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Film shooting continued late into Friday night. As a movie demanding deep emotional acting, it consumed a significant amount of energy. This time, it was a scene where Sohee and Youngin had a heated argument. Haejoo perfectly portrayed Sohee, almost flawlessly.
“Cut! Excellent.”
Once the Jeju shoot concluded, additional filming was scheduled at a studio near Seoul. The pure on-site filming was planned to take a full four months.
“That’s it for today. Haejoo and Yoonji, you two have the day off tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Director.”
“Director, we’ll see you on Sunday!”
Haejoo and Yoonji politely bowed to the staff. They left the set at nine that night.
“Ah, I’m so tired. Should we grab something to eat together?”
Haejoo, who had been drained and dazed, looked up. Her lifeless eyes stared at Yoonji, and she shook her head.
“I don’t feel like eating right now. I just want to go to bed quickly.”
“You’ll get sick doing this. You have to eat well, at least.”
“Not really…”
“My treat. Let’s go!”
Most of the restaurants around the filming location were closed. With no other choice, they finally found a franchise chicken restaurant.
“We came all the way to Jeju just for a chicken place.”
There were four of them in total, including their managers. The customers in the restaurant caused a commotion when they saw Haejoo and Yoonji. They asked the owner for a table that was somewhat separated from the main hall. As if on cue, people slowly started approaching.
“Excuse me, just one photo…”
While Hyunseong placed the order, Haejoo and Yoonji forced bright smiles despite their exhaustion. When the photo requests seemed endless, Yoonji shouted,
“This won’t do. Everyone gather around!”
In the end, it concluded with a group photo taken on the owner’s phone. In the meantime, their ordered chicken and beer arrived. Naturally, a soft drink and a small plate were placed in front of Haejoo.
“Noona, you worked hard. Eat a lot.”
“Okay, you eat quickly too.”
Just as Haejoo was about to put a piece of boneless fried chicken in her mouth, a chat message arrived. She tapped the phone screen and it was Dojun.
[Can you talk?]
[I just finished filming and came to eat chicken.]
[With whom?]
[With two young bachelors.]
Haejoo, feeling playful, took a photo of the table situation and sent it. As if on cue, a reply came.
[One person, one chicken?]
[Older noonas have a lot of money, you know.]
[Enjoy your meal.]
[I’ll call you when I get back to the accommodation.]
[Okay.]
Haejoo put her phone down. Yoonji, who had already been eating, looked around and cautiously asked,
“Is that CEO Park Dojun?”
“Yes.”
“Doesn’t he usually come down on weekends?”
“He’s on a business trip to Singapore right now.”
“I see. You two really seem like a married couple. It’s amazing.”
“We are a married couple.”
Haejoo took her first bite of chicken. She definitely hadn’t had an appetite, but the crispy texture made her eyes light up. It wasn’t a new taste, yet her appetite suddenly kicked in, and she started eating ravenously.
“Noona, eat slowly.”
“This is really good here.”
“I’ll order more if it’s not enough.”
“Don’t they have tteokbokki here too?”
Yoonji, fork in hand, stared at Haejoo in a daze. Her jaw dropped, remembering how Haejoo had barely eaten earlier, claiming she had no appetite.
“You’re going to get indigestion.”
In the blink of an eye, Haejoo finished a whole chicken. It wasn’t enough, so she added tteokbokki.
“I should sleep all day tomorrow.”
“Yes, noona, you should.”
A short while later, they returned to the accommodation. Haejoo collapsed onto the bed after finishing her shower. Dojun called, but she didn’t hear the ringtone, and the day ended. When Haejoo opened her eyes again, it was already noon. Hyunseong came to wake her and asked worriedly,
“Are you feeling sick?”
“I was just so tired.”
“The food you ordered is here.”
“I don’t feel like eating right now.”
“Then I’ll save yours separately, noona.”
It was Saturday. The weekend without Dojun was not just quiet but boring. Fortunately, time passed quickly because she couldn’t stop sleeping. When Haejoo, who had gone back to sleep, woke up again, it was around 3 PM. Her body should have felt refreshed after sleeping, but it didn’t.
“Oh, right! I was supposed to call Dojun.”
She hurriedly pulled out her phone, only to find that it was off. As she charged the battery and turned it on, she saw missed calls and messages from Dojun.
