Leaning back on the sofa with his long legs elegantly crossed, the man gave the toe of his dress shoe a light flick. He carried an overwhelming presence, drawing the energy out of the room with the slightest movement.
Yu-yeon found her throat tightening for no apparent reason. Hiding her nerves, she pressed on with her explanation, keeping her diction crisp.
This was already her fourth meeting with him. And her fourth time repeating the very same pitch.
She was beginning to suspect his real intentions. It hardly seemed likely he had summoned her here, to his private office, just to hear the same speech all over again.
Though she was brimming with irritation inside, Yu-yeon finished her presentation briskly and offered a polite smile without letting anything show.
He let out a faint chuckle in return.
The subtle smile playing on his lips and the languid gaze looking down at her, legs still crossed, felt almost like he was taking her measure—or perhaps baiting her into some cryptic provocation.
A curiously insolent attitude coexisted with an aristocratic aura, blending into an oddly harmonious whole.
It was entirely thanks to those infuriating good looks of his.
He possessed fair skin, a smooth jawline, and crisp, striking features—a man endowed with the kind of arresting beauty that made it impossible for anyone to simply pass him by.
In particular, the effortless upturn at the corners of his mouth exuded the aristocratic grace and composure of someone born to privilege.
Executive Director of the Distribution Division at Choi Sun Mulsan, Choi Hyeon-myeong.
A man so picture-perfect that even his mildly bored expression looked stunning.
The man spoke in a low, leisurely voice, the sort that seemed capable of keeping its calm even in the midst of a blood-drenched war.
Answering without hesitation, Yu-yeon pointed out the recent accident. In response to his somewhat abrasive tone, she too was growing bolder.
Not long ago, a small fire had broken out at a Choi Sun Mulsan distribution warehouse due to an overheated mobile unit. Overly complicated internal routes had delayed regular maintenance checks, triggering the incident.
Yu-yeon had assumed Choi Sun Mulsan’s executives, feeling the weight of responsibility after the accident, were keeping an eye on her program and repeatedly calling her in because of it. Yet judging by the man's expression right now, that did not seem to be the case, leaving her puzzled.
Regardless, Yu-yeon was confident in her work, so she pressed on boldly.
Her bright eyes sparkling, Yu-yeon smiled resolutely once more.
The man, who had been studying her face with refined composure, slowly curled his lips.
“…”
Uncrossing his legs, he planted his large shoe on the floor with a firm tap. Yu-yeon reflexively leaned back, swallowing hard.
As far as Yu-yeon leaned away, Choi Hyeon-myeong bent toward her. His voice grew heavier, thicker, as if confiding something of utmost gravity.
And yet, he sounded as if he were joking—or perhaps not at all.
The gentle, coaxing tone exerted an unfathomable pressure that left Yu-yeon all the more bewildered.
She fought to collect her thoughts.
Looking back, the man had been strange from their very first meeting.
There had been moments of disquiet when his gaze lingered intently, as though he had known her for ages, stinging as if probing every inch of her body.
Uncomfortable as it was, bringing it up herself felt improper, so Yu-yeon feigned ignorance.
“…”
Yu-yeon’s heart constricted tight.
The man stared directly at Yu-yeon, the delicate contours around his eyes thrown into sharp relief. Quiet yet intimidating, his gaze bore down with the tenacity of someone intent on stripping every scrap of flesh from her bones.
Then, all at once, he broke it off. As if done with a pointless staring contest, he turned his head and looked away.
“…”
At his biting assessment, color flared across Yu-yeon’s cheeks.
Ha…
The man folded his arms at his leisure and tilted his head. An arrogant smile played on his lips, as though bestowing a favor upon a lowly subordinate.
‘You called me all the way out here just to say this? On a Saturday afternoon, no less?’
She had always thought herself difficult to rattle, yet her voice trembled faintly. Clenching her teeth, she asked back.
“…”
Yu-yeon hastily cut him off before he could blurt it out.
She thought she had seen all sorts of ridiculous bastards, but this was her first time meeting someone who sat there looking so respectable while proposing they sleep together.
She hurried to pack up the equipment and documents she had brought.
“…”
Her hands froze as she packed up her equipment.
