As Cha Geon Hak’s hand gripping his collar tightened, Tae In’s brow furrowed.

“Why are you crawling up like this? Do you have something to rely on?”

Tae In’s face gradually turned bright red, but Geon Hak just looked down at him with indifferent eyes.

“Crawl up appropriately. If you don’t really want to die.”

When Geon Hak released his tight grip, Tae In exhaled his held breath and coughed.

Tae In touched his neck and said.

“Just as Executive Director Cha doesn’t want to see my face anymore, I also hope there won’t be any more friction like this with the Executive Director. So please don’t harass my elder sister.”

Don’t harass our elder sister?

Geon Hak burst into laughter and stroked his eyebrow.

“Ha, this is driving me crazy. Is this because you don’t know who’s been harassing Han Jae I all this time?”

“……”

“Look, Park Tae In. It’s you and your elder sister who keep harassing Han Jae I. So stop getting on my nerves with nonsense. I’m barely holding back as it is.”

“Our elder sister Jae I……”

Thud!

As Geon Hak tripped Tae In’s foot, he fell instantly. Tae In, sitting on the floor, furrowed his brow as if his back hurt.

When Tae In tried to get up, Geon Hak pressed down hard on his shoulder and met his eyes.

“You keep saying ‘our elder sister Jae I’, but that phrase always bothers me.”

Tae In couldn’t get up due to Geon Hak’s strength.

“If Park Tae In weren’t an actor, that precious face of yours would have been hurt. So don’t provoke me any further. What if you can’t even continue your acting career that you want so much?”

“Are you… threatening me now?”

“If it sounded like a threat, can’t be helped.”

Geon Hak said cynically.

“Don’t ramble carelessly just because you have a mouth. If you don’t really want to die.”

Tae In clenched his fist tightly.

Geon Hak just walked past Tae In who had fallen to the floor.

Stride, stride.

As he walked, Geon Hak fumbled in his jacket’s inner pocket. His phone wasn’t there, he must have left it in the hospital room at some point.

‘The Executive Director told me. That elder sister Jae I is your woman. So I thought my elder sister should know where the Executive Director is, that’s why I filmed the video and sent it.’

No matter how he thought about it, it was absurd.

Geon Hak was now fuming with anger because Park Tae In had revealed what he had hidden to avoid hurting Han Jae I.

‘So, I’m the happiest right now.’

For a moment, the image of Han Jae I’s bright smile overlapped with her tearful face in Geon Hak’s mind.

Geon Hak muttered a low curse.

Ha, damn it.

He rubbed his face. Thinking of Han Jae I made his heart ache.

When he checked the watch on his wrist, time was already racing towards 1 o’clock.

“I’m too worried to leave it be.”

When Geon Hak opened the hospital room door, he saw Yoon Su Ah sitting leaning against the bed.

“Where did you go?”

“Just stepped outside for a bit.”

Geon Hak strode in and picked up the phone placed on the table. The phone had turned off at some point.

Phew, Han Jae I must have been very worried.

As he pressed the power button, messages flooded in and there were as many as 7 missed calls. They were all from Jae I.

As Geon Hak rubbed his forehead, Su Ah said.

“…I’m sorry, Geon Hak.”

Geon Hak, who was checking his phone, looked at Yoon Su Ah leaning against the hospital bed. He put the phone in his inner pocket and slumped down on the sofa.

“How are you feeling, are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine now. I’m sorry you had to stay until this hour because of me. Thank you, really.”

She who had lost her temper earlier due to her anger had become docile.

Once in a while, after throwing a fit and coming to her senses, she would return to the Yoon Su Ah he knew.

“I… I’ve been thinking…”

“About what?”

“Like you said, about how mean and selfish I’ve been. When I think about how sick you must have been of me, I feel so sorry. How did you put up with me all this time?”

Su Ah’s eyes welled up with tears.

“I’m so sorry for hurting you so much… Like you said, I left you and only came back now, I’m really sorry.”

As she covered her face with her hands and burst into tears, Geon Hak sighed.

Geon Hak got up and approached Su Ah who was crying. Then he patted her shoulder.

Su Ah suddenly hugged Geon Hak’s waist.

“But, Geon Hak… Like you said, I know I’m too late, but I can’t live without you now.”

“……”

“How many years have we spent together? How can you cut me off so easily? You and I… We grew up relying on each other since childhood. We were each other’s only family. And I’m also the one who saved your life.”

“……”

“I love you, Geon Hak… I love you so much.”

Geon Hak’s hand stroking her shoulder stopped. He looked at Su Ah embracing him.

“Even if there’s another woman by your side now. Someday you’ll definitely come back to me. Just like I did.”

* * *

Geon Hak, who came home before dawn, pressed his eyelids as he entered the house, seeming tired.

The quiet living room.

It was still too early for anyone to be awake.

As Geon Hak stepped onto the second floor stairs, he spotted Han Jae I standing at the terrace railing.

