Chapter 40
- You Came Back
2023.06.09.
6 AM.
Han So-eun opened her eyes alone. Kim Tae-joon wasn't in the bedroom.
A sliver of light and a clattering sound seeped in through the slightly open door.
'He's an early riser.'
Both last week and today. She'd assumed a rich man's son would be moderately lazy, but it seemed that was her prejudice. Although she wasn't fully rested, So-eun thought she should get up too. She couldn't be lazy in someone else's house.
"Ugh..."
But as So-eun tried to raise her upper body, she groaned and collapsed again. It felt like her body wasn't listening to her. Every nook and cranny ached.
'He was too much.'
What Kim Tae-joon had done last night was spiteful torment. As he'd initially forewarned, instead of showing the generosity of turning off the lights, he did everything else as he pleased. The skill with which he soothed her as she struggled, then relentlessly pushed her, was almost frightening.
And that wasn't all. Even though she'd hurriedly put on her clothes as soon as she was released from his embrace, he pulled her back without a care. That's when she made a slip of the tongue. She should have said, 'I've had enough now,' but instead, she'd shouted, 'Turn off the lights!' She'd accepted his prompting.
She'd been so focused on the lighting that she'd been hasty. Because of that momentary slip of the tongue, she hadn't fallen asleep until after midnight. It had been a happy, overwhelming, joyful, and breathless time. One that, if she recalled it again, might bring tears to her eyes.
Even as she drifted off to sleep, she'd been a little tense, fearing he might pounce again. She'd pretended to be asleep on purpose, and then she'd actually dozed off. In that trembling dream, she'd heard his voice.
So-eun slowly raised herself again, recalling the words she'd heard in her dream last night.
"Did you sleep well?"
Coming into the living room, Tae-joon greeted So-eun from the kitchen.
"You left. You were mine."
Last night. It was a moment between sleep and wakefulness, but So-eun had definitely heard it. It wasn't a dream. He had definitely whispered that.
It was a strange thing to say, unless he was talking to himself. Because her eyes had been closed, she couldn't know what state he'd been in when he said it. Maybe he'd been talking in his sleep, or maybe he'd been on the phone.
'What does that mean? Who were you thinking of when you said that?'
She wanted to know, but she didn't want to know.
They'd become close so quickly. So-eun had confessed her feelings first, and he'd pushed his body forward like a bulldozer. Because it had been so fast, they didn't know much about each other.
For them, there was only the sparkling present. Just as So-eun had hidden the scar on her abdomen for a frictionless first night, Tae-joon must have hidden his past to embrace So-eun. He might be trying to fill a void from So-eun because he couldn't forget a past lover.
So, she wouldn't say anything. We're together for the sake of our current desires.
"Yes. Did you get some sleep, Director Kim?"
Hiding her curiosity, So-eun asked Tae-joon.
Instead of answering, Tae-joon came closer. Because he wasn't wearing his lenses, Tae-joon's blurry silhouette became clearer as he approached. Seeing his expression as he tilted his head and smiled, the events of last night suddenly came flooding back.
Tae-joon came closer and wrapped his long arms around So-eun's neck. The feeling of being enveloped in his arms was pleasant, but she didn't feel comfortable.
A man whose frame was incomparable to hers. A man who was large in every way. Thinking about being crushed by that body last night made her skin crawl again.
"How's your body?"
"I'm okay."
"I felt great, how about So-eun?"
She was more surprised by the naturalness with which he called her name than by the word "great." While various thoughts passed through her mind, the way he called her name sounded so warm that it didn't seem like her own name. It was as if she were someone more noble, more lovable. So-eun answered without inflection, trying not to reveal all her feelings.
"Me too."
"And yet you cried."
How did he know that? Startled, wondering if he'd seen her, she looked up and Tae-joon confessed with a smile.
"I can tell by touching."
So-eun was a little embarrassed. She'd never shown anyone her crying. She wasn't much of a crier, to begin with. But she'd cried over something trivial for an adult. Actually, she hadn't even realized she was crying; the tears had just flowed.
Maybe she'd cried more freely because she thought she wouldn't be caught in the dark. So-eun's crying wasn't necessarily because it was hard. It was tears of shock at an unfamiliar experience, a little sadness, and perhaps an overwhelming feeling. Of course, it also contained the petulance that came from him tormenting her so much.
Turning her head away in embarrassment, So-eun discovered that the Moon Jar that had been broken in two was sitting on the display stand in its original form.
"It's been put back together?"
"I glued it with adhesive."
Tae-joon answered So-eun's words. Looking closely, she could clearly see the cracks in the jar. It wouldn't be visible from afar, so it would still perform its role as a decorative object, but now this Moon Jar could no longer be a vase. It wouldn't be able to hold water.
Tae-joon seemed proud of having glued the jar back together, and he boasted.
"Doesn't it look seamless?"
"No."
"......"
"It's all obvious."
So-eun answered honestly.
Herself, hiding her past with Yang Hee-wook. And this man, thinking of some past lover she didn't know about.
Eventually, it would all become obvious, but how long could we keep deceiving each other?
The thought that I needed him and he needed me made me feel like this was how it should be, but the thought that this impure intention could hurt each other made me feel a little lost.
"I'm sorry."
"Every time you say sorry from now on, a flick on the forehead."
When she apologized, Tae-joon pretended to flick her forehead. So-eun's hand immediately went up to her forehead. Instinctively anticipating it was a habit of So-eun's. Strangely, Tae-joon's expression hardened at So-eun's reaction. So-eun awkwardly stroked her forehead.
