Chapter 54

The flimsy plastic cup nearly slipped from my hand. My grip tightened just in time, but my body reacted before my thoughts could catch up—I instantly straightened and widened the distance between us.

“S–Sera-ssi?… I mean—Vice Chairwoman Hwang.” My words stumbled out in panic, my throat dry. “What are you doing here?”

She noticed how quickly I stepped back. For the briefest moment, disappointment flickered across her face. But in the next second, she collected herself, her expression returning to that calm, composed mask.

“Why the formality, Haemin?” she asked, her voice gentle, almost warm. “Just call me the way you used to. We’re not in an official meeting right now. I came here because I wanted to see you.”

My chest tightened. I darted my eyes around the empty corridor, scanning every corner, desperate to confirm that no one else was nearby. Especially not Yuna. If she saw this—

Sera noticed my restless eyes and tilted her head slightly, a faint smile curling on her lips.

“Are you worried that Yuna might misunderstand if she saw us together?” she asked softly. Before I could answer, she continued, “Do not worry. I have already made sure she is busy.”

Her words hit me hard. I swallowed, suddenly realizing the meaning. So that was why the Minister Jang kept Yuna in conversation, and why Harin was held up by Sera’s assistant.

“No, it is not like that,” I said quickly, my voice rising a little. “And that is not important. Vice Chairwoman Hwang, I think it would be better if we did not speak with each other at all.”

I tried to sound firm, but she simply took a step closer. Reflexively, I stepped back.

“I missed you, Haemin.”

Her words struck like lightning. My entire body froze. My cheeks flushed with heat I could not control.

“W–What are you saying, Vice Chairwoman Hwang?” I stammered, completely off guard.

Sera advanced again, and I retreated until my back nearly brushed the wall. My escape cut off, the space around me felt suffocating.

“There are many things I want to say to you,” she continued, ignoring my question. Her voice was calm but edged with something heavier. “Do you not think you owe me an explanation, Haemin? Especially about your marriage with Seo Yuna?”

My chest tightened. The words pierced straight through me. So she already knew.

“There is nothing to explain, Vice Chairwoman Hwang,” I said, forcing the words out quickly. “I am sorry for keeping it secret from you. I am sorry for everything. But since you already know, then you must also understand why we cannot meet like this anymore.”

I tried to push past her, desperate to get away, but she blocked my path with a single, effortless step.

“No,” she said, her tone low but absolute. “You will not leave me again. Do you have any idea how I have been trying to reach you? Do you know how I went nearly insane after you left me in Busan without a word?”

My pulse hammered in my ears. Panic churned inside me, but not only because of her words—what terrified me more was the thought of Yuna appearing at any moment. 

I shifted to the other side, attempting to slip past, but Sera mirrored me, blocking me once more.

“Please, do not make me use force to make you stay,” Sera said, placing her hand firmly on my shoulder. Her voice calm but carrying an unmistakable edge of warning.

My chest tightened, panic shooting through me. Why was this happening again? Why did both Yuna and Sera insist on bending me to their will as if my choices did not matter? And how was it possible that both of them possessed such absurd strength?

I struggled against her grip, frustration burning inside me. “Sera-ssi, please, do not be this way. Everyone could see us at any moment. It will not do either of us any good.”

She did not loosen her hold. Her eyes locked onto mine, unwavering. “Like I care what they say,” she replied coldly. “None of them can touch me anyway.”

She tilted her chin toward the nearby chair and gestured with her hand. “Now sit. I need to talk to you properly.”

“Sera-ssi, please,” I said again, my voice low and strained. “This is wrong.”

Her gaze did not waver. 

I panicked. My body moved before my thoughts—shoving forward, I forced myself past her shoulder, desperate to escape. For one brief second, I thought I had managed to slip through.

But before I could take another step, her hand shot out and caught my wrist.

My sleeve had ridden up just slightly when I tried to pull away, and unfortunately, Sera noticed. Her sharp eyes caught the faint bruise that still lingered on my wrist. Without hesitation, her grip tightened, pulling me closer before I could react.

A sharp hiss slipped from my lips as pain flared across my wrist, the pressure on the bruise unbearable.

Her voice dropped into something colder, sharper.

“What is this?”

I panicked, tugging uselessly against her hand, but her strength easily outmatched mine. She did not let go. Instead, she pushed my sleeve up even further, exposing the mark completely.

