C H A P T E R T W E N T Y :
"Why are you avoiding me?"
flashback
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It had been eight years since Yi-Seo and Sang-woo went their separate ways. Eight years where Yi-Seo and Sang-woo never spoke again; eight years of silence. Yi-Seo tried to get in contact with him after a year, but he was nowhere to be around. She was devastated and heartbroken but, that didn't get in the way of her career or education. It encouraged her to work harder which earned her a spot at one of the best law firms in Seoul; where the journey of succeeding started.

Not only was she successful but that's where she met Lee Daeshim—her boyfriend. Yi-Seo met Lee Daeshim when she was 28 years old, still at the height of her career, and he was 31, already a respected prosecutor.

It was an ordinary case—a small business owner accused of fraud—but their first meeting was anything but ordinary. Daeshim had been the prosecutor, sharp and composed, presenting his case with meticulous precision. Yi-Seo, ever the fierce defense attorney, had fought back with equal intensity.

Their arguments had been heated, the courtroom buzzing with the tension between them. Neither had given an inch. It wasn't until after the trial—when the judge ruled in favor of Yi-Seo's client—that Daeshim approached her outside the courtroom.

"You argue like you're ready to go to war," he had remarked, slipping his hands into his pockets.

Yi-Seo raised an eyebrow. "And you prosecute like you have nothing to lose."

A small smirk tugged at his lips. "Maybe because I don't."

"Well, maybe you should," she had countered, tilting her chin slightly. "It makes winning more satisfying."

Daeshim chuckled at that. And instead of walking away, he had offered her coffee.

Yi-Seo was too stubborn to say no.

That was how it started—spirited debates over legal strategy, unexpected encounters at networking events, moments stolen in courthouse corridors. They were rivals, but there was something else beneath the surface, something neither of them wanted to acknowledge at first.

But Daeshim saw her—not just the ambitious attorney, but Yi-Seo. One year later, they got together— being at their happiest moment.

Now, Yi-Seo and her family were hosting their yearly gathering. It was a tradition they had since Hwa-Young was born. They did it in the fall, expressing their gratitude. They had stopped the tradition for a while once Mr. Yoon disappeared, but they now celebrate it in honor of him since it was his favorite time of the year.

The evening had started peacefully. Yi-Seo had planned everything carefully, ensuring the table was set perfectly with an array of traditional dishes placed neatly on the table. The warm glow of the lanterns gave the house a comforting atmosphere as laughter filled the air. Her mother, though frail, smiled as she sat with Mrs. Cho and Mrs. Oh, exchanging stories about their youth. Gi-hun and Jung-bae were in a heated debate about an old baseball game, while Hwa-young and Daeshim sat on opposite sides of Yi-Seo, happily munching on songpyeon.

"Yi-Seo did you make this? It's very delicious." Gi-hun asked while munching on songpyeon.

"Yes I did!" She smiled proudly.

"Since when did you become an amazing cook?" Jung-bae added.

"I've always been an amazing cook."

"Hey, Gi-hun. Where are your manners? You don't talk while your mouth is full!" Mrs. Yoon scolded which caused Hwa-Young to laugh.

"You're the son my mother never had." Hwa-Young teased.

Gi-hun playfully rolled his eyes and continued to eat. Mrs.Cho looked up to Yi-Seo and Daeshim. Even though she was devastated by the news that Yi-Seo had moved on, she was happy that the brunette found someone who loved her unconditionally.

"How's your career going?" She asked.

"It's going great! I wouldn't have made it this far if it wasn't for Daeshim." She looked up to him and held his hand.

"Don't say that,"he looked down to her, "your hardwork and dedication brought you here. You're an incredible and smart woman." He complimented and kissed her forehead.

Mrs. Cho nodded in agreement. "Your father would've been so proud of you."

--

Everything had been going well—until Sang-woo appeared at the doorway.

The chatter died down instantly. The only sound was the slight clatter of chopsticks against ceramic bowls. Yi-Seo froze mid-motion, her fingers tightening around her cup of tea as she took in the sight of him. He looked different, older but still unmistakably the same. He hesitated for a second before stepping inside, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on her.

"Hello, everyone," Sang-woo said, his voice even.

Mrs. Cho shifted uncomfortably, glancing between him and Yi-Seo. Jung-bae raised an eyebrow, while Gi-hun frowned. The silence stretched on until Hwa-young suddenly jumped from her seat and ran to Sang-woo with a bright smile.

"Hyung!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

Sang-woo seemed surprised but quickly smiled, ruffling her hair. "You've grown so much, Hwa-young. I almost didn't recognize you."

