165: Chapter 165 What Just Happened Was Not a Dream

Shin Se-kyung felt a bit dazed for a moment.

A few days ago, she still felt that this man was unattainable, a figure in the clouds.

And now, she had already shared the most intimate relationship with him.

"Have you packed everything up?" Song Tianhao asked suddenly.

"Yes, everything is packed. The room has also been restored to its original state," Shin Se-kyung replied hurriedly.

"There is no need to be that meticulous; housekeeping will come to clean," Song Tianhao said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"The driver arrives at ten. Should he take you back to the company, or to your apartment?"

"Back to the company. My manager Oppa said there is a meeting for a magazine interview this afternoon," Shin Se-kyung said, glancing at the wall clock.

It was 8:40. There wasn't much time left.

The remaining time slipped away even faster in silence.

After breakfast, Shin Se-kyung took the initiative to clear the tableware and wash it clean.

Song Tianhao sat on the living room sofa, looking at something on his tablet with a slight frown; it seemed to be a document.

At 9:50, the doorbell rang. The driver had arrived.

Shin Se-kyung pulled up the handle of her suitcase, the wheels making a rumbling sound on the floor.

She walked to the entryway, and Song Tianhao also put down his tablet and walked over.

"President... Oppa, I am leaving." She turned around to face him and bowed deeply and correctly, her forehead almost touching her knees.

"These past few days, thank you so very, very much. Your guidance, your... care, I will never forget for the rest of my life.

I will focus on my Acting and will definitely not let you down." Her voice was solemn, carrying the clear articulation unique to an actor; every word seemed to be pulled from the bottom of her heart.

Song Tianhao looked at the girl in front of him who was bowing at a ninety-degree angle.

She was dressed very simply today: a white shirt, light blue jeans, and her hair tied in a refreshing ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead and slender neck.

The sunlight shone in from the window behind her, gilding her entire form with a fuzzy golden edge, like a pious pilgrim about to set off for a distant land.

He reached out, held her arms, and helped her up: "Mm. Be careful on the road. If anything comes up, contact me anytime."

His tone was calm, like he was giving instructions to a subordinate about to go on a long trip, but the warmth of his palms holding her arms was distinct.

Shin Se-kyung straightened up and looked up at him.

The distance was very close; she could clearly see the curve of his eyelashes and the calm, waveless, yet bottomless expression in his eyes.

Her lips moved, as if a thousand words were stuck in her throat.

About last night, about these three days, about the indescribable emotions surging in her heart at this moment.

But in the end, all of Shin Se-kyung's words turned into the simplest sentence: "Oppa, please take care of your health as well."

She turned around and gripped the door handle; the cold touch of the metal made her a little more sober.

She opened the door. Outside, the familiar black sedan was parked, and the uniformed driver stood by the car. Seeing her come out, he respectfully opened the rear passenger door.

The morning breeze blew with a hint of coolness.

Shin Se-kyung took a deep breath and walked towards the car with her suitcase.

When she reached the car, she handed the suitcase to the driver, who skillfully placed it into the trunk.

Just as she bent down, preparing to sit inside the car, Song Tianhao's voice came from behind.

"Wait."

Shin Se-kyung paused and turned back.

She saw Song Tianhao walking out of the Villa, holding a palm-sized, dark blue velvet box in his hand.

The box was square, with thin silver metal edges inlaid, reflecting a low-key luster in the morning light.

He walked up to her and handed the box over: "This, for you."

Shin Se-kyung froze and subconsciously took it.

The box was not big, but it had weight in her hand; the velvet material was soft and delicate, feeling excellent to the touch.

She looked at the box, then looked up at Song Tianhao, her eyes full of confusion and surprise.

"Look at it after you get in the car," Song Tianhao said, his voice still devoid of ups and downs.

Shin Se-kyung's fingers tightened, her fingertips clearly feeling the unique, slightly resistant, soft texture of the velvet.

She looked up and took a deep look at Song Tianhao.

The sunlight was a bit dazzling, and she squinted slightly.

Her gaze swept from his brows and eyes, across his straight bridge of the nose, and landed on those lips that always seemed overly calm.

This look seemed to use up all her strength, as if to carve him at this moment, along with this clear, sunny morning, this quiet Villa, and all the sweat, laughter, heartbeats, and warmth of these three days, into the deepest part of her memory.

Then, she said nothing, just nodded heavily, turned around, bent over, and sat into the car.

The car door closed, sealing off the inside from the outside.

The driver returned to the driver's seat, and the car slowly started, driving steadily away from the entrance of the Villa.

Shin Se-kyung turned around almost immediately, leaning against the rear window, and looked back.

Song Tianhao was still standing at the entrance of the Villa.

He was wearing that simple loungewear, his figure tall and straight, his hands casually tucked into his trouser pockets, just standing there quietly, watching the car leave.

The morning light stretched his shadow long, casting it onto the clean road surface.

As the car accelerated, his figure became smaller and smaller, more and more blurred, until finally, after turning a corner, it completely disappeared from view.

