“This is our company’s new game, ‘Eternal Fate.’”
Ho-su’s calm voice echoed through the conference room. Ha-neul looked down at the proposal on the desk, but not a single word registered.
‘Calm down. Let’s calm down. Nothing’s going to happen.’
But contrary to Ha-neul’s hopes, she could barely breathe, and her heart was pounding like crazy.
“The game’s concept is fantasy romance. It’s the story of a protagonist who crosses time and space to meet their destined partner again.”
Ho-su continued explaining.
Cross time and space to meet again…
Ha-neul lifted her head and looked at Ho-su. Ho-su was looking at her, too.
His gaze was saying it.
‘Like us.’
“The main theme of the ad is ‘Reunion After Ten Years.’”
Ha-neul’s hands trembled.
“It’s about lovers who broke up ten years ago meeting again by chance and finding their way back to love. I think it will suit Yoonseul’s image very well.”
Ji-yeon spoke excitedly.
“Wow, that sounds great. What do you think, Yoonseul?” “…”
Ha-neul couldn’t answer. Ho-su lifted the corner of his mouth slightly and said,
“You still seem to be thinking it over, but our schedule is tight. I’d appreciate it if you could make a decision as soon as possible.”
After the meeting, Ha-neul and Ji-yeon got into the elevator.
“This is huge, seriously! If you sign with Next Studio, your rate is going to double!”
Ji-yeon spoke excitedly, but Ha-neul just stared blankly at the floor.
“By the way, CEO Kang Ho-su was insanely handsome, wasn’t he? You saw him too, right?” “…” “He’s young, that handsome, and talented, too. My God. He has everything. Absolutely everything.”
When Ha-neul gave no response, Ji-yeon stopped where she was and grabbed her arm.
“Ha-neul?” “Huh? Oh, yeah. I guess so.” “What’s wrong with you? You’ve been acting weird all day. Are you sick?”
Worried because Ha-neul seemed especially strange today, she asked, but Ha-neul shook her head.
“No. I’m fine.”
But contrary to her answer, Ha-neul was anything but fine.
“We can go ahead with the contract as planned, right? I’ll tell the CEO. He’ll be thrilled, too.” “…Yes. I understand.” “But what did CEO Kang give you earlier? I’m curious. He said it was a gift.” “Ah…”
Ha-neul tightly clenched the paper bag in her hand.
When Ha-neul got home, she went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
All it contained was a few bottles of water.
She took out a bottle and carried it into the living room, then leaned against the sofa as if she might collapse. A sliver of sunlight was filtering through the blackout curtains covering the living room windows.
Ha-neul stared blankly at the ceiling.
The ceilings were higher than those in most homes. The chandelier hanging there looked especially precarious today.
It had already been two years since she moved here.
It was the first home she had bought after moving from one monthly-rent apartment to another. Ha-neul had wanted a smaller place than her current home, but she chose this one because of its high ceilings and Hangang view.
Even setting aside the ceiling height, she had paid several tens of millions of won more than for other listings because of the view.
People criticized her for wasting money on something pointless, but Ha-neul thought the place was worth every penny.
With heavy steps, she approached the living room window and pushed the blackout curtains aside.
Swish—.
The Hangang, viewed from the sofa, gave her a sense of peace. Some people said staring at the Hangang could lead to dangerous thoughts, but to Ha-neul, it brought tranquility.
And what about the Hangang at night? The lights of the cars traveling across the bridges were no less impressive than any European nightscape.
But today was different. Even looking at the Hangang couldn’t calm her.
“…That person was my senior, Ho-su.”
The man who had been her first love ten years ago. The man she had impulsively spent one night with a few days ago. And today’s reunion.
It had all been Kang Ho-su.
Ha-neul turned her eyes toward the living room table.
The paper bag and the unwrapped box sat there, all alone.
Inside the box were one of the earrings Ha-neul had left behind in the hotel room and Ho-su’s business card.
He already knew who she was. As that thought reached her, Ha-neul’s mind grew tangled.
After thinking for a while, she picked up her phone. She scrolled down her call history, then stopped at one name.
‘Dad.’
Park Jong-hyun. The only person in the world she could confide in at that moment.
Ha-neul called him. After one ring, a familiar voice answered.
—Hey, Ha-neul. What’s going on? “Dad…”
Hearing Jong-hyun’s voice made Ha-neul’s throat tighten for a moment.
—Why? Is something wrong? “Dad, I…”
She couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud.
—Ha-neul, where are you right now? Are you home? “Yeah.” —Have you eaten? “No, not yet.” —Then come to Haneul Bunsik. I’ll make you some tteokbokki.
