Munjeong - Chapter 28

When Heejung quietly listened to his words, Yeonjun shrugged his shoulders and gave a faint smile.

“Rather, I should thank you for coming to Songbaekwon. As you may have guessed from my situation, I’m not someone who can freely meet people or go about like that.”

Heejung didn’t know how to respond to his casual reference to himself as a burdensome person in a tied-up position. Yeonjun, with a slightly bitter expression, looked at Heejung.

“Every time you brought something you didn’t know and asked me about it, honestly, it was kind of fun for me. It didn’t feel so suffocating, like I was trapped here.”

“Yes…”

“The only person here I could call family is my mother, but… she’s often unwell…”

When Yeonjun trailed off his words with a forlorn tone and lowered his eyes, Heejung suddenly felt an ache in her chest. Aside from the fact that she initially intended to nip in the bud any unnecessary gossip from the Chaebol family that might involve Chaeon, she couldn’t help but think that Yeonjun’s search for Chaeon might also have stemmed from loneliness.

“Looking at Chaeon now, I see she resembles your mother a lot.”

As Yeonjun whispered softly, Heejung smiled slightly.

“Yes, everyone who sees her says the same thing. I think so too.”

“I resemble my mother a lot too. Though now, she’s so unwell that her appearance has changed quite a bit.”

His delicate face smiled warmly, but there was something so poignant and pitiful about it that it felt like her heart was being pierced.

“I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to say this, but…”

“Yes, please, go ahead, young master.”

His soft brown eyes gazed quietly at Heejung.

“I hope your mother stays at Songbaekwon for a very long time.”

“Oh… of course, young master. I came here with the intention of working for a long time, after all.”

Working as a domestic helper for a Chaebol family earned much more money than most people imagined, and securing an opportunity to connect with an exclusive household like the Joongwang family was no easy feat. Though the first few months of salary had been used to clear off some lingering debts, the pay she would receive going forward would be enough to save for Chaeon’s tuition and build up some savings. Heejung planned to work there as long as she could.

“Chaeon seems to have different thoughts, though.”

“Chaeon does?”

Yeonjun fiddled idly with the mug on the table.

“She said she’d get a job right after entering college and take care of you herself.”

“Oh dear…”

“She said she wants to leave Songbaekwon.”

“Honestly, she’s still so young, talking nonsense like that…”

“You hadn’t heard anything from her?”

“No, this is the first time I’m hearing about it. She’s not the type of child who would say something like that to me…”

Trailing off, Heejung bit her lips in frustration, and Yeonjun, watching her with an unreadable expression, softened his gaze with a melancholic crease.

“I wish both you and Chaeon could stay here for a long time.”

“Young master…”

“Thanks to Chaeon, I’ve forgotten what it feels like to be lonely and desolate. I’ve even stopped taking the sedatives I used to need regularly.”

“…”

“I’ll make sure to have everything arranged so that there’s nothing inconvenient for you while you’re here—”

Looking at her earnestly, he added, as though pleading.

“Please stay here for a long time. Don’t go anywhere.”

He even looked somewhat desperate. While she had already advised her nearly 20-year-old daughter to maintain some distance to avoid unnecessary rumors, hearing Yeonjun’s situation made Heejung feel a pang of pity for him.

A boy who had grown up on eggshells, with a mother whose health wavered so often—it couldn’t have been easy for him to turn out this way. While she had told Chaeon to be cautious in her behavior, she was nonetheless deeply grateful that her daughter had been able to improve her grades and avoid loneliness while visiting Yeonjun’s room.

After a moment’s hesitation, Heejung let out a sigh-like laugh.

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

—

“Young master.”

After returning to his room following a brief bath, Taeha was greeted by Secretary Kim, who bowed politely. Normally, Secretary Kim would announce his visits in advance, but lately, he had been appearing without notice as he worked through tasks assigned by Chairman Jang before his departure. These included reports related to a hotel Taeha was likely to take over.

“This is information about the marketing department you’ll be working with during your stay in the U.S. It includes the team you’ll be joining and a list of your colleagues. I’ve also organized the relevant details about your responsibilities.”

Taking the tablet PC from Secretary Kim, Taeha flipped through a few pages, quickly scanning the materials.

