The Season I Loved You Without You - Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

As they arrived at the department store’s VIP parking lot, Go-yeo and Yeong-ran got out of the car.

“You too, get out.” 

Go-yeo commanded suddenly.

Startled by Go-yeo’s abrupt order, Ga-eul quickly complied and got out in a fluster. Unperturbed, Go-yeo casually said to the puzzled Yeong-ran.

“It’s more comfortable if he helps with the luggage, isn’t it?”

Yeong-ran chuckled softly and nodded. Then she noticed the neat young man, Ga-eul. When their eyes met, Ga-eul smiled kindly. According to her father, he seemed like a decent person, and indeed, Yeong-ran felt his warmth, finding him quite likable. The immaculate young man would surely make his mother proud.

They were on their way to the VVIP personal shopper room. Suddenly, when Yeong-ran’s footsteps halted, Go-yeo was speaking to Ga-eul beside her.

“Do you have any specific style you want?”

When Yeong-ran didn’t move immediately, she turned her head. There stood Moon Ji-hyuk and Jo Yoon-young side by side.

Being with Jo Yoon-young and receiving such a message. Ah, isn’t this just a perfect encounter? She should change the department store.

More bewildered than Moon Ji-hyuk seemed Jo Yoon-young. Moon Ji-hyuk wore a polite smile masking his poker face.

Yeong-ran was the only one feeling perplexed and unsure how to proceed. It was natural; she wasn’t someone who could manage cultivated expressions. So Go-yeo lightly grabbed Yeong-ran’s arm. Yeong-ran, startled, turned her head. Go-yeo smiled as if it were nothing.

“Oh my! Are you Mr. Wushin’s wife?”

Jo Yoon-young seemed to find a way to salvage the situation. It could have been just a simple greeting and move on.

“It’s been a while, Ms. Go-yeo.”

Yeong-ran awkwardly returned the greeting with a smile. Go-yeo, along with Jo Yoon-young, smiled brightly as if asking what the problem was.

“That’s right.”

Yeong-ran felt even more tense at Go-yeo’s nonchalant tone.

Yoon-young glanced at a strange man while observing Yeong-ran and Go-yeo.

Is he a new man for Han Go-yeo? This time, even younger? Her taste seems inconsistent.

Yoon-young didn’t mind the current situation. If there was another man besides Han Go-yeo, then Moon Ji-hyuk could confirm it himself. Not all the thrown gossip would be false; at least one of them must be true. As long as it wasn’t Moon Ji-hyuk.

Yoon-young didn’t harbor any ill feelings towards Han Go-yeo. Of course, nor did she have any good feelings. Whenever she looked at Han Go-yeo, it always felt like an itch in her chest, like a nail scratching somewhere deep. Now she realized the nature of that feeling.

Ah, envy. There was a part of her that she could never win against that woman.

The feeling of being raised with a parent’s love, the distinct lack of creases. Although she knew her birth mother had died early, she must have been well-raised by her father. Naturally, there must have been a lack due to the loss, but it was different.

Growing up in a household where education was emphasized, Yoon-young received a perfect education, but she lacked meaningful interactions beyond that. Being treated merely as a tool by her parents, and using human relationships as a means to an end was the default. This was undoubtedly correct and natural, but upon reflection, it felt desolate and bitter.

It wasn’t common to want to surpass one’s parents. Especially for a daughter like her, whose worth in her father Jo Hee-chang’s eyes was merely about marriage prospects. The only way this daughter, whom he regarded so lightly, could wield any power over her father was through marriage to Moon Ji-hyuk.

Han Go-yeo chose him among countless other men, which may have subconsciously made him more coveted. There must have been something special about Ji-hyuk that Han Go-yeo lacked. So Ji-hyuk must be obtained by any means necessary. Then, perhaps, this ridiculous feeling of inferiority could be erased.

Yoon-young lightly hooked arms with Ji-hyuk. His body flinched. She could have smirked at him and laughed, but she smiled awkwardly as part of her perfect act.

“We’re here to buy a gift for Grandfather’s birthday.”

It was satisfying to repay Ji-hyuk for the humiliation she received at the hotel in this manner. Look embarrassed. He can’t just brush her arm aside without hesitation. Even if he has feelings for Han Go-yeo, it’s useless.

Still unable to control her expressions, compared to Yeong-ran, Go-yeo nodded slightly, as if sighing in understanding. Ji-hyuk’s smile, disguised as nonchalance, disappeared when Yoon-young hooked arms with him. Go-yeo silently mocked Ji-hyuk.

Ji-hyuk took a step forward until Yoon-young’s arm was released, and then he nodded slightly to Yeong-ran, greeting her.

“Nice to see you after a long time.”

“Oh, yes.”

Yeong-ran awkwardly replied, feeling more uncomfortable than she would have if it were just Director Moon. But the message she saw earlier flashed through her mind, and seeing Jo Yoon-young next to him added to her confusion.

She wasn’t actively involved in social gatherings, so she was usually out of the loop. But seeing Jo Yoon-young attending MMK’s family event, she wondered if he was planning to remarry. What was that message earlier?

“You too, it’s been a while.”

Ji-hyuk smiled casually towards Go-yeo and subtly threw a word at her. Go-yeo had to make an effort not to furrow her brows. Was he inviting her to join in this nonsense?

“That’s right. You two look good together.”

Go-yeo smiled with her eyes and hooked arms with Yeong-ran.

“Mother, shall we go now?”

Yeong-ran hurriedly nodded.

