Confrontations

Chapter 16:

Min-soo sat in his luxurious living room, nursing a glass of whiskey. He couldn't shake off the image of Ji-hyun and Tae-oh together, their laughter and smiles etched in his mind like a curse.

He felt rejected, unwanted, and it fueled his anger. Why was Ji-hyun so oblivious to his feelings? Didn't she know that he, Min-soo, was the one who truly cared for her?

The next day, Ji-hyun arrived at Min-soo's office, determined to clarify things between them. But as soon as she entered, Min-soo's emotions boiled over.

"What do you want?" Min-soo snapped, his voice low and menacing.

Ji-hyun took a step back, taken aback by his tone. "I just wanted to talk to you about what's going on between us," she said, her voice steady.

Min-soo's laughter was cold and mirthless. "There's nothing going on between us, Ji-hyun. You're just a pawn in my game, a game you're clearly enjoying with Tae-oh."

Ji-hyun's eyes widened, hurt by his words. "That's not true, Min-soo. I care about you, but you're pushing me away."

Min-soo's face twisted in anger. "You care about me? You don't even know me, Ji-hyun. You only see what you want to see."

The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with unspoken emotions. Ji-hyun took a step forward, her eyes locked on Min-soo's.

"Maybe I don't know you, Min-soo," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I want to. I want to understand you, to know what's going on inside that head of yours."

Min-soo's expression faltered, his anger momentarily replaced by a glimmer of vulnerability. But it was quickly extinguished, replaced by a cold, hard mask.

"Get out," he growled, his voice dripping with venom. "Get out of my office, Ji-hyun. And don't come back."

Ji-hyun's face fell, but she stood her ground. "I won't give up on you, Min-soo," she said, her voice firm. "I'll keep trying, no matter how hard you push me away."

And with that, she turned and walked out of the office, leaving Min-soo to stew in his own bitter emotions.