Chapter 14
“By the way, Seol, what are you looking at?”
“Oh, a movie.”
Seol quickly turned off her phone screen and pretended she was watching something on her tablet PC.
“Wait a second. Is this the movie ‘First Love is a Teacher?’ Ugh, just seeing this is giving me PTSD.”
Eunjin held her head dramatically and raised her voice.
“Why, unni? Should I turn it off?”
Startled, Seol hurried to turn it off, but Eunjin chuckled.
“No, it’s fine. My first love was a teacher, you know.”
“A teacher…?”
Seol blinked, curiosity lighting up her eyes. Eunjin sighed.
“It was back in high school when I was a freshman. We had a student teacher, and I fell head over heels for him at first sight. I chased after him like crazy. Most of the other kids got over it quickly, but not me. I kept chasing him even in college for a few years.”
“And? What happened?”
“He rejected me. Ten times.”
“…Oh.”
Rejected after confessing ten times? That thought made Seol’s heart feel uneasy.
“Don’t even talk about it. I cried, begged, and made a complete fool of myself. It’s such a cringeworthy memory that I still kick my blanket in embarrassment at night.”
Seol flinched. It didn’t feel like someone else’s story. She had already cried, begged, and embarrassed herself too.
But she hadn’t even shown him her feelings properly yet.
Seol pouted her lips.
“Whoever said first love is beautiful? It’s all lies. Back then, I thought it was the real thing.”
It’s not a lie. My love is real.
My first love is still ongoing and beautiful.
Seol silently argued in her mind. Just then, her phone, which was lying face down, vibrated.
Was it her brother’s assistant?
Seol nervously checked the message while Eunjin went off to grab her makeup tools.
“Your teacher’s been busy drinking these days. He’s practically living in a haze of alcohol.”
“Drinking? Why?”
She replied quickly, and the response came back just as fast.
“He’s always been like that. If you don’t want a drunkard husband, just give up.”
What kind of harsh thing to say is that…
She wanted to argue but heard someone approaching and quickly deleted all the messages. She frowned.
He’s been busy drinking?
…Why?
“Hey, unni,”
Lost in thought, Seol lowered her voice and looked at Seonyeong. She had an idea.
“If a man carries a woman’s photo in his wallet, that means they’re close, right?”
Four years ago, she had glimpsed a photo tucked into her teacher’s wallet. She hadn’t seen the woman’s face clearly, but it was a beautiful woman smiling brightly.
Just recently, when she saw his wallet at the vending machine, the photo was still there.
“Probably. Either his girlfriend or someone he has a crush on. Oh, unless it’s a celebrity he likes.”
“Keeping another woman’s photo while dating someone else… that means he hasn’t forgotten her, right?”
“What? Then he’s a jerk!”
No, my teacher isn’t a jerk… If anything, he’s more of a hopeless romantic, isn’t he?
“…I guess first loves are hard to forget.”
“Yeah, they leave a strong impression.”
Seol’s eyelashes drooped.
Well, hadn’t she waited four years, too?
Living like a playboy, drowning himself in alcohol every day…
Teacher, how deep are your scars for you to live like this?
If only I could heal them for you…
Her chest ached.
Suppressing the effects of the alcohol and fatigue, Taejoo’s eyes scanned the room.
To his left was the third son of Shinah Pharmaceuticals. Next to him was the grandson of the chairman of Daeyoung Construction. And on his right… who was that again?
“Hey, I heard you got caught fooling around while engaged, right?”
“Ugh, don’t even start. I was just getting into the mood when my old man barged in with a golf club!”
The man, half-reclining, described the scene while flicking his cigarette ashes into the fruit platter on the table.
“Wait, your fiancée ratted you out for real?”
“Yeah, that annoying brat. Everyone knows she hangs out at host bars, but she still went and snitched. Ugh, and my old man—seriously, who would’ve thought he’d show up at the villa in Gangwon-do?”
“Well, you should’ve just let her join in. Maybe she felt left out.”
“Don’t even joke. If she was there, nothing would’ve worked.”
The men sprawled across the sofas, swapping crude jokes and laughter.
“So, how was it? The actress you brought to the villa—was it worth getting whacked with a golf club?”
“She wasn’t an actress, just a wannabe. And there was a model too.”
“Jeez, no wonder your fiancée couldn’t get in. You didn’t leave any room!”
“Idiot.”
Fruit slices and glasses of alcohol flew across the table. Taejoo frowned at the vulgar scene.
The invitation had come from an old high school acquaintance, someone Taejoo had barely remembered.
And the purpose of this meeting?
Ah, yes. A gathering of future leaders set to steer the business world.
In reality, it was just a garbage pit filled with aimless chatter and disgraceful behavior.
The only reason Taejoo attended these events was for appearances. Chairman Kang, who scrutinized his every move, expected it.
So this is what I’ve been reduced to—wasting time in the company of trash to maintain a façade for that man.
Back at Taejoo’s place, Seol’s voice called out faintly, rousing him from his hazy state.
“Teacher, are you awake?”
He squinted, only to see Seol sitting beside him, her face filled with concern.
Was this a dream?
He groaned and draped his arm over his face.
“Teacher, are you okay? You were moaning in your sleep. Did you have a bad dream?”
Seol’s soft voice felt warm against his ears. When he sat up suddenly, the book on his chest fell to the floor.
“Oh, you’re awake now.”
Kneeling on the floor next to him, Seol smiled brightly. Taejoo narrowed his eyes, realizing that he was in his apartment.
Wait… How did this happen?
