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“Lee Haejoo...”
Haejoo wore a nude-colored blouse with beautifully embroidered appliqués.
Her beauty, bordering on madness, was more than enough to captivate Dojun.
He wanted to savor this extreme pleasure alone, but there were many eyes watching.
Just as he was about to walk towards Haejoo, having suppressed his surprised emotions...
“Park Dojun, still the same.”
The person blocking his way and offering a handshake was Jimin, a classmate from the same department.
She had competed with Dojun for top honors and was sharp in everything she did. Thanks to that, she had been promoted early to manager in the management strategy team at Y Electronics, earning the envy of her classmates.
“Oh, long time no see.”
Dojun’s attention was focused on Haejoo, visible over Jimin’s shoulder.
Jimin, who glanced in the direction of his gaze, showed a hint of disappointment.
“You used to at least say hello, but you’ve changed a lot, haven’t you?”
“I like the way I am now, but it seems you don’t.”
“Honestly, your eyes and expression right now... they’re really unfamiliar.”
Only then did Dojun look at Jimin directly.
His gaze, which had become languid, now held a coldness.
“I’m married.”
“The irony is that I found out about that recently. Through an article, no less.”
“There were circumstances.”
“Everyone was talking about you before you arrived.”
“Oh?”
“It would have been nice if you had at least told me you were married.”
“Why would I?”
“Because I was curious about you.”
Jimin had been consistently contacting him, wanting to meet up.
Dojun had refused every time, so the only times they happened to meet were when other classmates gathered.
Even then, Jimin would act as if Dojun was her boyfriend.
He had been avoiding her for almost a year because he disliked that.
“That’s news to me. Well then, if you’ll excuse me.”
Dojun walked past Jimin.
He stopped in front of Haejoo.
After casually greeting the classmates nearby, he raised one corner of his lips slightly.
“What’s going on?”
“I was getting restless at home.”
“Why didn’t you call?”
“I did. Only Secretary Song.”
Unfortunately, his efforts to avoid Haejoo for the past two days had been in vain.
Her expression was cold, and her voice was lower than the temperature of the place, but the look in his eyes as he gazed at Haejoo was fervent.
The moment he faced her, his heart danced haphazardly.
“When did you get here?”
“About 30 minutes ago.”
“It must have been awkward?”
“I’m an actress, you know.”
Haejoo’s aura was definitely different from when she was at home.
She exuded confidence and was so pure that any man would be captivated by her beauty.
“The others didn’t say anything unnecessary, did they?”
“They said you used to be very popular, Dojun-ssi?”
“......!”
“I heard rumors even spread to nearby universities, and girls...”
“Stop.”
Dojun ordered a drink instead of alcohol.
He needed to stay sober, especially tonight.
Many eyes were glancing at Haejoo from all directions. They were classmates but also wolves he needed to be wary of, so he couldn’t let his guard down.
“Why are you being so serious?”
“That’s all in the past.”
“I heard you were unfriendly to women?”
“Was I?”
“I heard that among the group you hung out with, you were only close to that one older sister.”
The person Haejoo pointed to was Jimin.
Dojun scanned the guys who must have said all sorts of things in his absence.
“I don’t know what your standard for ‘close’ is, but she just happened to be part of the group.”
“Why are you being so prickly? I was just asking.”
Many classmates, like Jimin, had come alone.
Unable to stay glued to each other, Dojun got up and offered his hand to Haejoo.
“Let me introduce you to everyone.”
As Haejoo stood up straight, he looked for his close friends first.
They had been secretly waiting and quickly made space. Their interest was focused on Haejoo more than Dojun, and they were full of anticipation.
“Haejoo-ssi, please sit here.”
“Thank you.”
“Thanks to Haejoo-ssi, the atmosphere of the gathering has brightened up!”
“You’re too kind.”
Youngjin’s sociability quickly made the atmosphere friendly.
Other friends also greeted Haejoo and introduced their wives or girlfriends.
“It was surprising enough that Dojun got married, but the fact that his partner is Haejoo-ssi caused quite a stir among the classmates.”
He had been wondering when this topic would come up.
It was understandable, as Dojun had remained silent even after belatedly realizing his marital relationship with Haejoo.
He had never mentioned anything about marriage, so everyone believed he was single.
The impact of the scandal they had heard was quite significant.
“Things like that can happen between a man and a woman. The shock was probably greater for Jimin than for us...”
Youngjin nudged the friend who had made the insensitive remark.
Dojun, for his part, looked indifferent, while Haejoo sipped her drink and turned her gaze away.
Then, one by one, they began to bring up confessions that were almost like confessions of sin.
“I’m confessing this now, but I also lived with my wife before we registered our marriage.”
“Really?”
“Minkyu even had a kid first! Around the time he was discharged from the military. I don’t know what he was thinking.”
Minkyu, who was taking care of his wife who was pregnant with their second child, playfully glared at him.
Laughter broke out here and there, and even Dojun chuckled.
“We don’t need to know all the details of Dojun’s private life.”
