-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Jealousy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Yeongin glanced at the passenger seat.
"Answer it."
Seonghyeok, leaning back into the seat with his arms crossed, was askew in posture, expression, and tone.
If she didn't answer, it might look like she had something to hide, and she was also worried something might have happened to Jingyo, so she decided to pick up.
"Yes, Seonbae."
Yeongin still didn't realize that Seonghyeok frowned every time she called Jingyo "Seonbae."
"Where are you?"
"I was just about to drop off the CEO."
"So you're going home now, right?"
"Of course, at this hour, where else would I go but home?"
"Just in case you weren't going home."
Only then did Yeongin realize what Jingyo's question meant.
Why were they both so interested in her going home?
Seeing the two men concerned about the exact same thing, as if they'd conspired, made her certain that her earlier thought—that Seo Jingyo and Cha Seonghyeok were similar—was not a misconception.
Worried Seonghyeok might hear Jingyo's voice, Yeongin naturally shifted the phone from her right hand to her left. Then, she spoke vaguely.
"I'm about to leave now. Get some sleep, Seonbae."
"Text me when you get home. I'll wait."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Yeongin turned her head to Seonghyeok.
As expected, a cold current of air emanated from around the passenger seat.
"What? Is he worried I wouldn't send you home?"
"He was just telling me to get home safely."
"It sounds like he called to interrupt us, thinking you and I might go up to my place and start something, doesn't it?"
"It's not like that, so please get out quickly."
Seonghyeok's taunting expression suddenly grew heavy.
"Promise me one thing."
"What promise?"
"That you'll continue to be with Seo Jingyo as you are now."
"..."
Yeongin held her tongue to fully grasp the implication of "as you are now."
"Don't even think about using Seo Jingyo to push me away."
Honestly, she had wanted to at first.
She'd thought it was the fastest and easiest way to make Cha Seonghyeok give up.
She had no choice but to abandon that idea because the two men had started openly showing hostility. Even though she hadn't done anything, they exchanged sharp words whenever they met, making her unable to even dare try anything.
But receiving a warning from him suddenly made her feel annoyed. Annoyed enough to say things she didn't mean.
"I can't make that promise. Relationships can change at any time, can't they? Just like it did between you and me."
"Seo Jingyo isn't a man to you, is he?"
"Don't assert your suspicions as my own thoughts."
"If you don't want to see me lose my mind, don't do anything with Seo Jingyo."
"..."
"Even if you do everything imaginable with Seo Jingyo, I will never give up on you. You'll eventually come back to me. So don't cross the line now and regret it later."
Yeongin, who had been biting her lip, retorted coldly.
"What did I do to deserve to hear such things? Do you even have the right to say this to me?"
"Of course. Because I like you."
A bitter laugh escaped Yeongin's lips.
"How can someone who went on a blind date with my sister be so brazen?"
She had tried not to show it until the end, but she couldn't hold it in any longer. The words, "Act properly if you're going to say things like that," rose to her throat.
"Did you hear it from Arim?"
"Yes."
"I tried to protect her last bit of pride, but it was a wasted consideration."
"..."
Yeongin's pupils trembled slightly as she sensed there was an underlying situation she didn't know about.
"My mother came to the company yesterday. She asked to have dinner together, so I agreed to meet at 7."
Seonghyeok didn't know that Yeongin had seen his mother yesterday, let alone met his mother three years ago. He thought Yeongin didn't even know what his mother looked like.
"When I went to the restaurant, Arim was there instead of my mother."
He let out a scoff, then recounted the full story in a low voice, as if spitting out words.
Seonghyeok's gaze was so chilling that Yeongin couldn't even breathe loudly throughout the story.
"I unleashed such harsh words that I never want to deal with her again, and I got up in less than five minutes. If it were me, I'd be too embarrassed to tell anyone, but I guess I underestimated Chae Arim."
"..."
Betrayal, resentment, and jealousy.
The tangled emotions that had swirled within her for a full day instantly vanished. The emptiness that remained was filled with remorse.
Knowing better than anyone what kind of man Cha Seonghyeok was, why hadn't she considered there might have been a reason? Why hadn't she trusted him?
She felt deeply apologetic for misunderstanding, thinking he might be trying to marry her sister.
On the other hand, she genuinely wondered if a blind date snatched through deceptive means, or a blind date where one was rejected after hearing words so harsh one wouldn't want to associate with the person again, was truly something her sister could be proud of.
"Did you perhaps think I was two-timing you with Arim?"
"..."
