“No, why did the boiler suddenly explode? You’re saying I can’t go into the house?”

[Uh-huh. Right now, it’s a huge mess from the water damage. This happens sometimes. The previous tenant left because of this too.]

Seol Ah put her hand on her forehead.

Then. Were all of Yu Min’s works submerged as well? That really can’t happen. As Seol Ah was thinking, she suddenly remembered the storage box that Jin Cheol, no, Seung Jun had prepared for her.

It was a storage box made to be sturdy enough to be waterproof and withstand even gunshots.

As if anticipating a day like this.

“It’s fine. Whether the house is flooded or not, I’m going to go in. Just compensate me a bit.”

[No, I’m telling you it’s not at that level.]

“Still. If I sweep, wipe, and clean up, it should be somewhat livable.”

[Even if you clean everything up and redo the construction, it’ll take at least a month at the fastest.]

Could it be Seung Jun’s doing? Considering he gave the storage box in advance, could it really be?

Didn’t he say he didn’t like that house anyway? Did he deliberately bribe this lady…

“I’ll contact you again in a little bit.”

Seol Ah hung up the phone feeling like the top of her head was coming off.

It felt like cold water had been splashed on her feelings that had barely improved. She was trembling with extreme anger to the point that she wanted to throw a punch if he was in front of her eyes.

[What’s the matter?]

The phone was connected immediately before it even rang twice. At Seung Jun’s resonant voice, Seol Ah barely suppressed her rising tone and answered.

“You must have been resting.”

[I happened to be. I have to go into a meeting soon. What is it?]

“Then I’ll keep it brief. First, about Shin Young’s mother. Did you do it, Vice President?”

[I did and I didn’t. In any case, it’s a disaster of her own making. I found out belatedly. I would have done the same for anyone, not just Shin Young’s mother. And even if I hadn’t taken any measures, it was a path to ruin on its own.]

Meaning there was no separate grudge. It was a fair and reasonable handling of the matter.

“What do you mean a disaster of her own making?”

[Shin Young’s father is the president of a company that does business with our company. He gave bribes and made deals. Even after the transactions, he pocketed money through various methods. We cut ties after finding out belatedly, but they had already unstably expanded their business to the point that collapse was a foregone conclusion.]

When he put it that way, Seol Ah had nothing more to say. Giving bribes and making deals itself was wrong, not discovering it late and properly handling it.

Only then did she realize the situation of Shin Young’s mother who had wailed while kneeling in front of her. She felt a little sorry, but there was nothing Seol Ah could do about it.

“I see. Then second, this is more important. I just got a call from the landlady and she said the boiler exploded. She says the house is flooded, does this also have something to do with you, Vice President?”

[What?]

Seung Jun asked as if surprised and didn’t say anything for a while.

“Don’t play dumb. If it’s not related, then why did you give me that storage box?”

As Seol Ah raised her voice, Seung Jun let out a quiet sigh.

[I did meet with that landlady.]

“I knew it!”

When Seol Ah shouted, there was the sound of Seung Jun chuckling.

[I only met her. Did you think I ordered to flood the place?]

Seol Ah stopped talking.

[Am I the kind of person to go that far? You know best what kind of person I am. I did hope you would come back on your own. But I wouldn’t do something like that. Why would I stoop to that?]

Seol Ah lowered her eyes.

Seung Jun was right. He was not someone who needed to do such a thing. Because he had never been pushed into a corner.

Even when Seol Ah ran away, didn’t he just leave her be?

“Then that storage box…”

[At first, I was just going to take it. I didn’t know you treasured those paintings so much. But when you came back soaked in rain begging for them, what could I do? I gave you the storage box I kept them in too.]

So that’s how it was.

[Are you curious about the house where we had Yu Min’s birthday party? It’s true I got that house for you and Yu Min to live in. But I had no intention of forcing you to go there. I was going to say let’s go whenever you felt like it.]

Then he was waiting for me.

Seol Ah felt her heart crumbling little by little. It was a heart she had struggled to keep up. Deciding to never love again, to not give painful memories to the child…

But in that process, she hadn’t considered Seung Jun’s heart.

Seol Ah ran away without saying anything. And when she met Seung Jun again, he told her. That he wouldn’t take the child away from her.

The betrayed one was Seung Jun, and the one who should feel wronged and enraged was also Seung Jun. But he remained constant.

“Whenever I feel like it…”

[Yes, but the situation turned out like this before then. Come in. The house is empty.]

She knows what it means to go in there. That she won’t hold out any longer. That she’ll enter an empty space in his heart.

“It’s only for a month, she said. I just need to find a place to stay for a month.”

[It’s true you have nowhere to go right now. Let’s think about what happens after a month when the time comes. For now, you need a place to stay.]

And if I can’t leave after a month…

It’ll be a big deal for me, but it could be the same for you. For you, a flawless man, a group’s vice president with only a bright future ahead.

[What will you do?]