"Thank you. I broke something worth fifty million won, which is a huge deal, but you're treating it like it's nothing."
After saying a lighthearted greeting, she wanted to give Tae-joon a word of advice.
Don't hold on to the past.
It's more comfortable to just think that life flows on, Director Kim.
So, let go of the past that's tormenting you now.
"Anyway, what's gone doesn't come back, Director Kim."
Tae-joon laughed at So-eun's absurd advice.
'You came back.'
Was this a warning to hold on to Han So-eun so she wouldn't leave?
Or did it mean that we shouldn't break like the Moon Jar?
He thought it was cute how she was indirectly asserting what she wanted from him.
Just as Tae-joon was happily pulling So-eun into his arms again, Tae-joon's cell phone, which had been placed on the table, rang.
He thought it was a mistakenly set alarm, but it was a call from his aunt, Seok-hwa.
His aunt should be on a business trip in Europe right now, so he wondered what urgent matter it could be and answered the phone.
"Yes, Aunt."
[Oh, Tae-joon, you're awake.]
"Yes, Aunt. You're on a business trip, right? Are you feeling okay?"
[I'm fine, don't worry about me. Actually, Tae-joon, I'm calling because I have a favor to ask.]
"Yes, tell me."
[Could you go on a business trip to the Philippines this weekend?]
"This weekend?"
Tae-joon asked Seok-hwa, turning his head to look at So-eun.
[Yes. I think it would be best to leave today. Actually, I don't know if the news has been reported there, but some employees at the Philippine electronics factory have died. The accident didn't happen at the factory, but the employees were carpooling after work, and the driver's negligence caused an accident.]
A traffic accident caused by the driver's negligence.
Tae-joon's chest stung.
[The bereaved families of the deceased are demanding compensation from the company, claiming it was the company's fault. But according to our policy, we can't be responsible for negligence outside of work. If we acknowledge this, it will become even more complicated, so we need to talk to the legal team at the Philippine branch as well. We will respect the position of the bereaved families as much as possible and negotiate.]
He understood the situation, but Tae-joon thought he should draw a line.
"Aunt, I'm an executive at K Electronic Service, and isn't that something the electronics side should handle?"
[One of the deceased employees is from the service division. So, I've decided that you can step in.]
He looked at So-eun again. So-eun was looking at Tae-joon, and when their eyes met, she pretended not to care and turned her head to touch the Moon Jar.
He was reminded of when she was dating Yang Hee-wook. Tae-joon couldn't forget the look on her face when Yang Hee-wook said he was going on a business trip overseas.
[You're good at English, and it's an opportunity for you to be active externally.]
"I can't go. I have plans."
Seok-hwa tried to persuade him, but Tae-joon flatly refused. His plans with So-eun came first.
[Still, Tae-joon, if it's not an important appointment...]
"It's an important appointment."
[......]
"I wouldn't be able to go even if the president died, Aunt. I'm sorry, but please find someone else. I can't do it."
He didn't think there was any need to continue the call, so he said, "Then I'll hang up," and quickly ended the call.
After the call, So-eun asked Tae-joon.
"Is your aunt telling you to go on a business trip? This weekend?"
When Tae-joon didn't answer, So-eun immediately continued.
"Go ahead and go, Director Kim."
Tae-joon looked at So-eun. Her expression, showing no signs of disappointment, was somehow ungrateful.
"You don't have to do that because of me."
"Doesn't Han So-eun want to play with me?"
"I do, but..."
"......"
"Business trips have their time, and we can meet anytime."
How could she not be disappointed?
But So-eun decided not to show it. The fact that he had refused his aunt's request to spend time with her was enough to satisfy her. She was sincerely grateful to him.
So, she thought she should become a more mature person.
This person lives in a different world than I do. I can't just satisfy my own desires. His world shouldn't be ruined because of me.
"I don't want people to know that I'm next to Director Kim. I think that would be good for me and good for Director Kim."
This was how she could repay him.
"I've ridden in Director Kim's car more than ten times so far, and one of my colleagues knows about it. Park Bobae next to me asks every time what kind of person Director Kim is and if I talk to Director Kim a lot. But none of my colleagues suspect anything between Director Kim and me."
So-eun continued to speak clearly. In the meantime, Tae-joon's expression was becoming dry and bloodless. He felt distant, but...
"People know it too. That Director Kim and I wouldn't become that kind of couple... I like things the way they are now."
She was someone who knew how to be content with the present moment.
I know that you and I will eventually not work out. So, it's okay.
I won't have any vain expectations.
I'll just think about the fact that your existence in front of me is real.
A relationship where you can be happy without wanting anything. That's the kind of relationship she wanted.
As soon as So-eun finished speaking, Tae-joon came closer and reached out his arms. She didn't know what button had been pressed in her story.
Tae-joon lifted her up in a flash. So-eun grabbed his neck and squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened her eyes again, she was in the bedroom. Tae-joon gently placed her in the bedroom, lowered himself, and tilted his head. Just before their lips touched, So-eun urgently shouted.
"Uh... wait a minute! Director Kim, this is a bit..."
"I'll turn off the lights."
"It's still bright even if you turn off the lights!"
This man has to go to work, no, he has to go on a business trip, why is he doing this now!
In her haste, she shouted, and Tae-joon pressed one of the buttons next to the bed. The lights went out, and blackout blinds were drawn over the window where the light had been coming in.
It was a moment when morning immediately turned into night.
"All set?"
He asked. Even though he wouldn't accept it if she said no.
