The Season I Loved You Without You - Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
The woman walked out of the VVIP room, leaving behind the music ringing in her ears and the sound of people’s laughter. She casually brushed off the fleeting glances of passersby and headed towards her destination.
Her Marcella tube top mini dress hugged her slender waist and curved hips. The ivory fur jacket draped over her shoulders swayed with each movement, while her long dangling diamond earrings shimmered brightly.
Ascending another level through the central staircase, she made her way to the CEO’s office located at the innermost part of the building. The sound of her footsteps was muffled by the carpet. Her movements were leisurely, akin to gliding through water, exuding an air of icy elegance with her straight posture and poised demeanor.
She lightly knocked on the door before entering, even before a response could be heard. A slightly gruff voice greeted her.
“I’m here, Uncle.”
The middle-aged man sitting at the desk stood up, smiling broadly. Scars adorned his chin and eyebrows, giving his aging face a natural and rugged texture.
“You’re here.”
His booming voice echoed in the space. The office, occupying half a floor, featured an antique-style large desk and bookshelf on one side, a low mahogany table and black Italian leather sofa in the center, and a glass door leading to a terrace directly opposite the entrance.
With a tug at the corner of her mouth, she sat on the sofa, crossing her legs and resting them on the ottoman. She poured whiskey into a glass, adding ice cubes, and glanced at Tae-chun as if asking if he wanted a drink. Tae-chun nodded as he walked over with his cane.
As Go-yeo, with familiarity, slipped off her shoes and propped her legs up on the ottoman, sinking deep into the sofa, her pristine white feet, untouched by any toil, gleamed with a red pedicure. She swirled her glass, gazing out the window. The full moon hung in the cloudless sky. She thought she could see the stars if not for the indoor lighting.
“Did you see the sales report I sent through the lawyer?”
She turned her head at Tae-chun’s robust voice, then chuckled and swirled her glass again.
“I did.”
In response to the casual remark, Tae-chun laughed dryly.
“Why didn’t you take the cut from the net sales?”
The membership club on Dosan Boulevard was fully funded by Go-yeo, with Tae-chun handling the management. Though she was the sole owner, her involvement was minimal, often just coming by alone to drink or party with acquaintances. She had agreed to take a certain amount from the sales, but she seemed indifferent as if it was just lip service.
“Why bother? What’s the point?”
Go-yeo’s languid voice and the clinking of ice in the glass resonated. The whiskey, slightly diluted by the melting ice, carried a subtle malt flavor.
She swept her well-maintained long hair back, consciously erasing any ripples rising from within. She didn’t want to delve into what it was, nor did she want to ponder what the song playing in the room she had just left was.
Tae-chun looked at his niece, who was meticulously crafted like a sparkling glass doll. She was practically family, being the daughter of his elder brother. Perhaps growing up in material abundance from a young age had made her uninterested in worldly desires. Her serene and clear eyes often seemed filled with a certain level of boredom and weariness.
“Tell me something interesting instead of that.”
In response to Go-yeo’s sigh-like murmur, Tae-chun scratched the back of his head and muttered.
“What could be interesting?”
“How’s married life?”
Go-yeo asked.
At Go-yeo’s question, Tae-chun blushed slightly and licked his dry lips. Go-yeo chuckled at the sight of Tae-chun’s rugged face sporting such a pure expression. It seemed like such a strange question to him.
“Why, it’s just living together after you’re over fifty!”
“Right. That’s what it is.”
Go-yeo took a sip of whiskey. It had been about ten years, or maybe even longer. She had heard recently that Tae-chun had filed for marriage with some woman and they were living together.
She had seen the woman a few times, but she didn’t seem particularly special. She couldn’t understand why Tae-chun would invest so much effort into her. However, Tae-chun seemed to be clueless about not loving her in any way. His heart seemed to be entirely set on her, with no room for anything else. Of course, it wasn’t her place to speak ill of her.
‘How trivial. What’s the big deal? In ten years, the stocks I’ve buried will have increased tenfold, and even if the property value in Gangnam doesn’t rise, it’ll triple.’
But if human hearts worked as predictably as cutting wood, humanity wouldn’t have progressed this far, right? She consoled herself with plausible, general theories.
When Tae-chun got up at the sound of the intercom, Go-yeo poured more whiskey into her glass and walked barefoot on the carpet. As Tae-chun mentioned he had something to attend to, Go-yeo nodded and glanced momentarily at the neatly arranged silver cigarette case and lighter on the desk.
“…….”
Go-yeo walked leisurely towards the outdoor terrace, made of clear glass. As she opened the glass door, a chilly early winter breeze rushed in. Approaching the terrace railing, she put a slim cigarette in her mouth and lit it. As she inhaled the crisp air, a sweet scent filled the air. Smoking a cigarette like an uncle. A wry chuckle escaped her.
