So Long For Now, Summer

So Long For Now, Summer

Chapter 10

Same Taste

………………………………

She passed her bill to Mr. Lee, and went to Woo Jin-ha, who was waiting for a valet at the entrance. Turns out his car was already out. 

After calculating the parking Fee and turning around, she saw Woo Jin-ha leaned against the wall with his hand on his forehead. 

She had thought he was already inside the car, but he wasn’t.

However, he looked like he was in a bad condition thus she hurriedly walked over.

“Are you all right, Mr. Vice President?”

“It’s okay.”

Even though his answer was ‘it’s okay’, he staggered as he opened the door. She tried to help him quickly, but he pushed me when she tried to reach him. 

She was a little wary, but she still watched while getting anxious. And again he staggered.

In the end she could only hold the car door open, helping him, but this time he leaned back against me, not refusing anymore. 

He smelled like winter wind. 

She held her breath awkwardly. Woo Jin-ha casually climbed into the car accidently rubbing my shoulders.

“Are you drunk?”

“No.”

As soon as she got in the car she asked him, and he replied almost instantly. 

His answer was still fine. Nevertheless, she wasn’t convinced. He for sure is drunk. 

It was only 15 minutes ago the argument with President Chang happened and it was less than five minutes when she saw him still normally sitting upright, standing up and walking out with President Chang. 

Then how did he manage to superbly act sober?

Did he really drink a lot? I don’t think so…

She thought about it again. 

It’s more like I was the one who drank quite a bit of alcohol before suddenly the atmosphere changed like that. 

Nonetheless still, he was usually a man who exercised restraint. 

“… I was thinking that you were drinking too.”

“Yes.” 

“But today… Didn’t you drink a lot as well?”

“Not that much, just a little”

There was a violent laugh. 

When she looked at his side, Woo Jin-ha said as if to answer.

“It was unfortunate”

For a moment, she couldn’t find the answer. But It’s definitely flusteredness. He felt a little embarrassed towards me. 

But why’s the shame in front of me for… What for? Because he’s drunk. But of course… People get drunk as soon as they drink… Anybody will think nothing about it. 

Looking at the front face, she felt tired, so she shut up and drove.

“I drink good wine.”

I looked over at his sudden words. He was looking out the window, out of the driveway. I tilted my head slightly.

“I noticed.”

“I don’t know.”

“… It’s the same drink anyway. So.”

“It’s different.”

She heard it without a thread, and she was almost laughing without knowing it.

“The brew itself is fine, but strangely weak for that kind.”

“Is that what it was?”

“It’s a kind of traditional wine. Like Chinese liquor, sake—”

“I don’t remember much of it when I saw you drinking it.”

She had a similar feeling for all her drinks. 

To me, it all tasted the same. 

She didn’t understand, but she thought Jin-ha meant to say that he would get drunk much faster with that liquor, so she  just nodded. 

Then when he caught her response, she glanced at him.

Woo Jin-ha was watching her with his eyes that were winding down tiredly.

She turned her head and regretted it, as if she had been caught sneaking around and looking so duped. 

The car started again in an awkward silence. Then she thought she stepped on acceleration too quickly, and that made her embarrassed. It’s full of embarrassments.

“Ms. Hee-joo, are you sure you’re okay to drive?”

“What?”

“I thought you weren’t drinking a lot.”

Does my driving feel like a drunken man driving? 

She shook her head in a hurry.

“I didn’t drink a lot, sir. It was only a little that got in my mouth. Not the alcohol, just the glass…. Are you nervous?”

“It was after all a very strong drink, so I was wondering if it was the case.”

“I’m sorry if you’re uncomfortable with my driving, I’ll be more careful.”

“Don’t worry about driving, you’re as good as usual. But your drinking ability has not always been good, Ms. Hee-joo. You’re frightened as well.”

“I could hold it a little better now…….”

“But I’m sure you were surprised, insulted, and over-pressured too.”

She was just going to say that it was because her attention seemed to be disturbed, but Woo Jin-ha immediately brought up a story close to the main point.

“No.”

“I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“For today.”

“It’s not something you need to apologize for.”

“If it wasn’t for me, Ms. Hee-joo wouldn’t be dragged to anything.”

“…….”

“It was my carelessness. I apologize.”

He simply preached about the need to apologize to me, but the weight was not simple.

She could not refuse anyway, and there was nothing to oppose. Chairman Jang was originally such a person, so the person who was actually to be blamed for, was not in this car.

Nevertheless, she felt an unknown guilt, as if he were strangely sorry for her.

Even if there was guilt, she could never blame him for dying.

So, this sense of guilt may just be the bits of remorse hidden, or it may be her mind that become stupid whenever she saw him.

Still even though she wasn’t the one to blame if she ended up dead, the public’s opinion however would’ve thought of her as a nuisance as if she had done it on purpose.

She wanted to laugh when he laughed, she was worried that if she would die he might frown, and she could not bear it if he looked tired. 

She dedicated herself to him with a dedication as she would have treated our own nation, South Korea.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

Actually she wasn’t, she always felt a little sick everytime she was thinking about it, a distinctly different feeling from when she had no knowledge about it before.

The important negotiations with the big company had gone wrong because of her. 

This did not help with any delighted feelings she had just felt from his protection. 

She would never dare to face her own emotions. 

I don’t want to admit that foolish euphoria….

Woo Jin-ha had fought to protect me, ignoring the great benefits for his future status. 

To dared refusing Chairman Jang’s offer meant it would certainly be more difficult, specifically for his own self. 

Shim Hee-Joo was convincing herself like that in order to avoid her fleeting expectations, thus her cold self raised her head.

However he could always have thrown her out, as if she wasn’t important at all. He could have told her to do it for the company, or he could easily tell her what was so wrong with accepting it, because most of the rich people were usually always selfish if one didn’t just obediently follow.