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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: An Unsettling Dream and a Rainy Morning
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13.

Eun-seong unbuttoned his black shirt. With each movement of his long fingers, the buttons came undone one by one.

She wanted to look away but couldn't. Her body was strangely still, and she couldn't even move her eyes as she wished.

Watching Eun-seong draw closer, Yeon-joo could only manage to blink with great effort.

She barely managed to take a step back before her back hit the wall.

With nowhere left to run, Yeon-joo stared at Eun-seong with frightened eyes as he closed the distance between them. He dropped his shirt to the floor, placed a hand on the wall, and met her gaze.

*‘Why… why are you doing this?’*

The moment the words left her mouth, she knew it was a dream.

Yeon-joo tossed and turned, her brow furrowed. She knew she had to open her eyes to wake up, but as painful as it was, she didn't want to.

When she had desperately longed to see him, even in a dream, he hadn't appeared—

*‘What in the world are you doing to me?’*

*‘I want to see just how brazen you can be in front of me.’*

But now that she no longer wished for it, he had come to her in a dream.

*‘I was curious about what you were prepared to do for your dream. I became curious just what kind of grand dream you had that brought you to me.’*

It seemed that no matter how much she pretended otherwise, she felt guilty for seeking him out.

Feeling as if her sorest spot had been poked, Yeon-joo couldn't look Eun-seong in the eye.

*‘Look at me. Don't look away. Isn't being shameless your specialty?’*

Then, Eun-seong gripped her chin and spoke. His voice was enchanting enough to erase any will she had to resist him.

She met his eyes. More than a decade had passed since their breakup.

On his face, which seemed both changed and unchanged, his gaze alone remained the same. Just looking at him felt sweet, melting her.

Her hands and feet twitched as if their lips were about to touch. Her heart throbbed and trembled as if squeezed by two hands, and her eyes shut tight on their own.

*‘Listen carefully. I will not forgive you.’*

Instead of a kiss, he left her with words that pierced her heart and moved away. She could tell he was distancing himself, but she didn't know where he was going, and soon he vanished without a trace.

She finally opened her eyes. Waking up only after seeing the dream to its bitter end, she felt utterly pathetic.

Yeon-joo sat up, her eyes vacant. Then she buried her face in her knees.

It was dawn, the sound of rain tapping against the window. She knew she should sleep more, but her emotions wouldn't settle.

Her chest, heavy with pain, ached and tingled as she quietly exhaled. Her lips trembled, and she bit down on them, forcefully suppressing the swirling emotions.

“You can’t do this… You can’t do this…”

At dawn, when everyone was asleep. She thought it was only natural for her emotions to run wild. Didn't she deserve a moment to let herself go?

In this moment, she was not someone's mother or someone's daughter. She was just herself.

“No… Get a grip, you have to be calm. You can’t do this… No…”

These were times when just getting through the homework life threw at you was a struggle. Sometimes, you were punished for not getting the right answer. It was unfair and regrettable, but there was nothing to be done. You couldn't demand to know why no one had taught you how to live. Because it was the same for everyone.

It couldn't be that she was the only one finding life difficult.

“I’m going crazy, ugh. What am I going to do, ugh… Oh, my heart…”

But one thing, just one thing, was sorrowful—

Her own foolishness, her dull and ignorant stubbornness that would make the same choice even if she could turn back time.

“I should sleep. Phew, let’s sleep. I have to sleep to work tomorrow. Ugh, get a grip, Go Yeon-joo.”

The predawn rain fell, and I gasped in anguish. I struggled, crushed by the weight of the reality I had created for myself.

Before my beloved, whom I could see but not reach, I wandered. I crumbled. Between the unforgettable past and the inescapable present, my heart ached to its core.

*

“The rain isn’t stopping.”

Yeon-joo held up an umbrella, her arms full of sponsored items.

She had scrapped her old sedan a couple of months ago and had more or less adjusted to commuting by public transport. She knew she needed to buy a car, but with her tight monthly budget, she couldn't easily bring herself to do it.

