Chapter 4

“…I’ll stop by if I can. Yes.”

It was not a pleasant call.

He hung up and lifted his head to the sky.

The sky was perfectly blue without a single cloud. That made the cold feeling in his chest even sharper.

* * *

Ayeon arrived just in time, slightly out of breath, and stood at the lectern.

Thankfully, her class was on the first floor.

Her lectures were known for starting the syllabus right after a five-minute orientation on the first day.

Even so, her classrooms were always packed.

On the student-run course review site, her classes consistently earned high ratings.

Because of that, most of the students were those who had fought hard to register and were eager to be there.

Ayeon loved diving deep into research alone, but she also cherished these moments in the classroom, meeting students’ eyes and communicating with them directly.

That was why she wanted so badly to become a professor.

Not a part-time lecturer living with the uncertainty of when her contract might end.

She wanted a stable position where she could meet students regularly and devote herself fully to academia.

Why did it have to be so difficult.

She told herself to keep holding on as she began her familiar first lecture on social psychology, something she had done dozens of times before.

The first class of the semester, filled with both nervousness and excitement for lecturer and students alike, flowed by smoothly.

“That’s all for today. …See you next time.”

She ended the three-hour lecture with a smile as she looked out at her students.

It had been a while since she last taught, but rather than tiring her out, it had energized her.

‘This is why I can’t stay away from campus.’

Thinking idly, she began packing up her laptop and books.

Just then, a student approached her.

Judging by his short haircut and demeanor, he was clearly a returning student.

“Do you have a question?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“…This. It’s my first liberal arts class since returning to school, and it was fun. Thank you.”

He was holding an orange juice with both hands.

She stared at him for a moment, feeling like she recognized him. Then she remembered he had taken her class years ago.

“If I remember right, this is a retake, isn’t it?”

“Ah, yes. You remember.”

He scratched the back of his head and laughed sheepishly.

“So you’ve come back to school with a clear head and want me to look after you. Is this a bribe?”

She teased him with narrowed eyes.

“No, it’s just… a gift. A way to say thank you, sincerely. And you looked like you might be thirsty, so…”

He laughed awkwardly, not sure where to put his hands.

She raised her brows and smiled brightly as she accepted the juice.

“I didn’t care much before, but now I’m interested in psychology. So…”

He trailed off shyly, lips moving but no words coming out.

She tilted her head toward the window and pointed outside.

“That’s great. Then let’s work hard together. The weather’s cooling down, it’s the perfect season to study.”

She encouraged him with a cheerful smile.

“Yes, ma’am. Loyalty!”

He gave a playful salute and left the lecture hall with a spring in his step.

She smiled as she watched him go.

She was genuinely glad to see a student returning to her class.

And to hear that he had developed an interest in psychology made her happy as a teacher.

Her throat was dry, so leaving her bag behind, she walked to the window with the juice in hand.

She gazed at her reflection in the glass, touching her cheek with her fingers and turning her head slightly.

‘…Cute. Honestly, if someone saw you, they’d think you were a student, not a lecturer.’

For some reason, Jin Sunwoo’s uncharacteristically silly comment from earlier popped into her mind.

Just as Jin Sunwoo had changed, Seon Ayeon was no longer the girl who had entered university more than ten years ago.

She had gotten married, experienced a miscarriage, and devoted herself to her academic ambitions with everything she had.

“Me, cute. That’s ridiculous.”

She let out a short laugh, took a sip of juice, and looked outside.

The once harsh sunlight had grown gentle.

The trees, which had been a deep summer green, now seemed calmer.

The freshmen walking beneath the trees also carried themselves more maturely than they had in the spring semester.

Korea University’s campus was especially beautiful in autumn.

She had walked these grounds almost daily from the age of twenty to thirty-two.

She should have been tired of it by now, but she wasn’t.

Especially in autumn.

She opened the window wide and let the crisp autumn air wash over her as she admired the scenery.

Then she saw someone waving at her from afar.

“Jin Sunwoo?”

She glanced behind her to check if someone else was there.

But she was the only one in the classroom.

“Did the welcome reception end already…”

She murmured to herself as Sunwoo’s figure drew closer.

“Ayeon Sunbae.”

He called out to her from beneath the plane trees, smiling warmly.

“The reception?”

“It’s over. I skipped the afterparty.”

“Why?”

Even though his decision was completely in character, she asked anyway.

“I don’t know. It felt too noisy.”

She pressed her lips together and laughed softly, nodding slowly.

“But you know.”

“Hm?”

“You’re the only one who hasn’t welcomed me.”

She blinked, then let out a small sound of realization.

Scrunching her nose, she finally spoke.

“…Welcome, Professor Jin Sunwoo.”

He chuckled quietly at her words.

“Hmm… in return for that reluctant welcome, how about we go out for dinner. Sunbae. Is Happy House still around?”

She frowned and shook her head.

Happy House belonged to their undergraduate days. Most of the restaurants they used to frequent like second homes were gone now.

Happy House, one of the last holdouts, had closed three years ago.

Besides, she was supposed to spend the evening with Jooheon.

If she told him she’d made plans with someone else on their wedding anniversary, he would sulk for a week.

“Sorry, I don’t think I can tonight.”

“You have plans?”

She glanced at her phone, which still showed no messages from Jooheon. She didn’t nod, but she didn’t shake her head either.

“Why?”

“It’s an important day.”

“Ah… I see. Then next time.”

His smile turned faintly lonely.

He was clearly disappointed, but he accepted it without protest.

He probably assumed it was a family matter.

He knew she was married to Jooheon.

Everyone at Korea University’s psychology department had known how art student Yoon Jooheon had doggedly followed Seon Ayeon around back then.

He was always hanging around the social sciences building.

She smiled gently as Sunwoo waved and stepped back slowly.

The day was already fading into evening.

Something felt off.

By now, Jooheon should have contacted her.

She called him again.

“What’s going on…”

It was strange.

There was still no answer at the end of the ringing tone.

Jooheon was the type who was unusually attentive on special occasions.

Even on ordinary days, if he planned to pick her up from school four or five times a week, he would always text ahead to say when and where to meet.

He had never kept her waiting without a word.

He had never ignored her calls like this.

Was he upset about something.

Or was he planning some surprise.

If not, had something happened.

She chewed on her lip as she stared at her phone, her mind spinning through countless possibilities.

Then she lifted her head.

She gazed quietly at the sky turning red.

‘Something’s off.’

She lowered her eyes from her phone and looked out the window again. The sky was a deepening crimson.

Come to think of it, he had been picking her up less frequently lately.

From four or five times a week to maybe two or three.

Maybe his work had gotten busier.

Just as he didn’t fully understand her field, she didn’t know the details of his company either.

The Bridge of Art was an art sculpture investment platform.

All she really knew was that investors could collectively purchase a piece, sell it through various channels, make a profit, and receive dividends.

She couldn’t just sit still any longer. She fiddled with her phone, then called his company.

“May I speak with CEO Yoon?”

– The CEO is out on a business trip. Should I leave a message?

A formal voice came through the line.

“This is Seon Ayeon. I couldn’t reach my husband, so I called. I guess he’s still busy.”

– Oh, madam, hello. I didn’t recognize you. This is Deputy Joo.

The voice turned much warmer. She realized it was someone she knew.

Deputy Joo was one of the company’s founding members.

“Ah, hi. How have you been?”

– Same as always. Madam, the CEO’s schedule might run late today. He went to meet an investor in the provinces… he went with Nayul. Should I try calling him?

Nayul?

That was a name she had never heard before.