Translator: Nox

Chapter 110

110. Urgent Request

2022.05.18.

"What the hell am I hearing right now!"

Jaekwang's furious voice filled the bedroom.

"You hired Seong-woo to break Ji-heon and that girl up? You did that?"

Youngmi was overwhelmed with bewilderment. She opened and closed her mouth, but no sound came out.

"Why? Why the hell!"

"……."

"How could you do that to someone who even had a child!"

"I didn't know!"

Youngmi's voice finally burst out as Jaekwang pressed her. Tears clung to her eyes with a piercing sense of injustice.

"I didn't know! She didn't tell me, that girl!"

You don't know how she stabbed me in the back. You don't know how much my insides are rotting and decaying.

Still consumed by the thought of Lee Jung-oh taking her son away, Youngmi still considered herself the victim.

"That's why I'm doing this. That girl, Lee Jung-oh, had a child and raised it without telling us. Without our permission!"

"Woman, you even hired Seong-woo to break them up!"

Jaekwang scolded, frustrated.

If Youngmi didn't know about Lee Jung-oh's pregnancy, it wasn't because Lee Jung-oh didn't tell her, but because she couldn't. The Lee Jung-oh that Jaekwang met was a polite but assertive person who spoke her mind. She probably would have said something if she had the chance. That she was pregnant.

Youngmi's face flushed as if she was possessed by evil, and she bit her lower lip tightly.

"What exactly did you tell Seong-woo to say?"

Jaekwang, who had suppressed his anger, gently questioned Youngmi.

"What did you say that made her not look for him even once in the past seven years?"

"……."

"Should I contact Chae Eun-yeop directly and ask him?"

Only after Jaekwang mentioned Chae Eun-yeop did Youngmi burst into tears and reveal what happened seven years ago.

\

The next day, 12 PM. Max Planning Production Team 2.

A text message came from Ji-heon.

• Jeong-o, it's Jeong-o. Let's go out.

Hearing Jeong Ji-heon make a joke that teachers used to make when I was in school is new and trivial.

Jeong-o let out a hollow laugh and got up from her seat.

They decided to go to the district office during lunch break to register their marriage.

The day before yesterday was the proposal, yesterday was the house contract, and today was the marriage registration. Big things were happening one by one each day, so even the strong-willed Lee Jung-oh couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. In the midst of all this, Ji-heon's silly jokes seemed to ease her tense mind.

The marriage registration process was simple, except for the long wait due to the lunch rush. All you had to do was submit the prepared documents to the district office along with your ID. It was very easy, but Ji-heon had a serious expression as if he was being as careful as possible.

Ji-heon, who submitted the marriage registration form with the signatures of Seung-gyu and Jin-seo as witnesses, asked the staff member.

"When will the completion process be done?"

"You will receive a notification text message sometime tomorrow."

"Not today?"

"You have to wait a day."

"What do I have to do to get it processed today?"

"Are you trying to get a loan for newlyweds?"

"That's not it."

"Then what's the reason for your urgent request?"

What's the reason? It's just that he's impatient.

Jeong-o, who was looking at Ji-heon and the district office employee with hazy eyes, quickly grabbed Ji-heon's wrist.

"No, thank you for your help."

Jeong-o greeted the employee and quickly left the district office with Ji-heon.

"What's wrong with waiting a day? There's nothing that urgent."

Jeong-o scolded, and Ji-heon replied awkwardly.

"I was just asking. I was just wondering when it would be processed."

Just one day until the marriage registration is completed. How could someone who is so impatient that he can't even wait a single day have endured these eventful days so far?

Of course, he made many decisions on his own, but he waited quite patiently when she told him to wait.

Ji-heon, who had shaken off his worries about the marriage registration process, recited his plans for the future.

"I'll look for a place where we can have a private wedding. Let's invite only the guests we really want to come and have a small wedding. Or, we can have a fancy one. Tell me if there's anything you want. I'll do it."

"Okay."

"And Yena will hate to be separated from us, so let's take Yena and your mother with us on our honeymoon. Casually ask your mother if there are any travel destinations she wants to go to."

Is this man not working at all and only thinking about marriage?

"The house is neat, but I want to remodel the kitchen to be more comfortable, and since Yena is there, we need to make the stairs and the rooftop safe. I'll start construction tomorrow and have it all done by next week. Then we'll wallpaper, clean it, and move in right away."

"Okay. Let's do that."

Haa.

He let out a sigh of relief after listing his plans. His sigh gently landed on her shoulder.

Ji-heon, who wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, said in a calm voice.

"We're married. We are."

"Yeah. We've become a family."

Jeong-o also placed her hand on the arm that he had wrapped around her.

"It would have been cooler if the marriage registration was completed the moment we walked out of the district office."

"Was that why you were doing that?"

He didn't answer, so that must be it. That was why he had persistently questioned the employee after submitting the marriage registration form.

It was funny and lovely to see Ji-heon having such trivial thoughts.

\

After lunch, Ji-heon dropped Jeong-o off at work and went straight to see Jaekwang.

Just a month ago, going to see his father was like an annual event, but now it had become so natural that it didn't feel awkward.

"Father."

"Yes."

Jaekwang, who was leaning back in his chair and lost in thought, got up at Ji-heon's call.

"Sit down."

Jaekwang, who offered Ji-heon a seat on the sofa with a voice even heavier than usual, sat down opposite him.

"I heard you registered your marriage?"

"Yes. I went to the district office with Jeong-o during lunch break."

"I see. Congratulations."

