My Bloody Valentine - 97

‘Want to…go together?’

The words that Soyoung said kept echoing in his ear.

She said she wanted to start a completely new life in a place other than Korea. Like other rookie actors, she also wanted to make a profile video and go audition.

It’s like becoming a rookie actor at a middle-aged age, and likewise, it’s her first time debuting as a mom. Both of them are late bloomers, but they want to give it a try by diving in headfirst. And she proposed sincerely, asking if he would join her on her journey.

Han couldn’t give any answer and just stared at her blankly.

‘You probably need time to think about it. I’ll go for now. And here, this is my contact information. Please…contact me. I’ll be waiting.’

It was a scene that felt unreal, as if he had just seen a vividly depicted drama scene.

But the thought didn’t linger long. Han’s head was filled with other thoughts.

Why did Jang Taeshin suddenly want to send him away, even handing him money?

If his head had a set capacity, right now Jang Taeshin would be occupying most of it.

After Soyoung left, Han sat blankly on the velvet chair in the Peridot room for a long time, but couldn’t reach any conclusion. Feeling that if he just stayed still, he would be completely engulfed by his thoughts, he thought he should at least do some work.

Not only had he boasted loudly to Junho that he would work to pay back the money, but carrying the heavy trays and rushing around was tiring, yet there was nothing better to get rid of his distracting thoughts.

Han immediately went to the waiting room, changed into the uniform, and returned to the counter. Junho and Jina, who were having a serious conversation, noticed Han and stopped talking. And as if in sync, they looked down at the uniform Han was wearing.

Jina was the first to speak.

“Why are you here? What’s with that uniform?”

“Huh? Why me?”

Han replied with a puzzled expression to Jina’s question. Jina hesitated for a moment before brushing it off.

“Nothing.”

Watching Han disappear like a ghost into the area where the waiters were waiting, Jina poked Junho in the chest with her elbow.

“I thought he would just follow his mom, so why…? Call him.”

Nodding, Junho called Taeshin.

“He didn’t go. He’s dressed in a uniform and even came to work. It seems like he really intends to work.”

Taeshin was silent for a long time after hearing the report. After deep contemplation, he gave a short instruction.

• Roll him.

“…What?”

• Tell him to roll. Make him feel like there’s no place for him here.

“…”

To make him cling to even a straw. To make him want to run far away.

❖ ❖ ❖

When Han entered the room carrying a tray of coffee, the customer was already drinking alcohol.

“I…prepared the coffee you requested.”

“Coffee? What coffee, when I’m drinking alcohol?”

“You asked me to make it earlier…”

Han tried his best to do a good job. But strangely, in every room he entered, there were only customers who were so-called “squeezing the pus.”

“Ah, did I say that? I’m sorry, what can I do? Come here. I’m sorry, so let me pour you a drink.”

A man who looked to be in his mid-50s poured a full glass of liquor and handed it to Han. Han regretted belatedly speaking up in protest and waved his hand.

“Ah, no. I’m not good with alcohol…”

“You brat, when an adult offers you a drink, how dare you be so arrogant…? Hurry up and take it!”

Han had no choice but to take the glass with both hands. Hesitating until the end, as if he was receiving a death sentence, Han tightly closed his eyes and gulped down the contents in one go. It felt like swallowing a ball of fire. His esophagus seemed to be burning.

Watching Han coughing and grabbing his throat, the man let out a hearty laugh and tossed a 10,000 won bill.

“Take this and buy a pack of cigarettes. The rest is pocket money. Tsk, hurry up and show some gratitude!”

“Thank you.”

Even if it’s only a little over 5,000 won left, the customer pretended it was worth 50,000 won. Well, there are countless waiters who are made to buy cigarettes with the customer’s money because they don’t have any cash, so this might be considered relatively generous.

Han picked up the bill that had fallen to the floor and went outside. He went to the convenience store, bought cigarettes, and also placed a hangover relief drink on the counter.

