About You: Love & Sacrifice

A Paper Slice

"Younha-shi!"

A familiar voice, a pleasant tone and no stranger to Younha's ears. June—secretary Jihoon approached her who was waiting for a copy of the file in front of the copy machine.

"Hi, June-ssi." Sapa Younha is friendly. "What meda? Not accompanying Mr Jihoon?"

"I happened to pass by, out of the pantry." June smiled thinly. "Oh, Mr. Jihoon—I was evicted after Bu Hyejin entered his room."

"Heyjin?" Younha responded with a grim smile.

"U-Uh yes." June nodded clumsily, somewhat wondering why Younha could be that familiar calling the Commissioner's daughter. "Are you close to Miss Hyejin?"

Younha screeches. "No, tuh."

"Oh, I thought you guys were close because you said her name just like that."

"Hyejin, Hyejin, Hyejin." Younha deliberately repeated three times. "What if I mention Hyejin?"

June shook her head, not wanting to continue the conversation about the commissioner's daughter. The man rubbed his nape before saying anything,

"Younha-ssi, actually I—"

"Younha-shi!"

Both of them turned to look at the origin of the voice that cut off June's speech. One from the division led by Hyejin, the shoulder-haired woman who was Hyejin's right hand stepped arrogantly and a cold expression approached them. Younha and June saluted. Before Younha could ask, the woman said faster.

"Bu Hyejin is waiting for you at the 14th floor Greenhouse. Five minutes, nothing more."

The woman left after saying, really annoying. In Younha's heart guessing nebak, there was no more important business than fighting if faced with the woman. But as for Greenhouse? Ah, Younha just remembered that the place does not have CCTV—what would Hyejin want to say?

"Well, Greenhouse?" June laughed a little. "You'll have tea and have a casual conversation? I'm so envious."

"Looking around?" Sahut Younha with a cynical tone. "I wonder, what will it be like?"

...*****...

Younha stepped without hesitation, entering the room full of greenery and flowers on the 14th floor, his nether was directly staring at the back of a woman who turned her back to the door facing the glass window through the city. Younha had no intention of saying excuse me, the knock on her high heels was enough to tell that she had arrived.

"Six minutes, are you an employee who doesn't obey the orders of superiors?"

Younha cursed inwardly, not feeling afraid or intimidated from Hyejin's words even though he had expected that something unpleasant would happen. Hyejin turned around to face Younha, the woman with the gray office stel grinned slightly and moved her steps until half a meter away from them remained.

Silent, they only sat with each other for a moment.

Platkk!!!

The loud sound may not be much, but the heat radiating after from Younha's cheeks crept up the head until it felt numb for a moment. Younha held onto her red cheek that had just hit Hyejin—Younha's small hand screeched, staring back at the twin beads that were judging her with a shot.

"Now what else? Cih, you deliberately chose a place without CCTV to hide your depravity to hurt employees?" Younha's eyes glinted withstanding the pain.

"What did you do with my girlfriend in Busan?!" Hyejin's sentence was full of emphasis.

Hyejin clutches Younha's collar and pushes her into a collision with the table beside her. The woman looked at Younha with vengeance.

"Don't challenge me, Younha!!"

"Then ask your lover directly! Don't help me like this. Why do you always corner me like I'm wrong?" Younha brushed away Hyejin's hand violently. "Who do you think this is going to happen? Jihoon Lee!! You should have taught him not to abuse the office."

"You can reject it—"

"He's gonna fire me, even if it sounds like a joke." Sahut Younha growled. "I'm not as rich as you are and I don't worry about where the money will come from. Only this work lives me and the children."

Hyejin's voice choked in her throat, her eyes moving in a directionless manner.

"I'm also confused by Mas Jihoon's attitude and you keep treating me like this makes me depressed." Younha's long breath was heard clearly with the softening of her eyes. "I don't hate you because you're the one Jihoon loves. I hope you can be happy with him and live a better and righteous life. Don't bother me anymore, please—I've suffered because of you for five years. So, let me live quietly and let's just say that none of this ever happened between us."

They were silent for a moment, Hyejin clenched her hand holding back the anger.

"Sway Jihoon!" Said hot-sounding. "Depart from him, don't talk or answer the phone, and don't meet him when he comes to your house to see Yeonjun and Seojun. Or forbid your child to meet him. Disconnect all your contacts with Jihoon, you must become strangers!"

Younha's forehead shriveled. "I can do everything except forbid Mas Jihoon from meeting with children. Jihoon is their father! I'm not bi—"

"I don't want to know!!" Hyejin jerking. "According to my words or maybe I need to threaten your children?"

Younha's pupils widened instantly, he grabbed Hyejin's hand that walked past him. "They have nothing to do with our problems. Don't drag them in your cunning game, asshole!!"

Hyejin smiled obliquely. "Whatever, I'm just reminding."

"Jeenjie!!"

Younha's shout was ignored by Hyejin who left while carrying her expensive bag, leaving Younha feeling anxious. Hyejin's gaze and threat looked real to be said to be a mere breeze. Unexpectedly, the woman might have told others to harm Yeonjun and Seojun.

Younha must be careful.

...*****...

"I was waiting for you to give up first but, instead, you said that love to someone else!"

The sentence continues to haunt in every move of Jihoon, leading him to continue to dissolve in guilt that will never be forgiven. Jihoon rubbed the phone screen which showed her picture being hugged by Younha tightly—with a sincere smile that the woman always showed, she said, as if slashing his heart that continues to hope if the day to return is still there and willing to accept his foul feelings.

His thumb moved to the right and left gently stroking Younha's beautiful face which he could no longer touch. With a bitter smile, the man conveyed a million wordsless affection, wanting to tell her that Jihoon loved her. However, reality slaps him hard that all this time he often makes Younha lonely. He always left Younha alone.

She should be ready if today, it was Younha who would go leave to meet another man who could give her his full attention—and accompany her every day.

One more sheet of paper, Jihoon wanted to write something for Younha in one clean sheet of paper. After completing a letter that he had now packed in a white envelope—did not know Younha would read and receive it or even tear the paper right in front of him. Jihoon.

While the next sheet, the man will deliver directly to Younha's apartment with a bouquet of her favorite white Lily flowers. Just like a surprise, the flowers and letters were nameless until a piece of paper tucked very small in its name in the bottom corner right after the closing sentence.

To my Younha, Jihoonie.....🥀

...*****...