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After the party for his 70th birthday, Choi Seong-hee didn’t show her face for several days. The scandal, which Yoon Sang-baek had suppressed, now came back belatedly as a bomb in their home.
The atmosphere was like walking on thin ice because of Choi Seong-hee, who was holed up in her room, refusing to eat and drink. Even the employees moved with bated breath, and Yiseo, too, felt her blood run dry again.
It was more comfortable to be out of the house. So she was trying to get to work early and leave late.
Late in the afternoon, a flower basket arrived for Yiseo. The flower basket that the quick service delivery person handed over, saying, “Ms. Yoon Yiseo,” was so huge that the curatorial department was bustling with noise until she left for the day. It was Ryu Jin-han who had sent the flower basket, which was filled with a rich variety of colorful flowers, like a small garden.
As the fragrant scent of the flowers wafted in, her scattered mind miraculously calmed down. Yiseo took out the card that was tucked in between the flowers. It was a white and simple card, just like his image. Inside, a date and time were written.
090X, 7 p.m.
The neat handwriting, written clearly with a fountain pen, resembled his image. Even his handwriting is so proper. For some reason, she smiled, thinking that it suited him.
After leaving the curatorial department, she called Jin-han, and before the phone rang three times, his clear voice came from the other side of the receiver.
“This is Ryu Jin-han.”
His voice, which answered as if he had been waiting, seemed a little more excited than before. It was a voice that naturally brought to mind his composed and polite face.
“It’s Yoon Yiseo.”
“Yes, I know.”
A laugh was mixed in with his voice from the other side of the receiver.
“Thank you for the flower basket you sent. I received it well.”
“Anything else?”
“Oh, of course, the card you sent, too.”
“How is it? I set the time as I pleased, but you can change it. Of course, only if it’s okay with you, Yiseo.”
“No, that time is perfect.”
His voice, saying, “That’s good,” resonated pleasantly.
“If there’s anything you’d like to eat or a favorite menu, please tell me in advance. Oh... I’m sorry. It’s so much of a habit. I apologize if it sounded too businesslike.”
“No.”
Yiseo answered, swallowing a laugh.
“I eat everything well. So you don’t have to worry about the menu.”
“That’s nice. It sounds like you’re saying that the promise is more important than delicious food. Then I’ll have to put even more effort into preparing it. You can look forward to it.”
He added a pleasant preview and laughed. Yiseo nodded as if he were right in front of her. His laughter, which made her feel at ease just by hearing it, spread like a virus and was transmitted to Yiseo as well.
“Then I’ll see you then.”
“Yes, have a good rest of your day.”
“You, too, Senior Executive.”
The call ended.
The sunlight was streaming in through the window. Yiseo quietly reached out her hand and looked at the warm sunlight that was soaking the back of her hand.
A good person.
As she stood there, thinking about him, it felt as if a fresh scent of flowers was wafting in.
________________________________________
Only after the lights of the art center had all been turned off did Yiseo leave for the day. Perhaps because the sun was setting earlier after the end of summer, it was dark outside. As she was walking briskly to the parking lot, there were two cars parked side by side in the parking lot, which should have been empty.
A familiar car was next to Yiseo’s car. He must have come. Yiseo stopped walking for a moment. Just then, Taejo got out of the car and walked towards Yiseo with large strides.
He seemed to have dutifully gone to work today, as he was dressed in a neat suit. His face, which stood in front of her, looked a little rough. Maybe he had a lot of work to do. His face, which looked a little exhausted, quickly frowned as he noticed the flower basket in Yiseo’s hands.
“What’s that?”
It was just a basket of flowers in full bloom, but Yiseo answered his eyes, which were wary of even the flowers.
“I received it.”
“From whom?”
His voice, which was questioning her, was calm, but his gaze, which had swept back up, was sharp.
“Just someone.”
His dark eyes were filled with curiosity at first, then doubt, and then certainty.
“A man.”
His hunch was not wrong. A man who sends Yoon Yiseo a flower basket. The thought didn’t last long. It was because his cousin’s face came to his mind.
“Get in.”
He took his eyes off the irrelevant flower basket and said. Yiseo got in the car, holding the flower basket in her arms. This kind of stupid thing that was too big to hold. Why would he send flowers on a day like today? He clicked his tongue at his thoughtless cousin’s lack of taste.
“Why do you keep coming here? What if someone sees us?”
“I know my mother didn’t come out today. And it’s night now.”
He opened the window as if he knew who “someone” was referring to. The darkly tinted window went down, and a darker night unfolded outside. The night air, which was no longer of summer or autumn, rushed in through the window.
“Just throw it away. Such a bother.”
“I told you it was a gift.”
“Is there a law that says you can’t throw away a gift?”
“Hah.”
Yiseo turned her head, thinking that he was being so childish again.
“I’ll take you home today.”
“Okay.”
She had been working hard all day inside and out, so she was tired. She thought it was a good thing since she was thinking that the drive home would be a little tiring. Would it be rude to close her eyes for a while on the way? Her body felt heavy as a ton, and just as she was thinking about it, Taejo suddenly pulled out a box from his pocket. It was a jewelry box with a gold logo engraved on it.
