UR | Chapter 20

Yujin answered immediately, as if she had it prepared.

“There’s no way.”

It was a self-defense mechanism to hide her true feelings. However, such an awkward defense didn’t work on Yoosung at all.

“You can fool everyone else, but not me.”

“I’m telling you, it’s not like that.”

“If it’s not like that, why can’t you look the president in the eye?”

“Because he’s a difficult person. Kim Yoosung, he’s my boss.”

Even as she spoke, she wondered what she was doing.

It wasn’t surprising that Yoosung noticed something that even Section Chief Hwang Wonjun had picked up on after just a few months. Who else in the world could read Yujin’s heart as well as Yoosung?

Still, Yujin continued to deny it.

“Please, stop thinking about useless things and study. It’s your finals period, is this okay?”

Though she wouldn’t hesitate to give everything for her brother, she wanted to keep at least one secret to herself.

Her one-sided feelings for Han Jihoon and the inappropriate relationship she had with him.

But it was a futile effort.

“Yeah, yeah, sure.”

Yoosung, who was lying on the narrow living room floor, stared intently at the business card Jihoon had given him.

“I actually liked that you didn’t have a boyfriend all this time.”

“What?”

“Watching people on the street, or customers at restaurants, I used to think no guy was good enough for you. Even guys everyone else thought were great or cool seemed too insignificant and not good enough to be your boyfriend.”

“Yoosung, what makes you think I’m so great?”

“Why wouldn’t you be? I’ve never seen anyone as pretty as you, no matter where I go. Even the lady at the supermarket and the butcher shop owner say you’re the prettiest in the neighborhood.”

Feeling a mix of emotions, Yujin looked at her brother in disbelief.

If the standard was that siblings should always be at each other’s throats, then she and Yoosung didn’t seem like real siblings.

Aside from having a job, she was just an ordinary person. No, it would be more accurate to say she was a mediocre person. Just mentioning the amount of debt she had to repay would make anyone run away in horror, but Yoosung, overflowing with affection for his sister, sometimes made naive remarks.

“But noona.”

Yoosung, who had been lying down, sat up.

“I think I’d be okay with you dating President Han Jihoon.”

If Han Jihoon heard this, he might have laughed it off as ridiculous. He might even say it was the most absurd thing he’d ever heard.

Instead of saying that someone like him should be with a woman of his caliber, and asking if Yoosung couldn’t see the difference in their levels, Yujin simply gave Yoosung’s foot a light kick.

It didn’t seem like Yoosung was saying it because he didn’t know. It was more like how people sometimes indulge in fanciful daydreams about celebrities, and Yoosung seemed to see Han Jihoon as a celebrity-like figure. Was there really a need to point out reality?

“Yoosung, don’t ever say that again. I’m scared someone might hear.”

When Yujin warned him in a playful tone, Yoosung looked a bit dejected, but it was only for a moment. His eyes sparkled again.

“But the president told me to contact him anytime I needed help.”

Jihoon had given Yoosung his business card while Yujin was briefly in the restroom.

It was surprising that Jihoon handed his card to someone who didn’t seem like they could be of any help to his business, so Yujin had asked Yoosung several times on the way home if he had asked for Jihoon’s contact information.

‘No way. Even if I’m fearless, would I really ask for my sister’s company president’s number?’

Judging by Yoosung’s reaction, it was clear Jihoon had indeed given his card first, but she couldn’t figure out his intention.

“Since I might work at your company someday, I should save the president’s number.”

Even though the business card had nothing special in its design, Yoosung examined it thoroughly and saved Jihoon’s number.

Yujin just watched her brother without adding more nagging. Even if Yoosung saved the number, he wouldn’t contact Jihoon first, and Jihoon wouldn’t respond to Yoosung’s contact.

But thinking that way only made question marks pop up in her mind.

It was understandable that Jihoon gave her a ride home, but why did he accept Yoosung’s childish offer and even have a beer with them?

Why did a man who valued his time so much spend it on something unnecessary and bothersome…?

“But noona, should I send the president a gifticon or something? I said I’d buy the drinks, but he ended up paying.”

Before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, Yoosung’s words made Yujin panic.

“Yoosung, please. Doing nothing is the best way to help me.”

