Chapter 46. The Beginning of Spring

Even though the enticing aroma of the spicy noodles made Eun-chae salivate with delight, she couldn’t fully enjoy them because of the man sitting across from her. The atmosphere was strangely uncomfortable. 

“What’s wrong? Is it not good?” 

Lee Joon, who had been eating his noodles lightly, stopped and looked from Eunchae’s face to her almost untouched bowl of spicy noodles. 

“No, it’s delicious.” 

“Then why aren’t you eating?”

Lee Joon noticed Eunchae’s hesitant expression as she picked at her food. It was clear that she hadn’t eaten before the meeting, so he had used the photo zone issue as an excuse to visit the art gallery. Without giving her much of a chance to refuse, he had invited her to lunch.

The place he chose was a Chinese restaurant near the gallery that Eunchae had mentioned several times.

“The spicy noodles and sweet and sour pork there are delicious. Let’s go there together, Lee Joon. Since lunchtime can be tricky, how about dinner instead?”

Lee Joon quickly realized that there was a deeper meaning behind Eunchae’s suggestion that they have dinner together. It wasn’t just about enjoying good food; she was longing for the warmth of a husband picking up his wife after work to share a nice dinner.

Although he fully understood her feelings, how had he responded? 

“I’m not really into spicy food. If you want to eat there, you should go with your coworkers for a team dinner.” 

“Oh… really? Well… I guess there’s nothing I can do about it.

The look of disappointment and embarrassment on Eunchae’s face at that moment was something Lee Joon would never forget. To make up for it, he had chosen the Chinese restaurant near the art gallery, but now Eunchae wasn’t even eating properly.

“Are you still uncomfortable eating with me?”

Feeling that he might have made a mistake, Lee Joon put down his chopsticks. If Eunchae said she was uncomfortable, he was ready to leave, wanting to give her some space. At least he hoped she could enjoy a meal without being forced to sit with someone she didn’t like.

“No, it’s not that… It’s just… surprising, that’s all. I mean, you don’t like spicy food, Lee Joon.” 

Eunchae quickly waved her hand, trying to clarify her lukewarm reaction. She hadn’t realized that Lee Joon found her uncomfortable.

“Living abroad changed my tastes.”

 Lee Joon said, relieved by Eunchae’s response, providing a plausible explanation. Thankfully, Eunchae nodded in agreement.

“It’s true. When I was studying abroad, the food I missed the most was my mother’s spicy, savory doenjang-jjigae. No matter how many famous Korean restaurants I visited, nothing tasted like my mother’s cooking. 

As she spoke, Eunchae unconsciously picked up some noodles with her chopsticks and transferred them to the flat, short-handled spoon. 

“Me too. I’ve started to crave spicy and tangy flavors more often”.

Lee Joon said absentmindedly as he watched Eunchae take a big bite of her noodles. When she let out a satisfied “mmm”, he couldn’t help but smile.

Perhaps it was the shared understanding between them, but Eunchae seemed to feel less awkward and uncomfortable now, eating more comfortably than before. 

“How about ice cream for dessert? I saw a Turkish ice cream shop near the Chinese restaurant.”

“Oh? You’ve been there? Their ice cream is really good! It’s chewy but leaves a refreshing aftertaste, so I used to eat it a lot.”

“That’s great to hear. Let’s finish up and get some ice cream. You need to get back to the office too.” 

“Okay.” 

Eunchae replied with a bright smile and continued to eat her remaining noodles. After finishing their meal, the two of them went to the Turkish ice cream shop. Lee Joon chose vanilla, while Eunchae opted for strawberry. 

After taking their orders, the Turkish owner did his usual trick of balancing the ice cream on the cones. Eunchae enjoyed the show – something she hadn’t seen in a long time – and clapped her hands in delight.

But Lee Joon wasn’t paying attention to the tricks; his eyes were focused solely on Eunchae’s smiling face. The golden sunlight streaming through the shop’s window illuminated her hair and face, causing them to shimmer.

As he looked at her, Lee Joon’s eyes softened, filled with a distant emotion. His fingertips tingled with the urge to touch her soft hair and pale skin.

“Here you go.”

Lee Joon snapped out of his thoughts, quickly regaining his composure.

“Yes, thank you.”

Lee Joon said, quickly masking his emotions as he took the ice cream. The owner gave a kind nod in response, smiling warmly.

“Goodbye.”

Eunchae said politely as she and Lee Joon left the shop together. Without much conversation, the two ate their ice cream in silence as they walked to the public car park where the car was parked.

‘The cherry blossoms have all fallen.’ Lee Joon thought.

As Eunchae admired her surroundings, her eyes were drawn to a cherry tree where fresh green leaves had just begun to sprout.

While she was momentarily captivated, the sound of a speeding car suddenly reached her ears. In an instant, Lee Joon wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. 

“Ah…!” 

Eunchae let out a startled cry as a limousine whizzed past, narrowly missing her. 

“How can anyone drive like that?”

Lee Joon muttered angrily, cursing the car as it disappeared into the distance before turning his attention back to Eunchae, who was still in his arms, dazed.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh… yes.”

Eunchae replied, nodding absentmindedly. Her heart was pounding so hard it left her feeling shaken.

“This won’t do. Come on, stand on the inside,”

Lee Joon said, grabbing her hand to switch places for her safety. He positioned himself closer to the road, shielding her from passing cars.