“Here.”
Her eyes, which were looking at him, who was offering it to her as if it was nothing, were filled with a question.
“What is it?”
“You’ll know if you open it.”
Instead of Yiseo, who was in an awkward situation with the flower basket in her arms, he snatched the large flower basket and threw it into the back seat. “Thump,” the flower basket hit the seat, and the fragrance of the flowers filled the air. Yiseo was surprised and reached out her hand towards the messed-up flower basket, but he blocked her.
“I told you it’s a gift.”
“This is a gift, too.”
As if to say not to care about anything else, he grabbed Yiseo’s hand with one hand and held the red jewelry box in front of her again. Inside the box, a round, golden bracelet with a screw pattern glowed. It was a simple design that was inspired by a screw and couldn’t be worn alone.
Didn’t it mean eternal love?
“So why this...”
“You can get flowers from a guy you don’t even know, but you can’t take this?”
“Flowers and this are different.”
“They’re not different. They’re the same in that they’re gifts. So you can’t throw this away either.”
Taejo took the bracelet out instead of Yiseo, who was just looking at it. The bracelet, which was divided into two pieces, had a design that had to be secured with a small screwdriver. It also symbolized the meaning of keeping love forever.
“Hand.”
Even so, it was an expensive bracelet. It wasn’t something that could be easily given as a gift even between lovers. Of course, it was nothing to him. When she hesitated because it was a burden to just accept it, Taejo pulled her wrist towards him. He quickly put on the half of the bracelet on her slender wrist and locked the other half with the screwdriver.
“It fits well.”
The bracelet, which he had sized based on his memory of holding her wrist, fit Yiseo’s wrist perfectly. So this was a kind of apology. Although he had hastily chosen it because it was difficult to ignore the guilt that was piling up like a debt, he had hoped that things would get a little better.
Even though he knew that her feelings would not be resolved with just this, he felt a little relieved seeing Yiseo staring blankly at the bracelet on her wrist for a while.
“Do you like it?”
He, who had been admiring her, who was admiring the bracelet with her arms folded, asked. Yiseo nodded, as if her voice was filled with the hope that she would. But her gaze, which couldn’t be torn away from it, seemed to be subtly tilting as well.
“It’s not bad.”
Taejo nodded lightly as well. That was enough. A faint smile appeared on his lips at her not-bad answer.
“But this...”
The moment Yiseo, who was toying with the bracelet with her fingers like a child who had just received her first gift, raised her head, she saw the same platinum-colored bracelet on the cuff of his shirt. Had he always worn it? Yiseo’s eyes narrowed, thinking that she had never seen it before.
He slowly raised his eyebrows, looking at Yiseo, who was staring at his wrist with a look of incomprehension.
“What is this?”
“What does this mean?”
Her gaze, which was asking what the bracelets they were sharing meant, trembled slightly. When their gazes met, Taejo’s dark eyes, which had been lightly excited a moment ago, deepened.
“A shackle.”
After saying that, he threw the screwdriver he had used to tighten the bracelet’s screw out the window.
“Don’t take it off. You won’t have a reason to anyway.”
She felt strange looking at him, who was stating it as a fact. Her heart felt a little ticklish, and so she also felt uncomfortable.
A shackle. And eternal love.
They were words that didn’t suit them. She felt strange at the words she couldn’t understand even after hearing them. The emotions that had barely settled down were floating inside her. It was an unfamiliar feeling.
“I’m sorry.”
Just then, a low voice flowed into her ear.
“So, that day...”
He trailed off, as if it was difficult to bring up again.
“It’s okay.”
Yiseo immediately understood what he was sorry for. It was an apology for the prank that was like childishness, for the past events that had humiliated Yiseo in one way or another.
She hadn’t thought that she would ever receive an apology from him. She really thought it was okay, but unexpectedly, Taejo’s expression was serious. Unlike before, when he had been rough and childish, his dark eyes had never apologized to anyone before. The look in his eyes, which crossed hers so calmly, was sincere.
“Now, it’s your turn.”
“What?”
“I gave you a gift, so you’re not going to praise me?”
Yiseo laughed lightly at his unique levity, which was a clumsy attempt to gloss over the awkwardness of an apology disguised as a gift. For some reason, her heart fluttered at his sincerity, which was like a joke, but was never a joke. This felt like something lovers would do.
The moment she slowly took a breath to organize her thoughts, which were blooming like a misconception, Taejo lowered his head so naturally.
Their lips touched lightly. A moist and warm feeling was placed on her lips. He gently rubbed her lips and held her lower lip for a very short time. A hot breath escaped. Her nervous chest jumped in surprise. But Taejo, as if waiting for the right moment, didn’t delve deeper and looked at Yiseo with his eyes open.
It felt as if his eyes, which were bright even in the darkness, were endlessly digging into Yiseo’s insides. At the same time, their breaths mingled. Yiseo cautiously opened her lips and accepted him.
He wrapped his large hand around Yiseo’s slender neck and pushed his tongue in a little deeper. The hand that touched her was hot. And it seemed to have trembled slightly. A shiver ran through her body at the subtle trembling. Today’s kiss was as gentle as if he were treating a very precious thing.
