The Season I Loved You Without You - Chapter 70

CHAPTER 70

Ga-eul pedaled away, with Go-yeo, who hadn’t gotten much better, riding behind him. Leaning against his back, the pounding of Yoon Ga-eul’s heart resonated as if echoing through the silence.

He spoke of his day at school. Despite the challenging classes and heavy workload, when he mentioned wanting to see her more often, a smile graced Go-yeo. As the sun set and dusk descended upon them, a pleasant breeze danced through the air, tousling Go-yeo’s hair.

“Your voice is pleasant to hear.”

Ga-eul halted the bike at Go-yeo’s compliment, blushing and awkwardly embracing his shoulders. Go-yeo lifted her head and lightly brushed her lips against his. Ga-eul’s eyes widened, and then he laughed, returning the kiss. Unperturbed by the evening exercisers passing by, they stood, lips gently grazing, lost in their world.

‘Can a person be this wonderful?’

Go-yeo was so lovable that the thought crossed his mind. Her tidy eyebrows, even the tiny freckle at the corner of her eye, everything about her was endearing. Yet, it wasn’t all sunshine; just as brightness intensifies darkness, each moment of happiness carries an undertone of anxiety. Recalling moments of happiness became a defense mechanism against that anxiety. Suddenly, the contrast between their lives struck him.

No matter how much she loved his humble home or wore his t-shirts, there was an inherent difference. Go-yeo remained Go-yeo, despite his presence, still the daughter of a wealthy family in his eyes.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t live a life like his. He understood there were things one could achieve through effort and others that remained beyond reach. Hence, these days, his concern was how to be someone she wouldn’t be ashamed of, by her side.

Returning to the villa, they unleashed the desires they had restrained in the park.

“I may not be good at cycling, but I’m good at other things.”

Ga-eul chuckled at Go-yeo’s jest. She lazily draped herself over him, admiring his face. Despite his image of purity, the reality wasn’t so chaste. Tracing her jawline, she smirked at her private thoughts.

Feeling Ga-eul’s gentle touch caressing her skin like pearls, he suddenly took her hand and lightly bit it. Then she recoiled in surprise. Why did he feel the urge to nibble on her every time he looked at her?

His was still inside her. While Ga-eul didn’t intend for things to escalate, Go-yeo glanced at him with a hint of mischief. As they increased their intimacy, Ga-eul carefully observed how his movements affected her. So he knew when her breath hitched and moans escaped her lips. He reveled in it, watching the rising excitement coursing through her.

Ga-eul often thought of himself as a blind moth leaping into the fire whenever he engaged with Go-yeo. At this moment, nothing else seemed necessary. Even the mingling sounds of flesh felt like elegant classics when he was with her. He considered himself severe but thought it unavoidable.

He dared to imagine that from now on, there would only be Yoon Ga-eul for her for the rest of her life.

* * *

It had been fifty years since Han Beom-tae, the founder of Wushin Construction, established Wushin Financial Holdings. The celebration of Wushin Financial Holdings’ founding took place at the Twin Star Pavilion.

Go-yeo, the daughter of Sang-moon, felt obliged to attend the dull event due to her role as a superficial external director of Wushin Securities.

Go-yeo observed Sang-moon, sipping champagne in a corner, appearing sociable and amiable. However, Go-yeo knew that when her father smiled like that, he was in a contemplative mood.

‘Stubborn as a mule.’

Go-yeo knew it was because of their recent conversation. Sang-moon had insisted she meets someone new. Merely meeting for a meal was the extent of it, but that was all he meant. When she repeatedly expressed disinterest, Sang-moon remained firm.

‘Don’t waste time with that student.’

She couldn’t remember her reaction to his words, but she dismissed them with a promise to comply.

Go-yeo observed the interactions among the future group members. Jin-yu, too, spotted Go-yeo leaning against the wall and slipped away. She held a champagne flute like Go-yeo’s.

‘I don’t see the chief secretary.’

Go-yeo couldn’t find the person Jin-yu often joked about, even after scanning around Song Tae-joo, the vice president of Future Motors. It was odd for the chief secretary not to be present in such a gathering, she thought. Seeing Jin-yu’s dark expression filled with disappointment, she sensed something was amiss. Yet, Go-yeo refrained from mentioning it first.

“I should’ve stopped by the club on the day I saw Moon Ji-hyuk. Things wouldn’t have happened while I was away.”

Go-yeo knew Jin-yu was referring to the day they drank at the club and took a photo with Ji-hyuk. It was an apology tinged with guilt, but it was inevitable if Ji-hyuk appeared there. She tilted her head lightly and emptied her champagne flute.

“Where did Director Lim go?”

Although she had no intention of asking, she decided to reciprocate the thoughtfulness Jin-yu had shown her. Considering Jin-yu’s troubled state, Go-yeo thought a simple conversation might offer comfort.

“To a provincial factory.”

“Really?”

She didn’t think Jin-yu would seem so wilted just because he went on a business trip.

