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SERIES: An Impure Reunion
CHAPTER: An Impure Reunion Chapter 39
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39.
"...What did you say?"
Jian had been about to thank him for accepting Seol-ah's request yesterday.
She was so grateful that he had paid such close attention to a child's request.
But with a single sentence from Taejun, Jian's mood plummeted.
"Smile."
Her expression involuntarily soured.
The fact that he had said those words to her before made her heart sink even colder.
"I believe I told you that a long face doesn't suit someone who's gotten what they want."
"That's based on the premise that it's still what I want."
At Jian's reply, Taejun scoffed.
"Why, is it not what you want anymore?"
"No. It's not."
"Then who could it be? The one Heo Jian wants."
A strange light began to gleam in Taejun's eyes.
Noticing the change, a chill ran down Jian's spine.
"The child said something yesterday. About not being able to tell the difference between her dad and her uncle."
"..."
"She said that to her, Lee Kang-jae is an uncle. Which means, it's really not Lee Kang-jae...."
Kang Jae's voice flashed through Taejun's mind.
'Yes, Seol-ah is my child.'
That statement was a stark contrast to what the child had said yesterday.
Why would he do that?
Why would Lee Kang-jae?
"Why on earth would Lee Kang-jae say such a thing? And who is the child's father?"
"..."
"Is that child's father the one Heo Jian desires now?"
Jian quickly averted her gaze from Taejun's and stood up.
As she moved to the sink, his gaze followed her, as if to pierce right through her.
"You're really something, Heo Jian."
"..."
"How many men were you seeing at the same time?"
Taejun's voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Sensing it, Jian whipped her head around.
"The biggest fool here is me, isn't it? The one who, even in this situation, tells Heo Jian to smile just to see it once?"
A self-mocking tone laced Taejun's wry smile.
Taejun rose from his seat and approached Jian by the sink.
Then, he lightly pressed his lips to her cheek and whispered carefully in her ear.
"Alright, I won't forget the effort Heo Jian made, trading even her body for it."
At Taejun's words, Jian's face flushed red.
"I won't touch the child. Instead, Jian, don't get caught."
"..."
"Whoever that person you want now is, I'll stay quiet and pretend I know nothing."
"..."
"So, never get caught."
With that, Taejun left the house.
The breakfast Jian had gone to the trouble of preparing for him remained untouched.
The moment she heard the front door open and close, a deep sigh escaped Jian's lips.
"Haaa..."
In the past, after they were married, Jian used to diligently prepare his breakfast.
Even while resenting Taejun, it was because of that one feeling for him that had taken root in a corner of her heart.
The hope that he, who left so early in the morning, would at least have a hearty meal before he went.
She did that for two full years.
And since being brought back here by him, she had been setting out food every morning for nearly a month, with the exception of that one day.
So, this effort, in the end...
...was likely because of the piece of lingering affection still left in her heart.
The fact that she ultimately accepted him when he tried to claim her from time to time.
It was clearly an extension of that feeling.
'Never get caught.'
Yes, just as he said, she had no intention of getting caught.
She would never, ever reveal this feeling.
That I still love you.
Never.
Time flew by, and the day of the talent show Seol-ah had mentioned arrived.
Jian had been quiet during that time, and Taejun hadn't bothered her much either.
In a way, it seemed a cold war of sorts was continuing between them.
"Good morning, Mister?"
Separate from the cold war between Jian and Taejun, Seol-ah and Taejun had grown quite close.
"Yeah."
Taejun would accept Seol-ah's greetings gruffly.
Watching them grow closer always made Jian feel uneasy.
Seol-ah beamed at the sound of Taejun's voice and said.
"Mister, I have a performance today! So..."
"...?"
"Could you come too, Mister?"
"No."
Although Seol-ah had asked very cautiously, Taejun's answer was firm.
Hearing his reply, Seol-ah was visibly crestfallen.
Seeing her like that, Taejun quietly placed a hand on Seol-ah's head.
"Do well."
At his subsequent encouragement, a smile blossomed on Seol-ah's face.
Jian, who had been quietly watching the two of them, hurriedly tore her gaze away and took hold of Seol-ah's shoulders.
"Seol-ah, Mister has to go to work."
"Oh, right. Have a good day at work, Mister!"
