CHAPTER -04
“……Yes. Understood.”
The moment he ended the call, Beom Kwon-yeol (범권열) turned toward the café, clicking his tongue quietly.
‘That took longer than expected.’
A request to adjust the schedule had come in from a Sayoung Group affiliate involved in a joint development project. Since the Vice Chairman of Sayoung Construction had personally called, it wasn’t something the secretary’s office or working-level staff could handle—Kwon-yeol had to deal with it himself.
On the surface, it looked like a simple schedule change. In reality, it was a struggle for control.
The vice chairman—also the son-in-law of the Sayoung Group chairman—was known for his sly personality and smooth eloquence. He had a knack for disarming people before steering conversations in his own favor.
Still, Kwon-yeol had been tolerating him, thinking at least he didn’t waste time with unnecessary chatter.
—How about the conference room at The Lotus Hotel? We can make it a breakfast meeting. My daughter likes the café there. Ah, she was recently promoted to managing director. I hope Managing Director Beom can guide her well.
The sudden remark left Kwon-yeol dumbfounded.
Why should he be the one to “guide” the man’s daughter?
Perhaps sensing his reaction, the vice chairman stopped just short of crossing the line and let him go.
Kwon-yeol quickened his pace back toward the café.
It felt like he had left a child alone by the water.
“…….”
Then he narrowed his eyes.
…A child.
He thought of Yoon Hee-jo (윤희조) sitting by the window.
Her baby fat had long faded, leaving a slender face.
Light brown eyes with unreadable depth.
A straight nose. Lips that always tilted slightly upward.
A pale, elegant neck flowing into straight shoulders.
A delicate body without an ounce of excess.
No matter how generously one might say it, she could no longer be called a child.
The Yoon Hee-jo who once bled out her grief had grown into a woman—one who could smile as if unaffected even under the lecherous gazes of foolish men.
…Even so, Yoon Hee-jo was still Yoon Hee-jo.
Just the younger sister of a close friend—someone he had to look after.
Repeating that thought almost obsessively, Kwon-yeol stepped into the café.
Then he paused.
He drew in a quiet breath at the sight of her profile.
With a blank expression, gazing far outside the window, she looked as though she might disappear at any moment—wrapped in a fragile, precarious air.
Has she always been smiling just to hide that fragility…?
The thought lingered.
Kwon-yeol resumed walking.
“Yoon Hee-jo.”
Normally, she would have noticed his presence and turned immediately.
But today, she only looked at him after he called her name twice—like someone waking from a dream.
“……Kwon-yeol oppa?”
“What’s with that face?”
He sat across from her.
“Were you badmouthing me or something?”
“…….”
He let out a dry scoff, narrowing his eyes.
“Guess you were.”
“……No.”
“Not convincing with that face.”
Startled, Yoon Hee-jo touched her cheek with the back of her hand.
The sight made him chuckle without realizing it.
She usually acted so mature—but at times like this, she was exactly the same as when she was young.
For some reason, seeing that honest, emotional version of her again put him at ease.
At some point, whenever he looked at her, something deep inside him would heat up.
And each time, an inexplicable discomfort followed—like a haze creeping in.
As if he were some kind of base, instinct-driven beast.
Kwon-yeol frowned.
“Yoon Hee-jo.”
Tap. Tap.
He tapped the armrest with his index finger, unable to hide his irritation.
“Don’t tell me it’s because of that idiot from earlier.”
She blinked.
“That idiot…?”
“The one who spoke slow but moved fast.”
Ah.
Only then did she remember her blind date.
Panic flickered in her eyes.
She had a class next Wednesday—how was she supposed to face Director Lee?
No… that wasn’t the real problem.
The real problem was Madam Jin Seo-ryeong (진서령).
The woman who might become Kwon-yeol’s wife had come to see her today—and Jin Seo-ryeong would surely know.
What had been said, too.
“It was just an unfortunate coincidence.”
