Harin stood beside Taewon, her tone firm.
"Taewon, go to the hospital first. We can handle things here."
But Taewon shook his head, steady as ever.
"It's okay. I'm fine. I'll do my speech first."
He walked onto the stage, his injured hand tucked behind his back.
Meanwhile,
Jihyun returned to his seat, his face flushed red, his eyes still watery. He dropped into the chair beside Minjoon.
Minjoon frowned at him.
"What happened to you?"
"Nothing," Jihyun muttered.
"A marshmallow got stuck in my mouth."
Minjoon turned sharply.
"I told you not to eat like a pig everywhere. Can't you just sit still?"
Jihyun pouted, snapping back,
"Then what are these snacks for? Decoration?"
Minjoon only rolled his eyes and turned back toward the stage.
Onstage, Taewon continued his speech with calm professionalism, hiding his bleeding hand. From the side, Harin leaned toward Minji.
"When I start my speech, you take Taewon backstage and to the hospital," she whispered.
Minji nodded.
Jihyun, seated in the crowd, caught the way they spoke, his eyes narrowing as he followed every movement.
When Taewon finished and stepped down from the stage, Minji was waiting. She quickly pressed a cloth against his hand.
"Sir, you've lost a lot of blood. Your hand is bleeding too much. Let's go to the hospital."
"I'll go in five minutes, by myself,"
Taewon replied, steady as ever.
"You check over Harin."
Still, Minji hovered, worried.
Taewon grabbed the cloth from her and tied it around his palm himself.
Jihyun stood nearby, half-hidden, watching quietly.
Minji rushed to bring a first-aid box.
"Sir, this looks like a stitches case"
Taewon nodded, finally standing up.
"I'll go with you," Minji offered.
Taewon turned as if to refuse, but his eyes caught sight of Jihyun hiding in the distance. For a brief second, their gazes met.
Jihyun froze, startled, but Taewon quickly looked away, pretending not to care.
"Let's go," Taewon said flatly, walking out with Minji.
Jihyun stayed rooted to his spot, his thoughts tangled.
What should I do? Follow him?
Or what if he...
Before he could decide, a hand touched his shoulder.
He spun around. "Who"
Harin stood there, her tone strangely soft. "It's been a long time, Jihyun."
Jihyun blinked at the unexpected softness. He bowed slightly.
"Yes."
"What are you doing here?"
Harin asked.
"I...I was" Jihyun began, fumbling for words.
"You're stalking Taewon. Since morning," Harin cut in.
Jihyun stiffened, his voice defensive but confused.
"Why would I? I just came here to"
"No need to lie," Harin interrupted again. Her voice was calm, almost friendly so different from the sharp, poisonous tone she once used with him.
"I've been watching. You're stalking him."
Jihyun stared at her, more bewildered than before.
Harin gave a small smile.
"It's okay. If you want to follow him, go. But remember this
doing it this way won't change anything. If you really want him back, choose a path that brings you closer, not one that drives you further apart."
Her words lingered heavily in Jihyun's chest, more unsettling than any insult she'd ever thrown at him.
Jihyun nodded and walked back.
Just as Mr. Han called him over, introducing him to a circle of directors and old acquaintances.
One of the directors glanced at Jihyun, lowering his voice but not enough to hide the words.
"I heard Jihyun got into a drug case abroad."
Jihyun's head snapped up, but before he could respond, Mr. Han's tone cut sharp and steady.
"No. That was a misunderstanding. Someone he thought was a friend tried to drug him, but the police caught the entire team in time and rescued him.
Everything was clarified. Those who were actually involved were arrested."
The directors exchanged glances, murmuring among themselves.
Another director, a smile tugging at his lips, asked bluntly,
"So, Jihyun what are you planning now? Marrying again, or something else?"
jihyun confused "I.. I'm"
Mr han cut in said ,
" He's going to join my business alongside Minjoon."
The directors nodded politely at the answer, conversation shifting.
Mr. Han turned to jihyun, his tone softer.
"Jihyun, go and look for Minjoon. He should be around somewhere."
Jihyun walked off, his mind still blank from the sight of Taewon earlier, tangled now with the directors' probing questions.
He sat down in a quiet corner, lost in thought.
What am I going to do next?
I can't go abroad anymore and here, I..
His thoughts trailed into nothingness.
Just then, Mr. Han came over and sat beside him, gently patting his back.
"Don't think about them."
Jihyun blinked, turning his head.
"I'm not thinking about them. I was just"
"It's okay," Mr. Han cut in softly.
"I know you better than you think."
For a moment, Jihyun stared at him, then lowered his gaze. Quietly, he stood and said, "I'll go look for hyung."
Mr. Han nodded in approval, watching as Jihyun walked away to search for Minjoon.