Chapter 47

Just over two months ago, you confessed your feelings to me.

We had grown impossibly close, deepening our bond, exploring each other as we touched skin to skin.

I felt all of you, and your most intimate gestures unfolded within me.

We reached the peak together.

As I looked at your photos, your pure yet sexy face, your perfectly sculpted muscles on display—I wondered if that day had been a dream or an illusion.

But no, it couldn’t have been.

“You gave up being friends, and I’m still waiting for you as a friend. And already, two months have passed, vanishing like smoke.”

How much more time will need to pass? Will you forget me in that time? Could this really be the end for us?

Her head was filled with these swirling thoughts, ready to devour her.

He only visited his parents’ house two or three times a year, usually on holidays. But now, under his mother’s urging, Seonghun sat at the dining table in the family’s formal dining room.

The walnut table was a Japanese artist’s creation, one his mother had painstakingly sourced by traveling to Japan, using intel from a community she had built herself.

Traditional Korean dishes prepared by their housekeeper filled the table, and across from him sat both his mother and father.

He shoved a spoonful of seaweed soup into his mouth. It was the tail end of a sweltering summer, and it happened to be his father’s birthday.

“Seonghun, I know you’ve been busy lately, but today is your father’s birthday. Even if he doesn’t say it, he really misses you—you know that, right?”

His mother, as always, wanted to thaw the ice between father and son.

His father quietly stirred the soup with his chopsticks before speaking in his signature blunt tone.

“Work keeping you that busy?”

“Yes. And it’ll stay that way for a while.”

“You still have time to eat and sleep, don’t you?”

“I’m slicing even that time to focus on work.”

No—he wanted to focus.

Whenever there was a break in his schedule, Seonghun threw himself into training and practice.

That was the only way to dull the relentless thoughts of Jeongyeon.

Ever since she had harshly rejected him two months ago, he had immersed himself in work—his only form of escape.

“Don’t you think it’s time you met someone?”

Here it came—his father’s outdated way of thinking. He immediately went on the defensive.

“What, are you going to set me up on a blind date? I think my agency might sue your law firm for obstruction of business. Will you cover the penalties for breaching over ten ad contracts?”

“I’m not talking about that. Just one meal. Our firm helped promote Geum Yuhan to Minister of Justice. His second daughter is apparently your fan. If we want to keep Geum on our side, we need to gain leverage—or favor. If you get close with her, it could be a gift.”

Just when he thought he had ended the last matchmaking attempt, his father threw a new one at him.

“You want me to be the gift? Hah. You really never change, do you?”

“All I’m saying is, have a meal with her. If things click, then date her. If not, maybe you can become friends.”

“You always want to use your son to benefit your business. You’re consistent, I’ll give you that.”

The mother tried, as usual, to smooth over the tension as the father’s unofficial spokesperson.

“Your dad’s just saying there’s someone nice you might get along with. Since she’s your fan, who knows what could happen. It’s not a bad opportunity for you either.”

“It’s necessary for him. Why sugarcoat it, Mrs. Seong?”

“I—”

His father cut her off and began his usual routine of scolding.

“You were born an only son of this house. You should be doing your part. You quit law school to go play around—at least do something useful for once. How long are you going to live like an immature brat?”

“Ha… And that’s why I said I shouldn’t have come home. How long do I have to keep listening to the same old tune?”

“I’ve had enough of your disrespect—tsk, tsk.”

His father clicked his tongue and turned to his wife, as always, to blame her.

“What do you even do in this house? Tsk. How did you raise a son who only does what he wants? I knew something was wrong when he couldn’t even break off a silly friendship. I never liked the idea of sending him to public school like that girl’s family insisted.”

He had tolerated the public school route only because his son kept top grades and maintained a competitive profile toward law school.

But once he diverted course after enrollment, everything fell apart. If he’d known, he would’ve sent him abroad earlier.

Even after Seonghun entered the entertainment industry, his father disapproved. But as the boy gained recognition and positive attention, he began to soften.

Still, the fact that Seonghun refused to do anything to help the family kept him annoyed.

“You said you wouldn’t blame my friend anymore. Blame me for raising him wrong if you must, but Seonghun has done his part as a son.”

For once, his mother raised her voice.

“Hah. What a joke this family has become. Aren’t you still close to that Jeongyeon girl’s mother? Maybe you caught her bad influence. That girl didn’t she call off her wedding last minute? I guess going off the rails is contagious.”

“Don’t mock someone else’s pain like that.”

Even if his mother was finally speaking up, it was still too weak to matter.

He couldn’t just let his father mock Jeongyeon like that.

“I was the one who went off the rails first, Father. And everything I learned—I learned from you. The way you treated me and Mom in this house? That’s what rubbed off on me.”

“What did you just say?”

His father’s face darkened with rage. His mother quickly got up, rushed to his side, and grabbed his arm.

The fragile ice between them might crack for good.

“Seonghun, let’s just go for today. Don’t provoke him. Just leave.”

“That brat…”

“His blood pressure’s going to spike again.”

As his mother led him to the front door, he couldn’t help but scold her too.

“And you—stop shrinking in front of him. How long are you going to live exposed to his verbal abuse?”

Whack. A quick smack landed on his back.

It stung, but it made him chuckle.

“You’re laughing? After flipping the dinner table? Can’t you just speak nicely for once? That’s all it takes for your father to calm down. Don’t you realize he always gives in eventually?”

“Wouldn’t know.”

Another playful smack landed on his back.

“At least for my sake, hmm? Just consider having a meal with the minister’s daughter. She’s your fan and really wanted to meet you. It’s not like I’m asking you to date her.”