Chapter 28
- I Tormented Her Because I Was Frustrated
2023.05.28.
She had been snoring so loudly, but now her breathing had become shallow. Kim Tae-joon, chased by yet another worry, reached out to touch Han So-eun's nose.
Snore, snore.
Warm breaths tickled his knuckles. She was sleeping soundly.
Tae-joon also sighed in relief.
He thought it would be a relaxing evening, but his mind was more complicated than ever.
So, you wanted to go on a blind date that badly?
Then you should have just ignored what I said, quit your job, and gone secretly. Why are you trying so hard to do everything, even at the expense of your own health?
She even took unpaid leave to take care of her prospective mother-in-law for a month. She was a naturally foolish woman. A woman who didn't know how to live life casually.
I tormented her because I was frustrated that she lived like that.
But the more I tormented her, the more stubborn she became.
Tae-joon pulled up a chair and sat in front of So-eun.
When he carried her, she was so light he wondered if she even ate. She was so light that he didn't feel tired at all on the way to the hospital.
He even had the absurd thought that she might have wings somewhere and be floating in the air.
Even now, sleeping peacefully, she looked like a baby bird that had lost its mother. It seemed like she could wake up at any moment, spread her wings, and fly away.
He sat there quietly for a while when her bag vibrated. Tae-joon picked up So-eun's phone, which Song Mun-gyeong had found. The name 'Blind Date Park Jin-mook' appeared on the screen. Tae-joon ignored it and flipped the phone over. But just as the phone seemed to stop ringing, it started again. This guy was persistent. He couldn't let the phone keep ringing, so he answered it.
"Hello. This is Han So-eun's phone."
[Uh... where is Han So-eun?]
The man on the other end asked hesitantly.
"Han So-eun is sleeping now..."
Tae-joon, finding the man amusing, almost said something sarcastic, but he took a deep breath and gave a plausible answer.
"...She's stepped away for a moment."
[Excuse me, but may I ask who's speaking?]
"I'm a friend of Han So-eun. Should I tell her to call you when she gets back?"
[Ah, no. I think it would be better if you could pass on a message for me.]
"Yes. Go ahead."
[Yes. Well... the thing is, I feel like I need to apologize. I recently broke up with my girlfriend and made a blind date appointment in a fit of pique, but I got back together with her yesterday.]
He thought it was a call to confirm the blind date, but it was the opposite.
"Ah, I see."
Tae-joon's sharp voice softened.
[So, I'd like you to tell Han So-eun that I won't be able to go on the blind date. I'm really sorry.]
"I understand. I'll let her know."
[Yes. Thank you. I'll hang up now.]
The blind date man quickly conveyed his message and hung up.
It was a relief that he answered the phone. If he hadn't, he would have been worried the whole time.
Tae-joon placed the phone near So-eun and returned to his previous position.
He thought the woman, unaware of this complicated situation and still asleep, looked like a princess in a fairy tale.
I tormented her because I was frustrated that she lived like that.
I wanted to keep watching her because I was impressed by how hard she worked.
No. He had wanted to possess her from the beginning. That's why he had contributed to her breakup with her boyfriend and made her life difficult.
He could acknowledge his feelings, but he had to calculate the next step.
What if the fact that this woman was close to him reached his aunt or grandfather's ears?
It wouldn't affect Tae-joon at all. But the woman would be kicked out. Just like on that day 20 years ago. She would disappear without a word, leaving nothing behind.
Don't touch her. If you want to watch her for longer.
The Kim Tae-joon inside him, who desired stability, persuaded him.
But will this feeling last?
He didn't think it would last long.
It was a feeling that had sprouted on top of an unwavering hatred. It was a solid foundation where only hatred would remain once the fleeting, precarious affection disappeared.
It's just a temporary deviation anyway, and it won't cause me any harm anyway.
Just grab her.
Another Kim Tae-joon, who desired deviation, tempted him.
She's pretty. You want to touch her. You want to possess her.
His hesitating fingertips slowly moved again. As he smoothed her disheveled hair from tossing and turning, her fair face was revealed. It was a face that made him forget his complicated thoughts and just stare, even in the midst of his complicated feelings.
Just as he paused, So-eun opened her eyes.
Blink, blink.
It was a slow movement, like when she was about to fall asleep.
"Han So-eun, Assistant Manager."
"Huh."
So-eun was startled and jumped up at the sound of her name being called gently.
"Where is this..."
"You collapsed and fell asleep, so I brought you to the emergency room."
"..."
"I didn't bring you here alone. Song Mun-gyeong came with me, so don't get any strange ideas."
"Ah, no. I didn't."
"..."
"I'm just... sorry."
"If you feel sorry, don't ever do this again."
So-eun was so embarrassed that she couldn't even answer politely.
Her phone was conveniently placed by her head where she had been lying. The blind date man's name on the missed call caught her eye before she even noticed the time, which was 10 PM.
"And, the blind date is canceled."
Tae-joon spoke first as So-eun picked up her phone, wondering why the blind date man had called.
"Pardon?"
"The man called. I recorded the conversation, so listen to it yourself."
Wondering what he meant, So-eun opened her call history with a nonchalant expression. There was a record of a 3-minute call with the blind date man. And the entire conversation was indeed recorded.
