Chapter 53

“Ha. Seeing your nose rise higher without fillers, I guess that brat really is successful now. This house is losing its roots little by little. Do you know how hard your grandfather worked to build it?”

“This house was built with your family’s bloodline and sacrifice, wasn’t it?”

“What’s with your tone?”

Because she was mocking him. Mocking his proud bloodline, their hard work, and their sacrifices for the Lee family.

She had been raised and educated in that very household before marriage. The glory and decline of the Lee clan, the roles each family member was brainwashed into fulfilling.

In that suffocating house, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even make a sound with her footsteps. Just thinking about it still made her chest tighten.

Maybe it was the lasting effect of gaslighting—because even now, in front of her husband, her breathing turned rough, her heartbeat not beating properly.

As her husband pointed out, her son’s success had made her bolder. She could talk back now. Yet, it still felt lacking. The heaviness in her chest never went away.

Her husband, oblivious as always, kept saying useless things.

“Why don’t you ask that Jeongyeon girl one more time? Isn’t she the only one he still listens to?”

“Not this time. Seonghun is firm. Maybe it’s because there’s a woman. Sigh… it won’t work.”

“But isn’t he too close with that girl? A man and a woman calling each other friends—it already looks bad. And if they keep being together too long, people will talk. That ‘woman’… it can’t be her, right? Make sure it’s not. That’s your responsibility.”

Listening to her husband, she suddenly laughed.

“Ha-ha. They’re real best friends. I mean true friends. Like siblings. If you tell them to date, they’d be horrified.”

“You never know. You can’t predict things between men and women.”

“I’m telling you, there’s no need to worry about them.”

She laughed it off. She truly hadn’t predicted it. That their relationship would step beyond friendship. That she would soon find out herself.

“Ready—action!”

Seonghun started his action scene with Changshin.

In this project, he played a gangster from the 90s, with many physically rough scenes.

Changshin threw a punch, Seonghun dodged, then grabbed his arm. Changshin countered with a jab to Seonghun’s chest, but Seonghun kneed him in the stomach.

The sequence went smoothly—until one punch actually grazed Changshin’s chin.

“Ugh.”

He had pulled his strength at the last second, but momentum made the hit land.

As soon as the director called “cut,” Seonghun leaned close to check his chin.

“You okay?”

He grabbed Changshin’s face, checking carefully. Staff and the director rushed over.

Changshin pushed him away, embarrassed.

“Don’t overreact. People will think we’ve got something going on. Can’t you feel the stares? I’m fine, Director. No bones broken.”

The elderly director sighed in relief.

“Don’t scare me. I can’t have accidents on my set. Always be careful.”

Seonghun smirked.

“You want realism in action but no injuries? I just hope not to get too hurt.”

“Haha. That’s why people praise you, Seonghun. But on my set, take care of yourself.”

“Too late. Look, Changshin’s chin is already red.”

The director nodded.

“Let’s rest. If it gets worse, go to the hospital.”

Changshin rubbed his chin, trying to ease the worry.

“Just a bruise. I’ll rest a bit.”

He went to the waiting room, and Seonghun followed, waving off his manager and stylist.

“You really okay?”

“Stop fussing, actor-nim.”

“If you hurt, my heart hurts too.”

Seonghun even held the door open dramatically.

Changshin sighed.

“You’re teasing me, aren’t you? Did something happen, so now you’re picking on me?”

Ignoring him, Seonghun grabbed an ice pack, wrapped it in a towel, and handed it over.

Changshin pressed it to his chin, then gave him a knowing look.

“Shouldn’t you be showing this kind of care to Jeongyeon?”

“How can I? We’re both too busy to even meet.”

“Oh? So your relationship has progressed?”

“…Not exactly.”

Seonghun’s expression darkened. His feelings were complicated.

“What do you mean ‘not exactly’? Either yes or no.”

“Like… I like her. I love her.”

“Ugh. Don’t. I’m not into men.”

“Isn’t that just a normal expression? Liking, loving.”

“Then?”

Seonghun ruffled his hair and spoke quietly.

“I also treasure you.”

Even men could feel shaken when such words came from someone like him.

“…Should I be touched?”

“Someone you love is unique. But there are many people you treasure. Isn’t it okay to be glad about that?”

“Did Jeongyeon say you’re precious to her? Well, friends can be precious. It’s vague.”

“I’m waiting. For the day we’re more than friends. But we’re too busy to even meet.”

Changshin shook his head sadly.

“You can’t move forward or backward. Fate keeps blocking you. Think it’ll work out?”

Was fate really working against them?

“Three months. I can’t wait longer. I’ll see her whenever I can. If not in person, I’ll at least hear her voice. I’ll do everything I did as her friend.”

That was his resolve. But reality wasn’t so kind.

For a whole month, he couldn’t even hear Jeongyeon’s voice. Work piled up, sleep was scarce, and calls were impossible.

“Ha… I can’t endure this much longer.”

“If it’s hard?”

“Then I’ll break through. Somehow.”

His once-tired eyes now burned with determination.

There were no weekends. Only a month left till filming wrapped, Jeongyeon rushed with costume designs.

Even on Saturday, she hurried through her meal to head for the studio.

“You went out at dawn yesterday too. Again today?” her mom scolded.

“This has to go well. It’s my first project under my name.”

“Take care of your health. Remember, your father’s death anniversary is soon. Can you spare time for that?”

“…Ah.”

She nodded absentmindedly, shoveling food down. She had completely forgotten.

How could she bury even her father’s memory under work?

Her kind, playful, joking father who laughed loudly.

The day he passed was the hardest day of her life. She could barely even stand.

It felt like the slightest breeze could knock her into the ground.

But she didn’t collapse. Because a pillar stood by her side that day.

That pillar was Lee Seonghun.

‘Now that I think about it, back then…’