When Yeongin didn't deny it, Seonghyeok's dark eyebrows twitched.
"Just how much of a scumbag did you take me for? Even if you two are sisters who aren't blood-related, I wouldn't do something like that. I have no interest in any woman other than you."
"..."
"Even if others don't, you should acknowledge my sincerity. Because of you, I've abstained for three years..."
Yeongin, who had been looking down as if in reflection, suddenly widened her eyes and reached out to cover his mouth.
"Please, stop talking about that."
If his words were meant to imply responsibility, they were quite successful. She was actually starting to feel like she *should* take responsibility.
Yeongin belatedly realized where her hand was and flinched in surprise. But she couldn't pull her hand away. Seonghyeok had held onto it and wouldn't let go.
Yeongin's gaze went to his hand covering the back of hers.
Suddenly, she remembered that she used to like his large hands, big enough to completely cover hers. She also really liked his long, dark eyelashes and his remarkably prominent Adam's apple.
She had never told him that. And she probably never would.
"Your whites of your eyes are very clean."
"Your nostrils are perfectly round and cute."
"How are your teeth so even?"
"There's not a single thing about you that bothers me."
Recalling Cha Seonghyeok's unique compliments, which were different from others and thus more special, she regretted not having expressed herself to him a little more. She belatedly reflected on why she had been so stingy.
Yeongin, who had unknowingly drifted into thought, snapped back to reality when she felt the touch of lips against her palm.
Yeongin quickly pulled her hand away and mumbled something, her face flushed.
"How am I supposed to know if it's because of me or not..."
Seonghyeok's brows furrowed sharply.
"What? Am I being made out to be someone who was forced to abstain due to some functional issue and then blamed you for it?"
"No, rather than blaming me..."
"If you don't believe me, check for yourself."
Yeongin stared at him with eyes wide like a startled rabbit.
"What do you mean, check?"
"How much I want you."
"...S-stop talking nonsense and get out."
"I will get out. After I do what I need to do."
"...And what is that?"
Seonghyeok chuckled, watching Yeongin slowly retreat towards the driver's side door.
Since he was already being misunderstood, he was tempted to just go for it, but he decided to hold back a little longer. He planned to be properly compensated for his long period of self-restraint once Yeongin became his woman again.
"Where are you running off to?"
He grabbed Yeongin's wrist and pulled her towards him, then gently stroked her hair with his other hand.
"Good job."
What Seonghyeok had meant by "what I need to do" was a compliment.
"What did I do?"
Yeongin merely widened her eyes, by then so accustomed to his touch that she didn't even think to avoid or stop him.
"Being jealous."
"Who's jealous? I wasn't."
She flatly denied it, but such a clumsy denial wouldn't work on Seonghyeok.
"Yes, you were."
"..."
"You can be jealous, but don't misunderstand."
"..."
Yeongin was too busy reflecting repeatedly on her own arbitrary misunderstanding to realize that the spot Seonghyeok was now stroking on her head was the exact spot Jingyo's hand had touched moments before.
"Call me when you arrive."
"..."
"Never mind, I'll do it."
"I'll do it, so just go up already."
After the compliment, and having "disinfected" the spot and secured a promise, Seonghyeok got out of the car with a satisfied expression. Before closing the car door, he bent down and met Yeongin's eyes.
"Go. Drive safely."
Yeongin simply nodded silently.
She felt that if she opened her mouth now, a friendly remark like "get some good rest" might slip out.
There were too many things she shouldn't say to him.
***
The next morning.
Seonghyeok emerged from the shower, toweling his wet hair, and picked up his phone from the bedside table. A message from Yeongin had arrived five minutes ago.
Last night too, she had ignored his request to call and simply sent a dry "I've arrived" message. Today was no different.
*I wish she'd let me hear her voice.*
Seonghyeok grumbled about how petty she was and immediately called Yeongin.
"Hello?"
"Where are you now?"
"I'm walking to catch the subway."
"What do you mean, 'just go'?"
"What if I don't 'just go'?"
"If you came all the way to my place, you should commute to work with me. Come back."
"Stop talking nonsense and get ready for work."
Suddenly, Seonghyeok's brows furrowed.
"Isn't the subway crowded at this time?"
"Probably."
"Don't stand next to any men."
Imagining Yeongin's body touching another man's made him feel uncomfortable from the morning.
"No, I'm going to..."
"Hang up."
*Click*, the call was coldly cut off.
Seonghyeok quickly shed his shower robe, gauging how long it would take to get from his house to the subway station.
