Chapter 71 Midas's Touch
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 71
Midas's Touch
Dr. Ju sat with Yeon-ju in a nearby cafe. Every time the wind howled, a shower of leaves swept past the glass window.
Holding a warm mug of coffee, Dr. Ju spoke.
“I suppose we have to call this winter now, don’t we? It’s gotten quite cold.”
“I know. The wind is so strong, it makes it feel even colder.”
“I didn’t even get to properly enjoy the autumn foliage. Another fall is just passing us by.”
At his words, Yeon-ju lowered her head and let out a soft laugh. Ah. Dr. Ju suddenly recalled Yeon-ju's "autumn foliage trip," which had slipped his mind, and carefully studied her expression.
“Yeon-ju, did you have a nice trip to see the leaves?”
“Me?”
“The Elder visited the clinic with Yam the other day. She was bragging about how her daughter went on a two-day trip to see the autumn foliage.”
“Ah… my mom did?”
Feeling a little embarrassed, Yeon-ju took a sip of her coffee. From now on, every autumn would remind her of that trip. The yard where the yellow cosmos swayed, the mountains painted in crimson and gold, the rooftop where they sat staring into the fire, and…
And…
“Yes. I saw plenty of autumn leaves. I think it was the first time since I became an adult that I’ve actually gone out to enjoy them.”
“It must have been a wonderful experience.”
“It really was. The colors were so beautiful that I felt cheated for having missed out on them all these years.”
A wistful look lingered in her eyes, as if she were lost in the memory. Dr. Ju lifted his mug and took a sip of coffee.
Watching him set the mug back down, Yeon-ju spoke up.
“You don’t usually drink coffee. They have other teas here—should I get you something else?”
“No, it’s fine. I drink coffee now.”
He said it casually, but the words seemed to carry a deeper meaning, causing Yeon-ju’s lips to part slightly in surprise.
“I started wondering why I went out of my way to avoid something everyone else loves. Everything is best in moderation, after all. I suppose I’ve lived a bit too rigidly.”
“That’s not true. It’s hard to find anyone as upright and sincere as you, Doctor.”
“I think that’s the problem. Sometimes, life requires you to fall into a swamp or roll around in the mud.”
Dr. Ju took another sip of his coffee. Yeon-ju stared at him, momentarily lost for words.
After a brief silence, Dr. Ju spoke again.
“Yeon-ju, do you know the story of King Midas?”
“Yes. The king from Greek mythology?”
“That’s right. He was incredibly wealthy, but his endless greed ultimately led to his own ruin.”
Midas, the king of Phrygia and son of King Gordias, had wished for everything he touched to turn to gold, granting him the golden touch.
Midas rejoiced, believing his dream had come true.
“How wonderful it must have felt at first, turning everything he touched into gold,” Dr. Ju mused. “It must have felt like he’d hit the ultimate jackpot.”
“To put it in modern terms, he was living the dream,” Yeon-ju added.
Dr. Ju burst into laughter. The thought of turning anything into gold, as much as one wanted, was thrilling to imagine. But they both knew the tragedy that followed.
“But because everything he touched turned to gold, he couldn’t eat, he couldn’t wear clothes, and he couldn’t even drink a drop of water.”
“Exactly, Yeon-ju. And in the end, he hugged his beloved daughter, turning her into gold as well, leaving him to writhe in agony.”
“I suppose it shows that moderation really is best. If you get too greedy, you’ll inevitably bring disaster upon yourself. It’s a story with a good lesson.”
“I thought he only existed in legends, but it turns out the Midas touch is real.”
Yeon-ju paused, her mug halfway to her lips. Eun-seong’s face instantly flashed through her mind.
He was a man who turned everything he touched into a sensation. A single sip of a drink could send a company's stock price soaring; humming one line of a song could conquer the music charts. He was the entertainment industry's Midas.
Whatever caught his eye or felt his touch instantly garnered global attention. His involvement guaranteed a hit. Countless corporations staked their survival on securing Im Eun-seong's sponsorship.
It was truly spectacular. What must it feel like to live that life? How blissful would it be to be brushed by his fingertips?
“If you were to touch a person like that, Yeon-ju… what do you think would happen to you?”
But they both knew the end of the story. They knew the tragedy that lay ahead and how Midas was consumed by his own curse.
Clinging to his daughter, who had turned into cold, lifeless gold, Midas must have cursed his blessing. He must have wanted to hack off his own hands. He would have gladly surrendered everything he owned just to return to the way things were.
When his question was met with silence, Dr. Ju took another quiet sip of his coffee. It was a long time before Yeon-ju finally spoke.
“I know all of that. I really do.”
“…”
“I know all too well that getting close to him will only bring hurt. I know that this is where we should stop, for both our sakes. I know all of it, but…”
She ran a hand through her hair in frustration.
