By Zephyria 
My cheeks feel hot. When did this start? Did it get worse while I was getting some fresh air on the rooftop? My eyelids grew heavy along with it. As I stepped into the elevator, pretending to be fine, Yoon Se-na followed.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay going alone?”
“Yeah. I’m just tired. Please tell my parents I’m sorry for leaving early.”
“I know you’re busy, so it’s fine. Don’t worry. Besides, my mom is too drunk to be in her right mind right now.”
Her mother had lived as a celebrity and didn’t come from a family with a powerful background. Perhaps that was why she seemed strangely alienated at the banquet. Moreover, with the first wife present, people’s attention inevitably shifted toward the eldest and second sons—the next in line for succession—regardless of the fact that she was Chairman Yoon’s spouse.
Yoon Se-na knew this, and it secretly fueled her resentment. Since joining the headquarters, she had consistently produced results and earned recognition for her competence from her superiors, but there was a limit to how high she could climb. She was well aware that her position was ultimately to support her brothers.
While the elevator descended, Yoon Se-na pressed close to my side and straightened my tie.
“It’s a shame. On a day like today, it would be nice to stay together until morning.”
Then, she wrapped her arms around my neck.
“Should I just go with you this time?”
Hee-shin glanced at the CCTV inside the elevator. He knew it wouldn’t be good for Yoon Se-na if someone saw them and spread rumors. As he subtly tried to pull his arms away, she let out a small whine and frowned. The sight was so cute that he let out a short laugh.
“Don’t tempt me.”
“How about a kiss?”
“You’ll give me your cold.”
“It’s just a simple body ache.”
As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, Yoon Se-na led Kang Hee-shin to a secluded corner without CCTV. She hurriedly pressed her lips against his and pushed him against the wall. Not stopping there, she reached for his trousers. When he immediately stopped her hand, her pretty face turned pouty.
“Don’t do this. Are you trying to kill me?”
Yoon Se-na sighed, straightened his disheveled tie, and smoothed out his shirt collar.
She told him she hated to part with him. She told him to call her when he arrived and to remember to take his medicine.
“Yeah. I will.”
As if that wasn’t enough, she hugged his waist and rubbed her cheek against his chest.
“What a shame. I wish we could just get married already. So I could see your face every day.”
For a moment, the photo Im Gyeong had shown him came to mind. Was it over between her and the man in the photo? Park Tae-min had once said that daughters of wealthy families often keep a celebrity lover as a hobby. He had asked if her lover was like that. Had he been angry then… or had he ignored it…?
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
Hee-shin smiled and said it was nothing.
“I’m leaving. Go back up quickly. Your mother will be waiting.”
“Call me when you get home.”
“Okay.”
As he pressed the button, the stationary elevator doors opened. Even after Yoon Se-na stepped inside, she waved her hand cutely. After confirming the elevator had stopped at the banquet hall, he walked toward his parked car.
Once he slid into the backseat, a splitting headache belatedly struck him. He opened the glove box to check for remaining painkillers, but the box was empty. After calling a designated driver via his phone, he leaned his head against the window. He felt more than just weary; he felt as if his entire body was sinking.
How much time had passed? While he was nodding off, someone tapped on the door. Looking out, he saw a man with a kind-looking face smiling at him.
“Hello, are you the owner of vehicle 3948?”
“Yes.”
“Excuse me for a moment.” The man got into the driver’s seat, adjusted the seat width forward, and started the navigation. Then, he pulled a hangover cure from his pocket and handed it over.
“You look tired; please have one of these.”
It felt awkward to refuse the man’s kindness. “Thank you.” He took it, but instead of drinking it, he tossed it carelessly into the backseat holder. Soon, the engine started, and the car slowly circled the parking lot. As they approached the exit, people leaving the banquet came into view.
Im Gyeong was there. When did that man come down? Im Gyeong, who had been talking to someone, shifted his gaze toward the car. Hee-shin instinctively shrank back. Even though the tint was dark and his face shouldn’t have been visible, he felt the illusion that he was being seen.
How long had he been there…? Did he see him with Yoon Se-na?
Then, he let out a laugh at the absurdity of it.
So what if he saw? Why am I worrying about such a thing?
The car passed by him. Im Gyeong stood there for a long time. Once they were out on the road, his eyelids began to close uncontrollably. “Driver, if there’s a convenience store or pharmacy nearby, could you pull over for a moment?”
After driving for about ten minutes, the car stopped near a pharmacy. He felt lucky that there was a place open late. He bought and took the medicine and stepped back out immediately. The driver was outside on the phone, smoking. He looked visibly distressed, mentioning something about hospital bills.
When he got back into the backseat, the designated driver hung up and got in.
“Are you feeling a bit better?” the voice asked kindly.
“Could you wake me up when we arrive?”
“Of course. I’ll wake you up.”
Tossing and turning, he leaned his head completely against the window. He repeatedly closed and opened his eyes slowly before eventually falling asleep, and before he knew it, he felt the car stop. The designated driver’s voice sounded surreal, like a dream.
“We’ve arrived. Sir?”
Opening his eyes, he saw the man’s face. Handing back the keys, the man greeted him and told him to get home safely. As he was about to leave, the man took a bold step forward.
“Sir, there’s something on your collar.”
The man’s hand touched the shirt collar. He felt the fingertips brush against his neck.
“I’ll do it.”
Did it get messed up while I was sleeping…? As he pulled down and straightened his shirt, the designated driver smiled and wished him a safe trip home. He was a rare, kind person these days. Suddenly, the man’s dark expression while talking about hospital bills in front of the pharmacy came back to him.