Everyone seemed to move past it smoothly.
Dojun knew this tendency of his friends, which was why he had been able to maintain his relationships with them until now.
Then, Jimin, with a chilly expression, approached.
The conversation, which had been quite interesting, abruptly stopped with her appearance.
“What are you guys talking about that’s so fun?”
Jimin gestured for her close female friends to come over. As the number of people in the conversation increased, they pushed the chairs and tables together to make more space.
Dojun sat very close to Haejoo. Not knowing where to put his arm, he lightly wrapped it around Haejoo’s back.
Jimin, seeing this, made a sarcastic remark.
“The chair placement is awkward because of you two, isn’t it?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Haejoo-ssi, you go over there, and Dojun, you sit in the chair I’m in.”
The middle of where Haejoo and Dojun were sitting was the boundary of the sofa.
Dojun shook his head at Jimin’s suggestion to separate the two chairs and sit comfortably.
“If your seat is uncomfortable, you can move.”
At his blunt refusal, Jimin’s expression turned cold.
Eventually, she had to sit among her friends across from them.
Amidst all this, many people asked Haejoo for photos. She had to keep getting up.
“The atmosphere wasn’t usually like this, it’s a bit strange.”
At alumni gatherings, discussions on work or general socio-economic topics usually took place. But today, the atmosphere was lively because Haejoo had unexpectedly attended.
It was difficult even to exchange words with Dojun, so Jimin was quite displeased.
Then, taking advantage of the moment when Haejoo excused herself, she asked how he was doing.
“By the way, Dojun, how’s work these days?”
He, who had been listening to his friends’ conversation, raised his eyebrows.
“We’re pushing for an overseas branch. We’ve already finished contacting the big players.”
“I heard your company’s assets under management are enormous?”
“It’s just the beginning, I suppose.”
Haejoo, who had taken photos with the people who had gathered, sat up straight.
This time, Dojun got up from his seat.
“I’m going to wash my hands.”
He excused himself for a moment.
Seeing Haejoo left alone, Jimin drew a mysterious smile, as if she had been waiting for this.
“Is this your first time at an alumni gathering like this?”
“Ah, yes.”
“So that’s why you came dressed like that, right?”
“Is there something wrong with my outfit?”
“You’ll know if you look around.”
Jimin pointed around, as if telling her to look if she had eyes.
Among the attendees, there were others dressed brightly like Haejoo, but Jimin was particularly sensitive towards Haejoo.
Her best friend, Hyejin, enthusiastically chimed in.
“Aren’t you supposed to be really busy as an actress? Are you already out of work?”
The question, thrown out without much thought, was rude to Haejoo.
Even though a few people subtly told Jimin and Hyejin not to do that, they reacted as if there was nothing wrong.
Nevertheless, Haejoo calmly gave her answer.
“I’ll be going into filming for a new movie soon.”
“I have something I’m more curious about than that.”
“Please tell me.”
“Lee Haejoo-ssi, weren’t you a high school graduate?”
The lively sparkle in Haejoo’s eyes instantly froze over.
Eventually, a male classmate who couldn’t bear to listen anymore snapped at Hyejin.
“Hyejin-ah, that’s rude of you. Stop it.”
Hyejin pouted as if she was doing nothing wrong and looked away. Jimin, letting out a shallow sigh, gave a plausible eye-smile and said, “I think Haejoo-ssi is on leave from school. So, strictly speaking, she’s not exactly a high school graduate.”
This was blatant mockery.
Haejoo, her stiff lips relaxing, calmly countered, “Can’t high school graduates or students on leave come to a place like this?”
“It’s not that, but honestly, it’s a bit...”
“In what way?”
“We didn’t come here to see celebrities.”
“......!”
“We came to exchange information and hear some company news, but it’s so chaotic.”
The classmates who had gathered around were shocked.
Youngjin, sensing the chilling atmosphere, interjected, “Jimin-ah, are you jealous of Haejoo-ssi?”
“Why would I be? It’s an alumni gathering that happens once a year, and it’s a complete madhouse because of someone.”
Haejoo gripped her crossbody bag tightly. After taking a deep breath, she stood up.
She wanted to fire back a sharp remark, but her image as a celebrity made it difficult.
Even though her stomach was burning, it was wise not to get involved in a fight in this situation.
“It seems like my presence is making you uncomfortable, so I’ll excuse myself.”
As Haejoo turned around, the people who had gathered moved aside.
She raised her head and was about to take a step when Dojun stood tall in front of her.
Jimin’s expression changed completely at the sight of him.
“You’re here? Sit down.”
To Jimin, Dojun was a longtime rival and the object of a long, unrequited love.
He never paid her any attention, causing her years of heartache.
She could barely see Dojun’s face when they gathered with other friends, let alone contact him.
Then, before the alumni gathering, she heard earth-shattering news.
Actor Lee Haejoo and Dojun were a married couple.
And for three years?
Even Jimin, who was sharper than anyone, was shaken enough to lose her composure by the news of Dojun’s marriage.
