Chapter 36
- That Bastard Is You 2021.09.01.
Ji-heon, who had been silently gazing at Jeong-o, reacted belatedly, like an old smartphone with severe buffering.
“……New product tasting event.”
“……”
“Assistant Manager Lee, isn’t that why you’re here too?”
It was like dreaming while awake, somehow. Somehow, I couldn't say that I had drifted here without even realizing it. I didn't want to look like such a clueless man to this woman. Ji-heon forced himself to ignore the déjà vu he felt in this unfamiliar neighborhood and faced her with an indifferent expression.
“That’s true, but why are you here?”
Ji-heon had no way of knowing that Jeong-o had a ‘maybe’ kind of expectation.
“It’s a short distance, so I got off midway.”
“……Why? Why here?”
“I said I’d walk because the car felt stuffy, so the driver dropped me off here.”
Her gaze sank heavily at his nonchalant answer. It wasn't the answer she had been hoping for.
“What brings Lee Jung-oh to this place? The tasting venue is quite far from here.”
“I went to university around here. I took a walk because it reminded me of the old days.”
Her eyes looked sad throughout. Ji-heon judged that she was still holding onto yesterday's sorrow. I wanted to say that I don't care about your lies. It was like that from the beginning, and it still is.
“Dinner?”
“Pardon?”
“Have you eaten?”
“No. Not yet.”
“Shall we eat together? I haven’t eaten either.”
“You said you were going to the tasting event.”
Ji-heon closed his mouth with a blank expression. Since his purpose from the start was Lee Jung-oh, he had immediately erased the tasting event from his mind as soon as he reunited with her. Jeong-o glanced at him with a slightly awkward expression before taking out her phone. Jeong-o didn't know the exact location of the tasting venue either. It seemed like it would be best to check the map. Jeong-o, after checking the map, pointed to the right.
“You can go this way. Director.”
Jeong-o led the way, but Ji-heon didn't follow. He stood there blankly and took out his phone. Jeong-o walked a few steps and stopped.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“Just a moment. I’m getting a lot of calls because I have a lot of work.”
Ji-heon seemed to be sending a text message to someone. Jeong-o had never seen anyone move their thumbs so fast. His rapid finger movements were noticeable even from a distance. If you were to measure only the age of his thumbs, you might estimate this man to be in his teens. But even so, the wait was long. He seemed very busy.
“If you’re busy, should I go ahead?”
“No.”
As she sighed and turned her head, Jeong-o's phone vibrated. His dazzling thumbs had just completed their mission. Seong Mi-ran Team Leader's name appeared on Jeong-o's phone screen.
“Yes, Team Leader.”
[Assistant Manager Lee, have you arrived at the tasting event?]
“I’m on my way now.”
[Okay. That's good. It looks like we'll be a little late, so don't go in first.]
“Pardon? Why?”
[You had a hard time dealing with the Tawon Liquor advertisers alone last time, so we can't let that happen again. Go eat something, have a cup of tea, or even go home. We'll be about an hour and a half. Got it?]
Mi-ran spoke urgently, as if something truly busy had happened, and quickly hung up. Jeong-o stared at the phone screen after the call ended and blinked. Ji-heon approached.
“Is that Seong Mi-ran Team Leader?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
“She said something came up and the team members will be late.”
“And?”
“She told me not to go into the tasting event first.”
Was it just my imagination, or did Jeong Ji-heon's lips momentarily lengthen slightly?
“Then we should go eat. Let’s go.”
He said as he turned around. It was the opposite direction from the tasting venue. Jeong-o suddenly turned her feet in Ji-heon's direction, then hesitated.
‘Is it okay to follow him?’
Yesterday's events came to mind, and her heart stung. Chae Eun-bi's face, questioning her about the truth, also flickered in her mind.
‘Chae Eun-bi seems to think I’m hitting on that man, but is it okay to eat with him?’
It wasn't something she intended, but she felt like she was committing a sin. But she had a special mission. To find out about Jeong Ji-heon and those around him. To thoroughly understand him, uncover the culprit behind the Yena attempted kidnapping case and the secret of the phone call from seven years ago, secure safety, and then let Yena and Ji-heon meet. That was Jeong-o's mission. There were many moments when she wanted to change jobs, but that was also the first reason she endured and worked hard. There were times when she hesitated about showing Yena to him because she hated him so much, but she still had to properly investigate his surroundings. Yes. This could be a good opportunity. Maybe it's an opportunity that won't come again. Jeong-o clenched her fist and followed Ji-heon. By the way, Jeong Ji-heon, you've changed. You didn't used to be so obsessed with food. You used to give me your share of the rice. Jeong-o quickly moved next to Ji-heon and asked.
“But what are you planning to eat?”
“I’m searching now, but is there anything you particularly want to eat?”
The better, the better. She recommended the pork cutlet restaurant she had gone to with him a long time ago. It was because she remembered him saying he didn't like pork cutlet very much, but he ate it deliciously.
“Anything is fine.”
At Ji-heon's answer, Jeong-o confidently led the way.
She entered the pork cutlet restaurant energetically, but Jeong-o became gloomy as soon as she opened the door. The interior had been completely changed. It seemed that nothing from seven years ago remained inside the restaurant.
