Chapter 28: An Uninvited Shadow

“Tell me honestly. Is there something going on between you and Han Jung-woo?”

I had hoped to finally enjoy a day free from any interruptions. Instead, an unwelcome guest inevitably arrived, determined to annoy me.

And to make matters worse, he was prattling on about the very topic I least wanted to consider.

Even my subtle hints for him to quiet down were lost on him. The rich young master, who had never needed to appease anyone since birth, seemed stubbornly oblivious only in such moments.

“I’m quick to catch on. Don’t even think about trying to fool me; just tell me.”

Had the meaning of ‘quick to catch on’ somehow changed without my knowledge? Suppressing the harsh words that threatened to spill out, I waved my hands dismissively at Jae-hyun.

It was a clear signal for him to leave.

“You want me to come closer?”

Yet, Jae-hyun misinterpreted even that gesture. Believing I was about to reveal something, he pressed himself closer, a proximity that felt both overwhelming and irritating.

“What is it? You said you’d tell me.”

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, Jae-hyun pouted his lips. His gaze, fixed on me with a dopamine-fueled intensity that felt overwhelmingly intrusive, compelled me to finally speak.

“Tell you what?”

“The story about you and Han Jung-woo!”

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“That’s impossible!”

He wouldn’t believe me even if I spoke honestly. With a deep sigh, I pushed Jae-hyun away, rose from the sofa, and donned my jacket.

Tired of being cooped up in the room all day, I decided a light stroll would be refreshing. Yet, with uncanny perception, Jae-hyun instantly glued himself to my side.

He was like a dog, bringing its leash and pestering its owner for a walk at the slightest movement.

“Going out? I’ll come with you.”

“No. I’m going alone.”

“Walks are always more fun when you have company.”

“I’m not walking for fun.”

“Then, Seo-jin, you go your way. I’ll go mine, too.”

He wasn’t a child throwing a tantrum, yet Jae-hyun, with whom reason held no sway, was relentlessly persistent. Once again, capitulating was my only option.

“Do whatever you want.”

“What…? Hey! Wait up!”

Too weary to prolong the argument, I exited the room, leaving Jae-hyun in my wake. He, however, swiftly pursued.

As I walked ahead, Jae-hyun trailed three steps behind me. This peculiar stroll continued, leading us out of the resort, past the walking path, and all the way to the private beach.

‘It’s bothering me.’

Unable to endure the persistent feeling of being watched, I turned around. Jae-hyun, pretending not to notice, squatted down and idly stirred the fine sand with his finger.

I knew I should ignore him, but I simply couldn’t. Moreover, I disliked the constant sensation of someone trailing behind me.

It felt as though I had a paparazzo tailing me.

‘That can’t be right.’

Unlike Yoo Joon-hee, Yoo Seo-jin was undeniably an outsider here. Most people didn’t even know my name, so there was no reason for paparazzi to be following me.

Despite this, I had recently felt an unusual number of gazes upon me. Was I merely becoming sensitive due to Han Jung-woo’s sudden appearance?

‘It must be that.’

Shaking away the tangled thoughts in my mind, I walked over to Jae-hyun, who was still digging in the sand, subtly glancing at me from a distance. I then plopped down beside him and gazed out at the vast ocean.

“What is it? I thought you were going for a walk.”

Despite clearly being pleased by my presence, Jae-hyun tried to suppress the twitch of his lips, as if attempting to hide his delight. It was obvious nonetheless.

“I got tired of just walking.”

“But isn’t that the whole point of a walk?”

“Well, I guess I’m just not in the mood for it today.”

Jae-hyun, after a quick glance at my expression, seemed to relax. He smiled and settled comfortably beside me. As I listened quietly to the rhythmic crashing of the waves, a sudden question arose in my mind.

For Yoo Seo-jin, Han Jung-woo was merely a means to an end, a tool for his own desires. Han Jung-woo knew this, which was why he loathed Yoo Seo-jin.

What, then, did those around Yoo Seo-jin think? What were their opinions of Han Jung-woo, the successor to Daejin Group, one of the world’s rare dominant Alphas, a man adorned with every conceivable admirable title?

“Jae-hyun.”

“Hmm?”

“What do you think of Han Jung-woo?”

“Hey, I’m an Alpha.”

Jae-hyun, misunderstanding my question, genuinely recoiled. That wasn’t what I meant at all. How he managed to jump to such a conclusion was beyond me, and my head began to throb.

