IDMPYU 48

Chapter 48. Butterfly in the Greenhouse

Seungho pushed through the crowd with hurried steps, a look of anxiety on his face. No matter how much he replayed it in his head, he couldn’t understand Hajun’s question about how he felt about Jihyun. In truth, the answer had long been decided.

When he was eighteen and first saw her small hand on a white pebble, Seungho had thought:

‘Mine.’

Jihyun was clearly his. So he raised her.

Like a butterfly he owned, even if she flew far away, he raised her with flowers full of nectar so she would come back to him. It wasn’t a difficult task. Small and fragile, Jihyun had always been the butterfly in his greenhouse…

“I like Jihyun.”

The calm he had managed to maintain didn’t last long. That unpleasant voice rang in his head like an alarm.

‘How dare he…’

Gritting his teeth, Seungho clenched his jaw. He was furious at Hajun, who had dared to show such clingy emotions—emotions he normally despised—toward his butterfly.

His quick steps came to a halt. In the place he had left her, there she was—with Hajun. Together. The sight of them was something he hadn’t expected.

They looked friendly, laughing happily together. All Seungho could see was Jihyun’s beautiful smile. A sharp pain pierced his left chest like a hammer crushing bone.

The unfamiliar pain nearly brought him to his knees. He fought the urge to rush over and grab Hajun by the collar. Fortunately, his well-trained judgment overpowered his impulse.

“Hoo…”

Running a rough hand through his well-groomed hair, Seungho slowly opened and closed his eyes. What he needed now wasn’t rage—but the reason that had left him.

“I like you.”

The kind of repulsive confession he’d heard far too many times—enough to be sick of it. But what if those words came from Jihyun’s mouth?

With longing eyes, those hesitant plump lips saying she wanted him—would he still despise her then?

As he imagined Jihyun confessing her feelings to him, a tingling sensation shot up from his toes. He rubbed the back of his neck, the feeling so intense it made the tiny hairs on his arms stand up. It was a shame it was only a fantasy.

But what if she didn’t?

What if, just like he always had, she looked at him with mocking eyes?

‘I’m scared.’

The fear overwhelmed the thrill and shook his vision.

Seungho unknowingly took a step back. The scale that had balanced reason and emotion was now swinging wildly, shaking his entire world.

Then—

“Seungho, what the hell are you doing?”

Soorin, her face red with anger, grabbed Seungho’s arm roughly. It seemed she had followed after him when he left without a word.

“Do you know how long Chaerin’s been waiting for you? You can’t just disappear like that.”

“I told you earlier I met her.”

His polite tone to his angry mother sounded eerie instead of respectful. Seungho, wearing his usual arrogant expression despite his inner turmoil, looked down at Soorin and furrowed his brows.

His beautiful mother had a habit of twisting words to her advantage.

From her rough breathing, Seungho could tell how much effort she had put into trying to tie him to Chaerin in marriage. She had probably spread the word that he liked Chaerin.

Soorin stared at her son, who now looked at her with unfamiliar eyes. Seungho, already slightly twisted for some time, had grown even more distant from their already distant family.

But Soorin wasn’t someone who would give up now. Chaerin’s family was a great asset to support Chairman Shin’s business.

If only the eldest son had been a bit more capable, I wouldn’t need to go through all this…

Biting her lip, Soorin forced a smile toward her defiant son.

“Chairman Park will be here soon. Shouldn’t you at least greet him?”

Seungho replied indifferently, as if to reject her hopes.

“Not sure Chaerin would like that.”

“What kind of nonsense is that? She’s not feeling well today, but you still need to do what’s expected.”

‘What were you even looking at?’

Soorin finally noticed that Seungho wasn’t paying attention to the conversation and kept looking elsewhere.

“Just greet the chairman, okay? That’s all. I won’t ask for anything else.”

She tried to push him toward the direction like she was pushing a stubborn child, then watched him walk off with a frustrated sigh.

He was a difficult child—not at all like her. Curious about what had drawn his attention, Soorin stood where he had been and turned to follow his gaze.

