Chapter 5: A New Path for Yoo Seo-jin

The next morning, I awoke to a late dawn and immediately checked the news on my phone. Fortunately, thanks to Yoo Hae-jung heeding my words, the portal sites were filled with correction articles.

Although they couldn’t completely let go of Daejin Group and resorted to a trick, leaving some room for doubt, I was satisfied that the articles had been published faster than expected.

The most pressing issue had been resolved. Now, it was time to find Han Jung-woo in person and sever our ties completely. Only then could I live safely as Yoo Seo-jin.

Of course, Han Jung-woo, having known the previous Yoo Seo-jin, wouldn’t easily believe my words. Therefore, it seemed like a good idea to seize the opportunity and leave the country altogether.

Yoo Ju-jin already treated me like a parasite, good only for wasting money. Since it felt unfair to merely endure his insults, truly becoming such a person might not be so bad after all.

‘Perhaps I should visit a southern country. A place that’s warm all year round wouldn’t be bad.’

As I showered, I pictured the countries I longed to visit. When I was Yoo Joon-hee, memories of enjoying a relaxed weekend were hazy due to my packed schedule, making this truly my first proper vacation.

By the time I finished my refreshing shower, humming a tune, I had already mentally circumnavigated the globe. There were simply so many places I wished to go.

Indulging in pleasant fantasies, I headed to the closet, searching for the most modest and subdued outfit among Yoo Seo-jin’s undeniably flamboyant clothes. Even those, however, were still quite eye-catching.

‘What peculiar taste…’

Even to me, an entertainer, Yoo Seo-jin’s style felt excessively ostentatious. It was as if he was desperate to capture everyone’s attention.

Reflecting on it, Yoo Seo-jin always yearned to be the center of the world. It must have been that personality trait, driving his endless greed, that led to his downfall.

‘Time to get ready.’

First, I needed to meet Han Jung-woo as soon as possible, so I put on a plain white shirt, buttoning it all the way to my neck. Standing before the mirror, I confronted my reflection, a face both familiar and strange.

His pale skin and sharp eyes already gave him a fierce look, and with his black hair, his overall impression appeared even colder. This was precisely why I had dyed my hair brown back when I was Yoo Joon-hee.

“What should I do?”

Since I hadn’t told Han Jung-woo when I’d visit, I had plenty of time to stop by a salon. Quickly concluding my thoughts, I picked up my phone and wallet, intending to leave the room, but paused before the wall where the car keys hung.

While I knew driving would be convenient, the fear of an accident still lingered. Rushing out of the room as if fleeing, I took a deep breath and clenched my trembling hands.

Only after tightly closing my eyes and erasing the vivid image that had sprung to mind could I move again. Descending the stairs to the first floor, I encountered his mother in the living room.

“Where are you going?”

Unable to truthfully say I was going to Han Jung-woo, I claimed to have plans with a friend, prompting her to speak with a sigh.

“Are you meeting Jae-hyun again?”

The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t immediately recall who it was. However, seeing that his mother referred to him without a surname, it seemed Jae-hyun was Yoo Seo-jin’s friend, so I nodded for now.

“You two are quite close.”

Her voice had a subtly barbed edge, but I dismissed it as my imagination. After all, if they met often enough for his parents to know the name, Jae-hyun must be Yoo Seo-jin’s best friend.

“I’m running late for my appointment, Mom. I’ll head out now.”

Convinced I shouldn’t delay any longer, I said goodbye to her, hastily put on my shoes, and left the house. As I walked towards the main gate, I tried to recall who Jae-hyun was, but the name still didn’t ring a bell.

‘Was he an extra?’

The drama revolved around Han Jung-woo and Jung Hee-soo, so characters surrounding Yoo Seo-jin often didn’t appear. I suspected Jae-hyun might be one of those figures omitted from the show.

‘If he’s not an important character, there’s no need to know him.’

Erasing Jae-hyun’s name from my mind, I walked to the main road and hailed a taxi. After telling the driver my destination, I leaned back deeply into the seat.

The sky visible beyond the window was remarkably clear and vast.

****

As planned, before heading to Han Jung-woo, I stopped at a salon to change my hair color. Only after the jet-black, night-like hair was covered in a soft brown did my unfamiliar appearance begin to feel normal again.

Of course, a mere change in hair color didn’t entirely alter his sharp eyes or cold demeanor, but it did bring a sense of ease to my mind.

After all, an appearance more suited to a villain than a virtuous protagonist had always been one of my complexes.

‘Let’s go now.’

Hoping this would truly be the last time I met Han Jung-woo as Yoo Seo-jin, I entered the towering Daejin Group building.

Passing through the large, automatically revolving doors, I was greeted by a magnificent lobby. Designed with ancient temples as its motif, Daejin Group’s lobby was so stunning and opulent that it would leave any first-time visitor spellbound.

