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“Noona!”
Unable to eat properly, she was overcome by continuous dry heaves. Then her face turned pale yellow, and she rushed to her room. Yoonji and Hyunseong followed Haejoo, covering their mouths with their hands as she ran. In the meantime, the floor was covered in vomit, a complete mess.
“Haejoo!”
Despite Yoonji calling her name, Haejoo couldn’t answer as she continued to heave. She was so overwhelmed by the reflux that tears streamed from her eyes, and she felt like her soul was leaving her body. Yoonji, who had been guarding the bathroom door, opened it and went inside.
“Are you okay?”
Haejoo’s shoulders heaved rapidly after flushing the toilet. Only then did she see the messy surroundings and apologize with teary eyes.
“I’m sorry, Yoonji sunbae.”
“What are you apologizing for? You’ve overexerted yourself.”
Outside, Yoonji’s manager was cleaning the floor by spraying water. Everyone was bewildered by the chaos that had erupted before dinner.
Haejoo finally sat on the bed. Hyunseong, who had finished cleaning the bathroom, asked Yoonji.
“Would you mind eating first?”
“Without the main character? I’ll wait.”
“It’s raw fish, so you should eat it quickly.”
“It would be nice to eat together. ...Alright. Take Haejoo to the hospital quickly.”
“I will.”
Yoonji left, leaving only Hyunseong and Haejoo in the room. Hyunseong took out a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator and handed it to Haejoo.
“How do you feel?”
“It’s been strange since this morning. As soon as I opened my eyes, I felt like my stomach was churning.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I’m going to Seoul tomorrow anyway. It’s a bit hard to go to the hospital in Jeju.”
It was difficult to go anywhere here due to the overwhelming attention from people. She was eagerly counting down the days to go to Seoul, but her poor condition made her worried.
“You were eating well until yesterday, so I ordered raw fish. I made a mistake.”
“Hyunseong, don’t worry about me and go eat well.”
“Don’t do that, at least have some porridge.”
Hyunseong additionally ordered abalone porridge from the raw fish restaurant that had delivered the raw fish. Haejoo, whose face had turned pale, looked strained.
“You don’t have to look at me like that.”
“I... that’s not it. There’s something very difficult for me to say.”
“What is it?”
Hyunseong rechecked the closed windows to ensure the conversation wouldn’t leak out. Still feeling uneasy, he lowered his voice as much as possible.
“Noona, my eldest brother is a doctor.”
“...”
“I’ll ask him to see you after his office hours, so let’s go together tomorrow.”
“Will he really do that much for me?”
“My eldest brother is tight-lipped. You can trust him.”
Hyunseong was a rookie manager who joined GN Entertainment after his military discharge. Jinhan had originally hired him as an assistant, but he did well and rose to his current position. He was younger than Haejoo but had a deep mind and was quick-witted. Haejoo’s nose tingled at his consideration.
“Hyunseong, you know too, don’t you?”
“Oh, what would I know?”
“Last spring, you told me your eldest brother opened an obstetrics and gynecology clinic.”
“Ah, right, I did.”
Currently, Haejoo was in a state of extreme tension. Yet, she never let it show in front of others. She believed showing weakness would expose her vulnerability, so Hyunseong was also careful.
“I’ll do whatever you want, so take your time answering.”
“Thank you, Hyunseong.”
After a long time, the abalone porridge arrived and was set in front of Haejoo. Only then did Hyunseong start eating. As he ate raw fish wrapped in lettuce alone, Yoonji approached and sat down in front of him. She poured the drinks she had brought into a cup and asked.
“Haejoo’s pregnant, isn’t she?”
“...”
“I thought so.”
After much effort, Yoonji decided to film the reduced scenes. All of this was thanks to Haejoo’s good cooperation. Compared to Jinhan, who had set conditions and pushed himself to get what he wanted, Haejoo was an angel. She frankly felt sorry for having used her to get the role of Youngin.
“Yoonji Noona, a favor, please.”
“I won’t say anything. I just asked because I’m worried as a fellow woman.”
The role of Youngin was still difficult for Yoonji. It felt like wearing ill-fitting clothes, and every day was a torment. If she had played the role of Sohee instead, she might have done better, given her original image. That part was regrettable, but there was nothing she could do.
