Chapter 80
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 80
After a short drive, Eun-seong parked the car. Yeon-ju got out in a daze and looked around as he came around the vehicle, stopping in front of a small shop.
It was hard to tell what kind of place it was just from the sign, though it had the feel of a Japanese home-style restaurant.
When Eun-seong didn’t go inside right away and instead made a phone call, Yeon-ju turned her attention to the storefront. It didn't look like an old establishment; everything was clean and pristine.
Unlike most storefronts that jutted out, the entrance was recessed between two pillars, giving the facade a sense of depth.
The exterior woodwork perfectly captured the restaurant's character, and the front door’s elegant Asian design exuded a warm, inviting charm that made her want to step inside.
The owner's passion and care were evident from the entrance alone. As she stood there quietly admiring it, Eun-seong finished his call and nodded for her to follow. However, the door he opened wasn't the main entrance, but a steel door off to the side that led straight into the kitchen.
Yeon-ju’s eyes widened, startled that he was walking straight into a restaurant's kitchen, but she followed him hesitantly. A staff member, clearly expecting them, met them at the door. They were led through a private corridor, away from the customers' eyes, and into a small private room.
Wow. Yeon-ju let out a soft gasp of admiration. Slipping into a bar so discreetly was a fascinating experience.
As the staff member quickly set the table, they spoke.
"Please wait just a moment. The owner will be right with you."
Eun-seong replied as he took off his coat.
"Tell him there’s no rush."
"Shall I bring your usual, then?"
"Yes, please."
Once the staff member left, Yeon-ju leaned across the table, her face bursting with questions.
"Are you close with the owner?"
Instead of answering, Eun-seong made a face of sheer disgust, which only proved they were incredibly close. Yeon-ju let out a rare, soft laugh.
"The layout is really interesting. I had no idea a bar like this existed."
"When we first built this place, I had them set aside a private room just for me. It's not a huge space, but I wanted a quiet spot to drink without any fuss."
"Wait, what?" Yeon-ju raised her eyebrows. "Is this place yours too?"
"Let's just say I'm an investor. Though I invested in a rather pathetic excuse for a human being, so I haven't made a single dime back yet."
Who could it be? Who was this person that Eun-seong would invest in them, to the point the owner would design the entire bar with a private room just for him?
"For someone who barely spends any time in Korea, you've prepared quite meticulously—a villa, a bar, even your own building," Yeon-ju murmured, taking a sip of the warm water Eun-seong had poured for her.
He replied nonchalantly, "I suppose so. When I was setting it all up, I wondered if I was going overboard, but it turned out to be foresight. After all, a day like today has come."
Just as Yeon-ju was about to speak, the door opened and the owner walked in.
"Well, look who it is! Aren't you supposed to be busy these days?"
Hearing the voice, Yeon-ju turned her head and blinked in disbelief. The owner also froze upon seeing her, staring intently at her face.
"Go Yeon-ju?"
"Kang-ho Sunbae..."
As if in a daze, Yeon-ju rose from her seat. Eun-seong took a sip of his warm tea and slowly looked up at the two of them.
He was Eun-seong's cherished friend, and a senior she had once deeply respected.
* * *
Pulling off his bandana, Kang-ho rushed over to Yeon-ju, utter disbelief written all over his face.
He reached out, his broad, thick-boned hand firmly grasping hers. It was less a handshake and more a touch to confirm that the Go Yeon-ju standing before him was real.
"Yeon-ju! What is going on? How on earth did you end up here?"
"I had no idea this was your place, Sunbae. I just followed him."
"My god, you two are in touch? Yeon-ju, how have you been? You haven't changed a bit! You look exactly the same. I'm the only one who's gotten old."
"Exactly. You're the only old man here," Eun-seong chimed in.
But Kang-ho ignored him completely, treating him like a ghost. His eyes locked on Yeon-ju, his expression overwhelmed with emotion. Shaking himself out of it, he urged her to sit down.
Staring at the surreal sight of Im Eun-seong and Go Yeon-ju—college sweethearts—sitting across from each other ten years later, Kang-ho was utterly speechless. Embarrassed by his friend's frozen state, Eun-seong lifted his chin and tapped the table twice.
"What are you doing? Go bring us something. Snap out of it."
"Ah, right! Sorry, sorry. Hang on, I'll bring something out right away."
As Kang-ho hurried out, Yeon-ju watched the door, a warm smile spreading across her face.
"Kang-ho Sunbae hasn't changed a bit. I thought you weren't in touch with any of our old classmates."
"Kang-ho is the only one left. These days, I'm just glad I have at least one."
"That's true. Having a lot of friends isn't necessarily better."
