Chapter 85

[What nonsense is this?]

[Right now, it’s a bit difficult to tell you, and honestly, I’m not sure if I can be honest about it.]

[Don’t say strange things.]

[I’m sorry.]

[How do you even know that person?]

You’ve only seen that person once.

[When I saw them before, I actually felt a bit familiar.]

[?]

[Of course, we’re not on speaking terms or anything like that… but I guess they were someone I’d seen before. They probably don’t know me, though.]

…What are they talking about?

[I’ve said it indirectly before, but my family is wealthy.]

[… so?]

Why are we suddenly getting into this?

[We’re quite wealthy, though it’s not like my father is the CEO of a major corporation or anything. Still, we kind of mingle with people from conglomerate families?]

[What does that have to do with that person?]

[I don’t know if you’re aware, but that person is quite the chaebol’s daughter. If I mention the name, even you would recognize it as the daughter of a major corporation.]

It’s not surprising at all. The fact that Ham Yejin’s family is not an ordinary household was never a secret. This house, Ham Yejin’s car, everything was not commonplace.

[I already know that, so what does that matter?]

[What I heard before was a rumor. It’s not just some baseless gossip, but a real story that everyone knows.]

[I don’t want to hear it.]

I couldn’t guess what Muk Ha-neul wanted to say, but I cut off the conversation there. At the very least, I didn’t want to hear stories about someone I know from someone else without them knowing. Especially if it was something that was closer to a sensitive issue.

[Well, I wasn’t planning to talk until the end anyway, that would be rude.]

I thought it would continue until the end, but I didn’t want to stir up trouble unnecessarily. If the conversation ended here, then that was all there was to say.

[But please don’t get too close.]

[Don’t interfere.]

[Honestly, I just don’t want to see you get hurt.]

[Do you think you’re my guardian?]

[Just a cute junior.]

[Gross.]

[You’re being too much.]

Still, I guess I should say what needs to be said.

[Anyways, don’t bring this up again. It’s not right to talk freely about other people.]

[That’s… true.]

[That person wouldn’t have committed any crime, and if it’s something that happened a long time ago, they wouldn’t have lied to me either.]

[They didn’t commit a crime, right?]

The tone was a bit suspicious, but I let it pass again.

Ham Yejin was doing her best to care for me, and she was a good, kind person. There’s no perfect person. It’s only natural for everyone to have flaws. Even if there was something wrong with Ham Yejin, I didn’t intend to place blame, nor did I have the right to do so.

I didn’t even want to blame her.

So, even if Ham Yejin were to create a major issue, at least I, as much as I could, would stand by her side.

And preferably, I hoped such things wouldn’t occur.

[That person is genuinely good, and they’re someone I’m grateful to. I hope you don’t say unnecessary things about them.]

[Seeing you say that to a girl, you really must think they are a good person.]

Muk Ha-neul didn’t push further. The enjoyable conversation became a bit tarnished towards the end, but I was still glad Muk Ha-neul didn’t overstep any boundaries.

[By the way, when do you plan to return to your original place?]

…That’s a difficult question to answer again. It was something I had intentionally avoided discussing.

Once things wrap up, I would need to leave. I couldn’t stay at Ham Yejin’s house forever. I didn’t want that either. However, both Ham Yejin and I were silently acting as if we were unaware of that topic. Even if I continued to rely on her, I couldn’t wait until Lee Cheon’s issue was completely wrapped up.

Lee Cheon wouldn’t quietly admit to his sins, so this struggle would last a while. There were still few public evidences, and we couldn’t throw him in jail right away. Perhaps for an ordinary person, it might be different, but for someone of his stature, it was surely not the case.

Thus, once Lee Cheon’s case emerged into public view, and at the moment he lost interest in me, I didn’t need to be here anymore.

In fact, I could leave at this exact moment if I wanted.

Yet, neither Ham Yejin nor I spoke of it.

I didn’t even know how to bring it up.

[Not yet, but I’ll be out soon. Why do you ask?]

[Is that so? It’s nothing really, I just wanted to see you since it’s been a while.]

[I’ll contact you once I’m out.]

[…Um.]

