The Season I Loved You Without You - Chapter 62

CHAPTER 62

So, it all started with a photo someone posted on social media, and journalists who saw it wrote speculative articles about it.

[MMK Moon Ji-hyuk calls off engagement, reconciliation with ex-wife Han Go-yeo?]

[The two met again at a Gangnam club late at night.]

It was a photo taken in the club parking lot. It showed Ji-hyuk supporting Go-yeo as they walked. Go-yeo’s face wasn’t visible, but Ji-hyuk’s profile was distinct. The person who took this photo had no intention towards Go-yeo and Ji-hyuk.

They were taking pictures with friends on the street and posted it on their own social media. A passerby in the corner recognized whether it was Moon Ji-hyuk or Han Go-yeo.

Even speculative articles caused fluctuations in the stock prices of both companies. Since the problem was the photo itself rather than any actions taken beforehand, it couldn’t be prevented in advance.

Jin-young apologized for failing to protect the basic safety of her client. But Go-yeo thought it was her own mistake. They hadn’t planned to drink so heavily that day.

Even if Jin-young had been there, it would have been difficult to prevent Ji-hyuk’s impulsive behavior. He promised not to cause any harm but to take him to the car and quietly sit next to him.

‘I’m tired of getting involved with Moon Ji-hyuk. Seriously.’

Go-yeo had already received calls from Sang-moon and Sang-moon’s secretary. If she had known this would happen, she would have stayed quietly at home instead of going to the boutique. As soon as the articles came out, Wushin took swift action to refute the rumors.

It was unclear how they found out about her house, and the front of the villa was chaotic. They went straight up to the house through the underground parking lot. Aunt Sumi looked at Go-yeo with a worried expression. She reassured her and went straight upstairs to the second floor.

After quickly finishing her shower, she sat blankly in front of the dressing table. What worried her about this article wasn’t the impact on her reputation caused by the articles themselves, but the fact that Yoon Ga-eul would eventually see it. It was ridiculous to think about.

Despite boldly telling him not to like her, she enjoyed everything he gave her. And now, she was trembling with fear at the thought of Yoon Ga-eul. She laughed bitterly at her pathetic self.

After several sleepless nights, her skin was rough, and her complexion was not good. She grabbed her throbbing head and searched for medicine in the drawer.

She shouldn’t take painkillers and sleeping pills at the same time, but it wasn’t the time to worry about such things. The only way to stop thinking was to fall asleep.

“…….”

She looked at the early evening sky and drew the curtains. It became a darkened room. She walked to the bed and lay down. Why did she keep repeating these things?

It was better not to realize this hot lump in her chest. Then she wouldn’t have to remember the burns and it wouldn’t be etched in her memory.

Yoon Ga-eul. He is now her new scar.

Every moment shared with him is good and joyful. The dimples that appear when he smiles brightly, the laughter in his eyes, the blush on his cheeks when embarrassed. The gentle touch that caressed her, and her name sighed out like a sigh every time their bodies intertwined.

She escaped into dreams. Yoon Ga-eul was a cozy and precarious refuge.

Can’t she just be with Yoon Ga-eul? Her heart has weakened. It almost seemed like everything would be fine if they were together. Wouldn’t everything be okay if they supported each other amidst the scrutiny of others and the situations they found themselves in?

She must have dozed off because when she woke up, the headache was completely gone. Go-yeo slowly got up feeling a bit groggy. Going downstairs to drink some water, she checked the time and it was 10 p.m. She hadn’t slept much. She found her phone lying around and, after charging it since it was dead, took a sip of water.

There were many missed calls from various numbers, but the most noticeable was Yoon Ga-eul’s contact among them. There was only one, but it brought a sense of relief.

Relief, really. Such a pathetic feeling.

There were also some unknown numbers and Moon Ji-hyuk’s number. They probably called because of the article, but what bothered her a little was the divorce contract they had signed.

The divorce contract had several clauses, one of which stated that if either party caused dishonor through scandal, the one responsible would compensate financially. Whether this scandal would be included, who caused it, and how much to pay would be a matter for the lawyers to consider, but it was still quite a hassle.