Seol Ah couldn’t answer right away.

If only you were ordinary. If you were someone who could just say you like me if you do. She had thought it countless times but nothing changed with those thoughts.

“As Yu Min’s father.”

Seol Ah swallowed hard.

“You said you’d stay by our side, right?”

It’s not because I like you. It’s not because I want to reunite with you. To protect Yu Min. Only for that purpose.

Thinking that, Seol Ah drew a line in her heart. That she mustn’t get any closer.

[Yes.]

“Then as Yu Min’s mother, I’ll do that.”

There was no response from the other side for a moment.

[Okay.]

Seung Jun’s voice was lower and heavier than ever.

[I’ll have it prepared, so come in.]

The call ended.

Seol Ah sat down as if collapsing.

What is this, why am I losing strength so quickly? When nothing has even started yet.

‘As Yu Min’s mother.’

Can I keep that line? When my heart is already failing to do so.

Seol Ah closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh.

*

“So stubborn.”

Seung Jun closed his eyes tightly then opened them.

When he checked directly with Seol Ah’s landlady, she apologized several times saying she mismanaged the boiler. After telling her he would propose an appropriate compensation plan and to follow it, he hung up.

Now that things had progressed this far, there was no more hesitation. It was a heaven-sent opportunity.

Hadn’t he prepared an empty house saying to come in anytime? With Seol Ah accepting the proposal, it was no different from taking a step forward.

But somehow his pride was hurt.

‘I was wrong seven years ago. Now that it’s come to this, let’s get back together.’

Instead of saying she’ll go into the empty house, he thought she would say that.

‘As Yu Min’s father.’

That we are merely by each other’s side as Yu Min’s parents. That I’m also receiving help only for that reason. Seol Ah drew a line until the very end.

Seung Jun had nothing to say.

Am I still only that much to you? Will the you from long ago, to whom I was everything, never return?

A corner of his heart felt unsatisfied. It wasn’t enough.

Of course, he very much welcomed Seol Ah escaping from that house. But then, isn’t the new place she’s staying at too far from Seung Jun’s house?

“What do I do about this.”

“Huh? Elder bro-, no, Vice President. What do you mean?”

Seung Jun lifted his head in surprise. Jin Cheol, who had started working today, was standing in front of him.

“Ah, Jin Cheol, no, Secretary Baek. You should knock before entering.”

At Seung Jun’s point, Jin Cheol bowed his head as if startled.

“I apologize, Vice President.”

“It’s not something to be that sorry about. Just be careful in the future. You can go now.”

Seung Jun gestured to the door with his eyes, but Jin Cheol still stood there fidgeting. Why was he acting like that?

“I told you to go.”

“It’s not that, Vice President. You seem to have some worries. I was wondering if there was anything I could help with.”

Jin Cheol scratched the back of his head with his hand.

“You saved an unemployed man like this. My mother has also been very worried lately and couldn’t sleep. And there was nothing I could do for her. But when I told her I got a job yesterday, she cried.”

Jin Cheol’s eyes also seemed to well up with tears.

Seung Jun also felt strange hearing that Jin Cheol’s mother had suffered because of her son and even shed tears.

“So I want to do something, anything. You gave me such a precious position. So please tell me. I will do my best to help you.”

Seung Jun chuckled.

He was definitely a good fellow. His eye for people was not wrong.

“There’s nothing for Secretary Baek to do. It’s not something you should do either.”

Seung Jun turned his head and muttered in a small voice like a sigh.

“You too, didn’t you run away to avoid the woman you like? And you’re talking about someone else’s business, take care of your own first.”

Jin Cheol’s face turned red. He blinked, not knowing what to do, then opened his mouth.

“Is this… because of Seol Ah?”

Seung Jun looked up.

“I’m sorry. I kind of sensed it. When I met Mi So last time too. The way you two communicated. Could it be that you didn’t know about Yu Min’s existence because Seol Ah ran away…”

Seung Jun closed his eyes tightly.

“Don’t act like you know more and just go. I’m starting to get a headache.”

“I’m sorry. I spoke out of turn.”

Jin Cheol scratched the back of his head, then raised his eyes.

“Then… how about getting a little closer?”

“Huh?”

“Whether by chance or whatever, you have to be close to meet often. If you keep running into each other here and there, misunderstandings will be resolved and you might get closer than before. Of course, it’s just my short-sighted opinion.”

“Why should I?”

Seung Jun said with a furrowed brow.

“If she’s the one who left, she should be the one to come back. How long do I have to be the only one moving?”

Jin Cheol looked into the air as if hesitating for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“Well, I think Seol Ah has already moved a lot. She’s originally the type to not open up easily. She has a hard time accepting help too. But she has already received big help from you several times.”

Is that so? Hearing that, Seung Jun’s mood seemed to improve a bit more.

“I think if you move just one more time, Seol Ah will completely turn around. From what I see.”

“Really?”

Seung Jun’s eyes sparkled.