Once Love Begins - Chapter 17. Part 2

Chapter 17. Part 2

* * *

Ha Yeonwoo had been hiding at my grandfather’s house for a week.

I shouldn’t have gone to the hospital that day. After Kim Heeyoung visited the house, I learned that something had happened to Yeonwoo. So, I had her fired from her job and made sure she’d never work in this industry again. Then she dared to confess her love to me. Remembering that moment made my brows knit together.

I couldn’t forgive Kim Heeyoung for making us lose our child. I yelled at her and said the worst things I could.

Do you love me? The memory of Yeonwoo’s face, filled with doubt about my relationship with Heeyoung, came back and my eyes darkened.

When I heard about her suicide attempt, I felt a twinge of guilt. But that was all. After she woke up from the surgery and continued to rant about wanting to die, I coldly told her that if she wanted to die, she should do it quietly.

She had been drugged at the hospital after throwing things and hurting herself. I left right after that and tried to call Yeonwoo, but she never answered. That’s when she went into hiding with her grandfather, Chairman Ha.

“Sigh.”

Kim Heeyoung had attempted suicide again and was now in the ICU. As I picked up my carelessly tossed phone, it rang, and I saw it was a call from the office.

“Talk,” I said shortly.

“Sir, it’s time for you to return to work.”

Like a fool, I had hurt her—given her a pain that couldn’t be washed away. I had planned to talk to her by the sea, to finally say all the things I hadn’t been able to before. I wanted to clear up the misunderstandings, apologize for the pain I’d caused, and confess my true feelings.

I wanted to start over, to be by her side, showing her that she could trust me again, no matter how long it took. I had even thought about the future, and how we could raise a child together in a loving, stable home. But now, the thought of not seeing Ha Yeonwoo made my heart ache like I’d been punched. The anxiety churned inside me as if I were being tossed in the waves. I was about to light a cigarette when I saw it—the garage at Chairman Ha’s house finally opening.

Without thinking, I jumped out of the car and ran towards it. I knew I wouldn’t be able to get close because of the security, but this was all I could do right now.

“Chairman! Please, just a moment!”

I shouted, desperation clear in my voice as I hurried towards the garage.

Even as the security guards grabbed my arms, I blocked the car’s path, refusing to move. Four of them struggled to pull me away, but I clung on, pounding on the window until it rolled down slightly.

“Chairman, please, just let me see Yeonwoo…”

But before I could finish, the Chairman’s voice cut through my plea with unyielding finality.

“Get divorced.”

I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

“…What? What are you saying?”

“Get divorced. Yeonwoo has already signed the papers.”

My mouth fell open. What had I just heard? The very thing I had feared the most had become reality. The word “divorce” echoed in my mind, and my legs nearly gave out from under me.

“Please, let me see Yeonwoo,” I begged, my voice trembling.

“Drive,” the Chairman ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The car began to move, and I was left standing there, feeling as if the ground had just been ripped out from beneath me.

I was dragged to the side by the security guards, collapsing onto the ground as I watched the car disappear in the distance. Ha Yeonwoo, who had loved me since we were children, who could never hide the love in her eyes no matter what I did, was now seeking a divorce. Divorce—was it really that easy? It had to be a lie. If I could just talk to her, if I could sincerely apologize, surely she would forgive me…

“Ha Yeonwoo! Ha Yeonwoo!”

I jumped up and pounded on the impenetrable gate with my hands.

“Yeonwoo!”

The fear and panic were consuming me. I felt like I was going to die if I couldn’t see her if I couldn’t talk to her just once. But she wasn’t going to show herself; she wasn’t going to let me in.

More security guards appeared, and I sank to the ground, feeling utterly defeated.

* * *

“He’s here again.”

Mrs. Kim’s voice broke the silence, and I glanced at Grandfather, who had paused in the middle of his meal, his expression darkening with frustration. I carefully set down my spoon.

“I’ll go out and…,” I began, offering to handle the situation.

“And then what?”

Grandfather’s spoon clattered loudly as he set it down, his anger clear on his face. His lips quivered as if daring me to even think about going outside.

“I thought I might tell him not to come back,”

I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

After coming here, I had fallen ill for several days. Through Mrs. Kim, I had learned that he had been coming to the house every day, trying to see me.

“Humph. There’s no need to soften your heart for a relationship that’s already ended. Why bother thinking about seeing him!”

Grandfather’s tone was stern, leaving no room for argument.

