The Season I Loved You Without You - Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Responding to Ji-yeon’s call, they headed to the private room on the first floor inside the store, where Director Oh was waiting. Go-yeo sat across from a middle-aged woman, looking fresh and cheerful.

“Oh my, Director. Where do you go for your treatments these days? You look so youthful.”

“It’s the work of a certain owner. Malicious, really.”

Even though it was an empty compliment, Oh Seung-hee burst into a loud laugh, seemingly enjoying the flattery. She exchanged casual greetings with Go-yeo, who was sipping tea, before approaching the rack of clothes.

Her usual style of clothing was already arranged on the rack. While the colors were subdued, the lines were clean and the pieces were elegant blouses, coats, and dresses.

Director Oh put on a black cashmere coat and examined herself in the mirror. Go-yeo approached and tidied up the clothes.

“Have you heard, Director?”

“Heard what?”

Go-yeo asked with a smile that suggested she knew nothing, although she likely already knew what response would come. Perhaps the reason she had bought clothes recently and had come again today was because of this.

“Moon Ji-hyuk. They say he’s getting engaged soon.”

Go-yeo replied casually as she retrieved an amoeba-patterned silk scarf from the hanger.

“Yes. This place is smaller than I thought, isn’t it?”

Seung-hee awkwardly chuckled at the irrelevant remark.

“Well, yes, it is. By the way, aren’t you getting remarried? I heard there was a scandal again. Is it another tabloid?”

The glint in her eyes hinted at an attempt to unearth something. Go-yeo, as if deeming it unworthy of a response, chuckled softly and adjusted the knot of her silk scarf.

“If I find the right partner, I’ll consider it.”

“Is Madam Hong staying quiet?”

“Of course.”

Standing in front of Director Oh, Go-yeo straightened her posture and smiled subtly, folding her eyelids. It was a more coquettish and arrogant expression than usual. Perhaps it could be seen as conceited.

“You’re worried.”

Director Oh cleared her throat and avoided eye contact. Then she rambled about the clothes. Apparently, Han’s clothes fit well, the fabric was good, and the designs were upscale, probably because they catered to her tastes.

It wasn’t a secret here that Madam Hong wasn’t Go-yeo’s birth mother. So people asked about their relationship as if it were a routine inquiry. How was her relationship with her stepmother? Well, it was fine. Her stepmother was just a mature adult.

Calm, cultured, intellectual. Therefore, the relationship between Go-yeo and her stepmother was cordial. That was a decent enough mother-daughter relationship.

Director Oh seemed bothered for no reason and scratched the cards quite a bit. It seemed that focusing on trivial matters meant she wasn’t a good person. Not even amusing. So, she offered the silk scarf as a complimentary service.

She had to visit her parents’ house today. Refusing her mother’s repeated requests to come home for the past few days made her feel like a disobedient daughter. It was probably something her father ordered, but she felt sorry for her mother caught in the middle.

She stopped by the men’s clothing store on the second floor to browse through this season’s clothes, picked out a white tennis sweater and a burgundy cardigan, and asked for them to be wrapped. Before leaving, she handed out personal cards instead of corporate ones to the busy design team members, cheering them on. 

‘The boss not working might seem annoying, but there’s no choice. After all, I’m the one paying.’

* ** 

Wushin was a financial conglomerate specializing in insurance rather than banking. Under the umbrella of Wushin Financial Holdings were five subsidiaries: Wushin Life, Wushin Securities, Wushin Capital, Wushin Asset Management, and Wushin Alternative Investment Management. It was highly regarded for its profit-oriented solid management.

Among these, Wushin Life, the flagship subsidiary, was the top non-life insurance company in the country, while Wushin Securities boasted of being covered by the CMA for depositor protection.

With assets totaling 49 trillion 2,133 billion won, the company was considered a large corporation. Wushin Finance was originally a real estate capital formed from real estate capital thanks to the government’s policy of financial diversification.

