“Just your words are enough. Thank you.”
“No, Haru. I didn’t say it just for the sake of words. If I was going to end it with words, I wouldn’t have said it. Although he might grumble when asked, in the end, he will do everything. Just endure his grumbling for a while. If you have anything to ask, boldly bother him and don’t hold back. Then, he’ll end up doing everything because he cares. Understand?”
“Uh…”
With Jun’s mother’s words, recited like a manual, my lips began to curl with laughter trying to burst. Just then, my gaze landed on Jun. It seemed like you had been looking at me too.
Jun had an expression of disbelief, but he didn’t step forward to deny it. Whatever it was, it seemed like a form of affirmation; my lips, which had only been mumbling, formed an even bigger smile.
“But, Haru.”
“Yes?”
The tension that had momentarily softened at Jin’s unexpected call surged again.
“Your eyes are already big, and your double eyelids are also incredibly pronounced. Your already big eyes look even bigger.”
“Ah… Well, yes.”
“Yeah, really. But, Haru, your face somehow feels like I’ve seen it in a cartoon or an emoji.”
“Doraemon.”
Without saying a word, Jun, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly spoke up. It was natural for everyone’s attention to turn to Jun.
“He looks like him. His face is round, and his eyes are round too.”
“Hmph, Doraemon? Well, maybe a bit. But Doraemon isn’t even a human.”
Cutting off Jin’s sister’s teasing words, Jun spoke.
“Why? I think Doraemon is the cutest.”
At that moment, my heart skipped a beat. It felt like you had used the word “Doraemon” as a screen and told me that I was cute. Ironically, the one who had spoken was casual, and I alone was fumbling inside for the meaning contained in that sentence.
“Kim Jun, you’re not saying that Haru is the cutest, are you?”
“Saying that Doraemon is cute, Doraemon.”
“Haru looks like Doraemon.”
“He looks like him, but saying that Haru is cute, that’s what you’re saying now.”
“That’s what my sister is saying now.”
Then, intentionally, Jun’s gaze turned towards me. However, even in that moment, Jun didn’t hand me an easy denial with even a single word. He just looked at me without nodding and let out a sigh-like laugh, shaking his head.
It would have been better if you had just said it wasn’t you. If you had, I could have just given a wry smile and moved on.
I secretly touched my cheek, where the words Jun had just spoken were still lingering. The heat didn’t seem to dissipate easily.
I remembered. The Doraemon story.
It was just like a momentary cloud floating aimlessly in the sky today, a story that briefly passed by us. It was a trivial story that nobody would be upset about even if they forgot it.
Perhaps it was a very small story that could be precious only to me.
In fact, Jun and I seemed to have shared that small handful equally. Coincidentally, under the profile picture of an actress placed in front of me, the word “Doraemon” in her self-introduction, Jun had swiftly underlined it with two bold strokes.
Even if it’s not a gem-like line or scene, to us, it’s a sparkling precious memory. Even without me bringing up such words, Jun had not forgotten those memories and had stored them like stars in my heart.
So that he could pull them out anytime and cherish that sparkling memory.
Even conversations from the past, like the one just now, after 9 long years.
He hadn’t forgotten everything. He should have told me sooner.
Even for such a trivial story, you were cherishing the memories with me.
I’m afraid of even losing the memories in the small corners.
The word written two lines above felt exceptionally special. A broad smile appeared on my face. If Jun saw me like this, he would probably tease me again, saying that I’m laughing like Doraemon.
I stared at that word a little longer.
As the casting audition time approached, suddenly there was commotion in the hallway. Reflexively, I glanced beyond the glass wall surrounding the office. Ah, I met Jun’s eyes standing in the corridor. Next to Jun were the company CEO and PD Kang.
However, Jun slightly furrowed his eyebrows and gestured towards my direction. I couldn’t understand the meaning, only noticing that he was looking at me with slightly widened eyes. Jun’s lips moved silently. Following his gaze, I read his lips.
“What are you doing there?”
…What am I doing there?
Of course, that’s because this is my seat…?
During that moment of contemplation, unexpectedly, Mijeong ran towards me with an expression that seemed to be full of fear. Surprised by her forceful approach, I stepped back slightly and looked at Mijeong. An urgent voice spilled out of Mijeong’s mouth, as desperate as her expression.
“Writer, I’m really sorry. Today’s audition, were you also going to be a judge? I got confused. What should I do?”
“Huh?”
“You should go to the audition venue right away. I should have told you in advance. Everyone is already gathered there. I’m really sorry, it’s because of me.”
I was at a loss for words.
So, what did Jun’s expression mean just now? Sitting quietly in my seat until the audition time is over, like a fool, watching all the judges walk into the audition venue with a pleased expression… Was that what Jun’s expression meant?
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Since it seemed like you were about to go in just now, you can go quickly now. It hasn’t started yet.”
While saying that, I had already stood up from my chair, extending one foot forward. When I gently patted Mijeong’s trembling back and leaned back, I noticed Jun, who had stopped and hesitated while trying to enter through the office glass door.
Jun immediately gestured for me to come over. Looking at him with a slightly bitten lower lip and glancing forward, he seemed to be paying attention to the production company CEO and PD Kang, who were probably already walking towards the audition venue.
A chill ran down my spine. Without thinking about the consequences, I walked towards Jun as if leaping. Just as Jun opened the glass door for me, I heard a faint sigh.
“Hey, office worker. You’ll get cut if you keep doing that.”
Although I was slightly annoyed at being called an office worker instead of my name, I couldn’t help it. It was my clear mistake, my fault. Even if Mijeong forgot, I should have checked in advance.
Jun bowed once towards the front. At the end of the hallway, the CEO and PD Kang, who were waiting, came into view.
Hastening my steps forward, Jun tossed a casual remark.
“Well, if you get cut, I’ll just pick you up.”
The moment I heard those words, although I shouldn’t have, a wry smile escaped.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
