The Season I Loved You Without You - Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

 

Shivering in the chilly air, she pulled the thin blanket closer with trembling hands. Slowly, she opened her eyes at the faint sensation beside her, then closed them even more slowly. The dawn’s blue light filtered through the curtains, casting shadows on the ceiling. A strange lingering feeling remained.

 

As silence stirred, the sheets slid smoothly as she sat up. She splashed some water on her face and ran her fingers through her long hair. Frowning, she glanced at the person lying next to her. What kind of drama is this? The steady rhythm of breathing was familiar.

 

Stepping out of bed and carefully placing her feet on the floor, she noticed traces of last night’s intimacy scattered like debris. Indifferently scanning the crumpled white sheets, she made her way to the bathroom. The air around her seemed to settle like sediment, subtle movements as she moved.

 

Coming to the hotel after receiving a message from Ji-hyuk was intentional. Her body had grown accustomed to the nights spent with him. So, they exchanged habitual affections, but this lingering emptiness was unavoidable. The feeling of becoming someone terrible and mediocre was hard to accept.

 

She took her time to bathe and put on a dark wool robe. The leisurely pace felt natural as if it were her own home. After meticulously drying her abundant hair, she made her way to the powder room.

 

In the meantime, the man sat near the bed, legs crossed, holding an unlit cigarette in front of the table. Draped in a robe, he simply gazed into the silence.

 

Even in the subtle light, his expression remained hidden, but the silence seemed to reveal exactly what expression he wore.

 

Go-yeo narrowed her eyes slightly but shrugged off the robe nonchalantly. Then, she slowly dressed herself, ignoring the man’s gaze from across the room.

 

As she zipped up her dress, his cold touch grazed her, and his lips briefly touched her neck before withdrawing.

 

“…”

 

Sitting back down, he chuckled satisfactorily at the traces he had left behind.

 

Go-yeo put on her jacket and spoke quietly after a while. She seemed calm yet somewhat tense.

 

“How long are we going to keep this up? Let’s stop this nonsense.”

 

The man, pressing his temples in fatigue, muttered softly.

 

“Let’s go to sleep.”

 

“Ji-hyuk, are you listening to me?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Go-yeo brushed her hair back, eyeing the man like a wanderer. 

 

“Why? It’s not like you’re dating any of those scandalous bastards.”

 

His chuckling response suddenly irritated her.

 

“Because now seems like the time to.”

 

She didn’t mention the impending engagement. Perhaps it was due to her pitiful pride.

 

Ji-hyuk looked at the resolute Go-yeo. With no makeup, her skin seemed particularly soft. Her distinct features created a vibrant face. A woman like a vivid, sensual, red rose exuding the fragrance of midsummer.

 

However, in Go-yeo’s eyes, there was hardly any trace of the heat from just a few hours ago. Instead of replying, Ji-hyuk shrugged his shoulders as if to say he couldn’t help it.

 

“I still want to continue. With you, Go-yeo, and… sex.”

 

She sighed softly at his forced words delivered confidently. Admittedly, she found this arrogantly assertive man quite attractive. Go-yeo smiled slyly and approached Ji-hyuk.

 

“Alright. Then comfort yourself with my thoughts. I’m done now. And…”

 

Ji-hyuk’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Go-yeo examined the man carefully. Even his disheveled hair seemed to exude only lethargy.

 

With a queenly mercy, she gently smiled and brushed Ji-hyuk’s soft hair aside. Then, looking into his lowered eyes, she lightly tapped his cheek and murmured.

 

“In the future, make better use of this handsome appearance. Got it?”

 

Snatching the cigarette from his hand and snapping it in half before tossing it on the table, she offered an unanswerable remark.

 

“Smoking is prohibited here.”

 

Ji-hyuk grabbed Go-yeo’s hand as she moved away and brought it to his cheek. Then, he raised his gaze to her face. There was a mixture of desire and a hint of pity in his expression.

 

Surely there were times when she smiled brightly like a blazing summer. They had laughed together, finding a tiny spot below his left eye adorable. How did they end up like this? How did it happen?

 

Go-yeo conveyed her message quietly to Ji-hyuk, who persistently searched her face for something.

 

“Ji-hyuk, marry the person your mother has chosen and live happily.”

 

Ji-hyuk let out a bitter laugh. He muttered cruel words through those pretty lips of his. The combination of words itself seemed like a contradiction. What should he say? His throat tightened, leaving him with a tongue-tied silence.

 

Can he… can he do that?

 

The words didn’t seem to come out all the way.

 

It seemed like the answer was heard in the withdrawal of her held hand and the dry kiss on her cheek. Quietly turning away, she felt as if she had faced a solid wall.

 

As Go-yeo stepped out into the hotel lobby, she glanced back for a moment. Several farewells and reunions, ending eventually in divorce. Having to bid farewell after marking the end point of even repeated meetings. At this point, isn’t it just a pathological habit? She let out a bitter laugh.

 

Even in the early dawn, people hurried about. She watched them with her eyes. They glanced at her standing still, thinking she was strange, then went about their business. She, too, was just one of the people who would eventually pass by without any fuss.

 

“…You mean nothing to me.”

 

She muttered softly as if to strengthen her resolve.

 

* * *

 

Go-yeo parked on the first floor of the building and looked up. Through her sunglasses, she gazed at the midday sun at its zenith. How could the sun, smaller than her fingernail from this perspective, make her feel so insignificant?

 

Despite divorcing Ji-hyuk, she had still been meeting him all this time. It felt as natural as the Earth being round, the sun rising tomorrow, or water flowing from top to bottom. To dismiss those residual emotions as mere lingering attachments seemed inadequate. With a wry smile, she turned away.