Leaving the child's farewell behind, Taejun immediately headed out the front door.
Jian stared for a moment at the closed front door.
For the past few days, Taejun had been strangely hands-off.
To be precise, he hadn't bothered Jian since that morning he'd made the absurd demand for her to smile.
It wasn't that she disliked it, but she also felt a little empty.
Seeing that he was even going out on the weekend, she was thinking it must be because he was busy with work.
Jian quickly shook her head and, taking Seol-ah by the shoulders, led her to the kitchen.
After seating the child at the table, she sat across from her and said with a stern expression.
"You have to dance hard today, so you need to eat all your food."
Lately, the child's appetite had been poor.
She was using a lot of energy dancing, but eating so little, which worried Jian to no end.
She would often throw a tantrum, saying she didn't want to eat, without even finishing half a bowl of rice.
Since Seol-ah rarely threw tantrums, Jian was even more concerned.
"Okay!"
Fortunately, Seol-ah's promise to eat well today put Jian's mind at ease.
As if to make a liar of Jian's worries, Seol-ah ate very well that day.
'Was I worrying for nothing?'
Jian thought to herself as she placed a side dish on the child's spoon.
After leaving the house, Taejun headed straight for the Geonan Group headquarters.
The first thing he did upon entering his office was to summon Manager Ha.
"I'm going to take care of the Plate franchise contract today."
"Yes, CEO. The relevant documents are ready."
"I'll be going alone today, so Manager Ha, you wait at headquarters for backup, just in case."
"Yes, President."
Taejun took the document envelope from Manager Ha and left his office.
Today was the day the contract to franchise Kang Jae's restaurant, Plate, would be finalized.
After a constant back-and-forth of opinions, they had found common ground, and the contract was finally drafted.
Someone else could have gone, but Taejun had insisted on going himself.
His decision was based on what Seol-ah had said last time about distinguishing between her uncle and her father.
For the past few days, Taejun had been personally tracing Jian's past activities, without even going through Manager Ha.
Since it was five years ago, there was no way to know the details, but he was piecing things together by obtaining CCTV footage centered around records bearing her name, like credit card statements and hospital records.
Thanks to Jian's infrequent credit card usage, it was difficult to get a clear picture.
But one thing was certain: her movements never intersected with Lee Kang-jae's.
She had only met with her supposed longtime friend, Kangji, just once.
Moreover, if she had been meeting a man, there should have been traces of it, but there were none of those either.
After investigating Jian's past, Taejun was left with only a single question.
"What is she hiding?"
That Jian was hiding something from him.
Whatever it was, it was clearly related to Seol-ah.
Taejun quickened his pace toward his car.
'Could it be that you're my daddy, Mister?'
Why couldn't he get the child's words out of his head?
That one sentence, lingering in his mind like an afterimage, had dominated Taejun's thoughts for the past few days.
At the same time.
[Paternity is not established.]
The phrase stating that paternity was not established was also occupying Taejun's mind.
'What on earth....'
What is it?
What is the truth?
The phrase stating that paternity was not established continued to hold his life in its hands, shaking it, but the child's voice mixed in with it made Taejun's thoughts even more complicated.
"Heo Jian."
In the midst of all this, he couldn't fathom what on earth Jian was thinking.
Taejun furrowed his brow for a moment before starting to drive.
His car left the Geonan headquarters and quickly entered the city.
Before long, he turned into the alley where Plate was located.
After parking in a suitable spot, Taejun got out of the driver's seat, a faint crease between his brows.
"Ah, you're here."
As soon as Taejun entered Plate, Kang Jae greeted him.
The back of a woman with long hair quickly disappearing toward the kitchen caught Taejun's eye.
"Please, have a seat over here."
Kang Jae offered him a seat, forcing a smile onto his lips.
The contract discussion proceeded very simply.
Other than exchanging the contract, no other conversation passed between them.
A while after the contract was easily concluded, Taejun was the first to speak.
"I heard you're not Seol-ah's biological father."
Author: Donggeurami (Son Yoon-seo)
Publisher: Toonplus
Email: [email protected]
ISBN: 9791157738274
© Donggeurami (Son Yoon-seo), 2022
※ This e-book is published by <Toonplus> under contract with the copyright holder. Unauthorized reproduction and distribution are prohibited. Violation of this may result in legal action.
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