To make such an offer with the easy poise of someone asking, ‘Have you been busy lately?’ left her utterly dumbfounded.
Uncrossing his arms, the man leaned forward. His face drew close.
His voice drifted over her face, teasing and sultry. The sensation made Yu-yeon want to scrub her ears clean in disgust.
‘I wasted my time.’
Having packed away everything she had laid out, Yu-yeon rose from her seat.
Standing up with her, the man shoved both hands deep into his pockets and sneered.
Yu-yeon didn’t even pretend to listen, giving only a curt nod.
Without a single regret, she turned and strode toward the door. But a surge of indignation welled up inside her.
She marched straight back and stood before him, even if his towering height forced her to crane her neck back.
Snapping at him, Yu-yeon spun around.
Yanking the door open, Yu-yeon stepped out into the hallway, muttering under her breath the curse she hadn’t managed to spit right in his face.
The more she chewed on it, the more dumbfounded she became. And the more pathetic his life seemed to her.
‘Why live like that with a face like his?’
In the end, a prickle of tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
It hurt so deeply, but she supposed she was fortunate that it ended at this. She decided to chalk it up as an expensive life lesson.
Yu-yeon was a beautiful woman.
Her skin was so clear it seemed translucent, framing large, vivid eyes, an upturned nose with soft, elegant curves, and comfortably full lips that harmonized in flawless balance over a small face—a born beauty through and through. Slender and graceful on top of that, she was flawless.
Strangers readily envied her, but good looks were hardly an outright blessing. Today had driven that point home once again. Yu-yeon had been judged by her appearance, not her competence. It was a stinging defeat.
Still, she was fortunate to have built up some resilience along the way.
He wasn’t the first bastard to proposition her so openly. Her very first boyfriend had asked to sleep together just two days into dating, and another guy had tried to take her to a hotel when they weren’t even seeing each other.
Even so… her boyfriend had recognized the program's worth, so her hopes had soared so high.
She was trudging along after getting off the subway when she ran into her friend Lim Da-mi.
Da-mi had known early on about Yu-yeon’s meeting with an executive from Choi Sun Mulsan. Hearing the meeting was over, she had come to the station to meet her.
Da-mi hurried over and took Yu-yeon by the hand.
The card she thought was a winning lottery ticket was a dud. A massive dud.
Part of her wanted to expose Choi Hyeon-myeong’s filthy proposition, but putting it into words felt like dragging her own worth down with it, so she held it in.
Da-mi offered words of comfort to the despondent Yu-yeon. Then she clapped her hands with dramatic flair.
Caught up in the day’s profound shock, Yu-yeon had briefly forgotten all about it, but her friend was already making a huge fuss.
Last Wednesday, the results of the patent attorney exam had been announced. Her boyfriend, Do Yong-tae, who had been studying hard for three and a half years, finally saw his name among the successful candidates.
Right. There had been wonderful news like that, too.
Of course, even without that promise, she would have supported him gladly.
During the three-odd years Yong-tae had spent preparing for the exam, Yu-yeon had weathered plenty of heartache herself. As soon as they started dating, he quit his job to study, so she had never enjoyed an easygoing, carefree date like other couples.
Having seen quite a few peers pass within two years of hitting the books, Yu-yeon had constantly kept him motivated, worrying his resolve might waver.
Knowing that all that effort had finally borne fruit left her in high spirits. Yu-yeon chided herself for feeling so miserable over trivial matters. Da-mi’s comfort really seemed to have helped.
Toward evening, Yu-yeon headed out to meet Yong-tae. Hearing the news of his success, Yu-yeon’s father had offered to buy the two of them dinner.
Yong-tae had been staying at his family home in his hometown, so this was also the first time Yu-yeon had seen her boyfriend since hearing the good news.
The moment Yong-tae saw Yu-yeon, he ran over and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
Normally, she would have pulled away out of embarrassment, but she was so happy that she simply leaned into his arms.
After holding her for a long time, Yong-tae stepped back to meet Yu-yeon’s eyes. Then, with a flushed face, he shook his head vigorously.
Truth be told, rather than marriage, she wanted to enjoy all the ordinary dates they had missed out on, but today was a day to savor the good mood.
