“Tae Ha.”
Si Hyun said quietly.

“Don’t wait for me like this in the future.”
Tae Ha looked at Si Hyun in surprise, as if to ask why she was acting like this. Seeing the way he looked at her, as if clinging on, a corner of her heart ached.

Despite his body, face, and voice all being very manly, why were his eyes the same as when he was young?

Despite her resolution, she disliked her heart starting to waver again, so Si Hyun deliberately made her voice cold.

“Let’s keep some distance from now on. If people notice that I’m close to you, they’ll think I divorced because of you.”
“But that’s not true. Are other people’s eyes that important?”
“I’m resentful enough about the divorce, I don’t want to wear the false charge of having an affair. I also don’t want to cause you to be pointed at.”
[Did she divorce because of that man?] After hearing Ah Hyun’s words, Si Hyun realized. She might end up placing Tae Ha in a dirty place where Bo Ra should be. She couldn’t bear that.

Tae Ha stepped forward. He held her hand and enveloped it with his large hands, and he looked closely into Si Hyun’s eyes.

“I’m okay. Even if I’m pointed at, no matter what I hear, it doesn’t matter.”
Turning her head to avoid him, Si Hyun placated him.

“Didn’t I say before? If we become involved, people will think that I raised you with this in mind. They may even think that we’ve been involved since you were a minor. That’s why it can’t happen with you.”
Si Hyun had decided when she received Tae Ha’s confession.

She had raised Tae Ha with a pure heart that could look up at the sky without shame, but she couldn’t now allow that heart to be pointed at. She had said it wasn’t a courtesy to herself, who had lived diligently.

“That was a decision unrelated to Woo Jin. So even if I divorce, nothing will change.”
She thought she had made herself clear, but Tae Ha still didn’t let go of her hand. Rather, he held on tighter and desperately tried to meet Si Hyun’s eyes.

“Other people’s thoughts, other people’s words aside. Can’t you just look at me with your eyes?”
Si Hyun sighed. She hadn’t wanted to say this, but it seemed like she had to.

“You’re a really precious person to me, Tae Ha.”
Looking straight into Tae Ha’s eyes, Si Hyun stated forcefully.

“But you’re not a man.”

“Being a man… is not okay.” She swallowed the rest of her words.

“You told me before, didn’t you? You said that it was okay if you didn’t come to me, but don’t get married.”
“……”
“You’re right. I won’t get married, but I won’t go to you either.”
With the utmost firmness she could muster, Si Hyun finished her words.

The strength gradually drained from Tae Ha’s hands, which had been gripping Si Hyun’s tightly. Seizing the opportunity, Si Hyun pulled her hand away.

“Just wait a little for the borrowed money. Once I receive my lease deposit, I’ll repay your money first and move elsewhere.”
She turned around and silently wished.

I hope this is the last time I push you away.

Every single time, it drains me too much.

((()))

Lunchtime, chatter amongst the female employees, alongside coffee, was in full swing in the break room. The topic? The reason behind Kang Si Hyun, the hot issue of the moment, and her divorce.

“I mean, Kang deputy. She even returned all the wedding invitations, what’s going on?”
“I wonder if the ‘personality differences’ reason is true?”
“Don’t you, Imi Ju deputy, know anything? You’re close with Deputy Kang.”
“Why would I know? No matter how close we are, we don’t talk about that.”
As Imi Ju deflected, Bora entered the break room. Avoiding others’ gaze, she hastily greeted and headed for the coffee machine.

“You wouldn’t call off a wedding for minor issues like personality differences, right? What happened? Did someone cheat?”
“If there was cheating, it would be him. Everyone knows Si Hyun is not that type.”
While staring intently at Bora, who was making coffee, Imi Ju hinted at something.

“Do you think Si Hyun might have cheated with some woman we know?”
Bora was taken aback and looked at Imi Ju. Seeing Bora get startled and turn away, Imi Ju had the last piece of her puzzle fall into place.

It was you, that necklace.

“Oh come on, would she go that far?”
Bora, pale as a ghost, was about to leave the break room with her coffee.

“I must be too imaginative. How can someone who seems so human do something like that?”
While saying that, Imi Ju nonchalantly stretched out her foot.

“Ah!”
Bora screamed as she tripped on Imi Ju’s foot and fell.

“Oh dear, Bora! Are you okay?”
Imi Ju hurried over to Bora, making a fuss.

How hard she had fallen, Bora couldn’t properly open her eyes due to the pain. Moreover, the luxury brand dress she was wearing was completely stained with coffee.

“Oh dear, you ruined a beautiful dress. What can we do now?”
While pretending to wipe the coffee from the dress with a handkerchief, Mi Joo further rubbed it in, speaking worriedly.

“Tsk, tsk, you must be weak. Why did you fall over all by yourself?”
Reaching out her hand to help Bora up, Mi Joo whispered in her ear.

“……You’re acting as if something stung you.”

((()))