Han Seo Yeon looked at the clock.

It was exactly 7 o’clock now. Last night, she had spent the night with open eyes, and it was questionable if she had closed her eyes for even an hour.

“Why did I act like that yesterday? I’m not a child, why did I cry there? Hah……”

When she saw her husband’s frustrated face, angry as if he was going mad, it felt like their relationship had returned to how it used to be, and she couldn’t help but show an emotional reaction because it was so sad and regrettable.

Her husband narrowed his brows without any particular response and stared at her for a long time. As if he didn’t know how to react.

And as soon as they arrived home, Han Seo Yeon hid in her room as if escaping.

Yes. She couldn’t even deny it. This was avoidance.

In fact, before blaming him for why he acted that way, there was so much she wanted to say…

That she was thankful he was by her side, that she never dreamed he would stand beside her and speak on her behalf, that she felt reassured with him next to her, that for the first time she wasn’t afraid even among people who resented and hated her… That she didn’t feel the lonely feeling of being all alone in the world…

Concern took precedence, and she couldn’t convey any of these sincere feelings.

Regret came flooding in.

Ah. Why did I cry like a child there?

He’ll think I try to solve things by crying when I’m at a loss for words.

How pathetic and foolish must I have looked.

The sad thing was that although she was embarrassed and didn’t know how to face him, she couldn’t avoid him forever because they lived in the same house.

“Maybe he’s already left for work.”

It had happened occasionally before. She would clearly wake up earlier than usual, but when she came out to the living room, her husband had already left for work without saying a word, leaving her alone in the house.

Back then, she tried hard to shake off the lonely feelings that came with the thought of how pathetic her situation was, but now Han Seo Yeon was hoping that her husband wouldn’t be home.

A moment later, after gathering her thoughts, Han Seo Yeon carefully opened the bedroom door.

And she poked her head out first, starting to survey her surroundings. Fortunately, there was no sign of her husband anywhere.

“…Did he leave?”

Somehow, she felt relieved that Seong Jun wasn’t home as she had hoped, but also a bit disappointed.

What harmony is it to feel both relieved and disappointed, Han Seo Yeon was grumbling inwardly at her own unreasonable thoughts, when…

“Not that way, this way.”

“Oh, my goodness!”

Han Seo Yeon’s mouth fell open at the sudden sound of Seong Jun’s voice from behind her. As she slowly turned her head, sure enough, Seong Jun, already prepared to leave for work, was looking at her as if he couldn’t believe it.

Could he have been watching from the beginning? Ah, my last shred of dignity… The shame…

“I thought you were still sleeping, but you’re up.”

Fortunately, Seong Jun seemed to be willing to overlook her embarrassing behavior. Han Seo Yeon quickly straightened herself and nodded in response.

“I just woke up.”

“I was going to see your face before leaving, this worked out well.”

Confusion spread across Han Seo Yeon’s face, who hadn’t expected Seong Jun to be waiting. He checked his wristwatch and said,

“If I had known you were awake, I would have called you. We could have had breakfast together if we hurried.”

Hearing those words, she regretted why she had dug herself into a hole with unnecessary worries about being too embarrassed to face him. Feeling apologetic, Han Seo Yeon turned her gaze towards the kitchen and said,

“Do you want to eat breakfast before you go? I can make something in ten minutes.”

“Why are you so enthusiastic? Did you learn a new recipe from YouTube teacher recently?”

It was the correct answer.

In fact, she wanted to try out a recipe she had learned from a Korean cuisine channel she had subscribed to recently.

If his reaction had been lukewarm when she first cooked for Seong Jun, she wouldn’t have been motivated to learn, but when her husband’s response was better than she expected, she kept wanting to try various things.

As if he had read Han Seo Yeon’s answer from her expression, Seong Jun replied,

“It’s a shame, but I have to leave soon, so let’s save it for next time.”

“Then I’ll cook for you tonight or tomorrow morning, depending on the situation.”

A faint smile appeared on Seong Jun’s face.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

And a moment later, the smile on his face disappeared.

“But. It seems like you’ve been avoiding my eyes since earlier. Is it my imagination?”

Han Seo Yeon’s shoulders jerked noticeably as he hit the nail on the head. Her mind wasn’t settled enough to continue the conversation naturally.

Even with Seong Jun’s pointed remark, Han Seo Yeon’s gaze cunningly avoided him. As if displeased with the situation, Seong Jun narrowed his eyes.

“Let’s talk face to face, Han Seo Yeon.”

Seong Jun approached Han Seo Yeon closely, pressuring her even more.

“Is it that unpleasant to look at my face? Hm? Why do you keep avoiding my eyes?”

