DREAMS & REALITIES

Park Seo Joon knew all too well the sting of loneliness—of being an outcast. He had always harbored the deep-seated belief that he didn't fit into the society he was raised in, nor did he think he was ever meant to grow up the way he did. He had inherited great wealth, yet he often wondered why one shouldn't enjoy a portion of it in their youth rather than hoard it and multiply it until they were bedridden, as sickness blurred the line between day and night, trapping them in a timeless haze.

It was a reflection of what it had done to his father.

Running a corporate firm had profoundly changed him. Caught up in the relentless pursuit of building Park Corporations into a thriving enterprise, Seo Joon's father lost touch with the simple joys of life, forgetting how to exercise or unwind without constantly planning for the future. Seo Joon could hardly recall a month without witnessing his father's mental breakdowns; those episodes had become alarmingly frequent.

This obsession had made his father relentless and almost insufferable. Consumed by the pursuit of success, he completely lost his grip on reality. By the time he reached his fifties, his son could hardly differentiate him from a madman. His father's fixation on success had cost him his mental stability, leaving him in a state where no amount of money could save him.

Seo Joon didn't want to face a fate like his father's, nor did he wish to inherit his legacy. Instead, he desired the freedom to live on his own terms. He dreamed of living like the world travelers, the free spirits who wandered the globe, discovering not just new places, but themselves.

Those people had captivated him since the age of eleven. He had become so enamored with the idea that he eagerly followed every travel show, both Korean and foreign. The thought of venturing to distant places, exploring new landscapes, and immersing himself in diverse cultures filled him with wonder.

Seo Joon often imagined how different he might have been if he'd grown up among the humble locals rather than the elite of Seoul. He longed for a simpler life—slower, more reflective. He wondered what it would be like to sit on a veranda on a quiet afternoon, surrounded by people who truly cared for and understood him.

The memory took him back to that single moment in his life when he had experienced it, even though he hadn't been able to travel the world as he had always dreamed. He felt grateful for having seized such a precious, untainted moment from his fate, knowing he was now walking the same path his father had at this age.

With nowhere else to turn, Seo Joon, like his father, poured everything into the company. A deeply private person, he remained distant, always keeping to himself. He, too, had married a wealthy woman, though there was little affection between them. And, much like his father, he lived a life devoid of personal happiness, tying his identity entirely to the company's success.

As he sat in the lobby of Park Corporations, waiting to meet the CEO, his son Park Jimin, Seo Joon realized just how much he had become like his father.

He had passed the burden of the family legacy onto his son, repeating the cycle his own father had forced upon him. Likewise, he pushed Jimin into a despised marriage proposal, just as he had once been. In doing so, he reignited the same resentment in Jimin that he himself had once harbored toward his father.

He wondered if that was the reason why he was no longer allowed to run the company he had devoted half his life to building.

"Mr. Park is ready to see you," the tall secretary said to Seo Joon, breaking his train of thought.

Exhaling, Seo Joon stood, adjusted his suit, and followed the secretary to the office that had once been his. A grim line set on his lips at the realization. His gaze next locked onto the back of her head, quickly noting she wasn't the assistant he had personally chosen for Jimin. If the change wasn't obvious enough, it was a clear signal of Jimin's subtle rebellion.

A falter in his heartbeat warned him there was still more to come.

The clipped taps of his soles and the sharp clicks of the woman's stilettos formed a rhythm, blending with the rapid keystrokes of office workers as they passed by their cubicles. The building's interior was lavish, with metal artworks adorning the expansive, bright walls. The desks, tables, and chairs, crafted from fine wood, exuded a polished elegance that harmonized with the surrounding colors.

Seo Joon came to a halt, his gaze shifting from the surroundings to the woman beside the exquisite French glass doors, with a potted plant standing guard on either side. The corners of her lips curved into a polite smile as she tilted her body slightly to the right, her fist clenched around the door handle, inviting him to enter.

"Thanks," Seo Joon said, nodding at the secretary as she opened the door, allowing him to step through.

Seo Joon stepped inside the office and was struck by the stark contrast; while the exterior had been impressive, the interior was in disarray.

A tower of paper cups—likely from coffee—was haphazardly stacked beside an exclusive Herman Miller desk, which was cluttered with a pile of papers and two laptops alongside a desktop computer. In the corner of the room, a blazer hung over the back of a sofa, with a matching tie draped carelessly across its arm.

A sharp twinge flickered at the nape of Seo Joon's neck. What the hell had Jimin done to his office?

"Jimin," Seo Joon growled, his voice low and rough.

Jimin hummed absentmindedly from behind one of the computers, not bothering to check who had entered the office.

"Park Jimin, I'm talking to you," Seo Joon repeated, his voice firmer this time, as he strode forward and sat down in front of him. His hands rested on the desk, its presence imposing and demanding.