 

As she headed towards the luxury street of Cheongdam-dong, a four-story building made of red bricks came into view. It was Go-yeo’s boutique, “H. Collection,” with a green sign and gold letters. The boutique, staffed by a total of 15 employees, was set up by her senior, Ji-yeon, whom she had graduated with from Parsons.

 

The boutique sold clothes designed by its affiliated designers in limited quantities. With unique yet elegant designs and luxurious fabrics, it was a favorite store for some celebrities, and anyone interested in fashion would take a keen interest in the “H. Collection” series. But that was all. It was an ambiguous position where it was too expensive for the general public to buy and not recognized as a luxury brand.

 

As she entered the store on the first floor, the store management staff recognized Go-yeo and greeted her. She nodded lightly and headed towards the staircase. The sound of boots hitting the stairs echoed through the air.

 

Passing through the men’s clothing store on the second floor and the workshop on the third, she reached the fourth floor, where Ji-yeon, the vice president, approached quickly. Then, with a wide smile, she started talking as if she were reciting lines.

 

“Oh, boss. Were you planning to come to work today? Well, I thought you’d be absent today too. Haha. I’m not sure if you know, but we still need to finalize the S/S collection.”

 

Ji-yeon, who was small in stature compared to Go-yeo, often followed her around while making casual chatter. Even with round glasses, her sharp eyes were not hidden.

 

“Yes, I know.”

 

Go-yeo smiled as if to say what’s the problem with that.

 

“I see. That’s quite fortunate, then.”

 

“Is there a problem with having capable designers?”

 

“You do realize that the boss herself is one of the designers, right?”

 

Go-yeo chuckled softly and pulled open the door to her office. Walking over to the window where the midday sun streamed in, she lowered the blinds to block the light, hung her coat on the coat rack, and asked casually.

 

“Why so flustered? What’s the matter?”

 

Then, she leisurely took off her sunglasses.

 

“You!”

 

Ji-yeon was about to retort to Go-yeo but then realized who she was talking to and instead took out her phone and handed it over. When Go-yeo furrowed her brows and looked at her as if asking what was going on, Ji-yeon pointed to the screen.

 

< Miss H, the daughter of a major conglomerate, is rumored to be romantically involved with actor Mr. K. Actor Mr. K is a top-tier entertainer who is the first choice for casting in dramas, movies, and advertisements. Miss H is currently working in the fashion industry and is known as a scandal maker due to her beauty, having divorced two years ago. >

 

“Scandal maker…”

 

Go-yeo muttered softly. Ji-yeon, seeing Go-yeo’s still-composed expression, furrowed her brows as if frustrated.

 

“Who on earth is Mr. K?”

 

“Well, was it Kang Seung-hoo who came to buy clothes last time?”

 

Go-yeo answered leisurely as if it were someone else’s business. She was curious about who the next person would be.

 

“Ugh. You’re not a princess, and you haven’t committed adultery like a grown adult, so I don’t understand why everyone is going crazy over your love life. How many false rumors is this already?”

 

It was amusing to see her speak like an old person despite being just two years older. Go-yeo couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She thought there was no one else but Ji-yeon who could make her laugh like this.

 

“Honestly, besides Ji-hyuk, there’s no other man, right?”

 

Ah, right. For a girl who was labeled as a prodigal daughter, the only man she had ever been with was Moon Ji-hyuk. It was oddly unsettling.

 

Go-yeo is the daughter of the chairman of Wushin Financial Holdings, with massive capital, and a young property owner of the 500 billion won WT Tower in Gangnam. Moreover, there were extravagant and noisy wedding and divorce with the son of the MMK Group, and her extroverted nature played a part in it all.

 

“Sis, should I really meet Kang Seung-hoo?”

 

At the sudden question, Ji-yeon glared at Go-yeo. Even though Go-yeo seemed insensitive, she was someone who could meet any man if she set her mind to it. Even as a woman, Ji-yeon couldn’t help but feel momentarily dazzled by Go-yeo’s enchanting figure.

 

Ji-yeon carefully observed Go-yeo. Despite wearing a colorful dress with patterns of red roses and green ivy sleeves down to her elbows, she didn’t seem out of place. But Ji-yeon knew that Go-yeo’s words were just that, words.

 

Although she seemed to live carelessly, there was a stubborn and lingering aspect to her, and that was Ji-hyuk. As someone who didn’t like Ji-hyuk’s family, Ji-yeon’s brows furrowed involuntarily. She would meet and date anyone.

 

“Please, just do it.”

 

As Go-yeo chuckled and sat down, Ji-yeon handed her the tablet with the schedule.

 

“You’ll see there, but the director of the Eunyang Art Museum is coming soon.”

 

Go-yeo nodded as if she understood.

 

“Let’s proceed with the collection as we discussed in the last meeting.”

 

“Aren’t we going to make any more changes?”

 

Surprised, Ji-yeon asked, but Go-yeo waved her hand lightly.

 

“It’s fine. The clothes are pretty enough.”

 

There was a hint of boredom mixed in. Ji-yeon frowned, but there was no further mention of it. Go-yeo said they would discuss it when the director came. A few years ago, Go-yeo was passionate about preparing collections as if she were still in Parsons, but now, even that seemed distant.

 

“I’m just…”

 

She shook her head. It seemed like nothing was broken, but she couldn’t find any passion. However, denying how she looked wouldn’t change her life, so she just had to accept it.

 

Living well with what’s given. There’s nothing wiser than that. So, she had to think about what clothes to wear to the club today.