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Is that so? You've got some free time. Let's grab a meal sometime soon.
When empty pleasantries are this blatant, it's better not to make them. After she gave a flat "Okay" and let it slide, her father hung up without setting any specific date, as expected.
"Haa..."
Setting her phone down, Hee-jin collapsed face-down onto the bed. She felt crushed by a wave of helplessness washing over her entire body. What exactly was she to her father? It felt as if all she needed to be was the "good Unni" who got along well with Yoo Da-ae. She hated him for it, but she hated herself more for being unable to let go in the end.
"Do you want to raise some other man's child while you have a daughter of your own?"
Her mother's voice, screaming in a fit of hysteria, seemed to pierce her ears. To think a hallucination could sound so vivid. Knowing it was useless, Hee-jin covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. However, when a migraine began to set in, she eventually had to get up.
With an irritable motion, she searched for the medicine bottle, took out an aspirin, and popped it into her mouth. Only after drinking some water did she realize how thirsty she had been.
Letting out a long sigh, she roughly brushed back her hair. Because she was in a bad mood, even the way her soft hair flowed down felt irritating. As she looked around for a hair tie, the violin resting on the table caught her eye first. Looking at the cherished violin she had specifically prepared for today, it was inevitable that she would think of Go Seok-hyun.
"You can't just blindly refuse sponsorship when you're that desperate."
In truth, private sponsorship was common in the world of classical music, especially for string instruments. Since violins that have weathered hundreds of years command prices rivaling fine art, it wasn't easy for an individual performer to acquire one. Consequently, wealthy collectors often lent their violins through private sponsorships.
If the person making the offer hadn't been Go Seok-hyun, and if the events of the past hadn't happened, Hee-jin would have accepted it gratefully. In fact, he would be someone she could treat as a lifelong benefactor.
Of course, she knew well now that even if Go Seok-hyun hadn't smashed her violin at the music camp, her father would have still become 'Yoo Da-ae's dad.' She hadn't understood it with her young heart back then, but her parents' divorce was already decided; it wasn't something that could be changed by a mere performance of hers.
But that didn't mean Go Seok-hyun was forgiven. Regardless, he had arbitrarily crushed young Yoo Hee-jin's dreams and hadn't even felt sorry about it. Even after meeting again after more than a decade, he spoke as if he wondered why she still cared about such a trivial matter.
"I'll raise you. I'll make Yoo Hee-jin a world-class soloist."
The little devil who had once shattered her dreams was now trying to shake up her life. Accepting the sponsorship offer might itself be playing into his hands. No, in fact, that was highly likely. He was the kind of breed who couldn't empathize with the feelings of a desperate person. But to climb higher, Hee-jin was in a position where she had to take the devil's hand if necessary.
"I'll show you tomorrow. Whether I'm serious or just joking."
His words, telling her to see for herself if he was serious, cluttered her mind.
✾ ✾ ✾
The next day, Seok-hyun arrived at the hotel a bit early. He hadn't intended to move this early, but the thought of meeting Yoo Hee-jin had kept him awake, like a child waiting for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.
While he was spending time in the lobby, Hee-jin appeared. Not seeming to notice him, Yoo Hee-jin walked toward the cafe lounge wearing a cream-colored cashmere coat. With her slender build and tall stature, the long coat suited her perfectly.
The silk top she wore underneath shimmered under the lights, drawing attention. Her style was excellent, but since she radiated an aura of her own, it was no wonder that passersby glanced at her.
But they wouldn't dare strike up a conversation. Seok-hyun unconsciously let a smile play on his lips.
The way her hair, tied high in a single ponytail, swayed in time with her confident stride looked exactly like a cat flicking its tail. A cat. Yes, Yoo Hee-jin was like a cat. A cat that runs away when called and bristles when you try to touch it. Because she rarely let anyone close, it only made him more anxious to get near.
"Hi."
Feeling playful, he crept up and suddenly stepped in front of Hee-jin. Startled, Hee-jin stepped back and frowned. After seeing only her expressionless face, seeing a face like this felt much more vivid.
