Chapter 160
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 160
My gaze naturally fell downward.
The tips of my shoes fidgeted restlessly, and my throat was so dry that the straw never left my lips.
It was because Eun-ah’s uncle, Cheon-woo, was sitting across from me.
You know that kind of relationship, don’t you? The kind where you’ve never even met the person, but because they have an uncomfortable relationship with someone close to you, you end up feeling uncomfortable too.
To Dokyun, this man, Seo Cheon-woo, was exactly that kind of person.
Eun-ah’s uncle. The man who had neglected a young Eun-ah to pursue his own interests, only to try and approach her now.
Of course, since this was an explanation colored by Eun-seol’s personal bias, it might not have been the complete truth. Still, the discomfort stemming from the situation and the relationship itself was the kind you just couldn’t help.
As Dokyun sat there on pins and needles, unable to manage the rising unease, Cheon-woo, who had been quietly observing him, finally spoke.
“Ms. Ji-woo.”
“Yes.”
“Could you head back to the office first? I’ll wrap things up here today.”
“Okay.”
Clack.
Dokyun’s head shot up at the conversation.
She’s leaving?
Leaving me here? Alone? With this guy?
A thousand thoughts raced through his mind. Without realizing it, his face had twisted into a glare aimed at Ji-woo.
Looking troubled by his stare, Ji-woo averted her eyes, quickly packed her things, and left.
Dokyun watched her retreating back as she exited the cafe, his face a mask of despair.
You cowardly bitch!
How could she just slip away by herself? No, before that, if she was going to bring this guy along today, couldn't she have at least given me a heads-up?
Though Dokyun was cursing Ji-woo in his head, he knew the truth.
Given how they’d parted ways, and the fact that they were ex-lovers, she had no obligation to show him such consideration.
As Dokyun was fuming, a deep, low voice rumbled from across the table.
“I’m glad we could meet like this. I’ve personally wanted to meet you for some time.”
Jolt. Startled, Dokyun flinched and replied to the greeting with an awkward expression.
“Ah, yes…! I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re, uh, Ms. Eun-ah’s uncle…”
“Oh, does Eun-ah speak of me?”
I think I just made a mistake.
Fuck, this damn mouth of mine!
Cursing his tongue for slipping up yet again, Dokyun quickly studied the middle-aged man’s expression.
Cheon-woo’s face instantly brightened. It was an expression of unmistakable joy.
Just as Eun-seol had said, at a glance, he looked like someone who cared deeply for Eun-ah.
“Uh… I heard about you in passing.”
“Ah, I see. What did she say?”
Dokyun wasn’t so tactless as to say, ‘She cursed you out.’
He forced a smile and offered a reply.
“I heard… you were a good person.”
Naturally, his voice trembled. His expression was the very picture of awkwardness.
The words he’d uttered were nothing more than empty pleasantries, and unfortunately, Cheon-woo was an experienced man who could discern the truth behind them.
“Hmm, it seems she resents me a great deal.”
“Well…”
Dokyun’s head dropped again.
Seeing Dokyun lower his gaze, sweating bullets, Cheon-woo continued with a bitter smile.
“I understand. I abandoned her when she needed help the most, so I deserve this.”
“No, that’s not it…”
Dokyun wanted to cry. He wanted to bolt from his seat and run.
No, if this wasn’t a business meeting, if this wasn’t for work, he might have actually fled.
From what he’d heard, this man was on Eun-seol’s bad side, so it wasn’t like he’d have to see him again, right?
Dokyun was the type to think of running away first whenever he got tangled up in a troublesome situation, and this was exactly the kind of troublesome situation he hated.
“…It’s the regret of a lifetime. I was too young back then.”
His words continued. Dokyun felt his body jolt.
His gaze returned to Cheon-woo.
His expression was bitter. It seemed pained, somehow.
“I was blinded by what was right in front of me and failed to see what was truly important. Even after my sister… Eun-ah’s mother… died like that, I never once paid proper attention to it.”
His tone was filled with what sounded like deep remorse.
One could even call it heartfelt.
It was a plea so compelling it could make any listener empathize.
But…
“…I’m sorry, but telling me this won’t do any good.”
For some reason, Dokyun found it all revolting.
“…Pardon?”
“I can’t relay any messages to Ms. Eun-ah. And of course, I can’t tell you anything about her either. No matter how close we are, I’m still a third party, am I not?”
Seeing Cheon-woo’s bewildered face, Dokyun’s expression hardened as he continued.
“…Even if you gain my empathy or my pity, I understand that nothing will change.”
This was it. This was the reason Dokyun found Cheon-woo so detestable. The reason something had felt off.
Eun-ah wasn’t here. It was just him and Cheon-woo. Yet this man, Seo Cheon-woo, was venting his inner turmoil not to Eun-ah, the one to whom he should be apologizing, but to him.
Dokyun knew what kind of psychology drove such behavior.
This was a self-reproach for his own sake. A self-reproach meant to protect his own sense of self.
