SELA - 63

“What?”

“Go back to where you should be today, whether it’s the engagement venue or your family home, Ji-hyuk-ssi.”

“Yoon Sa-hee.”

“Apologize to Ji-young. She likes you a lot, so she’ll definitely forgive you soon. President and Madam are your parents, so a parent’s heart will eventually accept their child no matter what they’ve done. So don’t worry and...”

“Stop.”

Ji-hyuk, who had been murmuring softly, released Sa-hee’s intertwined hands. Then he sat up straight and swept back his bangs. It was a distinctly agitated gesture.

“Just one question.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you pushing me away so much? Am I really that unappealing as a man?”

“......”

“That can’t be it, you were moaning like crazy when we slept together, it was more than that. Wasn’t it?”

“Ji-hyuk-ssi.”

“Didn’t you gasp for breath under me? Your moans are still vivid in my ears, don’t even think about lying that it wasn’t like that.”

“What I want to say is...”

“Or should we check right now? Just touching yourself down there would tell you how crazy Yoon Sa-hee is for me.”

Sa-hee’s face flushed red up to her ears. The hand resting on her lap clenched into a tight fist.

“Okay, stop it.”

Sa-hee smiled, raising the corners of her lips, but she was visibly trembling.

“That’s right. Every time I slept with you, it was incredibly good. As you know, our bodies were a good match.”

“......”

“Is that why you’re doing this? Because of the physical connection?”

“Yoon Sa-hee.”

“What is it you want, really? Don’t try to sugarcoat it, just tell me honestly. If I sleep with you, will that be enough?”

“Yoon Sa-hee, are you going to talk to me like that?”

“Don’t worry, there won’t be any lingering feelings. We’re just enjoying ourselves, I won’t cause you any trouble!”

Before long, tears welled up in Sa-hee’s eyes, as if they were about to spill over. Seeing her, Ji-hyuk frowned, feeling upset. Ji-hyuk, letting out a long sigh, reached out to comfort Sa-hee. But at that moment, Sa-hee abruptly opened the car door and got out. It was still pouring rain outside.

In an instant, her whole body was soaked. Sa-hee walked aimlessly in the heavy rain, barely able to open her eyes. Behind her, she faintly heard a thud as the car door closed.

“Yoon Sa-hee!”

As her name was called, her arm was grabbed. Her walking body was spun around. There stood Ji-hyuk, completely drenched just like her.

They were the only two people on the street. Everyone else had already disappeared somewhere to escape the heavy rain.

Sa-hee, who had been staring at Ji-hyuk, simply tried to turn around and leave. At that moment, a motorcycle sped past Sa-hee, dangerously close. Ji-hyuk, startled, abruptly pulled her towards him.

“Are you crazy? You could have gotten hurt!”

“Let go of me.”

“Why are you doing this? Don’t you really know how I feel?”

“I don’t know.”

Sa-hee pushed away Ji-hyuk, who was holding her, and started walking again. Ji-hyuk chased after her and grabbed her.

“No, actually, I do know. I know your feelings all too well. That’s why I’m doing this. Because I know, I’m letting you go. Just go when I tell you to, please!”

“Get inside first. Let’s talk inside.”

“No, I don’t want to, let go of me.”

“Yoon Sa-hee! What on earth is wrong with you!”

Ji-hyuk grabbed Sa-hee’s shoulders and shook her. Their eyes met. The heavy downpour and the continuous thunder that shook the heavens followed behind them. Both of them could barely open their eyes, but they struggled to see each other.

“I finally found you. I finally caught you. You’re someone I can’t let go of even in death, so why are you pushing me away like this?”

“Being with me will make you unhappy.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Being with me will hurt you, Ji-hyuk-ssi.”

“Is that the only reason?”

“Only? Did you say only?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t matter what happens if I’m with you. I don’t care.”

Sa-hee let out a dumbfounded laugh. It felt like all the heartache she had endured so far was being dismissed as nothing.

“Then how about this?”

Sa-hee looked straight at Ji-hyuk and took a step closer.

“If you die?”

“Sa-hee-yah.”

“Is it still just that? Can you still really say you’re okay with it, that you don’t care?”

Ji-hyuk, watching Sa-hee tremble with anger, caressed her cheek. Her rain-soaked skin was chillingly cold.

“I’d rather die than be without you. Why don’t you understand that?”

“......Haha.”

“Don’t tell me to give up. No matter how much it’s you asking, I can’t grant that request.”

Sa-hee’s heart welled up. But something felt strange. Here, he liked her, and even if he loved her, his emotions hadn’t been this deep.

Sa-hee gently pushed Ji-hyuk away and took a step back. Ji-hyuk took a step forward.

“Something feels off.”

“What?”

“I think we’re both too emotional. We weren’t this deeply involved, were we?”

“I don’t know about you, but I was.”

“No, we weren’t.”

