Hyungsik stared at the photo intently, then sat down weakly in his chair.

His chest began to ache sharply, as if pierced by an awl.

“Hmm.”

He clenched his molars tightly, but a pained cry escaped through his lips.

“In the end, it was like this…”

Was it all just a vain hope?

Hyungsik felt that So Yeon’s gaze had gradually turned towards him, though he didn’t know since when. Though it was an unwanted marriage, he believed that living together under one roof had naturally led to affection for her husband.

When Yuri was born and he saw So Yeon smiling brightly, he thought she was finally starting to feel happiness. But it seems that wasn’t the case.

“Huh.”

A bitter smile spread across Hyungsik’s lips as he stared at the photo of his wife smiling at her former lover.

In the photo, So Yeon looked relaxed and happy. Had she ever shown such a comfortable expression even once since getting married?

Regrettably, no such memory came to mind readily.

Yes, it was all futile.

She even forcibly married a man chosen by her father to save her beloved…

There was no way So Yeon would have forgotten her old lover and given her heart to her current husband.

Perhaps she even found him detestable inside. She probably thought he married a woman he didn’t love for the sake of success.

Not knowing that he had fallen for her at first sight…

A self-deprecating laugh escaped Hyungsik’s lips. At the same time, his phone rang. When he pressed the call button, the voice of Min, his college friend and lawyer, came through.

[You know there’s a college alumni gathering tonight, right?]

“…Was there?”

When Hyungsik answered indifferently, Min the lawyer stretched out his words persuasively.

[Everyone’s gathering after a long time. You’re not the only busy one. So come out for a bit, show your face, and go.]

“…I’ll see if I have time.”

[Don’t give an ambiguous answer. You have to come no matter what.]

Min the lawyer said he’d wait until Hyungsik came and hung up. Hyungsik stared at his phone for a moment, then turned it off and pushed it far away. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

He needed a moment of rest. He didn’t want to do anything.

He didn’t want to think about anything.

Nothing at all.

[This is the timeline separator]

A few hours earlier.

At a large bookstore in downtown Seoul.

“Han So Yeon.”

So Yeon turned around at the familiar voice calling her name. A bright smile spread across her face as she recognized the welcome face.

“Senior Jung?”

“What brings you here?”

Tae Hyuk also approached her with a bright smile.

“They said the book I requested came in, so I came to pick it up.”

So Yeon pulled out a thick book from her shopping bag and showed it. Tae Hyuk glanced at the book cover and asked with a chuckle.

“Is it for your husband?”

“Yes, today is my husband’s birthday. I ordered it as a birthday gift and was worried it might be late.”

“Do you have time for coffee? It’s been a while since we met.”

So Yeon checked the time on her wristwatch and nodded.

“Yes.”

The two entered a nearby cafe, ordered drinks and desserts, and sat facing each other.

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to contact you for a long time, but I kept putting it off. I’m sorry.”

“You were busy and couldn’t contact me, what are you sorry for?”

“No. It’s not because I was busy…”

So Yeon smiled awkwardly and fiddled with her mug with both hands. After a moment, she cautiously opened her mouth.

“Actually, I felt ashamed. I left alone when everyone else was struggling. And I got married right away. I felt like I had betrayed everyone somehow…”

“What are you talking about? I know you married someone you didn’t love to try to get me out. If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you…”

“No, senior. It’s not like that!”

So Yeon shook her head vigorously, interrupting Tae Hyuk mid-sentence.

“I, I love Hyungsik. I really love him and that’s why I married him.”

“What?”

“Hyungsik doesn’t remember, but I had met him before. I liked him from then on.”

So Yeon briefly explained about receiving help from Hyungsik in front of Myeongdong Cathedral.

“Does your husband know?”

“No. He doesn’t even know that I like him.”

So Yeon shook her head with a bitter expression.