“Lee Joon, the ice cream…”

Eunchae, who had been silently following his lead, glanced down and noticed the ice cream on the asphalt. It was half-eaten and melting away.

“It’s fine.”

Lee Joon quickly cleaned up the fallen ice cream and threw it into a nearby garbage can. Then he took a lick of Eunchae’s ice cream without hesitation.

“We can just share.”

“What?”

Eunchae’s eyes widened in surprise. Before she could say anything, Lee Joon took her hand again as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Let’s go. Lunch break is almost over.”

“Huh? Oh… okay.”

At his urging, Eunchae found herself walking, still holding his hand, somewhat dazed. 

How strange. The cherry blossoms had already fallen and spring was almost over, yet her heart felt as if it were just welcoming the season.

***

Lively music echoed through the Yangpyeong villa’s private pool, which was filled to the brim with warm water.

“Kick your feet a little harder! You’re doing great, Chairman!”

The instructor’s booming voice echoed as loudly as the music. Following the instructions, Tae Moo-jin moved his arms and legs, cutting through the water.

Eunchae, wearing a rash guard over her swimsuit, sat with her feet in the pool, watching Tae Moo-jin’s movements.

Because of his chronic joint problems, Tae Moo-jin had chosen swimming as his preferred form of exercise. His doctor had recommended it earlier in the year, suggesting that it would reduce the strain on his knees and help him build strength more easily. 

As a result, not only was a private swimming pool built at the Yangpyeong villa, but also one in the basement of the east wing where Tae Moo-jin lived. Surprisingly, it was Lee Joon who arranged for the pool to be built, found a personal swimming instructor for Tae Moo-jin, and even swam with him every day.

It turned out that Lee Joon had been getting ready in the pool’s shower room, washing up and changing into the suit he had brought with him.

Eunchae subtly glanced at Lee Joon who was sitting next to her, resting after swimming alongside Tae Moo-jin a short while ago, keeping up with his pace. 

‘Has he decided to be the perfect grandson? Or is he sacrificing himself for the sake of the company?’

Still unsure of Lee Joon’s true intentions, Eunchae narrowed her eyes and muttered to herself. His kindness was overwhelming, even towards her, and it didn’t seem entirely genuine. 

However, it wasn’t a situation where she could just look at him with suspicion, which left her feeling confused.

‘Wow… he gained some weight.’

Since they reunited, Eunchae couldn’t help but be amazed by Lee Joon’s physique. He had always had a well-built, toned body, but now he looked even more muscular. If you were to focus on his body alone, he looked more like an athlete than a corporate executive.

As Lee Joon brushed his wet hair back, the veins on his muscular forearm stood out and caught Eunchae’s attention. His sensual appearance made her heart race, her mouth dry and her toes tense. 

Eunchae’s eyes followed the drops of water sliding from Lee Joon’s hair. They ran down his thick neck, past his collarbone, over his solid, armor-plated chest, and down to his well-defined abs. 

Her gaze intensified as she traced the path of the droplets on Lee Joon’s skin, her stare boldly fixed on him.

The droplets spread out and disappeared just below Lee Joon’s navel. Eunchae licked her lips and instinctively lowered her eyes without realizing it. 

Her gaze was drawn to his muscular thighs, barely concealed by his short swimming trunks. Even without touching them, she could feel how firm and solid they were, like steel. 

In contrast to his reserved and disciplined expression, Lee Joon’s body exuded a strong, primal masculinity.

Sensing her gaze, Lee Joon turned his head towards her. The moment their eyes met, Eunchae looked away quickly, startled.

‘What am I doing? I’m not some kind of pervert…’

Overwhelmed with guilt for the sneaking glance, Eunchae squeezed her eyes shut, a pained expression on her face. The persistent gaze she felt on her face only made her more embarrassed, her neck flushing with heat.

Ashamed, Eunchae kept her head down, staring into the pool water. But she could feel Lee Joon coming closer.

‘Why is he coming closer again…’

Just as she bit her lip in frustration, a cheerful voice echoed through the room.

“Good work today, Chairman! That’s all for now!”

“Thank you for your hard work, Mr Gong. I appreciate you coming all this way on a weekend when you should be resting.”

The instructor waved off the thanks with a bright smile.

“Not at all, Chairman. Thanks to you, I was able to enjoy a nice drive in the fresh air, and I’m also well compensated.”

His straightforward reply matched his easy-going demeanor, which made Tae Moo-jin laugh heartily.

“That’s why I like you, Mr Gong.”

“Thank you for the kind words, Chairman. See you next week.”

As soon as he was gone, Tae Moo-jin turned to Eunchae and Lee Joon and suggested they go for a swim.

“I’m done. Now it’s your turn to have fun in the pool.”

“Shall we?”

Lee Joon replied enthusiastically and immediately jumped into the pool. He loved swimming so he readily agreed, while Eunchae, who couldn’t swim, just splashed her feet in the water.

“You still can’t swim, Eunchae?”

“Yes, Grandfather,”

Eunchae replied with an awkward smile. She was good at other sports, but for some reason, she had never progressed in swimming.

It was probably due to a childhood trauma when she nearly drowned in a pool. Luckily, a lifeguard found her in time, but it had been a close call.

Since then, Eunchae had avoided swimming pools, even during the summer. 

“For your own safety, you really should learn to swim.” 

Suddenly, a good idea struck him. 

“Why don’t you take this opportunity to learn how to swim from Lee Joon?”

Tae Moo-jin suggested with a sudden spark of inspiration.