After finishing the transaction, as he was sitting at the table inside the convenience store, drinking the hangover relief drink where people were cooking ramen and the like, a familiar face caught his eye. It was Min Gyu, who had come to buy snacks to serve the customers.

Min Gyu, looking at Han with a pitiful gaze, asked,

“What’s with the hangover relief drink? Han, did you drink?”

“The thing is…the customer insisted I have a drink.”

“Sigh… Tell them it’s for dental treatment or high bl00d pressure.”

“Huh?”

“The old folks are sensitive about things like teeth or bl00d pressure, so they’ll be more understanding.”

Min Gyu also received an incomprehensible instruction not to help Han. But because they used to work together, he couldn’t just pass by.

Nodding in understanding towards Han, Min Gyu added one more thing.

“The customers don’t really understand the passage of time. Go outside and cool your head before going back in.”

“Ah…I should do that. Thank you.”

Min Gyu went back into the store, and Han came out for a moment and sat down under the parasol.

It was well past midnight, and the occasional breeze that blew through felt refreshing, cooling her flushed cheeks.

As Han looked around, enjoying the brief respite, she noticed a sedan approaching the hotel entrance. She recognized the vehicle number and knew it was Taeshin’s car.

Han found herself rising from her seat without thinking.

A hotel employee opened the car’s rear door, and two feet clothed in suit fabric stepped out.

Taeshin was wearing a navy three-piece suit and a crisp white dress shirt, as usual, with a burgundy necktie perfectly knotted. Han had never seen anyone wear a suit so well.

Following Taeshin, a stunningly beautiful woman got out of the car. She was heavily made up, but it didn’t look vulgar – rather, it gave her a glamorous, metropolitan appearance.

Even though Han didn’t judge people based on their appearance, seeing the two of them standing together, it was clear they made a well-matched pair.

Seeing them, Han’s lips pressed together involuntarily. She had expected him to leave, but there he was, standing with a woman, unharmed.

Taeshin said something to the woman, and she let out a ringing laugh, playfully slapping his arm and letting her hand slide down.

What could he have said to make her laugh like that? He had no sense of humor.

Han’s thoughts spiraled in unpredictable directions. Could this woman be the next one he would entertain? Was he planning to hold her until he lost interest?

Suddenly, a surge of unexpected anger seized Han.

Forgetting about the cigarette errand, Han rushed towards Taeshin, stumbling as she went. Myeongseob, who was standing next to the car, was the first to notice Han charging towards Taeshin.

Without hesitation, Han reached Taeshin and grabbed his sleeve. Then, she turned to face him and slapped him with all her strength.

The sharp sound of the slap cut through the air.

Not only the woman standing next to Taeshin and his employees but also the passing pedestrians all turned their attention to the scene.

It was an unmissable sight – a seemingly ordinary waiter slapping a man who appeared to be a prestigious figure, having just stepped out of a luxury sedan.

Taeshin slowly turned his head back, rubbing his jaw. Han stood there, her hand aching, her eyes brimming with tears, glaring at Taeshin.

Startled, Myeongseob started to rush forward, but Taeshin gestured him to step back. The people around them paused in their tracks, watching the scene unfold, and the woman next to Taeshin stared at them with wide, fascinated eyes, as if witnessing a lovers’ quarrel.

“Jang Taeshin, what are you doing?”

“What?”

Taeshin’s calm response only fueled Han’s boiling anger. She clenched her fist tightly.

“The settlement support cost? Are you mocking me?”

“No.”

Taeshin’s slow reply made Han’s expression one of bewilderment. She couldn’t believe that the Taeshin, who she thought would never let her go, was so easily dismissing her.

Taeshin looked at her with a slightly weary expression, as if addressing a stubborn former lover.

“It’s over, everything.”

“Over? What’s over? Whose decision is that?”

“Twenty times.”

Han’s eyes widened, unable to conceal her agitation.

‘A million won for one night. You’ll get bored after about twenty times.’

His harsh words echoed in her mind.