Chapter 53. Second Time

Taeseong’s eyes trembled violently as he read the text message.

It had been eleven years.

That’s how long it had been since his mother last came to Korea.

His father passed away when he was eight, and afterward, his mother left and settled in America.

At first, they kept in touch often.
But with time and distance, the connection faded.

It started with calls, then moved to texts, and eventually, even emails felt awkward.

Now, they barely even exchanged holiday greetings.

> “So why did she suddenly come to Korea without any notice?”

Foolishly, as a child, he’d believed her words—that no matter where she was, her love for him wouldn’t change.

It didn’t take long to realize those were just comforting lies.

There was a time when he even hated her.

But when puberty hit, Taeseong began to understand the mother who left in pursuit of her dreams.

A movie he happened to watch one day sparked that change.

Through school lessons, he came to realize that “a woman called ‘Mom’ is still a person—someone who has the right to chase her dreams.”

And so, Taeseong gradually became fascinated with film.

In truth, Chairman Joo wasn’t entirely against Taeseong’s dream because of the company.

He worried that Taeseong’s passion for film stemmed from unresolved feelings for his mother.

But contrary to the chairman’s concern, it wasn’t longing for his mother that led to his dream—it was the dream that helped him come to terms with her.

Still, Taeseong didn’t particularly welcome her now.

When he didn’t respond to the message, Chairman Joo called.

Rising quickly from his seat, Taeseong answered as he walked into the living room.

“Hello?”

[“You brat, why didn’t you reply?”]

Taeseong had no words and stayed silent.

Chairman Joo sighed deeply, as if he understood.

[“Sigh… Yeah. I’m just as dumbfounded as you are.”]

“Why did she come?”

Taeseong asked in a subdued voice, gripping the phone tightly.

After a pause, the chairman replied.

[“It’s New Year’s… she says she came to see you. She just arrived at Incheon and will be coming here soon. Don’t tell Haeyoung yet. She doesn’t even know you’re married. No need to confuse the girl. She’ll be leaving again soon anyway.”]

“…Okay.”

Taeseong nodded quietly.

Meanwhile…

“Ugh…”

Haeyoung groaned, clutching her pounding head as she sat up.

“Where am I…”

Her first hangover was excruciating.

Her stomach churned, her head throbbed like it had been split open, and her body ached like she’d been beaten up.

“How did I get home?”

The worst part was the missing memory. Large chunks were just… gone.

“I drank with Joo Taeseong, right?”

She clearly remembered up to a bottle and a half of soju. After that, things were fuzzy.

She clutched her head with both hands, trying to reconstruct the night.

She thought she’d fallen asleep, then gone outside when Taeseong disappeared…

That’s when a memory flashed back—Taeseong on the phone.

“It’s not because of her.”
“…We’ll talk again when I’m back in Seoul, noona.”

“…Ah.”

A soft sigh escaped as her tense brow relaxed.

Surely, the woman Taeseong called “noona” was Jo Minju. And the “her” must’ve meant her—Haeyoung.

All her thoughts from last night rushed back into place.

“…Right.”

After hearing that call, the puzzle seemed to fit.

He could be prickly, but there was no doubt Taeseong cared about her deeply—as a friend.

Of course he’d be worried when she ghosted him for nearly two months.

Especially since it was right after college entrance exams.

That worry probably pushed him to come all the way here, and Jo Minju likely didn’t like that.

“Ha… yeah. I’d be upset too, if I were her.”

Putting herself in Minju’s shoes, she could understand.

Feeling tangled up, Haeyoung checked her phone.

A text from Taeseong had arrived.

“Something came up in Seoul. I’ll head back first. I’ll contact you again.”

Reading it, Haeyoung pouted.

“Ugh, whatever. I’m not waiting for your call.”

“I don’t need a second time either.”

She huffed stubbornly and tossed her phone aside.

At that moment, she heard Boksoon calling from outside.

“Haeyoung! Come eat! I made bean sprout soup!”

Smiling, Haeyoung left her phone and headed to the kitchen. She threw her arms around Boksoon’s waist.

“Aww, Grandma~ How did you know I drank?”

“Geez, girl. The whole room reeked of booze. What kind of twenty-year-old drinks like a runaway horse?”

“Ah~ If you’ve got the strength to scold me like this, you don’t seem sick at all.”

“Tch.”

Boksoon eventually laughed at Haeyoung’s playful teasing, and Haeyoung rubbed her face on her grandmother’s shoulder.

“You stink of booze! Go wash up!”

“Okay, okay~”

Haeyoung nodded and headed to the bathroom.

She washed away her thoughts from the previous night along with the alcohol.

That first kiss in the early morning… disappeared into the fog of her memory.

After finishing her hangover soup, Haeyoung lay back in bed.

Her belly full, she gazed at the ceiling, feeling like she was in paradise—yet strangely empty.

“Was it all just a dream?”

Before she heard that phone call, she’d been having such a good time with Taeseong.

It was just a special day—that’s all it was.

She shouldn’t let herself get used to that kind of closeness.

Still, her heart kept swelling with unfamiliar emotions.

And though she’d declared she wouldn’t wait for his message…

She found herself checking her phone again and again.

Then sighing in disappointment when there was nothing.

“Should I just turn it off?”

After some hesitation, she reached for the power button—just as a new message arrived.

“It’s been a while, Haeyoung. Can we meet for a bit? I’m in Pohang.”

But the sender wasn’t the one she’d been waiting for.

It was Kijoon.

Later, Haeyoung got into the car Kijoon drove and headed to a nearby café.

The place had become popular for its panoramic sea view from the glass wall.

But it was too lively and noisy for a proper conversation.

“Sorry… I probably picked the wrong place.”

Haeyoung scratched the back of her head sheepishly, but Kijoon shook his head.

“No, I like the energy here.”

“You’re always so positive, oppa.”

“I’m not usually like this, though.”

“Huh?”

Loud children ran by just then, and she didn’t catch what he said.

“Nothing. Should we order?”

As he looked at the menu, Haeyoung quickly decided.

“I’ll have a grapefruit ade!”

Kijoon ordered a warm Americano for himself and a grapefruit ade for her, then they sat down.

Haeyoung started the conversation.

“So… did you come all this way alone just to watch the sunrise?”

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t know you were the ‘enjoy solitude’ type…”

She rolled her eyes playfully. Kijoon couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ahaha! Haeyoung, you’re something else.”

It was the first time she saw Kijoon laugh so heartily.

Feeling awkward, she forced a smile.

“Did I… say something wrong?”

“No, no. I wasn’t offended. I just found it funny.”

“Ah, I see…”

Relieved, Haeyoung let out a breath.

Looking at her warmly, Kijoon spoke again.

“Actually… I came to see you, Haeyoung. The sunrise was just a bonus.”

“…You came to see me?”

Surprised, Haeyoung blinked, her face filling with confusion.