A Spring Breeze in the Heart
The downfall of Jang Do-hyung, the "Spring Breeze," proceeded at breakneck speed. That was how overwhelmingly powerful Taewoong was. Unilabs set a record by hitting its daily lower limit for five consecutive days, and once trust crumbled, their cryptocurrency, Solar, went into a freefall. Thanks to the mountain of accounting fraud evidence that poured out during the simultaneous raids, Jang Do-hyung was arrested without any major complications.
In the process, they requested my presence as a witness since I had attended the charity auction. I exposed every single detail of their true nature, just as they deserved. Since they said they needed my testimony, I couldn't very well turn them down, could I? I provided a little assistance, handing over the evidence I had gathered to ensure all the involved parties would be thoroughly investigated. The scandal had blown up so spectacularly that there was no way to bury it; the authorities would undoubtedly shake them down until not a single speck of dust remained.
"Mmm~" Sitting on the terrace and admiring the sprawling view of the Han River, I took a sip of my coffee. It was a return to a peaceful daily routine, as if a storm had passed and the sky had finally cleared. I was truly basking in the golden age of my life. I was idly pondering how to spend my day when—
Bzzzz— The loud vibration of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. "Hello, Kim Sung-woo speaking."
—Mr. Sung-woo! How have you been?
A clear, gentle voice that brought an instant sense of comfort drifted through the receiver. It was Rumi, the licensed real estate agent I had hired to manage my overall property portfolio. She was an invaluable asset who handled all the tedious tasks of property management—leasing, maintenance, insurance, and more.
"You're calling early. Did you already find a tenant?"
—Oh, of course! People were practically lining up to sign. But the tenant requested to meet you in person to sign the contract. Once we get your signature, it's a done deal.
"When should I come by?"
—Let's see... Ah! Tomorrow. Are you free tomorrow?
I didn't just have a lot of money. I also had a ridiculous amount of free time. Naturally, it was a yes.
—Then I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Sung-woo! Click.
Since I owned more than a few properties, the frequency of our contact had naturally increased. She was a grateful presence in my life, saving me from all kinds of hassles. I figured I should pick up a small gift for her on my way.
Screeech— I parked my car and stepped into the real estate office, greeted immediately by a cheerful voice.
"Mr. Sung-woo, over here, over here!" I let out a chuckle as she sprang up and waved her hand vigorously. With her long, crimson hair reminiscent of red wine and a form-fitting white shirt that accentuated her glamorous figure, she looked far from your average real estate agent. No matter how many times I saw her, she was always a sight that made it hard to know where to look.
"Has the new tenant not arrived yet?"
"You just got here too early, Mr. Sung-woo. Why don't you sit down and have a cup of tea?"
I nodded and took a seat. As I sat down, a subtle floral scent tickled my nose. Was it a floral note? It wasn't overpowering, but the sensual, soft fragrance enveloping the space wrapped around my entire body. Combined with the warm sunlight streaming in, I felt my heart melting. A wave of cozy drowsiness washed over me.
Ding-dong— The clear chime of the entrance bell startled me awake. Wait. That woman is definitely...
"Kim Su-hyun?"
"Huh? Sung-woo!"
The internet streamer "Suming." After our joint broadcast, we had exchanged contact info, and our relationship had evolved from viewer-and-streamer to a personal friendship. We held great conversations, and above all, our personalities clicked so well that we became close in no time. But what business did she have at this real estate office?
"Oh my, Mr. Sung-woo. Do you know the new tenant?"
"Huh?"
So that was it. No matter how small South Korea was, what were the odds that the tenant coming to sign the lease was Kim Su-hyun? Su-hyun also looked incredibly startled, her face painted with sheer bewilderment.
"What the heck, Rumi! If Sung-woo was the landlord, you should have told me beforehand!"
"Look at you. How on earth was I supposed to know you and Mr. Sung-woo knew each other?"
"Well, yeah, but... if I'd known, I would've at least dressed up a bit..." Su-hyun mumbled in a crawling voice. Seeing them interact, they seemed quite close. I let out a soft chuckle. For me, this was actually a good thing. If it was Kim Su-hyun, she would never fall behind on rent, and there was virtually no chance of her causing any trouble.
"Stop whining and sit down. Aren't you going to sign the contract?"
