Secret Cohabitation Love (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15
Tae Ha arranged a secret meeting with Attorney Joo at a quiet traditional Korean restaurant on the outskirts of Seoul, instead of calling him to his office, to avoid drawing Chairman Kwon’s attention.
Although the lawsuit was said to take about six months to a year, he intended to finish it sooner than six months.
“You said you wouldn’t pursue criminal charges, right?”
Attorney Joo, who had been about to scoop a spoonful of black sesame porridge, froze with his mouth wide open.
“I’m considering it.”
“Why? Annulment isn’t easy—it’s extremely complicated. If mishandled, it might end up as divorce instead of annulment. You said you never even lived together for a single day, right?”
“Well, we did live together.”
“What?!”
“But we didn’t sleep together.”
“Wow, what’s this? You mean you lived together but didn’t sleep together? Who’s going to believe that? Two people whose names are clearly printed on the marriage registration lived together but didn’t sleep together?”
“It wasn’t like we were dating.”
“Do you have to be dating to sleep together? When two consenting adults lock eyes, they might end up sleeping together. It was essentially a one-night stand.”
“They say once the body goes, the heart follows. If I give myself physically to a woman I don’t even know whether I’ll like or not, then what? Does my heart just tag along as a bonus? I don’t particularly want to add that.”
“But you can’t control how others perceive it. Let me hear the details—your story. Maybe because I’ve only heard it over the phone, it felt too vague. I never imagined you actually lived together.”
Tae Ha calmly and thoroughly explained the situation to his lawyer. So engrossed was he in speaking that his own meal remained untouched.
“Judging by the evidence alone, it shouldn’t be too difficult. Let’s start with a civil suit first, and if that fails, we’ll appeal while initiating criminal proceedings. That way, the paperwork stays clean. Also, for now, send Song Eun Seo away. She might interfere with the lawsuit.”
That was Attorney Joo’s conclusion.
“She’s leaving soon.”
“That’s good to hear. Lawsuits take quite a bit of time, you know. Especially if we go only through civil court without criminal charges and fail to get an annulment—then it’ll take double the time. Do you really think you can avoid Chairman Kwon finding out during all that?”
“My senior will keep quiet.”
“Is it enough if only I stay silent?”
“Then I’ll make sure everyone else keeps quiet too.”
“You say that in such a scary way. At this rate, I’ll end up buried in some remote hillside.”
“You think I couldn’t?”
“You’re… joking, right?”
“Want to test it?”
Tae Ha winked playfully and took a sip of tea.
“Oh, and one more thing, senior.”
“What is it?”
“Could you recommend another person among your contacts—someone discreet?”
“Why not me? I’m a bit hurt.”
“I’m thinking of assigning her a lawyer.”
“Why?”
“She doesn’t have money.”
“So what? Whether the retainer fee is a thousand or a billion, it’s her responsibility. If she really has no choice, she can handle the lawsuit by herself. Someone smart enough to get into Korea University surely has more than enough left over after a lawsuit.”
“She’s never been to court before. It’s not exactly a pleasant experience.”
“But you both want the annulment, right? So isn’t a legal representative unnecessary? Unlike divorce, this isn’t about one side gaining a more favorable outcome. Why do you even care?”
Attorney Joo waited, utterly baffled, for Tae Ha’s reply.
“I don’t know.”
[It’s sympathy.]“Sympathy?”
“Sympathy? Well, if you put it that way… even I feel sorry hearing her story. But if I find someone for her, what should I tell her?”
“I’ll just say there’s a pro bono lawyer available.”
Attorney Joo finally set down his chopsticks.
“Pro bono? You don’t mean you’re going to cover the entire retainer fee yourself—not even negotiate a discount?”
“I want to.”
“At this rate, you’ll end up taking responsibility for criminal charges too. Wait—could it be that you… possibly…?”
“What?”
“Never mind. Eat.”