The kiss wasn’t that long. It was just enough to melt away her confused mind. He warmed Yiseo up just that much and then backed away at an appropriate distance.
“This is a parking lot.”
“So?”
Yiseo’s cheeks, which had knowingly accepted him, were red. A sweet scent emanated from her cheeks, neck, and chest, which were all feeling the heat. He tilted his lips, as if he didn’t dislike her reaction. It was a rare smile.
“Did you come here to do this, Ryu Taejo? With this expensive bracelet.”
“What do you think?”
Was it a misconception that his playful eyes felt soft, unlike before? Yiseo shook her head. Because that couldn’t be true. She didn’t want to fall into a pointless misconception.
“I just... thought of you.”
His voice, which came like the wind, scattered meaninglessly in her ear. His eyes, which had been joking around, quickly turned serious. The place where his gaze touched ached for no reason. Her eyes, which his gaze had touched, her heart, which had accepted that gaze, and her entire body ached to the point of trembling.
He, who had been staring at her in silence for a long time, added, as if tracing Yiseo, who was frozen and didn’t know what expression to make.
“That’s all.”
Instead of saying he missed her, instead of saying he had stayed up for two nights working to come here, instead of saying he had stopped by Pyeongchang-dong because he had thought of her on his way out of the company at dawn, instead of saying he had stared at the window with the lights turned off without even knowing which room it was, he just said that.
“What are we, anyway?”
Those words, which had occasionally made her stop in her tracks, which had occasionally made her lost in thought.
The thought that an apology would make him feel relieved was wrong.
Seeing the woman who was happy at the end of his gaze, he was also curious about that.
What could I be to you,
What could you be to me,
What could we possibly be to each other?
________________________________________
The Haeseungwon, which was built on a large plot of land in Jangchung-dong, had several detached buildings besides the hanok main house, which resembled a palace. Centered around the main house where Chairman Ryu Joong-hwan lived, his eldest son and his wife lived in two buildings next to it, and his grandsons, Taejun and Taehan, and their wives lived in three detached buildings behind it. The modern and traditional buildings were surrounded by a thick forest of pine trees.
The garden, which had a half-moon-shaped lake as if it was a painting of the Orient, was said to have been cultivated by a world-renowned landscape architect who had brought in pine trees and ancient pines that he had grown himself on the mountain.
As expected of the place where the history of Haesin began, it was a place that went beyond beauty and even made one feel reverent. It was a living space of the history that had become a strong company like a tree that had taken root in solid ground, and had come to have dozens of affiliates like its winding branches.
Jin-han stopped walking and took in the garden, which was the pride of Haeseungwon.
Will there ever be a day when I will live here?
He felt that way every day when he came to pay his respects before going to work. In Jin-han’s memory, it was a space that was only affectionate and cozy. Every place his eyes touched was neatly maintained. Although his father was not the eldest son, and he was a little pushed back from his grandfather’s attention, he was still confident. He was confident that he could prove his worth and existence with his performance and ability, just like the path his father had walked.
“What are you doing, Jin-han? Come on over.”
Jin-han, who had been lost in thought in the gentle breeze, smiled leisurely as he saw his mother, who was urging him on in a gentle voice. He started walking again.
The food of the lady who had been working in the Haeseungwon kitchen for a long time was still excellent. After finishing the luxurious meal, which was so abundant that the table legs seemed to be about to break, his grandfather, mother, and his eldest aunt, Seo Jeong-joo, sat together in the front yard of the Haeseungwon, which was covered with a wide lawn.
Desserts and tea were prepared there.
The half-moon-shaped small pond and the five ancient pines lined up in front of it were his grandfather’s favorite scenery. The branches of the ancient pines, which soared into the sky, spread out gracefully like an ink painting. A fresh breeze blew below them. In the scenery, which felt as if it was deep in the mountains and birds would be chirping, the adults’ silence continued heavily.
“Ahem, I have something to tell you all, so I called you here.”
As Ryu Joong-hwan’s voice followed the husky clearing of his throat, the three people who had been drinking their tea raised their heads. His grandfather’s bargaining was about to begin.
When he had something to give, he would call his children as needed and look at each one as if he were putting them up for auction. He was a man with the theory that he would only give things to people who could pay the price that was appropriate for them.
He was a man who had lived his entire life assigning a value to everything and had reached his position by cutting off and shaving down the things that didn’t hold their value. His children, who had lived such a life and had an insight into that life, naturally accepted his ways.
The notification to visit the Haeseungwon in the evening had come when Jin-han had just arrived at the hotel. It had only been a few days since the party for his 70th birthday, so he was wondering what was going on with the sudden call. On the day of the party, his grandfather had been so moved by the sight of his descendants in harmony that he had left the banquet hall, holding their hands like a child.
It had been a very satisfying party. And then, he was called to the Haeseungwon. The feeling that there would be a major announcement was confirmed only after he heard that his mother had received the same call. He was quietly organizing his thoughts when Ryu Joong-hwan’s gaze fell on Jin-han.
“How old are you this year, Jin-han?”
“Thirty-two, Grandfather.”
“Taejo is twenty-seven?”
“Yes, Father.”