She had so much she wanted to ask him. To do that, Haejoo couldn’t be here.
“Haejoo-ssi doesn’t seem to be having fun with us. She said she’s going home, so let’s send her off first.”
Dojun wasn’t the type to take these words at face value. He had been about to go to the restroom when an important message came, and he was in the middle of replying.
Then he heard it all.
The nasty words and the disgusting noise directed at Haejoo.
“There’s something you don’t know. Haejoo is myself, and I am Haejoo.”
“Dojun-ah!”
“I don’t feel like being lenient just because you’re a woman.”
Dojun took out his phone, blocked Jimin’s contact information, and showed her the screen.
Shocked, Jimin jumped up and tried to offer a belated explanation.
“Dojun-ah, I think you’ve misunderstood something...”
“Get lost.”
“How could you do this to me?”
Dojun picked up a beer bottle that was on the table.
He tapped it with a fork, and the clear sound echoed throughout the bar.
In an instant, the bustling noise subsided, and everyone’s eyes turned to Dojun.
“I’ll pay for all the drinks tonight! So drink as much as you want.”
The entire bar erupted in an instant.
The bar manager switched from smooth jazz to upbeat music.
As if they had been waiting, a cocktail show began.
In the suddenly changed atmosphere, Jimin shed tears.
In the end, having only embarrassed herself, she ran out of the bar with Hyejin as if fleeing.
“Is this okay?”
“Why did you just stand there and listen to such nonsense?”
“There are so many hate comments anyway, this is nothing.”
Dojun, having spent a decent amount of time, paid the bill and left the bar.
He himself hadn’t had a single drink, so he was perfectly sober.
The two were silent on the way home.
Then, Haejoo spoke first.
“Why did you go to work without even looking at me?”
“I was tired.”
“Are you very tired from work?”
“You’re such a fool.”
“Tell me in a way that’s easy to understand.”
He and Haejoo were legally married but lived like strangers.
He had even made it clear that there should be no physical contact unless it was an official event.
For him, who had endured by only looking at Haejoo, it was close to agony.
“Do you remember me saying let’s date?”
“Ah, that...”
Haejoo trailed off.
Not knowing how to react, she swallowed hard.
In the meantime, the car arrived in front of their house.
But Dojun didn’t put the car in the garage and let Haejoo out first.
“I have somewhere to stop by.”
“Will you be late?”
“We’ll see.”
The car Dojun was driving pulled away from the front of the house.
Dojun had once watched a British movie called “Legend.”
The male actor in the movie had a rugged and cynical charm similar to Dojun. The way the protagonist in the movie approached his lover was also honest and simple.
He found the typical cheesy romance awkward, but the romantic scenes he had seen in that movie were quite appealing to Dojun.
“It’s a bit embarrassing.”
Living with Haejoo, he felt like his subtle emotions had become entangled, turning into a lump of desire.
Especially the Haejoo he had seen today had gone beyond special.
Thinking back on the signals he had received so far, he thought it wouldn’t be bad to try to advance their relationship.
The place he headed to was a downtown area.
Among the closed shops, the one he stubbornly found was a flower shop.
“Are you looking for any particular flowers?”
“Just something really pretty.”
The florist arranged a bouquet centered around hydrangeas, along with other matching flowers, and handed it to him. It was the first time Dojun had ever bought flowers, and he felt a soft sensation in his heart.
Returning to his car, he drove home.
Soon, he stopped below the wall where Haejoo’s room window was.
The lit window became the only light illuminating the night.
Uncharacteristically, Dojun repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists several times before calling out to Haejoo.
“Haejoo-ya!”
A few seconds of silence made Dojun’s heartbeat stop as well. Just as he was about to suffocate, Haejoo walked to the window.
“Dojun-ssi!”
Haejoo opened the window.
Her hair, with the blouse she was wearing, fluttered in the night breeze.
“I have something to tell you.”
“Come inside.”
“Not now.”
Dojun knew himself better than anyone.
When his blood boiled and he felt like going crazy, keeping a physical distance was the best option.
“This feels just like that scene with Frances in the movie ‘Legend’?”
“You watched that movie too?”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to...”
“Should I have thrown a lemon candy at your window too?”
Haejoo chuckled as if she couldn’t help it.
Haejoo took a small breath and confessed the tender reality to the man looking up at her.
“Your scent is sweeter than lemon candy.”
He didn’t need to hear anything more. In that instant, Dojun even forgot it was night.
Wanting to see Haejoo up close, Dojun started climbing the gas pipe.
“Dojun-ssi, it’s dangerous!”
“Wait.”
Holding the bouquet, he quickly reached the window where Haejoo was standing.
Catching his breath, he held out the bunch of hydrangeas he had brought.
“Is this for me?”
“I can’t take it anymore.”
“Hmm?”
“I can’t take it anymore, so please accept them.”
Haejoo’s eyes trembled as she accepted the flowers.
Before the fragrance of the hydrangeas reached the tip of her nose, Dojun pressed his lips to hers.
It was a bit rough, but deep.
Just like their first beginning.
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