.jpg)
Even though he had intentionally seated her at a terrace table with a clear view of the tower, Hee-jin seemed completely oblivious to her surroundings, looking utterly dazed. At this rate, it probably wouldn't have mattered if he had just taken her to any random shop on the street.
“Is the afterglow still with you?”
The word 'afterglow' seemed to bring back the sensation from earlier, as Hee-jin looked down at her own hands. She seemed unable to believe that she had played such a masterpiece of an instrument. He knew she would like it, but seeing her so completely out of it made him feel that his efforts in preparing this had been worth it.
The connection formed when Chairman Yamaguchi chose 'VONA', the online fashion platform founded by Seok-hyun, as the bridgehead for his expansion into Korea, had paved the way for today's meeting.
The Lord Wilton.
It was by chance that he discovered the violin, which had been missing since 1999, was part of Chairman Yamaguchi's collection. The Chairman had said he hadn't told anyone about it, but while dining with Seok-hyun a while ago, he must have let his guard down under the influence of alcohol and ended up boasting about it.
Seok-hyun did not miss that slip of the tongue. The moment he heard it, the image of Yoo Hee-jin vividly came to mind.
He wanted to give it to Yoo Hee-jin.
He knew how well Hee-jin had used the violin she received from her Grandfather. She had never let it out of her hands until she joined the orchestra. However, neither that instrument nor the one she had recently been sponsored with satisfied Seok-hyun. Only something on the level of a Guarneri was fitting for Yoo Hee-jin.
With that single desire, he persuaded Chairman Yamaguchi to arrange the meeting. He had intentionally only let her have a taste today, but that violin was already Yoo Hee-jin's. How much time and money it took to acquire the violin didn't matter at all. The moment he heard the sound Yoo Hee-jin produced, it felt as if he had been fully compensated.
“Thank you so much.”
Hee-jin, who had been dazed for a long time, seemed to snap back to her senses, shaking her head before beaming at Seok-hyun. It was exactly the smile he had longed for. That beautiful smile she only showed to the professors who praised her skill and never to him.
“Thanks to you, I really… had an unforgettable experience.”
Seok-hyun briefly covered his mouth with the back of his hand. It was a method he chose because he couldn't control his facial muscles.
“Are you satisfied?”
“Satisfied?”
Hee-jin laughed as if that word were far too modest. Seok-hyun observed that smile meticulously. He noted the angle at which her large eyes curved and moved, how much her eyelashes fluttered, and the depth of the wrinkles around her eyes. He studied her in such detail that he could paint the image even with his eyes closed.
“I feel like I wouldn't have any regrets even if I died right now. Like, I've played the Lord Wilton, so that's enough.”
“That's not right.”
Seok-hyun immediately denied Hee-jin's sentiment.
“You've realized that the violins you've used until now were trash. You've finally become able to be a true violinist; how could you die feeling cheated?”
“Calling them trash is a bit harsh.”
“You know that's not the point, don't you?”
“…….”
Heejin, understanding what he meant despite the aggressive expression, calmly reflected on his words. From the instrument she received from Chairman Go to the one she used now, she had never particularly thought the sound was bad. Knowing it was more than she deserved, she had tried to make up for any shortcomings with her skill. But the instrument she played a moment ago…
“Haa….”
Just recalling that heavenly sound caused Hee-jin to let out a low sigh, her expression becoming ecstatic once again. It felt as if her fingers had moved on their own. Without having to think, her hands had instinctively found the optimal positions to play.
“You're right. I can't die yet.”
Seok-hyun had to cover his mouth again. The moment he saw Yoo Hee-jin in ecstasy, having taken the bait he offered, he got an erection. His penis was pushing against his trousers so distinctly that his head spun. Despite that, the corners of his mouth soared toward the sky.
“Thank you so much for letting me have such an experience.”
Having seen Yoo Hee-jin's bright smile, he should have felt the achievement of reaching a childhood goal, but the satisfaction was fleeting, and instead, an even more intense thirst emerged. Seok-hyun couldn't tell where this thirst originated from. He had thought that just seeing a smile wouldn't be enough, but he hadn't expected such an urgent craving to arise.
“…….”
Even as he analyzed his thoughts, his blood-engorged penis showed no sign of subsiding. It was almost inevitable that Seok-hyun's gaze would drift downward.
“What's wrong?”
As Seok-hyun kept his head lowered in silence, Hee-jin asked, sensing something was odd. Lifting his head as if nothing were wrong, Seok-hyun's expression had returned to its usual composure. He no longer covered his mouth.
“Is it enough to be moved by just this much? This is only the beginning.”
“…….”
“Now, let's eat dinner. We came to a nice place on purpose; it would be a waste if you didn't focus on the meal.”
As Seok-hyun smiled, his eyes sparkled with a strange light. It seemed to be a reflection of the lighting, yet also as if his emotions were boiling over. The light vanished quickly as he turned his head, but for some reason, that look remained etched in Hee-jin's memory.
✾ ✾ ✾
“Japan?”
Hong Yuna's eyebrows twitched slightly. Seok-hyun went on overseas business trips often. Moreover, since he frequently traveled abroad for personal reasons, it wasn't particularly surprising. However, because there had been no hint of it when they met yesterday, she hadn't even guessed.
“Is it a business trip? I haven't heard anything.”
During their college years, Yuna, who had helped Go Seok-hyun more than anyone else, was a founding member of VONA. She was also the head of the new select shop business launched with the construction of the new headquarters. Although she worked with him because she saw the company's value, the position in Yuna's blueprint was the seat next to Go Seok-hyun. Not as a business partner, but as a life partner.
In fact, their families had an implicit agreement for them to marry. Because the most important party, Go Seok-hyun, was not on board, she was forced to remain with the title of 'best friend,' but Yuna never doubted that she would one day marry Go Seok-hyun.
-It's a personal matter. I had an appointment with Chairman Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi was the chairman of 'Comma,' the Japanese brand currently seeing the best sales. Although Go Seok-hyun had secured the contract himself in the first place, they seemed to hit it off, as he went to meet him frequently. Since he never told her what he was going for, as if he didn't want to share his private life, Yuna felt incredibly frustrated.
“I have no idea what he's actually doing.”
Because so much had accumulated, her inner thoughts slipped out. As Yuna shut her mouth with a look of dismay, the atmosphere turned cold. An uncomfortable silence lingered for a moment.
-Let's eat when I get back.
“Ha, do you think I'm some kind of puppy you give treats to whenever you feel like it?”
Knowing he was trying to soothe her, Yuna still replied sharply and squeezed her eyes shut. Though she thought internally that this wasn't the right way to act, her words wouldn't come out kindly. It wasn't as if she didn't know Go Seok-hyun was this kind of person, so why was she so irritated today? As she analyzed the reason with her eyes closed, Go Seok-hyun's face was vaguely drawn in her dark vision.
“Hmm, I finally found something I've been waiting for a long time.”
Yes. In the end, those words were what bothered her. The way he spoke—as if it had nothing to do with her, so she should stop worrying—allowed a deep sense of anxiety to seep into Yuna's heart. Opening her eyes, Yuna tried to ignore her blurred vision and barely managed to ask.
“Did you go to Japan alone?”
She didn't know on what basis she asked that. Was it just intuition? A gut feeling? In the fleeting moment she waited for the answer, Yuna only whispered, 'Please, please...'
But Go Seok-hyun, as always, betrayed Yuna's expectations with total indifference.
-No.
.jpg)