Chapter 21. Round and Round

“Let go of me.”

“Yooa.”

“I won’t run. I’ll give you a proper answer, so just let go.”

Only then did Lee Jun relax his arms, releasing her from his embrace.

So even you, who always seemed so aloof and untouchable, have moments when you tremble.

You do get nervous too.

He had looked like a fierce Doberman, baring its teeth as if ready to bite at any opening, but now he sat with the innocent, tentative eyes of a retriever. Seeing the shift, Yooa burst into laughter.

“You’re just… Never mind. You must be enjoying this, huh?”

Yooa pulled Lee Jun into an embrace, despite him muttering that he was burning up inside.

Because she knew how much courage it took for him to say each word.

It was the first time Yooa had expressed her feelings so openly, and Lee Jun’s nape turned bright red.

“Yooa, you—so you hugged me first.”

He looked confused, as if questioning whether he was the one who had initiated the touch after all.

Because in his mind, Yooa hugging him was not part of any plan. Watching how flustered he was, Yooa nodded.

“Yes. I hugged you first.”

“So, that means… you’re thinking positively?”

“About dating, for now.”

“Just dating?”

Yooa held back, saying she wanted him to propose properly a year later if they were going to talk about marriage.

She explained how her late father had always said that one must go through all four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—with a person to truly know them. Lee Jun couldn’t argue with that.

“He must’ve been a wise man. Gentle and warm, just like you.”

“Thank you… for saying that.”

Lee Jun muttered that he’d wait and promised to look forward to the future. Feeling the warmth of her close presence, he smiled brightly.

Resting his chin lightly on her head, he whispered,

“You must have some innate talent or ability to make people restless.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you seem to have that kind of skill.”

He sighed dramatically about wanting to forget about weddings or honeymoons and just live together starting tomorrow, making Yooa laugh.

The longing and hope he had for a simple, shared life that only she remembered made her heart flutter too.

So this is what you mean to me.

Realizing she could lean on his shoulder and receive his whole-hearted love, tears began to fall silently down her cheeks.

Wasn’t everything—round and round—just so I could realize that you love me?

It had been tough being alone. But now, knowing he would be by her side from now on filled her with a solid sense of reassurance.

“What about the Chairman? Will you tell him?”

Now that the important meeting was over and Lee Jun had shown up, Chairman Kang would probably drop by tomorrow too. Yooa frowned, wondering if she should bring it up then.

Lee Jun gently pulled up her furrowed brow with his finger.

“Why? You don’t want me to tell him?”

“Can we wait just a little?”

“Afraid you’ll change your mind?”

“No… I think he might be shocked.”

Yooa suddenly remembered: in a few months, Chairman Kang would have an emergency surgery due to a myocardial infarction.

She had forgotten about it since the surgery went well and he recovered without complications. But recalling it now, it left her unsettled.

Despite his age, it had been a sudden cardiac arrest caused by vascular constriction. She remembered the medical staff wondering aloud if he had mixed up his medication.

Saejin’s death. Chairman Kang’s heart attack.

Could they be related? Yooa felt a surge of caution and hoped that someday she could share everything with Lee Jun. Her heart raced at the thought.

The one person she had always wished would be on her side.

Her only and true ally.

She still hoped that person would be Lee Jun.

Ah… I just wanted to feel secure with him.

I liked him from the beginning. That’s why I wanted to be loved by him.

“Director.”

“Are you going to keep calling me ‘Director’?”

There was no hesitation in their eyes as they looked at each other. Yooa tapped the cold seat next to her with her palm.

“Come here, Jun.”

“What did you just call me?”

“You said to call you something else. What? Don’t you like it?”

“No.”

He instinctively smiled and quickly covered his mouth with his large hand, trying not to look too eager.

“Of course not.”

Yooa pulled the blanket over his shoulders near the window and whispered that they could talk about tomorrow’s matters then.

“You’re tired. Your dark circles are all the way down here.”

“I’m not tired.”

He widened his eyes like a child who didn’t want to go to sleep. The heat from his palm as he wove his fingers between hers made her heart jump.

Seeing his behavior reminded Yooa of Saejin’s childish clinginess, and she smiled with a hint of sorrow.

“I’m not going anywhere. So tomorrow. Okay? Let’s just sleep for now.”

“I don’t think I can sleep. I’m worried.”

He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it with an audible smack, adding in a weary voice that if this moment was just a dream, he didn’t want to wake up.

That comment made her laugh and cry in turns. She felt a lump in her throat—guilt and gratitude all at once.

“I’m worried you’ll change your mind by morning. That you’ll run away saying it’s not going to work.”

Even after she had hugged him first, Lee Jun still couldn’t believe Yooa had accepted his feelings. He didn’t know that his words about not wanting to wake from this dream made her heart ache.

“I promise. I won’t go anywhere. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Resting her cheek on her raised knee, Yooa smiled toward Lee Jun, who was tightly holding her hand. She hoped he’d understand the meaning behind her first true smile while looking him straight in the eyes.

Lee Jun stared at her blankly for a while, admiring her smile, then slowly spoke.

“Really?”

“Yes. I promise.”

She had once pinky-sworn with Saejin the day before a scary dentist appointment to calm him down. Now, she was doing it with Lee Jun.

Yooa silently shed tears.

Looking back, Saejin was just like Lee Jun.

She gently laid her hand over his eyes. The weight of her palm on his eyelids made him smile quietly through the darkness.

A harmless smile, just like Saejin’s.

“Sweet dreams, Jun.”

Lee Jun moved his lips in response to her farewell.

You too, he might have said.

Even in his sleep, he never let go of Yooa’s hand. After shifting around a few times, Yooa gave up trying to free herself and leaned her head on him.

As his quiet, steady breathing filled the room, Yooa’s heartbeat finally calmed.

“Goodnight.”

A small flame lit within her chest, burning gently and warmly.

(Scene shift)

“Who? Yooa, the chauffeur’s daughter? She’s deeply involved with Jun?!”

Joohee sank into her seat, wearing the same expression as her husband who had just told her.

The table was set with carefully prepared side dishes, but she couldn’t bring herself to eat.

She had planned for Lee Jun to marry the daughter of Hanseo News’ president.

“What if the camper launch becomes a hit? What then, huh, honey?”

“Don’t say nonsense. Haven’t you heard that words have power? Watch your mouth.”

“Yes, yes. Fine.”

Silenced by his wife’s sharp glare, Baek Kyung shut up. But having lost his appetite, he merely stirred his soup and sighed.

Joohee bit her lips hard, then finally placed a hand on her forehead and snapped.

“Ma’am! The soup is too salty. Don’t you know what low-sodium means? I told you—don’t season it!”

Startled by her fury, the two helpers waiting by the fridge bowed deeply in apology.

Joohee flung the bowl to the floor, and as if used to it, the helpers rushed over and swiftly cleaned up the broken pieces.

“I’ve had enough. We need to marry Jun to Hanseo News’ daughter immediately. Or else, we’ll lose him right before our eyes!”