She grinned. "I missed you! Why didn't you visit us?"

Yi-Seo exhaled slowly, setting down her cup. "Hwa-young," she said gently, "come sit down."

Hwa-young pouted but obeyed, still beaming at Sang-woo. The awkwardness still lingered, but at least now, it wasn't suffocating.

"Have a seat," Yi-Seo's mother finally said, breaking the tension.

Sang-woo nodded, taking an empty seat across from Yi-Seo. It was only then that he seemed to notice Daeshim, sitting comfortably beside her. Their hands were close—too close—and Daeshim's posture was relaxed, almost territorial.

"I don't believe we've met," Sang-woo said, his voice neutral but his eyes sharp.

Daeshim smiled, extending a hand. "Lee Daeshim. Prosecutor. And Yi-Seo's boyfriend."

Yi-Seo didn't miss the way Sang-woo's jaw tightened slightly before he shook Daeshim's hand.

Gi-hun cleared his throat. "Well, this just got interesting."

Jung-bae smirked, sipping his drink. "Yeah, it did."

Daeshim, ever the composed one, leaned toward Yi-Seo, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Are you okay, babe? You haven't eaten much."

Sang-woo's grip on his chopsticks tightened.

"I'm fine," Yi-Seo replied, though she could feel the tension between the two men.

Daeshim wasn't done yet. Throughout the dinner, he subtly made it known how close he and Yi-Seo were. Whether it was refilling her plate, whispering something in her ear that made her smile, or resting his hand on hers for just a moment too long—everything was deliberate.

Sang-woo, on the other hand, said little. He mostly observed, his expression unreadable. But Yi-Seo knew him well enough to recognize the way his fingers tapped restlessly against the table, the way his gaze lingered on her whenever she laughed at something Daeshim said.

Eventually, Yi-Seo noticed that they were running low on food and drinks. But that wasn't the only reason, she just wanted a break. She excused herself from the guests and went inside.

Inside the house, the warm glow of paper lanterns flickered against the wooden floors. The muffled chatter and laughter from the yard felt distant as Yi-Seo stepped into the quiet hallway, pressing her fingers to her temples. She just needed a moment away.

But the moment she turned towards the kitchen, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"You're avoiding me," Sang-woo murmured.

She froze. Slowly, she turned, eyes narrowing when she saw him standing there, just a few steps away.

Her pulse quickened. "What are you doing?"

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you."

"You haven't spoken to me or even looked at me."

Yi-Seo scoffed, "You can't be serious Sang-woo. What did you expect? You wanted me to be happy that you finally decided to appear eight years later?"

His gaze flickered over her face, searching, unreadable. "That's why we need to talk."

Yi-Seo exhaled sharply, already shaking her head. "This is not the time."

Sang-woo stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Then when?"

Yi-Seo clenched her jaw. "Later."

"Later when? After the party? Next week? Never?"

Her throat tightened. She hated how well he could still read between her lines. "Sang-woo—"

"Just answer me, Yi-Seo," he interrupted. "Was I really that easy to forget?"

Her breath hitched, but she masked it quickly. "I didn't forget you." Her voice was steady, but quiet. "I moved on."

His jaw tightened. "With him."

Yi-Seo's stomach twisted. She knew exactly who he meant, and she hated that it bothered him. "That's not your concern."

Sang-woo scoffed. "Right. Of course. Why would it be?"

Before Yi-Seo could snap back, the sliding door suddenly slid open.

"Wow. The tension in here is crazy."

Both of them turned abruptly.

Hwa-Young leaned against the doorframe, smirking. "You know, if you guys wanted to have a secret meeting, maybe whispering in a hallway wasn't the best idea."

Yi-Seo let out a quiet groan. "Hwa-Young—"

Hwa-Young's gaze flickered between them, and then she grinned. "This is so awkward. I love it."

Sang-woo shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not—"

"Oh, it is," Hwa-Young cut in, stepping inside. "Unnie, Mom wants you to bring out the tea. And she sent me to find you, but wow, I was not expecting this." She tilted her head at Sang-woo. "So, how's life, ex-brother-in-law?"

Sang-woo nearly choked. "What?"

Yi-Seo groaned. "Hwa-Young."

"What?" Hwa-Young said, completely unfazed. "I mean, I have to call you something, right? We're all practically family. Well—" She made a face. "We were. But then you two broke up, and now you're awkwardly whispering in the hallway like you're in a drama."

Yi-Seo pinched the bridge of her nose. "I am not doing this right now."

Hwa-Young just smirked. "You sure? 'Cause it kinda seems like you are. So, what's this? A secret confession? A second chance? A—"

"Hwa-Young," Yi-Seo said sharply, cutting her off.

