Munjeong - Chapter 24

The pitch-black eyes, as if sunk deep into an abyss, were strange. It seemed as though they were staring into empty space, and yet, as if they were looking at Chaeon. Caught off guard, unable to do anything, Chaeon stood frozen in place.

“Ma’am, ma’am. Goodness. I must be losing my mind. My head… Madam…!”

Yeonseo rushed over, clutching her forehead as though on the brink of madness, her face still drowsy. Approaching without even having wiped the sleep from her eyes, Yeonseo grabbed Son Ju-ah with practiced ease and gave Chaeon a small nod of acknowledgment. Chaeon returned the gesture with a slight bow of her head. But Yeonseo, as if worried someone might overhear even in the deserted hallway, leaned in and whispered in a hushed voice.

“About what happened today, please, don’t tell anyone. Keep it a secret. Otherwise, I might lose my job.”

“Pardon?”

“No, I mean… Ah. Sometimes she takes zolpidem1, and this always happens, but I accidentally dozed off even though I was supposed to be keeping an eye on her. Just don’t say anything, okay? Please.”

Chaeon couldn’t help but wonder how she would have taken responsibility if an accident had occurred, beyond simply keeping the matter a secret. But not wanting to engage in unnecessary conversation, she merely nodded silently.

As she watched Yeonseo walk away, looking around nervously like a guilty person, Chaeon felt inexplicably unsettled. The sight of Son Ju-ah, being dragged along powerlessly like a doll devoid of self-awareness, felt like a scene from a peculiar film.

Would that woman have to live her entire life burdened by an unhealable wound of the heart?

If her first step into Songbaekwon had been through an affair with a married man, and if that was the reason she was there, then it wasn’t hard to imagine how others had treated her from the start. And naturally, two men came to Chaeon’s mind.

Jang Taeha, who had to witness his father bringing a woman he’d had an affair with and her child into their home. And Jang Yeonjun, who had abandoned his father and entered the house of the man who betrayed him, alongside his mother. Though Chaeon couldn’t fully understand the complexities of adult affairs, just thinking about it made her chest feel heavy.

Having lost her drowsiness entirely, she didn’t think she could fall asleep even if she lay back down. In the end, Chaeon put on a cardigan and stepped out into the chilly pre-dawn air of the garden.

Songbaekwon was surrounded on all sides by trees, giving it an enclosed and somewhat eerie atmosphere. Yet, it also provided a sense of security, as if the place were completely cut off from the outside world. Chaeon strolled leisurely through the garden, dimly lit by scattered lamps.

The expansive garden, under the dark night sky, had landscaping that seemed straight out of a movie. The broad sunroom near the swimming pool in the front yard, the beautiful fountain that had captivated her when she first arrived, and the meticulously tended trees and flowers all exuded human touch and care.

Yeonjun had told her to stay in Songbaekwon for a long time. At that moment, she had been too taken aback to give a proper response. But if she didn’t leave and stayed here, wouldn’t that mean she’d live her entire life as nothing but a subordinate?

Though she doubted she could ever be in a position of power anywhere, Chaeon at least wanted to live as someone who worked to find her own place and sustain her life through her efforts—not as someone who felt like a parasite.

She hoped the ending of her life wouldn’t resemble Euicheol’s—chasing something forever out of reach and dying leaning on it. Nor did she want a life like Son Ju-ah’s, stuck here and worn out, unable to do this or that. With a bitter smile, Chaeon rubbed her slightly chilled arms in the cold air and turned around.

The faint smell of something acrid brushed against her nose, accompanied by wisps of smoke drifting into the air.

She froze for a moment and looked up, only to meet the eyes of a man leaning on the railing of the second-floor balcony.

“……”

Taeha, dressed in a nightgown, was looking down at her, a cigarette glowing red between his lips. It was the first time she had seen him at such a late hour, in such darkness. His sculpted face, softly illuminated by the dim garden lights, was cast in deep shadows.

She had only ever seen him in his perfectly put-together state. The usual Jang Taeha, sharp and ruthless in his three-piece suits, looked as though he would brutally punish even the smallest mistake. But now, with his normally sleeked-back hair naturally falling over his forehead and dressed casually, he seemed entirely different—unpredictable in his unfamiliar appearance, and all the more unnerving because of it.

