He wanted to say something, anything, to hold onto Eun Soo.
But Eun Soo had been repeatedly talking about wanting to end this relationship since earlier.
He could have listened to anything except for the words of ending. He could have done anything but that.
Yet, Eun Soo said that she wanted nothing more than that.
“Eun Soo.”
“……”
Instead of responding, Eun Soo smiled.
She wore a blue smile, as if she had sorted everything out. Seeing that smile felt as if his heart was being cut, and it was painful for Hyuk Joo.
As much as he was in pain, or perhaps more, Eun Soo must have been in pain during the past time.
How much damage had he inflicted on her small heart?
“During the time I loved you, Hyuk Joo, it was sincere.”
“……”
“So, I was in a lot of pain, but now I’m okay.”
“I am……”
From his toes to the top of his head, he felt something hot surging up. His hand was numb from how tightly he clenched his fist.
Struggling, Hyuk Joo spat out his next words.
“……I’m not okay.”
“You will be.”
After that, Eun Soo said a few more words. But Hyuk Joo couldn’t hear her clearly.
No, he didn’t want to hear.
He couldn’t agree with Eun Soo’s words of ending.
“I’ve asked Chairman Moon Young Ran to handle the paperwork.”
“……”
“Take care.”
Eun Soo, who stood up from her seat, bid farewell to Hyuk Joo with a carefree face.
And then she left the café, leaving Hyuk Joo alone.
Hyuk Joo blankly took in the sight of Eun Soo leaving, without ever looking back.
He should have run after her and held onto Eun Soo.
But he couldn’t move. Not even a single finger moved as he wished.
Eun Soo’s words that she had been hurt as much as she had been sincere, drilled into his ears like tinnitus.
So, this was what it felt like to be rejected, to be neglected.
“If I have to hurt as much as I was sincere, I feel like I should die……”
Hyuk Joo laughed bitterly, clutching his dry face with his palm.
Before long, his palm was wet.
Pulling his hand away, Hyuk Joo turned his head to look out the window.
There was a thin rain, falling like dew.
“……!”
Hyuk Joo immediately rose from his seat and headed straight outside.
He opened the trunk of the parked car and took out a long umbrella.
To reach the townhouse where Eun Soo was staying from the café, he had to walk a bit. It wouldn’t take more than a few minutes, but he couldn’t let Eun Soo walk in the rain.
Umbrella in hand, Hyuk Joo ran towards Eun Soo, who was walking ahead.
The distance felt strangely short.
His breath was short, up to his chin, but he wasn’t tired.
If only he had moved a little faster, he could have been closer to Eun Soo, what on earth had he been doing all this time.
Regretting belatedly, Hyuk Joo bit his lip tightly.
The rain wet his hair and the moisture ran down his face. But Hyuk Joo couldn’t even think to wipe it off.
The only thing that filled his head was the thought of preventing Eun Soo from getting wet in the rain.
Stretching his long legs, Hyuk Joo finally overtook Eun Soo. Standing in front of her, he opened the umbrella while gasping for breath, and put the opened umbrella over her head.
Surprised by his sudden action, Eun Soo looked at Hyuk Joo.
With effort, Hyuk Joo moved his dried lips.
“It’s raining.”
“I’m okay.”
Stepping away from the umbrella, Eun Soo said.
It was a perfect rejection, without a moment’s hesitation.
Her steps retreating seemed to be a silent act telling him not to approach any more, and Hyuk Joo was hurt.
“……I’ll take you home.”
“No need.”
“Eun Soo.”
Hyuk Joo called out Eun Soo’s name pleadingly as she rejected him once again.
Because she had learned late that it was raining again, Eun Soo had walked more than half the distance without an umbrella.
Her wet hair and shoulders were visible.
Hyuk Joo lifted Eun Soo’s hand to hold the handle of the umbrella.
“Use this.”
“……”
“You might catch a cold if you get wet.”
At the mention of a cold, Eun Soo’s grip on the umbrella handle tightened.
If she caught a cold, it would be a problem. If she got a fever at night, it would be a big deal. Because of the child, she couldn’t take medication freely.
Perhaps she was thinking that if she got sick, something could go wrong with the baby.
The ends of Eun Soo’s lips trembled.
Seeing that, Hyuk Joo frowned and took off his suit jacket he was wearing and draped it over Eun Soo’s shoulders.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“It makes me feel better to do so.”
Seeing Eun Soo trying to push off the suit jacket, Hyuk Joo quickly spoke.
“I’m doing this because I feel uncomfortable if I let you go like this. So, you don’t have to worry.”
“……”
“I am, a selfish guy.”
Hyuk Joo made a shameless excuse that it wasn’t for her, but an act for himself. He thought that this way, Eun Soo wouldn’t refuse.
“And Hyuk Joo?”
“I left the car in front of the café.”
“……”
Eun Soo silently looked at Hyuk Joo.
Having come this far without using an umbrella, the ends of Hyuk Joo’s hair were damp.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
