A Marriage with an Expiry (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 6
Having finished the last scheduled surgery, Hyun Woo stepped out of the operating room gate, rolling his stiff shoulders once.
As always, brain tumor surgery demanded his full concentration.
His elderly mother, who had been waiting outside the operating room, approached Hyun Woo.
“Dr.—Doctor.”
“The surgery went well. Fortunately, the tumor wasn’t in a difficult location, so we were able to remove everything visible.”
“Oh, Doctor, thank you so much. Thank you.”
The elderly woman with white hair, who had been waiting anxiously, welled up with tears.
“The patient will be in the recovery room shortly.”
“Doctors, please, take this—just take it. I brought it to give you when you came out.”
Having waited solely to hear those words—that the surgery had gone well—she fumbled a white bag and began handing out vitamin drinks to the doctors.
Hyun Woo accepted the bottle from her wrinkled hand. She must have held it tightly the whole time—it was warm.
Hyun Woo stared blankly at the bottle in his hand, then suddenly recalled his phone call with his father just before the surgery—a call he’d made right in front of Jong Woo and Eun Seok, as if to prove a point.
– “Even if you’re busy, stop by the hospital for a moment. I have something urgent to discuss.”
‘Can’t we talk over the phone? Is it about Ji Woo?’
– “Don’t say that—just come here and talk.”
‘I’m about to start surgery now.’
– “You must come today. I won’t leave until you arrive.”
After his mother passed away, all of young Hyun Woo’s anger had been directed toward his father.
His resentment had manifested as rebellion, and his authoritarian father often raised his voice at him.
Continuously showing this behavior in front of Ji Woo was also embarrassing for both his father and older brother.
To avoid face-to-face meetings with his father, Hyun Woo had long since moved out and lived separately.
Thus, it was rare for his father to summon him specifically to his hospital.
‘Could something serious have happened?’
Perhaps it was because he’d truly aged now. Compared to how fiercely he used to confront his father, he seemed much softer these days.
The fact that his father’s words—”I’ll wait”—lingered in his mind, troubling him, proved that.
“Dr. Kang, please make sure the patient wakes up properly.”
“Yes, don’t worry, Professor.”
As Hyun Woo headed from the operating room toward his lab, having decided to drop by Seohan Hospital, he unexpectedly spotted a familiar woman standing outside the nephrology dialysis room.
The poised middle-aged woman gracefully pulled her phone from her handbag.
‘Isn’t that So Ri’s mother?’
Hyun Woo instantly recognized Soo Hyang—she’d often come to his house in his childhood to pick up So Ri, who used to play with Ji Woo.
As Soo Hyang operated her phone, she slowly walked toward Hyun Woo.
“Hello.”
“Oh—uh?”
When Hyun Woo courteously greeted her as she passed by, she jumped in surprise at the sudden voice.
But realizing the tall, scrubs-clad doctor was Seo Hyun Woo, she broke into a bright smile.
“Oh my! It’s you, Hyun Woo?”
“Hello, Madam.”
“Oh! So you work here at the hospital? For some reason, I thought you were at Seohan. I mean—our Hyun Woo still shines as brightly as ever.”
Soo Hyang seemed slightly flustered for some reason.
“Thank you. But what brings you here?”
“Hm? Me? Oh, a friend of mine was admitted here, so I came to visit.”
“I see. In that case—would you like a ride if you’re heading out now?”
“Oh dear, no—I drove here myself.”
“Understood. Then please take care on your way.”
As Soo Hyang watched Hyun Woo bow deeply, her eyes and lips curled upward as if she were looking at her daughter’s boyfriend.
But suddenly, an anxious look flashed across her face.
“Listen—you mustn’t tell anyone you saw me here. Not Ji Woo, not So Ri.”
“Yes, I won’t.”
“Absolutely no one. Please, promise me.”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
Soo Hyang was also an actress—a veteran actress who had been active since the 1980s as a youthful star and remained actively working even now.
Hyun Woo well understood her concern—her younger sister Ji Woo was also a celebrity, so she’d naturally be worried about any private matters being exposed.
“I’ll head off first, then. Take care.”
Hyun Woo tilted his head, puzzled, as he watched Soo Hyang hurry out of the hospital.
It felt inconsistent—she claimed to be visiting a hospitalized acquaintance, yet she’d just come out of the dialysis room.
Maybe she just got briefly confused.
Because of this unexpected encounter, he’d lost some time.
He quickly returned to his lab and prepared to leave.
Hyun Woo parked his car as usual in Seohan Hospital’s underground parking lot and got into the elevator.
Perhaps because it was nearing evening, the hospital elevator was packed floor by floor with people.
Maybe due to some instinctive aversion,
whenever he visited Seohan Hospital, he always parked far away from the director’s office.
He found it more familiar to pass through the ward, cross the corridor to the ground floor, and head over to the annex.
His brisk stride suddenly halted.
