Chapter 5

Come to think of it, it made sense that she didn’t know every employee at The Bridge of Art anymore. Aside from the staff who had been there since the company’s early days, she didn’t really know the newer hires.

Still, she found it a little odd that if Jooheon had planned to travel to the provinces on a day like today, he hadn’t mentioned it in advance.

Then she remembered.

He had left for work early that morning, so they hadn’t had a chance to talk.

“It’s alright. No worries.”

– Madam…

Deputy Joo called her softly but trailed off, as if unsure how to continue.

“Yes?”

– It’s just… could you come by the office sometime? It’s been a while since we’ve seen you.

“Ah. Sure.”

She answered with a faint smile and ended the call, lost in thought.

Although it unsettled her a little that Jooheon hadn’t messaged her about being late, she felt more at ease now that she knew he was busy with work.

Ayeon wasn’t the type to place too much importance on anniversaries.

She had prepared his gift this morning after noticing he’d bought one for her, but she didn’t mind when she would give it. They saw each other every day. Missing their wedding anniversary dinner wasn’t the end of the world.

All she hoped was that his investor meeting would go well.

“Hu…”

She let out a quiet sigh and walked toward the departmental office.

She soon realized she had wandered there without thinking.

The office was locked. The teaching assistant had clearly gone home hours ago.

As she turned to retrace her steps, her eyes landed on something.

‘Professor Jin Sunwoo’s Office’

Part-time lecturers’ rooms didn’t have nameplates. They were shared spaces, often used by five or six lecturers just to wait before class.

She found herself staring at the shiny new nameplate. She couldn’t help feeling a twinge of envy.

Then the office door suddenly opened.

She jumped, letting out a startled “Oh” as she instinctively stepped back.

Sunwoo appeared in the doorway.

“Sunbae.”

“Sun… no, Professor Jin.”

She glanced around, worried someone might overhear her calling him so casually.

“It’s an important day, isn’t it. Why are you still at school?”

“Ah, well… I thought it was important, but I guess it wasn’t.”

She gave an awkward laugh.

“What do you mean?”

“I was mistaken.”

She scrunched her nose slightly with a faint smile.

She had thought she didn’t mind, but maybe she did.

Was she actually hurt that she hadn’t heard from Jooheon all day.

Her expression betrayed her, no matter how she tried to keep it steady.

Sunwoo’s brows furrowed slightly as he watched her.

“Are you alright, Sunbae?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

She forced a calm answer and smiled.

“Professor Jin, you haven’t had dinner yet, have you?”

He silently studied her face, then slowly nodded.

“Let’s go. Happy House may be gone, but there’s still one place left. Do you remember Soft Line?”

The moment she said the name, his lips curled in nostalgia.

“Of course I do. The place with the golden retriever out front.”

“It’s still there.”

“No way. Seriously?”

She smiled as he looked genuinely surprised, telling him to see for himself.

* * *

Soft Line was a pub that served fusion dishes with beer.

“Wow, except for looking a little worn, it’s exactly the same.”

Standing in front of the pub, Sunwoo looked moved.

“Even the retriever.”

The golden retriever was still stationed at the entrance. She explained that this one was a descendant of the old retriever they remembered.

He knelt slightly and gently stroked the dog’s head, his expression soft.

She smiled faintly as she watched the two of them.

“Shall we go in?”

“Yeah.”

Back in their undergraduate days, Soft Line had been a newly opened trendy pub.

Now it was an old place overshadowed by flashier newcomers, half empty most nights.

They sat by the window.

“Did you come here often?” he asked.

“No. I haven’t been in ages. There’s rarely a reason to come out this way.”

“Tonight’s special, then?”

She smiled and nodded at his bright-eyed question.

“Nice.”

“What is?”

“Being here with you makes it feel like we’re back in undergrad.”

His voice softened with a wistful smile.

“Back then, we were all so young. The memories are still vivid, and I can’t believe so much time has passed.”

His expression was pure and clear, but his words sounded like something a much older man would say, not the youngest professor at Korea University.

“You sound like an old man. Just a tip, young people hate it when you start talking about the good old days.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

She laughed as he pulled a sheepish face.

They ordered non-alcoholic beers and Soft Line’s signature Italian dishes, chatting casually.

“But you know.”

“Hm?”

“When it’s just the two of us, it’s allowed.”

“What is?”

“Talking about the old days. Back then, when I was a student, when we were both here… that kind of stuff.”

He kept bringing up things that only made sense between the two of them.

She found herself smiling more and more, reminded of how he used to be.

He had always been like that.

‘When it’s just us, why can’t I treat you to a meal. Is there a law that says Sunbae has to pay every time?’

‘Just eat quietly. It’s a privilege only juniors get.’

‘I don’t even want that kind of privilege.’

“How have you been, Sunbae?”

“Well, nothing special. As you can see, twelve years straight at the university.”

She squinted playfully over her beer.

Sunwoo let out a quiet sigh.

“Were you disappointed… this time?”

When the psychology department had opened a professorship, he had known Ayeon would apply.

She had more than enough talent to take that position.

But she couldn’t.

For unfair reasons she wasn’t even aware of.

If she couldn’t take the spot, then he had to.

He had a reason to.

There were things he could only accomplish with the authority that position gave him.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. I just figured it wasn’t my time yet.”

He watched her try to laugh it off, and his own smile turned bitter.

“Me too.”

“What?”

His answer caught her off guard.

She had been ready to tell him not to give her some empty comfort, but that wasn’t what he was doing.

“When I was in the US, I read a lot of your papers in the Asian Journal of Psychology. They were excellent.”

“So you did. You must have been busy. Thanks.”

Her face brightened.

“We both worked hard. This is just how it turned out. I wanted to tell you not to take it too personally.”

“You’re right. I was disappointed, but that’s all.”

She nodded slowly.

“Honestly, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face if I saw you again.”

“Worried?”

“Yeah. I’m only human. But when I saw you back on campus, I just… felt happy.”

A wide smile spread across his face.

“That’s just how I am, I guess.”

“Huh?”

“I have one of those faces. The kind no one can hate. Seeing me is healing, right?”

“Oh, stop.”

She laughed, squeezing her eyes shut at his shamelessness.

“It actually surprised me, though. I thought you’d stay in the States.”

“Ah…”

“There were rumors you might take a position at Exeter. Is that true?”

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Exeter University was world-renowned for criminal psychology.

It was the kind of school psychology scholars dreamed of.

She had been curious whether the rumors about him were true.

“Yeah. They did offer me a professorship.”

Her mouth fell open.

He wasn’t the same Jin Sunwoo she used to know.

He had returned with a far more impressive career than she’d imagined.

She found herself in awe at the thought of how hard he must have worked.

She finally admitted to herself that she still had a long way to go.

There was so much more she needed to do.

“It was true. But you turned it down and came to Korea University? Wow.”

“Well…”

He gulped down his beer and took a deep breath, as if preparing to say something.