Chapter 45
발런이
순정
Fall in Love
“Hey there, my busy nephew. You’re here?”
The door to the Executive Director’s office swung wide open as President Nam Taejin stepped inside.
The secretary, who had been reporting the schedule, quickly moved aside and bowed. Nam Taejin raised a hand as if accepting the greeting and took a seat on the sofa.
“It’s so hard to see your face these days. If you’re here, you should’ve come to see me first.”
“I’ve been busy since the moment I arrived. The final decision-maker has been putting off approvals.”
“Is that so? Well, then don’t delay and get those approvals done on time. It’s because you procrastinate that things end up like this.”
“Exactly. If only you were talking about me, how great would that be?”
As Seongheon replied nonchalantly, the secretary standing nearby let out a small chuckle.
It wasn’t as if his nephew’s nagging was anything new. President Nam Taejin laughed along with the secretary.
“He has no sense of gratitude for the man who raised him on his back! Instead of showing filial piety, he nags me every time he sees my face!”
“Who raised me on their back? You weren’t even in Korea when I was a child.”
“In my heart! I carried you in my heart! My heart was always carrying you around!”
The secretary let out a louder laugh before trying to compose his expression and leaving the office. Only after the door closed did Seongheon raise an eyebrow and stand up.
It wasn’t a new development that his uncle treated the company like a playground while dumping all the work on him, but Seongheon thought it was actually better that way. His uncle never overrode his opinions and never hindered the projects he pushed forward.
He was a man whose dream was to be a dilettante, but that didn’t mean he was dim-witted. President Nam Taejin had completed all the necessary courses for management, and even aside from that, he enjoyed studying.
“Give me a break. What will the employees think?”
“What would they think? They’ll just think, ‘He really is a figurehead.’ Kids these days are smart; they know everything.”
“……”
“And besides, what would I know if I looked at it now? Rather than me touching it and having everything go south, it’s better if you just handle it.”
“You know everything when you look at it. Why do you keep pretending you don’t?”
When Seongheon spoke as if he couldn’t understand, President Nam Taejin smiled broadly after a moment. Then, he scratched his neck as if feigning ignorance.
“Well. I’m sitting here because your aunt told me to, but this seat isn’t mine. It’s yours.”
“Seongheon. I don’t think it’ll be much longer. Only when you take the President’s seat can I step down in peace. Seeing how your aunt keeps asking about you, it seems she’s starting to think about personnel changes.”
Sipping his tea, President Nam Taejin asked as if changing the subject.
Seongheon tilted his head slightly. Just then, the secretary brought in more tea, creating a brief lull.
“By the way, how is our Hyeonuk doing? That brat hasn’t even called his father once.”
“More importantly, did you settle your fight with your wife?”
“…….”
A sigh longer than a hundred words escaped him. As Seongheon chuckled, President Nam Taejin squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them, his lips moving.
“A marital spat isn’t like cutting water with a sword. It’s like cutting through money and time with a sword. Mark my words!”
“Hyeonuk is hard to see even at Domyeongjae. He’s always wandering around with that camera of his.”
“Man, I’m jealous. Truly jealous. He’s my son, but I’m so envious of him. Living like him is my dream.”
Seongheon let out a hearty laugh again at the lament of a father truly envying his son’s life. After Seongheon laughed, President Nam Taejin calmly finished his tea and set the cup down.
“Seongheon.”
His voice was unusually serious.
“Go ahead.”
“Your aunt called earlier and asked if there’s a woman you’re seeing.”
Seongheon looked up. President Nam Taejin let out a sharp breath through his teeth, as if he didn’t find the news particularly pleasant to deliver either.
“I told her I wouldn’t know, but that you probably don’t even have time to see a woman because you’re so busy, and then I hung up.”
“The feeling is a bit off, isn’t it? It seems your aunt is looking into marriage prospects for you.”
Seongheon remained silent, reading the underlying meaning of his uncle’s words, who wasn’t smiling as usual. Chairwoman Nam Yunyoung was the person who managed everything from small family matters to the company’s entire management rights.
Those who grew up as members of the long-standing Domyeongjae already knew well. From the moment the Head of Domyeongjae made a decision, unquestioning obedience followed.
The Head of Domyeongjae devotes their entire being to the family and the company. The members respect and comply with the Head’s decisions and choices. It was an unwritten law, a stubborn tradition.
President Nam Taejin stared at the silent Seongheon for a long time before patting his thigh.
“You know your aunt’s personality. You probably know better than anyone, but she’s not the type of person to make a wrong choice.”
“I doubt people these days want that kind of marriage, but since we’ve been guaranteed a life different from ordinary people, what can we do? We have to follow what needs to be followed. Your aunt will think it over carefully, so just be aware of that, okay?”
- 3 -
To ensure Seongheon wouldn’t be caught off guard by a sudden marriage proposal, President Nam Taejin mentioned it in advance and then raised his voice again.
“Why that look? It’s not like you have time for dating or any interest in it anyway. Your aunt will bring someone who’s the best match for you, whether by fortune-telling or physiognomy, so don’t worr—”
“Let’s drop this topic. I have nothing else to say about it right now.”
When Seongheon cut him off and suggested they drop the subject, President Nam Taejin nodded quickly and glanced at his watch.
“Hey, it’s almost time to clock out. Time flies. It’ll be May next month.”
President Nam Taejin’s speech sped up.