Startled, Geon Hak stopped abruptly, and Jae I, sensing his presence, slowly turned her head.

Did she wait for me until this hour?

Geon Hak’s eyes narrowed.

As Geon Hak was about to take a step closer, he stopped at her voice.

“Don’t… come.”

“Han Jae I.”

“I couldn’t sleep and stayed up all night, so my face is all puffy. I don’t want to show you this face, Executive Director.”

Geon Hak silently looked at her.

A grayish light loomed behind her. Despite the chilly dawn breeze, she was dressed thinly. She should have at least worn a jacket.

“It must be cold, you should have dressed warmly before coming out.”

“I didn’t realize.”

She just waited for him, completely unaware of the cold.

Geon Hak let out a deep sigh. He took off his jacket and draped it over Jae I’s shoulders, even fastening the buttons tightly.

“I was trying not to approach as Jae I said. But I was worried you might catch a cold.”

Once again, tears welled up in Jae I’s eyes.

He was still so caring towards Jae I.

“Why aren’t you sleeping at this hour, will you be able to work properly when you’re tired?”

“Until now… Were you at the company?”

Both their lips closed.

Geon Hak did not answer Jae I’s question,

And Jae I asked him a question and waited for his answer.

Cha Geon Hak’s head slowly nodded.

“Yes. I was at the company. Were you very surprised because of me today?”

“……”

Lie. Executive Director, you weren’t at the company.

Executive Director. You were with her.

Jae I’s hands clenched tightly. Her small fists were tightly balled up. Geon Hak silently looked at her fists, clenched so tightly they were nearly bloodless.

“And does Han Jae I have nothing to say to me?”

“No… I don’t.”

“I see, then. Go in and rest quickly. I’m tired too, so I’ll go in now.”

“Yes.”

“Sleep well.”

As Geon Hak, who had been looking at Jae I, turned his back, the tears she had been holding back flowed down her cheeks. At a moment like this, Tae In’s words kept echoing in her mind.

‘He told me. That you’re the woman he loves.’

Click. As the door closed, Jae I’s legs, which had been struggling to stand, gave out. Jae I buried her face in her legs and burst into silent tears.

The Executive Director had lied.

He pretended it wasn’t so, even though he had been with that woman Yoon Su Ah until this late hour.

Still. She thought he would tell the truth when he came home. She had hoped he would honestly say he was sorry for leaving like that earlier, that there was actually this circumstance that made him leave urgently.

My heart… It hurts so much I feel like I’m going to die.

During the time she was waiting for Cha Geon Hak, the thought that he was embracing Yoon Su Ah who had returned to Korea and catching up made her heart ache.

She couldn’t bring herself to ask him.

Afraid that he might say let’s break up right here.

Terrified that he might say I don’t need you anymore, you can leave this house.

“Sob……”

Finally, a sob escaped her lips. She tried to hold back tears by biting her lower lip hard, but eventually, the sound of crying flowed out.

Whoosh. A warm body temperature was felt on Jae I’s back.

“……”

Jae I’s eyes opened wide.

The man she thought had gone into the room hugged Jae I. Tears fell from her eyes.

“Why are you crying so sorrowfully? It breaks my heart.”

“Sob, Executive Director……”

“You heard it all, didn’t you?”

“……”

“You even talked to Park Tae In on the phone. So you knew I wasn’t at the company but with Yoon Su Ah.”

So you knew everything. You knew everything.

Jae I, who had become a mess with tears, looked at Geon Hak.

“Executive Director, I, I……”

“Han Jae I is still pretty even when crying.”

“Why, why… Didn’t you tell me honestly? Why?”

“Because I was afraid Han Jae I would be sad.”

“……”

“I hid it because I thought you’d be very upset if you knew Yoon Su Ah had returned, but I didn’t expect the situation to become this big.”

“Do you know how scared I was? How much I……”

“Why? Are you scared?”

“I’m afraid you’ll abandon me. I’m afraid you’ll say let’s break up. That’s why I……”

“What right do I have to say such things? Rather, I was anxious that Han Jae I might say such things to me.”

Tears flowed endlessly.

Geon Hak rubbed the tears falling from Jae I’s eyes with his fingers. He gently pressed his lips to Jae I’s lips that were sobbing. Jae I’s eyes wavered at his sudden kiss.

Jae I slowly closed her eyes as he cupped her cheeks and kissed her. The tears gathered in her eyes also flowed down.

The kiss was so sweet. It was a kiss that soothed Jae I’s heart, which had briefly experienced hell.

As their overlapped lips parted, Geon Hak slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

“The kiss is salty today.”

Jae I’s cheeks turned slightly red.

Geon Hak kissed her lips once more and then lifted Jae I, who was sitting on the floor, in one swoop. Jae I wrapped her arms around his neck.

Geon Hak strode to his room, flung open the bedroom door, and closed it.

As soon as he gently laid Jae I on the bed, their lips met passionately.