“What does that mean?”
The remark caught Hyun-seong off guard with its unexpected bluntness, causing his hand to freeze mid-air. The use of the word ‘used’ left room for various interpretations, leaving Hyun-seong puzzled.
Their engagement had been meticulously crafted through a contractual agreement from the start. Why introduce the term ‘used’ into the equation? Perplexed by this choice of expression, Hyun-seong questioned Yi-soo, who bowed her head deeply before responding, “…Park In-seong, or rather, Father. It had nothing to do with our father. He’s not interested in the position of the Minister of Justice. Many consider him a fool.”
“If it’s not about your father, then what did you want from me?” Hyun-seong narrowed his eyes, dissatisfied with Yi-soo’s perpetual head-bowing habit. Gently, he lifted her face, their eyes locking in a gaze tainted with sorrow. It was evident that she desired to convey something profound in that moment.
“Tell me, Seo Yi-soo. Whatever it is, I won’t be disappointed.”
Hyun-seong braced himself for an unsettling truth. Why had she been avoiding him lately? Could it be connected to Park Su-jeong’s demise? Hyun-seong fixed a penetrating gaze on Yi-soo, awaiting an explanation.
At last, she broached the topic she had been sidestepping—the incident that marked the genesis of their connection. “…Yoon & Kang.”
“That’s correct,” Hyun-seong affirmed, signaling her to go on.
“In early summer this year, I received a package. It came from my sister… Inside, there was a note and a USB, both bearing the Yoon & Kang logo.”
Hyun-seong maintained silence, encouraging Yi-soo to continue, though her words emerged in a slightly slurred manner.
“She claimed the USB held vital information capable of shaking the very foundations of this country. During that period, my sister was delving into investigations on major law firms, Yoon & Kang included,” Yi-soo divulged, her words carrying an intoxicating weight. With a bitter smile, she wiped her dry face with her palm.
“I had no idea what secrets were stored in that secure USB. Even now, the contents elude me. To unravel the mystery, I needed you—specifically, access to the computers of key figures like Attorney Yoon, along with their passwords.”
“And did you discover anything?” Hyun-seong inquired.
“No. Foolishly, my original plan was to swiftly accomplish my goal and then terminate our engagement, as I intended to use you. However,” she trailed off, a sense of ridiculousness and regret coloring her expression.
“Somewhere along the way, I forgot the initial purpose and found myself enjoying the time I spent with Attorney Yoon. Unbelievably, I proposed the engagement solely to fulfill my sister’s objective, nothing more.”
“Seo Yi-soo,” Hyun-seong interjected.
“I became so engrossed in savoring each day with Yoon Hyun-seong that the USB slipped from my focus. I was enthralled,” she confessed with self-deprecating laughter. How did it come to this? Their time together was meant to be a mere footnote.
Why had the priorities shifted? Even as she questioned herself, the answer remained elusive. Leaning on the table with one arm, Yi-soo gazed at Hyun-seong with eyes clouded by intoxication.
This man.
To this man.
Had she become entangled, even if it were just a falsehood? In his presence, she trembled uncontrollably. The sentiments that surfaced seemed like lines from a clichéd 2000s drama. Yet, beyond those words, the complexity of this emotion eluded her.
“It almost sounds like a confession,” Hyun-seong mumbled.
“Does it? Still, I can’t quite understand my own feelings,” Yi-soo sighed. “It’s frustrating… I wish I could understand my own heart.”
A subtle tension settled upon Hyun-seong’s face. Despite knowing it wasn’t a declaration of love, it felt like a misconstrued confession. The desire to hear what he wanted was building up in his throat.
Suppressing his overflowing emotions, he gently wiped away the tears in Yi-soo’s eyes. The warmth emanating from his touch, combined with the comforting heat in the room, felt pleasant.
‘Used.’
Seo Yi-soo’s narrative held profound implications. Park Su-jeong had been delving into Yoon & Kang’s corruption, and Yi-soo was aiding her quest to expose the company’s secrets through the prospective Yoon & Kang CEO, Hyun-seong.
The truth that Park Su-jeong sought remained elusive. To his knowledge, Yoon & Kang had not engaged in any unlawful activities. However, there lingered a possibility that Hyun-seong’s father, Min-sik, might have orchestrated unethical actions beneath the surface.
Allowing her to uncover the truth could prove detrimental to his own life. Whether he accepted it or not, the future where Yoon Hyun-seong continued Yoon & Kang’s legacy seemed almost inevitable.