GITDS 10

Chapter 10

Jungwon straightened from the position in which she had been leaning against the table and looked at Tae-kyung.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“What… did you just say?”

“I said I was sorry.”

Although it was an apology without a subject, Jungwon immediately understood what he meant.

She couldn’t even remember how desperately she had wanted to hear those words from Haesin several years ago.

If you were going to apologize, you should have done it back then.

You placed all the blame for the accident on my late father, spread the absurd story that my father had tried to sell information to China and his daughter had tried to sell it to the United States, and turned us into traitors—and now you’re saying you’re sorry?

Han Tae-kyung, you may be sincere in that apology, but it’s already too late.

The moment I returned to Haesin, I swore I would bring the Haesin you sit at the top of crashing down.

“Why?”

“……”

“I don’t understand why you’re apologizing, Chairman. You weren’t even with the company at the time.”

Jungwon forced herself to speak calmly.

Tae-kyung simply gazed at her.

“And about the apology… You don’t have to apologize. It’s okay.”

“……”

“A lot of time has passed, too, so I understand. From the company’s perspective, there must have been a lot of different interests involved. I just… decided to think of what happened that day as an accident that couldn’t be helped.”

As if it could be okay. I lost everything I had.

She wanted to scream at him that it was too late.

But she had to hold it in.

Because tonight, she had decided to try to win the heart of the Han Tae-kyung sitting in front of her.

That was the only way she could accomplish her goal more quickly.

“We came out to have a nice drink, so let’s stop talking about things like this.”

Jungwon poured more alcohol into her empty glass and smiled brightly.

Tae-kyung watched her with a slightly stiffened expression.

Jungwon emptied the glass in one gulp and poured herself another.

After downing glass after glass, she reached for the bottle again.

Tae-kyung firmly stopped her hand.

“That’s enough.”

Jungwon looked down at Tae-kyung’s hand resting over hers.

Unlike his cold, sharp exterior, his hand was remarkably warm.

Jungwon let go of the bottle and looked at the empty soju bottles scattered across the table.

I’m supposed to be seducing him, yet I’m so upset that I’ve been drinking way too much without saying a word.

She looked at Tae-kyung with slightly unfocused eyes.

Suddenly, emotions welled up inside her, and tears filled her eyes.

Jungwon lowered her head.

“Okay. That’s enough for today… I think we’ve had enough to drink.”

The chair Jungwon was sitting on scraped backward with a loud sound.

Tae-kyung stood up after her.

After leaving the pojangmacha, Jungwon gave him a small bow.

“I had a good time tonight. Then, you should get home safely.”

“……Ms. Min Jungwon.”

“Yes?”

“Ah, never mind.”

Perhaps she should have wondered why he had called her, but Jungwon turned away from Tae-kyung as though it didn’t matter.

Today’s plan failed.

She had nearly broken down in front of him because she couldn’t even manage to win his heart properly.

She had spent all this time pretending to be confident and unaffected.

I really am an idiot.

She had only walked a short distance away from the pojangmacha when—

Tap. Pitter-patter.

Heavy rain began pouring down over Jungwon’s head, as though mirroring her heart.

She lifted her head and looked up at the sky.

“What timing…”

Wiping the raindrops from her face, Jungwon nevertheless thought it was fortunate.

She had wanted to cry, and if she cried now, at least no one would be able to tell.

She wiped her face with her sleeve and slowly stopped in front of the crosswalk.

Perhaps because she had drunk too much too quickly, her body was swaying.

Just as she stepped forward with her unsteady body—

Someone suddenly grabbed her hand.

Jungwon’s eyes widened.

“……Chairman?”

Perhaps he had run after her.

Han Tae-kyung stood there, breathing heavily, glaring at her.

His distorted expression looked somewhat angry.

Or, though it seemed impossible, perhaps he looked worried about her.

Jungwon furrowed her brows.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“What did I do?”

“The light is red, and you were about to cross the street… Are you crying?”

