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Psst! We're moving!
Dojun’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he turned off the engine.
He bit his lower lip and released it, the moistened skin now tinged with red.
With innocent eyes, Haejoo hesitated to answer readily.
She subtly turned her head and fiddled with her phone for no reason. Unsatisfied with that, her once steady gaze wandered aimlessly.
“Forget it. I won’t.”
This was typical of Dojun.
If even one other person intervened between him and Haejoo, he became cold and ruthless.
But when they were alone, he was a fool who didn’t know how to win.
“You were so cold.”
“What?”
“Your lips, Dojun-ssi. They were chillingly frigid.”
“Were they?”
“I can’t figure you out, Dojun-ssi.”
“In what way?”
“Scary and clumsy... but you’re good at it.”
“......?”
“I can’t put it into words. Anyway, shall we get out now?”
Haejoo knew she shouldn’t be trapped in a confined space with Dojun.
Remembering how her reason had clouded even from his cold lips, she felt dizzy even now.
She wondered if this was what it meant to feel flustered.
He was frighteningly seeping into the depths of Haejoo’s heart, constantly stimulating it.
Having never felt such emotions before, she felt like her normal thinking had stopped.
“I’m hungry.”
“What do you want to eat?”
“Sushi?”
With Haejoo’s outing, the housekeeper had already left work.
Since it was the time when restaurants were closing, Haejoo quickly searched through a delivery app.
Fortunately, a nearby Japanese restaurant was still open.
“What about you, Dojun-ssi?”
“Sushi for me too.”
After ordering generously, sushi and udon were delivered 30 minutes later.
The two, who had only quickly changed clothes, picked up their chopsticks.
“I’ll eat well.”
“Me too.”
Just as Haejoo was about to put a piece of salmon sushi in her mouth, the lights suddenly went out.
Startled, she instinctively grabbed Dojun’s arm.
Then the lights came back on.
In that brief moment, Haejoo had been clinging tightly to Dojun’s side.
The firm touch of Dojun’s forearm, usually occupied with work and exercise, pressed against her, feeling distinctly different.
Alarmed, she quickly stepped away.
“Ah, sorry.”
His once calm gaze was now on the verge of losing focus, filled with a sudden surge of excitement.
Although unintentional, Haejoo deeply regretted touching Dojun.
“Are you alright?”
“You’re bad too, you know that?”
“What did I do?”
Returning to her seat, Haejoo pretended nothing had happened.
Knowing that showing her own deficiencies would only make Dojun feel more pathetic, she mumbled to herself.
“I don’t know how much longer I can endure this.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing. Let’s eat.”
Having a man in the house was new in many ways.
Even if there was a sudden power outage, Haejoo now had a sturdy pillar to hold onto.
With each repetition of events like today, the trauma that once seemed so large felt smaller.
This ordinary daily life felt both awkward and welcome.
During the meal, Dojun’s phone, plugged into the charger, rang.
His father, President Park’s name appeared on the screen.
“Yes, Father.”
-Bring me home.
“Did something happen?”
-I’m bored because they won’t let me go outside.
“You should take walks during the day.”
-Don’t talk back and come pick me up.
“Not today, I’ll go on the weekend.”
President Park had become increasingly demanding after seeing Haejoo.
He kept making a fuss about wanting to come home, so they had to bring him over once.
After ending the call, he ran his hand through his hair.
“It looks like I’ll have to bring Father home for a day next weekend.”
“Oh, really?”
“You’ll be uncomfortable. I’ll book you a nice hotel, so stay there.”
“Wouldn’t that be stranger?”
“In what way?”
“What kind of daughter-in-law stays in a hotel when her father-in-law comes?”
“I suppose so.”
“I’m fine.”
Next weekend, it seemed difficult for him to go to work with President Park coming. Finishing his meal with sleepy eyes, he went to wash up right away.
Then, he rolled up the blanket and went to Haejoo’s room.
“Are you sleeping here again today?”
“Yeah.”
Now, Haejoo wasn’t in pain, and even if the power went out while she was sleeping, she wouldn’t be surprised.
Yet, Dojun stayed by her side.
He just wanted to today.
Just because.
Let’s be together, Haejoo-ya.
________________________________________
Choi Inho had been scouring the apartment complex where Haejoo lived for several days.
Strangely, even though she had lived in this apartment for nearly two years, none of the residents knew her.
“Hey, I heard this apartment was Lee Haejoo’s residence?”
Choi Inho pressed his junior reporter, Sunkyu.
Annoyed by the hot weather, he frowned.
“Could she have been living with CEO Park Dojun?”
“No way. It’s certain that Lee Haejoo lived here.”
