The Season I Loved You Without You - Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

In front of the full-length mirror in the second-floor foyer, Go-yeo stood, completely baffled as to what the issue was. It’s not like she was undressed. After touching her hair and putting on makeup following a shower, she headed to the dressing room to ponder over what to wear today. She opted for a long knitted dress in a deep green color with a large red ribbon around the neck, giving off a somewhat youthful and lively vibe.

Go-yeo and Ga-eul sat facing each other at the dining table set by Sumi. After finishing preparing the meal, Sumi went upstairs to clean the second floor. It seemed like there wasn’t much in Go-yeo’s fridge besides salad to substitute for a meal, so she went to the market to buy groceries.

It was a bit intrusive. After all, she was Sumi’s youngest daughter, so she must have been concerned.

“Eat. Auntie’s cooking is good.”

Go-yeo poked at the salad with her fork.

“That’s all you’re eating?”

While Ga-eul had rice, soup, and side dishes in front of him, Go-yeo only had salad and coffee. Go-yeo nodded. She popped a cherry tomato into her mouth.

“Enjoy it.”

Ga-eul looked at Go-yeo and began eating his rice with a spoon. It had been a long time since he had tasted home-cooked food. Ever since his mother was hospitalized, he had been filling his stomach with instant meals to stave off hunger. That’s why he felt even hungrier.

Ignoring the taste, he couldn’t concentrate with him sitting across from her. Worried that his eating might look odd or messy, he focused all his attention on that, unable to fully taste what he was eating.

Go-yeo glanced at Ga-eul as he ate his chicken breast. He seemed to be eating with gusto. Yet, he didn’t appear gluttonous or uncouth. He ate his meal neatly and diligently.

He was really hungry. Go-yeo’s salad hardly changed until Ga-eul had almost finished his rice.

“…You don’t usually eat much?”

Ga-eul asked such a mundane question without realizing if it was appropriate. Of course, it was even more unreal when they kissed, but he tried not to dwell on it because it had become a thing of the past for her, if not for him. Just sitting here, face to face, was uplifting.

“Yeah.”

Ga-eul chuckled softly. He even responded like this.

“It doesn’t seem good for your health.”

Ga-eul’s worried words made Go-yeo smirk. It was a response, albeit half-hearted.

“Yeah, probably.”

“May I ask why?”

They weren’t really on speaking terms, but she couldn’t refuse the cautious expression and the careful question.

“I gain weight.”

Of course, she sometimes managed to take care of her meals properly, but lately, her appetite has decreased even more. Besides, with the increase in alcohol, dietary control was essential to handle those calories. Being pragmatic, if she gained weight, she couldn’t fit into the outfits she wanted, so she compulsively managed her weight.

Even if her thoughts were outdated, her values hadn’t changed. Even if fitting her body into clothes was unreasonable, she couldn’t help it. In Go-yeo’s eyes, wearing them like that looked pretty. The standard of ‘beauty’ was highly personal and subjective.

Ga-eul stumbled over her words as if shocked by Go-yeo’s response.

“I-It still seems like you’re thin enough.”

Go-yeo shrugged as if it couldn’t be helped.

Ga-eul remembered carrying her. When she leaned on his body, there was no weight, just excessive tension. He wondered if Go-yeo was nothing but bones. Rather than worrying about her gaining weight, he wished for Go-yeo’s health. He dared to have such a thought.

“Yesterday.”

Go-yeo, who was drinking coffee, set her cup down on the table and stared at Ga-eul intently. She could feel his tension, knowing what he was going to say.

“You’re an adult, so you’re okay with that, right?”

It wasn’t okay, of course, which was why she asked, even to that kid.

“Did it make you feel bad?”

Being on his knees, she instinctively regarded him as weak and pressed him.

“No, not at all. I… I really…”

Apologies. He vehemently denied it, even reaching out his hand. He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for, but the words of apology didn’t come out. He didn’t want to dismiss that act with a simple apology.

If only it could stay vividly in his memory like that. So, he didn’t even want to apologize for keeping that intention hidden deep inside.

“Okay.”

Seeing her relieved expression, Ga-eul smiled as if it were nothing, like an ordinary adult.

Go-yeo received physical therapy at the hospital for four days and rested at home. So, during that time, she saw Ga-eul every day. Contrary to what she’d told him, she didn’t have to wait around for him, and she’d let him come before her appointments and leave when she got home.

“It’s convenient because you drive.”

She muttered as she glanced at him driving. Such a carefree remark came out unintentionally after becoming acquainted for four days. She even thought it would be okay to formally hire him as a driver. The glare was so severe that nighttime driving was difficult.

“Want to keep going?”

She asked, almost throwing it out. It was cute how he was startled and blushed every time she spoke.

“Think about it.”

Ga-eul tightly gripped the steering wheel. Even the steering wheel shook more than he realized. Perhaps he thought today might be the last day since her ankle was fully healed.

