Chapter 6: The Temperature of Reunion
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 6: The Temperature of Reunion
After a morning spent at a fitting with his ex-girlfriend, Go Yeon-ju, who had suddenly reappeared in his life, and an afternoon pouring his energy into action practice, Eun-seong returned home.
It was a luxury villa with a panoramic view of the Han River, flooded with so much natural light during the day that lamps were unnecessary. A German-made sofa, which he had waited over a year to receive, anchored the spacious living room, complemented by a uniquely designed table.
As soon as he finished showering, Eun-seong took out a bottle of wine to chill. He cooled a white wine—perfect for calming his inexplicably restless mood—to just the right temperature and poured it into a glass.
He took a small sip, then paused, catching his breath. Unsatisfied, he took a long, deep draft and finished the rest. The wine, low in tannins and sweetness, was slightly dry but left a clean finish.
He poured another glass. Finding even that small act tedious, he filled it to the brim and emptied it in no time.
‘Eun-seong, this is Go Yeon-ju, the newest member of our team who just started today. Yeon-ju, have you introduced yourself to our actor, Im Eun-seong?’
Go Yeon-ju. Go Yeon-ju.
He had never dreamed he would see that face again. For a long time, he had been certain he never would.
“Ha…”
Ever since he’d come face-to-face with his ex-girlfriend, his mind had been in turmoil.
The moment he saw her, so unchanged it felt as if time had only passed for him, his heart had reacted fiercely. His pulse had raced so absurdly it felt like his veins might burst, as if he were a man programmed to react only to that face and those eyes.
Before the resentment, hatred, and bitterness he had buried for so long could even surface, he was simply glad to see her standing before him. Thinking back on it now was maddening.
He had definitely forgotten her. It was a forgotten face, a forgotten name, a forgotten memory. As he buried himself in work, she had gradually faded, been erased, and then, at some point, vanished completely along with their past.
“Everything was fine, so why… why again…”
There was no reason he couldn't forget a woman like her, one who had disappeared after such a baffling farewell. Since his fiery, passionate love had been doused with ice-cold resentment, it was only natural for his feelings to have cooled to absolute zero.
Yes. He was just startled because they had run into each other so unexpectedly. He was just a little thrown off because the version of her in his hazy memories was no different from the woman she was today.
That was all. That was really all. There was no way any other, special emotion could be involved.
‘Eun-seong, this is Go Yeon-ju, the newest member of our team who just started today.’
“Unbelievable.”
A hollow laugh escaped him as he recalled her face, bowing slightly with eyes that didn't know where to look.
She couldn't possibly have come without knowing who he was, yet her clumsy act—telegraphing her fluster as if she hadn’t wanted this meeting—was quite the spectacle.
It wasn't as if Director Jin Hae-young had dragged her there by force. She wouldn't have just shown up for a fitting without knowing which actor was involved. She wouldn't have joined the staff without even knowing whose movie it was.
Eun-seong took a deep breath. Feeling the buzz from the quickly downed wine coursing through him, he leaned against the kitchen island and slowly closed his eyes.
He was thoroughly accustomed to controlling his emotions; his churning heart would settle if he just maintained a slow, steady breath.
Eun-seong inhaled deeply once more and exhaled. It will get better, it will get better, he told himself.
Ten years after their breakup. A reunion with an ex-girlfriend who had faded as much as she possibly could.
He didn't know why she, who had claimed she was leaving to chase her dreams, was now running around doing grunt work at her age, but that wasn't his business. He wouldn't get involved.
The important thing was that the Im Eun-seong of ten years ago was dead and gone. The shell was the same, but he was a completely different person. She didn't need to know the life he had lived, but the fact remained: he was not the man from her memories.
The actor Im Eun-seong had come this far by enduring things he never should have had to experience. That meant he wouldn't be easily shaken by something so trivial.
Surviving this long in a cheap, dirty industry rife with betrayal and power struggles had been no easy feat. He had never crumbled through all of that, so a connection from the distant past was laughable.
“Fine. Do whatever you want.”
Contemplating another glass, Eun-seong hesitated, then set the wine bottle down. What was the point? It would only make tomorrow grueling.
With a lingering look, he corked the bottle and headed to his bedroom. He lay down with his script, switching on a single nightstand lamp.
As he focused on the script and cleared his mind, a strange sense of stubborn pride flared up. Perhaps this was his chance to prove to himself, once and for all, that he was completely over Go Yeon-ju.