“…”

“Eat. You’ve lost so much weight, it’s not right.”

I watched as Grandfather placed his cup down and stood up, his presence commanding even in his frustration.

“Don’t open that door for him, ever.”

“Yes, Grandfather,”

I agreed, my voice barely a whisper.

Grandfather firmly instructed Mrs. Kim not to let him in and then left the room. I stared at my bowl of soup, my thoughts swirling. It wasn’t that I wanted to see him. I just wanted to ask why he bothered coming here every day when he was such a busy man.

Wasn’t the divorce a good thing for him too? I wanted to tell him that he no longer had to endure a marriage he didn’t care about because of me and that he could now live happily. That was all I wanted to say.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized Grandfather was right. There was no need to see him again. We were already separated, and there was no point in exchanging words of thanks or apologies.

I picked up my spoon and began to eat. Maybe it was because I felt more at peace, but my appetite had returned.

Although I had barely eaten anything before coming to Grandfather’s house, I had been eating well since I arrived. Grandfather said I had lost weight, but I had gained 2kg in just two weeks.

After finishing my meal, I went upstairs, brushed my teeth, and sat down on the balcony. Grandfather’s house was situated at the highest point in the neighborhood, and when I closed my eyes, all I could hear were the sounds of birds and the wind. I appreciated that stillness.

Until recently, even being in this place, which I used to love the most, brought me no joy. But now, I finally felt a sense of calm settling over me. This was why I had always liked this spot since I was a child.

I rested my forehead on my knees, feeling content in the quiet.

Humming a tune, I swayed slightly to the rhythm. It was so peaceful that I thought I heard my name faintly in the distance, like an echo.

Then it came again.

“Ha Yeonwoo!”

I opened my eyes and gathered my wind-blown hair into a ponytail.

It must have been my imagination.

“Ha Yeonwoo!”

I stood up, feeling a tension creep into my body. Though the high walls blocked my view of the outside, I could hear someone calling my name. As my name echoed and faded into the air, my shoulders tensed. I bit my lip, already knowing who it was.

The place that had once felt like a sanctuary, a heaven of sorts, was now starting to feel uncomfortable, invaded. The peace I had finally begun to feel was slipping away, replaced by a growing sense of unease.

I had expected him to jump at the chance, agree to the divorce with a smile, and maybe even celebrate. But he was a strange man. I turned away coldly and went to my room.

* * *

“I’m fine. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Grandfather gently patted the back of my hand, telling me not to cry. I nodded, trying to hold back the tears. Today was the day I was leaving Korea. I was set to fly to the United States on a private jet, heading to the place Grandfather had prepared for me. I planned to take the time to rest—both my body and my mind. Maybe after some time, I’d figure out what I wanted to do. There was no rush.

But there was one thing that weighed heavily on me—leaving Grandfather behind. The thought of him being alone made my eyes well up again.

“I told you not to cry.”

“…Please stay healthy.”

“Of course. Don’t worry about me.”

I leaned my head on Grandfather’s shoulder, drawing comfort from his steady presence.

“Don’t worry about anything here; I’ll take care of everything. You just go and live your life well,” Grandfather said.

I nodded in agreement, feeling reassured.

*Screech!*

“What the—!”

The car, which had been moving smoothly, suddenly came to a stop.

“I’m sorry,” the driver quickly apologized.

I turned my eyes forward to see what had caused the sudden stop, and my heart lurched with shock. My eyes widened in disbelief as I saw him standing in front of the car, blocking the way with his entire body.

Despite the security guards trying to stop him, he dragged them forward, determined to stand in front of the car.

“Get him out of the way,”

I heard Grandfather say, his voice cold and firm.

As soon as Grandfather finished speaking, the secretary, who had been sitting in the passenger seat, quickly jumped out of the car. Despite the sharp, determined look in his eyes as he stared down the car, my heart didn’t react. There was no emotional response, just a simple question—why was he standing there?

His face, which I hadn’t seen in nearly a month, looked gaunt and tired as if he hadn’t been well.

“Don’t waver. Live your life,” Grandfather said firmly.

“…Grandfather,” I murmured.

“Yeonwoo, I’ve always supported your life, whatever you choose.”

His desperate voice, calling my name, faded into the distance as the car slowly pulled away.

The words I wanted to say but never would—*I hope you live well, even though we’re divorced*—stayed locked inside my mouth, never to be spoken.