My Bloody Valentine - 115

Chapter 115

“Am I not strange?”

Hani, dressed in a crisp shirt and slacks, asked Taeshin, who sat beside him with a somewhat anxious expression. It was the first time he dressed like this since the day he wore rental clothes from Tacenda.

Shopping had taken longer than expected because Taeshin, as if he had planned, gathered clothes in bulk. He bought not only outerwear but also underwear and pajamas.

The problem was that everything he bought was ridiculously small for his size. Naturally, everything he bought was for Hani.

Taeshin looked up and down at Hani, who was awkward in his new clothes, and answered.

“I should’ve just made you wear the ragged T-shirt you were wearing earlier. I regret it now.”

“Is it that strange?”

“No, it’s that beautiful.”

“……!”

Hani, his words blocked, quickly turned his flushed face toward the window. The street lights along the road, now quieter after work hours, swiftly passed by his field of vision.

He wondered where they were headed. Taeshin had only repeated that he would know when they arrived, not giving a clear answer to the question of where they were going.

The sedan, driven by Myeongseop, stopped in front of a four-story building on the outskirts of the busy area.

Hani stared closely at the dark gray building in front of him. The exposed cement and marble combination made the building look like a small gallery, perhaps because of its sleek exterior.

[Absinthe]

He read the simple sign but still couldn’t figure out what kind of place this was.

Like a cat brought to an unfamiliar place, Hani’s hand was firmly held by Taeshin, who quietly guided him forward. Taeshin began to walk ahead, and Hani, feeling his tension ease as he held Taeshin’s hand, followed him into the building.

With Taeshin’s broad back in front of him, Hani now felt that he wouldn’t fear anything. He was a strong man who wouldn’t be shaken by any storm.

The world had been particularly harsh and cruel to him. A person of ordinary strength would not have been able to overcome the events he had faced. They would have cried, felt defeated, and maybe even made drastic choices. But he had overcome it all and reached his current position.

As Hani stepped into the elevator, he thought that Taeshin’s shoulders looked wider today. Taeshin pressed the third-floor button as if he knew exactly where they were headed.

When the elevator doors opened, an entrance reminiscent of Tacenda was revealed. The low lighting created a discreet atmosphere, and a stylish sign was mounted on the red brick wall. Hani could tell it was a high-end place, though he still didn’t know what it sold.

Hani gripped Taeshin’s sleeve tightly.

“Taeshin, what exactly is this place…?”

“Ah, Hani!”

Hani instinctively turned toward the voice that called his name. The glass door opened, and Jina, wearing a black dress, smiled brightly as she walked toward them.

“Manager…?”

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

Only after seeing Jina’s smiling face did Hani realize what kind of place this was. “Absinthe” was a wine bar that Jina had recently opened.

As they entered, they saw a performance space with drums, a contrabass, and a piano. Musicians were already settling in front of their instruments, and the entire spacious area was filled with soft jazz melodies.

Taeshin casually looked around the room and asked,

“So, what do you think?”

“As you can see, the atmosphere is great. The rumors are already positive, even though it’s not officially opened yet.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Come on in. I’ll give you the best seat.”

Hani watched Jina lead them further inside. Her appearance was the same, but her demeanor had changed a lot. She looked lighter and more at ease, as if she had shed a heavy burden.

Hani began to understand a little.

Jina had carried a heavy sense of responsibility while working at Tacenda. To not be a burden on Taeshin, who had saved her, she had worked hard like a swan paddling beneath the water.

Jang Taeshin, Nam Junho, Im Jina.

There was always an unspoken bond between them, a sense of solidarity that had been difficult to understand before. Now, knowing the past, things that had been invisible to him were becoming clearer.

“‘You’re our CEO’s damn house, right?’”

Nam Junho’s words, when he threatened Hani not to run away while glaring through his glasses, now felt strangely affectionate.

“Alright, this is our store’s prime spot.”

They were soon guided to a spacious seat with a good view of the performers’ stage, quiet enough to have a conversation. The table was large enough to seat at least six or seven people.

Jina explained that for the first three days before the grand opening, she had invited friends and acquaintances for a soft opening. Even though official operations hadn’t begun, the bar was packed with people.

Familiar faces were scattered around. There was Moon Jihae, who had read tarot cards for him before, sitting with her boyfriend, and across from them, he spotted Junho in a suit, having a serious conversation with others.

When Taeshin noticed Junho, he stood up.

“I’ll be right back. You’ll be okay alone, right?”

“Of course, do you think I’m a child?”

With a small smile, Taeshin ruffled Hani’s hair lightly before heading toward Junho.

Left alone, Hani leisurely looked around the spacious room. Everywhere his eyes landed, he saw Jina’s tastes. It was clear that she had paid attention to everything, from the furniture to the outfits of the waiters.