"I get it..." She slumped into the chair listlessly, looking pouty for some reason. The signing proceeded smoothly. First, Su-hyun and I reviewed the terms of the lease agreement Rumi had prepared. We checked the neatly organized lease term, deposit, monthly rent, termination clauses, and payment dates for the deposit and balance before finalizing it with our signatures.
"All done! Su-hyun, don't forget to file your moving-in report."
"Thanks, Rumi!"
"Thank you for your hard work." Now that the contract was signed and my business was concluded, I was about to leave without any lingering thoughts. That is, until she timidly grabbed my right sleeve with both hands as if asking where I was going.
"W-Wait a minute!"
"...?"
"Uh... um..." The wild, chaotic persona she showed on stream was nowhere to be found, leaving only a flustered, stuttering mess. Unable to watch any longer, Rumi burst into laughter and stepped in to rescue her.
"Mr. Sung-woo! Since running into an acquaintance is quite the coincidence, why don't you two grab a bite together?"
"Y-Yeah! Lunch! How about we have lunch together!"
Come to think of it, I hadn't eaten a single thing today. I wanted to tease her a bit more as she fidgeted anxiously, but I decided to hold back. I chuckled and nodded.
"You're buying, right?"
"Argh! You have so much money anyway!" It was a pretty pleasant start to the day.
Lunch with Su-hyun took place at a sushi restaurant in Jamsil. It was a high-end sushi spot called Mi Sushi, located less than a ten-minute drive from the real estate office. Upon opening the door, we were greeted by an entrance bathed in soft, orange-hued lighting. With its spacious interior and smooth jazz music filling the air, the place had a wonderful atmosphere.
"Right this way, please." Following the staff's guidance, we were led to an empty table further inside. She had picked a pretty nice restaurant.
"How is it? Pretty nice, right?"
"Yeah, it's great. Do you come here often?"
"Yeah, I always make sure to stop by whenever I want to treat myself." Seeing her mumble with flushed cheeks, she must be incredibly excited about moving. Then again, she did mention her previous place was cramped, and above all, the terrible soundproofing had caused a lot of issues. A staff member immediately approached and handed us the menus.
"Two of Course A, please." She handed the menu back without even looking, placing the order. Once that was done, we naturally began exchanging stories about our daily lives. We talked about the new content she was planning for her stream, her reasons for deciding to move, the troublesome viewers she had encountered... It was all trivial stuff, but chatting with her was surprisingly delightful.
Naturally, I also opened up about my own daily routine and inner thoughts. How I always make time to sit on the terrace and drink coffee when I wake up, how I play Epic of Seven for at least two or three hours a day, how I've picked up cooking as a hobby and have been trying out various recipes... They were mundane, ordinary details, but she listened as if she were hanging on the words of a master storyteller. Her rapt attention must have excited me without me realizing it. Had simply sitting across from someone and exchanging conversation always been this enjoyable? Even as the dishes were served one by one, our conversation showed no signs of winding down.
"Ahaha! Your expression just now was so funny!"
"It was not funny at all."
Her clear, resonant voice, her unpretentious attitude, and her innocent, lovely smile. Even the brilliant sunlight illuminating us like a masterpiece painting. The food tasted so sweet that I almost hallucinated a hint of bitterness.
"I think it tasted way better today than it usually does."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Maybe because I came with you?"
Thump. Did I hear that right? My heart began to pound as if it were about to burst. Could it be...? But what if I was just delusional? For someone like me, who had never even been in a relationship, let alone talked to a woman for this long, this situation was excruciatingly cruel. If all of this was just my wild imagination, perhaps I wouldn't have to worry like this. My chest throbbed painfully.
"Uh... I didn't mean anything by it... Right! I just meant it's nicer to eat with a friend. Ahaha..." When I silently lowered my head, she must have panicked, rambling excuses as her face flushed bright red. Haha, you absolute idiot. No matter how dense I was, I wasn't so blind that I couldn't perceive the affection she held for me. Suddenly, the very first day all my lies turned into reality flashed through my mind. What was I thinking back then? I was certain I had resolved not to waste the opportunities given to me. Yes, I definitely did. I raised my head and looked her in the eye. My heart, pounding uncontrollably as if its brakes had failed, helped me face this moment head-on. A spring breeze swept through a corner of my heart.
"Me too."
"...Huh?"
"I like it too." It might be impulsive, or I might be completely misinterpreting things. But so what? I was sick and tired of running away and avoiding things.