65. How About We Start Over?

Standing in front of the house, Haerin took a moment to compose herself before entering the passcode to the front door.

It was the house where she had lived with Soohyun for nearly a year. But now, her intention was to go inside, pack her belongings without any lingering feelings, and leave.

It was the weekend, so the household staff probably wouldn’t be working, and if anyone was home, it would be Soohyun.

‘Nothing will change.’

Haerin steeled her resolve once more and opened the door.

The house, which she had returned to after a long time, looked exactly the same at first glance. However, everything inside felt both familiar and strange.

‘It must be because my feelings have changed.’

Haerin briefly glanced around the entrance where she had greeted and seen off Soohyun every day and night, then slowly walked further into the house.

Before leaving this house, she recalled the last conversation she had had with Soohyun.

‘Did I say something I shouldn’t have? You’re secretly hoping for it too, aren’t you? You’re the one who wants to leave here more than anyone.’

‘How... how can you say such a thing to me in this situation? Are you saying I wanted my sibling to die quickly?’

The events of that day when they had fought so fiercely felt like something from a very long time ago. Soohyun’s words, which had sounded so upsetting back then, didn’t bother her at all now.

Yes, you might have been right.

With a slightly selfish heart, it was true that she had grown tired of her sibling, who kept creating one emergency after another, living day to day. But she hadn’t known her sibling would leave like that.

What good was it to reminisce about the past now?

Regret was just a pathetic excuse created by those who had an unfaithful past.

Haerin placed her hand on her belly. She had no time for reminiscing about the past. Her mind was filled only with the thought of leaving this place as quickly as possible.

Accessing someone else’s medical records was illegal, but it wouldn’t be difficult for anyone in the Taesung family to obtain that kind of information.

She no longer wanted to be manipulated by those in power. Fortunately, no one was home.

‘I don’t have time.’

Haerin hurried upstairs to her room.

________________________________________

She didn’t have much luggage. Just like when she had first moved into this house, Haerin packed all her belongings into one small carry-on bag.

The walk-in closet was filled with luxurious clothes that had been bought for her.

They were things Soohyun had given her not long after she moved in. Quite a few still had the price tags attached. Some dresses cost as much as a semester’s tuition for a university student.

For Haerin, who had lived her life with little regard for shopping and without even knowing her own tastes, it was too many choices.

She had occasionally indulged in a fantasy of being a glamorous princess, trying on different outfits in the house, but that was enough. Haerin didn’t feel much attachment to the extravagant and luxurious clothes.

And even now, she didn’t put any of them in her suitcase. She didn’t want to keep anything that bore the traces of Taesung.

Having roughly finished packing and coming down the stairs, she heard a commotion from the direction of the front door.

“Haerin-ah!”

Soohyun, who rushed into the house, looked disheveled.

Seeing his messy hair and bloodshot eyes, she could tell what kind of time he had been having.

In the past, Haerin would have asked what was wrong and reached out to touch his worried-looking cheek, but now she merely looked at Soohyun with a cold expression.

She had been desperate to push him away, but now that he was trying to hold onto her, she didn’t even want to care about his change of heart. She simply had no interest.

“Haerin-ah!”

Calling her name, Soohyun stood in front of Haerin in an instant and snatched the handle of the carry-on bag from her hand.

“What is all this?”

“What else would it be?”

Compared to Soohyun’s agitated tone, Haerin was calm.

“Thank you for everything. Goodbye.”

“Haerin-ah. Just a moment.”

As she tried to take back the handle of the carry-on bag from Soohyun’s hand, Soohyun grabbed Haerin’s wrist, trying to stop her.

“Please listen to me.”

“I don’t think there’s anything to hear. Let go of this.”

“Haerin-ah. We... we...”

Soohyun’s gaze turned to Haerin. His wavering eyes fixed firmly. Soohyun took a breath and asked, as if exhaling,

“How about we start over?”

His reddened eyes poured out a final plea. His trembling voice begged Haerin. He didn’t want to let her go.

“What are you talking about now?”

However, Haerin, who was receiving his words, merely wore an expression of disbelief at Soohyun’s change in attitude.

“The condition that forcibly tied us together is gone now. If it’s now, we can start over cleanly. Just the two of us, really.”

“What on earth are you saying...”

“I needed time. Time to gain the power to protect you. But I thought you wouldn’t be able to endure that time. So, for you...”

“Are you saying you’ve been tormenting me for my sake?”

He poured out explanations as they came to mind, trying to soothe her heart, but Haerin’s gaze at him remained icy.

“You were so desperate to drive me away, but now that I’m leaving, do you suddenly feel regret?”

“Haerin-ah. No, my feelings have always been the same. Now that you have no weaknesses to be exploited and I can protect you...”

“Protect me? Me?”

Eyes filled with contempt turned to Soohyun. The eyes that had been as calm as a lake were now filled with hatred.