Attorney Joo shook his head and picked up his chopsticks again, grabbing a slippery piece of acorn jelly.
“Do you like that woman?”
The acorn jelly he’d just picked up slipped right off his chopsticks.
“Don’t answer. It’s making my head spin.”
Attorney Joo raised both hands to signal he didn’t want to hear more. Only then did Tae Ha finally lift his first spoonful.
“The sooner we get her a legal representative, the sooner the lawsuit can proceed.”
* * *
Thanks to his newly started vacation, Tae Ha was able to watch Eun Seo pack up her belongings in full view.
Her luggage was remarkably sparse.
Just two old suitcases that looked at least ten years old, a duffel bag, and the ever-present eco-bag slung over her shoulder—the kind that seemed like her soulmate.
It was the sort of luggage one might take on a long-term trip.
Truthfully, she hadn’t taken out much to begin with, so calling it “packing” felt generous—but everything she’d removed from the guest room was precisely that.
Admirably, Eun Seo carried her heavy suitcase instead of dragging it, careful not to scratch the expensive hallway floor.
Each small detail like this occasionally made him wonder:
Could Song Eun Seo really have committed fraud? The moment he concluded “yes,” his chest would sink heavily, plunging into unease.
Hadn’t he already known the answer?
Tae Ha, who’d been leisurely sipping coffee on the sofa, went into the room to bring out the remaining suitcase for Eun Seo.
The room was perfectly tidy—curtains, remote control, even the tissue box—showing no trace anyone had stayed there. Only the mattress cover had been stripped off.
Noticing Tae Ha wandering around the room, Eun Seo said,
“I’ve finished cleaning up. I already said goodbye to Madam Ahn earlier. She said all the bedding will be washed, so I took the covers off.”
Truly impeccable cleanup.
Could someone with such a character really commit fraud?
That kind of deceit seemed far more fitting for Ha Eun—
The woman who’d taken off her coat deliberately just to expose her chest.
Did she know how visibly transparent her intentions were, enough to make him lose his appetite?
“Very neat.”
Relieved by his words, Eun Seo offered,
“I cleaned the bathroom too—want to check? Inspector.”
Without waiting for his reply, she walked ahead into the bathroom. Her steps somehow seemed lighter.
Was it because she was leaving?
Perhaps she’d felt watched, sharing a house with a man who saw her as a criminal?
Somehow sensing she’d be disappointed if he didn’t follow, Tae Ha trailed behind her.
True to her word, the bathtub, sink, and toothbrush cup were completely dry. Even the towel on the rack was hung with perfect alignment.
“Really neat. But you didn’t have to go this far. It’s a guest room, after all—cleaning it is the host’s job.”
“Oh.”
It was a brief, quiet acknowledgment of realization.
“Don’t go through this trouble anywhere else.”
Before Eun Seo could step out, Tae Ha grabbed the suitcase handle and pulled it.
“I’ll do it.”
Eun Seo hurried out and quickly snatched the handle from Tae Ha—but the instant her fingertips brushed his hand, she flinched sharply.
It was too brief to tell if his skin was warm or cold, yet her whole body instantly registered Kwon Tae Ha.
Why did that trivial touch send her heart racing like a rollercoaster?
Afraid of touching him again, Eun Seo couldn’t even grab the handle decisively as before. Instead, she shuffled anxiously around the suitcase.
She needed to carry it, but couldn’t pry his hand off the handle.
“You’re in the way. Stand back.”
His tone was indifferent. Seeing he clearly wouldn’t relinquish the suitcase, Eun Seo silently followed behind him.
“Just pull it like this. The floor can be cleaned later—don’t hurt your back for nothing.”
Only after moving all the luggage to the front door did Tae Ha ask,
“When’s your ride arriving?”
“In thirty minutes.”
“Cancel it.”
“But I have to go.”
“I don’t mean you shouldn’t go. I’ll drive you. I need to see exactly where you’re going—to confirm with my own eyes whether you actually enter that place.”