[It’ll be hard to talk today.]
Haejoo’s face fell, having missed the chance to hear his voice. With no other option, she just sent a reply via message.
[I couldn’t answer because I was sleeping. I’ve been so sleepy lately.]
[You’re not sick, are you?]
To her surprise, Dojun replied immediately. Haejoo brightened and quickly typed her answer.
[I guess I was just really tired.]
[I have something to tell you. Answer when I call tonight.]
[Okay, rest well.]
She had always been quick to shy away from anyone who approached her romantically, so she’d never even been in a casual fling. But now, Haejoo had a man who made her look forward to the night. He was her husband, yet the fluttering feelings of a new romance bloomed more vividly. Because of this, the word “husband” still felt awkward.
“I’m hungry.”
Feeling hungry belatedly, she left her room. Hyunseong, who had been lingering around the guesthouse, spotted Haejoo and ran over.
“Noona, you’re awake?”
“Yeah, I need to eat something.”
They hastily set up a meal at the outdoor table. Grilled fish and soybean paste stew with abalone looked delicious. Haejoo picked up her spoon and devoured her food. Hyunseong watched her unfamiliar behavior intently; he had never seen her eat like that before.
________________________________________
Jinhan went to work even on Saturday. He had been on a business trip to the provinces the day before, so he started by opening the accumulated emails. As he busily typed on his keyboard, the security guard came up.
“These are the mails that arrived for the director yesterday.”
“Just leave them there.”
He didn’t even glance at the mail until lunchtime. Lately, he made an effort to move his body intentionally. If he didn’t, he felt like he would collapse at any moment. Haejoo was still captivating enough to steal his soul. Even after having her by his side for the past two years, he had gained nothing.
“Even a C-brand advertisement came in for Haejoo.”
Would he truly have no more opportunities in the future? Was it right to regret this so deeply? Currently, no other woman could replace Haejoo.
“Would it be better if I met someone else?”
He hadn’t dated at all since knowing Haejoo. He was confident that if he confessed, Haejoo would become his woman. But it was a complete delusion. Even if it hadn’t been Dojun, Haejoo was someone who couldn’t accept just anyone. Fate had played a trick on her. Who would have known that she would be married to Dojun as if he had stolen her blind? If the object of that marriage had been him... What if it had been him? He indulged in that fleeting fantasy again today.
“Enough. Let’s stop.”
The day was already drawing to a close. Jinhan tidied up his desk and stood up, then looked at the mail piled on the table. He frowned when he saw the letter from Yura.
“She sent another one.”
It was already the third letter. He knew what the contents would be without looking, so he was about to tear it up but opened the envelope instead. As expected, it was just an endless repetition of pleas for Haejoo’s help, so he crumpled it up.
“A fraudster, of all people.”
As he was about to leave his office, his phone rang. It was Yongwoo, his high school classmate.
“Oh, Yongwoo.”
“Are you home?”
“No. I’m at the office.”
“I’m at the hospital right now, want to grab a drink for old times’ sake?”
“Sounds good. See you at B Salon.”
B Salon was a bar he frequented, a cave-like place he visited when he felt down. He had stopped going there after meeting Haejoo.
“It’ll take me about an hour to get ready and leave.”
“I’ll have a drink first.”
Jinhan slowly left the company. No matter what he did, the emptiness in his heart wouldn’t go away, so he kept turning to alcohol lately. The roads were completely jammed for the weekend. By the time he arrived at B Salon, the sun had already set. On his phone, Yongwoo, a doctor, messaged that he would be late due to an urgent patient.
“Give me a Cadenhead.”
It had been a long time since he’d been there, and the bartender had changed. The interior seemed newly renovated; the atmosphere was better than before. The lighting, in particular, caught his eye. He liked the subtle light that was appropriately dim and resembled the color of whiskey.
“Here you go.”
He deliberately chose a whiskey that wasn’t too heavy. As soon as it touched his lips, a smooth acidity spread, warming him just right. It was a whiskey suitable for summer. He had eaten lunch late, so his digestion was poor, but the taste of the alcohol was enticing.
“The taste is good.”
Just then, a woman dressed in somewhat revealing office attire sat next to him. She pondered what to order, then pointed to the glass Jinhan held.
