For some reason, Aunt’s words made Eunjae’s eyes feel warm. Smiling faintly, Eunjae nodded, and with a warm herbal medicine and the abalone porridge she had kindly warmed, he swallowed the pills.
“Where is Eunjae?”
Entering the detached house late at night, Sunwoo asked Seongsan Aunt before even taking off his shoes, wondering why she seemed in a hurry.
“He took medicine and went upstairs a while ago. I’m not sure if he’s asleep in his room.”
“Thank you, Aunt.”
Asking about Eunjae’s well-being, Sunwoo quickly ascended the stairs, leaving Seongsan Aunt behind, who sighed deeply.
This afternoon, when Sunwoo went to his hometown to pick up clothes, it was because of what Eunjae said to him while handing over the clothes.
“I think there will be many days when I’ll be absent for a while. Please take care of Eunjae so that he doesn’t feel lonely, Aunt. If you see any strange signs, please contact me immediately.”
“Strange signs?”
“Eunjae might leave this place.”
“What?”
“It’s my fault. Please pretend not to know for a while. I’ll tell you everything when the time comes.”
Staring at the empty staircase and pondering the conversation she had with Sunwoo, Seongsan Aunt sighed deeply once again.
“What on earth is going on…”
The strong scent of shampoo wafted through the air.
Water droplets from wet hair tickled the forehead, and a slightly cold hand wiped the eyes before gently touching the cheeks. Soon, a warm and velvety sensation was felt on the lips.
Awakened by that sensation, Eunjae, who had fallen asleep, opened his eyes.
“Did I wake you?”
“How could I not wake up when you touch like that?”
“I did it on purpose. I wanted to hear your voice.”
A faint smile grazed Eunjae’s lips. Sunwoo, who was tidying up Eunjae’s hair, said.
“Call my name.”
“All of a sudden?”
“Quickly.”
Eunjae looked at Sunwoo’s eyes, full in his sight, and teasingly gazed back.
“Sunwoo.”
“Once more.”
“Yoon Sunwoo.”
Satisfied, Sunwoo kissed Eunjae’s lips twice but seemed unsatisfied. He continued to plant kisses on Eunjae’s forehead, nose, and cheeks without end.
“You’re late. Did you just arrive now?”
“Yeah.”
Lately, he developed a habit of staring at his eyes as if trying to decipher his pupils. It was because he wondered if he could read the unspoken words from Sunwoo’s eyes.
He expected that Sunwoo knew. By observing his anxious and uneasy appearance, it seemed that he knew.
No, actually, I was a little confused. Because his gaze, looking at me, didn’t change at all. That was the reason I couldn’t be sure until now.
Being the daughter of a criminal who ruined his life, he shouldn’t be able to look at me with the same eyes unless he’s insane.
But why doesn’t your gaze change at all? Do you not care even if I’m the daughter of such a person? Would that be okay? Such thoughts crossed my mind for a moment, and Eunjae shook his head.
Because Sunwoo’s warm gaze resembled Eunjeong’s face.
“Nobody told me to do this, but it’s a story I’ve buried in my heart, so, that’s why.”
“Thank you, Eunjae. For becoming our family.”
It’s not something that can be solved just because the two of us are fine. Your family, who suffered and struggled with you for a long time because of that incident. I had no face to see those who showered me with endless love.
Eunjae touched his cheek and asked him countless questions.
What did Kwon Seungcheol say to you? Did he threaten you with the same words he said to me? How much did he demand?
“That’s right, you shouldn’t have reached out to me. It would have been better to just let it pass. Whether you rescued me or not, it would have been better.”
If that were the case, I wouldn’t have to feel so sorry for you. Both you and I are in pain, so there’s no need to force a smile.
There were so many things I wanted to say, so many questions I wanted to ask, but in the end, I couldn’t utter a single word. Finally, forcing a smile, I managed to say a chosen word.
“You must be tired.”
“I was very tired until a little while ago.”
Sunwoo, who was smiling happily, lowered his head and kissed Eunjae’s lips.
“Now I’m not tired at all.”
It seemed like he knew exactly what I was thinking. Whenever I had such bad thoughts, inevitably, he would overlap our lips, sweetly whisper, and warmly embrace me.
As if telling me not to think about anything.
“Come here.”
Without hesitation, Eunjae nestled into his arms. Just being like this until he was by my side, until then, it would be okay. It would be okay just to stay like this until then.
“It’s warm.”
Even in this situation, his lips were sweet, and the embrace he gave was warm.
“Available for unlimited rental, Ji Eunjae. So, use it as much as you want.”
His embrace was warm.
“Anytime, anywhere.”
Really, without haste.
Early morning. Sunwoo, who was about to return to the professor’s office after going around the hospital, passed by Miran’s ward. Just then, as if waiting, the door to Miran’s room creaked open.
“Yoon Seo-bang, can we talk for a moment?”
“Of course. I’m fine now. Can I come in?”
When Sunwoo smiled brightly, Miran’s serious expression, which had been tense, also relaxed. Entering the room, Miran pulled a folding chair and handed Sunwoo a glass of orange juice.
“I’ll drink it well, Mother-in-law.”
While the lid opened with a crisp sound, and half of the juice was emptied, Miran, who had been watching Sunwoo silently, finally opened her mouth.
“Divorce Eunjae.”
“What?”
“I heard it from Eunjae. From the first time you came to greet me saying you were going to get married, that part has been bothering me, but I couldn’t talk about it willingly. How could I tell my daughter about my husband’s secret story?”
She wanted to take it to the grave. She wanted to carry it all by herself. She thought that way, and she thought that way so that our Eunjae could live her whole life without knowing.
Even if there’s no secret in the world, who would have thought that such a strange fate would come back like this?
“I thought it would be okay if I just kept my mouth shut. I thought it would be easy to live my whole life apologizing. ”
“Mother-in-law.”
“Blocking the bright future of someone else’s precious child and crawling to live, I thought it would be so easy.”
Miran, suppressing the rising emotions, slowly kneeled in front of Sunwoo.
“It wasn’t as much as yours, but we had difficult times too. And we might have more difficult times ahead.”
“Really, why are you doing this? Please get up quickly.”
Even with Sunwoo’s words, Miran didn’t show any sympathy. Tears poured down from Miran’s eyes onto Sunwoo’s shoes. As if those tears were the catalyst, Miran grabbed onto his trouser leg and cried loudly.
“I’m sorry… I’ll ask for forgiveness instead of that person. It’s not a request for forgiveness. Can’t you accept my heart at least…?”
“Don’t do this, please.”
Sunwoo, still on the floor, forcibly lifted Miran, who was crying loudly, and sat her on the bed. Then, with widened eyes, Miran grabbed Sunwoo’s hand.
“I’ll pay for the sins throughout my life, so… Please don’t hate our Eunjae. What wrong has she done? Our pitiful Eunjae, who suffered only because she met such wicked parents like us. So, please, just Eunjae…”
“I can’t divorce.”
Sunwoo’s knees touched the cold floor of the hospital room.
“Why are you suddenly saying this?”
Surprised, Miran tried to grab Sunwoo’s arm and lift him, but Sunwoo didn’t flinch.
“I made a mistake, Mother-in-law.”
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
