At her biting words, a crease formed between Beomjin’s brows.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Don’t say things like that.”
Junyoung’s eyes sharpened as a bitter laugh escaped her lips.
“You don’t get it. You don’t know what it’s been like living with her all these years. You don’t understand anything. I couldn’t do anything normally. I couldn’t enjoy anything. If it weren’t for that woman... I...”
It happened again. Beomjin’s large hand wrapped around the back of her head. Pulled gently, Junyoung found herself pressing her forehead against his chest.
Her hat fell to the ground. Beomjin sighed briefly.
“If you’re going to cry, don’t say things like that.”
The sigh that had been building up finally burst into a sound of desperation. Hot, ragged breaths escaped her lips as Junyoung struggled to hold back the sobs. The tears she couldn’t hold back slid down her face, soaking Beomjin’s t-shirt.
Why, Mom?
Why at all?
Her emotions were tangled in a confusing mess, but those fragmented words were all that ran through her mind. Fighting to hold back the tears, Junyoung felt Beomjin’s hand brush against her own.
Beomjin slowly pried open her tightly clenched fist. As her hand opened, it felt like all the strength drained from her body.
“Does it hurt? There’s blood.”
“...Me.”
Her trembling lips parted involuntarily. She murmured softly.
“I won’t forget this moment.”
Not being able to drag my mom out of that place.
And the fact that she’s still doing that job, no matter the reason.
“I will never forget.”
As her voice trailed off, as though making a vow, Beomjin silently looked up at the sky. The blue sky, without a cloud in sight, felt ruthlessly clear.
***
“...Yeah. I told you to sell those stocks a long time ago. Alright, let’s keep an eye on it until next week.”
Seungwoon, who had been staring out the window, rested his chin on his hand. He’d suggested going out for a meal nearby, but it seemed like she was planning on going much farther. It wasn’t the first time his mom had been impulsive like this.
He was about to ask where she was going, but his mom was already holding the phone to her ear again. Seungwoon shrugged and turned his gaze back to the window.
“Team Leader, it’s me. What’s the deal with the Yongin factory? End of next month? No, I don’t get why it’s taking so long to move things to Vietnam. Are you getting behind on this because you’ve been too focused on other things? I heard you’ve been having dinners with the CEO lately.”
The person his mom referred to as the CEO was his uncle. But since his uncle took over as the CEO two years ago, after his dad, who had been the vice president, his mom had never called him “oppa” again.
“Of course that’s important. But it’ll take at least five years to see profits. Don’t you think it’s better to wrap up the Vietnam stuff first? When you report the expected performance for the second half to the chairman, it’d be nice to at least show something decent. You’re not seriously thinking I’ll stay in this line of work forever, are you?”
Her reflection in the window was staring at her nails. Seungwoon regretted not bringing his earphones, resting his forehead against the window. Hearing his mom speak in that tone always made his heart tighten.
“Let’s finish it in two weeks. Oh, and find a spot in the suburbs. Has Team Leader Choi gotten too old? He doesn’t seem to have the same sharpness. Find someone decent.”
It seemed like she was finally done with her business call, as she casually tossed the phone into her bag.
“Ugh, no one’s useful. Son, I’m dying here.”
“Should I rub your shoulders?”
Turning around, Seungwoon spoke, but his mom, with her lipstick-perfect smile, pinched his cheek.
“I can’t have you doing that, son. Director Kim, I think I’ll go to the spa this afternoon.”
“I’ll make the call.”
Director Kim, who had been holding the wheel, replied in his usual monotone voice. Seungwoon, now uneasy, shifted his body.
“How far are you going for lunch?”
“I was thinking of having eel. Why? Do you have plans in the afternoon?”
“Plans? I was just thinking of going swimming.”
“Hmm,” his mom said, drawing out the sound as she stared at him. Seungwoon shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.
“What’s wrong?”
“How are things going with that girl? You haven’t mentioned her these past few days. Did you two fight?”
A long sigh escaped Seungwoon at his mom’s words. He leaned his forehead against the window again.
“We’re not close enough to fight.”
“Oh my. Where did my son go, the one who had the whole class wrapped around his finger after just three days?”
“Junyoung.”
This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.
Seungwoon spoke bitterly, his eyes still on his mom, watching her teasing smile reflected in the window.
“She’s different from the others.”
“I noticed that too.”
Surprisingly, his mom nodded in agreement. Seungwoon turned to look at her.