“Welcome.”
The part-time worker greeted the two of them. She couldn't just turn around and leave after seeing the part-time worker greeting them so nicely. Jeong-o entered with a heavy heart.
“Please sit down, Director.”
Ji-heon also took a seat following Jeong-o's guidance. As soon as Jeong-o sat down, she picked up the menu. She thought that at least the menu wouldn't have changed, but how could this be?
‘Even the menu has changed!’
Everything had been remodeled except for the name of the restaurant. It was just like Jeong Ji-heon. This man had also changed everything except for his name. She felt empty and unknowingly sighed. Ji-heon, who was watching Jeong-o, asked.
“Is there a problem? Shall we go somewhere else?”
Jeong-o hesitated for a moment. But as she rolled her eyes, she met the eyes of the bright part-time worker. She couldn't leave the part-time worker, who was shining her eyes while waiting for the two of them to order.
“No…… Let’s just try it…….”
It felt like she was being punished for being greedy. Perhaps because she didn't have high expectations, the pork cutlet was much more delicious than Ji-heon thought. But what was even more satisfying was the sight of the woman in front of him diligently clearing her pork cutlet. He didn't know why it felt so good to watch her eat. Every time she moved her mouth, it felt as satisfying as if food was entering his own mouth. He felt full even without eating.
“Director, aren’t you eating? Is it not to your taste?”
Jeong-o, who thought it was strange that his movements were slow because he was watching her, said a word.
“No. It’s delicious.”
Since it seemed like she had eaten quite a bit, Ji-heon brought up the matter he had been preparing for a long time.
“You don’t have to worry about what Department Head Chae Eun-bi said yesterday. I don’t care either.”
The hand holding the fork went down as it was.
“You don’t care about my lies?”
“I understand that you had circumstances.”
“……”
“I just hope that Assistant Manager Lee doesn’t get hurt because of that.”
Ji-heon had never comforted anyone before. Therefore, the current comfort and encouragement were the best he could do. Jeong-o became depressed for a different reason.
‘This man is apologizing for what Eun-bi said……’
His kind comfort felt like he was speaking for Eun-bi, and her heart felt heavy again.
“It’s okay.”
Jeong-o answered with a forced smile.
“If calluses form on your heart, you won’t get hurt easily. Even if you poke it with a needle, the needle will break now.”
“……”
“Talking to me about my dad doesn’t hurt me at all. My dad hasn’t been around since I was born.”
She wanted to be remembered as a strong person to him.
“What about your ex-boyfriend then?”
She answered with deliberate energy, but he suddenly threw out an absurd question. Her smile quickly disappeared. How could a man ask about her like this so nonchalantly?
‘Ignore him.’
Jeong-o didn't know how to answer, so she lowered her head and put food in her mouth. But he didn't give up.
“Ex-boyfriend.”
“……”
“Is he doing well?”
“……What do you mean?”
“Is he alive and breathing?”
Pfft. This time, his absurd question made her laugh.
“Why are you asking that?”
“I’m just curious. You said he looks like me.”
He doesn't look like you, he is you. The guy you're asking about is you, Jeong Ji-heon! Her mouth itched to spill everything. Jeong-o thought of Yena's face and swallowed the impulse.
“Of course. He's doing great. He's probably eating something delicious right now.”
Jeong-o said it lightly, but Ji-heon was serious.
“I was hoping he wasn't doing well, but that's a shame.”
Pfooo. Jeong-o covered her mouth with her hand at his expression. She found it funny that this man was talking so carelessly without even knowing it was about him. And that made her feel even more sorry for him. Jeong-o gave him a Buddha-like smile and told him the truth.
“No. I hope he's doing well. I really do.”
“……”
“I hope he's doing well, but…”
“……”
“I hope he's incredibly hungry at night and makes Racoon ramen alone, but there's no kelp in it. I hope he waits in line for an hour at a popular restaurant, but the line gets cut off right in front of him. I hope he's happy that he won the lottery, but then realizes he filled in the numbers wrong.”
All of this was her true feelings. I hope you, who have forgotten me, are doing moderately well and are a little empty. Even if you don't think of me, even if you can't.
“I hope he spends three hours diligently making data, but it all disappears because he didn't press save.”
“……”
“……No, two hours.”
She said it seriously, but from the perspective of an office worker, three hours seemed too harsh, so she slightly lowered the level of her curse. At that moment, the corners of his eyes curved slightly downward. Her expression hardened when she saw him smiling in the same way he had seven years ago. Ji-heon found it hard to hold back his laughter and tightened his lips. He never knew there was a woman who could talk about serious things so cheerfully and adorably. At that moment, an arm stretched out and moved. A large hand moved towards her without hesitation and stroked her soft cheek. Even as his hand moved slowly, as if checking the texture of her skin, he didn't know what he was doing. It was as if someone's hand had pulled his right hand and placed it on her cheek. No, it was as if something unconscious was controlling his hand and heart. He was so eager to touch her that he finally broke the strings of reason, and he couldn't see anything around him. It was possible to have his heart stolen so easily. It was possible to be helpless, as if his body wasn't his own. In front of her. But anyway, he had nothing to say. It was his greed that he didn't immediately take his hand away, even though he knew he was wrong.
