Soo-bin wasn't particularly thrilled about spending her Saturday with Seo-jin. But their parents had insisted on the two women "bonding," and given that Min-jae was too preoccupied with his latest project at Kang Group, Soo-bin reluctantly agreed.
Seo-jin greeted her warmly when she arrived at the penthouse. Her smile was genuine but tinged with a fragility that Soo-bin couldn't ignore. She observed Seo-jin's glowing appearance—the result, no doubt, of the extravagant lifestyle Min-jae provided. Yet, something about her seemed... off.
As they settled in the living room, sipping on tea that Seo-jin had meticulously brewed herself, Soo-bin noticed the way Seo-jin's eyes would light up every time she mentioned Min-jae. Whether it was about how he always made time to cook them lunch on Saturdays or how he looked after her when she got drunk, her words were laced with an unmistakable adoration.
"You really love him, don't you?" Soo-bin asked, leaning back in her chair with a raised eyebrow.
Seo-jin froze for a moment, caught off guard by the blunt question. She placed her teacup down, her fingers trembling slightly.
"Yes," she admitted, her voice soft but steady. "I love him more than anything."
Soo-bin squinted at her, suspicious. "Do you, though? Or is this just... I don't know... guilt? Obligation?"
"No," Seo-jin said firmly. "It's not guilt. It's not obligation." She hesitated, her gaze lowering to her hands. "At first, maybe it was. But now... I understand him. I understand why he did everything the way he did. He didn't want me to leave him again. He wanted our love to be eternal."
"Eternal?" Soo-bin echoed, her tone dripping with disbelief. "You're talking like you're his... possession."
Seo-jin looked up, her eyes strangely serene. "Maybe I am. And I'm okay with that."
Soo-bin stared at her, stunned. Seo-jin's response wasn't defensive or bitter. It was content. She seemed at peace with her situation, as if she had accepted the terms of her life with Min-jae.
"Seo-jin," Soo-bin said cautiously, "do you even realize how much control he has over you? I mean, I get that he's my brother, but even I know how... calculated he can be. Do you really think this is love?"
"It is," Seo-jin said firmly. "You don't understand, Soo-bin. Min-jae... he's not the same person he used to be. He's stronger now, more determined. But underneath all of that, he's still the same man who loved me so deeply that he was willing to change his entire life for me."
Soo-bin shook her head, bewildered. "But at what cost? You're basically saying you're his pawn. How can you be okay with that?"
Seo-jin smiled faintly, her eyes softening. "Because I know that I'm his world. He might hold the strings, but every move he makes is out of love. And honestly... I'm okay with being his pawn if it means I'll always be by his side. I'll never leave him again."
Soo-bin leaned forward, studying Seo-jin's expression closely. She saw no hesitation, no resentment—only a deep, unwavering devotion. It unnerved her how someone as strong-willed and independent as Seo-jin had become so completely entwined with Min-jae.
And yet, Soo-bin couldn't deny the brilliance of it all. Min-jae had orchestrated every aspect of their relationship to appear as nothing but genuine love to the outside world. To anyone who looked, they would seem like the perfect couple—Seo-jin utterly devoted and Min-jae equally adoring. Even Soo-bin, who knew her brother better than anyone, found it hard to pinpoint the cracks in their façade.
As their conversation wound down and Soo-bin prepared to leave, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in her chest. Min-jae had truly mastered the art of manipulation, but he had also managed to create a version of love that Seo-jin seemed more than willing to accept.
And that, Soo-bin thought to herself as she stepped into the elevator, was the most terrifying part of all.