It was usually manageable, but today was different. She was carrying a load of sponsored clothes she'd picked up from a company the day before, and of all times, it had to rain.

“I can’t even get a taxi.”

Tired of trying to hail a taxi that wouldn't come, she left her house. As she walked, readjusting the considerable weight of her bags several times, she tilted her umbrella, thinking the sponsored clothes were more important than her own body.

Only after one of her shoulders was completely soaked did she stop for a moment in front of the animal hospital.

Looking down at her white-knuckled fingertips, she couldn't help but sigh. She had to walk for at least another ten minutes to even catch a bus; the situation felt hopeless. The traffic was heavier than usual, too, and she might be late if she didn't hurry.

She was standing on the steps, staring at the raindrops falling on the awning. When the hospital door opened, Yeon-joo was startled and stepped aside, looking away into the distance.

The person locking the door was none other than the hospital director.

“It’s raining a lot.”

Feeling awkward for taking shelter in front of someone else's building, Yeon-joo smiled and spoke to him.

Yeon-joo knew Dr. Joo well from seeing him around, but he wore a look of someone who had no memory of her.

Dr. Joo glanced at her bags, then at her, and opened his mouth. He had recognized her predicament.

“Where are you headed? I’m about to leave in my car.”

“Pardon? Oh, well.”

“If it’s nearby, I can give you a ride. Where are you going?”

My goodness. What a kind offer.

Wondering if she could just accept his offer, Yeon-joo hesitated, worrying her lip. Just then, a loud clap of thunder boomed. Flinching, she spoke up loudly.

“I just need to get to the bus stop! Would that be okay with you, Doctor?”

“Of course! Follow me!”

Dr. Joo pointed to his car parked right in front and ran ahead.

He opened the passenger door for her and quickly opened the trunk as well. When Yeon-joo moved to put her bags in, he lifted them himself, placed them in the trunk, and hurried her into the car.

Though it was only for a moment, Dr. Joo was soaked from the rain. As he got into the driver's seat, Yeon-joo looked at him apologetically.

“I’m sorry. You got so wet.”

“It’s fine. I’ll dry off. The bus stop—you mean the one in front of the optometrist? The bowling alley building.”

“Yes, that’s the one.”

“Perfect, I’m heading that way.”

Dr. Joo turned on his phone, checked something, and entered an address into the navigation system.

Fidgeting with her fingers in the awkward silence, Yeon-joo looked at the navigation screen with a puzzled expression. After entering the full address, Dr. Joo glanced at her just as he was about to drive off.

“Is something wrong?”

“Are you going there right now?”

“Ah, yes. I have a brief errand to run.”

“I’m going there, too. For work.”

“Pardon?”

Dr. Joo blinked slowly, as if not understanding. With a dazed look, Yeon-joo pointed at the navigation screen.

“I’m on my way there right now, too. Isn’t that the filming set?”

“Ah… that’s right. Yes. You’re going there?”

“Yes. I work at the set. I’m on the wardrobe team.”

Dr. Joo and Yeon-joo stared blankly at each other. Then, his lips moving but no sound coming out, Dr. Joo pointed at her.

“Are you, by any chance, Yam’s mother? The stylist?”

“Huh? You know me, Doctor?”

At the absurd coincidence, Dr. Joo burst out laughing.

He looked at Yeon-joo’s bewildered face, which seemed to ask how he knew her, and tapped the steering wheel.

“I’ve finally met the mother that Han-byeol praises so much. I’ve been hearing all about you through your son.”

“Ah… Han-byeol…”

“Well, this worked out perfectly. It’s raining so hard and you have so much to carry. We can go to the set together.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Of course. I’ve got someone to talk to now. This is great.”

Dr. Joo was visiting the set to keep a promise to a senior colleague, and in the midst of that rain, he met Yeon-joo.

It was a strange coincidence.

*

They stopped at a drive-thru, where Yeon-joo bought two cups of coffee. Despite Dr. Joo’s firm protests, she insisted on paying.