Yu-yeon smiled warmly.
Yu-yeon’s father, Hong Deok-su, arrived right on time.
Yu-yeon greeted Deok-su warmly. Lately, both had been so busy with work that they barely even ran into each other at home, making this reunion for such a happy occasion all the more special.
Yong-tae hurried over to greet him as well.
Their rounds of congratulations and gratitude went on for a long time.
Befitting a fine restaurant, the meal was lavish. Deok-su even ordered an expensive bottle of wine for the two of them. Unaccustomed to alcohol, his face soon grew pleasantly flushed.
As they left the restaurant, Yong-tae gave a spirited response to Deok-su’s heartfelt words.
Naturally taking her place beside Do Yong-tae, Yu-yeon waved at Deok-su.
Catching on quickly to the father-daughter banter, Yong-tae took his leave. Yu-yeon pouted, but Deok-su chuckled heartily, praising Yong-tae for his consideration.
Yu-yeon kept grumbling the entire walk home. Deok-su gently coaxed his daughter.
Still, Yu-yeon had a soft heart when it came to her father. She knew he had pushed himself despite his busy schedule today. After walking in silence for a moment, she offered her thanks.
Yu-yeon replied playfully, clinging to his arm. The walk from the restaurant to their house was fairly long and the air was chilly, but being with her dad after so long felt fresh and comforting.
Yellow ginkgo leaves drifted in the wind, carpeting the night road.
Her father chuckled heartily, finding his daughter adorable. It was right as they turned into the dark alley near their house.
Vroooom!
Headlights flared behind them. A sedan suddenly hurtled straight toward the two of them, rushing forward as if its brakes had failed.
In the blink of an eye, Hong Deok-su instinctively shielded Yu-yeon. Panicking, she clutched her father’s arm with all her might.
Crash!
Their bodies bounced hard off the car.
A flash of light flared before Yu-yeon’s eyes, and then everything was swallowed by darkness.
Blink, blink.
At the unfamiliar voice, Yu-yeon heavily lifted her eyelids. Not an ounce of strength remained in her body.
Two women stood before her blurred vision.
Yu-yeon forced open her locked throat and parted her lips. This was a hospital. She must have been brought here after a car accident.
At Yu-yeon’s question, the nurse and caregiver exchanged a look, their faces heavy with something that was neither joy nor sorrow.
She had asked about her father, but the nurse told her something else entirely first.
Two years and four months.
Just yesterday, I was twenty-six.
To think I was twenty-nine now.
She was told that her father, Hong Deok-su, had died in the accident, leaving Yu-yeon as the sole survivor before she slipped into a prolonged coma. Everything was a shock. It felt as though someone had stripped the entire operating system right out of her head, rendering her incapable of coherent thought. She could only stare blankly.
After the nurse left, the caregiver notified Yu-yeon’s younger sibling that she had regained consciousness. Yu-yeon borrowed the caregiver’s cell phone to call her boyfriend.
What followed was a whirlwind of tests. Not long after finishing the examinations, meeting with the doctor, and returning to her hospital room, Yong-tae arrived.
Too overwhelmed by shock and sorrow even to cry, Yu-yeon looked feebly at her boyfriend. He had changed considerably, having put on a bit of weight and looking much more polished.
Though relieved to see him, Yu-yeon could not muster a cheerful smile.
Yong-tae also seemed relieved that Yu-yeon had regained consciousness, yet an awkward look lingered on his face, keeping him from showing unreserved joy.
At that moment, the door swung open again.
It was Yu-yeon’s closest friend, Da-mi. But she hadn’t reached out to Da-mi.
Had her younger brother called her? Or perhaps the caregiver?
She lacked the strength to ask about such trivial matters. Instead, feeling she should introduce the two to each other, she opened her mouth to speak.
Calling him that so casually.
A strange unease washed over the faces of the two before her.
Yong-tae seemed deeply flustered, while Da-mi’s gaze hardened as if steeling herself to deliver difficult news.
Da-mi stepped close beside Yong-tae and took his hand.
Another shock struck Yu-yeon. Her boyfriend and her best friend were getting married.