Hwa-Young pouted. "Fine, fine. I'll let you two be dramatic in peace." Then, she looked at Sang-woo again. "But for real, you should probably stop staring at my sister like that before her boyfriend notices."

Sang-woo stiffened, and Yi-Seo immediately grabbed Hwa-Young's wrist. "Let's go."

As she dragged her sister towards the kitchen, Hwa-Young called over her shoulder, "Don't fight too much! Or do. Just let me watch next time!"

The door slid shut behind them, leaving Sang-woo standing there, exhaling as he ran a hand down his face.

Yi-Seo released Hwa-Young's wrist as soon as they reached the kitchen, rubbing her temples. "You are unbelievable."

Hwa-Young just grinned. "Oh, come on. It's not my fault you two were acting like the main leads in a slow-burn romance."

Yi-Seo shot her a glare as she grabbed the tray of tea from the counter. "We were not."

"Uh-huh. Sure." Hwa-Young leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "So, what did he want? A second chance? Closure? An apology?" She gasped dramatically. "Oh no, was he trying to confess?"

Yi-Seo groaned. "Hwa-Young—"

"I'm just saying," her sister continued, "he looked at you like a lost puppy. And you—" She narrowed her eyes. "You weren't exactly throwing him out."

Yi-Seo's grip tightened around the teacups. "Because I didn't want to make a scene."

"Right," Hwa-Young said, clearly unconvinced. "And that's why you told him to find you later instead of telling him to get lost?"

Yi-Seo hesitated, her jaw tightening.

Hwa-Young gasped again. "You still have feelings for him, don't you?"

"No," Yi-Seo said immediately.

Hwa-Young squinted at her. "Mmm... that was too fast. Highly suspicious."

Yi-Seo groaned, picking up the tray. "I'm going outside. And you—" She pointed at Hwa-Young. "Are going to stop meddling."

Hwa-Young held up her hands in surrender but smirked. "Fine, fine. But just so you know, if you and ex-brother-in-law get back together, I totally called it first."

Yi-Seo shot her a final warning look before pushing past her and stepping outside.

The warm evening air greeted her as she walked back towards the gathering. The conversations, the clinking of dishes—it was all still there, unchanged, as if nothing had happened.

But Yi-Seo felt the weight of it in her chest.

She carefully set the tea down in front of her mother and the guests, forcing a polite smile as she poured each cup. She could feel Daeshim's eyes on her from across the table, quiet and observant.

And somewhere in the background, she knew Sang-woo was still inside, waiting.

--

By the time dinner ended and the guests began to leave, the tension had simmered but hadn't disappeared. Yi-Seo busied herself cleaning up, bidding everyone farewell. Hwa-young hugged Sang-woo tightly before leaving with their mother, they both went out to do a quick grocery run. Daeshim helped Yi-Seo finish collecting the dishes before he left.

Soon, it was just Yi-Seo and Sang-woo left in the house.

She turned, ready to say something, but the look in his eyes stopped her. It was the same look he had given her all those years ago—the one filled with unspoken words, regrets, and something else she couldn't quite place.

"Sang-woo..." she started.

He took a step closer. "Can we finally talk?"

Yi-Seo exhaled slowly, setting down the dish she was holding. She had known this moment was coming the second Sang-woo stepped into her home, but now that they were alone, she wasn't sure if she was ready.

She folded her arms, keeping her voice steady. "Talk about what?"

Sang-woo studied her for a moment before speaking. "It's been eight years."

She let out a short, humorless laugh. "I noticed."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know I have no right to be here, but when I heard about the gathering... I just—" He hesitated before continuing, "I wanted to see you."

Yi-Seo's expression didn't change. "Why now?"

Sang-woo didn't answer immediately. His eyes flickered toward the counter, where Daeshim had been standing not long ago. When he looked back at her, there was something unreadable in his gaze. "I guess I thought you'd still be the same."

Yi-Seo felt something inside her tighten. "And what exactly did you expect?" she asked, her voice sharper now. "That I'd be sitting around, waiting for you?"

Sang-woo flinched slightly at her words. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Yi-Seo stepped closer, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Because from where I'm standing, it seems like you only showed up to see if I was still the woman you left behind. Newsflash, Sang-woo—I'm not."

Silence filled the room. Sang-woo clenched his fists but said nothing.

Yi-Seo exhaled slowly, gripping the edge of the table as she steadied herself. The room felt smaller with Sang-woo standing there, his presence almost suffocating.

"I moved on, Sang-woo," she said, her voice even but firm. "I had to. And I'm happy now."

