Chapter 02
. Broken Glass
Kiz Fan office.
Scratch, scratch.
Every time the pencil moved across the white canvas, a pleasant sound followed.
Seon-i, who had been drawing a cute teddy bear, set her pencil down and frowned.
“…The medicine isn’t really working.”
She rubbed her lower belly, still aching from period cramps, and muttered to herself.
At that moment, with a thunk, a steaming cup of warm milk was placed on her desk.
“Drink. You’ll feel a bit better.”
It was Eun-young, her close senior and the CEO of Kiz Fan, speaking in her usual chic tone.
“Thanks. You’re the best.”
Seon-i smiled and wrapped both hands around the cup.
“…It’s hard, but you made the right decision.”
At Eun-young’s words, Seon-i gave a bitter smile and slowly nodded.
“Still… feels like a waste. I mean, he was your prince on a white horse.”
Sitting across from them, her junior colleague Ari cut in.
“Prince on a white horse? More like a patient on a white horse. Don’t you remember how he treated Seon-i?”
“Th-that’s true, now that you mention it.”
Ari shrank a little under Eun-young’s sharp tone.
Seon-i, quietly listening, took a sip of the milk. The warm, sweet taste seemed to soothe her dull pain.
“Mmm. What’s in this? Honey? It’s so good. Seriously amazing.”
As Seon-i fussed over the drink, Eun-young shook her head with a helpless expression, having guessed her intention.
“Oh, crap. I almost forgot. I have that meeting with President Choi today.”
Seon-i hurried to pack her bag and stood up.
“Be careful. You know what he’s like.”
Eun-young looked worried.
“Don’t worry. I am the team leader, you know.”
“Yeah, yeah. I gave you that title. Only two employees here, remember?”
“See you later.”
Seon-i smiled and left the office.
Eun-young and Ari slowly walked toward the window and watched Seon-i’s back as she went down the street.
“…She’ll be okay, right?” Ari asked with concern.
“Does she look okay? She’s just pretending.”
Eun-young let out a frustrated sigh as she kept her eyes on Seon-i.
“She’s not kimchi, you know. But she keeps bottling everything up.”
At the Funny Box Nonhyeon branch,
where fancy goods and character merchandise lined the shelves.
Seon-i followed after President Choi, a man in his late 40s, holding teddy bears in both hands.
“President Choi, these are our newest creations from Kiz Fan. His name is Bijo, and his concept is a chic romantic.”
But President Choi showed little interest, busying himself with stock instead.
“‘I brought this just for you. You’re mine now.’”
Seon-i even put on a puppet show voice, trying to catch his attention.
But Choi brushed her aside, irritated.
“Ugh, just go away. I’m working.”
Though it stung, Seon-i forced a smile and tried again.
“Sir, you promised to meet me today. Please, at least give me a chance to explain. Just take a look at this, please.”
She pressed the bear into his hand.
“Romantic, huh? Pfft.”
Choi dropped it carelessly onto the shelf. The impact knocked other items onto the floor.
“Ah, seriously. Look what you’ve done.”
Though he had caused the mess, he turned on Seon-i angrily.
“I’ll clean it up right away.”
Without a trace of annoyance, she quickly began picking up and rearranging the fallen products.
“Ugh, such a nuisance.”
Choi shook his head and moved to another display.
Seon-i froze at the words but soon forced herself to keep tidying.
She picked up the soiled teddy bear and looked at it sadly.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let this happen to you.”
Gently, she brushed the dust off its face.
Then—Bzzz.
Choi’s phone rang. He looked around cautiously, making sure no one else was nearby, then answered.
“Yeah, it’s me. …Still at work. A trip? Of course… I’m looking into it. Okay.”
He glanced at Seon-i, then moved further away to continue the call.
“Alright, see you later. Yeah. Haah…”
When he hung up, he let out a troubled sigh.
“President Choi, I’ve finished tidying up.”
Seon-i hurried over with a bright smile.
Startled, Choi darted his eyes.
“Ahem, well… Team Leader Cheon.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know any good travel destinations?”
“Travel destinations?”
“…Yeah. Somewhere women would like.”
“That’s a hundred percent an affair,” Ari said with confidence.
