Chapter 37: The Return of the Past

The days following the incident with Minseo were strained and heavy with unresolved emotions. YN kept her distance from Seokjin, her heart still bruised by the betrayal she had witnessed. Despite his numerous attempts to apologise and explain, a thick wall of mistrust now stood between them, one that seemed almost impossible to breach.

As if the situation wasn't difficult enough, a new complication arose, one that neither of them could have anticipated.

It was a typical Monday morning, and YN was in her office, trying to focus on work despite the swirling thoughts that kept her on edge. Her assistant, Han Beom Seok, entered the room with a hesitant expression.

"Ms. YN," he began, carefully choosing his words, "you have a visitor… someone from your past."

YN looked up, puzzled. "From my past? Who is it?"

Before Beom Seok could respond, the door swung open, and in walked a man YN hadn’t seen in years. He was tall, with an easy smile and an air of confidence that immediately filled the room. His name was Park Jihoon, YN’s ex-boyfriend from her university days.

"YN," Jihoon greeted her with a warm smile, his eyes lighting up as he saw her. "It’s been a long time."

YN’s eyes widened in surprise. "Jihoon? What are you doing here?"

Jihoon chuckled softly. "I’m back in town for some business, and I heard about your success. I thought I’d drop by and say hello."

YN forced a polite smile, trying to mask the discomfort bubbling beneath the surface. "It’s… nice to see you," she replied, though her mind was racing. Why now? Why did he have to show up now, when everything was already so complicated?

Jihoon leaned against her desk casually, his eyes never leaving hers. "I’ve missed you, YN. I’ve often thought about what we had back then. We were good together, weren’t we?"

YN shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Jihoon had been charming and fun, but she had never been serious about him. Their relationship had been more of a fling, a way to pass the time during university. Still, hearing him talk about their past with such nostalgia made her uneasy."

Jihoon, that was a long time ago," YN said, trying to maintain her professionalism. "We’ve both moved on."

Jihoon’s smile faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. "Maybe, but I can’t help wondering what might have been if we hadn’t gone our separate ways."

Just as YN was about to respond, the door opened again, and Seokjin walked in. He froze in the doorway, his eyes immediately locking onto Jihoon, who was still leaning against YN’s desk in a way that was far too familiar for Seokjin’s liking.

Seokjin’s expression darkened, and his jaw clenched. "Who’s this?" he asked, his tone clipped.

YN quickly stood up, sensing the tension brewing between the two men. "Seokjin, this is Park Jihoon, an old friend from university. Jihoon, this is Kim Seokjin, my…"

She hesitated, unsure how to introduce him given their recent issues. The pause wasn’t lost on either man.

"Her secretary?" Jihoon finished for her, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Pleasure to meet you, Seokjin."

Seokjin’s eyes narrowed as he crossed the room, his posture stiff with barely contained hostility. "Likewise," he replied curtly, his gaze never leaving Jihoon’s.

YN could feel the tension in the room thickening by the second, and she knew she had to diffuse the situation before it escalated. "Jihoon, thank you for stopping by, but I’m afraid I have a lot of work to do today. Maybe we can catch up some other time."

Jihoon’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he stood up straight. "Of course, YN. I’d love that." He turned to Seokjin, offering a hand. "It was nice meeting you, Seokjin."

Seokjin shook his hand, his grip a little too firm. "Same here."

As Jihoon left the room, Seokjin turned to YN, his expression a mixture of frustration and insecurity. "What was that all about?"

YN sighed, rubbing her temples. "Nothing, Seokjin. He’s just an old friend who happened to drop by."

"An old friend?" Seokjin repeated, his voice laced with jealousy. "He clearly wants more than just friendship, YN. I saw the way he looked at you."

YN bristled at his tone. "It doesn’t matter how he looked at me, Seokjin. I’m not interested in him, and I made that clear."

Seokjin’s expression softened, but the doubt lingered in his eyes. "Are you sure? Because the way he was acting… it’s like he’s trying to stake a claim on you."

YN frowned, crossing her arms defensively. "Why are you acting like this, Seokjin? I’ve told you there’s nothing between us."

"Because I’m scared, YN!" Seokjin blurted out, his voice filled with anguish. "I’m scared of losing you to someone who can offer you more than I can. Someone who’s more on your level."

YN’s heart ached at his words, and she stepped closer, placing a hand on his chest. "Seokjin, I don’t care about any of that. I care about you."

But Seokjin couldn’t shake the gnawing insecurity that Jihoon’s arrival had stirred within him. The doubts that had already been festering were now threatening to consume him, and he struggled to find his footing in a relationship that suddenly felt much more fragile.

As YN, looked into his eyes, she could see the turmoil there, and it broke her heart. She knew she needed to reassure him, but with everything that had happened, she wasn’t sure how. The return of her ex had opened a wound between them, and YN feared it might be one they couldn’t easily close.

And so, the tension between them deepened, with Jihoon’s presence casting a long shadow over their already troubled relationship.

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