At Tae-kyung’s words, Jungwon hurriedly turned her head away.

Her voice trembled slightly as she answered.

“No, I’m not. It’s raining.”

She had thought the rain would hide it, so how had this man noticed that she was crying?

Jungwon irritably shook off the hand holding hers and continued.

“By the way, why did you follow me?”

“It’s raining, and it’s late at night. I’m not such a piece of trash that I’d let a woman go home alone.”

Perhaps he had intended to give her an umbrella.

Jungwon spotted a new umbrella lying on the ground and frowned.

Why do you have to be so unnecessarily kind?

I was going to…

Jungwon let out a deep sigh.

“I don’t know what you were thinking, but I was just waiting for the light. And what’s so bad about getting a little wet? You should just use the umbrella yourself and go home… Look at us. We both look terrible.”

Rainwater dripped from their disheveled hair, and their suits were thoroughly soaked and a complete mess.

Jungwon stared intently at his face.

What kind of relationship will we have from now on?

It probably won’t be a relationship as clear and transparent as the fresh summer sea.

Maybe it’ll be more like the muddy water pooling here on the ground.

The crosswalk signal, which had been red, turned green.

Jungwon turned away from him and asked,

“Are you planning to stand here all night?”

“……”

“You followed me this far, so why don’t you keep following me?”

Jungwon took a step forward.

Tae-kyung picked up the umbrella lying on the ground and held it over her head.

Jungwon laughed incredulously.

“I don’t think that’s going to make much difference.”

“Let’s just go somewhere first.”

Jungwon entered the hotel lobby and glanced back.

Then her eyes met Tae-kyung’s as he followed behind her, and she quickly looked forward again.

She had been the one to tell him to follow her, but she hadn’t expected him to actually follow without asking where they were going or why.

Jungwon wasn’t sure whether Tae-kyung had followed her simply because he was curious about her, or because he was worried she might do something dangerous again.

But she decided not to concern herself with it.

How he thought about her right now wasn’t particularly important.

First, I need to solve the problem. Let’s just do what I can.

“Oh my…”

The hotel staff stared at the sight of the two of them, completely drenched, with surprised expressions.

Jungwon approached the front desk.

“Room 2204. Could I get cleaning service right away?”

“Oh, yes. One moment, please. I’ll check.”

While the employee made a call, Jungwon looked at Tae-kyung.

He had been looking around the hotel lobby, and their eyes met again.

Once again, she was the first to look away.

“They said it’ll take a little while. If you go up to the room first, they’ll send someone up when they’re ready.”

“Yes, please do.”

Jungwon walked toward Tae-kyung with wet footsteps.

She hesitated slightly before speaking.

“Let’s go upstairs.”

“Together…?”

“Isn’t that why you followed me? They said the cleaning service will be ready soon. If we stay like this, we’ll catch a cold.”

“If that’s all, then there’s no need. I’ll just go…”

Tae-kyung turned as though he intended to leave, clearly refusing.

Jungwon grabbed the hem of his clothes and pulled him toward her.

“I’m not such a piece of trash that I’d send someone who got this wet because of me back outside.”

Tae-kyung looked incredulous as she threw his own words back at him.

He was about to refuse again, firmly this time, but Jungwon simply grabbed him and pulled him along.

Before he knew it, they were standing in front of Room 2204.

Jungwon found the key in her bag, opened the door, and looked at Tae-kyung standing beside her.

His eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.

“Come in.”

“Ha… Ms. Min Jungwon.”

Jungwon walked into the room past Tae-kyung as though nothing were unusual.

Tae-kyung couldn’t bring himself to step inside.

He stood there, frowning as he watched her back.

Jungwon turned around again and asked,

“We came all the way here. Are you really not coming in?”

His expression was subtly flustered.

Jungwon met his eyes and opened the door even wider.

Reluctantly, Tae-kyung stepped inside.

She really must be drunk tonight.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have brought me all the way up here.

With a soft click, the door quietly closed.