CH 13.3

After the small commotion was over, Geon Hyeong told Shin Hee to sit down and sat in front of her. Although she looked firm and brave, Geon Hyeong knew that she was actually nervous.

The waiter at the restaurant quickly cleared the table and left after taking the order of the both of them.

“It turned out you came too. I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“You called me, right.”

Shin Hee slightly raised her eyebrows in dissatisfaction at Geon Hyeong’s flat reply, which did not contain any emotion or feeling whatsoever.

Basically, Geon Hyeong was a cold person. But for some reason, his attitude felt colder today.

“Why did you have to deal with that man again? Did he threaten you earlier?”

“It seems like he’s still upset that I left him at the wedding. Why? Are you jealous?”

“Yoo Shin Hee.”

Shin Hee asked while smiling sweetly at him, while Geon Hyeong immediately dashed her hopes by telling her firmly.

“Don’t be so serious like that. I was just hoping that it would be like that.”

“Why did you call me?”

Shin Hee was now getting annoyed at Geon Hyeong’s impatience and went straight to the heart of their conversation.

The man didn’t ask how Shin Hee was doing at all. He didn’t even make small talk about how busy he had been. Geon Hyeong’s body language clearly said that only his body was in this place, while his heart was elsewhere.

Realizing that, Shin Hee now wanted to make sure that she was the one who lost the bet. No, she had actually expected this outcome since she brought up the idea of this bet to Jung Won at the Hwaniwon.

Since when did she feel this way? When did she realize that this man’s heart had moved on to someone else? Maybe on the day when he came to her with yellow color on his nails that day.

Shin Hee still remembered how surprised she was. Geon Hyeong usually kept shaking his head if he didn’t want to do something, despite Shin Hee’s repeated persuasion. Therefore, she was very surprised to see him leave his nails colored just like that.

Obviously, he couldn’t have wanted that. Then, who could have made him obey like that?

Shin Hee felt compelled to check on this when she suddenly forced Geon Hyeong to take her to Jung Won’s house.

She wondered what kind of woman Jung Won was. How did she win Geon Hyeong’s heart like that?

“Do I have to have a reason to call you? I just want to drink coffee. Can’t I?”

“Next time, no. And, Shin Hee, I have something to say to you.”

“Okay, me too. Let me do the talking first.”

Shin Hee cut off Geon Hyeong’s firm words haughtily. She knew what Geon Hyeong wanted to say. However, Geon Hyeong would not have expected what Shin Hee would say now.

“Do you think I ran away from the wedding because of you?”

“What?”

“Even though I love you, it doesn’t mean I can’t forget you. I didn’t run away back then either. Because the wedding ceremony was over an hour ago.”

Hearing Shin Hee’s confession, Geon Hyeong slowly put down his coffee cup. There was clearly something wrong with Shin Hee’s tone of voice that brought up the incident again.

“Because that man first wanted to cancel the wedding.”

Before Geon Hyeong could say anything, Shin Hee immediately continued her words.

“They say they don’t like adopted children. Even so, I still begged that man to wait at that place for just an hour. Then, I ran away before he did. So, I was the one who left him.”

“Damn it, where is he now?”

Geon Hyeong was wide-eyed at Shin Hee’s explanation. He should have really taught that man a lesson. Shin Hee stopped Geon Hyeong who had stood up from his seat.

“Don’t worry. You don’t need to be angry like that, even my father has exploded with anger.”

Shin Hee answered while smiling with satisfaction at Geon Hyeong’s reaction. She did not expect her father who had always been stiff and scary could explode in anger like that.

“You already knew that too. Didn’t you?”

“Are you okay?”

“Of course. The reason why we broke up, the reason why you took it for granted. Didn’t you ever think that all those reasons were actually the same? I really couldn’t refuse my mom’s request. You’re the same way, right?”

Shin Hee didn’t expect an answer from Geon Hyeong and Geon Hyeong didn’t want to answer either.

“Me, I can’t betray my own mother. So, I was just hoping that you would take me away with you, but you didn’t.”

It seemed like a long time ago when Shin Hee’s mother came looking for him that day. Her mother really resembled Shin Hee. With the same arrogant attitude as Shin Hee, she pleaded with Geon Hyeong.

Her mother said that she wanted a perfect marriage for her only daughter, not a marriage between Geon Hyeong who was an illegitimate child and Shin Hee who was an adopted child. She wanted Shin Hee to marry a man who was truly a biological son in her family.

Behind her face, which looked haughty and cold, Geon Hyeong could see her great affection for her daughter. They did live in a world full of accusations and gossip.

They were used to being talked about by others and receiving criticism from others. Therefore, many were hurt and felt lonely due to the accusations and harsh criticism of these people.

Geon Hyeong finally said firmly and confidently that he was ready to break off his relationship with Shin Hee.

He simply did not want to make Yoo Shin Hee, who was the daughter of a wealthy businessman, burdened with the title of ‘adopted child’.  Especially, if coupled with her husband who was a child born out of wedlock.

He did not want to see Shin Hee hurt. For Geon Hyeong, this time it was his turn to take care of her.

“Your parents told me that they want to give you a perfect marriage and household. I want to do the same.”

“To me, Kim Geon Hyeong is the perfect gift. I really don’t care even though you are a child born out of wedlock and I am an adopted child.”

“But I do care,” Geon Hyeong shook his head and said firmly in response to Shin Hee’s whining.

This woman had no idea how hard it was to live a life that was not ordinary like others, how difficult it was to be born as a child that was different from others.

Geon Hyeong hoped that Shin Hee wouldn’t have to experience that bitterness in her life.

“If I asked you to come back, would you come back to me?”

“You know that’s not possible.”

“Because of Jung Won?”

