Thinking about it, it was strange. She announced her pregnancy on the wedding day of all days. As if she was desperate to break up the marriage.

Well, whether the pregnancy was true or not wasn’t important to Da Eun.

“Anyway, I’m not coming back to you, so just get up. And stop coming to my house.”

Da Eun looked at Young Hoon and decided. To never again give unconditional love like a fool.

Her mother’s leg disability was Da Eun’s complex. So she tried not to have any flaws, dedicating herself to Young Hoon and his parents. And this was the result she got. She was somewhat responsible for creating this tiresome bad relationship that couldn’t be cut off cleanly.

“Da Eun, I think you’re right. Ju Ri, I think she lied about being pregnant. To split us up… I was fooled.”

“That’s for you to figure out.”

Young Hoon felt uneasy at Da Eun’s unsatisfactory response. It was like looking at a different person.

“Don’t you feel sorry for me? Being duped by Ju Ri like this?”

“Whether Yang Ju Ri is pregnant or not, does that erase the fact that you slept with her?”

“I only slept with her a few times. I used protection properly.”

Young Hoon still couldn’t grasp the context.

“You, who I only looked at, deceived me and played around with Yang Ju Ri. That fact doesn’t change. And I’m seeing someone now.”

Da Eun spoke firmly, intending to end things completely with Young Hoon. It was at that moment that Young Hoon’s eyes, which had been listening quietly, changed. He who had been kneeling got up and grabbed Da Eun’s shoulders.

“Is it Cha Yu Kwon?”

Da Eun didn’t answer. Young Hoon sneered with a confident face.

“Song Da Eun, aren’t you too naive? Don’t you know who Cha Yu Kwon is? Do you think the chairman of Myungil Group will accept you as his granddaughter-in-law?”

“Don’t worry about me and take care of yourself.”

As Young Hoon raised his voice, Da Eun responded in kind.

“Hey, honestly speaking, who else would take you besides me. Your mother is a cripple!”

The light in Da Eun’s eyes went out.

The man she was going to marry and the friend she was close to had an affair, but she didn’t slap him once nor did she get angry.

But everyone has one button that shouldn’t be pressed. For Da Eun, that was Geum Suk.

“Cripple? Do you really want to die, you bastard.”

At that moment, Da Hyun suddenly appeared and grabbed Young Hoon’s collar, slamming him against the wall. Young Hoon tried to resist, but could only struggle against the overwhelming difference in strength.

“You, you thug bastard…!”

“Who’s the bastard worse than a thug running his mouth? Your intelligence is really at rock bottom.”

“Pretending to care for your sister, you gangster. Hey, if it weren’t for you, your sister would have been free long ago.”

As Da Hyun’s tattooed arm pressed against his collarbone, Young Hoon gasped for breath.

Flustered, Da Eun belatedly tried to stop Da Hyun.

“Stop it.”

“Sis, let me go. Bastards like this need to be taught a lesson.”

“Let go, Song Da Hyun. This is exactly what Go Young Hoon wants.”

Da Eun said in a calmer voice. Right now, Young Hoon was in a state where he couldn’t see straight. He would want money or help by giving this kind of debt. There was no need to fall into his trap.

“No, but this bastard said about mom…”

Just then, someone struck Da Hyun’s head with their hand.

“If you really want to beat him up, do it somewhere secluded where no one’s around. There are too many people watching.”

Hee Ju appeared from somewhere and spoke with a grim expression. Da Hyun couldn’t resist and relaxed his grip.

Da Eun, staring blankly at Hee Ju’s back, remembered that her mother was with Hee Ju and looked around. Sure enough, Geum Suk was standing behind with a dazed look on her face.

“Song Da Hyun, go to mom.”

Da Hyun, turning his head to check on Geum Suk, left a warning to Young Hoon to never appear in front of his sister again and walked away. Da Eun stared at Young Hoon with cold eyes. He, now relaxed, slumped to the floor.

“Not content with what you did to me, you’re doing trashy things to my family too.”

“Don’t go to Cha Yu Kwon… Da Eun, give me a chance. Okay?”

Young Hoon cried like a child.

Da Eun saw Young Hoon crying for the first time, but she felt tired rather than sympathetic.

“What is this crazy bastard saying? Do you really want to die? Should I bury you alive in a sunny spot?”

Hee Ju, who had been watching the situation, growled with a fierce face. Da Eun patted Hee Ju’s shoulder, who was blocking her protectively, then stood in front of Young Hoon.

“I was done when the wedding ended. Don’t come looking for me again. Next time, I won’t just talk. I’ll report you right away.”

Da Eun felt as if her relationship with Young Hoon was now completely severed. Whether because things weren’t going his way or because he was truly repenting, Young Hoon just shed tears silently.

.

.

.

Returning home, Geum Suk locked herself in her room without saying a word. She seemed to have received an even bigger shock than when Da Eun broke off her engagement.

