Woo-jin’s face furrowed, oblivious to the fact that it would ever relax. “They said the guest list is circulating.”
“Yes,” she replied.
“And who’s on Moon-Ik’s side?”
“It seems that Chairman Yoon Geon-ho is the only one on the list, as it’s primarily composed of young entrepreneurs.”
His gaze drifted down from the part with the names to the small text below. He read the sentence aloud: “This charity gala encourages the use of masks for the attendees to ensure their anonymity.”
This statement felt oddly sinister. Woo-jin couldn’t help but think that people, especially those who like to show off, would revel in anything other than anonymity. It was like trying to coax Hae Gang out of her seclusion by using her facial scars as an excuse to socialize with the elite.
Woo-jin struggled to suppress the growing edge in his nerves. Perhaps it was merely an extension of the care he had felt in the section with the names, and he was overthinking it.
“Can I get some water?” he asked.
“Of course,” his secretary replied and left. Woo-jin stared at the invitation with a complicated expression.
Ironically, masks had become both a means to create an atmosphere that Hae Gang couldn’t escape and the last line of defense, shielding her face. Woo-jin’s face darkened as he considered how she might react when he revealed this fact to her.
She might cry. Perhaps she’d tremble like the last time, like a quaking aspen. In more serious cases, she might even cling to a toilet and retch.
Neither scenario was something he looked forward to witnessing.
****
“Geon-ho, did you receive the invitation?”
“Yes, it’s absolutely perfect,” Geon-ho exclaimed, holding the invitation on his desk with a satisfied expression.
Woo-jin probably received a similar invitation, and he might be wearing a rather awkward expression right now. Laughter echoed over the phone line, the voice of a woman who had relentlessly tried to breach the high walls that Min Woo-jin had erected before he got married to the heiress of the TN Hotel.
“Oh, and Jihoo was complaining about why her name wasn’t on the list. It’s as if she believes she’s the main attraction of this party. Well, I suppose her confidence waned a bit after her brother’s death.”
“Pointless chatter.” Geon-ho’s voice instantly turned cold. Whether he sensed Geon-ho’s lowered spirits or not, Sujin’s excited voice paused for a moment. Geon-ho didn’t hang up abruptly, though. This woman still had a purpose until TN successfully completed the charity gala.
A small cough, as if trying to hide embarrassment, could be heard, followed by a voice that sounded more reserved than before.
“By the way, about the masks, it was quite a unique idea. It faced quite a bit of resistance, knowing that the people in our circle will do anything to enhance their image. I had a hard time explaining it as a noble cause.”
Geon-ho continued the conversation with a more relaxed tone. “Nevertheless, there must have been a reason for following my suggestion.”
“That’s true. I was curious about the woman who married Min Woo-jin. I wanted to know who the woman was who rejected me and was chosen by him.”
A faint furrow appeared between Geon-ho’s eyebrows, the same detail that had been bothering him since the last time.
The woman who married Min Woo-jin. Geon-ho’s wife.
Sujin, who had no knowledge of Geon-ho’s feelings, continued to talk cheerfully.
“To be honest, I never thought Min President would express his intention to attend. I thought he would simply send a donation like he always does. But when the invitation list was exposed, he couldn’t ignore it, could he?”
“Indeed. Anything can remain dormant until it resurfaces, becoming a target.”
“Mmm, can I ask you something?” A voice accompanied by a soft, nasal tone sounded hesitant. It was evident that her plan to form an alliance with Charlie and the in-laws had fallen through, and now she was looking to try something else.
There was no need to be overtly mocking; this woman was not trying to become his mistress.
Geon-ho seemed to accept his silence positively, as Sujin promptly inquired, “Why are you bringing CEO Min to the surface?”
The reasons weren’t significantly different from Sujin’s. Geon-ho was genuinely curious about how his wife, or rather, his wife, was doing.
Geon-ho glanced at his watch as his secretary came in. It was time for an external meeting. “I have to go now.”
Ignoring the question, Geon-ho hung up and rose from his seat. He put on the jacket he had left hanging and gestured to his secretary. “Let’s go.”
As the car moved, Geon-ho seized the opportunity at a red light to glance outside. People were walking with umbrellas, braving the drizzle, each displaying a different expression. There were those who seemed to be enjoying their company and engaging in cheerful conversations. Others appeared infuriated, probably due to a frustrating phone call. Some, like Geon-ho, walked with an impassive demeanor, urging only their legs forward. The street was filled with a variety of faces.
Geon-ho’s eyes were casually scanning the scene when they suddenly froze. On the other side of the street, a woman with a yellow umbrella and a tight metallic bob haircut passed by. Her sunglasses, not fitting the weather, concealed half of her face, but her radiant pale skin and slender figure made her unmistakable. A long-missed name escaped his lips.