[Why suddenly?]

[No, it just seemed like your reaction was interesting.]

[?]

[I was wondering if something happened while I wasn’t there.]

…I didn’t think they were a perceptive person.

[It’s just a message, so you probably perceived it wrong.]

[Is that so? But I feel like it wasn’t like that before.]

[It’s just your misunderstanding.]

To change the subject, I brought up something else.

[By the way, what’s that thing you were preparing to write? Is it for me?]

[It’s still a secret. This time, I’m really confident. Look forward to it.]

It seemed like this was the first time I had seen Muk Ha-neul show such confidence. It was a bit unfamiliar, but it made me feel slightly envious that she could have such belief in her writing at this moment.

[Alright, do your best. I’ll be cheering for you.]

[Did something really happen?]

[Ugh.]

Well, ultimately the conversation ended up being vague like that. I said I would come by again once I got back home.

I didn’t know when that would be, but I said I understood for now.

Muk Ha-neul might not be as important as Ham Yejin, but she was still a grateful presence to me. She was a good junior.

If I had remained a man, perhaps, just perhaps, I might have ended up liking her a little bit.

…No. What am I saying? It was a meaningless assumption at this point.

I was a person who couldn’t love anyone.

Even now, that hasn’t changed.

~

Once again, the usual life returned. Although it hadn’t been that long since I started living like this, it was my usual routine nonetheless.

In the morning, I would see Ham Yejin off, and when I was alone, I would write. When Ham Yejin returned, we’d watch movies together, and at night, we’d sleep in the same room.

I’d also contacted acquaintances like Muk Ha-neul and Seo Jae-Ah a little, and Gu Ji-ye contacted me as well. Perhaps it was due to her instincts as a reporter; she asked about Lee Cheon, but I insisted I didn’t know anything.

Fortunately, Gu Ji-ye didn’t pester me too much. Other broadcasting stations and newspapers also seemed to reassure me that my story hadn’t caught fire.

It wasn’t a fate born of good connections, yet now, they were someone helpful. I exchanged simple greetings and ended the conversation.

But the most shocking news came from Kim Sung-kyu.

He, who had disappeared leaving only a word of apology, had contacted me.

[Teacher.]

As soon as I saw the message, another one quickly followed.

[I’m sorry.]

What should I say? I pondered, but nothing came to mind. Ultimately, what came out of my mouth was just admonishment.

[What are you sorry for?]

[…I know I haven’t been a great editor. I also spoke thoughtlessly when you were struggling. But I didn’t lie to you. It might sound like an excuse, but I really didn’t want that.]

[Why is it directed at me? Did the publishing house really file a lawsuit because of me?]

[…I can’t answer that. However, when I said that back then, I didn’t intend for it to be that way.]

[Then why?]

[I can’t provide an answer. I’m sorry.]

[Then why did you contact me again? With what face?]

[The publishing house plans to withdraw the lawsuit. You haven’t had any further discussions with them yet, right? I pulled this before it progressed.]

[Why?]

[I can’t provide an answer. But things should be alright now.]

[…]

[I’m sorry.]

Suddenly, Kim Sung-kyu left me a phone number.

[I know a guy. He works at Jikang Publishing. I don’t know if he can help, but contact him if you feel like it.]

I didn’t respond. I suppose he didn’t expect a reply.

I simply kept the phone number he gave me in mind.

Kim Sung-kyu truly had an awful personality and was exceedingly annoying. I didn’t dislike him, but he was someone who could indeed get on my nerves.

He probably didn’t purposely betray me. Lee Cheon might have put pressure on him, and he was just following orders from above.

Nevertheless, in the end, he betrayed me. I didn’t have the grace to forgive him now, nor could I be understanding of his situation.

Neither of us would likely talk again. Kim Sung-kyu probably thought the same.

I erased him from my life. Even though he had been with me since the first contract, it wasn’t difficult to erase him.

Leaving a phone number was my way of not forgetting the guilt he left behind.

I couldn’t forgive him, and I probably wouldn’t in the future either.

Still, I decided not to hate him any further.

I wasn’t quite sure if it was because of the phone number he left behind.