The Haejoo and Dojun that Choi Inho knew were not a normal married couple.
Haejoo had married a loan shark under her mother’s pressure, and her currently known partner was Dojun.
The two had lived like strangers for their three-year marriage.
The reason for that gap was currently unknown.
“Did you find out where Lee Haejoo’s mother lives?”
“It seems she’s not in Korea.”
“Did she immigrate?”
“I heard that after Lee Haejoo’s marriage, she borrowed money from President Park one more time.”
“She probably couldn’t pay it back, right?”
“So she must have run away.”
“And yet, President Park’s side just left it alone?”
“Yes.”
“What could be the reason?”
“Because they’re in-laws?”
Shaking his head, Choi Inho went to the supermarket.
He picked out a bunch of ice cream and paid for it.
He handed one to Sunkyu and approached the seemingly stern security guard.
He had already tried to strike up a conversation three or four times.
“Hey there, sir! It’s me again.”
“Go away, I have nothing to say.”
“Please, don’t be like that. It’s hot, have some of this.”
Choi Inho handed over a bundle of ice cream.
The security guard, who was sweating profusely, reluctantly accepted it.
“What are you going through all this trouble to ask?”
“I was wondering if you’ve ever seen the actress Lee Haejoo in this apartment.”
The security guard pretended not to see Choi Inho and Sunkyu entering the security office without permission. He aimlessly moved the memo pad on his desk before answering.
“The young lady lives on the fourth floor, and it seems she uses the stairs.”
“Really?”
“She never goes outside. I haven’t seen her many times myself.”
“Did she live alone?”
“Her manager came and went all the time. I’ve seen him more often than her, actually.”
“Manager?”
“A young, handsome man.”
“Perhaps this person?”
Choi Inho pulled up Jinhan’s picture on his phone.
“Yes, that’s him.”
“Have you perhaps seen this person?”
This time, he displayed Dojun’s profile picture from the Jino Group.
The security guard held up his glasses and looked closely at the picture.
“I’ve never seen him before. I haven’t seen anyone like this.”
“I see. Thank you.”
There weren’t any significant leads, but at least it was confirmed that Dojun hadn’t appeared here.
Next, they visited a real estate agency near the apartment.
“Do you happen to know who owns the apartment where Lee Haejoo lived?”
“As far as I know, it was an executive at GN Entertainment? Something like that.”
“You don’t know the name?”
“You’d know if you looked at the registry.”
The apartment belonged to Jinhan.
That was it.
As the investigation stalled, Choi Inho’s irritation grew.
“Of all places, the neighborhood is under redevelopment, so everyone’s left, and Lee Haejoo’s mother skipped overseas, leaving no one to ask.”
They had to investigate Dojun and Haejoo secretly, making it difficult to receive tips. Trying to gather information on foot had its limits.
As he returned to his car and fastened his seatbelt, a call came from the office.
Choi Inho frowned and pressed the call button.
“What?”
-President Park Dojun’s side has reportedly sued Lee Haejoo’s mother, Park Kyung-ae, for fraud.
“Now, all of a sudden?”
Choi Inho rushed to the police station where Dojun had filed the lawsuit.
Fortunately, a detective there was a classmate of his.
Choi Inho, having bought a box of drinks, played his sly card.
He had a feeling he might get something substantial today.
________________________________________
From Sunday morning, Dojun went to President Park’s hospital. Around the time Haejoo woke up late and got out of bed, she received a call from Jinhan.
It was their first call since the party.
Haejoo squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them, answering the phone as usual.
“Yes, Director.”
-Sorry to call you on a weekend morning.
“It’s alright. What’s wrong?”
-I put the apartment up for sale.
“Suddenly?”
Haejoo recalled that the apartment was Jinhan’s.
Considering all the help he had given her, she felt grateful but also indebted.
-Reporter Choi Inho seems to have come by here.
“That’s a big problem.”
-I’m going to dispose of all the belongings here, and your things are still left, Haejoo-ssi.
“I’ll go and get them.”
After ending the call, she hurriedly prepared to go out.
The sandwich the housekeeper had made for breakfast was packed to go.
“The car Dojun-ssi gave me will stand out if I park it there.”
While living in the apartment, Haejoo had tried to stay as inconspicuous as possible. It was because of a vague fear of running into someone who knew her in the past.
After much deliberation, she called a taxi and went to Gangnam.
Perhaps because it was Sunday morning, the streets were deserted.
She went straight up the stairs, pressed the lock key to the apartment, and was met by Jinhan.
“Director, are you still here?”
He was sitting on the rocking chair Haejoo often used and stood up.
It was a chair Jinhan had bought for her.