So-eun played the recording. And her face quickly turned red.
I see. That's what happened.
'There are people who break up and get back together.'
She felt more envious of the blind date man than disappointed that the blind date had fallen through.
Something that would never happen to her.
No, even if Yang Hee-wook came back, she would have to refuse him.
Looking back on it now, her love had been strange from the beginning. She didn't know anything because it was her first time, but now she knew that it wasn't a normal relationship.
After listening to the entire recording, Yang Hee-wook came to mind, and her eyes stung. Tae-joon asked worriedly as So-eun covered her eyes.
"Are you crying?"
"No. My eyes hurt. I'm going to take out my contacts."
So-eun blinked and removed the transparent film from her eyes.
"I slept with my contacts in... I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing to me?"
Tae-joon replied gruffly, as if he didn't care.
Tae-joon's beauty didn't change even when she took out her contacts. No, perhaps because his menacing expression was now blurred, he looked more gentle.
Yang Hee-wook also seemed gentle. Maybe there was something wrong with my eyesight.
I want to have a normal relationship.
But who would think well of a woman who donated her liver for her ex-boyfriend's mother, whom she wasn't even going to marry? They would think she was crazy. They would feel burdened.
She had done a wonderful thing that deserved praise, but now she was sad that she might be gossiped about because of it.
Am I going to live alone like this?
Is there anyone in the world who would accept my past without a second thought? Is there anyone who would dismiss my pain?
I want to have a relationship without calculations.
A relationship where they don't consider family, school, wealth, or job... where they don't measure anything, where they just like each other because they like each other, a normal love. A simple relationship where just being together is enough to make them happy.
'And if possible, with a handsome man.'
So-eun chuckled inwardly as she looked at Tae-joon's face.
It would be great if it was a handsome man who wanted just 'Han So-eun' herself, with no background.
'Oh, Han So-eun, you have such big dreams.'
After sorting out her fleeting, absurd thoughts, So-eun thanked Tae-joon.
"Director, thank you. I'm sorry. I'm okay. I think I can just go home."
"I'll take you."
"No. It's okay."
"Where are you going alone without your contacts?"
"But I can still see..."
Tae-joon stood up as if he hadn't heard So-eun's answer and held out his hand. So-eun stared blankly at his large hand before carefully placing her hand on top of it. Her hands were cold even though she had been under a warm blanket, but this man's hands were warm even though he had just been sitting still.
He put strength into the hand he had offered for her to rest on. As he closed his fingers, So-eun's fingers curled into his grip. So-eun couldn't pull her hand away, as he seemed worried that she might collapse again. Somehow, she couldn't let go of his hand from the hospital to the car. It wasn't until So-eun sat in the passenger seat that their hands separated.
Tae-joon walked around the hood and sat in the driver's seat. As soon as he started the engine, he checked the air conditioning. He stretched out his long arm and checked each air vent on the passenger side before leaving the driver's seat. A moment later, she heard the sound of the car trunk opening and closing.
Tae-joon returned to the driver's seat and handed So-eun a plastic bag. Tae-joon quietly sighed in annoyance as So-eun blinked at him while holding the plastic bag. A blanket came out of the plastic bag. It was a soft blanket that felt cozy. Tae-joon unfolded the blanket and covered So-eun's body with it before grabbing the steering wheel as if nothing had happened.
Uh...
While the car was moving, the passenger seat reclined. It didn't go down very far, but the position was more comfortable than before. A moment later, she felt warmth rising from the backrest and her bottom.
From So-eun's perspective, the sudden lavish treatment was strangely frightening.
"Director, I'm too burdened by this..."
"Just relax. Don't say anything later."
So-eun's voice was drowned out by Tae-joon's voice.
Whether it was because she was afraid of his tightly pursed lips, or because she was just naturally conscientious, or because the environment was warm on her back and cool on her face, she really started to feel a little comfortable in this burdensome situation. So-eun leaned back in the comfortable seat and quietly closed her eyes.
The car drove quietly and soon reached So-eun's neighborhood. Tae-joon carefully spoke, thinking he should wake up the sleeping So-eun.
"At least rest tomorrow and don't go anywhere."
"..."
"If you feel anything wrong with your body, go to the emergency room again."
Tae-joon continued to speak, recognizing that So-eun had stirred slightly and woken up. He was also concerned that she hadn't eaten dinner.
"Do you want to eat something? You haven't had dinner yet."
But So-eun only stirred briefly and didn't move any further.
Soon, Tae-joon arrived in front of So-eun's house, parked the car, and called So-eun again.
"Han So-eun, Assistant Manager."
"..."
"Wake up now. We're home."
"..."
"Aren't you going home?"
So-eun didn't respond. Tae-joon hesitated for a moment before straightening the passenger seat. As the seat back came up, So-eun's head fell to the side.
Tae-joon belatedly regretted making her seat too comfortable.
How should he wake her up?
He couldn't turn up the audio loudly and startle someone who had collapsed, and he couldn't hit her either. No, to be honest, it was the perfect opportunity to flick her forehead like he did 20 years ago.
After hesitating, Tae-joon leaned in close to So-eun's ear and whispered gently.
"Do you want to be punished? Get up now."