“No way. He could be going with his wife.”
Seon-i replied while searching destinations online.
“If it’s with his wife, why’d he ask you to plan it?”
“Maybe he’s just bad at making plans.”
“Oh, come on. I’m telling you, it’s an affair. For sure.”
Ari even thumped her chest for emphasis.
“If you’re just going to distract me, go home early. I’ve got work to finish—he wants it by tomorrow.”
“Fine, fine. I’m leaving!”
Pouting, Ari stomped loudly as she left the office.
“Finally, some peace.”
Seon-i chuckled and turned back to the monitor.
“Somewhere women like, huh…”
Her mind drifted back to her trip to Hokkaido. Soaking in an outdoor hot spring while looking out over Lake Tōya—it had been breathtaking.
“It was so nice…”
But along with the memory came an image of Gyeon-hui.
That trip had been their first and last together.
Seon-i shook her head vigorously, as if to shake off the thought. She even slapped her cheeks a few times before forcing herself back to planning.
The next day, Kiz Fan office.
Bang!
The office door swung open violently.
Startled, Seon-i looked up from her desk—President Choi stormed in, fuming.
He threw the itinerary onto her desk.
“Hey! Are you trying to make a fool out of me?”
“What? What do you mean, sir…”
Seon-i stood up, wide-eyed.
“Why did you recommend this place to me?”
“Well, you said you wanted somewhere women would like…”
“This place has an active volcano!”
“It does, but it’s considered safe. Unlike earthquakes, volcanic activity shows warning signs…”
“Ha! So radiation wasn’t enough, now a volcano? Seriously, when I showed this to Sujin, she—”
Choi cut himself off, realizing he’d said too much.
“Anyway, enough. I get what you were trying to do. Hmph.”
“P-please, President Choi, wait!”
Seon-i grabbed his arm.
“I’ll find somewhere else. Please, just give me one more chance.”
“Haa…”
Choi frowned, then stared at her.
“Can you really handle it?”
“Yes, leave it to me.”
“You’re lucky I’m a nice guy. This time, do it properly. A young person like you—tsk, tsk.”
As if on cue, he clicked his tongue and swept out of the office.
“Phew…”
It felt like weathering a storm. Seon-i collapsed into her chair, exhausted.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened her laptop.
“Europe… US… Canada… Haah.”
Scrolling through travel blogs with a heavy heart, one image caught her eye—
the vast landscape of Santiago.
“The pilgrimage route, huh… Should I just send him there?”
She chuckled weakly at her own joke, but couldn’t tear her eyes away from the photo.
University hospital VIP reception room.
A reporter glanced up from his notes during an interview.
“Not only have you acquired Funny Box recently, but also fashion and publishing companies—quite an aggressive expansion. Is there a specific reason?”
Dressed impeccably in a tailored suit, Gyeon-hui smiled with ease before answering.
“We’re pursuing offline expansion while also investing in high-value cultural content. It’s all part of our plan to grow into a global company, not just Korea’s number one.”
The reporter nodded, then flipped through his notebook.
“Global, yes… But three years ago you attempted to enter the US market, and your share there is still under one percent. Domestically, W Department Store is pushing into online distribution, closing the gap. Some even speak of a crisis. Do you have a counterstrategy?”
“Of course. I’m always preparing the next step.”
“By ‘next step,’ do you mean more acquisitions?”
The reporter’s sharp gaze suggested he already knew something.
Gyeon-hui looked briefly uncomfortable, but didn’t show it.
“Yes. Delivery…”
He stopped mid-sentence, wincing from surgical pain.
The reporter instantly picked up on it, studying him closely.
“…Delivery capability is one of the key factors we’re evaluating.”
Forcing a smile, Gyeon-hui finished his answer.
The reporter watched him for a moment, then closed his notebook.
“Thank you for your time. Finally, may I ask about your long-term business goal?”
“Global number one.”
His concise, confident reply made the reporter nod as he turned off the recorder.
“Your interviews are always so full of energy. Thank you again, CEO Woo.”
“…Think nothing of it.”
Even as he replied, Gyeon-hui clenched his fist, hiding the pain.
