48.
A Date in the Darkness
Yeonwoo left the house early in the morning. After changing the passcode and locking the door, she stood before the threshold for a long while.
Then, she looked up and surveyed the exterior. She spotted the small CCTV camera Cha Yoonseok had illegally installed and stared at it in silence.
Yesterday, when she had returned home for the first time in a while—
She had frozen in place the moment she stepped inside, the signs of an intruder plain to see. It took her a long time to regain her composure. When she finally moved through the ransacked rooms, she found a note left behind by Cha Yoonseok.
Even while reading the vicious words scrawled on the paper, Yeonwoo did not tremble or cry. She folded it neatly, as if disposing of a delivery receipt, dropped it into the trash, and silently began to clean.
Although she hadn’t fallen asleep until after four in the morning, her rest was deep and untroubled. She had slept without tossing or turning once, and had woken up feeling remarkably clear-headed.
After rising, she packed the remaining belongings she hadn’t managed to take earlier and was ready to leave by the time the real estate agent she had called arrived.
In the meantime, she had spoken with Seongheon on the phone twice. One call lasted about five minutes, and the other lasted about ten.
Seongheon told her he was heading to the office for an urgent meeting, and Yeonwoo informed him that she would go directly to Domyeongjae.
Following that, Yeonwoo notified Lawyer Shin of the Seoryang Group about the existence of the camera, and the real estate agent, accompanied by the police, arrived to secure the evidence.
……It was over.
Yeonwoo tore her gaze away from the lens she had been watching for so long and began to walk. As she descended the stairs, the memories of the house—which had been nothing but a source of pain—seemed to drift away like smoke.
It was a stark contrast to that early morning when she had first fled to Moksan-Gun. Now, she felt a profound sense of peace.
Cha Yoonseok, having finished his warrant validity hearing, was arrested on grounds of potential evidence destruction and flight risk.
*
“Oh my, you’re here?”
It was past two in the afternoon when Yeonwoo arrived at Domyeongjae.
As she dragged her suitcase toward the main building, Eun-ja was the first to greet her.
“Yes, I’m back.”
Yeonwoo beamed. She had only been gone for a day, so she didn’t understand why it felt like she hadn’t seen them in an eternity.
“You came back faster than I thought?”
“I worked diligently because I wanted to come back quickly.”
“My goodness, Domyeongjae should give you an award. You’re truly devoted to the company.”
“I came back because I missed you, Sunbae-nim.”
As Yeonwoo mumbled that, Eun-ja whipped around. She gave Yeonwoo an odd look and scanned her from head to toe.
“Who are you?”
“Pardon? It’s me, Yeonwoo.”
“Is it, now? The way you’re running your mouth, you don’t sound like the rookie I knew! Are you the mouse that ate our rookie’s tongue?”
At Eun-ja’s suspicion, Yeonwoo burst into laughter. Eun-ja stared at her, stunned. She had never seen the rookie—who was always cowed, wearing a gaunt, lifeless expression—actually laugh out loud.
She had been the one who kept her defenses up, afraid someone might strike up a conversation. The one who only gave one-word answers and sent a chill through the air.
“What about the homework? Did you finish it all?”
“This? The homework? You gave me three days’ worth, how could I finish it all?”
“You didn’t finish it?”
“Well, I did, but… I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head.”
Though she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, Eun-ja answered Yeonwoo’s question. But when she caught the skeptical look Yeonwoo gave her, Yeonwoo just smiled brightly.
Just then, Manager Moon approached, and Eun-ja nudged his arm, mumbling.
“Be careful. The rookie seems like she’s been drinking in the middle of the day.”
“You’re back?”
“Yes. I’m back, Manager Moon.”
When Yeonwoo greeted him with a beaming face, Eun-ja poked Manager Moon’s arm again.
“Hyungnim. Look at that face, smiling like that. Looks like she’s been guzzling down liquor in broad daylight all by herself.”
“Oh, right. I bought you gifts.”
Cutting off the conversation, Yeonwoo opened her bag and took out a few cosmetics.
“I stopped by a shop while waiting for the bus at the terminal. I heard everyone’s using these these days.”
As she handed out the small bags, Eun-ja accepted them with a skeptical look.
While the impatient Eun-ja tore open her box, Manager Moon, who had received his gift late, watched Yeonwoo from behind his glasses.
“Did you handle things well?”
“Yes. I handled them well.”
“The house. Did you dispose of it?”
“Yes. I stopped by the real estate agency and resolved it.”
“Will you need to go to Seoul again?”
“I don’t think so, for the time being.”
At Yeonwoo’s words, Manager Moon nodded. His face remained stern and devoid of a smile.
“Then don’t slack off in the future and keep working. You know well that being allowed to leave wasn’t a given, right?”
“Yes. I won’t slack off, I’ll work hard on my shifts, and I’ll do my best in everything. Thank you for accommodating me.”
As Yeonwoo spoke in a soft voice, Manager Moon raised an eyebrow. Meanwhile, Eun-ja was already busy testing the cosmetics on her hand and applying them to her lips.
“Oh my, this is nice. Smells good, too. If I keep applying things like this, do you think I’ll look ten years younger?”