Han Sang-moon, the chairman of Wushin, had risen to sixth place on the domestic super-rich list, with an estimated personal wealth of 4 trillion 1,105 billion won. A graduate of Korea University and an elite who studied abroad in the United States.

In contrast, Han Beom-tae, Sang-moon’s father, was a well-known gangster in Mokpo, Jeolla Province. Despite being unexpectedly enthusiastic about education, he came to Seoul and amassed the capital of Gangnam, which had been nothing but fields and rice paddies. Those who had a bit of money knew his roots, but there was no need to unnecessarily acknowledge it now, as times had changed.

Princess of Wushin. People called Go-yeo that. Truly, she grew up like a princess in her kingdom. Her kingdom was the world her father, Han Sang-moon, had created. Although he remarried, his attention was solely focused on Go-yeo due to the lack of children. Therefore, Go-yeo grew up arrogantly, naturally assuming what others couldn’t enjoy.

It was well known that among the real estate properties Go-yeo possessed as an adult, he had donated the most valuable one despite hefty taxes. Watching his profound love for the princess, everyone realized that his favor hadn’t gone anywhere.

So, when Go-yeo married MMK’s Moon Ji-hyuk, those who knew Sang-moon well had doubts like, “Why?” It was because they had expected a much better background match or even a completely ordinary person.

Moon Ji-hyuk, the eighth-ranked in the domestic business community, was only good at appearances within the group. He was just one of the children of the Moon family. Moreover, Moon Ji-hyuk’s father had severe concubine issues, resulting in him having numerous half-siblings. The only tolerable thing was Moon Ji-hyuk’s mother, the third wife, Yun Seung-ok, who, instead of her diminutive husband, took his place and secured her position. It was simply an auspicious marriage.

The fresh romance and marriage of the scions of conglomerate families drew people’s attention, but the marriage didn’t even last a year. While the official stance was that it was due to simple personality differences, public interest didn’t wane. Following that, rumors circulated that the atmosphere between them hadn’t been right from the start, causing quite a stir.

Arriving at the main house in Samseong-dong, Go-yeo got out of the red Ferrari with the clothes she had brought from the boutique earlier. Passing the stone steps, she reached the garden, where the first thing that caught her eye was the camellia bushes surrounding the white two-story house, covered with red flower buds. Next week, they would bloom profusely, a unique seed her mother had received as a gift. How beautiful would it be?

Entering the foyer, Go-yeo removed her shoes and put on slippers, announcing her presence.

“I’m here.”

Her clear and pure voice echoed. Sang-moon, who had been reading a book in the living room, glanced briefly and simply said, ‘Are you here?’ As the rumor has it, the saying that he cares about his only child is not that he doesn’t know what to do because her daughter is pretty. Go-yeo sat opposite Sang-moon with a faint smile, handing over the shopping bags.

“Winter clothes.”

Now in his early sixties, he combed his uncolored silver-gray hair neatly, giving off a clean impression. With an expressionless face, he appeared cool and somewhat aloof. Glancing briefly over his glasses at the shopping bags while reading a book, Sang-moon nodded. Go-yeo glanced at her father, then headed to the dining room before turning back.

“Contact me directly. Can’t Dad handle it?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

With a curt response, Go-yeo furrowed her brows and lowered her head slightly.

Though it was still early for dinner, the kitchen was bustling with food preparation. As Go-yeo entered, Yeong-ran, who was busy preparing food, smiled softly.

“You’re here?”

Her tone was gentle and quiet.

“Yes. The camellia outside looks like it’ll be pretty when it blooms.”

“Indeed. It’s said to be red and white camellias. I’m looking forward to it.”

Hmm, there were white ones too. Go-yeo nodded her head slightly as she glanced at Yeong-ran. Shorter than Go-yeo, she was elegant and composed, maintaining her dignity even in small actions. Yet, she still retained a girl’s sensibility. Perhaps even more than Go-yeo. 

