Episode 17
The two walked silently after leaving the visiting room. Neither of them said a word for a while. Serin wasn’t sure where they were heading or how far they had walked, but Taeyoon continued holding her hand tightly. That made her feel uneasy. She tried to wriggle her hand free, and when she looked up, their eyes met.
“Do you want to let go?”
Serin slowly nodded her head. Taeyoon smiled faintly, pulled her hand even closer, and interlocked their fingers more tightly.
“I don’t plan on letting go.”
Serin gave up trying to pull away. There was no way Taeyoon would listen to her seriously, and thankfully, Madam Kang wasn’t around watching them right now. More than anything, she was overcome with a sense of resignation—like whatever happens, happens.
‘Jaehui won’t let this slide.’
Serin could still see the intense glare in Jaehui’s eyes. Yoo Jaehui had a strong sense of pride. She always needed to be the center of attention, the star of every situation. But today, in front of so many people, that pride had been trampled. There was no doubt she’d be seeking revenge.
Serin was already worried. She didn’t care what happened to herself, but she feared this could negatively affect the employees of Nongyoung Foods.
“Why are you sighing like that?”
She hadn’t even realized she sighed. Only when Taeyoon pointed it out did she realize her worries were showing. She shook her head lightly.
“It’s nothing. More importantly, how did you find me here?”
“I tried calling, but you weren’t answering. So I asked around.”
“You found me just by asking around?”
Taeyoon shrugged with a grin.
“I’ve always been good at finding you. Remember when you went missing as a kid? I was the one who found you.”
Suddenly, an old memory rushed back to her. She must’ve been six or seven. There was a big fuss when people thought she had gone missing.
She had simply disappeared during a game of hide-and-seek. The nanny and passersby searched everywhere but couldn’t find her. People even discussed calling the police.
And then, Taeyoon, who was just getting off school, found her fast asleep inside the playground slide. The whole thing ended up being just a minor incident.
“You didn’t even have a phone back then… So, this time you found me the same way?”
“Well, sort of.”
This time, though, the situation was different. Back then, he really had found her. But this time, it was more like he’d been informed.
[Serin is at the Jung Hyun High alumni reunion. If you’re free, pick her up on your way back.]
Apparently, even his mother was keeping an eye on Serin now. When Taeyoon arrived and saw Serin surrounded by Jaehui and her people, he understood everything at once.
He had overheard something strange too. Someone mentioned Serin had been bullied in school. At first, he thought it was just a prank, but as he listened more, it was clear it was worse than that.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
Serin’s steps slowed at his sharp question. Taeyoon, who had been pulling her along, stopped and looked at her seriously.
“You never once told me you were bullied at school.”
They hadn’t attended the same school, and even when they lived together, Serin never showed any signs of that. She was always composed, confident, and never seemed intimidated by anyone.
So, Taeyoon had never suspected a thing. Even though his eyes had always been on her.
Serin lowered her eyes. She felt as if she had been stripped bare. She never wanted him to know she had no friends, that she had been lonely.
At first, she had many friends. But slowly, they became distant, and eventually, they started turning on her.
She had been hurt deeply, and over time, stopped trying to make new friends. What helped her survive back then was knowing Bae Yoonmi was always by her side.
That unwavering trust—that even if the world turned against her, one person would stand up for her—was what kept her going.
Which was why she could never tell Taeyoon. If he found out she was the kind of girl who got bullied, he’d look at her with that pained expression. And that was what she couldn’t bear the most.
“It was just… the way things were back then. It wasn’t a big deal.”
It must’ve been hard for Serin to be alone at such an emotionally sensitive age. She tried to act like it didn’t matter, but her voice carried bitterness.
Taeyoon noticed that slight shift in her tone. She was trying hard to seem fine, but he could tell. He always could.
“Come with me.”
He gestured for her to follow, and Serin silently walked after him.
They arrived at a tall building nearby, almost empty as closing time approached. They got into the elevator, and Taeyoon pressed the top floor.
With a soft “ding,” the elevator stopped, revealing a completely silent, empty space.
“Where are we?”
Serin asked, and Taeyoon smiled quietly.
“This is the observation deck of the new TK building. It’s not open to the public yet, so no one’s here.”
“This place… why?”
Serin looked puzzled, and Taeyoon shrugged.
“I originally planned to take you to a nice restaurant, but we’re way past the reservation time. So I brought you here instead. At least the view makes up for it.”
He walked to the wall and flipped a hidden switch, lighting up the room with a soft glow that changed the whole mood.
Serin slowly walked across the empty observatory. After being surrounded by people all day, this quiet place felt peaceful.
As she looked around, she noticed something and ran toward it—a large glass wall showing a breathtaking night view of Seoul.
Countless lights sparkled like waves, like stars had fallen from the sky and scattered across the ground. It was stunning.
“It’s beautiful.”
Serin smiled widely, turning to Taeyoon.
“Really beautiful.”
Her eyes sparkled as they reflected the city lights. Taeyoon thought she looked more beautiful than anything else in the world.
He watched her for a moment before pulling something out of his pocket.
“Here. Take this.”
Serin turned and saw the small box he was holding.
“This is…”
“A gift. Today’s your birthday.”
“Oh…”
Serin bit her lip, caught off guard. She hadn’t expected this at all.
She hesitated, then pressed the button. With a soft click, a bracelet with a clover pendant appeared.
When she just stared at it, Taeyoon gently took it from the box and placed it on her wrist himself. The gold chain shimmered beautifully in the light.
But Serin’s face grew darker instead of happier.
“You don’t like it? I can exchange it.”
She shook her head silently, then forced a smile.
“No, I love it. I really do.”
And that was the problem—she loved it too much.
Everything he gave her made her heart waver. She knew she should let go of him, but her feelings only grew stronger.
Back at the dorm, Serin placed the bracelet back in its case. What should she do now?
Even when she pushed him away, he always came closer. When she decided to stay here temporarily, she had expected it to be hard—but not this hard. She hadn’t realized how deep her feelings had become.
Serin placed the case in her drawer. The bracelet was too flashy and expensive to wear while doing chores for Youngsook. It reminded her of her own feelings—beautiful, but something that must be hidden.
Just then, as she sighed and headed back to her bed, her phone buzzed loudly on the table. She picked it up and her expression darkened.
It was Yoo Jaehui.
