47.
My Evidence
Chairman Nam Yoon-young, who had been deep in thought all day, went to find her husband’s study.
As Yoon-young opened the door and entered without knocking, her husband, Kim Woo-seop, parted his lips with a look of cold indifference.
“If you have something to say, do it tomorrow morning.”
“I got a call from Im Su-gwon.”
Kim Woo-seop, who hadn’t been welcoming of his wife’s arrival, seemed to chew over the three syllables of the name before snapping his head up. His expression hardened, becoming as hollow as his wife’s.
“Why is that bastard calling all of a sudden?”
It was a name he would have preferred never to hear for the rest of his life.
“What? Asking for money again?”
“If it were just money, I’d have paid it and been done with it.”
“What does that mean?”
Tension flickered in the eyes of Kim Woo-seop, a man who had spent his life looking down at the world from its highest peak—a gaze he had long ago forgotten how to wear.
Yoon-young breathed out through her nose and checked to ensure the study door was closed properly. Then, she spoke in a low voice.
“He said he wants to have his niece marry Seongheon.”
“……What?”
“You heard me. He wants to connect his niece with Seongheon. He wants to bring her into our family.”
Yoon-young’s voice, laced with rising anger, grew sharper. Kim Woo-seop looked at his wife with an expression suggesting his thoughts weren’t connecting, then burst into a sudden, harsh laugh.
Yoon-young narrowed her brows at the sound, which seemed to scrape at his insides.
“Is it funny? Is what I’m saying a joke to you right now?”
“Ahaha, hahahaha! I’ve never seen such a crazy bastard. Ha! Hahahahaha!”
“Honey!”
“Do it. Just do it—what’s the problem with that?”
“……What did you say?”
Yoon-young doubted her ears. But Kim Woo-seop shrugged, as if the matter were more trivial than she had anticipated.
“Actually, it works out well. Managing Director Nam needs to get married eventually. What kind of girl is this niece? Is she decent?”
“Are you…… out of your mind?”
At her husband’s attitude, which stood in stark contrast to the reaction she had braced for, Yoon-young walked to the front of his desk. Kim Woo-seop laced his fingers together and looked up at her.
“Think about it. That bastard is going to chase after us for the rest of his life. He’s a shackle.”
“…….”
“But if we bring his niece into our family, what can he do? He just wants our group’s name. You think I don’t know what’s inside that man’s head?”
“But how could you involve Seongheon in this? How could you even think of linking us to a family like that!”
“Then what? Do you have a better idea?”
When Kim Woo-seop retorted, Yoon-young shut her lips. She had come to find him precisely because she couldn’t find a sharp answer, even after a day of deliberation.
There was no way her husband could provide a better one, either.
A moment later, Yoon-young shook her head. No matter how she looked at it, it was out of the question.
“No. Absolutely not. I cannot accept someone who used to be a chauffeur as an in-law. Absolutely not.”
“He wasn’t just a chauffeur; he’s the very man who made you the Chairwoman of Seoryang Group. Get a grip.”
Yoon-young bit her lip hard. Kim Woo-seop looked at her with thinly veiled contempt.
“Your family members grovel at your feet the moment you speak. Isn’t that your legacy? The disgusting, hypocritical principles of Domyeongjae? Just push the marriage forward yourself.”
“Don’t speak so carelessly.”
“Don’t say anything foolish. Do you think that wearing a face full of guilt will wash away your past sins?”
Kim Woo-seop scoffed.
“You’d be better off living like me and acknowledging it openly. Living the way you do won’t bring your dead younger sibling and their spouse back to life, anyway.”
Unable to counter a single word, Yoon-young squeezed her eyes shut. Thinking he could bury Im Su-gwon’s affair more easily than expected, Kim Woo-seop spoke in a relaxed tone.
“Give him what he wants. It’s no loss to us, and it’s not bad at all. It’s much better than living in constant anxiety, wondering if that bastard will stir up trouble every time.”