Someone who looked just like Yoo So Ri had brushed past him in the distance.
‘I must’ve seen wrong.’
There was no way Yoo So Ri, who’d stood in Imperial Hospital’s ER just hours earlier, would suddenly appear at Seohan Hospital.
Normally indifferent to others, Hyun Woo found this strange—but he resumed walking anyway.
Sticking to his usual route, he circled around the ward and finally arrived at the director’s office.
After greeting his father politely, Hyun Woo perched on the edge of a multi-seater sofa.
Guk Hwan folded the newspaper he’d been reading and fixed his gaze firmly on his son’s face.
Uncomfortable under his father’s rather obvious stare, Hyun Woo spoke coldly.
“I assume you didn’t call me just to look at my face. Please get straight to the point.”
“You’re such a prickly fellow. Have you had dinner?”
“Yes.”
He hadn’t actually had time to eat, but he wanted to pretend he had.
Sharing a meal face-to-face with his father was still too much for him.
“Is that what someone who eats properly looks like? You seem even thinner now that you’ve become a professor.”
“Are you… really worrying about me right now?”
“Is it so strange for a father to worry about his son?”
“It is, from you—it’s unusual, so yes, it’s strange.”
Clearing his throat with a soft cough, Guk Hwan said,
“How long do you plan to keep living alone like this?”
“……”
“It’s about time you got married and started a family.”
So unexpectedly did this remark come out that Hyun Woo let out a hollow laugh through his clenched teeth, unable to say a word.
“Why are you suddenly bringing up marriage?”
“I’ve been thinking—I’d like you to get married while I’m still hospital director. Hospital work isn’t easy, and having a wife to support you would help you feel more stable.”
Though it wasn’t an unreasonable suggestion—many doctors built stable families early—Hyun Woo was taken aback enough to drop his head and let out a humorless laugh.
“I’ll live alone for the rest of my life. I don’t want to become someone irresponsible—someone who half-heartedly builds a family and then abandons it for their own career.”
It was a direct jab at his father.
Realizing he’d inadvertently lashed out again at his father, Hyun Woo felt deeply uneasy about the situation.
“Then just don’t live like that. I know someone I’d like to introduce to you—just let me know a suitable day this month.”
“Father.”
Hyun Woo’s low voice carried layers of meaning.
“If you don’t say anything, I’ll arrange it myself and inform you.”
“I won’t go.”
“At least meet her for your mother’s sake.”
“That’s cowardly—bringing up Mother like that.”
Furious, Hyun Woo sharply exhaled and abruptly stood up.
“I made a promise—to your mother before she died.”
Hyun Woo, who’d been about to leave, froze at this completely new information.
“She repeatedly asked me to find you a good match and get you married. Of course, she said the same about Ji Woo. You know better than anyone how much she especially worried about you. She specifically asked me to find you a healthy woman—someone with no health problems who diligently takes care of her own life.”
Hyun Woo swallowed a deep sigh he couldn’t voice, and warmth gathered at the corners of his eyes.
Unlike himself—whose body and soul were both aching—she must have longed to see him with a strong, healthy daughter-in-law.
“I was often neglectful during her lifetime due to hospital matters, but I’m determined to keep that one promise.”
At those words, Hyun Woo’s brow furrowed even deeper. “Neglectful” hardly covered it.
His father had essentially abandoned his mother when she refused hospital treatment.
“If you think fulfilling a dead person’s wish will absolve your guilt, then wake up. I won’t get married—never.”
After closing his eyes tightly for a moment, Hyun Woo opened them, bit back his words, and left the director’s office.
The instant he stepped out, a heavy sigh poured from him.
So Ri had come to Seohan Hospital to pick up a referral letter but was unexpectedly caught by Park Ji Woong as she passed by.
She’d wanted to prepare the document in advance, thinking she might need it even if she chose to get re-examined at another tertiary hospital instead of Imperial.
“You’ll need to be hospitalized for one day, receive a blood transfusion, take blood tests tomorrow, and then be discharged.”
“Doctor, tomorrow’s my first day at Imperial Hospital.”
“You need to get your condition under control quickly so we can run more accurate tests.”
“Even if I get tested, I still want to start work as scheduled tomorrow.”
She couldn’t bring herself to tell Ji Woong, who was clearly worried about her, that she couldn’t trust the results.
At So Ri’s stubbornness, Ji Woong sighed.
“And I’d really prefer to avoid hospitalization if possible. If feasible later on, I’d like to handle things as an outpatient.”
“No one will think it’s strange if you’re hospitalized. Even doctors sometimes get admitted for IV fluids or check-ups—it’s perfectly normal.”
“But a blood transfusion feels different.”
“Just say it’s because you have severe anemia. Where’s that great quick-thinking of yours gone?”
How many people actually needed quick-wittedness for situations like this in life?
“If I let you transfuse now, will you let me start work tomorrow?”
“How can you even ask that?”