“It’s just not that easy. I had no idea pulling my heart away would be this difficult. I don’t know what to do.”
“…”
“I’m sorry, Doctor. I feel so incredibly guilty every time I see you. I don’t even know what to say…”
Yeon-ju’s expression grew cold and wistful. Sensing a hollow emptiness in her that no amount of warm coffee could fill, Dr. Ju gave a bitter smile.
“See? You should have just registered our marriage when I asked you to.”
Dr. Ju teased her, his tone softening to lighten the mood.
“If we had registered our marriage back then, you wouldn’t have to go through all this heartache. Wouldn’t that have been nice?”
“I know. I should have held on to you back then, Doctor.”
“Too late. You should have caught me when I was begging.”
“I’m sorry. I’m always a step behind.”
Dr. Ju smiled gently at her response. He held out his mug as if offering a toast.
“If you take it slow, your heart will eventually empty out. You have Han-byeol, Director Jin Hae-young, and the Elder.”
The words And you have me rose to the tip of his tongue, but he forced them back down.
“Forgetting someone is never easy, but let’s take it one step at a time. You can do this.”
“Yes, Doctor. Thank you.”
Yeon-ju brought her mug forward and gently clinked it against his. Dr. Ju took a sip of his coffee and smiled at her.
“I think I’ll have to get a coffee machine for the clinic.”
“Oh? No, Doctor, you should stick to tea. That’s much better for you.”
“Whenever you want coffee, just come by the clinic. I’ll brew a delicious cup for you anytime.”
…Forget him. Let’s try to forget.
It will be hard. It won’t be easy.
You, of him.
And I, of you.
*
Upon arriving at the film set, Hae-young went to Eun-seong's waiting room. Normally, she would have walked right in, but today, she hesitated before the door for a long time, unable to bring herself to open it.
“…Sigh.”
She had heard from Yeon-ju that Eun-seong now knew Han-byeol was his child. The sheer dread of having to face him made a sigh escape her lips, and she couldn’t wipe the tension from her face.
Only after taking several deep, steadying breaths did Hae-young finally open the door. The chief and the costume team were already inside. Conscious of their presence, she forced a bright, cheerful smile.
“Hello, everyone! Hello, Eun-seong!”
Even though she’d once gotten drunk and been rough enough to pull his hair out, they couldn’t go back to that kind of dynamic. That had been a purely impulsive act, and it had to end there. Since they were the same age, treating him like a friend wouldn’t have been difficult, but Hae-young had no desire to be friends with Eun-seong.
With Yeon-ju caught between them, such a relationship was out of the question.
“I brought some donuts. Have some while you work.”
As Hae-young set several boxes on the table, the staff cheered. Glancing at Eun-seong, who remained completely unresponsive, Hae-young spoke again.
“Eun-seong, did you meet our new assistant? Did she come by to introduce herself?”
He said nothing.
“She’s young, but she’s quick on the uptake and has a good head for work. Please look after her.”
As Hae-young finished with a smile, the chief, who had walked over to grab a donut, tapped her shoulder.
“Director Jin, I heard you reassigned Yeon-ju to a different team?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. That’s what happened.”
“What a shame. Which team did you send her to? I thought you’d keep her with us until the project was over.”
“Ah, well…”
Hae-young couldn’t find the words and simply laughed it off. She couldn’t bring herself to say, right in front of Eun-seong, that Yeon-ju had left Chang-rok entirely. Unaware of the tension, the chief mumbled as he opened a donut box.
“You must be disappointed too, right, Eun-seong? Yeon-ju was so meticulous and took such good care of you.”
At the chief's remark, Eun-seong stood up. With a completely blank expression, he addressed Hae-young.
“Not really. I actually prefer the new assistant. She’s young, quick on the uptake, and has a good head for work.”
“…”
“Let’s stop talking about someone who quit. Shouldn’t we focus on the newcomer rather than someone who’s already gone?”
The chief froze, donut in hand, looking startled. He clearly hadn't expected such a cold reaction.
“Ah, look at me, Eun-seong. How thoughtless. I kept bringing up Yeon-ju, which must have been awkward for the new girl.”
As the embarrassed chief took a large bite of his donut, Eun-seong let out a dry chuckle and walked out of the waiting room.
Hae-young swallowed hard, recalling the icy look in his eyes and his sharp tone. His words hadn't been casual; they were loaded with a pointed subtext that made her heart sting.
“Eun-seong’s really not in a good mood today, just so you know, Director.”
“Ah, yes. I suppose it’s because the filming schedule is so tight.”
“He must be exhausted. His lips are completely chapped. The makeup team had a really hard time with them today.”
Of course. There was no way he could be in his right mind.
“By the way, Director, these donuts are amazing. Where did you get them?”
“At the department store near the office. Good, right?”
Had he decided to let Yeon-ju go?
As Eun-seong walked out of the waiting room, he looked like an entirely different person.