“Ah…”

Her face froze cold as she found the object of his gaze.

There, beside her eighteen-year-old son, stood Choi Jihyun—the girl she had once kicked out. A moth feeding off scraps of light.

“Don’t move from here, okay?”

Just those words, and Jihyun stayed near, like she was tied down by invisible strings. Seungho, who seemed like he’d be back soon, was nowhere to be found.

“What are you doing here?”

Startled by the familiar voice, Jihyun quickly looked up and smiled awkwardly.

“Hajun.”

“Did you eat anything?”

“No, nothing…”

Come to think of it, she hadn’t had anything besides champagne. Now that she realized it, her stomach felt queasy.

“You can’t skip meals. That’ll mess up your stomach.”

At her answer, Hajun frowned and disappeared into the crowd. He returned quickly with a plate full of finger food.

“At least eat this.”

Instead of reaching for the food, Jihyun looked at Hajun. He was inspecting the snacks he had hurriedly gathered.

“I like you, Jihyun.”

Hearing the confession she had only overheard—it felt strange. She was relieved she hadn’t heard it directly. It might have been too much to face him afterward.

Hajun had always been a kind friend. Someone who told her to call him anytime she was in trouble.

“This one looks good.”

“Mm.”

Watching Hajun smile warmly at her, Jihyun felt a sadness she couldn’t explain.

Chaerin kept sneaking glances at Seungho, who stood next to her. Soorin had practically dragged him over, saying it would be rude not to greet her father, Chairman Park.

Standing indifferently, Seungho pulled out his phone and sent a text. The faint movement of his collar brought a burst of cool mint scent to Chaerin’s nose. Just being next to him made her breath tremble.

To someone like Chaerin—who had never failed to get what she wanted—Shin Seungho was the hardest thing to have. It had been like that since they were young.

With sharp features, a tall frame, and broad shoulders accentuated by a perfect suit—he was everything she had dreamed of in an ideal man.

Whenever he called her name in that deep voice of his, she desperately wished they’d be married, calling each other honey and darling.

During her studies abroad, she had dated many men, knowing her freedom had an expiration date. So, she dated more diligently than she studied.

To her, romance was nothing more than a diversion before the political marriage arranged by her parents.

Even then, she believed her future husband would be Seungho. But her carefully drawn blueprint crumbled quickly.

Overreacting to a rumor and causing a scene over a female employee—that was her mistake.

What Seungho said to her afterward was nothing like the married life she had dreamed of…

Yet, seeing him now—looking so handsome next to her—she couldn’t think of giving up. He was too perfect to let go over a single flaw.

“Seungho.”

Chaerin called him softly. He glanced at her briefly, and the arrogance in his eyes made her heart melt. She couldn’t let him go.

“I haven’t made my decision yet. So don’t worry too much.”

A scoffing chuckle sounded above her head. His smirk made it clear—her words amused him.

Between them, the one with the power was always Seungho. He was always the upper hand. Right now, too—she was the one who should be worried, not him.

“Chairman Park!”

As Chairman Park—the head of Rivernic and Chaerin’s father—appeared, Myungho emerged from somewhere and rushed over with a cheerful smile.

“Mr. Shin Myungho. Or should I say, CEO now? Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Chairman.”

Though they had been secretly working together behind the scenes, they greeted each other as if they were meeting for the first time.

As they exchanged pleasantries and shook hands, Seungho’s eyes quietly sparkled.

“Dad!”

Chaerin called out cheerfully. Chairman Park turned to look at her and then at Seungho beside her. She blushed and gently grabbed Seungho’s sleeve.

“Ah, so you’re Seungho. Just as handsome as they say. My daughter never stops talking about you—says you’re perfect in every way.”

“You flatter me.”

Unlike Myungho, who played the obedient son-in-law role, Seungho gave only a dry nod and responded in a flat tone.

Soorin’s face went pale, but the one truly panicking was Chaerin.

With a firm expression, she turned to her father and said—

“Dad, I’ve made my decision.”