Chapter : 13
“Mr. Kangil….”
Ju-hye, flustered, called his name, then belatedly turned to look at Da-hyun.
From his profile there was no visible change in expression, but the discomfort he felt was clearly palpable in the air.
Kangil himself, however, smiled brightly as if he couldn’t read the atmosphere at all.
“Chae Kangil.”
“I came because you weren’t answering your phone at all—what’s with that expression?”
“The meeting was scheduled for the evening.”
“I thought I’d sit in on the meeting beforehand. Did I come somewhere I shouldn’t?”
Kangil pushed up his glasses and joked, but Da-hyun’s face remained stiff.
He didn’t even try to hide his cold, expressionless look.
As a result, the atmosphere grew heavier and heavier, and if Manager Jung hadn’t spoken up, the silence would have dragged on.
“Sir, we’ve received a call from the conference room.”
“Are preparations finished?”
“Yes. I’ve been informed that everything is ready. We can begin immediately whenever you give the word.”
Da-hyun glanced at his wristwatch and then looked at Kangil.
Perhaps Kangil’s shrugging, as if to ask what was wrong, irritated him more than usual, because Da-hyun deliberately spoke up.
“Then let’s start earlier than planned.”
“What? Why?”
“We’ll move the meeting time up as well.”
Da-hyun brusquely brushed past Kangil, who was staring at him in confusion, and Manager Jung followed him out into the hallway.
As if he had something to give instructions about, a tablet had already appeared in Da-hyun’s hands.
Contrary to expectations, Kangil quickly began sending a text somewhere, likely because of the suddenly changed meeting schedule.
Ju-hye was left alone with Kangil in an awkward silence.
“Ah, right.”
It seemed the awkwardness bothered Kangil too, because he put his phone away and cautiously started a conversation.
“Has something been worrying you lately?”
It was a gentle question, but the content felt suspicious.
Ju-hye hesitated before answering and carefully studied his expression.
He looked calm, but she couldn’t easily shake her doubts.
“What do you mean… all of a sudden?”
“Ju-young was worried. She said you didn’t look well.”
Apparently, when she had met Ju-young earlier, her own expression must have been particularly bad.
Ju-hye unconsciously touched her cheek and awkwardly averted her gaze.
“I figured it might be because of the ceremony, but seeing you today, you really do look down.”
“Thank you for your concern. Actually, I haven’t been sleeping well because of the ceremony.”
Kangil’s gaze, which seemed to be examining her face closely, suddenly felt uncomfortable.
Of course, just because he was Da-hyun’s friend didn’t mean he’d heard about what had happened between husband and wife, but still—it was an unease she felt on her own.
“By the way, it’s your second wedding anniversary, and I feel bad that I couldn’t even prepare a gift.”
“Oh, it’s fine.”
“Please come by our hotel sometime and relax. The view is really amazing.”
Kangil smiled proudly as he spoke.
That the view at Roun Hotel was good was something Ju-hye had heard so often from Ju-young that her ears practically rang with it.
“It’s embarrassing to say it myself, but sometimes I think it’s even better than overseas.”
For a moment, Ju-young’s face overlapped with Kangil’s, and Ju-hye smiled softly for the first time.
“Yes, I’ll visit sometime.”
She probably wouldn’t go with her husband, but she definitely wanted to go someday.
She wanted to sit alone in a suite, look out at the splendid view, and reassure herself that her choices hadn’t been wrong.
At least before winter came, she wanted to do that for sure.
“Come out.”
The brief conversation ended.
Da-hyun had returned to the office.
He gestured for Kangil to come outside, and Kangil gave Ju-hye a nod of farewell.
“Then I’ll see you at the Jinjoo Arboretum ceremony next time.”
“Yes, take care.”
Ju-hye bowed slightly as well, and Kangil left down the hallway with Manager Jung.
Just as Ju-hye was about to follow them out, Da-hyun stopped her.
“Secretary Kim will take you. Wait here.”
Ju-hye frowned at the unexpected instruction.
“…Secretary Kim?”
“Yes, the very Secretary Kim who’s been worried sick because you haven’t been answering your phone since morning.”
Da-hyun replied sarcastically, yet his gaze never left Ju-hye.
It was the unmistakable look of someone watching to make sure she wouldn’t run away, which made her let out a hollow laugh.
This was Da-hyun’s office—no matter where she ran, she’d still be in the palm of his hand.
