Feeling Heon-tae’s gaze looking down on him, Jae-ho lowered his head a bit more. It was to avoid revealing the faint smile on his lips.
He had come to Grandfather unconditionally, wanting to cross the biggest mountain first, and surprisingly, the conversation was going well. If Grandfather had shown any signs of rejection, he wouldn’t have continued to listen.
At this moment, concerns about Dajeong, with whom he hadn’t been in contact since earlier, were somewhat diluted.
“But you’re not saying that you don’t act at all.”
“Yes.”
“Why are you so attached to it?”
Attachment.
That could be true.
A sense of responsibility to fulfill someone else’s dream. A sense of duty to keep past promises. Those emotions were not entirely absent.
But that wasn’t all of it. The comfort gained by acting various people’s lives was more significant than he thought. When there was nowhere else to attach his heart in the world, acting became a good friend.
Jae-ho was a revived child.
When he saw the building engulfed in flames and desperately cried for help before finally falling into despair and losing consciousness, his heart was completely burned. Although his body survived, mentally, he lived for several years in a state no different from being shattered into hundreds of pieces. Acting was what somewhat healed his heart.
It couldn’t be easily discarded.
The words exchanged while holding each other’s fingers were not forgotten.
“It’s a dream I promised with someone. It’s also my determination.”
“Tsk.”
Heon-tae clicked his tongue.
“Sorry.”
Heon-tae turned his gaze out the window. Then he smiled inconspicuously.
Jae-ho didn’t know. Heon-tae was thinking more highly of his stubbornness.
The determination to speak difficult words while standing firm. Caution not to make promises that couldn’t be kept. Though he didn’t like the profession of an actor, the persistence not to easily give up on what he started was admirable.
Heon-tae became more interested in Jae-ho. Even though he was right in front of him.
The reason why Yeo-haeng, who liked fortune and schemes, could never beat Jae-ho.
“What are you doing, Miss?”
“I’m a nurse.”
Heon-tae’s eyes widened.
“I thought you were an actress.”
“…….”
“Quite remarkable. Meeting a woman doing a conscientious job.”
Jae-ho smiled again. This time, he couldn’t avoid Heon-tae’s gaze.
“Is it that good?”
“Do you call that good? Grandfather doesn’t know how irritating love is, having had a strategic marriage.”
Jae-ho chuckled.
“I wish you knew more than me.”
“Yes.”
At that moment, Mijeong knocked. When Heon-tae responded, the door opened cautiously, and Mijeong, carrying a tray, walked toward the sofa. The tray contained cookies and fruits.
“I prepared this, thinking the conversation might be long. Father.”
“Why did you bring it yourself, instead of someone at home? Do you have no help? Hire more people. It’s not good for the eldest daughter-in-law of the Taemyeonga to do this. I heard she does the work of a maid, it’s not good.”
Having sincerely reflected on his past opposition, Heon-tae now wholeheartedly cared for Mi-jeong. Not knowing how to repay the effort of raising a child alone, he wanted to fulfill every wish.
Although Jin-woo is no longer alive, Mi-jeong could live in this house because of the father’s exceptional treatment. “Mom, if back then you were too tired and made the choice to erase the baby, what would have happened? Just the thought is terrifying. Thank you for enduring difficult times and coming to me. Thank you.”
Mi-jeong, even though it was never an option to erase the baby no matter how hard it got, hearing such words gradually melted her frozen heart. There was no lasting resentment or blame. Ironically, in the house without Jin-woo, they finally became the relationship Jin-woo had hoped for.
“Hurdratil? Father, it’s my job to take care of my son. Naturally, I should do it.”
While feeding him an apology with a fork, Mi-jeong laughed.
A few days ago, Jae-ho recalled himself sitting by the window, putting an apple into Dajeong’s mouth. An afternoon when he wanted to taste the lingering sweetness on her lips. In the end, that kiss was a failure.
It tasted bitter.
Why isn’t she responding?
His fist clenched. While his thoughts were distracted for a moment, Mi-jeong left the tray and went out, and silence settled back into the study.
After a while, Heon-tae spoke.
“I will pass on a nickname to you. Eventually, it will be like that. But I won’t rush.”
“Grandfather.”
“When your heart is fully prepared, tell me then. I haven’t made up my mind yet, so I can wait to that extent. But it shouldn’t take too long.”
“…”
“You don’t have to enter Pyeongchang-dong. It’s better to see each other with a heart that’s far apart rather than living in the same house with distant hearts. Your freedom won’t be broken.”
“I cannot accept something without giving you anything in return.”
“I’m trying to entrust you with something else.”
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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