And he persistently thrust his face in front of Han Seo Yeon’s. Feeling burdened by Seong Jun’s closeness and not wanting him to misunderstand, Han Seo Yeon stepped back and said,

“It’s because I’m embarrassed, because I’m embarrassed!”

“About what?”

He tilted his head as if he didn’t understand, grabbing Han Seo Yeon’s arm. And after a while, as if he had an idea, he added,

“About poking your head out like an ostrich in front of the door? Or about crying in front of me yesterday?”

Argh. Weren’t you pretending not to know? Han Seo Yeon’s face turned red at Seong Jun’s blunt question.

What’s with the ostrich, ostrich. Thinking that if she left her husband alone any longer, more words that would embarrass her might come out of his mouth, Han Seo Yeon hurriedly turned her head and met his eyes.

“Both!”

Of course, she thought that at this moment her husband would be laughing, intent on teasing her. However, surprisingly, Seong Jun’s face that she encountered was serious.

“It’s hard to look at your face. Really.”

An indescribable energy flowed in his eyes. Looking at those eyes, Han Seo Yeon felt somehow breathless. After a moment of silence, Seong Jun slowly opened his mouth as if he had made some decision.

“I didn’t understand you at all.”

“…!”

“Saying I didn’t know would only be an excuse, and even if I say I’m sorry, it won’t undo the hurt you’ve received. But something like yesterday will never happen again.”

“……”

“I wanted to say this while looking at your face.”

“……”

Han Seo Yeon looked at Seong Jun with a surprised face. Seong Jun, who had been staring intently into her eyes, reached out his arms and pulled her into his embrace. And he slowly patted her back as if to comfort her.

Han Seo Yeon’s eyelashes fluttered rapidly like her trembling heart. It was the first time today that she had hugged her husband, and the first time she had received sincere comfort from him.

She had hoped that she would never cry in front of him again, but contrary to her wishes, tears welled up in her eyes once more.

*

Min Ji was in great shock.

Because the person who had fiercely confronted her was none other than her cousin Seong Jun, whom she had admired all along.

“Huuuung.”

Min Ji burst into tears. At her crying sound, Hyeok Kwon, as if reaching the limit of his patience, put down his chopsticks. And he scolded her in a sharp voice.

“What did you do right to cry?”

Min Ji’s face became even more tearful, as if wronged.

“Why are you killing the spirit of your only daughter?”

“Did you expect me to praise you for doing well? Are you a gangster? Why did you raise your hand there!”

Min Ji flinched in surprise at Hyeok Kwon’s sudden outburst of anger, and Ji Young’s eyes sharpened. She spoke as if warning,

“Don’t discourage my daughter. Even if it’s you, I won’t let it slide.”

Not missing the opportunity, Min Ji slipped into Ji Young’s arms.

“Mom.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Our daughter.”

Ji Young patted the sobbing Min Ji’s back and glared at her husband. Watching the scene, Hyeok Kwon pounded his chest as if frustrated and burst out,

“If you act like a wild horse one more time, I’m the one who won’t let it slide. Consider yourself lucky I’m not kicking you out today. What kind of disgrace is this! Huh?”

Ji Young bit her lip tightly. Although she protected her beloved daughter because it was her doing, she knew that there was nothing to say even if harsher words were spoken, so it was better to yield here. In fact, there was something else on her mind.

“Why do you look like that? Is there something else worrying you?”

Hyeok Kwon didn’t miss this and asked.

“Seong Jun said something strange yesterday.”

“What was it?”

Ji Young said with a face that showed she really couldn’t understand the situation,

“I thought they were a couple who could divorce at any time without it being strange. Actually, everyone thought that way. That we couldn’t understand why they were dragging it out. I thought they were just a couple who would soon part ways once the paperwork was sorted out.”

“And?”

“Yesterday, Seong Jun told father that they were planning to have a child soon. Isn’t that strange?”

“Is that true?”

“Yes. Although things were hectic, I clearly heard him say they were planning to have a child.”

Hyeok Kwon, who had been lost in thought for a moment, turned his eyes to his wife and daughter. And he warned in a short and stern voice,

“I’ll meet Seong Jun this evening and try to smooth things over roughly, so for the time being, you keep that one in check, and you, please stop acting like a wild horse!”

“You’re his uncle, why are you being so cautious around your nephew?”

“I’m not saying to be cautious, I’m saying not to make enemies. Don’t you know that kid has inherited his father’s temperament and can go off the rails? If he said they’re planning to have a child, it means they’ve restored their relationship, and now this wild horse of ours almost got caught trying to hit his wife? We need to smooth things over before that hot-tempered kid gets even more riled up! Huh?”

At Hyeok Kwon’s words, Min Ji started shedding tears again, and Ji Young bit her lip.