Chapter 42: Don’t Pretend It Was Love

For her entire life, she had regarded him only as a younger brother.

Because of that, she couldn’t help but be confused when he, someone who had known no other men, suddenly approached her in such a masculine way while she was still caught up in the joy of their reunion.

However, at the decisive moment, Kangeun had to admit that she hadn’t pushed him away.

Although Siheon had coaxed her, who was not prepared at all, and had driven her to a place where she couldn’t escape that night, he hadn’t forced her.

If she had said she hated it or didn’t want it, he definitely would have stopped.

He would have apologized for his one-sided impatience.

Kangeun knew the Siheon she had raised.

Due to her fear and trepidation, she had initially made up her mind to avoid the situation.

But after encountering the waiting Hyunwoo, she realized that the moment Siheon had approached her as a man was entirely different from Hyunwoo’s actions.

Over the past week, she had cut off contact with the two men who gave her such a headache and intentionally tried not to think about them.

But her subconscious, soaked in fatigue, had sorted through her thoughts for her.

Kangeun decided not to doubt the naturally-formed conclusion.

There was no room for reconsideration.

She picked up her espresso cup, which still held some warmth, and rinsed it under running water before putting on her discarded flats and shouting.

“Let’s have lunch. We need our strength.”

At any rate, the tasks for today had to be completed.

She couldn’t afford to lose her focus throughout the precious break time before evening business began.

And a few hours later, in the early evening.

“Everyone worked so hard. How was today?”

Kangeun asked as she looked at her staff.

Everyone’s faces were tired, but their eyes were shining.

“It was very difficult, right? But for me, it was a proud day where I clearly saw how many people have been waiting for Tenuto Coffee. On behalf of the Branch Director, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you who shared this precious first step in Korea. Since we’ve tasted the intensity of the soft opening, let’s prepare for the formal opening with even more resolve and effort. Have a wonderful holiday!”

Kangeun encouraged the staff and clapped once.

At that, everyone applauded, greeted one another, and dispersed.

At 7 PM, the soft opening day of the first Tenuto Coffee branch in Korea finally ended.

Kangeun, who had seen off the staff with holiday gifts she’d prepared in advance, remained alone in the store.

She surveyed the store, which was lit only by a small bulb, and after finishing her final checks, she stepped outside.

“It’s cold.”

Though she had seen off the staff with a bright expression just a moment ago, her face as she muttered to herself about the cold showed only exhaustion, with the smile nowhere to be seen.

In the city evening where darkness had settled, her white breath spread over the dappled lights.

Kangeun stretched her body, inhaling the sharp air, and corrected her posture.

Just as she was trying to forget her fatigue, she felt the vibration in her coat pocket and pulled out her phone.

[Jihwan called and said the soft opening ended well. It must have been hard, right? You worked hard.]

It was a message from Hyunwoo.

If he had only said that much, it would have been fine, but—

[Kangeun-ah, I miss you.]

At the subsequent message, Kangeun firmly bit her lower lip.

Exhaling a deep breath to suppress her rising emotions, she finally took a step.

Burying her expressionless face in her muffler, she merged into the crowd of busy people.

“Ah…! You came.”

As soon as Kangeun entered the hospital room, Hyunwoo, who was leaning against his bed, sat up.

The mean-spirited look from a week ago was nowhere to be found in Hyunwoo’s welcoming face, which still wore his characteristic good-natured smile.

He looked like a man who was simply glad to see Kangeun.

Neither his tone nor his expression, which were no different from usual, suggested even a shred of guilt or remorse for his actions toward her.

“Kangeun-ah, come closer. You must be tired from the first store preparations. Your face looks haggard.”

Perhaps the condition of the arm that had been twisted was more serious than the face that was hit, as his arm was wrapped in bandages and held firmly in place.

“My face is a mess, isn’t it… They said the area I was hit nearly collapsed. It’s best not to move as much as possible for the bone to heal, so I had no choice. It’s not as if I’m a thug, but because someone suddenly swung a punch like that… You had a hard time in my place, didn’t you? I’m sorry.”

Hyunwoo stared at her, his smile looking somewhat pitiful.

The swelling on the left cheek where Kangeun had slapped him had gone down quite a bit.

However, the area around the eyes where he was hit by Siheon was stained entirely deep blue and red, with even the capillaries burst.

“They said I could have gone blind if I were unlucky. It’s a relief I managed to dodge in time. The doctor said it was very fortunate.”

“…….”

“And also, I didn’t know your hands were so sharp, Kangeun. I really thought my eardrum might burst.”

Hyunwoo’s eyes drooped as he subtly tried to stir up Kangeun’s guilt and express his own pitiable state.

