Chapter 40: His Greatest Regret

“Just because I owe you a debt of grace.”

“…….”

“It does not give you the right to treat me however you please.”

Siheon stared blankly at Kangeun’s back as she stood before Hyunwoo.
Her hand, which had likely struck someone for the first time in her life, was trembling violently.
However, her voice was incredibly calm.

Hyunwoo’s left eye was swollen from Siheon’s punch, and the cheek beneath it was rapidly turning a bright crimson.
This was the result of Kangeun’s fierce slap.
Hyunwoo was just opening and closing his mouth as if he were at a loss for words, bewildered by the fact that he had been struck by Kangeun so unexpectedly.
Judging by his expression, the sheer shock had sobered him up completely.

“Jaeseon-ajusshi may have felt pity for me, but you, Branch Director, simply looked down on me.”

“……Kangeun-ah.”

“Director, please leave before you disappoint me any further.”

“…….”

“You know as well as I do that there are CCTVs in front of the elevators.
I will not make an issue of your actions or words in this hallway today.
In return, I expect you to bury what happened between yourself and Siheon…… the Hyungyeong Commerce New Business Team Leader.”

“…….”

“We will talk again once you are sober.
During the day, in a place where people are around.”

Overwhelmed by Kangeun’s colder and more resolute attitude than ever before, Hyunwoo could not find the words to say before she turned away.

She began to pick up the items that had fallen from her bag, pausing for a moment.

Then, she spoke while looking down toward Siheon’s feet.

“You go, too.”

Siheon stepped forward with the intention of helping her pick up her things, but Kangeun held up a hand to stop him.
Recognizing her rejection, Siheon called her name, not knowing what to do.

“……Go Kangeun.”

“I told you to go.”

“Are you really okay?”

“I’m fine. As you can see, perfectly so.”

“…….”

“I’m tired. I want to rest. Please let me rest.”

Seeing the clear signs of exhaustion on Kangeun’s face, Siheon gritted his teeth and glared at Hyunwoo.
Hyunwoo was also glaring back at Siheon while clutching his cheek.

“Please go. Hmm?”

“…….”

“I hope nothing more happens today.”

She was telling the two men not to stay behind and cause a commotion after she went inside.
Siheon tried to protest, but Kangeun was faster.
Having gathered all her things, she stood up.

“That’s enough.”

“……Are you really all right? From where I stand, being alone right now is……”

“Please. Just listen to me.”

Blocking Siheon’s worry-filled gaze with her hand, Kangeun hesitated for a moment before looking at him again.

“And…… give me time to think.”

“…….”

“I’ll call you.”

Without a trace of lingering attachment, Kangeun turned and walked down the hallway.
Her back looked fragile yet straight.
After unlocking the door and entering her home, she did not look back even once.

Soon, the door clicked shut, and in the silence that settled over the hallway, the glares of the two men clashed sharply.

****

The fingertips tapping against the armrest in the back seat were filled with irritability and nerves.

On Monday morning, Siheon, who had to attend the Hyungyeong Group Employee Sharing Day event on behalf of his grandfather, felt like he was going crazy.

Kangeun, who had left the two men in the hallway on Friday night and locked herself away, hadn’t set a single foot outside all weekend.

He had sent messages saying he was at the door and asking her to just show her face for a moment, but she hadn’t opened the door.

She hadn’t even answered her phone, nor had she replied to the messages she had clearly read.

Siheon had gone down to the 9th floor frequently to check for any signs of her, but it was always quiet.

Worried she might skip meals, he had packed food and left it at her door for every meal.

He had even brought ice cream and mandarin oranges in hopes of cheering her up, but her closed door remained firm.

“Haa……”

“Will that sigh make the earth swallow you whole?”

Siheon’s crumpled expression did not smooth over despite Gitae’s jab.

“Oh, and the field meeting scheduled for this afternoon with Tenuto Coffee Korea has been canceled.”

“What do you mean……”

On Friday night, Hyunwoo had watched with an absurd look as Siheon blocked Kangeun’s door, his eyes shining with lethal intent, before finally disappearing.

Afraid that Hyunwoo might return to harass her, Siheon had spent the entire Friday night in front of Kangeun’s home.

He had been momentarily away to prove he was a resident to the security guard after being misunderstood by neighbors, but it was no exaggeration to say he had essentially stood guard there.

He had been lingering there even until this morning before leaving at Gitae’s urging.

While doing so, he had thought of the afternoon field meeting with Tenuto Coffee Korea, expecting to see Kangeun there.

His brow naturally furrowed upon hearing the meeting was canceled.

“The Branch Director says he’s injured.”