The chairman, who had asked about Taejo’s age, had a face with wrinkles on it, as if he was lost in thought.
A long silence followed, but no one rushed him for an answer. No one could speak until the chairman’s thoughts were finished. It was like a law or a rule of the Haeseungwon.
However, his eldest aunt, Seo Jeong-joo’s face, who was quietly holding her breath in the silence, was hardened, unlike usual. As if she had a premonition, her eyes shone anxiously as she waited for an answer.
Seo Jeong-joo, who had taken charge of the housekeeping of the Haeseungwon as the daughter-in-law of Ryu Joong-hwan, who had lost his wife 25 years ago. Furthermore, she was a person who had become a bridge for the Haesin Group to develop in various fields, and it was the first time she had looked so tense.
If she was anxious, it was probably about her children. Seo Jeong-joo’s youngest son, Ryu Taejo, whom she loved the most. He and she were the only unmarried ones left in the family, so Jin-han realized that the reason the chairman had gathered them here today was because of a marriage.
“I’ve thought long and hard about it, but shouldn’t I be marrying off my two remaining sons now?”
“Yes, Father.”
“I’m thinking of having them marry Yoon Sang-baek’s granddaughter.”
At the same time, the faces of the two daughters-in-law hardened. Politics and business were inseparable. Even putting that fact, which everyone knew, aside, Yoon Sang-baek and Ryu Joong-hwan were old friends. Furthermore, Yoon Sang-baek’s son, Yoon Dae-myung, was the leader of the opposition party and had considerable power. Marrying into such a family would definitely be a great help to the Haesin Group.
“Sang-baek’s granddaughter is at the art center?”
“Yes, Father. She’s an employee at our art center.”
Seo Jeong-joo’s cheeks, which were trying to force a smile, trembled slightly. A bad feeling was slowly rising inside her.
The face of Yoon Yiseo crossed her mind. And Choi Seong-hee also came to mind along with her. Although she was the child that Yoon Dae-myung had fathered through an affair, her situation had changed after Yoon Sang-baek officially acknowledged her at the party for his 70th birthday.
However, that didn’t mean that Choi Seong-hee had secured her position in the DK Group. She had received Yoon Sang-baek’s recognition, but the DK Group was Choi Seong-hee’s paternal family, and Yoon Yiseo’s maternal family. And not even a single drop of blood was mixed.
She was just a good-looking fake.
“What is she like?”
“She’s a very intelligent and energetic talent.”
Of course, that was from the perspective of a director who ran an art center. Yoon Yiseo, in the workplace, was a flawless subordinate, but she was far from being a suitable marriage candidate for her son.
A love child with half-blood. She didn’t want to give her most beloved youngest son such a position. She would rather have him marry a beautiful partner who had grown up with a lot of love.
She knew how the illegitimate children of chaebol families were raised. Even if they looked flawless on the outside, a child born outside the family could never truly be part of the legitimate lineage. Seo Jeong-joo’s eyes, which were hiding her intentions, subtly sharpened.
If Taejo were to marry into that family, his spouse’s incomplete background would follow her son like a tag for the rest of his life. The thought alone was terrible.
What kind of family are we?
Seo Jeong-joo could not accept such a background, and she was not pleased with the idea of becoming in-laws with Choi Seong-hee, who had raised Yoon Yiseo. She was a woman who had subtly revealed her jealousy towards her for a long time. A woman who looked graceful on the outside but was rotten on the inside. A child raised by such a person could not have received proper love.
“So, who is it going to be this time?”
When the chairman’s gaze passed Jin-han and fell on Seo Jeong-joo, she bit her lip.
“Father, Taejo is still young.”
She was trying to smile to avoid showing her reluctance, but she seemed to be worried that the chairman’s choice would be her son.
Seo Jeong-joo had no intention of letting her son go yet. It was a problem that had been bothering her for a long time, as she had never considered that this day would come. But for it to end up like this, it was hard for her to swallow her boiling sigh.
“Why? If the girl is an intelligent and energetic talent, is it bad?”
“How dare I question your words, Father? It’s just that Taejo is still young, so it wouldn’t be bad to think about it for a while. He just came back to Korea and started working at the company, so he should be focusing on his work. As you can see, Taejo is a very ambitious and smart child. So please consider letting him achieve a little more with his own hands.”
It was a moment when Seo Jeong-joo cautiously expressed her opinion, hoping that her earnest request would be heard. Jin-han, who had been silently listening to the adults, spoke for the first time.
“I think it’s a good idea.”
The gazes of the three people instantly fell on Jin-han.
“I’ll marry her.”
________________________________________
Even though it was close to midnight, the lights in the living room were not turned off. Yiseo entered the living room, from which a faint light was coming out. Yiheon, who was working with a laptop and work spread out on the wide table, took his eyes off the monitor at the sound of Yiseo coming in.
“You’re back.”
“Were you working?”
“Killing two birds with one stone. I also have something to tell you.”
“If you’re tired, you should have just gone to sleep. We can talk in the morning.”
Yiheon smiled a small, silent smile.
When she was with Taejo, Yiheon had called her. He had asked her where she was since it seemed like she was past her leaving time. When she replied that she was on her way, he told her to be careful, but it was clear that he had called because he had something to say.
