Chapter 79: A Calculated Welcome

“Well, look who it is! Our esteemed Director Han, I presume!”

Having received a call from my mother, Yoo Hae-jung rushed over and enveloped Han Jung-woo in a tight embrace.

I had planned to leave before Yoo Hae-jung arrived, precisely to avoid this, but staying a little longer to chat with my mother proved to be a mistake.

Yoo Hae-jung was already acting as if Han Jung-woo were his son-in-law. No doubt, in his mind, he was envisioning himself soaring to new heights, having forged an alliance with Daejin Group.

That was entirely in character for the Yoo Hae-jung I knew.

“If I’d known Director Han was coming, I would have prepared properly.”

“Not at all. I arrived quite suddenly myself, and empty-handed at that.”

Fortunately, Han Jung-woo maintained his professional smile, showing no hint of discomfort, and skillfully continued the conversation with Yoo Hae-jung.

When I, on the other hand, grew uncomfortable with the situation, he even met my gaze and offered a gentle smile, as if to tell me there was no need to be.

‘Well, it should be fine.’

As I set my worries aside, Yoo Hae-jung, having concluded his conversation with Han Jung-woo, approached me. Though he frowned slightly at my noticeably swollen belly, he consciously offered a benevolent smile and greeted me.

“It’s been a while, Seo-jin.”

For Yoo Hae-jung, Yoo Seo-jin’s unmarried pregnancy was a source of profound shame, something he desperately wished to conceal. It was only because Han Jung-woo was involved that he let it pass; otherwise, I would have long since been sent away, perhaps even abroad.

I knew, of course, that Yoo Hae-jung was also a father who genuinely cared for Yoo Seo-jin. Yet, unlike my mother, who offered unconditional love, Yoo Hae-jung possessed a calculative streak.

Perhaps because of this, I found it difficult to fully open my heart to Yoo Hae-jung. Even with effort, completely bridging the distance between us would likely be impossible. Concealing my tangled emotions, I forced a smile.

“Yes, I’m back.”

“…Alright, seeing your face is enough.”

Yoo Hae-jung lightly patted my shoulder before heading to the bedroom, saying he would go change. My mother, who had been standing at a distance to avoid interrupting our reunion, quietly approached and took my hand.

“Your father is probably just upset.”

“Yes, I know. I understand.”

I remained calm, but my mother could not.

As I watched her retreating figure head towards the kitchen, seemingly to cheer me up by asking me to wait a moment, Han Jung-woo approached.

“Your expression isn’t looking too good.”

“Does it show?”

“Even if you try to hide it, I can see everything.”

He gently tapped my cheek with his fingertip, then offered a soft smile first. When I mirrored his smile, he stroked my head as if I had done well. It was only after his tender touch lifted my spirits that I realized the truth.

My mood had been far from good.

“Shall we stay for dinner?”

“No. I’m tired, so I’d rather go back.”

My mother would surely want her son, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, to stay for dinner, but I was already exhausted, yearning to return to Han Jung-woo’s quiet home.

“Then shall we say our goodbyes and leave?”

He whispered, pressing a kiss to my hair. After a quick glance towards the kitchen, I nodded honestly.

****

Though I broke a slight sweat trying to appease my mother’s disappointment, fortunately, we managed to leave Yoo Seo-jin’s house without staying for dinner.

Even though we promised to return soon, no one specified when that might be. Perhaps because of this, my mother held my hand repeatedly, reiterating her desire to see me again soon.

“Call often, too.”

Yoo Hae-jung, clearly displeased by Han Jung-woo’s early departure, approached and offered an awkward farewell. Even then, his gaze remained fixed on Han Jung-woo, who was waiting for me in the car.

“Please take good care of Mom.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if you, Seo-jin, visited more often?”

“I’ll try.”

After exchanging goodbyes with Yoo Hae-jung, I shared a final embrace with my mother. The warmth of her hug, a feeling I had never experienced as Yoo Jung-hee, was immensely comforting, but I reminded myself that even this was not truly mine.

“No regrets?”

As I got into the car after a lengthy farewell with my parents, he asked.

Catching a glimpse of my weary face in the rearview mirror, I buckled my seatbelt and gave him a look that urged him to start the car. Soon, the vehicle moved off quietly.

Knowing we had another hour and a half of driving ahead, I reclined the seat as far back as possible to alleviate any strain on my belly, seeking a comfortable posture.