Her gaze hardened as she stared at it.

“Who did this to you?” she demanded.

My throat went dry, and words stumbled out in panic. “No, it is nothing. I—uh—I bumped into the door handle yesterday, that is all.”

Even as I said it, I knew how unconvincing I sounded.

Sera’s eyes narrowed, her tone laced with disbelief. “Do not take me for a fool, Haemin. That is not from a door handle.” Her voice sharpened, each word like ice. “Tell me the truth. Was it Yuna? Did she do this to you?”

My heart raced. Of course, I could not tell her the truth.

I opened my mouth, struggling to form another excuse, but before I could speak, a voice cut cleanly through the tension.

“Mr. Kim.”

Both Sera and I froze. Sera did not even bother to turn her head—almost as if she had already anticipated the interruption. Her grip remained firm on my wrist, but my eyes darted toward the source of the voice.

Harin was standing there, just a few steps behind Sera. Her expression was calm, composed as always, but her eyes told a different story—cold and sharp.

“We need to go now, Mr. Kim,” Harin said evenly. “The car is already waiting.”

Sera clicked her tongue softly, clearly displeased. Her grip on me tightened once more, as though she was reluctant to let go. Then, with a faint, frustrated sigh, she loosened her hold. I wasted no time. The instant her fingers slackened, I pulled free and stepped past her without looking back.

I quickly reached Harin’s side, and together, we turned to leave.

From behind us, Sera’s voice followed, smooth but edged with something dangerous.

“See you later, Haemin.”

I kept walking, refusing to turn or answer. My feet moved faster, as though only distance could free me from the weight of her words.

Once we were out of sight and Sera’s presence no longer loomed over us, Harin finally spoke, her tone softer now.

“Are you alright, Mr. Kim?”

I let out a breath I had not realized I was holding. “Yes… I am alright. Thank you for saving me.” I replied, though my voice was quieter than I intended.

Harin gave me a small, gentle smile at that, as though she wanted to ease my nerves without prying further. We continued walking side by side, the silence between us strangely comforting after the storm of a moment ago.

After a while, I spoke again, my voice low, almost hesitant.

“Harin-ssi…”

“Yes?” she asked, turning her head slightly toward me.

I swallowed, feeling uneasy but resolute.

“Please… do not tell Chairwoman about what just happened.”

Harin’s faint smile returned, though this time it carried something more—understanding, maybe even sympathy.

“Do not worry,” she said softly. “I will not.”

Her reassurance eased me, but only slightly. My wrist still throbbed faintly, and my chest was heavy with unease as we walked toward the car.

______

By the time Harin and I reached the car, the atmosphere outside was already chaotic. We stopped beside the black sedan waiting for us. The driver stood a few steps away, his hands clasped neatly in front of him, while security staff lingered nearby, holding back the tide of reporters pressing against the barricades.

The courtyard in front of the Ministry was storm of noise and flashing lights. Reporters leaned forward with microphones raised, cameramen pushing for the best angle. Red recording lights blinked from every direction, the outcome of the historic meeting was already being broadcast live to the nation.

We stood waiting quietly. Harin, calm as ever, checked her phone as if the storm around us meant nothing. I tried to copy her composure.

Then, the doors of the Ministry opened.

Yuna appeared at the top of the steps, flanked by Director Baek and her legal aide. The moment she stepped outside, the crowd erupted.

“Chairwoman Seo! Chairwoman Seo, can you comment on today’s progress?”

“Was Daehan agreeable to Nara’s terms?”

“Will this lead to a merger in the near future?”

The questions flew relentlessly, voices clashing as reporters pushed against the barricades. Cameras flashed one after another, capturing her every step.

But Yuna remained composed. She ignored them all, her expression calm, unreadable. Only her eyes moved, scanning the crowd and the row of waiting cars. And then, for a brief moment, her gaze found me.

Her eyes lingered for a moment before she turned away and continued walking. Her aides reached the car first, opening the door swiftly. Without hesitation, she stepped inside. Director Baek and her aide slipped into another vehicle behind hers.

Only once Yuna was safely inside did Harin and I move. We slipped into our own car just a few paces behind hers. The convoy of black sedans came alive, engines rumbling in unison, and with the guidance of security, we began to roll forward, leaving the Ministry grounds behind.