“No, not like that. I just meant, what kind of person is he?”

“Oh, was that what you meant?”

Embarrassed, Jae-hyun scratched his head. He then asked for a moment, closing his eyes as he fell into thought. It seemed he had never really considered Han Jung-woo before.

“Well, wouldn’t it be good to be close with him? He’s the successor to Daejin Group, after all.”

“Really?”

“Even the old farts in my family practically grovel before Daejin Group. It’s not just big; it’s colossal.”

As Jae-hyun said, people constantly seek opportunities to align themselves with Daejin Group. Yoo Hae-jung, too, had aimed for this, even fabricating an unconfirmed dating rumor.

Consequently, Han Jung-woo harbored extreme disdain for those who approached him solely because of his background. And among them, Yoo Seo-jin was the worst.

That should certainly be the case.

‘It’s too ambiguous to call it harassment.’

What kind of person would nurse someone they despised through a hangover and bring them food? That’s not torment; it’s kindness.

But why would Han Jung-woo?

Unless he had suffered severe head trauma after nearly dying, there was no conceivable reason for Han Jung-woo to treat Yoo Seo-jin so well.

‘He seems perfectly fine for someone with head trauma.’

Han Jung-woo’s expression when he looked at me was always fundamentally cold. It was so frigid, one might imagine an Arctic glacier to be warmer, yet his actions contradicted this, deepening my confusion.

He keeps confusing me.

“It’s just… strange.”

“Who? Han Jung-woo?”

I had merely mumbled to myself, but Jae-hyun, with his uncanny perception, caught it and his eyes gleamed with undisguised interest. I really should have left him behind. A sigh of belated regret escaped me, impossible to suppress.

“See? I knew something was going on between you and Han Jung-woo.”

“No, Han Jung-woo dislikes me.”

“Huh? That can’t be right.”

At my honest reply, Jae-hyun tilted his head in bewilderment. Judging by his expression, it seemed Yoo Seo-jin had kept secrets even from his closest friend.

“Every time I went to see Han Jung-woo, I was turned away at the door.”

“Really?”

Jae-hyun raised his voice, disbelieving. When I subtly gestured for him to quiet down, he shrugged his shoulders, indicating he understood. As if that would actually make his voice any softer.

“Turned away at the door? That’s ridiculous!”

“What’s ridiculous? I’m on the secretary’s office blacklist.”

“A blacklist? You?”

“He once said he hated even breathing the same air as me, among many other things.”

As I revealed the truth Yoo Seo-jin had hidden, Jae-hyun appeared genuinely shocked, unable to form a coherent response. He had probably believed Han Jung-woo and Yoo Seo-jin were on the verge of becoming lovers.

Indeed, when Han Jung-woo had his accident, Jae-hyun had pestered me about why I wasn’t going to see him. From Jae-hyun’s perspective, my apparent lack of concern for someone he thought I was dating might have seemed heartless.

‘Such pride.’

It was obvious. Yoo Seo-jin must have boasted to his acquaintances that Han Jung-woo was practically his lover, thereby solidifying his own position.

“So, you and Han Jung-woo really aren’t anything?”

“No, we’re really nothing at all.”

“That’s strange.”

“What is?”

“No, last time—”

Jae-hyun, on the verge of saying something, abruptly stopped. Waiting for him to continue, I followed his slightly averted gaze.

‘What’s behind me?’

Following his wildly flickering eyes, I turned around to see a familiar figure approaching us.

Yes, the very subject of our current conversation.

‘Why is he here?’

Han Jung-woo, drawing closer, was impeccably dressed in a suit, a stark contrast to the beach setting. The only difference from last time was his jacket, draped casually over his arm.

With every step, the fine sand sullied his pristine black shoes, yet Han Jung-woo paid it no mind. Leaving deep footprints in his wake, he approached and gently took hold of my shoulder.

“Yoo Seo-jin, what a coincidence.”

Coincidence? He clearly saw me here and came over. I glared at the utterly brazen Han Jung-woo, but his gaze was fixed elsewhere, not on me.

Following his displeased gaze, I found Jae-hyun, whose shoulders were now hunched, his face pale with fear in Han Jung-woo’s intimidating presence.

“And next to you… a friend, or something similar, you said?”

Han Jung-woo recited my previous words verbatim, offering a faint, smiling crescent with his eyes. Jae-hyun, utterly stunned, likely didn’t register it, but I immediately caught the sneering sarcasm in his tone.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?”