Da Eun, Da Hyun, and Hee Ju sat in the living room, staring at Geum Suk’s tightly closed door.

“I think I should bury that bastard after all.”

Hee Ju, who had been sitting on the sofa biting her nails, stood up as if she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Be patient, I’m being patient too.”

Da Eun, still glaring at the door, raised her arm to make Hee Ju sit down.

“Why did he come anyway?”

“Go Young Hoon’s mother collapsed. They say her mind is going in and out. And it’s over with Ju Ri.”

“Cr-crazy. He came to cling to you because it’s over with Yang Ju Ri? He’s really insane?”

Hee Ju was indignant. Da Hyun put his finger to his lips, telling Hee Ju to be quiet.

“This won’t do.”

Da Eun got up.

“Are you going to beat up that bastard? Let’s go together.”

“No.”

Da Eun opened Geum Suk’s door and went inside.

Geum Suk was lying on the bare floor without even laying out a blanket. Her back, lying on her side, looked even more withered today.

“Mom, are you sleeping?”

“…Order dinner with Hee Ju.”

“We were going to eat together, remember?”

“I don’t feel like it. Turn off the light so I can sleep.”

“How can you sleep without a blanket or pillow.”

As Da Eun sat down beside her, Geum Suk quickly sat up. With a face reddened as if unable to contain her anger, she beat her chest.

“Why did I try to send you to such a bastard.”

Geum Suk vented her frustration in a trembling voice.

“But I didn’t end up going.”

“If I hadn’t given permission in the first place, you wouldn’t have been hurt or heard such things…!”

“It wasn’t like I was trying to get married under your pressure, it was all my choice. Don’t blame yourself.”

Da Eun pulled out a tissue and handed it to Geum Suk. Words that could comfort her came to mind, but Da Eun hesitated to speak, wondering if it was the right time to say them.

But as Geum Suk continued to cry pitifully with no sign of stopping, Da Eun reluctantly opened her tightly closed mouth.

“Mom, about that senior who came to our house last time…”

“Yes, that tall and handsome young man.”

“What did you think?”

Geum Suk looked at Da Eun with round eyes as if wondering why she was asking that, then tilted her head.

“Why about that young man?”

“Just, I was wondering what you thought of him…”

“What’s there to think about, he’s handsome, tall, kind, he’d be perfect for you… No, who am I to judge. I can’t even judge people properly.”

Geum Suk, who had been praising Yu Kwon, let out a deep sigh. Da Eun bit her lower lip.

She had to tell her soon anyway. Because soon she would have to greet Yu Kwon’s grandfather, Myungil, and then have a meeting between the families. Thinking that it might be a blessing in disguise to tell her when her heart was weak like this, and that she might cheer up, Da Eun spoke with a naive mind.

“Actually, I’m seeing that senior. That ring from before, it was a proposal.”

“What?”

Geum Suk, who had stopped crying, stared blankly at Da Eun.

“I’m saying I’m dating that senior with marriage in mind.”

Geum Suk, who had been listening quietly, slapped Da Eun’s back.

“How dare you tease your mother. Even if I’m upset right now, how could you tell such a lie…”

“Ow, it hurts! I’m not lying!”

“How long has it been since you broke off your engagement… How could that be sincere?”

“It is sincere. He said he’s been in love with me for 8 years!”

Da Eun shouted as Geum Suk kept hitting her back. At the same time, Geum Suk’s beating stopped.

“…Really?”

“Yes, why don’t you believe me…”

Da Eun turned her head at the sound of whispering and looked behind. Da Hyun and Hee Ju were eavesdropping on the mother and daughter’s conversation with the door slightly open.

“Cha Yu Kwon…?”

Hee Ju’s mouth gaped open. Right, those two were there too.

Da Eun sighed. They would find out anyway. So she decided to be confident.

“Yes.”

“Let me be clear, this can’t be settled with chicken.”

Hee Ju warned with a solemn expression.

“I’ll order pork hocks, now get out.”

At Da Eun’s words, Hee Ju nodded and grabbed Da Hyun’s hair, who was still trying to eavesdrop, and went out to the living room. At the sound of the door slamming shut, Da Eun finally let out a sigh of relief.

Geum Suk, as if she had never cried, urged Da Eun with bright eyes.

“8 years means from that time. From then. I knew it.”

Geum Suk started giggling. Da Eun felt guilty, but it was necessary to persuade her.

“You can bring him next weekend.”

Geum Suk said, bringing over a desk calendar and circling a date with a red pen.

She looked genuinely happy. Perhaps even more than when Da Eun said she would marry Young Hoon. Thinking of her disappointment a year later made Da Eun’s heart ache, but she endured it thinking of the future.

“Huh?”

“You said you’re dating with marriage in mind, so bring him over and I’ll cook a warm meal. I wonder what he likes.”

As Da Eun stared at Geum Suk searching for various things on her phone, she thought.

I hope this is really okay.