TN47

Episode 47

“Mother, were you trying to send Sorin away?”

Youngsook averted her eyes ever so slightly. But that small gesture alone betrayed her lies.

Taeyoon had already stepped up close to her. Bending slightly, he asked in a cold, almost growling tone,

“Where is Sorin right now?”

“Taeyoon, that’s…”

“I asked you where she is, Mother.”

As Taeyoon growled, Youngsook’s face twisted as if trying to dodge the confrontation.

“I told you, she’s not—!”

“Mother!”

Taeyoon finally exploded. The intensity in his furious eyes felt like lightning might shoot from them.

He may have come from her own flesh and blood, but sometimes she wondered if he was really her child.

Unable to hold out any longer, Youngsook gave in and confessed the truth.

“I don’t know. That’s what I’m asking you too!”

Once she started talking, the words poured out like a broken dam.

“I didn’t send her. She said she couldn’t take it anymore, that she was going to leave and asked for help. But then she just vanished. All she left was her clothes in the restroom. She disappeared like smoke. How would I know where she went?!”

She raised her voice, practically shouting in defense. Taeyoon turned away without a word.

When he had approached her, she had felt scared. But now that he was walking away, panic struck Youngsook. She grabbed his arm urgently.

“Where are you going?”

“Where do you think? To find Sorin.”

“Taeyoon!”

Hearing his answer, she clung to his arm even more desperately.

“Are you really going to throw everything away for her? She’s the one who said she was leaving! Why chase after her?”

“What about the business deal? The technology agreement with Ohsung? If we have Ohsung, our company can finally soar! We were just one step away. Why are you ruining it all… for a girl like her?”

Still, Taeyoon said nothing. But now a dark fury brewed in Youngsook’s eyes. She clenched her jaw and spat out her words.

“Sorin is from a failed family. What could possibly make you want someone like her? What do you lack that you’d fall for a girl like that? Do you know what I’ve done for you? How much I’ve sacrificed for your sake?!”

For the first time, Taeyoon finally turned to look at her. His eyes met hers. And in that moment, Youngsook felt a chill pierce her spine.

Just moments ago, his anger had been blazing, but now… his face was cold and empty.

The emotion in his eyes was not anger.

No—it was something far worse.

It was cold, merciless, as if he weren’t looking at the mother who gave birth to him, but at a mere insect.

Youngsook’s expression crumbled as she realized the emotion in his eyes.

Contempt.

A deeply rooted, disdainful contempt toward someone utterly low and despicable.

“Taeyoon… you…?”

His voice was flat and chilling.

“So it’s true, isn’t it? Everything you did was for your own ambition.”

“You grabbed that promissory note and tried to shake Dongyoung Foods… You humiliated Sorin just to satisfy your pride and jealousy—not for me.”

“Taeyoon…”

“Sorin… she was the one thing I ever truly wanted in my life. I’ve kept her in my heart for over twenty years.”

“If you knew that, you never should’ve touched her, Mother.”

Spitting his words like poison, Taeyoon shook her hand off and stormed out of the living room.

Youngsook, pushed back by the force of his rejection, collapsed helplessly into the couch and watched her son walk away. A dark premonition crept into her chest—as if he might never return again.

“Taeyoon! Taeyoon!”

She called out, but Taeyoon never looked back.

—

Outside, Taeyoon strode briskly and made a phone call.

“Chief Song.”

—”Yes, sir?”

“Find Eun Sorin.”

—”Pardon? Miss Eun Sorin? Why all of a sudden…?”

“She escaped from Incheon Airport earlier this afternoon. We have no idea where she went or how she left.”

“Search every CCTV camera in and around the airport and track her down. Immediately.”

His voice, pressed out word by word, made Chief Song audibly gulp.

—”Understood, sir.”

After hanging up, Taeyoon headed straight for the garage.

Wherever you are, I’ll find you, Sorin.

His sharp eyes pierced through the windshield as the engine roared to life. Moments later, the car surged down the hill of Seongbuk-dong.

Screech, screech, screech—

Seagulls skittered across a small seaside village on Korea’s southern coast. Sorin sat quietly on a rocky beach, staring blankly at the white waves crashing ashore.

She had traveled without an umbrella through the rain, and now, as her damp clothes slowly dried, a chill crept into her body.

The noticeable pale pink cardigan she had worn? She had tossed it in the airport restroom trash can.

To avoid Secretary Han, she had escaped in the middle of a crowd of tour group travelers. She slipped out of the restroom and boarded the first limousine bus she saw.

At Seoul Station, she bought a ticket for the earliest departing express train—she didn’t have time to think. She didn’t even know where she was headed.

All she could feel was a terrifying sense of dread, like someone would show up at any moment and drag her back by the collar.

After five hours of running, she arrived at this small fishing village on the southern coast.

Sitting there watching the waves roll in, her pounding heart finally began to calm a little.

“What do I do now?”

She had fled as far from Seoul as possible, but now that she was here, she had no idea what to do.

Since her luggage had already been checked in, all she had was a small handbag with her passport and wallet.

But she couldn’t use her card or withdraw cash. If she did, she’d be caught right away.

She felt like a five-year-old child who had lost her mother. Lost and completely helpless.

Far off in the sky, the setting sun cast a beautiful red glow—completely unaware of her despair.

Sorin buried her face in her knees. She stayed like that for a long time, unmoving, until she heard loud chatter approaching.

She stayed huddled, hoping the people would just pass by.

But the voices came closer and closer.

“Miss, what are you doing here?”

A voice spoke as a hand gently touched her shoulder. Startled, Sorin looked up.

Four middle-aged women stood before her—too old to be called “aunties,” but not quite old enough to be grandmothers.

“Um…”

Before she could answer, one of the women clapped her hands and exclaimed.

“Sister! Isn’t it obvious? She’s heartbroken. Dumped.”

“Yeah, she definitely looks like she got dumped.”

“They say this beach is popular for heartbreaks. Something about it draws broken-hearted lovers.”

Suddenly declared heartbroken, Sorin was flustered—but it wasn’t exactly wrong.

Since she didn’t deny it, the women took it as confirmation. Worrying they might’ve touched a sore spot, they exchanged glances.

“Still, Miss, the sun’s setting. It’s not safe here alone. You should go home.”

“Yes, hurry on home now.”

Sorin bit her lip. She couldn’t go home. She shook her head, and the women clucked their tongues in concern.

Then the oldest among them, holding a red basin, spoke.

“If you’ve got nowhere to go, come with us. We run a guesthouse.”

The others immediately chimed in.

“That’s right! Sister’s place has spare rooms!”

Startled, Sorin raised her hands to decline.

“Oh no, it’s okay. I don’t want to be a bother…”

The woman laughed heartily, slapping her thigh.

“It’s been raining so much lately, it’s not even cold at night. You’ll be fine.”

Even with her warm offer, Sorin hesitated. But the women gently pulled at her wrist.

“Come on now. A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be out here alone. It’s dangerous.”

Still unsure, Sorin followed them quietly.

Behind them, darkness was slowly falling over the road they walked together.