Chapter 12
“Aaaah!”
Se-ah screamed and quickly sat up.
Unlike her, who was wrapped tightly in the blanket, Seonghan was putting on a shirt over his bare upper body.
Without looking bothered at all, he asked,
“You’re awake?”
He looked at Se-ah, then checked his watch.
“I told them to make dried pollack soup. Eat before you go to work. And I bought clothes for you, so change into those. If you go to work in yesterday’s clothes, someone will definitely notice the smell.”
What smell?
Se-ah remembered In-hye and Min-kyung, who had drunk with her last night.
She should have left with them. No—she should have left before they did.
She couldn’t remember what had happened last night or how she had ended up at Seonghan’s house.
“I’m sorry.”
Se-ah bowed her head first.
Seonghan shook his head while tying his tie.
“Whatever Teacher Han Se-ah did, it can’t compare to what I did. That curse still makes me uncomfortable. Get ready and come out.”
After saying that, Seonghan left the room.
Se-ah stared blankly at his back, then suddenly gasped.
‘No way… nothing happened last night, right?’
She quickly checked her body. Thankfully, she was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday. There were no signs that anyone had touched her.
But no matter how much she tried to think back, she couldn’t remember anything. That scared her.
What if she had said something strange? Or done something embarrassing?
There was a small bathroom next to the room. Se-ah washed up there. Luckily, her bag was on the bedside table, so she could put on some makeup.
After changing into the clothes Seonghan had prepared, she went out to the living room. He seemed to be eating.
“Perfect timing. Sit.”
Should I go back inside?
After hesitating for a moment, Se-ah made up her mind and sat across from him.
She took a deep breath.
The smell of dried pollack soup filled her nose. But she didn’t lift her spoon. There was something she had to say first.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Go ahead.”
Seonghan answered casually.
His indifferent attitude made her shrink for a moment, but she forced herself to gather courage.
“It’s true that I liked you in the past, Chairman. I liked you, so we dated, and we k—anyway, we probably did things that people do when they like each other.”
“You can say it directly. Kiss.”
After swallowing his food, Seonghan continued,
“When you say ‘things people do when they like each other,’ it leaves too much to the imagination.”
“No.”
Se-ah quickly lifted her head. What imagination?
But Seonghan’s eyes were unexpectedly relaxed, as if he were recalling a deep memory.
“No, what?”
“I mean, don’t imagine it.”
After saying that, Se-ah let out a small breath through her nose. But Seonghan didn’t seem bothered at all.
“Human language is symbolic. Symbols create imagination. If someone says ‘desk,’ even if there’s no desk in front of you, you imagine one in your head.”
He looked at her quietly.
“Like when I say ‘Han Se-ah’ and picture you in my mind.”
His eyes curved lazily. Se-ah’s heart began to beat quickly.
This didn’t feel like panic. Was she still drunk?
She shook her head.
“Ah, that was just an example. I’m not saying I actually did that.”
Seonghan looked away from her, almost teasingly.
“Yes, an example. I understand.”
Unable to stand it, Se-ah took a sip of the hot soup. But strangely, it made her feel even thirstier.
She stared at the surface of the soup for a moment.
The liquid moved gently after she stirred it with her spoon. Just like her heart. As the soup swirled, her heart seemed to shake as well.
‘Calm down. Don’t get emotional.’
She took several deep breaths.
After waiting for her feelings to settle, she lifted her head and looked straight into Seonghan’s eyes.
“I’ll finish what I was saying. Whatever we did in the past, it’s in the past. I’m not curious about you anymore.”
Why he ran away. Why he never contacted her. What he thought of her.
“So I hope you won’t treat me differently from now on. Probably forever.”
Se-ah stood up.
This was a pretty clean ending, she thought.
But then Seonghan spoke.
“Are you really not curious at all?”
“Yes.”
“Not even about what happened last night?”
Se-ah flinched. She had forgotten about that.
After a short pause, she forced a smile.
“I believe you wouldn’t take advantage of a drunk woman.”
She controlled her voice so it wouldn’t shake.
She believed that. Even though he had betrayed her, he wasn’t that kind of man.
“Not that.”
Seonghan let out a small laugh and continued.
“I mean what you did to me. And what you said last night. I was in quite a difficult position.”
Se-ah’s face turned bright red.
She knew she shouldn’t get pulled in, but her heart beat faster.
That was the part she had been curious—and worried—about.
But she absolutely couldn’t ask. She didn’t know whether he would tell the truth, and somehow it felt like a trap.
“No, I’m not curious. Since I didn’t end up at the police station, I assume I didn’t commit a crime.”
Seonghan looked at her as if surprised. Then he nodded.
“Good.”
He lightly clasped his hands together, then opened them.
“Respect. I like that attitude.”
Suddenly being praised didn’t make Se-ah feel good. It felt like she was being treated like a child.
“Anyway, I’ll be going now.”
“I’ll leave. Finish your meal.”
As if to stop her, Seonghan stood up. Without giving her a chance to respond, he walked across the living room and left through the front door.
Only after the door closed did Se-ah slowly sit back down.
She grabbed her head with both hands.
‘What on earth happened last night!’
She had never caused trouble while drunk—not even in college!
She couldn’t even ask him. Seriously!
No matter how much she shook her head, she couldn’t reach any conclusion.
‘Fine. I’ll eat.’
Honestly, the dried pollack soup was really delicious. It was easily in the top three—no, it was the best she had ever had.
She had planned to take just one spoonful out of pride and leave. But since it had come to this, she might as well finish it.
Se-ah lifted her head and scraped the bowl clean, as if filling the emptiness inside her.
After arriving at work, Se-ah turned around when she heard someone call her from behind.
“Se-ah, did you get home safely yesterday?”
It was Min-kyung, with dark circles almost reaching her chin. Seeing her made Se-ah’s shoulders tense automatically.
“Ah, yes. Of course. I got home safely.”
“Did the Chairman take you home? Hehe, lucky you. By the way, I didn’t make a fool of myself yesterday, did I?”
Min-kyung asked, blushing. Se-ah shook her head. Min-kyung hadn’t even said anything untrue. If anything, it had been rather cute.
“No, not at all.”
“No, I did. I was so drunk after such a long time. I keep remembering bits and pieces and it’s killing me. I hope I didn’t make a bad impression.”
It’s fine. Whether you did or not, I think I’m in first place anyway. This is a world that only remembers first place.
Se-ah just smiled.
“Min-kyung, why did you drink so much yesterday? Geez. Do you at least remember getting home?”
In-hye, who had just arrived at work, lightly hit Min-kyung’s back as she spoke. Min-kyung shook her head.
“I remember. Why wouldn’t I? Sorry for the trouble. I’ll treat you next time.”
“No, don’t. That just means I’ll have to take care of you again. You always pass out first, and I’m tired of dragging you out. From now on, I’m only drinking with Se-ah!”
In-hye linked arms with Se-ah, and Se-ah smiled.
Someone approached her just as she returned to her seat after finishing the small talk.
“Se-ah, the principal is calling you.”
“The principal?”
The principal didn’t usually call a teacher first thing in the morning—unless something had gone seriously wrong.
What did I do?
Did Lee Dong-jun say something?
Se-ah quickly walked toward the principal’s office. It was better to face something frightening as soon as possible.
As she passed the chairman’s office, her steps strangely slowed.
‘What am I doing?’
She forced herself to walk faster and knocked on the principal’s door.
“This is Han Se-ah.”
“Come in!”
The principal’s voice was sharp.