Ji Woong had admired So Ri’s diligence more than anyone during her internship days.
“There’s only a single room available for admission right now, or a two-bed room with an empty bed. I’ll just restrict other doctors’ access and supervise you myself.”
“Really?”
“We need to get that bone marrow test done as soon as possible.”
“That’s true.”
So Ri was just as scared and frightened as anyone. Maybe getting tested—doing anything—sooner rather than later really was the better choice.
Convinced by Ji Woong’s unexpected consideration, So Ri gave in.
“Then, Doctor—if it’s not too much trouble, may I humbly ask a favor of you?”
“You made the right decision. Let’s get the paperwork started.”
So Ri was assigned an empty two-bed room.
At least it was only a one-day hospitalization—that was somewhat fortunate.
After changing into a patient gown, she belatedly realized she was hungry. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.
Wouldn’t it be better to grab a piece of bread before Ji Woong came to set up the transfusion line?
“Who cares if someone recognizes me?”
After all, this wasn’t even Imperial Hospital, where she’d be working.
It’s fine. Nothing’s confirmed yet anyway.
Even as she thought this, So Ri grabbed her wallet, let her hair down as much as possible to cover her face, and left the room.
She got into the elevator—heading to the first floor, where the convenience store was.
Maybe because it was dinner time, the elevator kept stopping at every floor.
More people were getting on than getting off, so So Ri, who’d entered first, was pushed all the way to the back.
It seemed just one or two more people would make it completely full.
The cramped elevator began to feel oppressive. She regretted coming—but it was too late now.
‘Surely no one else will get on.’
Standing at the very center of the elevator’s back wall, So Ri waited only for the digital floor display to hit “1.”
But then—
the elevator stopped again very soon.
At the slowly opening doors, So Ri’s eyes met straight with a man in a suit, their gazes locking over the heads of the crowd.
Huh!
So Ri quickly turned her head sharply to the right, sucking in her breath.
She turned so forcefully that her left hair jabbed her right eye.
“Ouch.”
She quietly swallowed the pain and thought,
Seo Hyun Woo wouldn’t willingly step into such a packed elevator.
Before she could even wonder why he was here of all places right now, she looked down miserably at her own hospital gown-clad body.
This was exactly what people meant by “the thief feeling guilty at their own feet.”
Desperately hoping Hyun Woo wouldn’t enter the elevator, she rolled only her eyes forward to peek ahead.
But contrary to her hopes, Hyun Woo stepped inside.
What!?
A flustered breath escaped through her teeth.
He pressed the button for B2.
So Ri needed to get off at the first floor—she’d have to pass right by him.
‘What should I do?’
Before she could decide, the elevator chimed—ding!—announcing its arrival at the first floor.
People began to exit, moving past his tall, pillar-like figure.
Hyun Woo immediately stepped one pace to the side to let them through.
As people gradually cleared out, So Ri, unsure what to do, gathered her hair from both sides and pulled it all the way down to her nose.
But her feet felt glued to the floor—she couldn’t move.
She simply couldn’t muster the courage to walk past him.
Once everyone else had left and only Hyun Woo and So Ri remained, the elevator doors began to close slowly.
Then—tap! Hyun Woo reached out and pressed the open button.
“Aren’t you getting off, Yoo So Ri?”
Thud—So Ri heard her heart plummet to the floor.
When yandere male lead believes she loves him — but she never did
“How dare you!”
“How dare you make me love you, only to cast me aside as nothing more than a friend?!?
“I will never accept that.”
“I will never let you return to him.”
“Even if I have to burn myself to ashes.”
“Even if I must shatter my purity, my dignity, my very soul.”
“I will never let you escape me!”
This was the first novel that introduced me to the matriarchal genre. I’ve read it three times already!
At first, the male lead despised the female lead. Later, he misunderstood that she liked him, so he condescendingly and reluctantly reciprocated her feelings.
Then, he suddenly discovered that she was kind to everyone in the same way, and there was already someone she cherished in her heart, and that person was not him.
The male lead couldn’t believe it, he became angry and crazy. He was determined to capture her body and heart by any means necessary.
Synopsis:
Want to see how a green tea bitch male lead falls in love with the female lead?
Want to see how he flirtatiously pursues the female lead?
Want to see how he gets slapped in the face repeatedly?
The male lead is a green tea bitch, a poisonous lotus, jealous, ruthless, unscrupulous, with a venomous heart, and he’s also a delusional maniac.
The female lead is righteous, positive energy-filled, kind, a holy mother.
Let’s see how two people with extreme personalities come together~
_____
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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (19)
Girl please finish that transfusion ur life is in danger
Oh i know he is jealous af(^-^)
This se hoon guy is pmo .
Inline Comments (1)
She couldn't recall a single word she'd just said.
Oh I will tell you..you said some pretty harsh things🥲
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Bannedbaddie
Why is sori’s mom at hospital is she sick too?