“You don’t have to watch me like that. I’m not going to run.”
“I keep telling you—it’s something we’ll have to see about.”
Even so, as if he still couldn’t rest easy, Da-hyun didn’t leave his seat until Secretary Kim came up and took Ju-hye away.
Chairman Jin’s sudden collapse put his two sons, Su-ha and Su-gyeong, in the headlines every day.
Speculation about who would become the true successor of Jinju Construction grew increasingly intense.
Jin Su-ha, president of Jinju Construction.
Jin Su-gyeong, vice president.
Seo Da-hyun, CEO of Jinju Civil Engineering.
Surprisingly, the person who drew the most attention was Da-hyun.
“If you don’t want to end up like a cuckoo stealing your nest, you’d better watch how you behave.”
Chairman Jin had once said something like that in passing.
Da-hyun seemed to think it was a metaphor that described his own position quite objectively.
Judging by how his schedule had become even more tightly packed since becoming CEO of Jinju Civil Engineering.
‘Ju-hye.’
What was surprising, though, was how different things were from before, when it was hard to even see his face.
Now, every evening without fail, he came home, and at every opportunity he sought physical contact with Ju-hye.
It was as if he were desperately trying to win her heart back, and that stirred a confusing breeze in Ju-hye’s mind.
‘Hng… ah…’
‘Don’t hold back the sound.’
Friday nights were no exception. Ever since the talk of divorce, Da-hyun had never once let a Friday pass quietly.
Even when Ju-hye tried to avoid him by coming home late, he would stay awake, guarding the bedroom.
The sight of him with damp hair still clinging to his forehead, not yet dry, naturally brought back memories of the past—sad and stimulating at the same time.
‘I can’t… anymore…’
‘You can fall asleep like that. I’ll take care of the rest.’
The way her husband wanted her—hotter and more fiercely than before—felt unfamiliar, even frightening.
At the same time, she resented her own body for responding with such naïve delight.
Every time his touch brushed over hidden places, every time his hot, dried lips grazed her, her entire body writhed in ecstasy.
When she faced the traces he’d left behind in the bathroom the next morning, she even felt the illusion that affection clung stubbornly to each bite mark.
Yet at the same time, she couldn’t stop wondering if Da-hyun might be meeting his mistress behind her back again that very day.
Each day was a continuous tightrope walk of tension.
Then Saturday arrived—the day of the promised dinner in Cheongdam-dong that had once been canceled.
The restaurant, more nature-themed than she had expected, immediately caught her eye.
“You like plants.”
When she asked why he’d chosen this place, she received an answer she’d never anticipated.
At the same time, a miserable feeling weighed down on Ju-hye’s chest.
That Da-hyun knew her tastes—and that her heart could leap with joy over something so small—made her resent herself.
It meant that despite knowing her preferences all along, Da-hyun had never once tried a date like this before.
In that state, there was no way the meal could be enjoyable.
The two of them ate in silence, occasionally gazing out the window without exchanging a single word.
When Ju-hye noticed a large tree outside, a memory from the past brushed through her mind.
Half a year ago, there had been a tree specially prepared for the ceremony.
She had wondered if, upon seeing it, Da-hyun might remember her.
‘Of course, now it’s pointless….’
They had already lost trust as a couple—what use would it be for him to regain his memories?
“I’m going to rest.”
By the time they returned home after dinner, it was already dusk.
Dragging her tired body, Ju-hye headed straight for the dressing room.
She thought Da-hyun would go to the bathroom, but for some reason he followed her in.
“Why?”
Startled, Ju-hye turned around, her hand leaving the zipper on her back.
Leaning his back casually against the door, he looked down at her steadily.
“There’s something I still need to say.”
“I’m tired. Let’s talk tomorrow.”
As Ju-hye refused and turned away, Da-hyun suddenly came up behind her and wrapped one arm around her waist.
Warm breath settled on the back of her frozen neck.
At the same time, the sound of the zipper sliding down echoed slowly—chillingly long.
“Starting today…”
As he firmly pulled the zipper down, Da-hyun calmly declared it.
Despite his flat tone, a deep heat flickered across his face.
“Think of every day as Friday.”
“……”
“I’ll make it that way.”
Between the parted fabric of her dress, Ju-hye’s pale, soft skin was fully revealed.
Da-hyun pressed his lips to it as if confessing, slowly licking his way upward.
