“Who, chose the menu?”

Woo Jin’s voice, sweeping over the three people, was deep and soft as the sea, but its meaning was as fierce as it was resolute. Translated, it meant who played a joke by ordering food that Tae Eun couldn’t even eat.

Having grown up as the heir to the estate for 30 years, he knew how to express anger with dignity when necessary, though he could also flare up like fire at times. But if asked which was more dangerous, it would obviously be the latter.

Without raising his voice once or using rough language, he conveyed his chilling intent very precisely by infusing anger into his voice. His ability to communicate in any way was truly unparalleled. Thanks to that, Ji Eun felt the hairs on her body stand on end and found herself stuttering without realizing it.

“Ah, no… It’s not that, the weather has gotten much warmer and I didn’t have much appetite. Also… Ji Hoon said yesterday he wanted to eat cool bean noodles…”

“Mom! When did I!”

Having sold out her precious son with the will to live in the face of the menace, Ji Hoon glared at Ji Eun with a serious expression. But Woo Jin, as if uninterested in such mother-son squabbles, focused on Ji Eun. He had accurately pinpointed the cause of this situation.

“Mother, you invited your married daughter to eat at her parents’ home for the first time, and chose the dinner menu according to the tastes of your son who you see every day at home. This… could have been eaten tomorrow.”

“…”

“Deliberately, for our Tae Eun.”

“…”

“Did you have to serve bean noodles that she can’t even eat?”

“!”

“It’s not like you’re taking people for fools.”

He frowned as he picked up some noodles from the bean noodle soup in front of Tae Eun with chopsticks, emphasizing each word to pressure Ji Eun.

“Woo Jin…”

Tae Eun tried to stop him, but it was useless. Woo Jin fixed a languid gaze directly on Ji Eun, and her eyes wandered with intense vibration under that gaze.

“Oh my… I was thoughtless. You’re right. Ji Hoon could have eaten this tomorrow. I’m sorry. I forgot Tae Eun has an allergy.”

“There are things you shouldn’t forget. Peanut allergy is different from other allergies, it can be fatal if eaten by mistake.”

“Th-that…”

Ji Eun was at a loss for words at the stark expression. Finally, Min Kyung Hoon, who had been watching from the side, spoke up.

“I’m sorry. Our Tae Eun came after a long time and we weren’t thoughtful. Dear… is there anything Tae Eun can eat for dinner?”

“I, I didn’t prepare… Oh, there should be some seafood stew left over from yesterday’s dinner.”

“I see. Heat that up a bit. For our Tae Eun to eat.”

As if the timing was fortunate, Min Kyung Hoon patted Ji Eun’s back, and she quickly stood up as if wanting to escape this place, intending to go to the kitchen herself.

“Of course. I’ll heat it up myself.”

But even that, Woo Jin did not allow.

“That’s enough. Serving leftover food from yesterday’s dinner to a daughter visiting for the first time after marriage. In our house, we don’t even give leftover food from yesterday to dogs.”

Having finished speaking, he pushed back his chair and slowly stood up. As he did so, his shadow filled the table and an aura far more menacing than when he was sitting draped over the three people.

“Honey, get up.”

He called her honey. As naturally as if they had been a married couple rubbing shoulders for a long time.

While Tae Eun was surprised and flustered by the form of address, he once again dropped blunt words with composure bordering on shamelessness.

“There’s no reason to sit here any longer when there’s nothing to eat. Let’s eat outside. I’ll buy you anything you want to eat.”

Woo Jin helped her stand up. Then, with his arm around her shoulders, he turned his back on the three people who couldn’t say a word. Ji Eun watched his retreating figure with bated breath.

She wished he would hurry and take Tae Eun away. But Woo Jin wasn’t so easily placated. Until the very last moment of exiting, he gripped their hearts tightly.

“Oh. Did you perhaps call our Tae Eun because you had something to say?”

For a moment, the three people looked at each other’s faces, their hearts stinging as if burned. Of course, it was true that they had called Tae Eun because they had something to say, but saying it in this atmosphere would be like pouring oil on Woo Jin’s already fierce anger.

So Ji Eun immediately shook her head and opened her mouth with an awkward smile.

“No. Just… the house felt a bit empty without Tae Eun. We called her to see her face, but I was thoughtless and chose the wrong menu. Next time…”

“Next time, don’t call Tae Eun alone.”

“…Huh?”

“Tae Eun is no longer part of this household. She’s my wife. If you want to call her… call me too. Don’t just call Tae Eun alone.”

It was a statement with many implications, but to summarize it simply, it was a clear threat. Ji Eun, being quick-witted, couldn’t miss its meaning.

“Ah. Ah. Yes. Yes. Son-in-law. I will. Next time, definitely with you too.”

“Then, goodbye. Enjoy your bean noodles.”

Woo Jin had disappeared, but the energy he left behind still felt like it was heavily pressing down on the three people. The gazes of the three people, thoroughly drained of spirit, turned to the swollen bean noodles placed in front of each of them.

Their appetites had completely vanished.

Bean noodles, it seemed they wouldn’t need to eat them for several years to come.

* * *

In the car, Tae Eun rolled down the window. Then she inhaled the cool air deep into her lungs. Only now did it feel like her indigestion was subsiding and the frustration in her heart was dissipating.

“But why did you go to your in-laws? Even though you don’t like it.”