“I felt guilty and just couldn’t tell him. While everyone was struggling, I felt I shouldn’t be the only one happy… I felt bad about betraying them too.”

“What are you saying? Ideology is ideology, and individual happiness is different.”

Tae Hyuk frowned as if So Yeon’s words were unexpected.

“How is marrying for love a betrayal? No one can blame you for marrying someone with different ideologies.”

“…Senior.”

“You said it’s your husband’s birthday today, right? Then instead of just giving him a book as a birthday gift, confess that you love him. It will be the most precious birthday gift of all.”

At Tae Hyuk’s words, So Yeon’s cheeks turned red and she smiled with a happy expression. Her eyes became moist.

“Thank you, senior. I will.”

Unaware that someone had been watching them from afar, So Yeon parted ways with Tae Hyuk, her heart pounding.

―Confess that you love him. It will be the most precious birthday gift of all.

Would it really be like that?

They had only met briefly, but she had fallen for him at first sight. When she met him again, So Yeon thought it was fate. That’s why she accepted when her father told her to marry Hyungsik without refusing.

But it probably wasn’t the case for her husband. He probably needed her father’s power, not because he liked her. Still, as time passed, he seemed to gradually acknowledge her as his wife.

During their newlywed days, he was so blunt that it was difficult for So Yeon to even speak to Hyungsik properly. But as days went by, his attitude towards her softened. The change became even more noticeable after Yuri was born.

Without a single complaint, he would change Yuri’s diapers, and even when returning home late at night, he would hold the whining Yuri in his arms and put her to sleep instead of So Yeon. Hyungsik’s affection for his daughter was extraordinary.

So Yeon thought that Hyungsik loved Yuri so much that he came to like her too for giving birth to the child. Or maybe he had grown attached to her as they lived together.

As her husband’s once cold eyes became warmer, So Yeon found herself smiling happily more often.

This morning too, Hyungsik pushed So Yeon, who was getting up to make seaweed soup, back into bed and whispered softly.

“Sleep more. It’s still early.”

“But it’s your birthday…”

“This is enough instead of seaweed soup.”

Hyungsik kissed her tenderly and gently brushed back So Yeon’s bangs that had fallen.

“Then make sure to leave work on time today and have dinner together no matter what. Promise?”

“I’ll try.”

“Don’t just try, make sure to come. I’ll prepare a birthday meal and wait. Okay?”

He didn’t promise, but he didn’t tell her not to prepare the birthday meal either. That meant he would leave work on time and come home.

After leaving the cafe, So Yeon stopped by the fish market and bought fresh live shrimp, abalone, and crab before coming home.

“Ah.”

Though the sight of the wriggling shrimp was creepily disgusting, So Yeon endured and prepared each shrimp one by one for her beloved husband.

Thanks to the housekeeper who helped while looking after Yuri, she was able to prepare the birthday meal smoothly.

So Yeon placed the freshly fried shrimp on the table and looked at the clock on the wall.

“He won’t be late today, right?”

The departing housekeeper asked with a worried face. So Yeon smiled gently as if to say it was fine.

“He’ll be here soon. Thank you for today. Please take some food with you.”

Even after the housekeeper left, Hyungsik did not return home for a long time. She tried calling but he didn’t answer, only the dial tone rang.

She decided to wait a bit longer in case something urgent had come up suddenly. By now the crispy fried shrimp had become soggy, but she could quickly fry them again when Hyungsik arrived.

Time passed, and she called again. This time it went straight to voicemail as if his phone was turned off.

“Are you going to be very late? Please call me when you get this message.”

After leaving a message, So Yeon fed Yuri dinner and took her to the bathroom to bathe her. After putting the whining Yuri to sleep, it was already past 9 o’clock.

So Yeon sat on the living room sofa, turned on the TV, and waited for Hyungsik. She must have dozed off for a bit.

Feeling a chill, she opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by the quiet interior with the TV turned off. Wondering if Hyungsik had returned while she was sleeping and turned off the TV, she hurriedly looked around the house.