‘Still the same, I see.’

However, feeling no particular emotion towards a lobby identical to the drama set, I proceeded directly to the information desk.

“You’re here again, Yoo Seo-jin.”

A distinct emphasis on the word ‘again’ was evident in the employee’s practiced smile. Only then did I recall how much Yoo Seo-jin had pestered them in his attempts to meet Han Jung-woo.

Most of the scenes filmed in front of the information desk depicted Yoo Seo-jin abusing his power or causing trouble for the staff. Even as an actress, I had been appalled by Yoo Seo-jin’s behavior, so I could only imagine the disdain felt by those who had actually experienced it.

“Do you have an appointment today?”

“Yes, I do, but…”

As I spoke with an awkward smile, suspicion bloomed in their eyes. Given their past experiences with Yoo Seo-jin, they must have judged my words as another lie, a ploy to meet Han Jung-woo.

I could certainly understand their skepticism.

“Could you please just check once?”

Having come all this way, I couldn’t leave without accomplishing anything, so I decided to brazenly push forward. Of course, I spoke more politely and humanely than the usual Yoo Seo-jin.

The employee seemed slightly flustered by Yoo Seo-jin’s uncharacteristic demeanor, but quickly masked their expression with a professional smile. Then, they sent a discreet signal to other staff members under the desk.

Seeing this, the other employees checked Han Jung-woo’s schedule. Their eyes widened upon discovering my name on the list of today’s visitors.

“Th-there really is an appointment.”

“Really?”

The employee’s eyes, fixed on the monitor, trembled noticeably. While it seemed surprising that an appointment could cause such a reaction, I chose to understand even that.

“May I have the visitor’s pass?”

As I smiled kindly and extended my hand, the employee, looking bewildered, handed over the visitor’s pass. I slipped it around my neck and gave a slight bow to the staff, acknowledging them.

“Have a good day, then.”

Leaving the stunned employees behind, I headed for the entrance. As I scanned the visitor’s pass and prepared to enter, I belatedly noticed that an unusual number of eyes were fixed on me.

‘Why are they doing that?’

The murmurs of the crowd threatened to awaken a forgotten memory. I consciously ignored their gazes, filling my mind instead with the thought of quickly resolving things with Han Jung-woo.

The moment I stepped into the elevator, I pressed the button for the floor where Han Jung-woo’s office was located. Then, I frantically jabbed the ‘close door’ button, preventing anyone else from entering. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead.

‘Calm down.’

As the doors silently slid shut, I placed a hand over my pounding heart and steadied my breathing. Only after repeatedly reminding myself that Yoo Joon-hee no longer existed in this world did my trembling subside.

Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I leaned my back against the wall. Watching the numbers rapidly change on the display, I pushed away any unnecessary anxiety, filling my mind solely with the thought of concluding matters with Han Jung-woo.

‘He wouldn’t suspect anything, would he?’

Of course, it would be strange for someone who had clung to him relentlessly just a week ago to suddenly change. Yet, this change wouldn’t necessarily be bad for Han Jung-woo.

With the antagonist gone, Han Jung-woo would more easily meet Jung Hee-soo and continue their beautiful romance. As for the vanished villain, they could simply live a decent life of their own.

The Yoo Seo-jin in the drama had missed many opportunities by being obsessed with Han Jung-woo, but I would live a completely different life.

As if signaling a new beginning, the door opened with a pleasant chime. Stepping beyond it, I walked down the quiet corridor. In the distance, the executive office came into view.

“Director, Yoo Seo-jin has arrived.”

The secretary, recognizing me before I even spoke my name, announced my arrival in a gentle voice. My heart pounded in rhythm with the soft knock on the door.

Yet, no matter how long we waited, Han Jung-woo offered no response. After the waiting secretary knocked a couple more times, a brief, curt permission to enter came from beyond the firmly closed door.

The timing was so exquisite, almost as if he had deliberately delayed, that a faint laugh escaped me. However, with the secretary watching, I quickly turned my head, feigning a cough.

Such petty power plays might have mattered to the original Yoo Seo-jin, but they held no meaning for me. Han Jung-woo, of course, had no way of knowing this.

“You may enter.”

The secretary gently opened the door and stepped aside. I gave a slight nod, then passed by him and entered the executive office.

The heavy scent that immediately enveloped me upon entering was likely Han Jung-woo’s pheromones. The setting described it as a woody fragrance, and being able to smell it directly made the reality of truly becoming an Omega sink in.

Clenching my trembling hands, I drew up my pheromones using the method I remembered. While I couldn’t hope to overpower an Alpha like Han Jung-woo, Yoo Seo-jin was, at least, a dominant Omega.

Only after surrounding myself with pheromones like a protective barrier did breathing become easier. Of course, this was merely a temporary measure; I needed to finish matters and escape before completely losing my rationality.

“So, you’ve finally come.”