He didn’t say a word, merely looked down at Chaeon, who stood frozen in place. As he inhaled deeply on his cigarette, the hollow of his cheeks grew prominent, his eyes faintly narrowing. Then, as he took the cigarette out and held it between his fingers, his gaze became darker and deeper, matching the acrid and damp air.

It felt as though she had stepped into a forbidden place, witnessing something dangerously ominous. Chaeon swallowed dryly without realizing it, her heart thudding heavily in her chest. Her body shivered, not from the cold she had ignored until now, but from something else entirely.

With a faint sigh, the smoke blurred his languid gaze.

Finally managing to break away from his eyes, Chaeon bit the inside of her lip, bowed her head briefly, and hurriedly left the spot as though fleeing.

Her back prickled as if he were still watching her, though she couldn’t know what kind of expression he wore. Was he still looking at her? Or had he turned away? The strange urge to turn around and check made Chaeon clench her fists tightly as she quickened her steps.

The smell of cigarette smoke seemed to chase after her.

—

No matter what anyone said, the most famous residence in Geumso-dong was undoubtedly Songbaekwon. As renowned as the residents were, so was the metasequoia-lined road leading up to the mansion. This expansive path, flanked by tall, lush metasequoia trees stretching for about 2 kilometers, was a spectacular sight that occasionally became a filming location for dramas or movies with special permission.

A large sedan slid along the road covered in an orange carpet of leaves. Only vehicles carrying the family members of Jun Gwang could freely pass through this metasequoia-lined road leading to Songbaekwon. Among them, the black sedan belonged to the eldest son, whom Chairman Jang cherished deeply.

Staff members were diligently sweeping the fallen leaves to the sides of the road. Recognizing the approaching car, the workers exchanged nods with the driver, only to be startled as the backseat window rolled down, revealing Taeha. Bowing their heads quickly, they caught his brief nod of acknowledgment before he turned his calm gaze to the falling shower of leaves from a large tree.

This would be the last time he’d see this scenery for the year. He wouldn’t be here for some time. Gazing silently at the leaves fluttering down onto the car hood, the vehicle soon came to a stop.

“There are no more schedules for today, so you may leave directly.”

The long coat fluttered in the rather chilly wind. Just as he was about to dismiss the bowing driver with a glance and turn away, Taeha looked down at the shopping bag in his hand, then turned back.

“Driver Kim.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you like Korean sweets?”

“…Pardon?”

Momentarily flustered by the steady gaze, Driver Kim quickly bowed and replied.

“Ah, not me, but… my mother at home enjoys them.”

“I heard she’s quite elderly.”

“Yes. She turns ninety this year.”

“Take this.”

As Taeha extended the shopping bag in his hand, Driver Kim’s eyes widened. Having served as a driver for Jun Gwang for a long time, he had grown familiar with the luxurious items enjoyed by the upper class. However, what Taeha handed him was a shopping bag from Ohn Yoo Dang, which sold medicinal rice cakes and Korean sweets crafted by a third-generation master.

These were the kind of gifts exchanged between corporations or delicacies served by wealthy hostesses in Seongbukdong or Pyeongchangdong to entertain esteemed guests. Momentarily hesitant and overwhelmed, Driver Kim froze, but Taeha placed the bag directly in his hand.

“Chairman doesn’t like sweets much, and neither do I.”

“Ah, but…”

Even though it was well known that Jang Ik Hyun, his father, was passionate about Ohn Yoo Dang’s offerings, Taeha’s expression seemed utterly indifferent to that fact. Unwilling to refuse and disrupt the atmosphere, Driver Kim quickly bowed and accepted the bag.

“Thank you very much.”

“They say it pairs well with jujube or green tea.”

Though his tone was plain, Driver Kim recognized it as Taeha’s way of showing consideration. Smiling broadly, he offered another round of gratitude. In return, Taeha gave a faint smile and turned to leave.

The air, imbued with autumn, had settled everywhere, sweeping away the remnants of summer. Walking across the garden dyed in yellow and red hues toward the main house, Taeha’s attention was caught by an unusual burst of lively laughter—a rare sound at Songbaekwon.

“…”

Under the aged gingko tree in the garden, three or four staff members sat together, seemingly collecting flowers for arrangements. They were chatting as they worked. Among them, Taeha’s gaze paused briefly on a particularly distinct, radiant face.

1. Imidazopyridine-class sleeping medication. A psychotropic drug used to treat insomnia. Misuse can lead to serious side effects such as sleepwalking, amnesia, dependence, bizarre behaviors, depression, and addiction.