“How was the atmosphere?”

Woo Jin asked Park Sil Jang in a low voice after he came down from delivering the gift. At this, Park Sil Jang turned around and opened his mouth.

“Well, while I was moving the gift from the elevator to the front door, I could hear a woman’s voice shouting inside the house. I couldn’t hear what she was saying though.”

“I see.”

It was as expected. He had expected it and fired a confirmation shot.

“But the atmosphere took a sudden turn when I handed over the gift? Especially the lady of the house was extremely pleased.”

“I don’t care about how others reacted. What about Min Tae Eun?”

“Min Tae Eun… well, um… it seemed like she was quite surprised as she didn’t expect it.”

“Did she like it?”

“I’m not sure. It’s hard to say…”

Park Sil Jang tilted his head.

Haha, this too was as expected. She was the one who ran away without even answering his proposal. So his actions might not have been welcome to her.

However, he did not regret his actions. If he hadn’t done this, she might have spent an unimaginably painful night.

Just giving her the gift of a comfortable night,

“You can go now.”

“Yes. Director.”

It was sufficiently worthwhile.

* * *

Tae Eun sat on the bed after taking a shower, not even thinking of drying her hair. Her whole body was exhausted as if it would melt away, but strangely, her mind was clear and she couldn’t stop thinking about the man.

She couldn’t escape from the man’s unwavering eyes that had been looking at her throughout the arranged date at the restaurant.

“I’m not asking to make love with you, Min Tae Eun. I’m asking you to marry me.”

Saying those words and maintaining such an indifferent expression, yet sending a gift to her house.

The man would have had no idea what impact his actions would have. But the favor he sent completely changed her brutal night. It made Ji Eun’s tantrum that had been raging come to a complete halt.

Thanks to that, she was able to spend a peaceful night, but this peace only felt as frightening as the calm before the storm.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Knock knock.

“Yes.”

“Still not sleeping? Ah, you just took a shower, I see. You must be tired. Of course you would be. You couldn’t even have dinner properly tonight. But I even sent you abalone porridge thinking of you, so you should eat and then sleep.”

Ji Eun had brought up the abalone porridge the man had sent. Ji Eun’s voice was all soft and gentle as if she had never yelled at her, which gave Tae Eun goosebumps, but she nodded. It was an unfamiliar and frightening kindness.

“Alright, sleep well then.”

After Ji Eun left, a quiet stillness descended, but Tae Eun felt suffocated. She felt like she was trapped in a glass castle that could shatter at any moment. She had to get out before it collapsed, but she couldn’t find an escape. If she were alone, she might have bent her knees and sunk down like this.

But then, what about Grandma? Our poor Grandma?

“If you just marry me, such things won’t happen anymore. I’ll take responsibility for both Grandma and you.”

The man’s low but confident voice rang in her ears like tinnitus. Perhaps the man could be the one and only escape route. The momentary peace he brought was so sweet that she couldn’t resist the temptation.

Of course, there were certainly risks. A loveless marriage. And infertility.

But she couldn’t help but agonize, fearing the hell that would return at the end of this unstable peace. She could only end her contemplation when the faint dawn light of early morning brightened.

She wanted to end this life where she couldn’t even properly enjoy such a brief peace. And the option that could solve this complex and difficult problem all at once was right in front of her eyes.

In the end, she decided to take the man’s hand.

Thinking that any abyss would be better than now.

* * *

Contact came from Min Tae Eun. He thought it would take some time as she seemed so solid without any gaps to break through, but the woman’s judgment was unexpectedly quick.

It was a good thing for Woo Jin. He had to hurry as much as possible to divert the attention of reporters who were still trying to dig into Park Seo Woo and his background with marriage. But strangely, another reason to rush the marriage had arisen.

After hearing from Park Sil Jang yesterday, he had Park Sil Jang investigate a bit more. And the information he received in the morning had gently raised his blood pressure.

Because it was recorded that Tae Eun had stayed at an orphanage for a month, albeit briefly. At age six, not long after her biological mother passed away. Even with that brief one-line record, Woo Jin could roughly guess the story.

“They… abandoned their own daughter?”

Only then did he understand why her maternal grandmother had taken care of her for a while. The more he thought about it, the more absurd it felt, and he couldn’t look into her history any further. He couldn’t accurately summarize her life with these few sheets of paper, but it was more than enough to know how difficult her life had been.