Geon Hyeong just stared at Shin Hee without saying yes or denying the question, but Shin Hee could see the answer in Geon Hyeong’s enthusiastic eyes.

Although she had expected this from the beginning, Shin Hee still felt sad. Geon Hyeong really loved that woman.

The man who used to take care of me alone, is now saying that he has found his soulmate whom he loves. Leaving me alone and being happy with that woman.

“Outrageous. Shouldn’t you be protecting me by my side in times like this? How can you just ignore me at a time like this?”

“I’m not ignoring you. I’m just not standing by your side. I’ve been treated like that too, and I know it’s the most painful feeling in the world.”

“When did I ask you to accompany me? I asked you not to leave me. How could you not grant my request…”

“If I’m by your side, you won’t be able to find someone who really likes you.”

“Like you were back then?”

“Maybe. Do you know why I didn’t ask you to run away with me on your wedding day?”

Shin Hee immediately turned her face away at Geon Hyeong’s question. When she saw Geon Hyeong coming with Jung Won at her wedding, her heart really hurt. Much more than her marriage that crumbled before her eyes.

In fact, Geon Hyeong didn’t love her. That day she realized that her love for Geon Hyeong was much greater than Geon Hyeong’s love for her.

His love for her was only an imagination. If he really loved her, he should have grabbed her hand and asked her to run away that day, instead of complying with her request.

His attitude of just obeying his mother’s threats was not that of Kim Geon Hyeong. Even though it was the best he could do for her, it was definitely not the best choice. If he loved her, he shouldn’t have behaved like that.

From the beginning, it wasn’t Jung Won who was the problem in their relationship.

“Never mind. I don’t want to hear anything else.”

“Even though you’re with another man, even though we’re not always together, I find it enough just to look at you and take care of you from a distance. That’s why I was able to restrain myself.”

Geon Hyeong continued his words without caring about Shin Hee who didn’t want to hear his reasoning.

At that time, Shin Hee didn’t think that Geon Hyeong’s choice was because he didn’t love her. She thought it was just because Geon Hyeong wanted her to be happy.

“Then, if that woman was Jung Won? What would you have done? Would your attitude be different?”

“The same. I wouldn’t have grabbed her hand and led her away from the wedding because I wouldn’t have let something like that happen in the first place. I can’t bear to see another man by her side other than me.”

Geon Hyeong said calmly, but his possessive and passionate confession really made Shin Hee helpless. She felt as if her weapon had been disarmed.

Insolent. How could he speak like that in front of me?

“Actually, what did you think of me before? What does Yoo Shin Hee mean to Kim Geon Hyeong?”

“The person who first called my name.”

Geon Hyeong answered simply, but with feelings that were not simple.

The nickname that stuck to Geon Hyeong when he was 12 years old was not his own. ‘Goryo Group’s son born out of wedlock’, ‘that playboy’s son’, or ‘that woman’s biological son’.

Only Shin Hee always called him by the name ‘Kim Geon Hyeong’. Because of that woman, Geon Hyeong did not forget his own name.

Geon Hyeong’s eyes looked serious and deep as if he was thinking about the events that happened many years ago. Just like when Shin Hee remembered those days when she was at Hwaniwon earlier.

“That’s all? So, that’s the only reason you were nice to me?”

“When there was no one beside me, you were by my side. So, I thought that I should also do the same for you. Because that’s all I can do for you.”

It would probably stay like that for some time to come. Geon Hyeong could not be cold and completely ignore Shin Hee who did not leave him alone when he felt lonely. Until he could transfer his responsibility to take care of her to someone else, Geon Hyeong could not ignore her.

“What the heck are you? So, the only reason you’ve been kind to me is because you feel indebted to me? Just because of that?”

“Much more out of sincerity than because of that.”

“Then, why would your sincerity change? If you really loved me, you would have chosen me instead of Jung Won.”

“I’ve been thinking about why I can’t get away from you. I thought it was because I love you, but it’s really just because I’m too used to you. Because you look too much like me.”

Shin Hee was surprised and held her breath at Geon Hyeong’s calm confession. She knew about that. Shin Hee knew that for Geon Hyeong, she was a person he had to guard and protect, not a woman he loved.

To Geon Hyeong, Shin Hee was his childhood playmate who accompanied him through the pitch-black nights, just like an old teddy bear. She always hoped that Geon Hyeong would not realize that. If the woman named Kang Jung Won did not appear, perhaps Geon Hyeong would not have realized this.

“So, you’re just going to ignore me now?”

“No. I can’t do that. You and I, we can’t really break up and become strangers. You used to be like family to me. And you’re also the closest person to me than my own family,” Geon Hyeong said honestly.

“Family?”

“Yes. Because you’re good at making me feel grateful, annoyed, and amused, and always surprising me. I can’t stay away from you or hate you.”

“I don’t need a family other than my husband.”

“Family is not something that can just disappear even if you don’t need it.”

“Is that one of Jung Won’s advice?”

Geon Hyeong nodded without caring about Shin Hee’s cynical gaze. Geon Hyeong continued to crush Shin Hee’s hopes by saying consolations that were somewhat offensive to her.

By using the word ‘family’.

“I will take care of you and won’t let anyone look down on you. Because we are family.”

Geon Hyeong has really been infected by Jung Won.

Take care of me? I’m not a puppy or a flower that needs to be taken care of, Shin Hee thought. But he said he would take care of me? Geon Hyeong said that to Shin Hee with a small smile.

That smile made Shin Hee even more upset and emotional. The smile that was soft and visible in her eyes was not the smile of Kim Geon Hyeong that she knew.

Now, she really couldn’t get back the Kim Geon Hyeong who used to only love her, who used to only look at her.

Shin Hee couldn’t help but accept that reality now. The fact that Yoo Shin Hee’s Kim Geon Hyeong was no longer in this world.