“By the way, are you unwell? You suddenly moved the interview to the hospital…”
The reporter adjusted his glasses, scrutinizing him carefully.
“It just happened to coincide with a routine checkup. As you know, every minute counts in my schedule. I appreciate your understanding.”
“Ah, I see. I was worried you might be sick. Especially with Chairman Woo Yeong-taek being absent so long…”
He subtly probed about Gyeon-hui’s grandfather, the group’s chairman. Though the company had made no official statement, rumors of the chairman’s declining health had become accepted fact.
“My grandfather is as healthy as I am. Thank you for your concern.”
Gyeon-hui’s composed words made the reporter chuckle and nod.
“Of course. It’s an honor to interview you, CEO of Concensio. Well then, good luck with your checkup.”
With a smile, the reporter left the room.
“Ugh…”
The moment the door shut, Gyeon-hui clutched his stomach, groaning in pain.
“Gyeon-hui! A-are you alright?”
His secretary, Kwon, rushed in.
When Gyeon-hui removed his jacket, sweat soaked his back, and a faint bloodstain showed at his surgical site.
“The anesthesia… wore off faster than expected.”
Shirtless, he slumped against the sofa.
“I told you we should postpone the interview! Why push yourself like this?”
“Keep your voice down. You want everyone to know I’m sick?”
At that, Kwon quickly covered his mouth.
In the world of conglomerates, a CEO’s health could even sway stock prices.
“Haah…”
Exhausted, Gyeon-hui leaned back.
“But seriously—what is that? It looks like a tattoo…”
Kwon pointed at the red mark on his chest. It resembled a flower with five petals—or perhaps a starfish.
“I told you, I don’t know.”
Annoyed, Gyeon-hui frowned.
It wasn’t a scar, and it wasn’t a tattoo. It had appeared suddenly, ever since the day of the accident.
Thinking of that day, she came to mind again.
He glanced at his phone—no calls, no texts from her for days.
“Haah.”
Alone, he exhaled heavily, staring at the ceiling.
“…This is infuriating.”
Unable to bear it, he picked up his phone again.
“Phew…”
Back at the office, Seon-i sank into her chair with a deep sigh.
“How did it go? Did President Choi like it?” Ari asked, worried.
“Yeah. Luckily, it seems he always wanted to go to Europe anyway.”
Seon-i gave a weary smile.
“You really worked hard…”
“Hard, my butt. And Ari—don’t tell Eun-young about this.”
“Like she wouldn’t find out.”
Just then, Eun-young’s voice came from behind.
“Oh, hey. You’re back?”
Seon-i flinched, forcing an awkward smile.
“Didn’t I tell you not to let him push you around? Did I, or didn’t I?”
“I was just helping.”
“Helping, my foot!”
“Anyway, it all worked out.”
“You little—”
Before she could finish, Eun-young’s phone rang.
“We’ll talk later. Hello? Yes, sir.”
Taking the call, she stepped outside.
“Phew.”
Seon-i clutched her chest, trying to calm down, and sat back at her desk.
Her eyes fell on the itinerary for Lake Tōya—the one Choi had rejected yesterday.
“‘Let’s come back here someday,’” she recalled his casual words.
His face appeared in her mind, vivid as ever.
Seon-i shook her head hard, pained by the memory. Then her phone rang.
A sense of unease filled her as she cautiously checked the screen.
“Gyeon-hui.”
Her expression froze at the caller ID.
Did she want to hear his voice again? Her trembling finger hovered over the answer button.
“Will I ever be able to forget…”
Just as she was about to press it, Eun-young came back.
“Who’s calling? Why aren’t you answering?”
Glancing at the screen, Eun-young’s face also stiffened.
Seon-i said nothing, staring blankly at her black laptop screen.
When she accidentally brushed the mouse, the monitor lit up again.
A long ochre-colored road stretched across a field.
Backpackers were walking along it—images of Santiago.
Lost in thought, Seon-i slowly set her phone face-down.
“…Unni.”
“What?”
“…I want to leave.”
Eun-young’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.
“There’s somewhere I really want to go—no, somewhere I have to go.”
Seon-i turned her gaze back to the monitor.
The backpackers walking toward some unknown destination…
In her heart, she was already walking with them.