“Driver, wait a moment.”
He pulled his wallet from his pocket and took out 30,000 won. In truth, he wanted to give more, but that was all the cash he had. When he held out the money, the man’s eyes widened.
“Cars don’t come by here often. Get home safely.”
He bowed and turned away. He heard the sound of footsteps walking away. And a low sigh. Was the amount too small? Did he think he was being pitied? No, so what if it was pity. He wouldn’t mind if someone pitied him and gave him free money. Is he not struggling enough to still have his pride? After various imaginings, he arrived home.
Perhaps because the tension had completely vanished, his body suddenly felt as heavy as if a boulder were attached to it.
“I’ve grown old.”
In the past, he could work until dawn and still be fine after having soju with hangover soup in the morning. He needed to wash up, but he no longer had the energy to move a single finger. He collapsed onto the bed as if fainting. His consciousness sank deep. His position was uncomfortable, but even tossing and turning felt like a struggle. Why am I so sleepy today? Is it because of the cold medicine?
He was certain it was because he was exhausted. Until he opened his eyes in the morning.
Out of habit, he fumbled by his bedside, but his phone was not where it always should be. Sensing something strange, Hee-shin managed to sit up. His head felt foggy, and he wasn’t fully awake.
…Strange?
Frowning, he looked down at his body. He must have been incredibly tired; his tie was still on. No matter how tired he was, this had never happened… unless he was blackout drunk, but all he had drunk yesterday was a bit of a cocktail. Was it because he kept tossing and turning and had taken medicine?
Then, he looked around the bedroom. The scenery was no different from before, yet there was a strange sense of dissonance. As he tried to get out of bed, he sensed something chilling. Leaning down to smell the bed sheets, his eyes shook violently.
This time, he buried his nose and inhaled deeply.
The faint scent of women’s cosmetics, a smell that could never be found in his bedroom, was permeated there.
This was his private space, and he never brought women here. He always met Yoon Se-na outside. But the scent of women’s cosmetics? He lifted the duvet and searched thoroughly, but no trace was found. After sitting blankly for a long while, he began to reach a certain conclusion.
It felt as if the fog filling his mind was slowly clearing. He hurriedly climbed down from the bed and searched for his phone. Then, he searched the house like a hound. Although he didn’t clean often, he knew exactly where every object was located. Just in case, he checked the floor and the bed again, but he couldn’t find anything like a strand of a woman’s hair.
After sitting on the sofa and pondering for a while, he showered, changed his clothes, and rushed down to the management office. As he opened the door and entered, the manager, who had arrived early for work, recognized his face and greeted him warmly.
“Hello, Prosecutor. What brings you here so early in the morning?”
“I’m sorry, but would it be possible to check the CCTV? I think someone entered my home yesterday.”
“At night? Who? Have you reported it to the police?”
To the startled manager, he asked again if he could check, saying it would only take a moment. The manager then led him to the CCTV monitors without hesitation.
“Let’s see, let’s see, you were in Building 104, right? One moment.”
A moment later, the real-time footage of the elevator in Building 104 appeared on the screen. Since it was Sunday morning, the elevator was quiet. He rewound the video and, based on the time he had entered his home last night, checked everything that followed one by one.
However, no one other than himself had gotten off on the 8th floor. While he sat there with a devastated expression, a strange woman entered the elevator on the 1st floor. 2 AM? Looking at the woman with long straight hair wearing a short dress, the manager muttered.
“Did this person have the day off yesterday…?”
“Do you know her?”
“I do. She’s the young lady living on the 4th floor. I think she goes to work at night and comes home in the morning. She came home early yesterday.”
The woman got off immediately on the 4th floor. And after that, no one had gotten off on the 8th floor. He could suspect the neighbor, but an elderly couple lived there, and they rarely went out.
Did I imagine it…? Staring intently at the screen, he called the management manager.
“There’s a CCTV that faces Building 104, right? Could I possibly see that?”
“Oh, that’s been broken for a long time.”
The manager seemed to realize his mistake and changed his words to say it hadn’t been that long. He seemed worried that Hee-shin might find a reason to complain.
“But what went missing? Wouldn’t it be better to report this to the police?”
After thinking deeply, Hee-shin stood up.
“Thank you for your help.”
After greeting him and leaving, he went straight home. Just in case, he smelled the bed again, and as expected, a faint scent lingered. Since when? From the moment I entered? Or after that? His thoughts were a tangled mess. In the midst of this, a call came in from Yoon Se-na.
As soon as he answered, an excited voice flowed through the receiver.
-Oppa! Are you awake? How are you feeling? You didn’t answer your phone yesterday; I figured you were sleeping.
Yoon Se-na sounded like someone who was thrilled.
Not wanting to ruin her mood, he deliberately shifted his tone of voice slightly.
“Sorry. I took some medicine and slept. You sound happy. Did something happen?”
-Listen, don’t be too surprised!
“Yeah, I’m listening.”
-My dad gave us his permission to marry!
Hee-shin’s eyes widened at Yoon Se-na’s words. With a highly excited voice, she told him that her father had given a positive evaluation of the man named Kang Hee-shin last night and had indicated that he would view the marriage positively.
“…That’s good.”
-What? That’s it? How boring. Why is your reaction like that? Am I the only one happy?
Unconsciously, he looked at the disheveled bed. It was something she had wanted so much. He should be dancing with joy, so why did he feel this lingering, ominous sensation?
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. While talking, he walked toward the living room window. He looked down at the cars parked outside. While staring at them, he exaggerated his tone of voice. Like someone who was deeply moved.
“I’m happy! I’m so happy I could cry.”