He remained inside the car, unable to step out, staring blankly at her every step. The upward curve of her lips and her animated strides revealed her mood entirely. It had been a long time since he had seen such a face. For the first time, an emotion strong enough to be named surged within Geon-ho’s otherwise stoic countenance.
Staring for what felt like an eternity, Geon-ho finally snapped out of it and got out of the car. The traffic light was still red, but his flustered secretary’s voice followed.
“Hae-gang!”
Without even opening his umbrella, Geon-ho continued to run through the falling rain. Perhaps her name got lost in the downpour. She made no eye contact and swiftly boarded a sleek black sports car parked on the curb, speeding away.
Geon-ho anxiously wiped his rain-soaked face, staring at the receding sports car. The secretary, who had followed him, held an umbrella over his head, but he felt no gratitude. There was only one person in the world who could stir any emotions in him – Hae-gang.
****
Back at her house, Hae-gang spread a variety of hydrangeas on the dining table. Due to her mom’s words about how flowers bring life to a space, she rushed to pick them, and despite the hurried errand, she felt content. She repeated the words Woo-jin had said a while back, “It’s the ordinary things that are the best.”
She thought the light drizzle outside was pleasant, the air filled with moisture, and the intense scent of flowers. Compared to that, getting wet was nothing.
“Oh, flowers?”
The lady of the house, who had just come in after cleaning the underground pool, saw the hydrangeas and smiled brightly. Hae-gang added a word to her mother’s statement, flowers not only bring life to a space but also to people.
“I bought these flowers to liven up the atmosphere at home. How do you like it?”
“It’s lovely. But, dear, where did you go?”
“I went to a flower shop by the main road, just outside the neighborhood.”
“Oh, there’s a nice flower market not far from there. They have a great variety of flowers. Let’s go together next time, my dear.”
Hesitating for a moment at the suggestion, Hae-gang quickly changed her expression and smiled.
“That sounds good, doesn’t it?”
“But where did you go?”
Hae-gang took a moment before answering, “I just went to a nearby flower shop.”
“By the way, it’s nice to have you back! There’s a fantastic flower market nearby with a wide variety of flowers. Let’s go together next time, my dear.”
“Will that be all right?”
“Just a moment. I’ll bring a vase.”
The lady of the house left for a moment and returned with a few elegant, modern-style vases. “I brought these vases since I thought you might prefer this style.”
“Plain vases are better if you want the flowers to stand out.”
Impressed by her senses, Hae-gang cut the stems to the appropriate length. With the help of the lady of the house, they placed one on the living room table and another on one side of the large dining table. The smallest one was meant for the bedroom. Hae-gang set it in front of her vanity and quickly headed downstairs. The lady of the house was busy helping her wear her coat.
“Are you leaving already? Won’t you join me for a snack?”
She raised her head, her face slightly more excited than usual. “Firstborn is coming today, so you’ve been patient. You can eat together when the CEO arrives. He always snacks, and it ruins his appetite for a proper meal. So, I’ve even made a stew today. If the CEO doesn’t have seconds, you must tell me.”
“Are you trying to scold Mr. Min Woo-jin?”
Hae-gang inquired, and the lady of the house had to clap her hands to laugh.
“No, not at all, dear. I don’t have the means for that. But I can let Director Han know. He has a temper, and he’ll be more than happy to scold him for you.”
The mention of a person by the lady of the house didn’t seem to align with the director she had seen last time, leaving Hae-gang scratching her head. She escorted the lady of the house to the front door, and the farewells were repeated several times before the door finally closed.
Alone in the empty house, Hae-gang looked around, feeling that her mother’s presence had filled the space. Now that the lady of the house had left, the house seemed eerily quiet.
“I wonder when Mr. Min Woo-jin will come.”
Thinking about the day she’d present the dish for the first time, she found herself getting nervous and hoped he would return quickly.
“Maybe I should ask.”
With an eager heart, she turned on her phone, only to find that a message from Woo-jin had already arrived. Her joy couldn’t be contained as she leaped onto the sofa. But that joy was short-lived.
“I’m leaving work early today. I have something to say to Ms. Dawn. 😊”
The message style was characteristic of Woo-jin, with no emoticons and just a hint of casual language. Maybe her expectations had risen too high after receiving his unwavering affection. Even the perfect two sentences felt unsatisfying.
“He’s not like this.”
If she’d been a bit more affectionate, where would it end? While thinking about this, she switched on her phone, and it turned out that he had sent a message before she did. The text was concise.
“I’ll be home early today. 😊”
The return message was equally brief.
“I’ll make sure dinner is ready. See you soon.”
As Hae-gang replied with a smile, she couldn’t help but open the pot with the stew in it.
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