I Said I Was Waiting

No. Don't apologize, Oppa. It wasn't that I was definitely going to reject you.

I was trying to carefully think through whether I could be someone who dates you. Because you're that good a person. I didn't want to lose you.

Ye-seo only mouthed the words she could not send, turning them over inside herself. He had always been more comfortable and closer than any of her same-age guy friends, so the idea of him becoming her boyfriend felt a little awkward—but not unwelcome.

He was such a good person that she thought she might come to like him soon enough. She had never known a fiery love and doubted she ever would, yet a comfortable, fun, soft and cozy kind of romance seemed worth trying. That kind of relationship felt like it would suit someone like Yoo Eun-chan. Looking back, they had always gotten along well and shared so many similarities.

Their hobbies lined up; their sense of humor matched. Beneath his easygoing, playful manner he had always looked after her. Fun yet diligent, full of affection—he had plenty of friends. He was popular with girls, too, and many of them envied Ye-seo for being so close to him.

After his confession she had been so startled she could not answer before they parted, yet she had continued to think about it. Of course, no matter how much she tried to imagine it, a solid certainty never quite formed, so no conclusion came. Then her parents' disaster struck, and there was no room left to think about anything else.

In the chain of Eun-chan's messages that kept arriving, she could feel his unease growing day by day.

For a long while Ye-seo covered her face with both hands and simply breathed. Even if she lost Eun-chan now, there was nothing she could do. Whatever conclusion her deliberation might have reached, she could no longer accept his confession. There was no longer any need to deliberate at all.

And more than that—Ye-seo was afraid. A terrifying man now stood in her way. A man who would casually exchange a few friendly words with a coworker, hear that the man liked her, and promptly exile that talent to the provinces. So now, more than ever, she had to let Eun-chan go.

As she typed the reply, tears kept welling up. She did not understand why she felt so sorry toward Eun-chan, why it hurt this much.

After that she sent short replies only to her closest acquaintances, telling them not to worry, and closed the messenger. After a brief hesitation she deleted the app altogether, afraid she would keep opening it again and again.

Once she had shut her laptop as well, Ye-seo closed her eyes and let out a long breath. Barely a month had passed since she was severed from the life of Jin Ye-seo, yet it already felt like an impossibly distant stretch of time.

It isn't as if I can never go back, is it? With every day that life in this place accumulated, she felt more and more as though she would never reclaim her original self.

I have to paint…

Ye-seo's eyes flew open. In moments like this, painting called to her more desperately than anything—as if it were the only remaining link that kept her true self intact.

Do Kang-hyun was out; it was a quiet day perfect for painting. A full week had passed since her last session. If there was anything she liked about this house, it was this studio. Far more than the bedroom furnished with expensive pieces or the lavish dressing room, she preferred this spacious atelier.

A large window faced away from the garden, looking out onto green mountains and a lake; in the evenings a warm-toned light lingered in the room. Art supplies of every kind filled an entire wall, yet they were neatly arranged so they could be reached with ease. Honestly, it came close to the ideal studio Ye-seo had always dreamed of.

She now possessed that romanticized workspace—but because Do Kang-hyun had given it to her, she could not simply grow attached with a clear heart. Being dragged along to his evening schedules made it hard to carve out time after work on weekdays. Still, she needed to increase even the scraps of time she spent painting. It was the only hour when she could breathe.

Perhaps it was a quiet rebellion against the Jin Ye-seo who shrank before Do Kang-hyun, but today the artist in her moved her hands more boldly than usual. Between brushstrokes the messages from her closest friends flickered through her mind; she shook her head lightly, alone, as if to cast them off. Especially Eun-chan Oppa—having to part on such an awkward note…

When Eun-chan's worried face rose over the canvas, Ye-seo stood and put on music. It was a playlist of girl-group songs. Determined to change her mood more actively, she even began singing along. Humming in her thin voice while her hands worked, she felt a little vitality return. Just as it had last weekend, painting here came easily, no matter her circumstances. Progress came quickly today as well; the picture was taking shape exactly as she wanted.

The music itself was not loud—perhaps her own voice had been. And because it was nowhere near the hour when Do Kang-hyun should return, Ye-seo paid no attention at all and never heard the sound of someone entering.

A deep, low voice cut through her thin singing from behind.

"Pretty."

She nearly dropped the brush in shock. The man had not even raised his voice; if anything, his tone had been rather mild. Ye-seo whipped her head around. Do Kang-hyun stood there in a refined black T-shirt and navy slacks that fit him as if tailored.

Why… why is this man home already?

She almost asked why he had come, then realized how strange it would sound to demand answers in Do Kang-hyun's own house, and chose different words instead.

"Is it pretty? The painting?"

"Your singing voice."

Still looking at him, Ye-seo flinched and snapped her face forward again. Now that she had stopped humming, she finally began to hear the presence of another person. Do Kang-hyun came right up behind her and stood there, gazing at the same painting. Though he was clearly standing at her back, Kang-hyun said nothing. Without turning, Ye-seo spoke in a calm voice.

"Executive Director… I told you I wouldn't run away."

Her hands fidgeted together atop her work apron as she made her voice a little clearer.

"Whether as collateral or as a hostage, I said I would fulfill the role faithfully. So, Executive Director… I'm sorry, but I would prefer if you didn't come so close to me."

She could not see the expression of the man who simply stood motionless behind her. It was closer to deliberate avoidance—she did not want to face him. Strangely, Do Kang-hyun remained silent as well. Unable to bear the atmosphere any longer, Ye-seo shot to her feet.

"…If you won't leave, Executive Director, then I will."

She strode off, trying to put distance between them quickly. She had not taken more than a few steps before his grip closed around her.

Ah… I knew this would happen.

It had been uncomfortable from the start, and his touch only grew more and more unbearable. Still, Ye-seo forced herself to lift her head. Up close, the height difference meant she had to tilt her face quite far before her eyes met his.

"If I can't find my father, I'll find some way to raise that ten billion myself."

"You think that's possible?"

"I'll make it possible. So please stop this."

No matter how she tried to shake free, his grip was as unyielding as a snare. Instead he took her slender shoulders in both hands and locked his gaze firmly on her face. Whatever had soured his mood, his expression held only coldness—exactly like the Do Kang-hyun she had met on the first day.

Ye-seo trembled a little. She was offering to repay him somehow; why was he acting like this? She sank for a moment into the eerie silence before his voice dropped low.

"Do you think I'm doing this for that measly ten billion?"

Her eyelids flew up on reflex.

"…What?"

Wasn't the ten billion the entire reason everything had happened?

"It's your money, Executive Director…"

"That measly ten billion. To me it's money I could take or leave."

Held fast by the shoulders, Ye-seo's face drained of color, turning an ashen shade. Her already pale complexion went even whiter.

"I told you I was waiting."

"It… wasn't about the money?"

Do Kang-hyun smiled faintly. Ye-seo felt as though her soul were leaving her body as she watched the man smile alone while she wanted only to cry.

Unconcerned with her state, Kang-hyun opened his mouth. Right in front of her, the moment his true feelings began to unfold.