He had to prove it. There was no crisis that couldn't be overcome, and he would never get another chance to test himself like this again.
* * *
The next day.
Yeon-ju arrived at Chang-rok Entertainment, the agency where Hae-young worked. Having not slept a wink, her eyelids felt exceptionally heavy, and she found herself staring at the floor.
“I should just tell her I’m quitting…”
That was the conclusion she had reached over the long, sleepless night.
Dealing with the aftermath would be a headache, but she couldn't think of a better option. No matter how much time had passed, their breakup had been harsh, and she didn't have the nerve to face him with an indifferent expression.
Even if she were shameless enough to do so, she shouldn't. Lingering around him while hiding a secret as massive as Han-byeol was far too dangerous.
“How am I going to tell her this time…”
Sigh. A soft sigh escaped her lips.
Her heart felt as heavy as lead at the thought of telling Hae-young she was quitting again. Hiding one thing required a hundred lies, and maintaining those lies required a thousand more.
It upset her and made her feel guilty to lie to Hae-young at every turn, but for Han-byeol's future, it was a secret she could never disclose. The moment anyone found out that Eun-seong was Han-byeol's father, her daughter's future would no longer be safe.
Steeling her resolve once more, Yeon-ju stood before Hae-young's office.
Knock, knock. After a deep breath, she knocked twice and opened the door. Hae-young, sorting through a pile of fabrics stacked high on her desk, raised a hand in greeting. Yeon-ju bowed politely.
“Hello, Director.”
She walked in quickly. Wanting to get the words out before her resolve wavered, Yeon-ju spoke more hastily than usual.
“Um, Director, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Before she could finish, Hae-young held up a hand.
“Ah, sorry about this, Yeon-ju.”
Hae-young used a formal tone she rarely employed. When Yeon-ju, who had been keeping her eyes on the floor, looked up, Hae-young pointed toward a corner of the room.
“Let's talk later. First, look who’s here…”
Before she could even finish her sentence, the curtain of a temporary fitting room parted, and Eun-seong stepped out.
Startled, Yeon-ju took an involuntary step back. Hae-young quickly approached and whispered in her ear.
“He’s here for a fitting for an awards ceremony. Just a moment.”
Giving her a look that clearly meant read the room, Hae-young turned toward Eun-seong and raised her voice.
“Wow, Eun-seong! I knew it would look good, but this is even more stunning than I imagined!”
She applauded in admiration, glancing at Yeon-ju and urging her to do the same. Standing stiffly, Yeon-ju reluctantly clapped her hands under Hae-young’s pressure.
The textured gray jacquard jacket added a vibrant touch to Eun-seong's quiet, composed aura. A crisp shirt collar and matte black cummerbund cut through any potential fussiness, enhancing the overall mood.
It preserved a classic, conservative form without looking old-fashioned. Eun-seong, effortlessly pulling off an outfit that elevated what could have been a monotonous tuxedo, was the absolute gold standard.
As she stared, a wave of dazed, distant numbness washed over her. Yeon-ju squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to pull it together.
Standing before the mirror, Eun-seong scanned himself from head to toe. From his subtly burnished wingtip shoes on up, the look was flawless.
As Eun-seong inspected himself with a meticulous gaze, Hae-young offered her recommendation.
“What do you think, Eun-seong? Personally, I think this suits you best.”
“It’s not bad.”
By actor Im Eun-seong's standards, this was the highest praise possible.
“Shall we go with this one, then? I think a pocket watch would go perfectly. I’ll look into a few options.”
“Sure.”
The outfit was decided without any issues. As Eun-seong lingered, his eyes fixed on the mirror, Hae-young snapped her fingers. A consummate professional, she could read her clients’ minds to an almost annoying degree.
“Oh, actually, wait just a moment, Eun-seong. We happen to have a few sponsored watches that came in for the costume team. I'll go grab them. You can just see how they feel.”
Hae-young turned to leave, signaling for Yeon-ju to keep him company. The moment the door closed behind her, Yeon-ju bit her lip hard.
A suffocating silence stretched between her and Eun-seong, who remained in front of the mirror. As Yeon-ju let out an uneasy breath, not knowing what to do, he finally broke the silence.
“You look like you have something to say. What is it? Are you going to tell Director Jin you’re quitting?”
His question landed perfectly, reading her mind.