-Yes, it’s Yoon Han’s number. We’ll talk about the details later, but I think you need to come here.
“What’s going on?”
-You’ll know when you get here. Just come.
The insistent urging to come made her uneasy. Besides, she hadn’t seen Han properly lately, so she wondered what would happen if she went and faced him. Hyun-soo made a decision and spoke.
“No. I can’t go. Please tell him I can’t go.”
-You can’t come?
“No, I can’t.”
-He’s dying. Are you really not coming?
“What are you talking about?”
Hyun-soo’s drowsy eyes snapped open at the unexpected words. She was already feeling sick, and she didn’t understand what was going on. Hyun-soo forced her heavy body to sit up.
“What are you talking about? Tell me in detail.”
-It’s no use taking him to the hospital. I’ll put him on the phone, so please try to persuade him.
“No, wait. Hello? Jun-woo...!”
-Hah... get lost.
Just as she was desperately calling for Jun-woo, she heard a rough breath and a familiar voice on the other end of the line. It was definitely Han. Hyun-soo was speechless before finally calling him.
“Yoon Han...?”
-......
“Is that you, Han?”
-Noona.
It was Han. Hyun-soo couldn’t help but sigh.
“What’s going on? You said you need to go to the hospital. Are you hurt? Where are you hurt?”
Perhaps he liked her worried questions. Han suddenly chuckled.
“Why are you laughing?”
-Are you worried?
“Just answer me. Are you hurt?”
-I don’t know.
“Go to the hospital with your friends first. We’ll talk later...”
-You come, noona.
“What?”
“Come here right now, noona. I’m not moving an inch unless you come.”
It was an absurd suggestion. Hyun-soo’s lips parted weakly at his stubbornness. She didn’t know what to say.
“You know I’m not coming.”
-Suit yourself. I’ll just lie here like this, then.
“What? Why are you doing this? Go to the hospital...”
-Don’t worry about me. I’ll just let things take their course. Right?
A sigh escaped her lips. The throbbing pain in her head, which had felt like a bird pecking from the outside, intensified as if a hammer was striking from the inside. Hyun-soo rubbed her temples and bit her lip. She kept debating back and forth. Then finally.
-P Hotel, room 1708. Come see me die if you want. I’m hanging up.
Click. The phone call ended abruptly.
P Hotel, room 1708.
Hyun-soo’s heart pounded as she confirmed the room number “1708.” Even as she took deep breaths, her hand, which had pressed the call button, trembled slightly.
The door burst open without a “who is it?” A familiar face appeared. She couldn’t remember his name, but he was definitely one of Han’s friends.
“You came. Come in.”
Fortunately, he seemed to recognize Hyun-soo. She didn’t have to explain her presence and immediately stepped into the room.
“Where’s Yoon Han?”
Hyun-soo asked about Han’s whereabouts as soon as she entered. He had said he was injured and needed to go to the hospital, so she wanted to check on him as soon as possible.
The man, who had closed the door and followed her in, walked past her instead of answering. He glanced back, as if telling her to follow him. Hesitantly, Hyun-soo followed him.
They walked down a dimly lit hallway and arrived at a wide, open space. It was so large, with high ceilings and no walls, that it seemed as if they had knocked down the walls to create one big room. The modern and clean space was breathtaking.
Han and his friends were all there.
“Follow me.”
When Hyun-soo stopped, the man urged her on. He turned to her and headed towards the large window on the right side of the space. Hyun-soo belatedly followed him.
As she walked behind him, she felt something crunching under her feet. The sensation and sound, which had been faint at first, grew stronger as she walked.
“What is this...?”
Hyun-soo looked down at the floor, puzzled, and stopped dead in her tracks. She barely managed to stay on her feet, almost collapsing.
Inside the area past a large decorative cabinet, Han lay on the floor. He was covered in blood and seemed to have lost consciousness.
“Ha, Han-ah! Yoon Han!”
Hyun-soo dropped her bag and ran to Han. The floor and Han’s body were littered with shards of glass, making a crunching sound with every step.
“What... What happened...!”
Hyun-soo cradled Han’s head and upper body, her hands trembling. The sight of her hands covered in blood made it difficult for her to speak.
“Are you okay? Are you okay? Han-ah, open your eyes. Open your eyes...”
Hyun-soo looked around in panic. She was overwhelmed, unable to understand what had happened.
Then, she noticed something. A broken frame of what looked like furniture lay near Han’s head.
“He fell onto a glass cabinet.”
A voice suddenly spoke, and Hyun-soo looked up, her bewildered face contorted.
“What are you talking about?”
“Just what I said. He slipped and fell, grabbing onto the glass cabinet, and they both fell.”
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