At the father’s second signal telling him not to say unnecessary things, Hotaeg laughed awkwardly.

“Anyway, it’s good for your health. Haha.”

“So, everyone, eat well.”

“Yes.”

After everyone responded like a chorus, the meal continued. Hotaeg again gripped the chopsticks, thinking of Jenny’s voice.

‘How did she know and cause a stir at the wedding venue today!’

Kim Hee-joo, suspecting her husband of infidelity, secretly sharpened a knife and appeared at the banquet hall.

So, she understood that she was there and, of all places, there was a founding anniversary party in the next hall where Choi Yugeon was.

Already the second time seeing the two together. Even though that was fine, Yugeon’s tender touch and gaze were particularly noticeable.

In front of such Choi Yugeon, there should naturally be a girlfriend or a matchmaker.

But Kim Hee-joo…

Why did Choi Yugeon look at Kim Hee-joo with such eyes…
Why did Choi Yugeon touch Kim Hee-joo like that?

“……It’s definitely strange.”

“What is?”

In response to Kim’s unintentional murmur, Mrs. Kim reacted, and Hotaeg, surprised, quickly withdrew his hand.

“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

Kim, who handed over the food with her chin down, asked again while scooping rice.

“Hotaeg, are you preparing for marriage?”

“Oh, yes, Grandma.”

“Now that you have to get married, go easy on the alcohol.”

Hotaeg, raising his eyebrows, soon burst into a chuckle.

“Grandma, really. I don’t drink much anymore.”

“Then that’s fortunate. Oh, and let that girl come again and eat after greeting. I haven’t taken care of her since she came to greet me.”

“Yes, Grandma.”

Quickly responding, Hotaeg straightened his waist, thinking of something that came to mind.

“Grandma! Or how about this time, Jenny, me, Yugeon, and the matchmaker all watch together?”

“Huh?”

Taking her eyes off the soup bowl, Mrs. Kim turned her head to Hotaeg.

“Since it’s going to be family anyway, it would be nice to get Jenny’s face familiarized in advance for building a good relationship between East and West.”

“Um, that sounds okay. It’s good to greet and get along in advance.”

When Mrs. Kim nodded at Hotaeg’s words, Hotaeg’s aunt, who was waiting for an opportunity to intervene, opened her mouth.

“But Mom, how is she connected? Did you find a marriage information company or something?”

“Uh, it’s James’s daughter. Oh, you wouldn’t know. He’s just a businessman I know.”

“James? Is he a foreigner?”

“No, he’s Korean, but he got citizenship while living there.”

Rolling his eyes while biting chopsticks, Hotaeg, feeling the time was right, interjected.

“Oh, so does the matchmaker also use a foreign name like James?”

“No, it’s a Korean name, Kim Chaewon.”

“Oh, Kim Chaewon. That’s a pretty name.”

Hotaeg quickly stored her name in his mind.

The presence of a matchmaker with a clear identity, that is, a matchmaker named Kim Chaewon, while Choi Yugeon fell for Kim Hee-joo separately?

Certainly, something was strange and didn’t seem to be resolved, but somehow, knowing a little more might help with getting a house in Seongsudong.

“Well then, Grandma, that matchmaker!”

“Oh, stop asking and eat your food. Greet her when you meet later.”

“Oh, okay, Grandma. I understand.”

Seeing Hotaeg’s reluctance, Grandma quickly closed her mouth.

“Lady, I’ll leave the medicine here.”

“Uh-huh.”

With quiet steps, the maid came closer and placed medicine and water next to Mrs. Kim, who knew she was well aware of Hotaeg’s keen eyes.

Ronah’s eyelids, which were closed, slowly opened.

In her eyes that were scanning the surroundings, the ring finger needle connected to my arm entered.

The reality of being stuck in the corner of the shantytown flooded her head, recognizing that it was a hospital.

It was supposed to be a dream…

While biting her lower lip, the hospital door opened when the medicine ran out.

“Are you awake?”

Ronah, realizing that the one who entered was a nurse, not Jaemin, turned her head again.

“……Where’s my guardian?”
“Your mother and father are currently talking to the teacher.”

With her gaze halfway lowered, Rona hesitated and asked again.

“Were there no other guardians?”

The nurse, who was pondering Rona’s words, also made a sound, thinking of someone. “Ah,” she said.

“There was another man who seemed to be wandering around, um. Looking at the clothes over there, he doesn’t seem to have gone far.”

When the nurse pointed, Rona turned her head to see a black man’s jacket on the sofa.

Relieved, Rona thought for a moment, then turned her head toward the window.

Her parents were fighting messily, and Jaemin also got a blow while intervening.

After watching the endless fight, she sat down in astonishment, and her startled mother called an ambulance.

So, without everything being sorted out, she closed her eyes for a while and woke up, and nothing seemed to have changed.

“Is there anywhere else uncomfortable?”

“…No.”

“Yes, the baby is healthy, so don’t worry. Once this drip is done, you can be discharged.”

The nurse, who was checking various things, turned away.

“Oh, you’re here. Miss Golora has awakened.”

As the nurse opened and left the door, she met the guardian who was coming in, reporting on her condition.

Watching the slightly opened door, Rona soon turned her head toward the window.

Even if Jaemin apologizes profusely for swearing at the wedding hall and explains the circumstances, she won’t easily accept it.

It’s tiresome; how could he say such a thing?

No matter how much she thinks about it, his shocking words are not easily forgotten.

Even if he apologizes sincerely, she won’t easily show a smile.

“Are you awake?”

Rona, who had been putting a lot of strength into her eyebrows, relaxed.

It wasn’t Jaemin’s voice, so Rona immediately turned her head.

“Oh, what is this! Seriously.”

Her father, who entered with his head hanging down, saying that it’s a disgrace to the family.

He approached Rona, folding the jacket on the sofa.

“Your father will come in soon. When he does, just apologize sincerely, okay? I have something to do, so I’ll go first.”

In a manner suggesting that his jacket was actually fitting him, he took out his phone from it, shaking Rona’s pupils.

“Well then, take care of yourself.”

“Little Dad.”

“Hmm?”

“That… the clothes.”

He rummaged through the jacket Rona was pointing to, then looked up with an expression that seemed to ask if there was a problem.

“What.”

“Is it Little Dad’s?”

“Yeah, it’s my clothes.”

“…Jaemin?”

“Jaemin? Who cares about Jaemin. Even though you collapsed, he didn’t even show his face. He got punched by your father, his nose started bleeding, and he couldn’t regain consciousness, hey.”

Rona’s eyes widened.

“Bleeding? Was it because he got hit by dad?”

“Even if he gets hit, so what! He called him an old man, but he didn’t even divorce. He was completely fooled, and where is the father who just sits there, huh? Huh? We’re not going to stay quiet about this.”
After cursing for a while, he, in any case, advised her to take care of herself and soon left the hospital room.

Left alone, Rona shivered and let out a sigh into the air.

“He didn’t even come to the hospital despite all that… No Jaemin.”

It’s a mess. Many things have fallen apart, but the man who should have been a support at her side has left.

Not long ago, they looked at each other with tender eyes. Why on earth has it become like this?

Holding the blanket with trembling hands, Rona recalled the last image of Kim Heeju.

She, who was looking at the time with hidden nails.

“Kim Heeju… I will never let you get away with this.”

With a sharp gaze, Rona, who used to be full of spirit, pulled the sewing needle stuck on the back of her hand and threw it on the floor.