Is there a choice this time? It wasn’t a matter of finding successors for the convenience store and tutoring. Keeping what he had hidden and naturally letting it disappear meant he would continue to hold onto it.

Even if he couldn’t, he would nod cheerfully. He had no regrets, and countless people could replace him. So, for Ga-eul, there was already no choice.

“……Please let me continue.”

At this moment, Yoon Ga-eul existed as Yoon Ga-eul. Not as the eldest son who had to support his mother and younger sibling, not as the student who studied relentlessly for scholarships, not as just another accessory in the world.

Yoon Ga-eul faced Han Go-yeo as Yoon Ga-eul.

Go-yeo turned her head away from Ga-eul and chuckled softly.

* * *

The restrained and orderly study didn’t seem luxurious, but every little thing there was custom-made to the owner’s taste. Furniture and utensils on the desk, each meticulously aligned, resembled sharp blades. The almost obsessive tidiness mirrored the owner.

Seung-ok, with her daily short haircut and middle-aged yet youthful appearance, set down her teacup with a gentle smile.

“The tea smells nice, Yoon-young.”

Yoon-young, sitting across from her, tidied up her belongings with a faint smile. With her unassuming beauty and calm demeanor, she quietly sipped her tea. Her impeccable manners, acquired over a long period, were flawless.

“Yoon-young, I’ve known you since you were young, but really, you’re becoming more beautiful.”

Seung-ok smiled again at Yoon-young.

“You flatter me.”

Yoon-young replied calmly, smiling faintly.

“Director Moon will be here soon.”

For a moment, a glimmer appeared in her gentle eyes before fading away. Seung-ok didn’t miss that brief moment. Yoon-young’s feelings were important as long as there was the handicap of divorce with Ji Hyuk.

Yoon-young still desired Ji Hyuk. Even if those emotions seemed useless, there was nothing else to do in such situations. How many possibilities insignificant emotions could create? It was tempting to grasp and wield Yoon-young like that.

Yoon-young was a perfect person with no flaws as a daughter-in-law. Graceful appearance, respectable family background, the profession of a lawyer, and the title of a prestigious legal family for generations. She had everything.

Moreover, Yoon-young’s father, Jo Hee-chang, a former judge of the Supreme Court, was currently a second-term member of the National Assembly, with the potential to become a presidential candidate. Since they had come this far, Seung-ok planned to put Jo Hee-chang in the president’s seat. Jo Hee-chang was also ambitious. Regardless of what happened, they understood each other. That fact held much significance.

No matter how things unfolded, they would eventually get what they wanted from each other.

Ji Hyuk knew the reason behind Seung-ok’s summons. Being called before the end of work meant something special, probably related to his next marriage.

With two years having passed since the divorce, his mother had begun to actively involve Yoon-young, who was part of her plan.

Jo Yoon-young. The person herself wasn’t bad. She was pretty, smart, and came from a decent family.

Just not Han Go-yeo.

When Ji-hyuk arrived at the MMK International building in Samseong-dong and entered Seung-ok’s home office, he presented himself as the perfect son. He met eyes with Mr. Park from the secretary’s office for a moment. Soon, they exchanged casual greetings. As he entered the office, a faint scent of orchids lingered in the air, which seemed out of place in the austere office.

The orchids, which didn’t seem to fit the sterile office atmosphere, were Seung-ok’s hobby. Perhaps she considered it a refined hobby, as, at some point, orchids were placed everywhere within sight. Through the process of repeatedly nursing dying orchids, she eventually succeeded in making them bloom and reviving dry leaves.

Her dedication was remarkable. Having coincidentally inherited a heavenly father, they were relatives who couldn’t understand each other.

Seeing Seung-ok seated on the main seat and Yoon-young seated diagonally opposite, Ji-hyuk chuckled softly. But it was just a momentary reaction and even that, Seung-ok’s son could perfectly fulfill what his mother desired.

On the table, there was tea prepared, with cups laid out. Ji-hyuk paused for a moment. Suddenly, he realized that he had never seen Seung-ok and Go-yeo sitting like this before. Despite living under the same roof for less than a year, they had never shared a proper meal. Perhaps Go-yeo was more isolated than he had thought. He resisted the urge to lower his tie due to a feeling of claustrophobia.

After giving a light bow to Seung-ok, he smiled at Yoon-young.

“Hello. It’s been a while.”

“Yes. It has been a while, Mr. Ji-hyuk.”

Yoon-young also smiled and replied softly. Seung-ok alternately looked at the two of them and smiled with satisfaction. As they sat facing each other, Yoon-young poured tea for Ji-hyuk. It was a bitter green tea. Ji-hyuk pursed his lips and set down the cup. Recently, his mother had been learning tea ceremonies, so it was interesting to see the two of them performing this together.

Seung-ok was a rational person focused on her cold judgment, efficiency, and effectiveness in decision-making. She was meticulous in her work, aiming for optimal results with minimal effort. Therefore, having such a refined hobby of unnecessary display was like a kind of illness.