Except for when there was an important family matter or when there was something that needed to be conveyed, Yiheon tried to be considerate of Yiseo.
It was because he had grown up watching Yiseo’s situation, where she was living in a prison without bars, even without him. So he usually refrained from contacting her when he didn’t have a reason.
“What are those flowers?”
Only then did Yiheon, who had discovered the flower basket in Yiseo’s hands, look puzzled.
“It was a gift.”
“Hmm, in that broken state?”
“Oh... I dropped it on my way here.”
Yiseo answered with an embarrassed smile. The flowers were broken because Taejo had thrown them into the back seat. But she couldn’t tell him the truth.
“The flower basket is big, so it’s quite heavy.”
Yiheon motioned for her to come and sit next to him at her absurd excuse.
“Come, sit down for a minute.”
When she put down her flower basket and bag and walked over to the sofa, Yiheon, who was sitting with one leg crossed, looked at Yiseo intently. His kind gaze, which seemed no different from usual, was excessively subdued the whole time it lingered. Soon, Yiheon’s lips opened.
“By any chance, are you not driving your car these days?”
Yiseo’s cheeks hardened for a moment at his casual question. Yiheon seemed to already know that her car wasn’t in the garage. Her parking spot was empty today because Taejo had dropped her off in front of her house and left.
“Oh, today... a coworker gave me a ride. There’s a registrar I work with, Inyeong. She lives near here.”
Yiseo was secretly surprised at how easily the lies came out of her mouth. Yiheon, who was nodding lightly as he listened to her, clearly seemed to be pretending to be fooled even though he knew the truth. When their eyes met again, her heart pounded so much that it felt like it was going to burst. It was because her conscience was bothering her. Just as her vow to be honest with her brother became meaningless, Yiheon raised his hand and stroked his chin.
“You must be tired. Always having so much work.”
“It’s nothing compared to what you do, Oppa.”
Yiseo smiled, sounding quite grown up. Her tongue, which had told a lie, felt tingly.
Although Yiheon was only five years older than her, he was like a father to Yiseo. Ever since she was a small child and was growing up in this house. He was probably perceived that way from the moment her first memory sprouted.
She wondered how he could be so devoted to her all the time. When she got older and faced the truth that she was born out of Yoon Dae-myung’s mistake, she wondered if Yiheon’s attitude would have been the same even if they were siblings with the same blood.
Whenever she was lost in such thoughts, the conclusion she reached after a long time was always the same. He would have been the same as he was now.
He was a warm-hearted person. It was said that his deep affection and kind heart resembled his maternal grandmother’s nature. The warmth that Yiseo lacked always poured out of him like energy.
An Oppa who was completely different from her.
To Yiseo, Yiheon was like a lamp that lit up the darkness. It might have been because of his good nature that he felt a sense of debt for Choi Seong-hee’s coldness, but she was grateful that she was able to grow up completely by using the warmth he gave her as nourishment.
Her Oppa, who would pat her head without a word whenever she was having a hard time, as if he knew. As she grew up with Yiheon, they were now able to gauge each other’s state just by looking into each other’s eyes. She didn’t know why her Oppa’s eyes seemed so precarious today.
“Yiseo.”
“Yes.”
When Yiheon, who had been lost in silence, finally opened his mouth, a certain premonition tingled on Yiseo’s fingertips.
“I want you to be happy. Live like that, Yiseo. Don’t try to carry other burdens.”
Yiheon had the same eyes as when he had given her that advice a long time ago. However, Yiseo slowly swallowed her saliva at his silent, sorrowful gaze. Her throat felt raw. She pulled her lips into a brief smile out of nervousness, but it was only for a moment.
“Father will probably call you separately to tell you this, but...”
He paused and stared at Yiseo, and his eyes were dark. An unknown ripple subtly rose in her chest. The feeling of deja vu that there would be something other than encouragement and comfort made her back burn.
“You’ll have to start organizing your life little by little now.”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems that Grandfather has decided on a marriage partner for you.”
Yiseo’s gaze froze in mid-air. It was also Yiheon who had told her that she didn’t have to go on dates for a while and that her weekends would be more comfortable.
But to have a marriage partner decided so suddenly. It was like a bolt from the blue. Yiseo’s eyes wavered.
“With whom?”
“I haven’t heard that for sure either.”
However, he had heard from a passing conversation between his father and mother that she would be marrying into the Haesin family. The day after the 70th birthday party, it was a decision that the two grandfathers had made after their hearts had connected. The final decision-making power for all matters rested with the grandfathers, who were the highest elders of the family. So if they had decided, there was no choice but to follow.
There were two positions left in the Haesin family, and the only two people who could stand by Yiseo’s side were Taejo and Jin-han, but Yiheon hoped that it would not be Taejo.
No matter how much he thought about it, he didn’t want to send his family to a person who treated her so carelessly. No matter which way the decision was made, it would be fate’s doing, but at least preventing the worst-case scenario was something that could be done with human effort.
“I won’t care who you meet for the time being, but you should keep your distance from Taejo.”
“...”