Maybe ‘before,’ but not now. Of course, even having returned to the past, she loved him, but her feelings hadn’t deepened to the level of their married life in the past. So, Ji-hyuk’s desire for her, even to the point of risking death as he was showing now, felt foreign.

What should she call this feeling? It was like...

“You feel like a different person.”

Yes. He definitely felt like a different person. Like the Ji-hyuk from her previous life, for example.

“......”

What was even stranger was that he wasn’t reacting at all.

The raindrops continued to strike her skin painfully.

Sa-hee stood there blankly, unable to suppress the rising questions, and asked him,

“Why aren’t you saying anything back?”

Ji-hyuk, who had been quietly looking at Sa-hee, slowly opened his mouth.

“Because I don’t want to lie to you.”

Even though her whole body was already chillingly cold, a cold shiver ran down her spine. It wasn’t just because she was soaked in the rain.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“It’s exactly as I said. I don’t want to tell you even the slightest lie.”

“Okay. Tell me everything you want to say, whatever it is.”

“Whatever it is?”

“Yes. Whatever it is. I’m ready.”

Ji-hyuk, who had been quietly looking down at Sa-hee, wiped his wet face with one hand. He looked away for a moment and licked his lips, a gesture that seemed to reveal his troubled heart.

“Yoon Sa-hee.”

“Yes.”

“Promise me you won’t run away no matter what I say.”

Ji-hyuk, who had already turned his head, was looking into Sa-hee’s eyes. He took a step closer and caressed Sa-hee’s cheek, whispering once more.

“Promise me, Sa-hee-yah.”

Rumble, thunder shook the sky just then.

Sa-hee slowly nodded her head. It was a silent promise that she wouldn’t run away.

“You died.”

What? Sa-hee’s eyes wavered at the unbelievable words.

“No, you had died.”

She frowned, her brow furrowing involuntarily. What on earth was he talking about? She couldn’t understand at all.

Ji-hyuk, as if he had expected this reaction, looked at Sa-hee with calm eyes. Then he approached her, pressed his forehead against hers, and spoke with difficulty.

“That’s why I came back to meet you again, Yoon Sa-hee.”

It was a sincere confession.

- Where are you?

“I just came out of the bookstore.”

- Bookstore?

“Yes. There was a book I wanted to see. Where are you?”

- Hwagang Station. About 5 minutes since departure.

“Then come to the big intersection near P Mall. I’m near there.”

- Okay. Driver Song, let’s go to the big intersection near P Mall.

Sa-hee, holding a shopping bag with books in her hand, walked down the street. It was just the beginning of summer, so the sunlight was quite strong. People’s clothes had become lighter, and the greenery of the roadside trees was lush. The occasional sound of cicadas was quite welcome.

Today was the day Ji-hyuk and Sa-hee had decided to go on a date for the first time in a while. Thanks to this, Sa-hee, who was already in a good mood, leisurely walked, fully feeling the approaching season.

These days, she couldn’t be happier. She had married the person she loved, built a family, and found peace of mind. During the day, she did the things she enjoyed, and at night, she slept without worries. It was pure peace.

- I won’t be able to have dinner with you.

“Why? Do you have a schedule?”

- Yeah. It’s a suddenly arranged meeting, and it’s a special instruction from the Chairman, so it’s awkward to just skip it.

“Why would you skip it? If it’s something you need to do, you should do it. I’m fine, so don’t worry about me and take care of your work.”

- Still, it’s our first date in a while, so it’s a bit...

“I told you I’m fine. Oh, right. You went out without a tie today, didn’t you? I think you just left in the morning?”

- Yeah. I guess I’ll just go like this. Who there would care about what I’m wearing?

“Still, a lot of people will be there, so it’s better to dress formally.”

- It’s okay. Everyone there is so focused on money and closing deals that they won’t even notice what I’m wearing.

Sa-hee stopped walking for a moment and looked around. She happened to see a men’s clothing store just ahead.

“I’ll get you a tie, don’t worry.”

- How all of a sudden?

“I’ll just buy one, what’s the big deal?”

- I told you, you don’t have to.

“I want to see my husband dressed neatly when he goes, so stop saying no. Okay?”

- Okay.

If the Chairman was attending, then of course her father, the President, would also be there, and it would be a gathering of most of the important people. She couldn’t just let Ji-hyuk go to such an event wearing only a casual shirt. Besides, she was his wife now.

Sa-hee hung up after telling him to call her when he arrived and hurried towards the men’s clothing store. Thanks to her brisk pace, she was able to arrive quickly in just a few minutes.

“Could I see some ties?”

“Yes. This way, please.”

Even though it was a weekday afternoon, there were quite a few people in the store. Sa-hee passed by the other customers and headed in the direction the salesperson was guiding her.

There were quite a few designs she liked more than she had expected. Sa-hee, looking at each one and touching them, fell into a deep thought. What color and what design of suit had he worn this morning...?

That’s when it happened.

“Huh?”

“Oh my, why is the lighting like this? Just a moment, please.”