"What do you want, Dad?" Jimin sighed, exasperation lacing his words like a moody teenager. He snapped the laptop shut and met Seo Joon's gaze. Both men wore deep frowns, their hearts pounding with unspoken tension.

"My post as the CEO," Seo Joon gritted his teeth. "I want it back."

Jimin threw his head back in near-hysterical laughter, as if Seo Joon had just told the most ridiculous joke ever.

Seo Joon narrowed his eyes, observing his son as he gasped for air, his chest heaving and laughter erupting in uncontrollable fits that doubled him over.

Seo Joon slammed his foot into the ground, standing tall with fury radiating from him. "Do you think this is a joke? I'm not messing around!"

"Oh, I'd be shocked if you weren't, Dad," came the sarcastic reply. "Especially after what happened to you this morning. Yeah, I heard all about it."

"If you're so in tune with your dad's affairs, why don't you step down and give the CEO title back to me, like a good son? I sacrificed my position for you, after all," Seo Joon said, his voice strained and desperate now.

Jimin leaned back in his chair, unfazed, as he watched Seo Joon clench his fists on the desk, their eyes locked in a fierce stare.

A slow smirk crept across Jimin's face, his amusement evident in the glint of his eyes. Seeing Seo Joon like this—so desperate and pleading—was more satisfying than he had anticipated, and a thrill coursed through him.

"Why would I do that in my right state of mind, huh?"

"Right state of mind?!" Seo Joon spat, his fists clenching so tight his knuckles turned white. His jaw was locked, teeth grinding as he fought to contain the fury boiling inside him. Jimin's casual indifference only added fuel to the fire. Did he really need a reminder of what he had done in his so-called 'right state of mind'?

Maybe he did, judging by the way Jimin nonchalantly crossed one foot over the other on the desk, just inches from where Seo Joon's hands rested.

"Park Jimin, you've clearly misused your intelligence by going into business. I can't fathom why you'd shake hands with our rival on a project so crucial to us. I doubt if you were in your right state of mind while making the decision then?" Seo Joon jabbed, registering the impact of his words on Jimin's face.

A flush of red rose up Jimin's neck, spreading to the tips of his ears and giving them a deep shade of pink, betraying his simmering anger.

Jimin fumed. "Maybe you'd understand if you looked beyond your own ego, you bastard! It's a pity you can't see anything past yourself. I would loathe myself if I were you; It's a relief I'm not," he sneered. His expression twisted between hatred and delight, revealing his deep disgust at being the son of such a heartless man, yet also expressing gratitude for not turning out like him.

A fierce flame roared from the fire that had been smoldering within Seo Joon, now ignited further by Jimin's nerve to curse him.

"You're crossing the line, Park Jimin!" His voice thundered through the office.

"I was bound to!" Jimin shouted, matching his father's intensity. He was done tolerating his father's bullshit and following the path he laid out for him. Once like a marionette, he had been controlled, but not anymore. From now on, Jimin would follow his own convictions. He believed that partnering with Kim Enterprises on the Jeju Project was the right move for Park Corporations. At first, he had been surprised by the arrangement and almost refused it, but he soon realized he could turn this opportunity to his advantage. Collaborating with Kim Enterprises could help restore Park Corporations' image.

"Has it ever crossed your mind that Park Corporations could thrive by capitalizing on someone else's success for once—especially now, when we need it most? Have you ever considered the consequences if I let this golden opportunity slip away? Do you realize how difficult it was for me to secure this project, something you couldn't achieve in the last ten years? Have you ever thought about that?" Jimin abruptly rose from his seat, locking eyes with Seo Joon, determination radiating from every word.

Seo Joon was flabbergasted, too stunned to respond and too speechless to protest what came next.

"The board made the right call throwing you out. I'm glad they did. You're not worthy of anything," Jimin snarled.

You're not worthy of anything. The words felt like venom in the back of Seo Joon's throat as he swallowed hard. He couldn't erase them, not when they were spoken with such fierce intent. But he also couldn't ignore the burning sensation in his wrist, where the incomplete heart tattoo was etched, a constant reminder of a time when similar words had been hurled at him with such hatred that their echoes still rang in his ears. He had once hurt someone deeply, and now that same pain was being inflicted on him—ten thousand times over. Seo Joon finally understood what it felt like to be on the receiving end of pain.

Jimin's chest rose and fell with shallow, uneven breaths. His brows knitted together, and his eyes narrowed into slits as he scrutinized the distant expression on his father's face. He could sense the turmoil beneath that gaze—his father was silently reconsidering every choice that had brought him to this moment.

