Secret Cohabitation Love (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1

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“You… you’ve already… gotten… married…”

“What are you talking about, Grandma? Me, married?”

“If you sleep with that man… once you sleep with him, you… you…”

Bok Soon’s hand, dry and brittle like ancient tree bark, dropped abruptly beneath the faded hospital bed.

“Grandma! Grandma! GrandmAAAA!”

Flash. In broad daylight, with the sun high overhead, Eun Seo opened her eyes.

Inside the room, winter’s biting cold seeped through the frosted window. Eun Seo pulled the blanket tightly around her neck to chase away the chill.

What kind of dream was that? I’ve never even had a boyfriend, let alone gotten married.

‘Could it be because of Grandma’s last words?’

Recalling her grandmother’s baffling final words—spoken while suffering from dementia—Eun Seo quickly brushed away the lingering image and turned her eyes toward the wooden clock hanging on the wall.

1:25 PM.

She had already decided she needed to finally file her grandmother’s death certificate—something she’d been putting off for nearly a month.

Eun Seo swung her feet down from the low platform bed—a makeshift arrangement of joined wooden boxes that barely qualified as a bed.

The icy floor sent an instant shiver up from her soles through her shins, making the hairs on her arms stand on end.

To save on heating costs, she’d carefully tucked blankets into every corner of the room before opening the door. The shared bathroom and shower were located outside, down two steps into the courtyard.

After a quick wash with cold water, she opened a cream jar while looking into the mirror hung on an old wooden post.

“Oh… this is empty too.”

Having run out of anything suitable for her skin, Eun Seo wiped her face once more with a towel and smoothed away the pale expression in the mirror.

Since it was bitterly cold outside, she put on the thickest jacket and scarf she owned and stepped out of the house.

At the village entrance, the bus to the township office stopped in front of a small shop.

Just as Eun Seo passed ‘Songnae General Store,’ the sliding door burst open with a rough scrape.

“Eun Seo?”

The loud voice belonged to the shop owner—the Women’s Association President.

“Hello, Auntie.”

“Are you feeling any better?”

“…Yes.”

“Your face looks like half of you is gone, just like that.”

Assuming the woman was asking about her grandmother, Eun Seo offered only a faint smile—unsure herself whether she was truly alright.

“Ah geez, why are you so unlucky? You’re still so young! Just the other day, Bok Soon halme seemed perfectly fine—how could she go like that in just a few days? Come in, come in. It’s freezing out here. Have some tea first. You’ll have to wait at least fifteen minutes for the bus anyway.”

Unable to refuse such a direct invitation, Eun Seo stepped inside. On the floor platform sat a group of villagers playing hwatu.

Bowing slightly in greeting, Eun Seo was handed a cup of jujube tea by Jeong Sil—someone who’d apparently moved to the village from the southern provinces—and asked:

“Well? Do you really have no intention at all?”

“What do you mean?”

Blinking in confusion, Eun Seo watched as the village head’s wife—sitting cross-legged while playing hwatu—slapped her card down loudly and scooted closer.

“You know, Sung Tae.”

“…Sung Tae? Mr. Jo? What about Mr. Jo…”

Her voice trailed off as she guessed the intent behind the words—matching the village’s only unmarried young woman with Jo Sung Tae, the forty-four-year-old bachelor.

Sung Tae’s mother had occasionally brought snacks and side dishes, winning her grandmother’s favor. Though grateful at first, her grandmother only stopped their matchmaking efforts after discovering their ulterior motive—and loudly arguing with Sung Tae’s mother that Eun Seo already had someone else destined for her.

Now that her grandmother was gone, though, the village gossip seemed to be resurfacing.

“I’ll be leaving soon after I finish clearing out the house.”

“Leaving? This is your home—where would you even go?”

“I’m going back to school.”

“School, my foot! Even if you were the smartest student, it’s easier said than done. I know you think Sung Tae is old, but twelve years really isn’t that much.”

“Sixteen.”

Eun Seo spread her hands twice, then folded them again, forcing a tight-lipped smile. At least this small courtesy was owed to those who’d occasionally checked on her sick grandmother.