Instead of going to Eun-ah, he was here, lamenting to him.
Lamenting his relationship with Eun-ah so openly that even his subordinates knew about it.
Such actions were the manifestation of a psychological need to be seen as a person of character—as someone who knew how to feel guilt for such things.
It was never for Eun-ah’s sake.
“This is the kind of conversation… that I believe you should be having in front of Ms. Eun-ah.”
After saying that, Dokyun bowed his head slightly and added, “Could we save the personal talk for another time? As you know, I’m here on business.”
His voice came out stiff and hard.
Of course, this could all be his own misunderstanding. Eun-ah’s uncle might truly be a man so filled with regret that he couldn’t bear not to express it.
However, Dokyun thought the chances of that were infinitesimally low.
He thought so because, aside from Eun-ah herself, he was the one who knew best how she had lived.
Eun-ah’s past was that kind of past.
There was Eun-seol, who had done nothing but endure. There was Eun-chae, who only knew how to hurt herself. There was Eun-ji, who was left alone to cry. There was Eun-sam, who was sinking into that place. There was Eun-byeol, born from a past even she didn't know.
And yet, in the words this man was speaking now, in the words of this human named Seo Cheon-woo, there was no trace of them.
If he had truly been interested, he should have known.
He should have noticed something was wrong, even if it was belatedly.
Even if he couldn’t fix it, even if he couldn’t help, it made no sense for him not to even know the truth.
And why wouldn’t it? According to Eun-seol, Cheon-woo was a VIP at the department store she managed.
That meant he had already met her several times.
And yet, for him to still not know… didn’t that just prove that he didn’t have that much interest in Eun-ah?
When Dokyun raised his head again, he saw Cheon-woo’s face, now a little more rigid than before.
Their eyes met. Silence filled the space.
The atmosphere was incredibly heavy.
Cheon-woo’s reply came only after their gazes had clashed for a long moment.
“…My apologies. It seems I got too personal in a professional setting.”
With those words, Cheon-woo picked up the documents. He then took a pen, signed the bottom of the last page, and handed it to Dokyun.
“I’ve read through the prepared contract. You’ve handled it superbly.”
“Thank you.”
“Yes, it was so perfectly prepared, it made me wonder how you did it.”
Flinch.
At his words, Dokyun’s gaze shot back to Cheon-woo.
His expression was somewhat subdued, impossible to read.
But Dokyun could guess the intention behind his words.
“…You’re too kind.”
He’s asking if I got the information from Eun-ah.
Dokyun didn’t say anything more. He simply gave a small nod to end the conversation, then gathered the documents and rose from his seat.
“I’ll be on my way, then. I have things to take care of at the office.”
“Yes, take care.”
Dokyun turned his back and walked out of the cafe, trying his best to ignore the stare boring into his back.
*
What greeted Dokyun upon his return home was Eun-seol, drinking again.
She was in the middle of sipping whiskey when she glanced at Dokyun entering through the front door, then took another long swig.
For some reason, the sight made Dokyun feel a surge of frustration. He narrowed his eyes and spoke.
“…I’m home.”
“Right.”
With that, Eun-seol refilled her empty glass and drained it again.
She showed no interest in him whatsoever.
How should he put it? Looking at her, he felt like he could understand how his parents must have felt when they looked at him during his school days.
It wasn’t like Eun-seol had done anything wrong, but just looking at her made him want to tear his hair out.
“Don’t you get sick of it?”
“Would I be drinking it if I were?”
“People may betray you, but…”
“You fucker.”
Hiccup.
Dokyun’s body jolted as Eun-seol’s eyes flashed wide, glaring at him. A loud hiccup escaped him.
“Don’t cross the line.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
His gaze dropped to the floor.
He’d tried to make a little joke and had felt his life flash before his eyes.
It was a long time before Eun-seol’s glare finally left him.
Dokyun watched her turn away and start sipping her drink again. The day’s events suddenly came to mind, and he carefully parted his lips.
“Um, Ms. Eun-seol?”
“What.”
“I met, uh, Ms. Eun-ah’s uncle today.”
Stop.
Eun-seol’s hand, which had been pouring a drink, froze.
She placed the bottle on the table, looked straight at Dokyun, and continued.
“What did he say?”
“Well, you know… He was going on about how much he regrets things, so I just told him to say it to her face and left.”
“Good.”
A smirk leaked from Eun-seol’s lips.
“I didn’t think he’d go to you directly. My apologies.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Dokyun scratched the back of his head as he replied, then sat down next to her, leaned back against the sofa, and let out a breath.
“Do you think he’ll be back?”
“Who knows. Probably.”
“What do we do next time?”
Dokyun asked, looking at Eun-seol. She remained silent for a moment, as if considering his question, then poured more alcohol into her glass and answered.
“We’ll crush him.”
A smile formed on Eun-seol’s lips.
In that moment, Dokyun felt a flicker of pity for Cheon-woo rise up from within him.