If Jin-han were to stand by Yiseo’s side, that would be a problem in itself. It was necessary to prevent what could be prevented. It would not be bad to be careful if his only sister was to not walk a more difficult path and to smoothly continue her future.
Yiseo didn’t say anything for a long time. She just felt her insides trembling uncontrollably at Yiheon’s serious gaze, which was as if he knew everything.
A faint ripple became a vibration and shook her heart. While she was off her guard, her thin heart shook like a windowpane. It didn’t take long for it to sway precariously as if it would break soon.
“If you get close to him, you’ll get hurt.”
Things could also get difficult. So, she should stay away from him as much as possible.
The gaze that cut through the air and reached her was a request.
“...”
“I hope you’ll be with someone who cherishes you, no matter who you meet.”
Yiseo’s heart sank at Yiheon’s gaze, which was as if he knew everything even though she hadn’t said a word or had given anything away.
Yiseo looked at her brother with wavering eyes.
Her brother couldn’t possibly know everything. Yet, her cheeks were flushed as if she had been stripped bare. Her body also seemed to be trembling. She hadn’t been caught doing anything, nor had she done anything, nor would she do anything.
Despite the fact that she had been aware of these things even before hearing the thunderous news from Yiheon, she felt something inside her lose its balance and crumble.
It was probably her heart.
It seemed to be her heart.
“I’m just telling you this because I’m worried about you. Don’t take it the wrong way.”
Yiseo nodded quietly. She knew what his sincere words meant, and she knew what he must have felt when he found out that his sister was being put on the chopping block in that way by other people.
It must have felt like a fire was spreading in front of his eyes. His chest must have been hot. His anger must have been so great that he couldn’t bear it, but he couldn’t step in because it wasn’t his business.
In the midst of all that, if a marriage proposal was also being discussed, it was clear what calculations were being made in his head.
It must have come from a place of wishing that her current situation would not become a flaw in the future, and from a concern that his sister would not have to walk a path of thorns.
Every process was calmly drawn out in her mind. She knew it all. She knew everything. But still, she couldn’t bring herself to say yes. She could have just nodded, but she couldn’t.
Just an hour ago, she had thought that it wasn’t a bad thing for these days to continue. She hadn’t pictured any kind of future with Ryu Taejo, but she had thought for a very brief moment that it wouldn’t be bad to just flow lightly like the wind and end up somewhere.
Just like the moment she was stroking the same bracelet they were wearing and smiling faintly.
She had thought for a very brief moment that it wouldn’t be bad to be happy like this sometimes, that it wouldn’t be bad to let go a little like this. She had silently condoned the ticklish feeling that was floating inside her.
But everything was ending so meaninglessly.
Without even being able to start anything.
Yiseo suppressed her trembling insides and composed her expression once again. She had understood Yiheon’s words well.
Marriage.
The thing she had thought was vague had now fallen at her feet, so it was time to prepare. It was a strange moment when she suddenly felt a sense of reality, but at the same time, it felt unreal. Yiseo opened her mouth as if she had given up on everything.
“We are already far enough apart.”
It was a feeling that they could never reach anyway.
________________________________________
Her steps as she was escorted by Jin-han, who was waiting in the lobby, to the restaurant inside the hotel were cautious. Jin-han walked about two steps ahead and led Yiseo to the room he had reserved. The door closed, and they were left alone in the quiet space.
He waited for Yiseo to sit down after he pulled out the chair for her, and then he went to the opposite side and sat down, opening the buttons of his suit jacket, which he had been wearing perfectly.
“It’s good to see you again.”
Yiseo answered with a faint smile instead of a reply. She was puzzled because the smile that spread across her lips seemed different from before, but Jin-han just assumed it was his imagination. In that faint sense of foreboding, he recalled the moment he had gotten permission for the marriage at the dinner at Haeseungwon a few days ago.
“I’ll marry her.”
“You? You?”
“Yes, I would like to.”
His grandfather, who had been silent for a moment, easily sided with Jin-han by nodding once. Seo Jeong-joo, who was relieved, and his mother, who was sitting next to her, were silent, as if they respected their son’s choice. When he got home, she asked him why he had done it, and he replied that he felt like it. That was the entire process of how they got here.
After he decided to marry Yoon Yiseo and got permission, there would be no difficulties. They would meet smoothly and get married, just like any other arranged marriage, without any mountains to climb or hardships to overcome.
If things went according to plan, they would probably be able to form a marital bond smoothly and without any trouble.
However, Yiseo looked particularly weak today. Her expressionless face was pale, and at times she would look lost in thought, and then she would seem to collect her emotions as if she had given up on something, which made her look a little flustered. In the end, she lowered her gaze, as if she couldn’t get rid of her anguish.
Jin-han stared blankly at Yiseo. Even after staring at her for a long time, Yiseo didn’t seem to notice his gaze. Her thoughts must be somewhere else. But he waited for Yiseo in silence. Yiseo, who belatedly noticed his gaze, met his eyes and pulled her lips into a businesslike smile.
“I’m sorry. Should I choose a menu?”
“No. I was told to order for us.”
He smiled lightly, as if to say that she could just wait, and stared at her wavering eyes, which were filled with embarrassment.