“Handle Director well.”
“...Yes.”
“Enjoy your meal.”
After Yoonji left, Hyunseong quickly finished his meal. He stared blankly at the sea, then sent a message to his eldest brother and put down his phone. In the evening, a call came. Hyunseong checked the caller ID and quickly pressed the call button.
“Hyungnim, I love you!”
“Be honest. Did you cause trouble?”
“Not really.”
“You suddenly said you’d bring someone tomorrow?”
His brother, fifteen years his senior, was suspicious of his youngest brother’s call from the start. Hyunseong felt very wronged but answered firmly.
“That’s not it, the consultation will only take a moment.”
“Is she a celebrity from your agency?”
“Yes.”
“Who is it?”
“Haejoo noona.”
“Isn’t Lee Haejoo married? Why would she secretly get a consultation?”
“There are some complicated circumstances.”
“Make sure there are no repercussions. You shouldn’t get into trouble in the middle.”
“I will.”
Hyunseong sighed in relief and rubbed his face. He had saved Dojun’s contact information on his phone in case of an emergency. Even from Hyunseong’s perspective, Haejoo seemed to rely on Dojun emotionally. He didn’t think anything big would happen, but it was still too early to relax.
“I hope nothing happens.”
Jinhan had urgently called Haejoo back. He guessed there was something more to the lawsuit regarding the marriage scandal rumors. It might even come to a situation where the company and Haejoo had to choose. If that happened, Hyunseong...
“Noona, don’t abandon me.”
Of course, it was Haejoo.
________________________________________
Haejoo was spending her last night in Jeju. She wanted to relax and focus on her role, but it seemed she couldn’t, which upset her. Just as tears welled up, Hyunseong brought her a pile of snacks.
“What’s all this?”
“My older brother said not to let your stomach feel empty.”
“Ah.”
“Don’t worry about gaining weight for now, and eat them whenever you can.”
They were all Haejoo’s favorite snacks. She had barely touched her dinner, so she unwrapped a slice of cheesecake he had bought.
“This, I can eat.”
She didn’t say it, but Haejoo’s thoughts were currently on the verge of paralysis. She had been like this ever since she realized her physical condition while wondering if it could be true.
“How do I tell Dojun?”
Dojun had been sick for two full days after returning from the Philippines. Because of that, his work schedule was delayed, and he hadn’t been able to talk much today. The stock market had recently experienced a significant plunge, starting with the US. Furthermore, inflation had begun due to the liquidity released into the market. As a result, various raw materials and prices soared daily. Dojun was fighting a battle, as appropriate preparation was needed.
[Dojun, call me when you’re done with work.]
She sent only that message and lay down on the bed. Just as she was getting drowsy and drifting off to sleep, the phone rang. From the other end, an exhausted Dojun called her name.
“Lee Haejoo.”
“Were you very busy today?”
“Yeah. If I leave early tomorrow morning, I don’t know when I’ll finish.”
“I see.”
“When are you coming to Seoul?”
“I’ll be leaving early tomorrow morning.”
“Then let’s talk when we meet. Nothing else to say?”
“...See you at home.”
A whirlpool churned in Haejoo’s depths. Her fingertips tingled due to her anxious state, so she clenched her fists. The words wouldn’t come easily over the phone. Dojun also seemed not in a condition to talk, so he hung up.
“I should talk about it after getting a diagnosis and being sure.”
She vividly remembered when Dojun first came to Jeju. Haejoo accepted him unprepared and defenseless. In that moment, her consciousness escaped reality. It was impossible to hold onto her sanity amidst the dazzling pain intertwined with ecstasy. The pleasure she had only imagined in her mind became even more vivid and stimulating. As their moments of intimacy repeated, her exposed body became terribly addicted. Unfortunately, the consequences were not easy to bear. Haejoo was paying a heavy price for that day her body remembered.
“May good fortune follow.”
Haejoo mumbled and prayed as she lay in bed, then fell asleep. When she opened her eyes, the Jeju sky was clear.
________________________________________
Choi Inho’s mood was soaring. Thanks to the tip from Detective Kim, his confidence had surged, and he found himself humming. Regardless of anything else, the case concerning Haejoo needed a clear justification. After a meeting at the office, they agreed that it would be better to gather more facts rather than rashly releasing the information.