His jaw tightened. "With him?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Yes, with him."

Sang-woo scoffed, shaking his head. "I don't believe that."

Yi-Seo's patience was wearing thin. "What do you mean you don't believe that? You haven't been around! You don't know anything about me anymore."

Sang-woo's gaze darkened. "I know enough."

She let out a breath, incredulous. "You don't get to act like this. You don't get to come back after eight years and—" Her voice faltered, frustration bleeding into something raw. "And act like you still have a say in my life."

His lips parted, but no words came. Instead, he ran a hand down his face, exhaling sharply. "That's not what I'm trying to do."

"Then what are you trying to do?" she pressed, her voice softer now but no less strained.

Sang-woo hesitated. He glanced at the floor, as if searching for the right words. "I don't know," he admitted finally. "I just—" He met her eyes again, something desperate there. "I guess I thought... we'd have another chance."

Yi-Seo's heart twisted painfully. She had dreamed of those words once, long ago, when the wounds were still fresh. When she had stayed up at night wondering if he ever regretted leaving. If he ever wanted to come back.

But now? Now, they just felt cruel.

She swallowed hard. "Sang-woo... you don't get to say that now."

He closed his eyes briefly, nodding, but the tension in his jaw didn't ease. "I know," he said quietly. "I know it's selfish."

A heavy silence fell between them, filled with too many things left unsaid. Yi-Seo looked down at the table, at the faint scratches on the wood, as if she could find the right thing to say in its worn-out lines.

"You hurt me," she said finally. "More than I think you'll ever understand."

Sang-woo flinched, but he didn't look away. "I never wanted to."

"But you did," she whispered.

He nodded, accepting it, but the regret in his eyes didn't fade.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The weight of the past sat heavily between them, pressing against her chest.

Yi-Seo inhaled slowly, steadying herself. "I don't hate you," she admitted, surprising even herself. "Not anymore."

Sang-woo's eyes widened slightly. "You don't?"

She shook her head. "I did, for a long time. But... I don't have the energy for that anymore." A sad smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I've spent too much time looking back. I don't want to do that anymore."

Sang-woo exhaled, Yi-Seo met his gaze, and for the first time that night, the anger had faded. There was still pain, still an ache that would never fully go away, but there was also something else—acceptance.

"I'm sorry, Yi-Seo," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "For everything."

She looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the sincerity in his eyes. The weight of his regret, the years they had lost, the things they couldn't change—it was all there. And maybe that was enough.

Yi-Seo swallowed, the anger in her chest ebbing into something else. Something bittersweet. "I know," she murmured.

They stood there, caught in a fragile moment that felt like the end of something and the beginning of something else. A quiet understanding.

Sang-woo took a cautious step forward, then another. He hesitated, searching her face, waiting for her to pull away. But she didn't.

And so, carefully, he wrapped his arms around her.

It wasn't the kind of embrace that promised anything more than this moment. It wasn't desperate or lingering. It was just them—two people who had once meant everything to each other, now finding a way to say goodbye.

Yi-Seo let herself sink into it, just for a second. She felt the warmth of him, the familiar scent that was now laced with time and distance.

She met his gaze one last time and offered him the smallest, faintest smile. "Take care, Sang-woo."

He nodded, his own lips twitching into something just as fragile. "You too, Yi-Seo."

Just as Yi-Seo pulled away from the hug, Sang-woo let out a quiet breath, like he'd been holding something in for too long. For a moment, neither of them moved, standing close enough that she could still feel the warmth of his presence.

She looked up at him, trying to ignore the way the years between them suddenly felt much smaller. "You should go," she said softly, but it didn't carry the same sharpness as before.

Sang-woo nodded, but he didn't step back right away. Instead, he studied her face like he was committing it to memory. "You're different," he said, almost to himself.

Yi-Seo let out a small, tired laugh. "People change."

He gave her a small smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah. I guess they do."

A comfortable silence settled between them, the tension no longer suffocating but something else—something almost peaceful.

Sang-woo finally took a step back, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I should go."

Yi-Seo nodded, but just before he could turn away, she spoke again. "Sang-woo."

He looked at her, waiting.

She hesitated, then shook her head lightly. "Nothing," she murmured.

For the first time that night, Sang-woo didn't push for more. He just gave her a small nod, then turned toward the door.

This time, as he stepped outside, the air didn't feel quite as heavy. And though neither of them said it, they both knew—this wasn't goodbye.

words from the author:

So many easter eggs in this chapter. 👀

I promise you guys I will feed y'all more sweet moments of Yi-Seo and Sang-woo.