If they abandoned their daughter once, why not twice?

Moreover, the fact that he received contact from the woman who had been so unyielding so quickly was a kind of proof that she was still living a hard life. So he wanted to get the woman out of that house as soon as possible.

“Hmm, I’ll have to take her in quickly.”

Once he had marked her as his, he couldn’t tolerate anyone touching her. Even if it was her parents.

He stubbed out his cigarette and entered the reserved restaurant. This time, he deliberately booked a very private room. He wanted to create an atmosphere where the woman could express herself a little more comfortably.

As he headed to the reserved room, she was already there. He was also the type to be punctual as a businessman, but the woman was even more so.

“Here early again today.”

“Yes. My part-time job ended early today.”

“What, you mean teaching those fine arts exam prep students?”

“Yes.”

She wasn’t surprised that he knew everything. No, rather she seemed to take it for granted.

“Let’s have a proper meal today. Is your stomach okay?”

“Yes. I can eat today.”

Oh my, how grateful. This is truly remarkable progress.

Woo Jin simply ordered a two-person course of sushi. From appetizer to dessert, it was a course that could be handled all at once. After finishing the order, Tae Eun took a sip of warm tea and opened her mouth.

“I received the gift you sent well. They told me to convey their thanks at home.”

“It’s nothing. That little thing.”

“Especially the wild ginseng you sent…”

“I don’t care about that. How was it for you, Min Tae Eun?”

“Pardon?”

“The porridge, I mean. How was the porridge?”

“It was… delicious.”

“You ate it?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Only after hearing that answer did Woo Jin raise a leisurely smile on his lips. She probably didn’t know. That she had just dramatically saved the neck of the main chef at Jang Won Hotel.

After a while, the appetizers came out. However, Woo Jin instructed the employee who was about to place it and leave to bring out the rest of the food all at once. Even when told the taste of the food might suffer, he nodded his head saying it was fine.

“I’m going to have an important conversation from now on, and I hate people coming and going. You prefer that too, right Min Tae Eun?”

“Yes.”

“Try it. The food here is good.”

Tae Eun nodded in agreement as she reached out her chopsticks to the beautifully plated dish. Just looking at the plate, one could tell how much care this restaurant put into their food.

Om nom nom. Unlike yesterday when she only sipped green tea, seeing her using chopsticks made Woo Jin feel proud. It was the woman who was chewing the food, but it felt like sweet juice was filling his mouth.

Watching her swallow the food, he belatedly picked up his chopsticks and opened his mouth.

“So, when shall we get married? I’d like it to be as soon as possible.”

But as soon as he finished speaking, the woman covered her mouth and coughed as if something was stuck in her throat. When he handed her water, she turned her head and gulped it down, calming herself.

While she was catching her breath, a plate of beautifully decorated raw fish and two servings of sushi came out. Once the staff set the table and disappeared, Woo Jin spoke again.

“Why are you so surprised? Isn’t that what you came to say?”

“You’re right. It is, but…”

“But?”

“There’s something I want to make clear first.”

What could it be this time? It was truly unbelievable. The great Seo Woo Jin having such a hard time getting married just once. It was an unexpected hurdle he had never anticipated.

“Let’s hear it then.”

“As I mentioned before, you know that I’m infertile, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you really not want children?”

The woman’s eyes as she asked were quite serious. It seemed to have been weighing on her mind all this time. After all, the issue of infertility could be a fatal flaw for a woman. Something that could leave a lasting mark on her heart for a lifetime. So he decided to be honest with her. So that she wouldn’t be hurt by it later on.

“I am someone who aims for marriage, not for having children. So I don’t have any thoughts that once married, we must have children. Couples don’t necessarily need to have children.”

“…”

“But the elders in the family may not think the same way as me. I’ll defend you as much as I can, but you may get hurt from time to time.”

Unlike the first day when it sounded casual or playful, his very serious voice gently penetrated her ears. It was a truly pleasant voice to hear. Deep and profound, like a voice echoing from an endless cave.

Right. I was prepared for that much.

He may not care about children, but the elders in the family won’t be like that. But no matter which family an infertile daughter-in-law marries into, the in-laws won’t welcome her happily.