It seemed Kangeun, who wouldn’t properly meet his eyes, was making him anxious.

He looked restless as he constantly stole glances at her and clenched and unclenched his hand.

“There, there’s a chair here. Unfold it and sit down. Do you want something to drink? Have you had dinner?”

“Director.”

She had no intention of sitting down and chatting idly.

She had come to this place to say what needed to be said.

To do that, Kangeun was currently suppressing many things.

“Yes, Kangeun-ah.”

“I have something to tell you.”

Hyunwoo, seemingly flustered by her straight and clear attitude, reached out with his good arm and hurriedly grabbed the chair to hold it out for her.

“Sit down. Let’s look at each other’s faces and talk, just us.”

“…….”

“Kangeun-ah, I’ve done nothing but wait for you here. Why did you only come now? Who else do I have to turn to in Korea? I thought only of you throughout my time in the hospital.”

“…….”

“Kangeun-ah, that day I really… although I was drunk, I was blinded by jealousy, so…”

She hadn’t come all this way, dragging her fatigue-soaked body, just to listen to this kind of nonsense.

Kangeun opened her bag, pulled out what she had prepared, and held it out to him.

“What is this…”

“I need approval.”

“You should have sent anything urgent by email. To stick work out at me as soon as you arrive… and while I’m talking right now.”

Hyunwoo seemed hurt that Kangeun wasn’t recognizing his effort to lower himself and accommodate her feelings.

The expression on his face as he took the approval file Kangeun offered was clearly one of displeasure.

“You can handle common items yourself… What is this?”

“Please sign off.”

“…….”

“It’s a resignation letter and a leave request form. I plan to take a week off starting from the day the holidays end.”

If she included the five days of holiday and the week of leave, it would be February.

Kangeun had decided to pull herself out of the operations for the first Tenuto Coffee branch in Korea, which would move into its formal opening starting in February.

She had decided to fulfill her responsibilities as of today and end their existing relationship.

“Kangeun-ah, what is this…”

“I have finished the urgent tasks. I put in maximum effort to fill your vacancy, Director. Though there were parts that were not smooth and there was some confusion since it was the soft opening day, it was satisfactory overall. For the parts that need supplementing or more attention, I have emailed Jihwan-ssi…”

“How can you, how can you do this to me?”

Only then did he look up to meet her eyes properly, his complexion pale and struck by shock.

However, Kangeun only calmly closed her eyes once before opening them.

“How could you possibly do this to me…”

“I am well aware of the debt of grace from being raised.”

“…….”

“And I know exactly to whom I must repay it.”

“……Kangeun-ah.”

“I have always been grateful to you, Director, for looking after me. But if I had known that such care came with expectations from me, I would have refused from the start. Since I cannot give you what you want.”

“…….”

“I believe my debt of heart to you has been paid in full by turning a blind eye to what happened last time. Come to think of it, I don’t really feel like I’ve received much grace either.”

“…….”

“You were just playing at being a caring ‘Oppa’. Then you figured I was someone worth keeping around.”

Stunned by her accurate assessment, Hyunwoo looked down at the approval file in his hand with disbelief.

“But then you felt offended because I wouldn’t act as easily as you wanted.”

“Kangeun-ah. It’s not like that…”

“However, please understand that I cannot act as you desire just to soothe your feelings.”

The gaze looking down at Hyunwoo, who was trying in any way to deny Kangeun’s words and hold onto her, was coldly dead.

She no longer wanted to remember Hyunwoo, a man she once thought was a good person, in such an ugly light.

So, Kangeun bowed slightly in a polite sign of departure.

“Thank you for everything. I have uploaded all business-related files to the shared drive. Please understand that I am leaving without a formal handover process. I ask that you, Director, having worked so hard to make this decision possible for me, directly process my resignation. I will speak with Ajusshi separately.”

“…….”

“Well then, I hope you recover quickly.”

Just as Kangeun had finished speaking and turned around—

“Do you think you’ve caught Cha Siheon? Is that why you’re doing this?”

“…….”

“Kangeun-ah, naive Kangeun-ah. Cha Siheon is not someone someone like you can ever fit with. Yes, I admit my heart was impatient. But it wasn’t just because of that. I can see plainly that you, kind as you are, will only get hurt by being toyed with by Cha Siheon, so how could I just turn a blind eye?”

Kangeun turned back toward Hyunwoo, doubting her own ears.

“I was only thinking of you. I didn’t want you to get hurt. Fine. I understand. Let’s just pretend nothing happened that day. Just remain as Lead Manager Go Kangeun. I will also remain as the Branch Director.”

Faced with Hyunwoo looking up at her with an expression that said he would take a step back for her sake, Kangeun’s expression distorted.

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