“You must have gone through a lot of trouble to prepare for this.”
“I was just happy at the thought of seeing you again.”
Jin-han was an expert at getting what he wanted and holding onto it ever since he was a child. He had a family trait of always achieving what he set his mind to, and he had added patience to his drive, so there was nothing he couldn’t achieve if he really put his mind to it.
Yiseo smiled slightly at him, who was leisurely as if he didn’t care how long the wait would be if he could take what he wanted in a more meaningful way. But the faint smile on her lips quickly disappeared.
It was a place that was a little stiff and a little more polite to each other. Perhaps the atmosphere would have been more flexible if it had been a simple dinner, as they had initially planned, but today’s meeting was to confirm their engagement before the family meeting.
“You weren’t surprised that the decision was made so suddenly, were you?”
“No.”
It was an expected thing. It wasn’t something Yiseo could choose anyway. As if she knew that fact, Yiseo acted calmly and quietly as usual.
The man sitting across from her seemed a little more excited than before, but she decided that it wasn’t a bad thing.
Ryu Jin-han was a gentleman. A proper man who had been raised well in a good environment. Looking at him, she only thought of positive things. He had all the advantages of a socially successful man, and anyone who met him would be drawn to him. His carefully sculpted looks were probably because he had inherited the superior genes of the Haesin family, but the feeling he gave off was a little different from the people of Haesin she had met.
He was proper but not authoritarian, and kind but not careless. He was not a light man. Yet, his impression was amiable, and when he smiled, his eyes, which inevitably showed his interest, were like a boy’s.
He was a person who knew how to be faithful to the moment’s emotions. He was honest in everything he did, and he didn’t hesitate to show his emotions, which made him seem to shine even more. He seemed to be a person who knew happiness. He was a positive person who considered even the momentary leisure of everyday life to be a stroke of luck.
If she were to marry a man like this, she would live well.
Even if it wasn’t special, she would be able to live a normal life. That thought came to her as his hands were meticulously taking care of her.
“I hope the food suits your taste.”
“I’m sure it will be delicious. You said you were confident.”
“That’s right.”
His still confident gaze was fixed on Yiseo. She returned his kind smile with a kind smile, but the corners of her lips quickly trembled.
“Shall we have a conversation after we finish our meal?”
“Yes.”
The dishes that were served in courses were more excellent than his words. Looking at the feast-like dishes, she thought that he had every right to be proud. But the food wouldn’t go down her throat. Nevertheless, Yiseo tried her best to eat until the end of the meal.
“Doesn’t it suit your taste?”
“It’s delicious.”
“That’s a relief.”
Jin-han smiled generously, seeing Yiseo, who was barely eating. He only ate the food occasionally, and he spent most of his time observing Yiseo.
Her refined appearance in a slightly apricot-colored dress that had more saturation than her pale skin tone, her hair that fell like waves over her shoulders, her thin, white fingers that were toying with the cutlery, the pearl earrings that were sparkling in her ears, or the bracelet on her wrist. These were all things that showed her trying her best to be polite.
Of course, at times, her gaze would waver unsteadily, and her face, which had a smile on it, would look as if she were about to cry. Her lips would be smiling like a computer that had been programmed with a code, and her eyes would be distraught. Her face would look like it had an error, and then, as if nothing had happened, she would empty all her emotions, which was so diverse.
As Jin-han calmly took in all of those things, he didn’t ask anything. He just had to be faithful to the purpose for which today’s meeting was arranged.
“What kind of person do you want to marry, Yiseo?”
Yiseo raised her head at his low voice, which broke the awkward silence. It wasn’t a difficult question, but his gaze was leisurely as if he didn’t care how long it took for her to answer. At the end of his gaze, Yiseo let out her hope like the wind.
“Someone for whom I’m everything.”
After going on countless blind dates, being blown by the wind and letting the wind go, there was one thing Yiseo had hoped for: that she would meet someone like that. Before she could form a stable family, she had hoped that she would find a moment where she felt, “This is the one.”
Even if she didn’t believe in fate, she seemed to have secretly longed for such a moment.
“Someone for whom Yiseo is everything.”
She couldn’t read any emotion on Jin-han’s face, which was chewing on her words. Well, it was funny that she was even thinking such a thing, so it must be funny to him that she was having such a dreamy thought before an arranged marriage.
It was a useless thing. Just as her throat was stinging, wondering if she had said something she shouldn’t have, he cautiously opened his mouth.
“What do you think of me?”
Her gaze fell on the man who was asking the question with courage.
Ryu Jin-han was kind and gentle. He was a man who always had a leisurely and mature side to him, a man who had something that Yiseo couldn’t have.
A man who had grown up with a lot of love in a good family and had no wrinkles. When she saw him, she only thought of good things. He had all the advantages of a socially successful man, and anyone who met him would be drawn to him.
“I think you’ll build a good family.”
At Yiseo’s indifferent answer, as if she were talking about someone else, he smiled gently, letting his lips droop.
“I had the same thought. The thought that I could build a good family with you, Yiseo.”
His gaze, which was filled with the confidence that if she were to stand by his side, with him, such a future would not be difficult, gently wavered.
