Chapter 20
Why Only Now
“Do you two know each other?”
Eun-woo asked Seon-i, pretending not to notice anything.
“…Yes.”
She had no choice but to answer, then shifted her gaze toward Gyeon-hui. She needed a moment to speak as if nothing were wrong.
“…I didn’t even get to thank you earlier. Thanks for taking me to the hospital.”
“Taking you?”
Gyeon-hui repeated, displeased with her tone.
“You didn’t get in touch after the hospital? Are you okay now?”
Eun-woo cut in smoothly, interrupting Gyeon-hui. Gyeon-hui frowned and shot him a glare.
“Oh, yes. It was nothing. Just a bit of dizziness.”
“Hmm. Then maybe you should postpone your meal. I need to help this customer, anyway.”
“Huh?”
Seon-i looked at Eun-woo, confused.
He only gave her a faint, unreadable smile and a quick wink.
At the word meal, Gyeon-hui’s brow furrowed deeper.
“Can I take Rabong home?”
Avoiding Gyeon-hui’s eyes, Seon-i turned to Eun-woo.
“Of course. Rabong’s been waiting just for you.”
“…Thank you.”
She forced a smile, carefully moved Rabong into the carrier, and slung it over her shoulder.
Her face showed no trace of pain. But Gyeon-hui could still feel the pounding headache and bruised ache in his body—the pain of Cheon-seon, not himself.
How can she pretend nothing’s wrong when it hurts this much…?
He couldn’t understand it. No, it made him angry.
Seeing her act unconcerned in front of Eun-woo only fueled his irritation.
“Cheon-seon, we need to talk.”
At his call, Seon-i stopped without thinking.
Realizing what she’d done, she bit her lower lip.
“…I have nothing to say. Nothing to hear, either.”
She spoke with quiet resolve, still not meeting his eyes.
“I’ll be going.”
She gave Eun-woo a polite nod and walked past Gyeon-hui out of the clinic.
“Wait—Cheon-seon!”
Gyeon-hui started after her, but Eun-woo stepped lightly in front of him.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Gyeon-hui asked in disbelief.
“You lied. Said she was your woman.”
“…Move.”
His tone chilled, but Eun-woo didn’t budge, smiling with calm confidence.
“Looks more like you’re the one chasing her.”
“Chasing?”
“Yes. One-sidedly, at that.”
Eun-woo nodded with an easy grin.
“That’s none of your business.”
“Maybe I want to make it my business.”
Gyeon-hui narrowed his eyes at the steady look in Eun-woo’s.
“You’d better not meddle.”
“And you’d better learn some manners.”
Eun-woo glanced toward the door. Thankfully, Seon-i was already out of sight.
“Well then, time to close. Please leave.”
He kept his smile until the end. Gyeon-hui pushed past him with a rigid face.
“By the way—Gyeon-hui, right? That’s your name?”
“We’re not on name-exchange terms.”
“Still, I’ll remember it. Never know when we’ll run into each other. You know mine, yes? Park Eun-woo, Blue Rose Animal Clinic.”
Gyeon-hui looked at him coolly and replied, “Woo Gyeon-hui, CEO of Consensio.”
At the mention of that powerful company, a flicker of surprise crossed Eun-woo’s face—a reaction Gyeon-hui had seen countless times.
An animal-clinic vet, huh.
He gave a faintly mocking smile and left.
“Hah…”
After he was gone, Eun-woo let out a long sigh, curiosity curling his lips into a smile.
Back home, Seon-i exhaled a weary breath.
“Why did he come there…?”
She couldn’t fathom how he’d even found the clinic.
Thud, thud, thud.
A sudden knock at the door sent a jolt of fear through her.
“…Who is it?”
“Open up.”
Only one person in the world would speak like that.
How does he know where I live…?
She bit her lip nervously.
“Wherever you go, you’re still in the palm of my hand. Open the door.”
“…No.”
“Open it.”
“I said no.”
“Before I break it down, open it.”
“…Please, just go back.”
“Open it. I just want to see your face.”
His voice softened, but the words—just your face, just your face—echoed like a spell.
Don’t open it. Absolutely not…
She repeated it to herself, but her hand was already on the doorknob.
…He did help me today, after all…
Convincing herself, she unlocked the door.
The moment it opened, Gyeon-hui shoved his way in and pressed her back against the wall.
“You said no? Told me to leave? Since when do you talk to me like that, huh?”
His voice was sharp with anger.
“…Please don’t.”
“Don’t what? I haven’t even done anything. Is there something you want me to do?”
“…No. Nothing.”
“Nothing, huh.”
He looked into her eyes with unnerving certainty.
She turned her head, but he forced her face back toward him.
She tried to push him away with fragile hands, but he caught both wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head.
Staring down into her trembling eyes, he slowly leaned closer.
“Stop…”
Her voice quivered.
Seeing her fear, a faint smile curled his lips. Like a predator closing in on prey, he moved toward her.
His lips drew nearer—and then—
“Ah!”
Pain shot through his toe and he cried out.
“What the—?!”
Something had bitten him.
“Woof! Woof!”
Rabong, the little dog, barked fiercely after biting his toe.
“You little—!”
Enraged, he stomped his foot loudly.
Thud!
“Yelp!”