This left me practically lying down, yet the position allowed my body to relax and unwind. I felt confident that this pose wouldn’t put too much strain on Kkam-jjaki either.

“It’ll be a while until we arrive, so get some sleep.”

His large hand gently covered my face for a moment before withdrawing. As I naturally opened my closed eyes, I met his gaze; he had turned to look at me at that very instant.

“Aren’t you sleepy?”

“I’m fine for now.”

“Hmm, your eyes tell a different story.”

Raising an eyebrow playfully, he extended his free hand, the one not on the steering wheel. He then wiggled his fingers, urging me to take it, so I reluctantly placed my hand over his.

“You know this is dangerous, right?”

“Well, I’ll just hold it for a bit and then let go.”

Our fingers intertwined deeply, leaving no space between them. Leaning comfortably against the seat, I watched his profile as he focused on driving.

“Do you have something to say?”

“No.”

“I don’t think so; it looks like you do.”

He kissed the back of our clasped hands, urging me to speak.

Something to say? In truth, there was much. It was simply that there was nothing I could tell him at this moment.

Did Han Jung-woo know that my heart, which had begun to lean towards him at some point, had now fully committed?

That was why, the moment I faced Jung Hee-soo, I feared he would leave me without a backward glance.

If I were to voice such anxieties to him, he would surely reassure me, saying it was impossible.

I knew now that Han Jung-woo was endlessly kind to me. And that, paradoxically, made it all the harder.

“Thank you for coming with me today.”

“My stubborn insistence on coming paid off, then. To even hear a ‘thank you’ from Yoo Seo-jin.”

“Well, it’s true I had a comfortable ride thanks to you.”

“Then will you give me a reward?”

I was about to ask what kind of reward he meant when, just then, the car slowed to a stop at a red light. Once the vehicle had completely halted, he took his hand off the steering wheel and gently tapped his own cheek.

“I think this would be enough for me.”

A chuckle escaped me at his audacious request. Considering the three-hour round trip and the ordeal with Yoo Hae-jung, I wondered if a single kiss on the cheek was truly sufficient, but since he desired it, I could at least grant him that much.

“Then look ahead.”

“Well, if Yoo Seo-jin wishes it.”

He shrugged, fixing his gaze forward. The light was still red, but there was no time to hesitate, as it could change at any moment. What was so difficult about a quick peck on the cheek, especially after all we had been through?

‘It’s fine. Just this much.’

I squeezed my eyes shut and gently puckered my lips. Leaning in to kiss his cheek, which was directly in front of me, I felt a strange sensation.

Peeking through my lashes, I saw that he, who had been looking forward, had subtly turned his face towards me. Consequently, our lips met instead of my kissing his cheek.

The upward curl of his lips, a sly grin, confirmed he had been aiming for this all along.

“You childish jerk.”

“Tsk, tsk. You shouldn’t use such language.”

As a playful punishment, he lightly bumped our lips together, then slowly opened and closed his eyes. The lighthearted atmosphere from moments before transformed in an instant.

“I want to kiss you….”

He murmured to himself, his lips brushing mine, before kissing me again.

Just before his tongue could slip through the slightly parted opening, a sharp honk blared from behind us!

Snapping back to reality, I saw that the light had changed. He started the car rather abruptly, and I turned my gaze to the darkened world outside the window.

“We still have an hour until we get home….”

He tapped the steering wheel like an anxious man, muttering to himself. Hearing this, I checked the remaining time on the navigation, which showed an hour and three minutes until we reached home.

My gaze, unconsciously drawn downwards, quickly returned to its original position after spotting a distinct outline beneath his trousers. Seeing my wavering eyes, he let out a small sigh and finally pulled the car over to the shoulder.

“There’s a hotel nearby. It might not be exactly to your taste, Yoo Seo-jin, but the beds are soft, and it wouldn’t be a bad place to spend the night. So—”

He broke off his words mid-sentence, unbuckled his seatbelt, and leaned closer.

Then, without either of us needing to initiate, we embraced and kissed. Hot breaths filled the car, fogging the windows with a white mist.

Briefly pulling apart for air, we gazed solely at each other, catching our breath. Soon, we exchanged smiles.

“Do we really have to go home tonight?”

“There’s no need for that.”

Having received the answer he desired, he kissed my forehead before returning to the driver’s seat. As he changed the destination and drove on, our hands remained intertwined.

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