She remembered that Yun Seung-ok had reviewed this contract with her. Would that crazy woman make a fuss about this? Thinking about Ji-hyuk’s reckless nature, she recalled the curses he often muttered. Ji-hyuk probably wouldn’t care much about articles like this.

“It’s true, but what are you going to do about it?” 

Then a sudden thought came to mind, and she let out a low sigh. Honestly, she only realized now that she hadn’t cared about being labeled as a divorcee. So, even if people in the world were making a fuss about it, Go-yeo and those around her didn’t seem to care much.

Rather, the biggest change during their one-year marriage was probably that afterward, she couldn’t feel any significant difference in her skin compared to before marriage. Divorce was just one of the common things that happened to one-third of married people.

But it could be a problem in front of Yoon Ga-eul. An older divorcee and a college student – from a societal standpoint, it seemed strange. It felt like an inappropriate relationship.

The biggest problem was that her heart wavered like a reed even though there were plenty of reasons why they couldn’t continue their relationship. Despite saying she couldn’t forget Ji-hyuk, now she was troubled because of someone else. She wasn’t a woman of dignity.

Upon hearing the vibration sound, Go-yeo checked the screen and pursed her lips. It was inevitable that she was still troubled. With just one phone call, she anticipated a significant change in her relationship with Yoon Ga-eul. And she rationalized it.

People sometimes make major decisions based on irrational emotions rather than rational judgment.

“Yes, hello?”

– ….Boss.

“.…..”

Yoon Ga-eul was crying. In a choked voice, he barely murmured Go-yeo’s name.

– It hurts so much. I feel like I’m going to die.

He begged her, pleading for help. Go-yeo had built a wall with the memories of those painful times when she couldn’t forget Ji-hyuk. She thought that was the surest past to keep her heart from going to Yoon Ga-eul.

But when he broke down, Go-yeo felt the crumbling of that pitiful heart she had been guarding. She closed her eyes tightly. She felt Yoon Ga-eul rushing in like waves.

“….Ga-eul.”

She struggled to utter his name. It was the first time she had called him by his name like this. There was no other response from him. She knew he wasn’t in a stable state, as she heard it from the moment she answered the call. She could only hear irregular breaths.

* * *

Another call came from Yoon Ga-eul, but it was a stranger’s voice. It’s telling her he was currently hospitalized. She couldn’t remember why he had come to the hospital. The only thing that stuck in her mind from the conversation was that there had been an accident.

At first, she thought it might have been caused by that crazy Ji-hyuk. If that were true, what should she do next? What should she do after that? How could she protect Yoon Ga-eul? Negative thoughts consumed her.

Go-yeo sank into her anxious state as she wandered through the quiet hospital corridors with sporadic lights. She accepted the reality of her anxiety-filled state. Yet, she couldn’t help the slight trembling of her hand holding the handbag.

The darkened hospital room was quiet. The smell of disinfectant and the sound of the humidifier filled the air. Since it was late, all the curtains were drawn. She found his name in the six-person ward. He was closest to the door. Carefully drawing the curtain, she saw Yoon Ga-eul lying quietly in hospital clothes. There were bruises on his face and hands, and his left arm was bandaged.

“….”

Go-yeo approached him and gently placed her hand on his cheek. He was excessively hot. Although he had taken fever reducers, she doubted if he was okay like this. He made sounds of suffering from his parched lips, which felt like a desert without a drop of water.

She sat beside him and gently held his hand. His hand felt cooler compared to elsewhere. His trembling fingers intertwined with hers. Go-yeo simply held his hand and looked at him. He muttered something feverishly.

Even without concentrating on what he was saying, she could tell that he was repeatedly uttering her name. Hearing him call her name made a lump rise in her throat. She felt her nose tingling and blinked rapidly. Despite wanting to say something, she clenched her lips tightly, fearing her voice would tremble. There was nothing she could do for him except hold his hand tightly.