“Why did you prepare so much?”

“It’s been a while since we had a meal together. Eat plenty.”

The table was filled with dishes that required a lot of effort, making Go-yeo both grateful and uncomfortable. It was best to eat a little bit of everything. Conversations continued quietly between Yeong-ran’s occasional comments and Sang-moon’s brief responses.

Watching Go-yeo eat quietly, Sang-moon asked.

“Do you get a health checkup every year? You’re already thirty-two. Take care of your health.”

“I will.”

Sang-moon paused for a moment. Then, he said casually,

“Drink less alcohol and don’t smoke. It’s bad for your health.”

Go-yeo, who was nibbling on her food, paused for a moment before resuming with her utensils. She knew Tae-chun was associated with Sang-moon, but she didn’t think it was necessary to mention even smoking a cigarette. She thought it was unavoidable for rumors to circulate every time she visited the club, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel uneasy about it.

After the meal, Sang-moon briefly left his seat, and dessert was served. It consisted of Yeong-ran’s favorite chrysanthemum tea and homemade yanggaeng (sweet red bean jelly). Go-yeo briefly wrapped her warm teacup with her hands before taking a sip. The gentle scent of chrysanthemum was pleasant, but it wasn’t particularly to her taste. She simply held the cup in her hand for a moment before putting it down and trying a bite of yanggaeng . The subtle sweetness of red bean filled her mouth. She naturally took another sip of tea before putting it to her lips.

“Yanggaeng tastes delicious.”

“Is it okay? I’m glad.”

Yeong-ran’s face brightened noticeably. She examined Go-yeo’s face, who sat opposite her. Although her stepdaughter was already in her thirties, Yeong-ran could guarantee that she was prettier and kinder than any woman.

Hong Yeong-ran had raised Go-yeo since she was thirteen. Three years later, she sent her to study abroad in the United States, and it wasn’t until Go-yeo returned in her mid-twenties that they could meet again. Since then, they had lived independently together for only a few years during Go-yeo’s teens. Yeong-ran had never given birth to children, and when she first saw her already grown-up stepdaughter, she seemed to not need a mother.

So, Yeong-ran found it difficult with Go-yeo. But it wasn’t that she didn’t want to become close. She made various efforts, but whether the methods were wrong or not, significant effects weren’t showing.

“…”

Meanwhile, Go-yeo looked at Yeong-ran, lost in thought. Her mother was undoubtedly a good person, but she didn’t know what to do, and she didn’t try hard to get along. As a result, their relationship remained bland if not uncomfortable. But was this relationship uncomfortable? Not particularly.

Go-yeo looked at Yeong-ran, who sat upright with her hands clasped on her knees, like a pure lily.

Then, as if tossing a stone into a calm lake, she asked, a question she had always been curious about whenever she saw Yeong-ran.

“I know Grandma treated you quite harshly, but how did you feel? How did it make you feel?”

Of course, her grandmother thought her quiet existence was terrible, but her mother was no different in front of her. Go-yeo knew that the reason her grandmother hated her was because her father married someone she strongly opposed.

Yeong-ran met her at her grandmother’s insistence, but that was it. Her grandmother was disappointed that she was so desperate to get her hands on someone else’s precious daughter that she licked her wounds over her inability to bear children.

Go-yeo’s question seemed unexpected, and Yeong-ran’s gaze returned with a slight surprise, but she didn’t seem upset.

Yeong-ran pondered for a moment on how to respond. Then, she looked at the bright yellow chrysanthemum flowers swirling inside her teacup. There was a somewhat lonely expression on her face.

“Of course, it was miserable at that moment. I wondered what she thought of me, whether I was a person in front of her.”

Go-yeo pulled back her chin and straightened her back, looking up. Go-yeo, too, keenly felt that embarrassment and humiliation. It was truly terrible.