Feeling the cold wind might sober her up, she took another sip from her glass. As she exhaled with a “ho,” smoke billowed out, far away, Yeongdong Bridge was packed with cars.
‘Have you heard, that Moon Ji-hyuk is getting engaged soon? Did you catch wind of it?’
It was something said by one of the groups who gathered aimlessly at the club. It was a rumor, but at that moment, she nodded casually. They were too casual to call friends, yet too refined to call acquaintances. With her network being what it was, it was practically reliable information.
So, is that how it is? Such thoughts had crossed her mind. When she thought about it, she had endured quite a lot until now. Oddly, a chuckle escaped her.
“Still, shouldn’t you have told me beforehand?”
She habitually swept her hair back. By the time she finished her drink, she slowly turned around and leaned against the railing, facing the man who was standing at the far end of the terrace. She had sensed his presence since entering the terrace but had ignored it, opting to stay quiet. However, if he persisted in being noisy, the conversation would change.
There was a large artificial pine tree obscuring a door, and someone was standing in front of it, seemingly unable to enter or leave.
“Excuse me, is there a problem?”
Go-yeo called out, furrowing her brow. He was surprised enough for a hollow laugh to escape him.
‘Is he going to be eaten?’
The man’s swaying steps revealed that he was quite a big guy. Go-yeo scrutinized the man’s face as she approached under the light. She, who typically showed little emotional fluctuation, was the most flustered she had been in a while. Consequently, she unconsciously furrowed her brow and muttered under her breath.
“……A minor?”
“Excuse me? No.”
Contrary to the surprised tone of voice with raised hands, his voice was calm and deep. Go-yeo had been observing the man for a while. Working in the fashion industry, she had seen countless models and had developed an eye for it. He stood at around 187 cm. Although he wore a loose hoodie, his shoulders appeared broad, and the proportions of his limbs were quite good.
His attire of a black baseball cap, gray hoodie, and jeans seemed modest for someone visiting a club, and he wasn’t dressed in a uniform like the staff. If he were a staff member, he wouldn’t have come to this terrace in the first place.
Perhaps it was because of his exceptionally sincere and delicate facial features that Go-yeo couldn’t quite figure him out. Ah, is he a rookie model? Her thoughts extended that far. She had encountered celebrities and other notable figures in private settings, and her standards were high, but the man’s appearance was enough to nod in approval.
“You’re not supposed to come in here.”
A murmur-like voice came out.
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
The man bowed his head. His gathered hands fidgeted. In his hands were meticulously folded paper bags and a flattened milk carton. Upon closer inspection, there were traces of crumbs around his mouth. Diligent but somewhat inexperienced style?
“I was coming up the stairs looking for another lounge and came in because the door was open, but it didn’t open again. I didn’t know it was a place where I wasn’t supposed to come in.”
She carefully observed the man who earnestly explained the details, speaking slowly and deliberately. His eyes were particularly clear and upright. He seemed to be a person fundamentally different from herself.
Due to fire regulations, the staircase leading outside the building was accessible through the terrace. However, it was rarely used and had been locked, as far as she knew. How come it was suddenly open?
Go-yeo nodded approvingly. Well, then he can just go down through the indoors. As she was about to rise from leaning on the railing, the man standing in front of her hesitated, as if he had something to say, and finally spoke up.
“Um… excuse me, but this is a non-smoking area.”
Indeed, diligent in everything, and a stickler for rules? This man, or rather, this young man, seemed like he would even breathe in a disciplined manner.
Go-yeo let out a low sigh of understanding and nodded her head as if to accept it. She deeply inhaled the sweet and spicy smoke. She opened the glass door leading to the office and nodded her chin. Then, she handed the still-burning cigarette to the man.
“Then please dispose of it on your way down.”
The man grinned sheepishly, folding his eyelids.
“Smoking is our little secret.”
The man blankly stared at Go-yeo for a moment before taking the still-lit cigarette. A trace of red lipstick remained where Go-yeo’s lips had touched the cigarette.
Go-yeo walked past the still-standing man and made her way to the office. Her phone vibrated in her clutch.
“The exit is over there.”
Go-yeo said, nodding towards the door the man had entered from. The man nodded again and headed towards the entrance. Go-yeo didn’t pay attention to the man’s glance back. She simply crossed her legs and checked her phone. She heard the sound of the door closing as the man exited.
The phone, which had been vibrating loudly, finally stopped, and a message arrived. It was from Moon Ji-hyuk.
[If you don’t come, I’ll go instead.]
Crazy bastard.