When Eun-ja expressed her delight, Manager Moon snorted.
“What are you going to do if you look ten years younger at your age? Even ten years younger, you’re still a grandma. Give it up, please.”
“Aigoo, then Hyungnim. If you’re not going to use that, give it to me. I’m going to apply it diligently and try to look ten years younger.”
“Forget it! Why are you eyeing my gift! You’re just too greedy!”
As Eun-ja reached a hand toward the bag, Manager Moon hid it inside his apron and walked away. Watching that, Eun-ja and Yeonwoo shared a quiet, genuine smile.
“Yeonwoo. Aren’t these expensive? They look expensive.”
“They aren’t very expensive. You can order them online, too. If you run out, just let me……”
Yeonwoo let her words trail off. It was the first time Eun-ja, who had always called her ‘Rookie,’ had used her name.
“Yeonwoo, I’m being spoiled because of you. Truly spoiled. I’m receiving precious cosmetics from Yeonwoo that even my own daughter doesn’t buy for me.”
“Ah…….”
That was when Manager Moon, who had gone inside, poked his head out and looked at Yeonwoo.
“Yeonwoo. Have you eaten?”
“Yes? Oh…… no! I haven’t! I’m hungry!”
At Manager Moon calling her by her name as well, Yeonwoo’s eyes went wide as she responded with exaggerated excitement. With his usual blunt expression, Manager Moon gestured.
“Then come here. Eat first.”
“Yes! Yes, Manager Moon!”
Yeonwoo put down her bag and ran inside. As she did, Eun-ja, who had been applying the cosmetics, tidied up Yeonwoo’s luggage and slipped in after her.
*
It wasn’t until darkness had deeply settled that Seongheon returned to Domyeongjae. It was a matter that could have waited until the next day, but he didn’t particularly fancy spending the night in Seoul while his lover of two days was back at Domyeongjae.
Eleven at night.
After Yeonwoo stopped by her quarters to wash up and prepare for her shift, Manager Moon told her to take it easy during the late hours—a first for him.
Left alone in the main building, Yeonwoo checked the time on the wall clock. It was already well past midnight, and her focus was entirely on the phone inside her apron.
Had it been even a minute since she last checked the time? Her phone vibrated.
Yeonwoo checked it immediately. Seeing his number—which she hadn’t yet saved under a name—she calmed her breathing and answered.
“Yes. It’s me.”
She wished that receiving calls from a lover could become a daily routine, but it was still difficult to answer comfortably without first steadying her voice and taking a deep, calming breath.
─ Where are you?
“The main building. I’m on duty.”
─ You must be tired.
“It’s alright. It’s not busy.”
She found herself biting her fingernail. His voice over the phone was so gentle; the low tone seemed to harmonize beautifully with the night.
─ Could you come to Unseondang for a moment?
“Ah, yes. Managing Director.”
She stood up as if she had been waiting for the call. Not knowing what he might need, she headed straight into the large kitchen.
“Is there something you need?”
─ Not really. I just wanted to see you.
Yeonwoo came to a sudden stop.
─ I’d prefer to go to the main building myself, but I assume you wouldn’t want that.
“Ah, ah, yes.”
─ If you feel empty-handed coming here, bring a cup of tea.
“Tea. Yes. What kind of tea……”
─ Whatever tea you’re going to drink.
Yeonwoo nodded, her eyes blinking repeatedly. Even though he couldn’t see her, it was difficult to find her voice.
─ It’s late, can you come?
At his question, her heart hammered in a strange way. Yeonwoo hesitated, unable to answer immediately.
The words noting how late it was sounded foreign to her.
“I’ll come now.”
─ Alright.
Yeonwoo barely managed to reply before putting the phone down.
For the first time in her life, she realized that romance was a matter that strained the heart every single time.
*
After agonizing for a while over which tea to take, Yeonwoo chose chrysanthemum. Upon arriving at Unseondang, she left her shoes on the stepping stone and climbed up, looking left and right to find where Seongheon was.
“Here.”
The voice came from the bedroom. When Yeonwoo turned, she saw Seongheon, who looked as if he had just washed up, gesturing to her.
She still couldn’t get used to that sight, no matter how many times she saw it. Yeonwoo gripped the tray tightly and changed her direction.
As she drew closer, Seongheon took the tray from her with one hand. Then, he naturally pulled Yeonwoo’s hand with his other.
Setting the tray down wherever he could reach, Seongheon sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at Yeonwoo. Trapped between his knees, Yeonwoo looked down at him.
As the nervous Yeonwoo stood there unable to say a word, just watching him, Seongheon stared back at her, his hair still damp. How much time had passed as they just looked at each other?
Seongheon pulled her waist toward him and rested his head against her.
“Ha……, I’m really in trouble.”
At his sudden sigh, Yeonwoo’s eyes widened. She wondered if something had happened at work, and whether it was related to Cha Yoonseok—her thoughts naturally drifted in that direction.
“I couldn’t eat all day, and I couldn’t get any work done.”
“…….”
“It’s killing me, really.”
This time, Yeonwoo’s lips parted slightly. The thoughts that had been racing through her head vanished in an instant; she realized the true meaning of his words, her expression softening in surprise.