At Woo Jin’s question, Tae Eun turned her gaze to look at him. His side profile while driving looked deeper than usual.

“I may not like it, but there’s Dad. Even if not for anyone else, Dad is our dad.”

“Father? What’s so good about a father who only cares about his son?”

“Still… he’s Dad. My… blood.”

Blood is thicker than water, they say? I don’t know who said that wise saying, but it really fits perfectly.

“Yes. Turning your back on family isn’t easy.”

He nodded in agreement, thinking of his three aunts.

“But I hate seeing you treated like that by anyone. Whether it’s my family or yours.”

“I’m sorry. You have your reputation too…”

“No, that’s not what I mean. It’s not about reputation.”

“…”

“…It really feels disgusting.”

Right. It’s certainly not about reputation. I’m not sure how to express this shitty feeling.

But when I see my own family or in-laws disrespecting Tae Eun, blood rushes to my head. It feels like sinking into the ground. No, like being doused in sewage? Anyway, it’s extremely unpleasant and irritating.

“You know what your problem is?”

“What is it?”

“You can’t refuse. Refuse.”

“…”

“When your family says come, you say yes. When your in-laws say come, you say yes. You can’t refuse like this.”

“Then what should I say when elders tell me to come?”

“Ah, why can’t you?”

Woo Jin looked at her face as the car stopped at a red light and opened his mouth.

“Come on, Min Tae Eun. Repeat after me. I don’t want to!”

“…”

“Ah, quickly repeat it. I don’t want to!”

“I don’t… want to.”

“Ah, so frustrating. At times like this, you should bulge the veins in your neck and put the accent at the end to express your emotions with exclamation marks! I don’t want to! Like this.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Emphasize the ‘to’. Louder!”

“I don’t want to!”

“That’s right! That’s it. You’re doing well. Add more exclamation marks!”

“I don’t want tooo!!!”

Tae Eun repeating those words like a parrot was so cute that all the heat he had received from the in-laws’ house dissipated.

No, if she could do it this well, I don’t know why she couldn’t do it before.

Satisfied, the corners of Woo Jin’s mouth rose slightly. The light changed and he pressed the accelerator while looking straight ahead again. He had given such an intense top-class lecture that he was starting to feel hungry. Suddenly, he really wanted to eat sushi.

“Ah, I’m hungry. You must be hungry too, right? Shall we go eat sushi?”

He remembered that Tae Eun used to eat sushi very well before marriage. So he asked the question expecting an agreeable answer to naturally flow out.

But,

“I don’t want tooo!!!!”

An infuriating answer came out. Moreover, this was a four exclamation mark accent. What a truly admirable top student.

* * *

Woo Jin and Tae Eun ended up at a sushi restaurant. It was a restaurant they had visited once before marriage. When the two arrived, the staff naturally guided them to a small private room.

“Now, our Min Tae Eun, order anything you want. It’s on me.”

“When was it not?”

Tae Eun smiled as she looked at the menu. It seemed like all the stress she had received from her parents’ home had finally flown away with his brazenness.

While she was looking at the menu to order, Woo Jin briefly left his seat. It was to bring her gift that he had kept in the car. Compared to his wealth, the prepared gift was woefully insignificant, but he felt more proud than if he had gifted an expensive luxury item.

Because he had personally chosen the color.

As he entered the room, he saw Tae Eun drinking tea.

“Did you order?”

“Yes. But I didn’t order alcohol. I thought you might be tired today.”

“You did well. And this.”

A small shopping bag was placed on the table. Tae Eun’s eyes widened at the sight of it.

“What is this?”

“You’ll know if you open it.”

She took out a small lipstick from the shopping bag.

“Did you really… buy this?”

“Did you think I was joking? But you know what? How can there be so many lipstick colors? This color looks like that color and that color looks like this color, I thought I was going to die trying to choose.”

“You… chose it yourself?”

“Of course.”

At his confident words, the corners of Tae Eun’s eyes narrowed. It was a look full of doubt.

“It’s true. I chose it. Take a look and see if you like the color.”

She took the lipstick out of the small box. Then, as she twisted it up, a soft coral pink revealed its elegant form.

“Wow… it’s pretty.”

Tae Eun marveled at his sense. She never thought he would choose such a color.

In fact, she hadn’t expected him to really buy lipstick at all. It was just an answer she had casually given to his question without much thought. Of course, she later regretted such a careless answer.

Anyway, the lipstick she received like that deeply moved her heart more than expected. It made her laugh to think that he, who divides his time down to the minute for work, went to buy lipstick and sweated profusely choosing among numerous colors.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes. Very much.”

“Try it on. Let’s see if it suits you.”

At those words, Tae Eun unhesitatingly took out a hand mirror and wiped off her current lipstick color with the napkin on the table. Then she perfectly applied the lipstick he had bought with a few hand movements.

The soft yet elegant coral pink seemed to breathe life into her graceful image.

“How did you… choose a color that fits me so perfectly? It’s amazing.”

It really seems amazing. Tae Eun looked at the mirror this way and that, admiring the lipstick color and smiling. Woo Jin thought her smiling face looked very girlish.

Was that why? He wanted to tell her some useless information.

“Do you know how I chose that?”

“How did you choose it?”

To her question, he grinned and answered.

“I… chose the color I wanted to eat.”

Then he suddenly stood up, lifted Tae Eun’s chin, and bent down to taste her lips. Today, her mouth tasted of sweet peaches.