I paused, refusing to answer.

So, because he didn't get an answer, finally Daehyun asked again with a bit of necessity but still in a gentle tone, "Chunghee, now tell me what exactly A Yeong told you earlier? If you didn't tell me, then I'll call A Yeong right now and make her talk."

I looked away, unfazed by the threat, and said in a low voice that almost whispered, "How could you threaten me like that."

Nevertheless, the slightest sound in this silent room would also be heard. So, as soon as I finished my words, he immediately replied evasively, "This isn't a threat, you know. I'll really call A Yeong if you don't want to tell me the truth." Paused, he continued, "Chunghee, now, please answer, did she say something?"

Not wanting to be pushed around so much, I finally spoke indifferently, "Nothing. I'm going to bed first."

Daehyun was silent for a while before he finally took out his cell phone from his pocket. As soon as I heard the sound of his cell phone button, I hastily reached out to prevent him from contacting A Yeong.

Staring at him intently, I mustered up my courage once again and spoke carefully, "I saw it ... the news ... at the conference. A Yeong showed it to me."

Daehyun froze for a moment with his face slowly darkening. He put his cell phone on the table near the bowl of porridge, then smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Why? Are you worried about him? Is that why you want to cancel our scheduled departure?" Daehyun asked very calmly. But even so, the tone of his dislike was still quite clear.

For some reason, the question sounded so painful, like a knife he had ruthlessly stabbed right into my heart. It didn't kill me, but the feeling wouldn't go away for a hundred years.

However, he didn't stop there. He even said something even crueler. Maybe for him, it was normal, but for me, it was very unsettling.

"Stop thinking about him. He'll ... be okay. He left you once, didn't he? Was he hurt when he left you? No. So, now, try to ignore him. Hopefully, with us leaving later, it can allow you to slowly forget about him."

Daehyun was heard so confident with his words. But, for me, his words sounded like he was pressuring me. I felt that Daehyun's attitude was getting more and more possessive towards me. It worried me if I was there with him, he wouldn't be much different from how Donghwa treated me where he always locked me up at home, being possessive, overprotective, or maybe worse than him?

Even though what he said was almost true that I was worried about Donghwa, I still tried not to care. Until he asked again to make sure, "So you're really worried about him, huh?"

Since that wasn't what I wanted to talk about, I chose not to bring it up which would only prolong the problem.

Daehyun was silent, waiting for me to explain. While I was with this feeling, I could only justify it in my heart without a word.

Actually, I wanted to dodge, but I knew that Daehyun already knew the truth just by looking at the look on my face right now.

Finally, he stood up and began to take off the clothes he was wearing while walking towards the front of the wardrobe.

However, unexpectedly, I spontaneously opened my mouth with a voice almost shouting, "Daehyun, why did you let him do such a stupid thing?"

"He got insane. I've warned him many times, but he still reveals his madness." Unbuttoning his shirt, he spoke nonchalantly, "So, I let him do what he wants."

Hearing his indifferent response, I almost shouted once more, "But, what about your father?"

From behind, I could see his back starting to stiffen. He paused for a moment, then putting on the towel without saying anything.

After that, he turned around with a complicated expression that was difficult to describe in words, as if there were a lot of mixed feelings on his cold and mysterious face.

Slowly, he walked towards me and sat down beside me. He gently stroked my head and spoke affectionately, "Chunghee, look, I know you're worried. But, you don't need to think about things that have nothing to do with you. I've taken care of everything and it will be okay. Trust me, I can handle it, okay? I told you his business would be okay. I promise you."

Hearing his earnest words, I looked at him as if placing all that trust in him.

"You ... don't you hate him?"

"Tch, stupid." His gaze turned sharp. He then stood up and walked to the window, saying, "You can still ask such a thing? Do you think if I look calm at hearing you keep worrying about him makes me happy? Haven't I told you many times that I hate him? Do you want to hear it one more time? Would you like to hear when I say that I hate him so much?"

Then, he turned around, looking at me with a ferocious expression. Folding his arms across his chest, he continued to speak, "Yes, I hate him. But, I can't hate him in the business affair and it really bothers me. I hate that human side of me. I should be happy when he suffers and his career is ruined, but I can't rejoice. I really hate that good side of me."

Daehyun was calm, but suppressed anger made everything he said sound cruel.

He looked different today. I could feel a strong and terrifying atmosphere radiating in his piercing eyes.

The atmosphere in the room was cold, but it couldn't compare to the mood of the person standing in front of me, who was staring at me expressionlessly with a ball of ice in his sharp eyes, piercing like spears. It was more freezing than the cold air that blew in this room, even for winter.

In this silence, I mustered up the courage, then asked again in a small but clear voice, "Daehyun, can you guarantee that Donghwa will be fine?"

No matter how convincing Daehyun's words were, I couldn't help but worry about Donghwa because by what I knew, Donghwa wasn't someone who admitted his mistakes easily. But, as soon as I saw the news, I felt that there was something weird about him.

It made me prejudice.

When Daehyun heard that question, his face became complicated. He leaned lazily on the frame, looked away, and stared out the window with the same expression. He then replied nonchalantly, "He ... he'll be okay."

I wondered why Daehyun had such a hard time saying "he'll be okay" as if there was something he was hiding and didn't want me to find out.

I didn't want to be prejudiced, but I couldn't help but do it. All I could do now was minimize it so that I didn't show any suspicion to him even though I kept wondering inside.

I could only be silent, staring at Daehyun without being able to move an inch. I froze after hearing the answer, but with sadness and the words made the sadness would never end.

I knew his feelings for sure. Even though I couldn't see the feeling and couldn't touch it, my heart was so sensitive to be able to feel it quite clearly, that the displeasure engendered a hatred he couldn't express, and that it was more than just saying "I hate him so much", but business required him to suppress all that even if it would drive him crazy.