‘Chairwoman. Think of it as securing a hostage and pick a date. My niece is well-educated and smart. You’ll be pleased when you see her.’
Her husband had repeated Im Su-gwon’s words exactly, not missing a single syllable. Yoon-young balled her fists and let out a long, shuddering breath.
“And please, I beg of you, don’t act like you’ve repented or that you’re suffering. I’m at the point of being disillusioned by such hypocrisy.”
“…….”
“If it bothers you so much, turn yourself in. You don’t even have the courage for that.”
It was an undeniable criticism. It was also a piece of advice from hell, delivered from one murderer to another.
*
The shop owner, who had spent the entire day preparing side dishes, held his aching waist and thought of nothing but closing up.
The only customers he had received today were Seongheon and Yeonwoo, but he felt too drained to take on anyone else.
Seongheon, standing before the hard-of-hearing owner, pulled out his wallet as if to signal he was ready to pay. Yeonwoo stood behind him and offered a deep bow, thanking him for the meal.
“Thank you for the meal! It was so delicious!”
“Yes, yes. Have a safe trip.”
Guessing the intent behind her gesture, the owner waved his hand to shoo them out. As soon as Yeonwoo stepped outside, Seongheon opened his wallet.
Without asking for the bill, he pulled out three one-million-won checks.
“How’s your back?”
“What?”
“Your back.”
As Seongheon gestured toward his waist, the owner slowly began to knead his spine.
“I’m going to have to close the shop soon. I can’t do this anymore.”
“You’ve managed just fine until now.”
“What was that?”
“Take it.”
As Seongheon handed him the notes, the owner accepted them.
“How am I supposed to give you change for something like this?”
“Have you ever given change before? You act like this is the first time.”
“What?”
When the owner narrowed his brows, Seongheon waved a hand, dismissing the question. This place, which he had begun frequenting because it was his uncle’s favorite spot, was where Seongheon sometimes stopped when he needed a quiet refuge.
It was a treasure, a place that miraculously recreated the taste of Domyeongjae.
“Close the shop and rest for a few days. Don’t overdo it.”
The owner tucked the checks into his inner pocket.
“I’ve already done the shopping, so I have to open tomorrow.”
“Take it easy. If you close the shop permanently because you’re too tired, I’m going to claim all the change I never received.”
“What?”
As Seongheon put his wallet away, he stared at the man.
“Be honest. You hear just fine. I see now that you only answer what you want to hear.”
“What’s that? Speak up. Are you making fun of a deaf man?”
When the owner opened his eyes wide with feigned struggle, Seongheon chuckled.
As he turned to leave, the owner slowly followed him out, carrying a tray.
“How come you brought a woman? Planning to get married?”
Seongheon, hand on the doorknob, looked back. To the question posed to a couple on their first day together, Seongheon only nodded.
A detailed explanation was a bother, and the owner wouldn’t be able to hear it anyway.
“I see. Live well.”
“We haven’t gotten married yet.”
“Don’t fight.”
“See you again. Thank you for the meal.”
Seongheon pushed the door open and stepped out.
Fresh lovers—a woman and a man of marriageable age who, to the casual observer, might look like an engaged couple.
Seongheon walked to Yeonwoo’s side. She gave a weak, tired smile, as if the volatility of her own heart was still overwhelming her. Seongheon tapped her shoulder, telling her to get a grip.
“Pull yourself together. You have to come with me now.”
“Where to?”
“My place would be fine. A hotel wouldn’t be bad, either.”
Yeonwoo looked at him, her face sobering instantly as if she were suddenly free of the alcohol’s haze.
‘If Ji Yeonwoo comes to me now, it means she has to stay with me today.’
Feeling her mouth go dry, Yeonwoo struggled to swallow. She had hoped a few drinks might give her the courage to be bold, but she wasn’t the type to get daring after just a glass or two.
“Do you dislike both options?”