Seo Joon looked pitiful, but he knew he didn't deserve any sympathy. The tie seemed to tighten around his neck, the pressure almost suffocating as he adjusted it and quietly left the office. He needed to escape. Far away. Somewhere no one could hound him with those tormenting words ever again.

The French glass door to Jimin's office clicked shut behind Seo Joon.

Jimin collapsed into his seat, running a hand through his hair and making it even messier. He had done it: he finally stood up to his tyrannical father, Park Seo Joon, who remained speechless for the first time in his life.

He couldn't contain his laughter, reveling in the joy of his victory. He had fulfilled the promise he made that night at Hoseok's place, after the brunch he had ruined at Jung's penthouse.

"Yes!" Jimin exclaimed, punching the air with excitement. He had successfully ruined his father's future.

As the new CEO, he persuaded the board to oust Seo Joon from the company, though it wasn't difficult since their frustration with his leadership had been growing for some time. He had taken the one thing Seo Joon had dedicated his entire life to—his very purpose. Jimin died to study his father closely, fully aware that the marriage forced on him would soon collapse, delivering an even greater shock to Seo Joon.

After the scene he'd caused at Jung's brunch by boldly confronting his father in front of everyone, Jimin was terrified, haunted by thoughts of what Jiwoo might do to him. He had hoped Haneul's calm presence would diffuse Jiwoo's anger, stopping her from making another rash decision like before. But Haneul had failed, and he knew it all too well, because by the end of the day, Jiwoo had sent a chilling threat, thinly veiled in a text message: "You better pray to God I don't kill you the next time we ever meet, Park Jimin."

That was the last Jimin had heard from Jiwoo, and the abrupt silence left him unsettled. Had Mr. and Mrs. Jung discovered the truth about Jiwoo and Haneul, or had they come out together? Maybe Jiwoo had fled Korea with Haneul, just as she'd planned after the marriage proposal. Too many questions lingered, but Jimin chose to wait, observe, and let the truth reveal itself in time. For now, he was too content to let his mind be weighed down by tension over things he couldn't yet foresee.

Then there was the incident from yesterday afternoon that he couldn't shake from his mind. How could he forget? He had been too bewildered and caught off guard to believe what he'd seen. The elevator door, smudged and dirty, obscured the image, but even through the blur, he could recognize that woman's reflection anywhere.

She was the girl for whom he had been made a prince. How could he ever allow those precious memories of her to fade? She embodied love itself, revealing its true meaning in every moment they shared. Those memories remain etched in his mind, unwavering. She became his sole devotion, refusing to love anyone but her. Even when he sought to fulfill his desires with others, his thoughts always returned to her—intentionally, exclusively.

The thought of her brought to mind a specific task Jimin had assigned to his new secretary, Nissa, whom he had personally selected. He was certain he had seen her before when she first arrived at Park Corporations for her interview. However, it was Nissa Linen's distinctive voice that triggered an unsettling memory—a woman's scream echoing beneath Jimin on the night he returned from the States.

He connected that edgy voice with her sharp features, and Nissa's image materialized before him, her faltering smile lingering on her plum lips.

Fraternization was not a concept Jimin entertained in running Park Corporations. He paid little attention to their past escapade and hired Nissa, sincerely impressed by the glowing references on her resume.

Jimin pressed the speed dial button on his telephone and called Nissa into his office.

"Did you find out what I asked you to look into yesterday?" Jimin asked.

"Yes, it was easy once you told me her name," Nissa replied. "Han Aera, right?"

Jimin's hands turned cold, his heartbeat thundered in his chest as he took a deep breath before confirming, "Yes."

He was one step closer to uncovering the answers his heart had desperately yearned for since that cold winter night when she left him miserable, stranded, and alone. Finally, he could ask her why she had abandoned him, why she'd disappeared without a word. Jimin braced himself for what was coming next. His world could either crumble or soar in the blink of an eye.

"She's an employee at Kim Enterprises," Nissa continued, and that was all he needed to know. The gears in his mind turned at lightning speed, piecing together why Aera was in the same building as him. The man he had seen her chatting so animatedly with must have been her colleague, and they were there with the rest of the team to present the Jeju project, just like his own team.

Yes, this made perfect sense.

Jimin nodded to himself.

"Do you know where she lives and with whom?"

An intelligent smile spread across Nissa's face. "Of course, I do, sir. She lives alone in Anyang. I have my ways of keeping tabs on employees."

"Great!" Jimin nearly leaped from his chair. He was so relieved and overjoyed that he felt like sweeping his secretary off her feet and running around the office, but he restrained himself.

Today was the best day of his life. He wouldn't care if the earth shook like yesterday and swallowed him whole. Just the thought of finally reuniting with the love of his life after all these years made the idea of dying feel almost blissful.

I'm coming for you, Gorgeous. Please wait for me, he thought, chuckling to himself.