Ji-hyuk’s gaze fell on Go-yeo. His cheerful expression was distorted. And the annoying guy next to her.

Glancing at Han Go-yeo with a concerned look. What’s the big deal? An indescribable, irritating feeling surged up, almost making his face flush with heat.

As they entered the shopper room, Yoon-young and Ji-hyuk followed, each being directed to different rooms. Hanging on the racks were men’s golf wear and middle-aged women’s clothing, as per the pre-arranged selection. When Ga-eul unexpectedly showed up at the place set up with a two-person snack, they had to hurriedly prepare another seat.

“I’d also like to request some casual styles for men in their twenties.” 

Ga-eul, who was sitting next to Go-yeo, looked puzzled, but she flipped through the catalog without expression. Then she walked over to the racks and carefully examined the clothes.

When it came to clothes, Go-yeo’s eyes were as sharp as ever. The clothes favored by Yeong-ran’s subtle taste looked too dull. Go-yeo asked the person who was waiting for assistance to bring the clothes she had seen in the catalog earlier. The beige coat with black leather piping on the sleeves and lapels looked modest yet stood out as a unique piece. Moreover, it suited him perfectly.

Yeong-ran consulted with Go-yeo to choose Sang-moon’s clothes, trusting her sense of style. Because Sang-moon always wore the clothes that Go-yeo gave him.

Seeing Yeong-ran delighted with each styling suggestion, Go-yeo found herself recommending more. She realized that there might have been clothes in the boutique that Yeong-ran would have liked, but she had never given her clothes as gifts before, even though she had visited the boutique herself.

She hadn’t drawn a line in how she treated her. While picking out a clutch that matched the outfit, she thought about giving it to her as a gift.

It was good to have something to focus on when your mind was cluttered. Ga-eul diligently changed clothes repeatedly. The shopper had chosen men’s clothes that would appeal to someone in their twenties, and it felt almost like Ga-eul was having his fashion show.

Seeing Ga-eul pleased made Go-yeo feel good. She felt satisfied seeing him wear the gifts she had given him. It felt rewarding. Up until now, the clothes had been too formal and classic, so she focused on choosing comfortable and youthful clothes. And since he said he would return to school next semester, she also picked out a backpack and sneakers. It was regrettable not to see him wearing this outfit to school, but just seeing him in a sweatshirt and padded jacket satisfied her.

“It suits you well.” 

Go-yeo murmured, chin resting on her hand, admiring Ga-eul. Yeong-ran, who had been quietly observing, alternated her gaze between Go-yeo and Ga-eul. Had Go-yeo ever shown such concern for someone else? It seemed awkward to call him just a mere worker.

Moreover, the young man, Ga-eul, also had an unusual sparkle in his eyes. She had simply thought it was a lively glint, but he couldn’t hide the gaze that saw Go-yeo as a woman, revealed in the moments they interacted.

It’s just youthful exuberance or curiosity at that age, right? Was Go-yeo purposely involving him? Or perhaps Go-yeo’s private life was somehow related to Ga-eul? But considering the two of them didn’t seem to fit together at all, she shook her head in amusement.

After dropping Yeong-ran off at home, it was the way back to Hannam-dong. The sun had set, and the sky was filled with clouds, making it quite dark. It wasn’t yet rush hour, so the traffic wasn’t too bad, but as expected in densely populated Seoul, there were still plenty of cars.

Today, Seoul felt suffocatingly familiar. So, Go-yeo closed her eyes instead. In the pitch-dark world, Bach’s Chaconne for Solo Violin played in her ears. Even though it gave her a sense of heartbeats accelerating, her chest felt tight.

Go-yeo recalled the two people who remained as lingering memories. Moon Ji-hyuk and Jo Yoon-young were well-suited for each other in many ways. In the trio’s combination, the problem ultimately lay not with Jo Yoon-young but with herself. Why didn’t she realize it sooner?

She thought she knew everything about Ji-hyuk, but now she wonder if she didn’t know anything at all. Why did he become so petty and meticulous, unlike his usual clean and orderly self? But the combination of stubbornness and pride had always driven her to assert his intentions, then and now.

His composure came from controlling everything. It was eerily similar to Yun Seung-ok, as if everything had to be in its designated place for comfort. But designated places weren’t just physical objects. That’s why they had so many arguments about it. Ji-hyuk couldn’t understand why Go-yeo wouldn’t adhere to his will and felt uncomfortable because of it.

Conversely, Go-yeo couldn’t understand Ji-hyuk’s behavior. There had been occasions when Go-yeo pointed out that trying to force his will upon her without consent was a disrespectful attitude. But at that time, Ji-hyuk said that because he loved and respected Go-yeo, his intentions were correct. It truly felt like they couldn’t communicate.

Nevertheless, even though she couldn’t fully understand, she thought the saying that you can love someone perfectly even if you can’t fully understand them seemed to apply to them.

They mistakenly thought they loved each other perfectly. Perfect love in this world is like a warm iced Americano. Love itself is imperfect, so how can it be perfect? The tiny cracks that inadvertently formed eventually shattered when they reached their extreme. Blaming it on Yun Seung-ok was just an excuse.

Loving the obvious problem made it impossible to resolve because, due to love, they tried to cover up something that didn’t even exist. Love should be based on what is visible.

“…….”

Go-yeo opened her eyes and looked at Ga-eul sitting beside her. His expression was blank, but the corners of his lips were slightly raised as if he were smiling. Even while driving, he glanced at her briefly, perhaps sensing her gaze. He smiled innocently. Now, his faint dimples seemed somewhat familiar. She smiled back at him.