“Sixteen, twelve—it’s all the same, isn’t it? Oh dear. With your grandma gone, how will you manage alone? A woman needs a man to stand firmly behind her, that’s just the way of the world! Are you really too proud because you went to a prestigious university while Sung Tae never even stepped foot in college?”

“It’s not that at all. I’ve never once thought of him as…”

Too embarrassed to finish, Eun Seo bit her lip, swallowed her discomfort, and continued.

“I’ve never even considered him that way—not even for a second.”

“Nonsense! Look at this bitter wind howling. If things go well for you, the whole village will throw a celebration! We’ll finally have some excitement around here, and maybe even get some nice clothes from the village chief. Most importantly, your leaving would be a huge loss for the village!”

Trending

“Exactly! Eun Seo, there’s no guarantee you’ll meet someone good if you go to Seoul. Besides, I heard Sung Tae’s saved up some money. Supporting just you wouldn’t be a burden at all. Did you see those thick, strong arms of his? A man needs strength for night duties… Right, brother?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

“You shameless bunch—there’s no limit to what you’ll say in front of a maiden!”

Only then did the Women’s Association President notice Eun Seo’s stiffened expression and shushed the other women.

“I should go now.”

“But the bus won’t come for a while yet!”

Eun Seo placed her untouched cup back on the tray and opened the door. From behind, Sung Tae’s mother’s sharp retort sliced through like a sickle.

“What’s wrong?! What’s so bad about our Sung Tae?! You’ve got no right to act like that, Eun Seo! You’re all alone in the world—our Sung Tae should be more than enough for you to be grateful for!”

A heavy, solid lump rose from deep within her chest. Eun Seo swallowed hard, forcing it down until her throat ached, determined not to let it spill out as tears.

* * *

The township office was quiet.

The clerk at the counter kindly advised her that after filing a death certificate, she couldn’t obtain new family registry documents for a certain period—so it might be wise to request several copies in advance.

Though every few hundred won mattered to her, she paid without hesitation—still caught in the illusion that her grandmother was somehow still alive.

An odd relationship—legally mother and daughter, but truly grandmother and granddaughter.

“Here you go.”

Eun Seo carefully read through the documents the clerk handed her. Her dark eyes moved past the large header text and into the table format—

Wait, what?

She closed her eyes, shook her head slightly, then opened them again. Maybe skipping meals for days had finally made her hallucinate.

Rubbing her eyes firmly, she re-examined the document from the top down, meticulously.

But…

Her crescent-shaped eyes widened until they nearly filled the paper. She stumbled backward in shock, her foot slipping—suddenly feeling as if the ground had dropped several meters beneath her, her mind going blank.

Spouse? What is this? Spouse?!

Then, the dry, withered voice struck her mind like a hammer:

[You… you’ve already… gotten… married…]

That couldn’t be true. Grandma’s words couldn’t possibly be real. There was no way.

But then… what on earth was going on?

“I had a husband? Since when?!”

* * *

Cheongdam-dong, Seoul.

Boom boom boom boom. Loud music filled the glamorous party venue. Young men and women danced between tables. Clattering glasses rang out everywhere.

Elegantly dressed guests moved busily—some seeking familiar faces, others building new connections.

The evening party, started early, was to celebrate the birthday of Seo Woon Construction’s eldest son.

Though the guest list brimmed with young entrepreneurs, celebrities, and influencers, all eyes were fixed on a different table.

That table belonged to Kwon Tae Ha—the sole heir of South Korea’s top GK Group and CEO of GK Hotel.

Undoubtedly the center of attention, he’d lifted GK Department Store from long-standing losses to third place in the industry within just two years and had recently assumed the role of hotel president.

He spoke only a few words—“Alright,” “Later”—yet when he lifted his glass, others followed; when he smiled, the room echoed his smile.

Tae Ha wasn’t particularly fond of these kinds of gossip-filled gatherings—treated almost like a secret pastime among GK Group insiders—but he didn’t avoid them entirely, knowing such events occasionally yielded useful business leads.

“But why does Chairman Kwon reject every single proposal that comes your way? Is it you, or is it him?”

