Episode 35
Everyone’s eyes turned in unison toward one direction. It was Taeyoon who had approached from behind, unnoticed amidst the attention focused on Seorin. A cold energy emanated from him, and sensing this, those nearby exchanged uneasy glances.
Glancing sideways at them, Taeyoon continued in a sharp voice.
“What a show. Summoning someone just to make a fool out of them?”
“Taeyoon, that’s not what this is…”
Someone tried to defend Chae-hee, but the piercing glare from Taeyoon made them fall silent.
“I called Seorin here, oppa,” Chae-hee said firmly.
Taeyoon’s gaze turned directly to her.
“Seorin and I… we were close. Intimately so, even if only briefly. You remember, don’t you, Seorin?”
A sudden, stabbing pain pierced through Seorin’s mind like an arrow.
The memory of that cold hand that had pushed her down the stairs, the dangling black ribbon hairpin, and then Chae-hee wearing the exact same hairpin while gazing at the reaper with sorrowful eyes… and her own dreams that had been abandoned after that day.
Everything was still vivid.
While Seorin had rolled through the mud, Yoo Chae-hee acted as if she’d forgotten everything—innocent and guiltless.
That cruel innocence made Seorin clench her fists tightly in an effort to keep control.
Taeyoon’s eyes flicked down to her hand.
Her pale knuckles were white from the force of her grip—an old habit of hers when trying to endure something unbearable.
Is she still clenching like that, foolishly…
Taeyoon reached out and gently pried open her fist. Inside were crescent-shaped marks where her nails had dug into her skin.
“You’ll hurt yourself if you keep doing this,” he muttered, clicking his tongue.
Seorin’s eyes widened in shock.
She wasn’t the only one stunned by his sudden gesture. Even the onlookers froze, especially considering this was happening right in front of Chae-hee—his fiancée. The engagement had just been officially announced today.
Chae-hee’s face first turned pale, then flushed red with anger. But Taeyoon paid her no mind. Her furious voice finally cut through.
“Oppa! What are you doing right now?!”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m asking what you’re doing in front of me, your fiancée! Have you forgotten who you’re engaged to?!”
Taeyoon licked the inside of his cheek, then gave a sarcastic smirk.
“Well, Chae-hee, don’t you think it’s a little early to call that ‘set in stone’?”
“…What?”
Chae-hee looked at him, completely dumbfounded.
“I’ve believed for over 20 years that I was going to marry Eun Seorin. So a marriage arranged in just a few months? It can fall apart just like that.”
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Chae-hee bit her lips, her chest heaving with emotion as if it would burst.
Seorin felt her strength drain away. She wanted to disappear.
She couldn’t understand where Taeyoon had come from or why he was sabotaging everything.
If she just endured a little more, everything would be fine. Dongyoung Foods, her family… would be safe.
But why?
Why did he always—
As Seorin tried to pull her hand free with trembling lips, Taeyoon refused to let go.
Chae-hee, now unable to contain her rage, screamed.
“Oppa!!”
Just then, someone called out.
“Seorin.”
The crowd parted, and a soft voice melted the frozen tension like warm wind.
“Why are you here like this?”
“Jung-hyun oppa…”
It was Jung-hyun, who came to her just as she was about to collapse. Relief flooded over her like a tide. Seorin looked up at him with pleading eyes.
Jung-hyun glanced from Seorin to Chae-hee, then to Taeyoon, and gently placed a hand on Taeyoon’s shoulder. Speaking quietly, so only Taeyoon could hear, he said,
“That’s enough. You’re making Seorin uncomfortable.”
Taeyoon narrowed his eyes and looked at Seorin.
Her face was twisted in pain, shaking her head as if begging him to stop.
Her eyes welled with tears. Though she tried to hold them back, they looked ready to fall at any moment.
I’m the one who called her? Is this all because of me?
Seorin, looking betrayed, turned her gaze away from Taeyoon.
Seeing her avert her eyes made the strength leave his grip. As his hand dropped, Seorin quickly caught it and brought it to her chest, holding it close—like a shield, a silent message: You won’t touch me again.
“Let’s go, Seorin,” Jung-hyun said, gently placing a protective arm around her.
As they turned to leave, Taeyoon called out in a low voice.
“Don’t go. Eun Seorin.”
“I already told you. I’m going.”
Seorin turned to face him. After briefly biting her lip, she turned her head again.
A chilling coldness spread through Taeyoon’s eyes as he watched her walk away.
“Let’s go, Jung-hyun oppa.”
Jung-hyun nodded and, shooting a glance at Taeyoon, led Seorin away from the scene.
He took her to the pond on the far side of Hyeonmujae.
The faint music and chatter from the banquet could still be heard, but the pond was remote enough that everything seemed distant.
Sitting side by side on a bench, Seorin couldn’t lift her head.
“You look so down,” Jung-hyun said.
“You were so brave all this time at Hyeonmujae. You must be exhausted.”
His gentle words made her throat burn like she’d swallowed fire.
At that moment, Seorin finally realized just how much she’d been holding in.
It had been hard.
She pretended to be okay, tried to hide her feelings—but everything had been hurting her.
Myeongsook’s harsh treatment, Chae-hee humiliating her in front of everyone, and Taeyoon’s mercilessness… all of it.
Seorin kicked at the gravel under her feet. The soft sound of stones scattering echoed faintly.
After a long silence, Jung-hyun carefully spoke.
“You’re seeing Taeyoon, aren’t you?”
Seorin looked up in surprise, meeting Jung-hyun’s sharp eyes—ones that seemed to see right through her.
She realized she couldn’t lie to him.
Lowering her head, she nodded quietly.
Jung-hyun had suspected it, but hearing it confirmed left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Looking up at the high, glowing moon, he murmured softly,
“I hoped your path wouldn’t be such a painful one…”
“But Seorin, if you ever get tired—come back. I’ll always be here.”
His kind voice lingered, but Seorin didn’t respond.
She had already gone too far to return.
More than anything, she was no longer the pure-hearted girl Jung-hyun had once known.
She had changed too much, lost too much.
After Jung-hyun left—claiming hospital work awaited—Seorin quietly walked alone down the stone path. The sounds of laughter from the banquet still floated from afar.
Chae-hee is probably still at the center of it all.
She didn’t want to go back.
Taeyoon’s actions had crossed a line in front of so many. Chae-hee would only retaliate harder now.
And if Osung Group withdrew its investment…
A heavy anxiety clung to her ankles. Her steps grew slower.
With her head low, she trudged along, toeing the ground as she walked.
As the sound of laughter grew nearer, suddenly someone grabbed her hand and started pulling her away.
A tall figure, with broad shoulders and a large hand—just from the back, she knew it was Taeyoon.
“W-what are you doing? Let me go!”
Seorin tried to shake him off, but his grip was too strong. Powerless, she was dragged away.
Taeyoon eventually opened the door to a secluded storage room and all but pushed her inside.
It was old, empty, and clearly untouched by people.
He cornered her against the wall and stared her down.
“What are you doing?” Seorin asked.
Taeyoon’s voice came low and cold.
“I told you not to leave.”