Running a place that occupied an entire floor like this must have cost a lot of money. But then again, Jina had probably made a lot of money at Tacenda, where millions or even tens of millions of won changed hands in one night. Hani figured there was no need to worry about that.

As Han was looking around, his gaze fell on a waiter carrying a tray and moving busily. The waiter seemed to notice Han’s attention and turned toward him with a smile. It was Song Mingyu, who Han had trained and occasionally helped when he worked as a waiter.

“Ah? Han-ssi!”

Han exchanged greetings with Mingyu, who approached with a friendly face. He was the only employee brought over from Tasenda, and his name tag had the title of manager engraved on it.

Before they could chat for long, Taeshin quickly returned to his seat and stood in front of Mingyu. He then shot him a cold, threatening look as if he were seeing a competitor eyeing his food. Mingyu awkwardly greeted him before disappearing out of sight.

Taeshin, who sat down, ordered a drink. In front of him, a glass of whiskey appeared since he didn’t enjoy fruit wine, while Han was served a cocktail without alcohol.

After taking a sip of his drink, which had a slice of lemon floating in it, Han set the glass down, and the atmosphere in the place began to hum. Someone was entering.

A woman in a tweed dress with a bob haircut walked in, and the crowd parted like the Red Sea. Han immediately recognized her face.

With sharply raised eyes and a small stature that still commanded great presence, she was someone who had once helped Han escape from Tasenda, though not intentionally.

Han continued to stare at her, even as she was guided to the same table. Taeshin, watching Han’s face, furrowed his brow slightly.

“Say hello. This is Director Seon Woohee of the Willemina Art Museum.”

Seon Woohee, who had been looking down arrogantly while surveying the table, shifted her gaze from Taeshin to Han. Her eyes seemed to ask, How are you here?

“Director, this is….”

“I know. Director Jang Taeshin of Cheongsong Construction. I’ve seen him a few times at Tasenda. But who’s that? Why is he here?”

Seon Woohee’s curiosity was apparent, and she whispered something to Ji-na.

“Oh, really? With Director Jang?”

It was probably a comment about Taeshin’s relationship with her.

“Yeah, he wasn’t very talented, but he thought it through. Let’s catch up a bit.”

Seon Woohee reached out both hands as if to pinch Han’s cheek. At that moment, Taeshin quickly hid Han behind him. Seon Woohee’s hands hung in the air helplessly as she let out a laugh, looking bewildered.

“Seriously. Who’s going to eat him?”

Without waiting for anyone’s permission, Woohee plopped down across from Taeshin. Ji-na sat next to her and started to talk about her connection with Seon Woohee.

“When I was first looking for a space for my shop, the director suggested it. She asked if I would want to open it in her building. The first and second floors are galleries for emerging artists, and the fourth floor is a studio for them.”

Woohee interrupted Ji-na.

“And artists need a space to ease their creative struggles with a drink. If people who can afford to visit high-end wine bars come and go, they can enjoy some art too.”

“We even named it together with the director. Absinthe. It’s a drink that symbolizes the struggles of an artist. The painting by Ji Woo-hyun on our bar’s main wall is the director’s personal collection. She lent it to us for free.”

Ji-na continued, expressing her gratitude for Woohee. Woohee, sitting with her legs crossed, seemed pleased with the praise, her lips curving into a soft smile.

Han blinked in surprise, realizing that it was Woohee who had been the investor Ji-na mentioned. He never imagined it would be her.

Just then, one of the waiters approached Ji-na and whispered in her ear. It seemed someone important had arrived, and Ji-na immediately stood up.

“Taeshin, let’s go for a moment. I have to greet someone.”

“Do I have to go?”

“It’s CEO Kwon from Jaegyeong Construction.”

“….”

“You know he’s not here to see me. He came to talk to you.”

Taeshin reluctantly stood up, glancing down at Han with a worried expression.

“I’ll be back soon.”

He gave a subtle nod to Myeongseop, who had been observing from nearby, understanding the unspoken command.

That left Han alone with Woohee.

While much had happened to Han, Woohee had also gone through significant changes.

She had finally gotten rid of the troublesome label of being the daughter-in-law of Daeseong Group. The trigger was the sudden death of her mother-in-law, who was also the director of the Willemina Museum, due to a heart attack.

Inheriting the position of the museum director, Woohee waited in silence until all the succession procedures were complete. She then used the evidence of her husband’s infidelities to divorce him under highly favorable terms and now lived freely, doing what she loved.

“You look good,” Woohee remarked.

“Well… just a little.”

“Just a little? Your face is glowing. Looks like things have been going well, huh? For your life, too.”

Han, not feeling the need to hide anything, nodded quietly. He had found his mother, and he had also regained Taeshin, who he had longed for. There was nothing more he could wish for in life.

Looking at Han’s soft smile, Woohee spoke.

“On a good day, you should drink good alcohol.”