“Instead, my thoughts won’t change.”

“…”

“I’m saying there won’t be a case where I abandon you because of children, Min Tae Eun.”

Now she understood. The reason why she felt trust in him despite his indifferent face and gaze.

It was because of his voice.

His cave-like deep voice silently seeped into her heart and was clearly imprinted. With a small hope that even if she couldn’t trust others, perhaps she could trust this man.

“I understand. And thank you. If you’re like that, I can willingly bear it.”

“Then is that it?”

“No. One more thing.”

Huh, one more? Dumbfounded, Woo Jin watched as she rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small envelope. Then she took out the contents inside and spread it out in front of him.

“It’s a contract. I want a guarantee of Grandma’s safety.”

Contrary to her resolute gaze, a snort escapes Woo Jin’s mouth.

“I know it’s shameless. But if I don’t do at least this… I won’t be able to put my mind at ease.”

That was true. Her father, who had promised to take care of Grandma if she obediently did as told, had given in to the new wife Ji Eun’s persuasion and used Grandma as a hostage to pressure her into an arranged marriage. Of course, behind that was Ji Eun’s ruthless scheme to kick them both out at once.

She was fine with being caught up in any storm. But she wanted to protect Grandma at any cost. And these flimsy two pages of contract were Tae Eun’s desperate struggle.

Woo Jin’s deep eyes, not unaware of that, turned to the contract on the table. Because it was obvious with what feelings the woman had written down those few pages.

She must have been desperate. The woman, who had become a loner among the family who should have been the most reliable shield in the world, would have been grasping at straws. Knowing that feeling, he wanted to briskly sign that measly contract, but he couldn’t.

“Look here, Min Tae Eun. I can’t sign this contract.”

“…”

“If I sign this contract, our marriage becomes a business, not a marriage.”

That’s right. The moment he signed this contract, they would become a relationship of gap (higher) and eul (lower), not husband and wife. It was specified that way in the contract too. Gap, Seo Woo Jin. Eul, Min Tae Eun.

But knowing why she was being so aggressive, Woo Jin spoke softly.

“You know that my parents passed away early too, right? And that both of them died on the spot in an accident.”

“Yes.”

“Well, this much can be known just by searching the internet. Then what about this? What if I was at the scene.”

“…”

“So what if I witnessed it all.”

Suddenly, Tae Eun raised her surprised eyes to meet his gaze. Because the fact that he was at the scene was never mentioned in any article. Her eyes that couldn’t hide her emotions at the unexpected truth were trembling slightly.

“It was an accident. Unavoidable. And I was the only one who survived that accident.”

“…”

“Do you know how shitty that feels? My mom was even carrying my younger sibling in her womb then.”

“I didn’t… know.”

“I’m not saying this for you to understand me. I’m just saying I know that feeling too.”

“…”

“That feeling of being abandoned alone in a shitty life. That feeling when everyone is your enemy and no one is on your side.”

It was the first time. Revealing his pain to someone.

The fact that he was at the scene was covered up at Jang Won as much as it was taboo to even mention, and Woo Jin had never divulged this story to anyone either.

But there was no other way to approach her when she had sharpened her claws. There was no faster way to approach a wounded person than to show one’s own wounds and form a bond of sympathy.

“You have a grandmother you need to take responsibility for for life, and for me it’s Jang Won. That house you have to grudgingly enter even if you hate it is the nightmare that visits me every night with insomnia.”

“…”

“It’s just that I was a little luckier than you. Because at least I had money.”

At that indifferently revealed voice, Tae Eun felt a tingling sensation in the tip of her nose. It hurt her heart more because it was an emotionless voice. She wondered how much he had ruminated to become so numb.

But even if he had become numb, the scars would not have been erased. There would be indelible scars left somewhere in his heart. Just like the scars she carried.

Suddenly, it felt like he, who had been so far ahead that he was hard to catch up to, was walking in step with her side by side.

Was that why? When the man reached out his hand and neatly tucked her stray hair behind her ear, she couldn’t feel any rejection at all.

“So, Tae Eun…”

“…”

“Close your eyes tight and try believing in me for once?”

It was the moment when the sharp blade, which had been sharpened again and again to never be hurt again, silently became dull.