The Season I Loved You Without You - Chapter 46

CHAPTER 46

Go-yeo sat surrounded by his family, including Yoon Ga-eul, in the VIP hospital room. Such an occurrence was truly a rare event in Han Go-yeo’s life.

The reason for this uncomfortable seating arrangement was none other than her stubbornness dating back to her school days, and nothing more or less. Yoon Ga-eul’s expression also seemed awkward, indicating he felt the same discomfort.

Eun-jae, opening the lid of a lunchbox from Ga-eul’s bag, exclaimed.

“Wow, this looks delicious!”

Hee-sook tried to calm down Eun-jae’s excitement and then glanced at Go-yeo sitting across from her. Just from her posture alone, one could sense her dignity. She smoothed her voice, lips slightly dry, and spoke carefully.

“I’m sure it’s inconvenient for you, ma’am, but I’m so grateful to you that I wanted to take the time to say hello. As you can see, due to my health issues, I cannot go far and had to come to the hospital, which is embarrassing. Still, I wanted to show you that I’m receiving treatment in this good place.”

“It’s all for Ga-eul’s comfort, so please don’t worry too much.”

“Nevertheless, I am grateful for your great consideration. Is Ga-eul doing well at work?”

“Of course. He’s doing a lot of help.”

Go-yeo noticed Hee-sook’s noticeably bright expression. Emotions were visible in her expression as if it revealed the family’s background. When she briefly glanced at Ga-eul beside her, their eyes met. He was also smiling quietly, seemingly uplifted by her words.

Go-yeo noticed that Hee-sook seemed tired after a few more exchanges. She thought it was appropriate to wrap up the conversation now. She bid Hee-sook farewell and entrusted Ga-eul to her care.

As Go-yeo stood up, Eun-jae seemed disappointed. 

“Let’s meet next time if there’s a chance.”

“Yes, yes! Boss! It was great meeting you.”

Eun-jae thought that despite Go-yeo’s chilly demeanor, she smiled well in response to Eun-jae’s uncultivated manner of speaking.

As Go-yeo and Ga-eul left, Eun-jae served food from the lunchbox onto the table. 

“Mom, won’t you have a little? It looks incredibly delicious. I bet it was cooked better than what I bought.”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll eat later, with Ga-eul.”

“Got it. Isn’t the boss really impressive? So different from us, like a person from a completely different world.”

“…Yes.”

Hee-sook’s voice was subdued with fatigue, but she smiled faintly at Eun-jae’s rambling.

“I don’t envy her at all. It’s only envy when things are somewhat similar. It’s just awe-inspiring, isn’t it? Even the bag and clothes she’s carrying are probably high-end luxury items, right? I bet they’re worth more than our entire house. Does a person like that ever have any worries in life?”

“Everyone has worries. Who doesn’t?”

Eun-jae nodded as if to say that while others might not understand, surely Go-yeo couldn’t have such worries.

“Oh, but I’m sure I’ve seen the boss somewhere before.”

“I heard you saw her when you went to the opera last time.”

“Oh, yeah. But…”

Eun-jae scratched her head and then picked up her phone.

“Oh! I just remembered something amazing.”

While searching for MMK Group, which had been spreading engagement news, Eun-jae came across it. Upon seeing Go-yeo’s photo, Eun-jae suddenly stood up.

“Wow, Mom! This is incredible. That boss we met earlier is the daughter of the Chairman of Wushin! If it’s Wushin, that’s a massive conglomerate. It’s not just rich, it’s heir-level wealth. No wonder everything seemed on a different scale…”

Hee-sook calmed Eun-jae down from her excitement.

“And Mom, did you know? The boss’ ex-husband was the grandson of the head of MMK Group. It’s a small world, isn’t it?”

Eun-jae kept rambling alone until she wondered why Ga-eul hadn’t arrived yet. Hee-sook let out a small sigh, lay back on the bed, closed her eyes, and then suddenly opened them at the image she had just seen.

Seeing Ga-eul smiling at Go-yeo was very unfamiliar. It was just a warm and quiet smile, like welcoming spring. However, the gleam in his eyes was as intense as the heat of midsummer, burning deep within, as Hee-sook observed.

Surely not.

She shook her head at the absurd thought, and even if her son’s heart leaned that way, as a mother, she had no intention of meddling in it. The owner of that heart was naturally Ga-eul. But like the passing of seasons from summer to spring, she could only hope it was a passing feeling. If it were a deep and heavy heart, of course, it would be her son who would be hurt.

Today, the hospital room seemed unusually large. She suddenly wondered if receiving such consideration without doing anything was right. With a troubled heart, she gradually drifted off to sleep under the influence of the medication.

* * *

Go-yeo looked at Ga-eul, who followed her to the parking lot.

“Go inside now. Enough with the thanks.”

Ga-eul tightly closed his lips.

“You were uncomfortable today, weren’t you?”

“No, Eun-jae’s enthusiasm made me feel good unintentionally. And the two of you resemble each other a lot.”

The talk of resembling Eun-jae was something Ga-eul had often heard before. Perhaps it was an excessively ordinary story, but it felt different hearing it from Go-yeo.

“I’ll drive you home.”

“It’s okay. I said you rest during the holidays. Really, go inside.”