“It’s already May. Your father and mother’s death anniversary is coming up soon. Anyway, does that mean you’ll be at Domyeongjae until then?”
“Well, I suppose so.”
“Right. Then let’s see each other at Domyeongjae then, since I don’t think you’ll be coming back here before that.”
As President Nam Taejin stood up, Seongheon followed suit.
He brooded over the fact that his parents’ anniversary was approaching for a long while before slowly lifting his eyelids.
May, the most brilliant and colorful time of the year.
Seongheon hated the end of spring that much. It was a season he didn’t want to face.
Yeonwoo drank her coffee as slowly as possible. It wasn’t as if she had been looking forward to this, but this moment felt precious enough to be irreplaceable.
While staying at Domyeongjae, her past had grown blurry, but returning to the forest of buildings made her memories of Domyeongjae feel distant. Is this how fickle people are? Yeonwoo slowly lowered and raised her eyelids, thinking of Domyeongjae.
The place she had hidden in with all her might. The place where she thought she could never open her heart to anyone until she left.
Manager Mun, who had been nothing but strict and scary, had gradually become someone she could lean on, and Eunja, with whom she felt she had nothing in common, had become someone she could naturally share daily conversations and jokes with.
And somewhere in between was Hyeonuk, whom she was grateful to for his kindness.
Yeonwoo smiled broadly as she thought of the staff at Domyeongjae. It was a natural smile. Not even a full day had passed since she left, but she already wanted to hurry back. Because the people she wanted to see were there.
And, the Vice President.
At the end of her thoughts, Yeonwoo thought of Seongheon. That, too, was the natural order of things.
She lowered her eyelids again, not wanting to lose the things associated with him. The hot breath that was hard to handle, the rough and certain touch of his lips.
The warmth of the hand she had been holding all morning, and even the ticklish sensation of him occasionally stroking the back of her hand.
He brought her back to reality, then pushed her into a dream. His aggressive attitude, pulling her out of the past and making her dizzy, was enough to make her faint.
She tried to close her eyes comfortably, but her eyelids kept twitching. She couldn’t even think of him in peace. Realizing her state, Yeonwoo peeked her eyes open, and just then, her phone rang, drawing her gaze.
His number, which she hadn’t saved yet, was clear. Even the vibration of the phone in her palm felt dizzying, so Yeonwoo steadied her wavering voice and answered.
“Yes. Vice President.”
— Have you finished your coffee?
At his question, Yeonwoo turned her head. Thinking he might have entered the cafe, she looked around before instinctively turning her gaze outside the glass window.
…Ah.
“Oh, did you… did you get off work?”
Discovering him standing just outside the glass window, Yeonwoo stuttered unintentionally. Seongheon, who had easily spotted Yeonwoo sitting by the window, spoke to her from the sidewalk.
— I escaped while my secretary went to look for more work. I thought he might not let me go home if things went south.
“Because of me…”
— No way.
Rubbing her lips together, Yeonwoo only stared down at her coffee cup. She knew where he was standing and knew he was looking at her, but it was hard to meet his eyes. Her heart felt like it would bounce out of control like a high-tension ball.
“I’ve finished my coffee. Should I come out?”
— No. Just a moment.
Yeonwoo, about to finish the last of her coffee, widened her eyes. Just a moment?
— Your voice is nice to hear. Shall we talk on the phone a bit longer?
The coffee went down drop by drop, but her throat suddenly felt parched. It felt like her breath was catching.
— You suddenly went quiet after I said I wanted to hear your voice.
“Ah, yes, no. It’s not that. I was just a little surprised.”
Since he was watching her, it was hard to do anything openly. She wanted to touch up her lipstick and smooth her hair, but she couldn’t do a thing.
After hearing that her voice was nice to hear, she became self-conscious of it, and every cell in her body felt on edge.
— You must have been surprised. I’m surprised every single day too.
— I’m doing things I never used to do. Because of someone.
Yeonwoo slowly turned her head to look at Seongheon. Then, Seongheon gave a slight shrug.
The faces of the people passing by him blurred. The buildings lost their color, and the season became incomprehensible.
— Let’s go. Come out now.
As if possessed, Yeonwoo nodded. Then, Seongheon continued as if setting a condition.
— But you should know this before you come.
“Pardon? What is it?”
— If you come to me now, Ji Yeonwoo-ssi, you have to stay with me today.
— Because I’m not going to let you go.
Yeonwoo’s lips parted slightly. While locking eyes with him, the temperature of the emotions rising within her was excessively passionate.
— Choose. If you need time, I can wait, and if you say you don’t feel like it, I can just leave like this.
How should she respond? For a moment, Yeonwoo’s heart pounded so hard she felt lightheaded.
— You can leave me standing here, send me back, or come to me.
Yeonwoo closed her eyes tightly.
…She still didn’t know the world very well.
She even lacked the talent for predicting the future.
But she knew with relative accuracy that a relationship with that man had no permanence.
“Vice President.”
However, just because the future might be a catastrophe or because unhappiness might be waiting for her, didn’t mean she could turn away.
Because right now, she wanted him intensely.
“Vice President. I’m coming.”
…I don’t want to go to him. No, I do.
I want to avoid this moment.
No, I want to dive in.
“Please wait for me. I’m coming now.”
Holding onto her heart, which had finally defeated her head, Yeonwoo stood up.
She wanted to go to him, and she wanted to dive into fate.
Therefore, it was right to leave the locked thoughts that weren’t chosen for later.