“But the drinks cost a lot, right? I ordered expensive snacks.”

“I’ll thank him separately, so you absolutely must not contact the president. Got it?”

Whether he understood or was just pretending to, Yoosung nodded and went to his room to grab clothes for a shower.

“……”

Yujin went to her room and took out the box she had put in her bag.

The accessories Jihoon had given her were hidden deep in her closet, out of Yoosung’s sight, and she wore them only when necessary. Since the prices could be found online, she didn’t think Yoosung would believe her if she lied and said they were fake.

Yoosung was already curious about the clothes Yujin received from Jihoon. Each time, she had managed to evade the situation by saying they were very cheap items from a clothing store run by a company employee’s relative. But now that Yoosung was in college and his perspective had broadened, he often scrutinized the brands of her clothes, making things difficult for Yujin. If she had a younger sister instead of a brother, it would have been even more challenging.

It would be best to hide this bracelet before Yoosung saw it. But she felt a sense of regret about hiding it away.

“……”

Yujin opened the box. The jewels reflecting the fluorescent light sparkled in her eyes.

“It’s so… beautiful.”

When she was young, she had begged her mom to buy her a bracelet just like the one she wore when she grew up.

Coincidentally, this bracelet’s design was very similar to her mom’s, making her eyes well up with tears. As complex emotions swirled within her, the image of Han Jihoon with a gentle smile came to mind, prompting Yujin to close the box.

…She was scared. And she didn’t like it.

Even if she misinterpreted and assigned meaning to his actions, which were likely done without any particular intention, it would only lead to hurt.

Yet, she couldn’t help but feel grateful to him for making her birthday unforgettable, which made her feel hopeless.

‘There’s really not much time left now.’

If she could hold on a little longer, she wouldn’t have to spend nights with Jihoon anymore, making it easier to sort out her feelings, right?

With such futile hopes, Yujin pushed the bracelet deep into her closet.

When the investment was decided, she thought the money would come in immediately, but because the investment was so large, outsiders frequently visited the company.

With lawyers and financial institution employees coming and going several times a day, the company atmosphere was chaotic.

Even amidst all that, fulfilling one’s duties was the fate of a salaried worker.

“Hello.”

Yujin, who had been working non-stop all morning, took a brief break to go to the restroom and greeted Jihoon, who was walking towards her. He just glanced at her and quickly went on his way.

She hadn’t expected to become closer to Han Jihoon just because they had shared a casual conversation over beer with her brother last night.

But she thought he might at least return her greeting, and she felt a pang of disappointment.

She had resolved overnight.

To keep her feelings in check.

Han Jihoon wouldn’t assign any meaning to last night’s events, and investing emotions in his actions would only lead to emptiness.

Yet, even just brushing past Han Jihoon had her heart, which she had managed to control overnight, in turmoil.

Swallowing her bitter feelings, Yujin turned her head to watch Jihoon’s retreating figure and headed to the restroom.

Unaware of Jihoon’s demeanor, Yoosung had been busy talking about him again this morning.

‘Noona, President Han Jihoon doesn’t have a girlfriend. His expression was clear when I asked yesterday.’

Yoosung, who had turned Yujin into the protagonist of a Cinderella fairy tale, went a step further and spun his own story.

‘The president must have feelings for you too. That’s why he gave you a ride home. A guy knows another guy’s heart best, you know?’

No matter how much she insisted it was a one-time thing, that the weather was too cold, and the situation just turned out that way, it was no use.

At this point, she felt resentful towards Jihoon.

Because of his uncharacteristic kindness, she now had to hear about Han Jihoon even at home, making things more tiring.

If he was going to treat people so coldly, why did he make such a big deal out of it?

“Sigh.”

Though the weather outside was said to be freezing, the lab, with its large machines running constantly, was hot all year round. So the cold air in the restroom was a welcome relief.

After finishing her business, Yujin washed her hands in cold water to cool down.

Despite tying her hair tightly in the morning, some strands had come loose, so she tidied them up and tried to wash away her fatigue with cold water again.

But then, an intruder appeared.

Click, click, click, the sound of high heels approached, and the restroom door opened to reveal a familiar face.

“Oh my!”