“Excuse me, what whiskey are you drinking?”
“Cadenhead.”
The woman motioned to the bartender for the same, then straightened her posture. She was a beauty with an obvious sensual allure. Naturally, Jinhan’s gaze was drawn to her. Noticing this, she gave him a small smile.
“Did you come alone?”
“I’m waiting for a friend.”
“Then I guess I shouldn’t sit here.”
The woman started to get up. Jinhan hesitated for a moment, then stopped her.
“I’ll buy you a drink. My friend might be late or might not come.”
“There’s no such thing as a free drink in this world.”
“It’s the weekend; a little generosity isn’t bad, is it?”
Somehow, he struck up a conversation with her. As the alcohol flowed, the woman’s intense gaze grew more blatant.
“At this hour, isn’t your friend not coming?”
“Could be. He’s a doctor.”
“How about we move to another place?”
“Where do you want to go?”
“I just want to relax.”
She was a very attractive woman for a one-night stand. She probably hadn’t approached Jinhan with the intention of developing a serious relationship either. It was an opportunity to satisfy their mutual needs and then part ways. However, with a damaged heart, Jinhan could no longer accept another woman.
“I’m sorry, but anything beyond that…”
“Well, then. It was a pleasure.”
After the woman left, Jinhan was alone. Just as he was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol, Yongwoo rushed in, panting.
“Hey, why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“Did you call? I had it on vibrate, so I didn’t know.”
“Sorry I’m late. I’ll pay for the drinks.”
The two moved to a more comfortable spot and exchanged pleasantries. Yongwoo, who was also a fan of Haejoo, asked something he was curious about with a sly expression.
“Show me any recent photos of Lee Haejoo if you have any.”
“No.”
“Aw, come on, I’ll just look.”
“I deleted them all.”
“Why?”
“Why would I take pictures of someone else’s wife?”
“She’s your agency’s star celebrity.”
Jinhan avoided answering and took a sip of his drink. As the atmosphere grew awkward, Yongwoo suddenly remembered something and lowered his voice.
“I have a question.”
“Ask anything except about Haejoo.”
“No, just listen.”
“What is it?”
“About that rumor that Lee Haejoo was married. I heard about it even before it broke.”
Jinhan sobered up instantly. Come to think of it, the police, who were investigating the source of the rumor, hadn’t contacted him yet.
“Where from?”
Jinhan’s mind raced as Yongwoo continued his story. The conclusion he drew was that this was no ordinary matter.
________________________________________
Late at night, Haejoo sat on the guesthouse terrace, gazing at the night sea. Just as she was waiting for Dojun’s call, her phone finally vibrated.
“Dojun!”
“You’re awake today.”
“Yesterday, it was a miracle I was even awake.”
“How’s your body?”
“Besides being constantly sleepy and having an increased appetite, I’m fine.”
“I see.”
“When are you coming back to Korea?”
It had already been more than five days since Dojun left Korea. She hoped he would be back when she returned to Seoul.
“After my schedule here, I’m going to the Philippines.”
“Why there?”
“To personally bring back the person who was once your mother.”
“You know where she is?”
“Yura revealed it during her interrogation. Rather than just waiting for the police, I thought I’d go myself.”
“Isn’t it dangerous?”
“I’m going to a safe area, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Please be careful.”
Haejoo had a restless night after the call. Two days later, Dojun sent a message saying he was going to the Philippines.
________________________________________
Dojun and Secretary Song arrived at Manila International Airport in the Philippines and first retrieved their luggage.
Soon after, they met Dongjin, a friend of President Park, who operated a golf course in the Philippines. His golf course was primarily frequented by the wealthy upper class and tourists.
“Uncle, how have you been?”
“Wow, Dojun, you look good. Where’s President Park?”
“He’s at the hospital these days.”
During the police investigation, Yura had revealed the neighborhood where Gyeong-ae lived. Fortunately, Dongjin lived in that neighborhood. He had a wide network, so they decided to seek his help.
“Who are you looking for?”
“Her name is Park Gyeong-ae. This is what she looks like, please see.”
Dojun showed him the photo of Gyeong-ae on his phone. Dongjin, who had been wearing sunglasses, lifted them and was horrified as soon as he saw the picture.
“Ah, this woman!”
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