If she were to marry a man like this, every day would be peaceful. He was a man who had accepted her situation, which others would shun. A man who didn’t care about what others thought, who would cover up even the flaws that others whispered about, a man with a clear sense of his own beliefs, who only trusted his own choices.
So she had to be okay now. She had gone on countless blind dates to find a partner who would embrace her flaws, so she had to be okay now that she was with such a person.
However, a voice involuntarily escaped her lips.
“Do you... love me?”
It was a foolish question. How could there be love when this was the first time they were even having a proper meal together? Even if they were to be married by a family arrangement, a feeling that hadn’t been there before couldn’t suddenly appear because of one decision. He was probably no different from her, who felt awkward even making eye contact with a man.
“Love.”
But even at her question, which was like a joke, Jin-han did not laugh at her or dismiss it lightly. His eyes, which were chewing on the word, were as serious as they were when she first saw him. He answered.
“Of course not right now. But I think I’ll be able to love you once we’re married and living a stable life.”
His tone was sincere and firm. He meant that even if it wasn’t now, they would eventually grow fond of each other if they set a course for the future and headed for the same place, and that that might become love.
“Usually, desire manifests itself at a moment when reason has become weak.”
Just then, Taejo’s voice, which she had heard a long time ago, rang out, cutting through her thoughts.
The moment they were drinking wine together, he had said that the moment people reached their climax, it was a dramatic moment where hope and despair coexisted. He had said that the moment they realized that such a moment, which was destroyed the more they enjoyed it and had no permanence, was the beginning of a tragedy, and love.
“And what will you do when such a moment comes for you?”
He had said that she would never be so sick with love, but there would be moments when she would have to suppress that impulse, and that she would understand when that time came. His words rang in her ears like tinnitus.
Her throbbing heart pounded violently. She had been so confident that a moment where something like love would eat away at her would never come, but as her memories flooded back, it was all for nothing.
Yiseo calmly took a deep breath and looked at Jin-han, who was staring directly at her. She didn’t know if her body was trembling or if her vision was wavering. She just hoped that as she lived with the man in front of her, she would be able to love him as he had said.
Even if it wasn’t now, she hoped that it would eventually happen as they lived a stable life together.
“I’m sorry.”
The moment she barely managed to steady her wavering heart, Taejo’s face, when he had put the bracelet on her, flashed through her mind. The sharp lines of his face as he grabbed her wrist, put on the small bracelet, and locked it. His face, which was always fierce and rough, had been so strangely calm at that moment.
It had been so strangely calm to the point where she thought she wanted to stroke his long eyelashes for a man, to the point where she wanted to press the tip of his nose, which rose sharply at the end of his smoothly-sculpted nose. That face, which would have surely frowned annoyingly and rubbed against her lips, neck, or some other place.
As she was looking at Jin-han, whose calm gaze was meeting hers, the thought of Taejo’s soft breath that had been placed on her lips came to her, and Yiseo’s face turned pale.
“A shackle.”
Why did you put such a thing on me?
A fire-like sensation suddenly spread inside her dry heart.
“I just... thought of you.”
Why you, now?
Why you, of all people, now?
Her throat felt so hot that it ached from the fire-like memories that were rising in a scattered way. Her chest throbbed, and Yiseo involuntarily grabbed her wrist. From where had this spark come that was so hot? Her tightly-gripped wrist trembled slightly. Her chest felt like it was going to burst from holding her breath.
Her body, which had been so tense, suddenly began to tremble uncontrollably. Even though she knew she shouldn’t, the emotions that had begun like a tidal wave were wildly surging inside her.
If her invisible heart was wavering, how could she feel the vibration down to her fingertips? Beyond her blurry, wavering vision, the man’s eyes, which were watching her as calmly as a lake, also seemed to be getting blurry with concern.
“Are you okay?”
The moment he opened his mouth, seeing Yiseo’s pale face, the glass of water that Yiseo had reached for slipped from her fingertips.
Clang. The glass fell to the floor with a sharp sound and shattered. He immediately got up and approached her. He pressed on Yiseo’s shoulder to calm her down as she was about to get up in surprise and waved his hand to a staff member who had entered in a hurry, as if to say that it was nothing.
After the mess was cleaned up and a new glass was set, Jin-han’s gaze settled down as calmly as a consolation.
How long had his gaze, which had traced the back of Yiseo’s hands, which were tightly clasped together as if in prayer, been there?
“Are you really okay?”
At his low voice, Yiseo slowly nodded.
“Yes, I’m okay.”
“You don’t look okay.”
What kind of expression did I have for that man to say something like that? Just as she was thinking about it, a handkerchief was pushed in front of her eyes. It was a dark blue handkerchief. The moment she thought, “Why this?” her vision became hazy. She raised her hand to feel her cheek, and hot tears that had welled up and spilled over her eyebrows flowed down her finger.
“Oh...”
She must have been crying. Yiseo lowered her head, unable to hide her embarrassment. Without even knowing what she was supposed to be holding back, she bit her lips tightly to hold back whatever it was.
While silently watching her face get wet, Jin-han’s voice, which was wiping her tears for her, passed over her head like a gust of wind.
“Everything will be okay.”
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