Shin Se-kyung slowly sat up straight and withdrew her gaze.

The interior of the car was quiet, with only the faint hum of the air conditioner.

She lowered her head and looked at the dark blue velvet box she had been holding tightly in her hand.

Her heartbeat began to accelerate uncontrollably.

Thump-thump, thump-thump; in the quiet car, she could even hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

What could be inside? Jewelry? That would be too expensive, and it wouldn't fit the positioning of their relationship... after last night.

Some other souvenir?

She took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, her fingertips trembling slightly as she gently flicked the small clasp on the side of the box.

With a soft "click," the lid popped open.

There were no dazzling diamonds, nor gentle pearls.

On the black velvet cushion, a silver pendant lay quietly.

The design of the pendant was very unique; it was in the shape of a water droplet, but not a simple solid object.

It was delicately hollowed out, with delicate, wave-like textures inside, as if a drop of water had been frozen at the moment it fell into the water surface, with ripples spreading layer by layer from the center outwards.

The silver metal was polished extremely smooth, but the edges had a detailed matte texture, and in the jumping light filtering in from the car window, it shimmered with an understated and high-class luster.

The necklace was an extremely thin silver chain, simple, yet it further highlighted the uniqueness of the pendant itself.

Shin Se-kyung's gaze was firmly captured by this pendant.

She reached out, her fingertips gently touching the cold metal surface.

Then, she carefully picked up the pendant and discovered a folded white hard card pressed at the bottom of the box.

She put down the pendant, picked up the card, and unfolded it.

On it were a few lines of vigorous and powerful black handwriting with a distinct personal style:

"To the brave Shin Se-kyung.

May it remind you,

that you have conquered a body of water,

and you will surely conquer more stars and seas.

— Song Tianhao"

No superfluous embellishments, no ambiguous words.

Plain, powerful, just like the man himself.

But these few lines were like a precise key, instantly opening the dam in Shin Se-kyung's heart that had just been built, named "Farewell."

Tears welled up without warning, quickly blurring her vision.

She didn't even have time to react before hot teardrops fell in large droplets, hitting the card in her hand and spreading into a small patch of dark water stains.

She hurriedly tried to wipe them away with her fingers, but the more she wiped, the more they flowed.

Her heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by a warm and powerful hand; it was sour, aching, yet overflowing with an indescribable, scorching sense of happiness.

Conquered a body of water...

Yes, that swimming pool that had terrified her for years.

Stars and seas... that was the path she would walk in the future, the Acting she would do, the peak she would climb.

This was not just a farewell gift.

It was an acknowledgment, a memento, a heavy expectation.

She gripped the water droplet pendant tightly; the cold metal was soon warmed by her palm, as if it had come to life.

She pressed the pendant together with the card tightly against her chest, where her heartbeat was like a drum.

Tears were still flowing continuously, but she did not make any sound; her shoulders just trembled slightly, while the corners of her mouth uncontrollably curled high, forming a strange yet moving expression mixed with tears and smiles.

In the driver's seat, the experienced driver caught a glimpse of this scene in the rearview mirror and muttered to himself, "Young people these days," then very professionally averted his gaze, focusing intently on the road ahead, leaving that small, surging emotional world in the back seat entirely to its owner.

After crying for a minute or two, Shin Se-kyung slowly calmed down.

She wiped her face messily with the back of her hand, took a small mirror and tissues from her bag, carefully wiped away the tear tracks, and touched up her foundation.

The self in the mirror still had slightly red eyes, but her gaze was startlingly bright, as if washed by tears, becoming clearer and more determined.

She picked up the water droplet pendant, undid the clasp, and carefully put it on her neck.

The cold metal pressed against the skin below her collarbone; it was a bit uncomfortable at first, but it was soon warmed by her body temperature.

She looked down; the pendant hung just between the second and third buttons of her shirt, the size was just right, and the design was unique without being flashy.

She adjusted her neckline slightly, letting the pendant show more naturally.

Then, she refolded the card, carefully put it back into the velvet box, and tucked it into the inner compartment of her backpack.

After doing all this, she took a deep breath, raised her head, and said to the driver in the front seat: "Sir, please, don't go to the company. Please take me to the 'Blue Ocean' fitness center in Cheongdam-dong; there is an indoor swimming pool there."

Her voice still carried a slight nasal tone from crying, but her tone had returned to its usual clarity and composure, even possessing a strength that hadn't been there before.

The driver looked at her with some surprise in the rearview mirror, but immediately answered: "Nae, Shin Se-kyung XI, understood."

The car turned at the intersection ahead.

Shin Se-kyung leaned back against the seat, her fingers unconsciously stroking the pendant on her chest.

The coldness of the metal kept coming through, reminding her that everything that had just happened was not a dream.

She had to consolidate her achievements; she could not slack off just because she had left this place.

She wanted to let this bravery not only stay at that fifteen meters but also extend to every scene, every shot in the future.

She must not let down this gift and this expectation.

The car merged into the morning traffic of Seoul, driving towards the city center.