“Seongyu, grab the keys and come out.”
After the meeting, Choi Inho quickly headed to the detention center where Yura was. He hoped she would agree to the visit again and requested a meeting. Fortunately, Yura came out. She sat in the visiting room chair and looked at Choi Inho indifferently.
“Pick up the receiver.”
At his request, Yura reluctantly picked up the receiver. Choi Inho asked her, who remained silent.
“We don’t have much time. You know you’re done for if you take all the blame alone, right?”
“…”
“Lee Haejoo has big shots like Park Dojun and Yoo Jinhan on her side.”
“…”
“Let’s not fight a losing battle; let’s go for public opinion.”
Yura suddenly started to tear up. She bowed her head deeply and shed a few tears. She had just heard that Gyeong-ae had been caught and detained in the Philippines. If she had known this, it would have been better to persuade Gyeong-ae to come back to Korea.
“Ms. Yura, it’ll be a big problem if you still rely on Lee Haejoo.”
If Haejoo had helped her just a little, she wouldn’t have become this pathetic. Even if they had a bad relationship when they were young, she was heartless.
“What do you want to know from me?”
“What’s the reason Lee Haejoo became married to Park Dojun?”
Yura didn’t know the details of Haejoo’s affairs. Nevertheless, she began to tell her story, injecting her subjective emotions.
“Mom used to run a coffee shop and borrowed money from President Park.”
“Yes.”
“Around that time, President Park’s eldest son got sick and was going to die soon, so they thought about having a spiritual wedding.”
“And then?”
“Mom went to him and asked him to clear the debt if Haejoo married his son.”
Choi Inho tilted his head. It was as if a mother had willingly sold her daughter, and he licked his dry lips. He tried to corner Yura to twist the facts in his favor.
“So President Park, being a loan shark, would have readily agreed, right?”
“I don’t know about that, but Haejoo got married because of Mom.”
“Oh! How much blackmail must your mother have received from President Park to do that?”
Choi Inho subtly distorted the facts, but Yura didn’t correct him. Haejoo would have to deal with the aftermath herself.
“I heard that President Park’s eldest son himself came to register the marriage.”
“Really?”
“You know that Park Dojun and his brother are twins, right?”
“They were twins? I didn’t know that.”
“At that time, his brother probably registered the marriage under his younger brother Park Dojun’s name.”
“What was the reason?”
“I don’t know the reason.”
Yura said she didn’t know, but Choi Inho wrote something different in his notebook. He feigned ignorance, then checked the remaining visiting time and grew anxious.
“Why did those two specifically maintain the marriage relationship for three years?”
“I don’t know. Haejoo cut off contact with us as soon as she got married.”
Choi Inho racked his brain, trying to connect this with what he had heard from Detective Kim. Meanwhile, the visit ended, and Choi Inho offered an inaudible farewell to Yura as she turned to leave.
“See you again.”
________________________________________
Dojun was so busy he could barely sit down. Even in the midst of this, he checked the time and grabbed his jacket.
“Secretary Song, Haejoo should be arriving soon.”
“Something more urgent has come up.”
“What is it?”
“Choi Inho is reportedly making contact with Yura.”
Dojun’s mind worked frantically. He presumed Yura had already heard the news of Gyeong-ae’s arrest in the Philippines by now.
“File a complaint against Choi Inho and quickly release a press statement.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll go to the airport alone, so proceed quickly.”
He needed to see Haejoo. Last night, her exhausted voice when she hung up the phone made him unable to concentrate on work. Time was short to get to the airport. Still, Dojun hurriedly drove out onto the road. On the passenger seat of the car were flowers prepared by the secretary’s office and a somewhat embarrassing sign. He drove non-stop and arrived at Gimpo Airport just in time. Dojun first called Haejoo.
“Have you arrived? …I’ll wait at the front, come out.”
He had started work early, and the clock already pointed to 11 AM. After a throng of people poured out, Haejoo appeared with Hyunseong.
“Dojun!”
Seeing her, Dojun’s lips curved into a bright smile. He held up the bouquet of flowers and the colorfully decorated sign for Haejoo to see.
- My bride, Haejoo, marry me.
It was Dojun’s heartfelt sincerity, rough and unsophisticated.
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