TC 4

Chapter 4

“Song Taeha!”

“Where? Where?”

“He’s coming in right now!”

The people who had been gossiping about Sorim just moments ago suddenly shouted in sharp, excited voices, as if they had always been interested in her.

At the same time, Minseo’s arm, which had been holding onto Sorim, dropped away.

“Minseo! Hurry!”

Seonga had already rushed over and urged her.

Without hesitation, Minseo quickly linked arms with her mother. Her pale cheeks were flushed red.

Relieved to be free, Sorim quietly moved off to the side.

She normally didn’t care much about business or political news, but she knew the name Song Taeha very well.

That was because both Seonga and Minseo talked about him nonstop.

Of course, Seonga knew their family was only a subcontractor under Yoonsan Group, so she couldn’t formally propose a marriage.

Still, she kept chasing after Song Taeha, almost like a stalker, insisting that one day he would notice Minseo.

The mother and daughter fussed over their appearance for a moment, then quickly disappeared into the crowd gathering around him.

“……”

Sorim watched the crowd with emotionless eyes, then turned away without regret and started walking.

She wanted to go straight home, but if she did that on her own, her aunt and uncle would definitely make a scene.

Since everyone’s attention was focused on the Yoonsan family, the powder room would probably be empty right now.

She thought hiding there for a while wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Just as she was heading toward the powder room—

“Yoon Sorim.”

A familiar but chilling low voice brushed past her ear.

She didn’t respond and quickened her pace, but the unpleasant voice grabbed at her again.

“Sorim!”

“……”

Sorim stopped walking but didn’t answer.

Even so, the voice calling her sounded happy.

“It is you, right? Sorim?”

It was too late to pretend she didn’t know him.

Sorim let out a deep sigh inside and slowly turned to face the man.

The tall man smiled brightly, clearly happy to have run into her.

Though she didn’t want to, Sorim slightly lowered her head in greeting.

“If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve arrived earlier. We could’ve eaten together.”

“Yes…”

With nothing else to say, Sorim replied weakly.

The man looking at her with sparkling eyes was Lee Seokhyun, the cousin of both Sorim and Minseo.

Sorim quickly scanned the hallway.

Unfortunately, there was no one around who could help her.

She needed to make an excuse and leave, but nothing came to mind.

As she lowered her head to hide her uncomfortable expression, Seokhyun suddenly reached out.

“Why do you keep hiding your face? It’s such a pretty face.”

Without her permission, he brushed her hair back.

Sorim reflexively stepped backward to avoid his touch.

She knew instinctively.

She knew that Seokhyun, her cousin, had harbored inappropriate feelings toward her for a long time.

He was the type of man who bragged about going to hostess bars and claimed he couldn’t live without women.

That someone like him would show interest in her was just disgusting.

“……”

Seeing Sorim openly avoid him, Seokhyun’s expression hardened.

It was obvious he felt insulted that she dared to reject him.

Sorim’s mind raced, trying to figure out how to calm him down.

Just then, Seokhyun took two long steps toward her.

Her blood ran cold.

“You really have a talent for ruining people’s moods.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose. I just—”

“Just what? It’s written all over your face. You look disgusted.”

“That’s not it. I was just surprised—”

She knew she needed to soothe him first, but the words wouldn’t come out.

To be honest, she felt sick.

The very existence of Lee Seokhyun, who had those feelings toward his cousin, made her feel exhausted.

“Yoon Sorim, even when I try to be nice to you, you always make things like this—”

“By the way… how is Auntie doing?”

In the end, Sorim couldn’t hold back and mentioned his mother.

Seokhyun froze just as he was about to step closer.

“She came with you today, right?”

His eyes twitched, showing his unease.

Sorim lifted the corner of her lips into a relaxed smile.

Since she’d already irritated him, she decided to push it all the way.

Seokhyun’s weakness was his mother, who always protected him fiercely.

What would she do if she knew her precious son was harassing his cousin—an orphan, no less?

“Where is she? I should at least say hello.”

“Stop pushing your luck.”

“Why? You said you were happy to see me. Can’t I be happy to greet her too? Or do you not like that?”

“Hey!”

“Why are you yelling all of a sudden? Or is it that… you feel guilty?”

Slap!

A palm struck her like lightning. Her head snapped to the side.

A burning, throbbing pain spread across her face.

“I felt sorry for you and tried to take care of you, but you keep getting out of line?”

“……”

“You filthy beggar. Stop getting on my nerves and just bow your head. I show you a little interest and you don’t even know how to be grateful—”

Shaking with anger, he suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

The murderous glare in his eyes fixed on something over Sorim’s shoulder.

Sorim, pressing the back of her hand against her stinging cheek, also turned her gaze that way.

“……”

A man was leaning casually against the hallway wall.

He looked like someone who had no intention of interfering, just watching an interesting show.

“Ah…”

Seokhyun stared at him blankly, making a stupid sound.

Sorim looked back and forth between Seokhyun and the man.

The man was tall—so tall that “huge” felt like the right word. His frame was wide and solid.

His sharp, clearly defined features looked as dangerous as a honed blade.

It was the kind of face that would make someone like Seokhyun shrink the moment their eyes met.

“I—I mean, I—”

Seokhyun began stammering as he stepped backward.

“It’s not that I hit her. We usually joke around like this—”

“Joke?”

The man tilted his head, genuinely curious.

Seokhyun’s lips trembled, unable to form words.

“W-well, see you next time. Sorim.”

Unable to come up with an excuse, Seokhyun hurriedly turned and ran down the hallway.

“……”

The situation ended so fast it was ridiculous.

Sorim watched his retreating back, then gently touched her left cheek.

She glanced sideways at the man who was still watching her.

Earlier, he’d looked indifferent, but now he was staring straight at her with steady eyes.

“Your eye…”

The man suddenly trailed off.

As Sorim absentmindedly touched her cheek, her heart dropped.

It seemed the colored contact lens in her left eye had fallen out when she was slapped.

Instinctively, Sorim raised her arm to cover her left eye.

Being exposed like this to a stranger felt humiliating and upsetting.

The man slowly pushed himself off the wall and casually asked,

“Were your eyes always blue?”

Sorim said nothing and pressed her lips together.

The man added, in a lightly provoking tone,

“Or is it something like heterochromia?”

Sorim stared at him silently, then spoke a beat later.

“…I don’t have any obligation to answer you.”

She didn’t even know his name. There was no reason to explain herself.

Especially since he had just stood by and watched while she was being hit.

His oddly commanding attitude and the way he looked at her like entertainment made her uncomfortable.

Just as Sorim coldly replied and tried to walk away—

“I’ve seen someone like you before. Completely Asian, but with blue eyes.”