With two warm coffees placed side by side and soft music playing, she felt so at ease that she couldn't tell if she was on her way to work or on her way home.

Having escaped the warzone-like rainy streets, it was an undeserved luxury from Yeon-joo’s perspective.

“The coffee is nice. The music, too.”

As the soft music played, Dr. Joo said he would enjoy the coffee and took a sip.

He wasn't one to enjoy Americanos, but for some reason, today's coffee smelled good and had a rich taste.

“The traffic is a bit heavy. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes. I left with plenty of time. I’m actually arriving earlier than I expected.”

“That’s a relief, then.”

Dr. Joo smiled, saying it was a relief. Yam had been visiting the hospital occasionally for a skin condition, and Dr. Joo mostly talked about Yam as he drove.

Then, he brought up Han-byeol.

“Han-byeol is very bright. I’m often surprised when I talk to him.”

“He’s quite something, isn’t he? Even though he’s my son, I sometimes find him hard to handle.”

“He’s in the second grade of elementary school, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Dr. Joo stopped at a red light. Listening to the squeak of the wipers, he reached for his coffee.

Dr. Joo reached for Yeon-joo’s coffee by mistake, and his fingertips brushed against hers. Startled, Dr. Joo practically shouted.

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I’ll be more careful!”

“It’s all right.”

When Yeon-joo replied with a gentle smile, Dr. Joo hesitated before gripping the steering wheel again. From then on, he made sure to look at his cup when he picked it up and looked at the cupholder when he put it down.

*I can’t make another mistake, I can’t,* Dr. Joo thought, unconsciously tensing up as he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Han-byeol is always praising his mother. His father must feel a little left out.”

“Well, Han-byeol doesn’t have a father.”

“Ah…”

It felt as if the floor beneath his seat had given way and he was plummeting off a cliff.

Feeling dizzy, Dr. Joo squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them and bowed his head in apology.

“I am so sorry. I must not be in my right mind.”

“It’s okay. It’s an old story.”

“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”

“It’s really fine. I mean it. It’s okay.”

Dr. Joo swallowed hard. His vision tunneled, and thinking he might cause an accident if he wasn’t careful, he shut his mouth and focused on driving.

Feeling drowsy from a poor night's sleep, Yeon-joo turned her head and just gazed out the window.

The music was calm, and her weary body and mind felt languid.

*

“Stay calm. Stay calm today.”

Having arrived at the set, Eun-seong closed his eyes and took a deep breath before getting out of the van.

For the past few days, he had been reflecting on how childish and petty he’d been for thinking Yeon-joo was infuriating and trying to torment her.

“She could be married. And if she’s married, it’s natural for her to have a kid.”

He muttered endlessly. He scolded himself over and over, telling himself he shouldn't get angry over something so obvious.

Wasn't it thanks to her letting him go that he had become a huge star? When he thought about it, it was something to be grateful for. In the end, it was a happy ending for everyone, so acting like a petty man was just pathetic.

It was just a brief fling back then, a relationship that would have naturally fizzled out even if they’d let it be.

It wasn't like he couldn't forget her after they broke up. She was a woman he recalled occasionally, very occasionally, not someone he had carried in his heart.

“I’ve lived such a busy life. I’m completely different from someone who has the leisure to date, get married, and have kids.”

Phew. Be generous. A generous heart. When you got down to it, it wasn't solely Go Yeon-joo's fault, was it? Instead of stirring up trouble, I should be more magnanimous.

Having mentally and physically recalibrated, Eun-seong got out of the van. Today, when he saw Go Yeon-joo, he wouldn't be childish; he'd try to be nice to her. If he didn't sympathize with the hardship of being the youngest on the team at her age, who would?

The poor thing. I should treat her well.

“What the hell.”

He was just about to enter the set.

A car pulled up in the parking lot, and Yeon-joo got out. As he watched her emerge from the passenger seat, a man got out of the driver's seat, opened the trunk, and took out her bags for her.

Eun-seong froze, staring at the scene.

Seeing their faces as they grinned foolishly at each other, he figured their relationship was anything but ordinary.