“It’s, uh, not that I dislike them…”
Yeonwoo hesitated, her gaze fixed on the ground. Seongheon looked down at her intently, as if studying her.
“I…… think I need to go home today.”
“Home? Then you want to go to your place? It doesn’t matter to me.”
“Oh, no! That’s not it!”
Yeonwoo launched into a frantic explanation. She had left her home in a mess when she came down to Domyeongjae; it was a monthly rental, and she needed to meet with the real estate agent early tomorrow to put the house on the market and pack her things.
There was so much to do. She really meant it.
“My house is too small to invite you over, Managing Director. Uh, first, I want to tidy up the clutter and…”
“I don’t know how I should think of a lover who changes her mind on the first day.”
“Ugh, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you earlier, but I missed the chance.”
Her face, previously flushed from the alcohol, turned deathly pale. Seongheon watched her eyes, which remained glued to the pavement, and chuckled.
Well, from Ji Yeonwoo’s perspective, things were indeed moving quickly.
“All right, fine. For a hastily concocted excuse, it’s worth some consideration.”
“Wow, thank you so much.”
Yeonwoo thanked him, a sense of wonder in her voice. The moment she realized she could go to her own home, gratitude surged within her.
“Then how about I drop you off?”
“Oh, what? Um, no. There are so many taxis here.”
Seongheon raised an eyebrow. The man who was supposedly her lover seemed quite daunting to her.
Watching Yeonwoo decline his offer to drive, Seongheon bent at the waist and brought his face close to hers.
“Are you pushing me away, or are you pulling me in?”
“I just said I wanted to go home…”
“Exactly. So you’re making me go crazy again.”
Watching her face drain of color once more, Seongheon straightened his posture and ruffled her hair, as if petting a child.
“Fine. I’ll let it slide. Since it’s our first day.”
Because he hadn’t expected Yeonwoo to follow him obediently anyway, Seongheon decided to let her go. Surely, she must have mustered a surprising amount of courage just to make it this far.
There was only one thing he was worried about.
“Will you be all right?”
“Yes? About what?”
“I’m afraid you’ll be scared all by yourself.”
“……Ah.”
At Seongheon’s words, Yeonwoo thought for a moment before lifting her head. She smiled more languidly than usual and spoke in a clear voice.
“I’m fine. I’ve gotten much better.”
“I’m the one who isn’t fine. I feel like I should stand guard.”
“I have to overcome it myself. I’m not a child, after all.”
“Exactly. You’re not a child, so why are you so disobedient and causing me such trouble?”
“…….”
“You don’t seem to have any intention of being an obedient lover.”
At Seongheon’s words, Yeonwoo smiled with her head bowed. Then, she slowly lifted her gaze to meet his.
“If I get scared, I’ll call you.”
“You don’t need to state the obvious.”
He lifted his chin, signaling her to hail a taxi before he changed his mind and tried to hold her back. Yeonwoo opened her phone and booked a car in an instant.
As the taxi zoomed toward them, ‘Reserved’ glowing brightly on its dashboard, Seongheon let out a low sigh. He couldn’t stand the way South Korea’s service was needlessly fast in every way.
The taxi pulled to a stop, and Seongheon opened the back door. Yeonwoo climbed in but paused to look at him.
“I’ll go finish packing and be back soon.”
“All right. See you tomorrow.”
“And, please be my evidence from time to time.”
Seongheon looked at her without a word.
Ji Yeonwoo is living well.
“Evidence that I am overcoming things by your side, Managing Director, and that I am living well.”
I will be that evidence for you.
Stronger and more intense than any shout, her words dug into his heart.
Taken aback by her sudden statement, Seongheon couldn’t offer a response; he only watched her.
Yeonwoo, tucking herself into the seat as the taxi doors closed, gave an awkward wave.
As the car drove away, Seongheon’s heart pounded in utter chaos.
On their first day as lovers, it was the moment something harmful—something he could never extract—was planted deep within the once-quiet heart of Nam Seongheon.