"Why do you startle people?"
"Because it's more fun. And I get to see expressions like this."
Hee-jin looked appalled by his sly response, but Seok-hyun didn't mind and pulled her hand. Even though he didn't grab her as roughly as he had yesterday, Hee-jin shook her hand off. So sensitive. Seok-hyun gave an exaggerated shrug.
"You're going for coffee, right? Let's get it to go."
There was still plenty of time, but there was no need to sit and chatter in the lobby. He also wanted to quickly show her what he had prepared. Saying it would be a waste of time, Seok-hyun shook his wristwatch and headed toward the cafe first. While Hee-jin quietly followed, he quickly finished the order and payment and took a seat on a nearby sofa.
"Do you like neutral tones?"
Sitting opposite him, Hee-jin looked at him as if wondering what he was talking about, then realized he was talking about her clothes and looked down. A cream coat, a light beige silk top, and gray slacks. Since she didn't like standing out, the colors were all subdued. Hee-jin shook her head, saying it was just a coincidence.
"Not particularly."
"It suits you. Then again, the suit yesterday suited you well too. Oh, you only wear black dresses when you perform, don't you?"
"..."
Hee-jin, who hadn't expected him to mention the dresses she wore for concerts, was momentarily speechless. Was he seriously trying to prove his sincerity by searching for concert posters or videos? When the confusion in her mind became evident on her face, Seok-hyun burst into laughter.
"Why are you taking it so seriously? I was just talking. Without any particular meaning."
'Without any particular meaning.' Hee-jin thought there were no words less trustworthy than those. Though she had no evidence, he seemed like a man who calculated every single word and movement.
As Hee-jin swallowed a sigh internally without responding, Seok-hyun's smile deepened. When the ordered coffees arrived, Seok-hyun urged Hee-jin to leave quickly.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll know when we get there."
Since his secretive expression was full of mischief, Hee-jin didn't press him. Since he said he would prove his sincerity, he seemed to be intending to show her something.
After putting Hee-jin in the passenger seat, Seok-hyun reached for the seatbelt, but Hee-jin declined his help and buckled herself in. Withdrawing his hand as if disappointed, he drove the car out of the hotel.
✾ ✾ ✾
Hee-jin took in the scenery of Seoul, which had changed so much every time she visited that it now felt unfamiliar. Despite her firm identity as a Korean, she couldn't shake the feeling of being a stranger whenever she came to Korea. Perhaps it was because there was no 'home' for her here.
"That's my company."
"Where?"
"That new building over there. It was completed this year, and we just moved in."
They all look like new buildings. While scanning the direction Seok-hyun pointed, Hee-jin spotted a building. The geometric design felt somehow fitting for Go Seok-hyun. In particular, the massive protruding roof leaning heavily to one side seemed to represent his jagged personality perfectly.
"I'll show you around next time."
Not knowing what Go Seok-hyun actually did for a living, Hee-jin assumed he was talking about a Geo Group affiliate and brushed it off. Seeing Hee-jin's lack of response or reaction, Seok-hyun chuckled. He could tell just by looking at her face what kind of misunderstanding she was having, but he felt no need to correct her immediately.
After a long cycle of driving and stopping, the car left the city and began to race down a wide road. As they headed out of town, Hee-jin's expression became even more puzzled. After waiting with a bit more patience, a familiar sight appeared. It was the Yeongjong Bridge leading to Incheon Airport.
"The airport?"
Surely he isn't suggesting they take a plane right now?
"You have your passport, right?"
Only after arriving at the airport did Go Seok-hyun ask if she had her passport.
"...What were you going to do if I didn't bring it?"
"You would have brought it, wouldn't you?"
Hee-jin was appalled by the tone of absolute certainty that she wouldn't be without it. Since the symphony orchestra went on overseas tours every year, a passport was essentially Hee-jin's primary ID. That habit remained the same even after coming to her homeland, Korea. His reaction was as if he already knew she felt more comfortable with her passport than her resident registration card.
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