Eun Seo’s lips twitched in faint disbelief.
Can’t you just trust me a little?
She wanted to say that—but then realized accepting his ride would save her money.
Pride be damned; saving money came first. Pride and dignity often prove powerless before money.
“Thank you.”
Eun Seo gave a light, respectful bow.
* * *
Sitting beside Tae Ha, Eun Seo gazed out the window, scanning the streets to ease the awkward tension. The outside world looked warm from inside the car, perhaps because it was daytime.
The Christmas decorations in every shop window, still up from just days ago, were delightfully charming.
How long had it been since she felt like this?
It must have been years.
“Want to listen to music?”
Eun Seo figured Tae Ha must feel just as awkward, so music seemed like a way to fill the uncomfortable silence.
“A while ago, your friend—you know, the one.”
“He’s my cousin. Have you seen him since?”
Tae Ha glanced sideways at Eun Seo.
Would he even know? He’s been busy working—how could he tell?
“No. I’ve been carefully avoiding him so he wouldn’t notice me.”
“But why ask about him?”
“You called him your friend too, Mr. Kwon Tae Ha.”
“He’s both.”
Sensing Eun Seo’s slight resentment, Tae Ha readily admitted to calling him a “friend.”
“The piece he played—the Piano Concerto No. 2—was really beautiful.”
“Oh, that one.”
The very piece that had once drawn Eun Seo’s feet unconsciously toward the piano.
Tae Ha selected and played the track she wanted. A few seconds later, the piano melody began to flow.
“But…”
He dropped that word abruptly and glanced at Eun Seo again.
“At around the 2-minute and 6-minute marks, you played it wrong.”
Now Eun Seo looked at him, utterly confused.
“What do you mean? The 2-minute and 6-minute marks?”
“Never mind.”
Even Tae Ha found himself pitiful and chose not to explain further in tedious detail.
What’s the point anyway?
And as if she gave up easily, Eun Seo didn’t press him further.
After thirty minutes of driving, they arrived at their destination. As the navigation announced their approach, Tae Ha pulled over to the curb and scanned the street.
Some buildings looked decent enough, while others clearly didn’t.
“Where is it?”
“Over there.”
Eun Seo pointed to a specific building with her index finger. Tae Ha leaned forward over the steering wheel to locate the building she indicated.
Most of the block consisted of goshiwons—cram schools with dormitories—and the building she pointed to was among the oldest and most dilapidated.
“There?”
Tae Ha asked again, hoping it was a misunderstanding.
“Yes.”
A short sigh slipped from between Tae Ha’s lips.
An old gray building, its surfaces layered with decades of dust. Dark streaks left by rainwater, broken tiles scattered here and there.
A sign that likely once read “Success Goshiwon” now read “Seong Goshiwon”—missing a character.
“It’s kind of… rough.”
“Why did you come here? Is there a special reason? Good security, maybe? Or spacious rooms? Or—”
“It’s cheap.”
Eun Seo cut him off.
If he kept talking, he’d probably list ten more reasons—but every single one would reflect his world, not hers.
“Well then, I’ll be going now. Please be careful entering. And thank you for the ride.”
As Eun Seo unbuckled her seatbelt and bowed her round forehead gently,
‘Vrrrrrooooom’
The engine roared to life with a deep, beast-like growl that shook the air.
“What are you doing?”
Panicked, Eun Seo tried to open the car door—but it wouldn’t budge.
“Hey! What’s going on? I need to get out!”
Click-click-click-click.
But the car merged onto the road, swerving dramatically across several lanes until it hugged the centerline.
Tae Ha kept his eyes fixed firmly ahead, lips tightly sealed.
“Excuse me—I really have to go in there today! I’ve already paid in advance! Hey, can you hear me? Hey! I also have a part-time job to get to! Mr. Kwon Tae Ha!”
“Stop shouting. I can hear you just fine.”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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