Jong-hyun’s words brought tears to Ha-neul’s eyes.
“Okay. I’ll be there.”
Inside the Haneul Bunsik location run by Jong-hyun, several high school girls were eating tteokbokki and chatting noisily.
“Boss, can we get another order of fried squid?” “Sure. Just wait a minute.”
Jong-hyun expertly fried the food while stealing glances at Ha-neul. She was sitting in a corner with her hat pulled low over her face. And unlike usual, her shoulders were slumped.
‘Something happened.’
Only after the girls left did the restaurant grow quiet. Jong-hyun carried a bowl of tteokbokki over to Ha-neul.
“Here. Your favorite tteokbokki.” “Thanks, Dad.”
Ha-neul took a bite of tteokbokki. Her dad’s tteokbokki was still the best in the world.
Thanks to winning over not only Ha-neul’s taste buds but the high school girls’ as well, tteokbokki was always Haneul Bunsik’s most popular menu item.
Jong-hyun sat facing Ha-neul.
“What’s wrong?” “…” “Ha-neul, do you really think Dad doesn’t know when you want tteokbokki?”
She gave a bitter smile, thinking that no matter who else she could fool, she could never fool her dad.
“Dad, what if… you met someone you liked ten years ago again?”
Jong-hyun’s hand, which had been picking up a piece of fish cake and placing it on her side plate, paused.
“Ten years ago? …Could it be that person?”
Ha-neul nodded.
“Did he come looking for you? How did he know it was you?” “No. We met by chance. Completely by chance.” “So? How do you feel?”
Ha-neul set down her chopsticks.
“…I don’t know. I had such a hard time because of him ten years ago. But then, seeing him again…” “Do you still like him?” “….”
Ha-neul couldn’t answer easily. Seeing her like that, Jong-hyun took her hand.
“Ha-neul, there’s nothing Dad can tell you to do. It’s your life. You have to make the choice your heart leads you to.” “But…” “But let me ask you one thing. Why did you avoid him back then?”
Ha-neul froze.
That day ten years ago.
The day after she had been with Ho-su, Ha-neul escaped from the hotel room while he was asleep.
She was afraid she might resemble ‘that woman,’ the person she hated most.
Ha-neul’s biological mother, Han Mi-ran, had failed at her third marriage.
She had practically abandoned Ha-neul with her second husband, Park Jong-hyun, and married another man herself, only to divorce again a few years later.
Anyone could see that Ha-neul looked exactly like Mi-ran. Her beautiful appearance was Mi-ran’s pride, and a massive shield that more than concealed her history of divorce.
After Ha-neul began living with Park Jong-hyun, Han Mi-ran rarely came to see her daughter.
At most, she came once a year and spent about ten minutes with her.
Each time, another man was by Han Mi-ran’s side.
Ha-neul couldn’t understand Mi-ran.
“Why do you live like that?”
When Ha-neul became a high school student, she threw the question at Mi-ran.
“Why do you live like this? Hiding that pretty face of yours.”
Mi-ran reached out and touched Ha-neul’s bangs.
“People as pretty as you and me are just born with rotten fates. If I’m stuck with a rotten fate anyway, what’s wrong with using it a little?” “…” “And I’m just being honest about love.”
Ha-neul was speechless at Mi-ran’s ridiculous answer. And that was when she made up her mind.
She would never live like her mother. She would never fool around with men. If this was what life looked like, she would rather never fall in love at all.
“Ha-neul.”
Jong-hyun’s voice pulled Ha-neul out of her thoughts.
When Ha-neul raised her head to look at him, Jong-hyun came over and pulled her into a tight hug.
“My daughter, it’s okay. Everything will work out.”
She never thought she would come back here.
Ha-neul considered turning around and leaving even now, but steeled herself and stepped inside the building.
A person waiting on the first floor approached and spoke to her.
“You’re Yoonseul, right? I’ve been waiting for you.” “For me?” “Yes. The CEO told me to expect you. Come this way.”
A little while later. Knock knock.
“Come in.” “CEO, your guest is here.”
When the secretary opened the door and entered, Ho-su was sitting at his desk.
The moment Ha-neul faced Ho-su, her mind went completely blank.
“Could you bring us some coffee?” “Yes, of course.”
The secretary bowed and left.
“Welcome.”
Ho-su stood and gestured toward the sofa.
“Have a seat over here.” “Yes.”
Ha-neul sat on the sofa, and Ho-su sat across from her.
A brief silence passed between them. Ho-su was the first to break it.
“We’re meeting twice in one day. Is this a dream?” “What?” “It’s been ten years… right? Since the last time we sat across from each other like this, just the two of us.”