“Mom, what did you talk about with her that day? You brought her the clothes to change into, but then you left in a hurry.”
“You didn’t hear?”
“I told you, we’re not that close.”
“She’s a bit stubborn.”
His mom muttered, seemingly irritated by her nails as she glanced at them again.
“She’s not bad, but just a bit too much.”
Director Kim glanced in the rearview mirror. Seungwoon understood why now.
To his mom, people outside the family were judged on whether they were useful or not. She hardly ever said anyone was “good.” And especially not a teenage girl.
The car stopped at a red light. Seungwoon, resting his chin on his hand, looked out the window and quietly muttered.
“You don’t have to like her.”
“Wow, already saying stuff like that. Don’t worry, when you get married, you’ll marry someone your mom likes. We’ll be family, after all, so it makes sense, doesn’t it?”
Marriage? Seungwoon scrunched his face, a slight tilt to his lips. For a moment, the image of Junyoung in a white wedding dress flashed before his eyes.
The thought alone made him feel embarrassed, so he casually covered his lips with his hand. His cheeks were heating up.
Forget marriage, she won’t even let me get close enough to talk to her. With the way things are, even just being able to have a normal conversation like with the other girls should make it easier to become friends. But Junyoung always builds walls around herself. Breaking them down isn’t easy.
If only there were a way.
The only person Junyoung actually has a real conversation with is probably Hye Soo. But even then, she responds thoughtfully. And then there’s...
...Kwon Beomjin, who seems completely unrelated.
Junyoung and Beomjin don’t even make eye contact at school. But they clearly know each other. And it feels like they’re really close. But how? How in the world?
Seungwoon’s eyes widened as he squinted at the crosswalk. Two people were walking down the quiet street.
It wasn’t hard to recognize Beomjin. But it was the girl walking next to him that held Seungwoon’s attention. She was wearing a striped t-shirt and white shorts.
She had a black hat pulled down low, her head bent so that her face was hidden, but his instincts told him who it was.
As a motorcycle passed by, Beomjin, walking on the inner side of the street, suddenly pulled the girl’s arm. He said something to her, and as he stepped out toward the outer side, she lightly tapped his arm. It was a natural action that people who were comfortable with each other would do.
Seungwoon’s heart started pounding. His head immediately felt hot. Before he could think properly, his hand was already reaching for the car door.
“I’ll get out here. Enjoy your meal, Mom!”
“What, hey, Seungwoon? Seungwoon!”
He didn’t hear his mom’s frantic voice. His eyes were fixed on the couple across the street, and he began walking.
That’s Yoon Junyoung. Her height, perfect posture, and the long, dark hair peeking out from under her hat confirmed it.
And besides, who else could be walking so casually next to Kwon Beomjin?
How?
How, exactly?
Should I cross the street and catch up with them? Should I call her name and say hello? As he tried to gauge the distance to the crosswalk, a bus passed in front of him. Trying to avoid the bus as it stopped at the station, Seungwoon quickened his pace, only to find himself utterly deflated.
They were gone.
Had they turned into an alley? Or gone into a shop?
“Damn it!”
Frustrated, Seungwoon muttered a curse, kicking the ground. He couldn’t make sense of the overwhelming feelings racing through his mind. It was like a heat was rising in his chest, an anger he had never felt before, burning within him.
Even when his mom returned and called him, Seungwoon remained frozen in place, unable to move. His clenched fists trembled ever so slightly.
***
The air was a bit cooler than down the hill, but when the door was shut, it still felt stuffy. Junyoung sniffed and narrowed her eyes.
“I told you. I’ll do it.”
Beomjin eyed her skeptically.
“Are you sure? You’ve got a bandage on your hand.”
“I told you it doesn’t hurt. Stop fussing and move out of the way.”
She narrowed her eyes and opened the loaf of bread. “What, you think I can’t even make a sandwich? It’s easy. You just put the ingredients on there without even needing to toast it.”
With ham, lettuce, cheese, and jam, she had everything ready. She glanced sideways at Beomjin, who stood there like a statue.
“Are you just going to stand there watching me?”
“Have you ever done it before?”
“Sandwiches don’t need practice. Just open the window. It’s hot.”
Beomjin raised an eyebrow, clicking his tongue, then walked over to open the window. This was the first time he’d left the window open while staying here.
For some reason, he wasn’t worried that someone might peer in. Right now, she just wanted to do what she wanted, without any hesitation.