“Did Vice President Song know?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“…Did he object at home?”

For some reason, it felt similar to her situation.

“He didn’t show support. Among them, Vice President Song was the most opposed.”

“Ha, he’s completely self-centered.”

Through Jin-yu, Go-yeo had vaguely heard about how Song Tae-joo had acted unilaterally in his marriage to Choi Ma-ri.

“I know what you mean.”

She had heard Jin-yu mention that Tae-joo had been working for quite some time, but perhaps he excelled in skills rather than in dealing with people. In a way, it seemed obvious. People judge others based on their own experiences. If it was family, even more so.

It wasn’t surprising that Sang-moon, despite encompassing the business world, couldn’t apply as flexible a standard to his daughter.

Go-yeo roughly stamped her presence and left the banquet hall early. She had a promise with Ga-eul, something so enjoyable that it made her hurry. No matter how much Sang-moon hinted, Go-yeo would do as she pleased, and he knew he couldn’t stop her this time either. She might annoy people multiple times, but that was how it was.

Heading outdoors to the well-maintained landscaped path to catch the car Jin-young had arranged, Go-yeo thought of Ga-eul’s smile. The evening sky was tinged with purple. She walked, smelling the faint scent of grass and hearing the soft sound of her shoes hitting the cobblestone path. Thinking of Yoon Ga-eul’s smile, laughter bubbled up inside her.

There were lights and artwork scattered around the building leading to the hotel lobby. Glancing at them idly, Go-yeo paused her steps under a streetlight and caught a glimpse of a tall figure. Unintentionally, her gaze landed there, though it was too dark to see clearly. Yet, Go-yeo naturally knew who it was.

The tall figure approached Go-yeo. When they were close enough for their faces to be visible, Go-yeo furrowed her brow.

“…”

He looked worse than the last time she saw him. His eyes were sunken, and although he usually wore his shirts tight, today even that looked loose. He seemed to have made an effort to appear fine, but it was obvious he wasn’t well, and that annoyed her.

“Hey, Go-yeo, you look beautiful as always today.”

His lazy voice remained the same. Go-yeo glared at him without saying a word, and Ji-hyuk laughed as if the wind had passed.

“You look like you’ve gone back to the old days when I see you like this.”

Go-yeo sighed softly, feeling less inclined to listen further. She didn’t even care why he was here anymore. She kept her lips sealed and intended to walk past him, but then he blocked her path like a child playing a childish prank.

“Why so cold? Even if we break up, we can still be friends, can’t we?”

At Ji-hyuk’s response tinged with laughter, Go-yeo chuckled in disappointment.

“Really?”

“Remember? The couple next door to your New York apartment.”

Of course, Go-yeo remembered, but she didn’t want to continue the conversation by sharing that memory.

“That couple, the ex-husband and ex-wife, lived in the same neighborhood and got along like friends. Sometimes they even invited us to parties.”

Go-yeo once again confirmed that his condition was not good at all.

“Sure, let’s do that. When you get remarried, introduce me to your wife. Even if it’s too much to ask for a party, I’ll at least say hello.”

At Go-yeo’s sarcastic remark, Ji-hyuk chuckled with a hint of bitterness.

“You always have to say…”

“I just want to stop talking to you, so move aside.”

“I just… came to see you. I heard it’s Wushin’s founding anniversary today.”

“Yeah. I suppose so.”

Go-yeo gave up the meaningless struggle and became curious about what Ji-hyuk wanted to say. Ji-hyuk seemed to think it was enough, as the laughter disappeared from his face.

“Why did you do that? Tell me. Why did you keep silent when Yun Seung-ok acted like that?”

Go-yeo was momentarily confused whether Ji-hyuk genuinely didn’t know or if he had ulterior motives. But seeing the sincerity in his eyes, it seemed like he was genuinely curious. As if he genuinely had no idea, no matter how much he thought about it.

Go-yeo realized that although she seemed to know everything about Moon Ji-hyuk, she didn’t know him at all.

“You were trying to gain your mother’s approval, weren’t you?”

“…Me?”

Ji-hyuk seemed shocked as if he had received a huge blow.

“That’s how I felt. So I understood that feeling, and I just didn’t want to be a hindrance.”

He might not understand, but that’s how love is. Go-yeo swallowed the rest of her words and silently watched Ji-hyuk. She felt sorry for his bewildered expression.

Rather than blaming his methods, perhaps love, a complex emotion, was just too difficult for Ji-hyuk. That was something even she couldn’t help.

Having never received absolute affection from his parents, he simply swallowed the warmth approaching him due to emotional hunger. So he didn’t even know whether the emotion within him was love or hatred.

He both hated Yun Seung-ok and yearned for affection through approval and no matter how hard he tried, he continued to strive for something that would never be fulfilled.

Even if Han Go-yeo embraced him, it wasn’t enough. Ji-hyuk had to realize that, even if there was another Han Go-yeo, she couldn’t provide what he needed.