“Haerin-ah. You’re not alone anymore. I’ll take responsibility.”

Hearing Soohyun’s words, Haerin scoffed.

“I’m going to live my life taking responsibility for myself. So, you live your own life too, Sunbae. You still have what’s most important to you left. Revenge.”

When Haerin said that, Soohyun thought it really didn’t matter anymore.

His life had been solely driven by the determination to take revenge on Chairman Park.

But facing Haerin, who was about to leave him, he felt that even if he suffered eternally under Chairman Park, he could endure it as long as Yoon Haerin was by his side.

The choice he had made to escape his regretful memories was rationalization.

It couldn’t be helped. It was the best choice for her. If he begged for forgiveness even now, Yoon Haerin wouldn’t abandon him. She was just too filled with sorrow to see her own feelings right now.

He thought that at least some lingering affection must remain, and Haerin wouldn’t end up completely leaving him.

Even when he had pushed her away like that, she had always looked at him from the same place. He couldn’t let her go like this.

“Haerin-ah, can’t you reconsider?”

“Let go.”

“You and your baby, we’re family.”

“Family? Do you think that word suits us, Sunbae?”

“Haerin-ah. Please reconsider.”

Even as her cold words continued, Soohyun thought she couldn’t be serious. The Yoon Haerin he knew wasn’t someone who enjoyed saying such harsh things.

However, contrary to Soohyun’s thoughts, Haerin shattered his expectations with a single sentence.

“I’m leaving this hell now. I won’t care whether you live or die alone, Sunbae.”

“Haerin-ah. You’re not serious, are you? Right?”

“However you take it, that’s your freedom, Sunbae. Think whatever you want. I don’t care about that anymore either.”

Haerin coldly shook off Soohyun’s hand that held her wrist and turned away.

“...What if I say I won’t let you go...?”

Soohyun, watching her retreating back, sent a subtle threat.

In fact, the word ‘threat’ was an understatement. His tone, clinging as if pleading, was closer to a request than a threat. It was a plea. A vow that he could never let her go.

“I miscarried the baby.”

As if not wanting to give him even a sliver of hope, Haerin cut off Soohyun’s words. Then, turning halfway around, she said to Soohyun,

“So, there’s nothing between you and me anymore. I’ve signed all the documents and given them to Secretary Seok. Please process them quickly.”

The Haerin who had clung to him so desperately, constantly shedding tears, was now as cold as if she had become a completely different person.

“If you have any feelings of guilt towards me, Sunbae, I hope you’ll at least act with basic human decency.”

Click.

Soon after, the sound of the carry-on bag rolling could be heard, and Haerin’s footsteps faded away.

“Haerin-ah, Haerin-ah!”

Only then did Soohyun feel like he was facing reality.

Haerin was leaving.

Soohyun hurriedly chased after Haerin and went out to the front door.

“Haerin-ah, don’t go. Please. Huh? Haerin-ah.”

“Nothing you say will ever change my mind.”

“Please...”

“Goodbye.”

He desperately called out to Haerin with a feeling of having let go of everything, but Haerin didn’t stop walking at all and pushed open the front door.

Thump.

Haerin’s retreating figure disappeared behind the door, and soon after, the sound of the door closing was heard.

“Ah.”

Soohyun collapsed to the ground as if his legs had given way.

Something that had seemed like it would never happen had happened. Haerin had left.

________________________________________

Haerin’s steps as she left the house were somewhat hurried.

Soohyun’s face, which she had seen just before turning away, kept floating in her mind. She felt like she needed to get into the car quickly and get far away from this house. She shouldn’t turn back with any foolish sentimentality.

“Did you have a good talk?”

Secretary Seok, who had been waiting with the car parked in front of the house, asked as he took the bag from Haerin. Haerin simply nodded in response and quickly got into the back seat.

The time it took for Secretary Seok to put the bag in the trunk and then get back into the driver’s seat felt so long.

Haerin worried that Soohyun might chase after her and drag her out of the car. She anxiously looked around with uneasy eyes.

“Please leave right away.”

It was Secretary Seok who had insisted on driving, saying he would see her off on her final journey. Haerin spoke in a pleading tone as soon as he got into the driver’s seat.

“Then we shall depart.”

Haerin couldn’t relax until the car had smoothly slid onto the road and entered the main highway again. Her tired face was reflected in the car window.

Just as Haerin was about to sink into the back seat and feel a sense of relief, she glanced at the scenery outside the car window and realized something was wrong.

No matter how she looked, it wasn’t the way to her parents’ house.

“Secretary Seok. Are we going to my parents’ house in Eunwidong right now?”

When Haerin asked, sounding anxious, Secretary Seok replied as if he had been waiting for the question.

“Madam. You cannot run away carrying the seed of Taesung.”

At Secretary Seok’s reply, Haerin blankly stared at Secretary Seok’s pupils in the rearview mirror as he looked at her.