Go-yeo turned her back and got into the car. Ga-eul approached and bent his knees over the open window. He looked up at Go-yeo and cautiously revealed his desire.

“Boss, can I see you even during the holidays?”

Go-yeo lightly lifted his chin with her finger. She could move him just with a light touch of her finger. His reflection was vividly reflected in her clear eyes.

“I want to rest alone. Let yourself rest too.”

His crestfallen expression almost weakened her resolve. These siblings surely had a way of disarming people. She gently stroked his soft cheek once. But that was as far as it went.

“Go.”

Go-yeo glanced briefly at Ga-eul, who was still standing at a distance through the rearview mirror. She knew he had mustered a lot of courage, but she wasn’t willing to consider it to the extent of accommodating him. Even if their relationship was ambiguous, she always maintained a clear boundary depending on the situation.

That was the relationship between Yoon Ga-eul and Han Go-yeo.

***

Go-yeo saw Ji-yeon in the bridal waiting room. The sight of the bride holding a bouquet in her hands, adorned in a white dress, was beautiful. Ji-yeon, petite in stature, wore high wedding heels and an empire dress to complement her height. Delicate lace covered her sleeves and back, starting just below her chest, accentuating a natural silhouette and innocence.

Approaching Ji-yeon, Go-yeo casually remarked.

“You look beautiful.”

Ji-yeon smiled widely in response. 

“You’re here? Sit down, let’s take a picture. On a day like today, all we’ll have left are photos.”

Go-yeo sat beside Ji-yeon. Just as she had done one day, she linked arms with her.

“Congratulations. Sincerely.”

After taking a photo, Go-yeo gave Ji-yeon a light hug. The bride’s smile, as she prepared for a new beginning, was more beautiful than anyone else’s.

Ji-yeon greeted Ga-eul first, who seemed a bit nervous. When he appeared, the atmosphere naturally stirred.

“Ga-eul, welcome.”

“Vice President, congratulations.”

Ji-yeon admired Ga-eul, dressed in a boutique’s chic gray suit. He effortlessly balanced urban sophistication with a relaxed charm in the classic suit line.

“Thank you. You put a lot of effort into today.”

He was soberly handsome, even more so than Hae-joon, today’s groom, and she could see the tips of his ears reddening. Ji-yeon smiled at how cute he looked. Perhaps he dressed up so much for the wedding.

Today, Ji-yeon alternated her gaze between Go-yeo and Ga-eul, both of whom looked well-matched.

‘Does Han Go-yeo really not know Yoon Ga-eul, who is carefully examining the indifferent expression of the boss?’

Ji-yeon confidently denied it. Han Go-yeo, although she grew up like a princess and might not understand the ways of the world, was not clueless. Then, Han Go-yeo either silently enjoyed or pretended not to know his feelings. Perhaps without Go-yeo saying it, they might have already become something more.

The wedding venue, with its high ceilings adorned with long white drapes and small lights, created a sacred atmosphere. White hydrangeas, blush roses, and lilac dendrobium orchids adorned the venue, making it even more beautiful.

Go-yeo couldn’t help but recall her own wedding. Millions were spent on extravagant floral arrangements, a one-of-a-kind wedding dress by a famous designer, guests filled with prominent figures from the industry, and a media frenzy surrounding the hotel. Nothing was ordinary.

Memories of that day were sporadic, but one thing was certain—the extravagant wedding now held no meaning. They couldn’t even spend a year together after that expensive ceremony, making it a failed investment. What matters more than the ceremony is how the couple lives together.

The round table was set with a centerpiece of white tulips and silver candlesticks. Ga-eul sat next to her. Watching the candles quietly burn, she asked Ga-eul.

“Are you preparing for the new semester?”

“Yes. I’ve registered for courses and am planning to move near the school.”

She thought it was quite a distance to commute from her house to school. It would be difficult for him to work if he went to school, so their formal interactions would come to an end.

“Boss, by any chance…”

Ga-eul was about to say something when boutique staff crowded around. Hee-kyung, laughing cheerfully, sat in the seat next to Go-yeo that others had hesitated to take.

Ga-eul couldn’t continue the conversation. Hee-kyung was talking nonstop, and as the staff intervened with a word or two, the ceremony soon began.

Once, Go-yeo used to feel uneasy at weddings, but now she wondered if that was because she had tried it once or because marriage life was not as peaceful. Besides wishing Ji-yeon happiness, she had no particular thoughts.

As the second part of the ceremony began with Ji-yeon changing into her dress and greeting the guests, the meal was served. The food was indeed quite delicious, as Ji-yeon had claimed.

While eating steak, Ga-eul looked at Go-yeo. He apologized inwardly to the vice president, but he had been looking at Go-yeo throughout the wedding. Although the boss’ expression didn’t change much, somehow she seemed a bit sad and lonely. Ga-eul thought of the boss smiling brightly in her wedding photo.

Surely, she must have been the most beautiful bride on her wedding day. Did she smile so brightly that day too? Did she smile that frequently in front of him?

Suddenly, thoughts surged like water overflowing a dam that had been holding back. No matter how high the dam was built, it eventually overflowed.

Soon, if school started, he might not be able to see her anymore. He thought he had found a tiny opening with the boss, but maybe that was just his misconception. His mouth felt dry, and he took a sip of water.