Jaekwang's expression as he congratulated his son was not very bright. Ji-heon didn't pay much attention to it. He knew very well that the bright appearance that Jaekwang had shown to Jeong-o and Yena recently was not his father's true self.

"I heard you found a house too."

"Yes. Yesterday. There was a nice apartment near Seung-gyu's house, so I signed the contract right away."

"And you'll be living with your mother-in-law too?"

"Yes."

"Won't it be uncomfortable?"

"My mother always makes me feel comfortable. She's a really good person."

His son now had a new mother.

A faint shadow fell over Jaekwang's face as he listened to Ji-heon's voice.

"Okay. As long as you're happy."

Jaekwang carefully sipped his tea to moisten his dry lips. He sensed that if he told his son this story now, the relationship between mother and son would become even more distant. In fact, he wanted to hide it forever, but since Chae Eun-yeop was involved, there was no other way.

"I found out how you and Yena's mother broke up seven years ago."

The smile that had bloomed beautifully on his son's face, who was about to start a new beginning with marriage and moving, disappeared in an instant.

"Your mother... hired someone..."

Jaekwang continued cautiously. His voice, which had been calm, gradually became smaller and more unsure. It was the first time he had been so aware of his son's feelings.

Throughout the story, Ji-heon was clenching his fists tightly on his lap. His fists could be seen trembling on his lap. He didn't shout in anger, but Jaekwang could guess the silent scream within him. It was a difficult time for Jaekwang as well.

After Jaekwang told him everything, Ji-heon said.

"I didn't think about Seong-woo, but I had a rough idea. I thought it was something my mother had planned. But the fact that Chae Eun-yeop knew about it is a bit concerning."

His voice was surprisingly calm and composed. It seemed that Ji-heon was able to react more rationally because Chae Eun-yeop was involved.

"I'm so embarrassed."

"……."

"Your mother isn't such a vicious person, but she becomes extremely sensitive when it comes to your affairs. Your mother said she didn't even know about the child."

"Father."

Jaekwang's pathetic words, which could only be seen as excuses to his son, were cut off by Ji-heon's call.

"I can understand that you want to protect my mother. That's enough."

His father was not the kind of person who would be disappointed in his mother and turn away because of something like this. His father would not be able to deny the years he had lived with his mother.

Ji-heon thought that was the right thing to do. It felt like the gears that had been meshing together in the wrong way were finally finding their place.

I am me. My mother is my mother.

"I won't see Mother anymore, but Father will continue to live with her. So, I'm okay. I don't want to worry about Mother anymore."

Jaekwang silently closed his mouth and stared at the empty teacup for a long time.

His son has his own life.

It took time to accept what he already knew well. Jaekwang, having decided what the way to maintain peace was, quietly nodded and changed the subject.

"By the way, about the man who hit you with a car seven years ago."

"Kim Jin-gu?"

"He's been released from prison, and he apparently still harbors resentment about your accident. I heard he's been threatening Chae Eun-bi."

Jaekwang told Ji-heon the story that Youngmi had revealed.

"He resents Chae Eun-bi for giving witness testimony?"

"It seems he has some grievances too. It's been seven years, but the fact that he's still doing this makes me think he might be trying to get money from Chae Eun-bi using that as an excuse."

"……."

"Anyway, you be careful too. It's best to postpone the marriage registration announcement a bit."

Jaekwang carefully urged Ji-heon.

*

Ever since receiving the call from Kim Jin-gu, Eun-bi had been feeling nauseous. She felt like throwing up even when she was still, and she didn't want to eat anything. In that state, Eun-bi went to meet Eun-yeop.

As soon as she stepped out onto the street, she felt like she was having trouble breathing. It felt like someone would jump out from somewhere and strangle her at any moment. With her body stiff from fear, she arrived at Eun-yeop's company.

Eun-yeop was working in his office. When Eun-bi opened the door and entered, Eun-yeop gave her a quick glance and then lowered his head back towards the pile of documents.

"Why did you tell me to come all the way here?"

To Eun-bi's blunt question, Eun-yeop handed her a document. It was a document with a business card attached. It was the business card of someone who worked at an advertising company that Eun-bi also knew the name of.

"I've already told them about you. Go for an interview."

It wasn't as good as Max Planning, but it was still a reputable company. While Eun-bi was lying around blankly, Eun-yeop had found her a new job.

Blood is thicker than water after all. Eun-bi was a little touched by her Oppa's consideration.

"Don't want to work? If you don't want to, that's fine."

"No, I want to work."

"……."

"Thank you."

To Eun-bi, who shyly thanked him while fiddling with the documents, Eun-yeop abruptly handed her another set of documents. It was a list containing the resumes of unfamiliar men, one by one.

"What is this?"

"You don't have a choice. Meet all the men on there. They're all good people."

"……."

"The man on the first page is at 6 PM today."

After she had just thanked him, the real reason he had called her to the company was to set her up on blind dates.

"What is this? They're all in their 40s."

Eun-bi, having skimmed through all the documents, was shocked. Eun-yeop, as if dumbfounded by Eun-bi's reaction, gave a bitter snort.

"Chae Eun-bi, are you in a position to be picky? Who would take you?"

"……."

"You want to get revenge on Jeong Ji-heon too, don't you? To do that, you need to meet a man even more impressive than Jeong Ji-heon."

Inwardly, she was upset, but Eun-bi couldn't argue with Eun-yeop.

"Don't go looking like that. Go to the salon and get your hair done. Buy some decent clothes too."

Eun-yeop handed her a card as if doing her a favor.