At the entrance of the Villa, Song Tianhao waited until the car had completely disappeared at the end of his field of vision, stood in place for a while longer watching the treetops in the distance dyed golden by the sunlight, and only then turned around, walking back into the house unhurriedly.

He did not immediately go to handle work, but walked straight to the small bar on the side of the living room.

The bar was dark walnut, with a simple design.

He pulled open one of the drawers, which contained a few small items neatly placed inside.

From the depths of the drawer, he took out an identical dark blue velvet box and opened it.

On the black velvet cushion, an identical silver men's brooch lay quietly.

The design was also derived from a water droplet, but the lines were simpler and tougher, and the size was slightly larger, suitable for pinning on the lapel of a suit or shirt.

Inside, there were also delicate hollowed-out ripples, but the grain direction was more masculine.

Song Tianhao picked up the brooch and gently rubbed it with his fingertips.

The cold touch of the metal should be the same as Shin Se-kyung's pendant.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling mirror in the entryway and, facing the mirror, carefully pinned the brooch onto the left collar of the white cotton T-shirt he was wearing today.

The position was centered, just right.

The man in the mirror was still that calm and indifferent self, his eyes calm and waveless, as if he had just completed an ordinary outfit combination.

Only the silver water droplet brooch on his collar shimmered with a layer of subtle and firm glimmer in the morning light spilling in from outside.

He adjusted his collar, his gaze lingering on the brooch for a moment, then shifted away, turned around, walked back to the living room, and picked up the tablet on the sofa.

Almost at the same time he picked up the tablet, his phone rang.

The caller ID showed "Park So-yeon."

Song Tianhao swiped to answer and put the phone to his ear: "Speak."

Park So-yeon's capable and clear voice came from the other end of the phone, carrying a hint of gravity: "Oppa, the matter you previously asked me to investigate regarding Shin Se-kyung XI's father's investment failure years ago, suspected of being set up and trapped by a construction company under CJ—there is some progress.

Although it happened a long time ago and the other party was clean, by following the flow of funds and the movements of several key handlers at the time, I still found some interesting connections.

I have organized the data and sent it to your email."

Song Tianhao walked to the floor-to-ceiling window by the swimming pool, looking at the pool of clear water sparkling in the sunlight outside.

It was calm and waveless, as if all the traces of that girl struggling, fearing, and finally overcoming herself here yesterday and the day before yesterday had all been quietly taken away by the filtration system.

"Mm, I will look at it later," he said in a flat voice.

"There is one more thing," Park So-yeon paused, her tone slightly lighter, "Kim Sae-ron XI's mother, Ms. Kim Mi-sun, just contacted me personally.

She very sincerely thanked you for your care of Kim Sae-ron, saying that last time on set, thanks to your guidance, the child's condition improved a lot, and the filming went very smoothly.

And..."

Park So-yeon's voice lowered a bit, carrying a meaningful tone, "She hinted that seeing the respect and opportunities Kim Sae-ron received here at Sky, compared to her original company... she has the intention to transfer all of Kim Sae-ron's management contracts to our Sky Acting department.

Of course, child actor contracts are more complex; she hopes to discuss it with you in person."

Song Tianhao's eyes flickered slightly.

Kim Sae-ron's mother had always been cautious about her daughter's development.

Being able to receive her proactive goodwill and intention to cooperate was of extraordinary significance.

This was not just a promising young actor, but a signal.

The professional image and appeal of Sky Entertainment in the hearts of actors, especially parents of highly valued child stars, were being built rapidly.

"Reply to Ms. Kim; she sets the time, she chooses the location, and I am ready to wait at any time," Song Tianhao's tone was still steady, but the instruction given was clear and decisive.

"Understood, Oppa." Park So-yeon answered efficiently and added, "By the way, Taeyeon came to the company just now, it seems she had something for you, but seeing you weren't there, she went to the recording studio."

"Got it." Song Tianhao hung up the phone.

He held the phone, his gaze returning to the swimming pool.

The water, clear to the bottom, refracted small, broken spots of light in the sunlight.

Shin Se-kyung's clumsy splashing, her flushed little face when holding her breath, her wet but startlingly bright eyes when she finally successfully swam to the other side... scene after scene flashed by.

This short and private "teaching" in the summer had ended.

But some new stories, new chess games, and new bonds seemed to have just been rippled by this pool of water, beginning to spread towards a wider lake.

He lowered his head, his slender fingers gently brushing over the water droplet brooch pinned to his collar, the cold touch coming through his fingertips.

After Shin Se-kyung left, the Villa returned to its usual tranquility.

But this tranquility lasted less than ten minutes.

Song Tianhao walked into the study with his now slightly cool coffee, sat down at the large mahogany desk, and opened his laptop.

The screen lit up, and he logged into his encrypted email, clicking on the email sent by Park So-yeon titled "Preliminary Investigation Report on Shin Se-kyung's Father's Investment Dispute."

Outside the window, the sunlight was just right, and Song Tianhao lowered his eyes to look at the screen.