“You’ve organized it well. I’ll review it in detail later. What’s the status of the project we began under the hotel’s name to revitalize tourism in Jeju Island?”

“Shall I provide a brief update?”

“Please do. Let me have a quick smoke.”

“Understood.”

When Taeha retrieved a cigar from the humidor in his desk drawer, Secretary Kim slightly inclined his head.

“The updates we’ve received from Governor Park Joonghun of Jeju Province are as follows…”

As he listened to the continuing report, Taeha skillfully cut the cap of the cigar stored alongside with a cigar cutter. Taking a moment to savor the taste of the cigar, he struck a match and lit the cigar held between his lips.

“…The independent pensions near Jeju Hamdeok Beach close to the airport, and in Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo of old Jeju—”

When he opened the terrace window wide for ventilation, the increasingly chilly autumn air rushed in. The report continued about the tea meeting with the governor of Jeju, who had enthusiastically welcomed the tourism innovation project.

It was at that moment, as he exhaled a puff of smoke and glanced downward, that his eyes met Chaeon’s. She was sitting on the edge of the fountain in the garden, visible directly from his room.

“…”

Kim’s voice from behind him gradually faded into the background. Chaeon, seemingly out to prepare flowers for a vase, had placed neatly trimmed branches of flowers along the fountain’s edge and sat there herself.

Despite having conspicuously avoided him all this time for reasons unknown, this time, there was no escape. Meeting him directly with no way out, her large eyes, moist as always, looked up at him as if bracing for a bite to the neck.

Taeha exhaled, deliberately keeping his gaze fixed on her through the dispersing smoke. Even from a distance, he could clearly see her startled eyes wavering. Her small hands, resting quietly on her lap, clenched tightly into fists.

At that moment, a strong gust of wind swept over the ridge, sending a few flowers perched on the fountain’s edge into the water. Ah. She let out a faint sigh, her slightly parted lips closing tightly again as she glanced nervously at him before sighing heavily.

“Tsk.”

“…So in this particular case, working with Wolseong Foods seems inevitable—pardon? Did you say something?”

“No, continue.”

Responding to Secretary Kim behind him, Taeha watched Chaeon with interest through the smoke. It seemed like she was in a bind. What would she do? Holding the cigar lightly in his hand, he watched her closely until he suddenly paused, pressing his lips tightly together.

Caught in a dilemma, Chaeon alternated her gaze between him and the flowers floating in the fountain. Then, slipping off her shoes, she immediately removed her white socks as well. She proceeded to hike up her skirt, which fluttered loosely around her ankles.

“…”

Taeha took another puff of his cigar. Holding her skirt tightly to keep it from falling, Chaeon took a deep breath and, with her eyes tightly shut, stepped into the fountain up to her thighs. The depth was more than she had anticipated, rendering her hiked-up skirt ineffective. In her effort to retrieve the flowers floating away, she ended up completely soaked.

Chaeon shivered as she collected the flowers one by one and climbed out of the fountain, drenched. A faint breath escaped her lips as she quickly arranged the retrieved flowers into the vase. Trembling, she wrung out the water from her skirt.

Irritated by the wet fabric clinging to her legs, she hiked her skirt up to her calves and glanced cautiously in Taeha’s direction again.

“…By next year’s second half, during the semi-peak and peak seasons, this project is expected to reach its highest point. For the rainy season, we’re also preparing a support project to address flight cancellations and delays due to inclement weather…”

Secretary Kim’s voice had now faded completely into the background. As Taeha inhaled and exhaled the smoke, his gaze on Chaeon narrowed.

Carrying the flower-filled vase, Chaeon slowly approached him. Water dripped from her hair, clinging to her shoulders and chest. Her face, pale from the cold water, appeared slightly flushed.

She reluctantly bowed her head toward him, then hastened her steps, disappearing from his sight in an instant.

“…”

The taste of the cigar grew faint. Perhaps he should have poured himself a glass of whiskey to pair with it. His throat felt oddly dry and scratchy.

A single flower, faintly tinged with the color of water, lay where Chaeon had passed. Taeha’s gaze lingered on it silently, as though trying to erase other lingering images from his mind.