“Did you get home alright on Friday?”
“Of course. What about you, Director?”
“I was a bit sick.”
“What was wrong?”
“I had a migraine.”
Jinhan always suffered from headaches after being stressed.
Knowing the fashion show was the cause, Haejoo gave a bitter smile.
“Have you eaten?”
“Not yet. Are you hungry, Haejoo-ssi? Should I order something?”
Jinhan immediately took out his phone.
Taking care of Haejoo in even the smallest things had now become a habit.
“I brought a sandwich. Let’s eat together.”
“Will that be enough?”
“There might be some leftover fruit in the fridge too.”
Haejoo took out a mango from the refrigerator and cut it into easy-to-eat pieces.
There were also some drinks she had bought, so she took those out as well.
As the delicious food was placed on the tray, Jinhan naturally took it.
The two had spent two years in this kind of relationship.
“Looking at the sandwich, it doesn’t look like your handiwork, Haejoo-ssi.”
“The housekeeper made it for me.”
“No wonder it looks even more delicious.”
“You’re too much.”
Jinhan quickly finished the sandwich and gulped down the drink.
No matter how much he ate, the emptiness remained.
The thought that he wouldn’t be able to see Haejoo eating breakfast in front of him anymore made him depressed.
“It’s already been two years since we met.”
“I know. Time really flies, doesn’t it?”
“It’s a shame.”
“I can’t live in the apartment forever. I was planning to leave anyway.”
“Not that.”
“Then what?”
“I wish I had known you sooner than CEO Park Dojun. That’s what’s a shame.”
Haejoo swallowed the sandwich she had been chewing.
It felt like a stone was stuck in her throat, and it didn’t go down easily.
“These things here, you and I went around and got them together, remember?”
“Yes.”
“You and I had so much fun together.”
“Anyone would think you’re an older brother sending off his younger sister to get married.”
“Married... you’ve already gone and married him. To Park Dojun.”
“Director.”
Jinhan’s face looked gaunt.
He didn’t look like the proactive and energetic person he used to be.
He had lost his light, like someone about to die.
“Haejoo-ssi, you were too much.”
“I’m sorry for not mentioning the marriage registration from the beginning. I was...”
“That’s right. Even if the other person was dead or whatever, it would have been better if you had told me beforehand that you had registered your marriage.”
On that point, Haejoo had nothing to say, even if she had ten mouths.
Would the outcome have been different if she had been honest when signing the contract with the agency? If so, perhaps the current confusion could have been avoided from the start.
“Since that part is a breach of contract on my part, I’ll follow your decision, Director.”
“So you’ll leave if I tell you to?”
“I have no choice.”
“Why don’t you cling on desperately like Yoonji?”
“Pardon?”
“It feels like you’re saying that because you have a way to go back.”
“That’s not it.”
Jinhan got up and took a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
He moistened his dry throat and sat next to Haejoo.
“I wish you would stay here, Haejoo-ssi.”
“Director.”
“If all these things are gone, it feels like the past two years will disappear too.”
“Haah.”
“I shouldn’t have let you go, Haejoo-ssi. I shouldn’t have.”
The scene of Dojun kissing Haejoo tormented Jinhan.
He wondered if he had ever felt such heartache because of someone in his entire life.
“These days, that saying scares me the most.”
“Which one?”
“That when bodies move apart, hearts also move apart. If you flip it, it means that when bodies are close, hearts also get closer.”
Haejoo understood Jinhan’s worries.
With Dojun and Haejoo living together in the same house, it was understandable that he would think that way.
“On the other hand, I also think this.”
“Yes?”
“What were we?”
“......”
“For the past two years, you and I... anyway, I’ll wait, so please come back.”
The unusually blue sky looked high today. The clouds were also large, like a painting.
The scenery beyond the large glass window was out of Haejoo’s reach. It was always by her side, familiar, but she couldn’t touch it directly.
For Haejoo, Jinhan was that kind of existence.
“Director, I might not be able to go back.”
There was a reason why Haejoo had stayed away from dating until now.
It was because she couldn’t trust people.
This was all a deficiency stemming from the terrible trauma she experienced as a child.
“Are you saying you won’t divorce Park Dojun?”
Haejoo’s heart grew distant if someone, no matter how long she had known them or how close they were, deceived her.
Even if it was a white lie.
If this apartment belonged to Jinhan and he had approached her because he liked her from the beginning, she had to think differently.
“Director, do you like me?”
There was a side of Haejoo that Jinhan didn’t know.
It was the extreme hidden beneath her kind and good nature.
The difference between him and Dojun was that Dojun had already seen that side years ago on the rooftop railing.
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