“…….”

“Apparently he fell somewhere and has a hairline fracture in his arm, and another in the bone around his eye, so he’s hospitalized.
The Sales Director said he was fine when they finished drinking and parted ways on Friday night.”

“Fine? He was never a ‘fine’ bastard to begin with.”

“……What?”

“Chief Hyun, just drive.”

“Honestly, you have absolutely no manners.”

Ignoring Gitae’s grumbling, Siheon fixed his gaze on the ash-gray sky.

“Huu……”

No matter how many times he turned it over in his head, his own logic had been shortsighted.
He was the one nearly dying of desperation while holding the Go Kangeun he had desired so much.
He was hurt that she had run away from him.
When he told her to answer her phone, he didn’t mean she should bolt out like an arrow.

Yet, as soon as she took that bastard Branch Director’s call, the image of Kangeun hurriedly going to change in the bathroom while glancing at him had caused jealousy to boil inside him.
He felt angry once more that she had flatly refused when he offered to go down with her.

[It’s my business. I’ll handle it myself.]

While part of him respected those words, truth be told, it was because his own heart was so narrow and petty.

So he had bid her farewell with a sour look.

He had only seen her to the front door and then stood rooted to the spot, waiting for Kangeun.
Hoping she would return again.

“f*ck……”

“Hah, so curses just slide off your tongue first thing in the morning now?”

Staring at his silent phone, another curse slipped out.
His regrets were piling up higher and higher.

‘I shouldn’t have called the police; I should have just half-killed that bastard.
I should have gone down sooner.
No, I should have followed her down immediately.
Wait, I shouldn’t have let her go at all.
I should have stopped her from taking that call.
I shouldn’t have given her any opening.’

He blamed his own negligence as he retraced the events.

‘Crazy bastard.
How many years did I endure only to fail to hold back at the last moment? If I lose Go Kangeun like this, how am I supposed to live?
Why did I make her run?
Why did I make her afraid?’

Ultimately, Siheon clenched his fist, reflecting on the consequences brought about by his own greed.

He hadn’t known the phrase ‘give me time to think’ could be so terrifying.

She said she would call, but there was no word; when exactly would she contact him?

It felt as if his impatience had ruined everything.

Siheon buried himself deep in the seat and leaned his head back.

He remained silent, lost in thought with his eyes closed, before finally speaking.

“Send a flower wreath to the hospital where the Tenuto Coffee Korea Branch Director is.”

“You want to? What should we put on the card?”

“Drop dead, you son of a b*tch.
Before I shove the rest of your life into the sewer.”

“……What?”

“……Find out how to write that in Italian.
Make sure that Italian kkondae bastard understands it perfectly.”

“What is this psycho talking about now……?”

Gitae sent Siheon a look through the rearview mirror that said you’re being a pain again.

Siheon closed his eyes and thumped the back of his head against the seat, wallowing in self-reproach.

He truly felt as if he were losing his mind right now.

****

“I’m heading out to the site.
I need to drop off my laptop for repairs after, so I’ll head straight home from there.”

“Will you be all right?”

“The Director is absent, so I have to go and confirm things myself.
More importantly, will you be okay, Jihwan-ssi?”

Because they hadn’t hired more staff yet, they were severely short-handed.

Kangeun didn’t feel right about heading to the site support task, leaving only Jihwan behind for general administrative support.

“I’m fine.”

“Call me immediately if you’re confused or don’t know something.
Don’t agonize over it and make a mistake like last time.”

“Got it. But Manager……”

Kangeun looked up at Jihwan, who had called her and was standing silently as she packed her bag.

“It’s just…… you look really unwell……”

“…….”

Throughout the weekend, she had drifted in and out of sleep.

The only things she’d had to eat were water, orange juice, a few cereal bars, and a slice of a neglected sandwich from the fridge.

Calculated by time alone, she had technically rested well, but it seemed her cluttered thoughts were written plainly across her face.

“Have at least one of these.”

“What is this now?”

“Gongjindan. It’s something I really cherish, but I’m giving it to you because you’re the Manager.”

“…….”

“I feel like you might collapse at any second.
Truly, I couldn’t take my eyes off you all morning.
I even looked up the nearest hospital in case I had to pick you up and run.”

Kangeun smiled at Jihwan’s humorous concern.

However, in doing so, her dry and chapped lips cracked and began to bleed, causing Jihwan to overreact even more.

A short while later, as Kangeun left the Hyungyeong Commerce building while chewing the Gongjindan, she looked up.

Staring at a spot somewhere near the 13th floor, where the New Business Team office was located, she stepped forward with a sigh.