The heater had only just been turned on, and the slight chill in the small room nipped at the tip of her nose. So this is how winter begins, she thought, suddenly struck by the change of season.
Yeon-ju looked at Eun-seong. Whenever a silence fell between them, even for a brief moment, a heavy sorrow seemed to settle in. She couldn't shake the painful truth that no matter how hard they tried, they could never go back to the way things were.
"Oh, right. Earlier, you said you were hiring me starting today. What did you mean?"
"Ah, that. It's nothing complicated. I want you to come back to the film set."
"What? Me?"
Eun-seong nodded. His expression turned serious and businesslike, signaling that he wasn't joking.
"Come back to work. Once you start a job, you should see it through. Quitting in the middle of a project isn't a good habit."
"I can't. I already feel terribly guilty for leaving so irresponsibly, without considering the situation on set. I don't want to put Director Jin in an awkward position again."
"Director Jin was the one who told me to persuade you and bring you back."
"……"
"If it's too hard for you to face Director Jin, then just work directly under me. That should make things simpler."
"Eun-seong."
"Nothing can be resolved with things as they are. Let's put everything back where it belongs first, and then we can think. I can't focus on anything else because I spend all day wondering where you are and what you're doing."
Right on cue, the door opened and Kang-ho returned. He brought out Hirame Carpaccio—thinly sliced, chewy flatfish sashimi paired with a refreshing dressed salad—along with steaming hot Soft Tofu drizzled with a special soy sauce.
After setting down the dishes, Kang-ho slipped into the seat next to Yeon-ju. Eun-seong tilted his head, staring at him.
"There are only two of us. Why are there three glasses?"
"What are you talking about? There are three of us."
As Kang-ho picked up his glass, Yeon-ju reached for the bottle to pour. Eun-seong pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You must be busy, Boss. Don't let us keep you."
It was a clear signal for him to get lost and stop interrupting.
"Actually, no. I'm not busy at all. Besides, Yeon-ju and I have a lot to catch up on."
His expression made it clear he wasn't about to listen.
Eun-seong pulled out his wallet, drew a one-million-won check, and slid it toward Kang-ho.
"Boss. Go treat your staff to a nice dinner."
"What do you mean, dinner, when Yeon-ju is right here—oh my, thank you! Thank you so much. Please, carry on."
Kang-ho leaped to his feet and accepted the check with both hands. He gave Yeon-ju a series of exaggerated winks, silently mouthing that they should catch up properly later.
"Let me know if you need anything else!"
Holding the million-won check up to the light, Kang-ho backed out of the room like a court eunuch leaving the royal presence. Yeon-ju burst into laughter at his obsequious exit, while Eun-seong simply shook his head in disbelief.
* * *
In the quiet room, they shared a drink. Her mind was overflowing with things to say, but she held back, unwilling to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere or disturb his rare moment of respite.
"Can I ask how you found out?"
Yeon-ju broke the silence, asking how he had realized Han-byeol was his son.
Eun-seong emptied his glass, paused for a moment, and then spoke.
"It was by chance. I was talking to the director, and I heard the kid was ten years old."
"Oh..."
That was a possibility she had never even considered. She had assumed a drunken Hae-young had let it slip.
"Before that, I kept feeling like something was off. It was too faint to be sure, though."
"I thought Director Jin was the one who told you."
"Well, it's not like she didn't drop any hints. When I asked her who the child's father was, she looked at me like I was a piece of trash who deserved to die."
Yeon-ju lowered her head and smiled faintly. She could hardly believe a time had come when they could discuss this so calmly.
"I'm sorry for screaming at you like that back then. I was completely out of my mind."
Her belated apology hung in the air.
"To be honest, I was scared. I think that's why I lashed out so hysterically. I don't even remember exactly what I said, but..."
"……"
"The fact that Han-byeol is my son, and my son alone, will never change. That much is certain."
Yeon-ju raised her glass to her lips, only to realize it was empty, and set it back down. Glancing at the bottle on Eun-seong's side of the table, she drank some water instead. Only after soothing her parched throat did she continue.
"That was the resolution I made when I decided to have him. As I raised him and grew into being a mother, that conviction only grew stronger."
Having weathered such a long, turbulent storm, her eyes were finally calm. She carried the quiet grace of someone who had been swept away by a tidal wave but had miraculously survived.
"I don't want anything from you. I know I've already lost your trust, but please, believe me one more time. I just want you to find peace, Eun-seong. If you can do that, I feel like everything else will be okay."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Eun-seong refilled her glass, then his own. He toyed with the small cup, his gaze falling on his silent phone as a call from his manager, Dong-hwan, lit up the screen. He stared at it for a long moment.
And then he spoke.
"Can't you just tell me to take responsibility?"