As she recalled Kim Jung-yeon (김정연) speaking lightly of her brother’s death, the anger she had been suppressing surged all at once.
“So I’d appreciate it if you stopped using that as an excuse to approach Kwon-yeol. If you need money, contact me instead.”
Through Kim Jung-yeon, Jin Seo-ryeong had said it to her:
That she was nothing more than a parasite clinging to Kwon-yeol under the pretense of her brother’s death.
Her head, which had already been aching since before meeting Kim Shin-woo (김신우), now rang sharply.
Heat rushed through her eyes and throat.
The composure she had maintained shattered. Her reason blurred.
“Yoon Hee-jo.”
“This birthday—”
They spoke at the same time.
Kwon-yeol gestured for her to go first.
Though her prolonged silence bothered him, he decided to listen.
If—if she really wants that idiot…
“I want to receive my gift early.”
He frowned.
“…A gift?”
“My birthday is in two weeks.”
“I know.”
Even if he forgot his own birthday, he would never forget hers.
He still vividly remembered Yoon Hee-jae (윤희재), excitedly asking him to help choose a birthday present for his younger sister turning twenty.
Three days later, Yoon Hee-jae died in his place.
A week after his death, on her twentieth birthday, Yoon Hee-jo had clutched the necklace and letter he left behind, crying until she collapsed into Kwon-yeol’s arms.
Every moment of that day remained as clear to him as yesterday.
But the woman sitting before him now was completely different.
As if she had become a woman overnight.
Perhaps that was why he felt that strange, hazy emotion whenever he looked at her.
Convincing himself of that, Kwon-yeol focused on her request.
This was the first time she had ever asked for something.
“What do you want?”
“If I tell you… will you really grant it?”
“As long as it’s within my power.”
Whatever she wanted—money, objects, even something unavailable in Korea—he was prepared to give it to her.
Even if she asked for his shares, he would hand them over.
“Then—”
For once, a crack appeared in Kwon-yeol’s expressionless face.
—
Soft, dim lighting wrapped around the space.
A gentle saxophone melody and low bass notes filled the air richly.
The scent of leather rising from deep green velvet sofas blended sensually with the heavy aroma of aged whiskey.
This was the underground jazz bar of The Lotus Hotel.
“Are you satisfied now?”
Holding her cocktail glass tightly, Yoon Hee-jo nodded.
“Yes. I’ve always wanted to come to a place like this.”
Unlike her usual unreadable smile, she now looked around with open curiosity—unable to hide her excitement.
It felt like she had returned to how she was before Yoon Hee-jae died.
“Then we should move seats. I want to drink.”
“…Drink?”
“I heard the jazz bar downstairs is famous. I’ve always wanted to go… Do you have any other plans?”
Kwon-yeol hadn’t even tried to hide his disbelief at her request back in the café.
Still, he came down with her.
He had said he would grant her wish.
He was supposed to review reports for next week’s executive meeting—but his plans had changed.
Strangely, he didn’t mind.
Rather, this grown-up version of the once-annoying little kid intrigued him so much he couldn’t look away.
“Do you remember? The day you taught me how to drink.”
He nodded.
“You looked like you could handle it, but then suddenly collapsed and fell asleep. Just like Yoon Hee-jae.”
Blushing slightly, she laughed.
“It’s funny. My brother was like that too.”
Kwon-yeol downed the amber liquid in his glass.
When she laughed, something deep in his chest tickled.
Strange.
“Kwon-yeol oppa.”
Her gaze lingered on his moving Adam’s apple before she spoke.
“Can I make a wish?”
With alcohol in his system, his already unsettled mind lost its balance completely.
“Promise me you’ll grant it.”
Just once. Just this once.
Would it be okay to choose happiness instead of normalcy…?
Because this will be the last time.
“…Go ahead.”
“Then—”
She looked straight at him.
“Sleep with me. Just once.”