But there was no trace of her husband anywhere. She probably pressed the remote control power button unknowingly while falling asleep.

So Yeon turned her gaze to the clock on the wall. The time was already past 5 am.

He had never stayed out all night without contacting her before…

She checked her phone, but there were no calls or messages from him.

Could something bad have happened?

As she was about to call Hyungsik with an anxious heart, the front door opened with a clatter and Hyungsik entered the house. So Yeon let out a sigh of relief and walked quickly towards her husband. As she got closer, a strong smell of alcohol wafted from Hyungsik.

“What happened?”

“There was a college alumni gathering.”

Hyungsik said bluntly without looking at So Yeon.

“You could have at least called to let me know.”

“Why? You met your college friend yesterday afternoon too. Did you call me to say you were meeting a friend?”

“…What?”

“Hah, I’m tired. I’ll smell of alcohol, so I’ll take a short nap in the study before leaving.”

After finishing his words, Hyungsik walked past So Yeon and entered the study.

So Yeon couldn’t say anything. Her husband’s eyes were so cold that it sent chills down her spine.

The study door closed and then there was a click as the door locked.

After standing blankly in place for a moment, So Yeon slowly turned around and walked to the dining table. The soggy fried shrimp caught her eye first.

So Yeon took out a storage container and began putting the fried shrimp inside. She put the other dishes in containers too and placed them in the refrigerator.

After finishing cleaning up the table, So Yeon turned her head towards the study.

The tightly locked door filled her vision.

She thought he had opened his heart a little…

But that wasn’t the case.

With a sad smile, So Yeon turned off the lights in the living room and entered the room where Yuri was sleeping.

A deep darkness settled in the cool living room.

[This is the timeline separator]

“I thought Yuri was So Yeon’s biological daughter until I saw the paternity test results. That’s how much So Yeon loved and raised Yuri like her own child.”

Having finished telling the story of meeting So Yeon at the bookstore in the past, Assemblyman Jung continued with a bitter expression.

“When I went to the hospital to say my final goodbye, So Yeon was still asking me to take care of Assemblyman Chae even in that moment. To please treat him gently.”

Yuri nodded quietly with a sad smile.

She had seen the video So Yeon left for Hyungsik just before she died. She knew well with what feelings she had recorded that video.

Even in her dying moments, So Yeon tried to shoulder her husband’s faults alone.

That’s how much she…

“Mother really loved Father very much.”

Yuri said, looking at Assemblyman Jung.

“…Your father also loved your mother very much. And he hated her as much as he loved her.”

Yuri’s eyes became moist at the heartbreakingly misaligned story of her parents.

[This is the timeline separator]

After parting with Assemblyman Jung, Yuri headed to the KG Group headquarters carrying shopping bags of baby items in both hands. Today was the day of the regular board meeting, and Jeho, the chairman of the board, usually came to the KG Group office on that day to prepare for the meeting.

“Without contacting me?”

Jeho returned to his office after finishing the board meeting and was surprised to see Yuri waiting for him.

“I thought the board meeting would be over by now. I wanted to show you the baby items I bought today too.”

“I see, you did well to come. Let’s go home together.”

“Are you done with work?”

“Yes.”

“Then can I ask for one favor?”

Yuri asked as she approached Jeho and hugged his waist.

“Let’s have dinner with Father today. I feel like we haven’t visited him in a while.”

“What kind of favor is that? Of course we should.”

Jeho said with a gentle smile.

“I love you, Jeho.”

Instead of saying thank you, Yuri said she loved him and lightly kissed Jeho’s lips.

She didn’t want to hold back on expressing her love.

Jeho also lowered his head to press his lips against hers and whispered softly.

“I love you too.”

Their eyes sparkled with abundant love as they looked at each other.

The leisurely afternoon sunlight shone on the two, stretching out comfortably.