Rabong shrank back, whimpering in fright. Seon-i’s eyes shook; the trembling dog was a mirror of herself moments ago.
“Woof! Woof! Grrr!”
But Rabong refused to back down, barking with all his might. A tiny flame sparked in Seon-i’s chest.
“Why you—!”
Gyeon-hui started toward the dog.
“…Don’t.”
Seon-i stepped between them.
“What?”
“Don’t. Not to Rabong.”
Her voice was firmer now. He noticed the change in her eyes.
“Go home.”
Gyeon-hui stared at her in disbelief as she pushed him toward the door.
Too surprised to resist, he found himself outside.
“There’s no place for you here anymore. Please leave.”
“Cheon-seon, you—”
“Sorry.”
Bang!
She slammed the door.
“…Haa…”
Leaning against it, she let out a shuddering breath. Her legs trembled, her fingertips shook.
“Whine…”
Rabong padded over, looking up at her.
Gently, she lifted him into her arms, careful of his little legs.
“…Thank you, Rabong. Because of you…”
Tears streamed down her cheeks. Rabong softly licked them away.
She bit her lip and hugged him close, his soft fur and small warmth offering the comfort she needed.
Next morning.
“Haa…”
Gyeon-hui woke with a brutal hangover, frowning at the half-empty wine bottles littering the table.
Knock knock.
Secretary Kwon entered.
“Wow, you drank that much?”
“…Quiet. My head’s pounding.”
“No matter what happened with Seon-i, you should think about your health.”
“What?”
Gyeon-hui looked up, startled.
“You don’t remember?”
“Remember what?”
“She kicked you out, didn’t she? Bitten by a dog, too. That dog doesn’t have rabies, right?”
“I… I told you all that?”
He clenched his fists, ashamed of himself.
“She said, ‘There’s no place for you here anymore. Please leave.’ Repeated it, actually. I memorized it.”
“…You’re not shutting up, are you?”
“Eep.”
One icy glare and Kwon snapped his mouth shut.
“Haa.”
But Seon-i’s words kept echoing in Gyeon-hui’s ears.
“How’s your body? Feeling better?”
“…Feels like my head will split.”
“Still have that cold?”
“Cold? Oh…”
The hangover was brutal, but the cold seemed mostly gone.
“Good thing you went to the hospital. That shot worked fast.”
“Stop talking. You want the whole neighborhood to know?”
“Why? Think Seon-i will retaliate?”
“…You never know.”
“She doesn’t seem the type. Why not just be honest and ask for help?”
“Are you crazy? Who knows what she’d do?”
“Tsk. You should try being a decent person.”
Gyeon-hui glared silently.
“Yeah, I’ve been way too nice—letting you stay around proves it.”
Kwon flinched at the icy look and hurried to change the subject.
“I mean, are you just going to do nothing?”
“What else can I do?”
“Something. What if something happens to Seon-i? She catches colds and nearly collapses.”
“…Haa.”
Gyeon-hui recalled the sharp pain in his bitten toe. If such a small wound hurt this much, he didn’t want to imagine anything worse. A chill ran down his spine.
“I just have to make sure she doesn’t get hurt…”
An idea flickered through his mind.
“Got a plan?” Kwon asked.
Instead of answering, Gyeon-hui hesitated.
Do I really have to go that far?
He shook his head.
“…I need another way.”
“We’ll think of something,” Kwon said.
“You?”
Gyeon-hui gave a skeptical look but, lacking any better idea, only sighed heavily.
Jingle jingle.
While playing with a cat, Eun-woo looked up at the door chime.
Seon-i entered, bowing awkwardly. He greeted her with a warm smile.
“…About yesterday, I’m sorry.”
“Yesterday? Oh, it was nothing. Oh! And here’s our Rabong.”
He checked the dog as if nothing had happened. Thanks to his easy manner, Seon-i felt her tension ease. After examining Rabong’s leg, Eun-woo glanced at her.
“Yesterday… it might’ve been because of the text I sent you.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I texted you, and right after that he called me.”
He reacted to the director’s text?
Gyeon-hui’s possessiveness had always been intense; no wonder he’d responded.
“Ah…”
Now she understood why he’d shown up at the clinic.
“Off to work? I’ll take care of Rabong again today.”
“…Yes. Thank you.”
She stroked Rabong and left.
Why only now…?
One mystery solved only raised another. She sighed as she walked.
Pat… pat…
As if sensing her mood, the sky suddenly opened and rain poured down.
“Oh!”
She ducked into a nearby doorway, but that was all the shelter available.
“What now…”
She needed to hurry to avoid being late, but the downpour showed no sign of stopping. No convenience store nearby sold umbrellas.
Waiting wouldn’t help, and no one was coming to rescue her.
“Haa…”
Resigned, she flipped up her coat collar and dashed into the rain.
Water splashed with each hurried step, soaking her sneakers and coat. Soon even her hair was dripping.
Then, abruptly, the sensation of falling rain disappeared.
Had it stopped? She tilted her head upward. The sky still poured.
Only then did she notice the large black umbrella above her.
“It’s really coming down,”
a gentle, warm voice said by her ear.
Startled, she turned—and saw Eun-woo smiling at her.
“Need an umbrella?”
His faint smile was matched by eyes a little more serious as they rested on her.
