Chapter 62. The Handsome Cheapskate

Haeyoung kept telling herself she could go back to college next year. Being a year behind others wasn’t a big deal.

So she stayed by Grandma Boksun’s side in the nursing home for two more years, as her condition slowly worsened.

Cheolsu and Jeomsun suggested she ask Chairman Joo for help, but Haeyoung refused.

It was the pride and stubbornness of her younger self.

“I’m an adult now. I can handle this on my own.”

She repeated that unrealistic thought to survive.

Her early twenties were filled with taking care of Grandma and working part-time jobs.

She tried to go back to college later, but it wasn’t easy.

Every time she missed out on opportunities because of her lack of education, she blamed her past self.

Why did I make that choice? Why was I so reckless?

But she didn’t truly regret it. She just needed something to blame in her frustrating reality.

She had no regrets about staying with Grandma until the end.

And even the foolish, naive past—it was just that: the past.

There was no need to let it hold her back anymore.

“The city’s changed a lot.”

The bus had reached the downtown area.

As her thoughts faded, memories with Taeseong began to flood in.

“I wonder if Joo Taeseong ever thinks about those days too.”

There was still one memory from the past she hadn’t let go of.

Her first love, which she’d foolishly thought she’d forget quickly.

But sadly, it had stayed in her heart for nearly ten years.

After checking into her guesthouse and getting some rest, Haeyoung went out for dinner.

She headed to a pork soup restaurant she had looked up in advance.

It was too late for lunch and too early for dinner, so the place was quiet.

“One pork soup, please.”

“Yes!”

A middle-aged woman, likely the owner, was at the counter. A young man, probably her son, was doing the serving.

‘Looks like a family-run place.’

As she thought that, she heard the son’s voice from behind the counter.

“Looks like a customer left their scarf here earlier.”

“Oh my, it’s super old. Maybe they just threw it away?”

“Still, let’s keep it for a few days, just in case.”

“He looked really handsome but must be stingy. Who wears something this worn out?”

“He paid with a black card though, so—”

Haeyoung unintentionally focused on their conversation.

Just then, the son’s voice got drowned out by a phone ringing. The owner picked up.

“Hello? Oh yes, the scarf?”

From the conversation, it seemed the call was from the scarf’s owner.

“Oh, you’re coming by this evening?”

The owner sounded surprised someone was returning for such an old item.

Click.

After hanging up, she started chatting again.

“Must be really important to him. His voice was all shaky.”

“Better not throw it ou— Hoyeol! Serve the soup!”

The kitchen staff shouted, cutting off the small talk.

As Haeyoung ate, she thought:

What kind of person is this handsome cheapskate with the scarf?

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Taeseong sighed after ending the call. He’d found the restaurant’s number online.

“Damn it. How could I forget something that important?”

He was annoyed with himself. He tossed his phone onto the passenger seat and restarted the engine.

Soon, his phone vibrated again. He put in his earbuds and answered.

“Hello? Yes, Professor.”

Even though his face was tense, his business voice was calm and polite.

Now almost thirty, Taeseong had become a refined, mature man.

His jawline had sharpened, his eyes deeper, and his nose more defined—like he’d been sculpted perfectly.

The baby fat was long gone, and his features were more striking than ever.

Still, with his black hair neatly styled, he sometimes looked just like the boy he once was.

“I’ll be there in 15 minutes.”

But one thing that clearly showed he was an adult was his deeper voice.

“Yes, I was on another important call.”

He hung up and called his secretary.

“Secretary Park, call the flower shop near Professor Jang’s house again. I’m on my way—tell them I’ll stop by, so have the bouquet ready.”

After finishing the call, he tossed his earbuds aside.

He regretted scheduling a work meeting while visiting Pohang to see the sunrise.

For the past nine years, he had been constantly splitting his time like this.

Sometimes, you need to just relax and enjoy the moment.

Now, nine years since he was twenty…

Taeseong was no longer chasing his dream of being a film director.

He had become the highly respected successor and executive director of the Cha Hyun Group.

That night, around 10 p.m., Haeyoung wandered around and ended up at a street food tent for a late dinner.

She had planned to visit the place where she and Taeseong first drank together, but a café had taken its place.

She ordered a bowl of noodles and a bottle of soju, nibbling on the side dishes and mumbling to herself.

“I said I’d forget, but I keep chasing after Taeseong’s memories like a fool…”

She poured herself a drink.

“Phew—”

Unlike when she used to drink too much in her early twenties, now the soju tasted sweet.

“Life is bitter, so the alcohol tastes sweet.”

After two glasses, she sighed deeply.

Three years ago, she had worked as an assistant writer in a drama studio, but quit due to a toxic boss.

Since then, she kept applying to writing contests—but never won.

A year ago, she ran out of savings and started working part-time at a café.

She hadn’t given up on her dream.

But she knew she had to build a stable life before she could reach for the sky.

She wrote during her spare time and worked to support herself.

The problem was, she kept getting rejected.

She almost gave up, thinking she lacked talent, but she kept making it past the preliminaries. That gave her just enough hope to keep going.

She comforted herself by thinking it was just the judges’ taste—not her lack of skill—and clung to her pride.

Then, recently, she lost a contest she really hoped to win. She was heartbroken and swore to quit writing.

But giving up a long-held dream wasn’t easy.

So, she came to Pohang to make a New Year’s wish—to try for just one more year.

“And if I can forget about Joo Taeseong while I’m at it, that’d be even better. Phew.”

Mumbling her side goal, she took another drink.

After finishing the whole bottle, she was tipsy and started humming happily.

“Change, change! Change everything—my whole life, change it all!”

Just like when she and Taeseong first drank together as twenty-year-olds.

Girls at the next table whispered, watching her.

“Wow, a super handsome guy was just sitting here earlier. Now look…”

“Yeah, what a mess…”

But Haeyoung didn’t care. She enjoyed the last night of her twenties alone.

Not knowing that the air around her still carried the scent of someone she missed.

The next day, January 1st.

Crowds gathered at Homigot to see the sunrise by the famous “Hand of Harmony” statue.

Because the weather forecast said it would be clear, everyone looked excited.

Among them, Haeyoung also looked up at the sky with hope.

Even though she had gone home drunk last night, she’d slept well. Her round face looked healthy and bright.

Now thirty, she still looked young.

Her clear skin and neat features helped with that.

She wasn’t a classic beauty, but her face had a kind and cheerful vibe.

Still, she looked more mature than when she was younger.

Her double eyelids were more defined, and her chubby cheeks had slimmed down.

Overall, her features had become sharper, giving her a more feminine charm.

Though she still looked youthful, she was clearly no longer the same girl from age nineteen.

The dark horizon started turning orange.

Excited voices filled the air.

The sun began rising, slowly changing the colors of the sky.

Finally, the round top of the sun peeked over the edge of the sea.

Haeyoung closed her eyes and made her first wish of the year.

“Please… let me win a writing contest this year. Please.”

She opened her eyes after a long prayer.

Then, after a pause, her eyelashes trembled as if she were thinking hard.

“And… if I can make just one more wish…”

She thought of her memories from ten years ago.

With her eyes closed, she whispered very softly:

“Please help me forget Joo Taeseong.”

That was her second wish.

“This year… please let me finally forget him.”

A wish to forget someone she hadn’t been able to forget for ten years.

Haeyoung lowered her head again and silently sent her prayers to the sun.

And just as she opened her eyes—

Someone in the crowd reached out, touched her shoulder, and turned her around.

“Cha Haeyoung.”

“Joo… Taeseong?”

She turned and came face-to-face with him—Taeseong.