“Who knows.”

“You got rejected too, didn’t you?”

At someone’s remark, the second daughter of Misung Investment flushed red.

“How can you still want to stay here? Isn’t it awkward? Are you really that into Tae Ha?”

“Hyung-nim rejected the eldest daughter of Taejin Group—the nation’s top chaebol! If anyone should be embarrassed, it’s her! But seriously, Tae Ha hyung-nim, why did you reject her? Where else can you find someone with conditions that good?”

Just as Tae Ha offered a faint smile and lifted his drink, a man in a black coat approached from behind and whispered discreetly—his bodyguard and personal driver.

“A visitor has arrived.”

“A visitor?”

“She showed up at your doorstep. A nurse saw her and reported it. She said if she can’t see you today, she’ll call the police. She insists it’s urgent and must speak with you today. We brought her in quietly to avoid causing a scene. Sorry.”

Tae Ha turned to see a woman hesitantly appear behind the frosted glass wall.

Thick black puffer jacket, an unfashionably tied cheap-looking scarf, an old eco-bag slung over her shoulder, completely bare-faced, and nervously brushing aside her messy bangs with jittery fingers.

She radiated poverty and misfortune—only her eyes seemed to shield her from it.

ads

Like a cornered mouse ready to bite at any movement.

“Who’s Kwon Tae Ha…?”

“Kwon Tae Ha? What do you want with him?”

His companions watched Tae Ha with interest—he hadn’t bothered revealing his identity.

“I have business with him.”

“You can tell me. From the look of it, you don’t even know what Kwon Tae Ha looks like.”

“I need to speak with him directly.”

Everyone’s attention now shifted to the woman—her shabby, outdated outfit was so out of place it made “ordinary” seem too generous a description.

To show up at a party like this, dressed like that, asking for Kwon Tae Ha—it sparked intense curiosity, and eyes openly scrutinized her.

“Go ahead and say it. Since you seem to think I meet that condition.”

“Then… you’re… Kwon Tae Ha?”

The woman’s hands, clutching her eco-bag, turned deathly pale from tension. Tae Ha gave a slight nod, noting she wasn’t entirely foolish.

“Do I… look familiar to you at all?”

“Were we acquainted? Or am I supposed to know you?”

“I was just hoping… Excuse me, but I need to speak with you privately.”

“Speak now. As you can see, I’m with company, in the middle of something important—and I tend to be cautious around people who won’t even state their identity.”

Tae Ha deliberately glanced around at his group. Those at the table barely suppressed their laughter.

“My name is Song Eun Seo. Is that enough now?”

She stood firm.

Huh. Coming all the way to the party and interrupting an imminent business discussion—unbelievable.

Tae Ha stood up with a quiet chuckle.

His black shoes pressed firmly into the floor, then his long, lean legs gracefully slipped from behind the table.

A man in an all-black suit, hair neatly slicked back with pomade.

Just under 190 cm tall.

Eun Seo, who’d never seen a man with such presence, froze like a tree—overwhelmed by his imposing aura. His sharp features were perfectly aligned, not a single flaw in sight.

His eyes were piercing, his gaze cold enough to freeze anyone. His lips conveyed calm confidence, his demeanor relaxed yet dignified. His straight, high nose bridge and sharp jawline exuded unmistakable masculinity.

“You’re surprisingly stubborn. I hear that often. But what can I do? I’ve sprained my ankle—I can’t walk far right now.”

Tae Ha lifted his trouser leg slightly to reveal a white bandage wrapped around his left ankle—a recent injury from skiing, when he swerved to avoid someone who’d slipped.

It wasn’t serious, but not so minor that he’d leave his guests just to hear some stranger.

She might even be a job seeker who’d failed to land a role at GK.

“Well then, whatever you say—don’t blame me later. Since you won’t leave, I’ll speak here. I have nothing to lose anyway.”

A flicker of doubt crossed Tae Ha’s face—he noticed how desperate she looked.

“I don’t even know how to start… but you…”

Eun Seo bit her lower lip hard, then exhaled before blurting out the rest.

“You seem to be my husband.”

The loud music suddenly cut out.

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