Chapter 18
by GideonClosing the study door finally shut out their voices. Only then could Yundo breathe again. He turned to leave immediately, but Madam Park stopped him.
“Yundo, I need to talk to you.”
“Can’t we do this tomorrow?”
“It’s about the wedding. We’re talking now.”
“Did Grandmother tell you?”
“She did. Come inside.”
Swallowing his irritation, Yundo followed Madam Park into her room.
Soon, Chairwoman Kang and Madam Park would become Hyewan’s grandmother-in-law and mother-in-law. For Hyewan, dealing with one set of in-laws was hard enough—now she’d have two. And Chairwoman Kang’s personality was anything but ordinary.
If this is how it’s starting, we’re in trouble, he thought.
“Are you also going to tell me the wedding has to be held overseas, Mother?”
“Your grandmother wants the wedding in Hawaii,” Madam Park said, her voice surprisingly calm.
“Why do we have to go all the way to Hawaii?” Yundo asked. “Everyone who needs to know will know anyway.”
“If we invite guests, we have to be prepared for the gossip. From Lawyer Kim’s comments to the talk about our family being ‘too much’ for the bride… It wouldn’t do Teacher Ko any good to hear all that, would it?”
Madam Park spoke cautiously to Yundo, who was unable to hide his displeasure.
“Is that really your only intention?”
“Yundo,” Madam Park called his name in a low voice. “I know what you’re thinking. I feel bad for Teacher Ko too. But I truly don’t want your wedding to be the subject of people’s gossip.”
Madam Park finally opened up to her son.
“Even if you marry for love, words that belittle me and my family will still leave a scar. I’m speaking from experience. It’s been thirty-three years, but I can still hear the whispers from the people who saw me sitting in the bridal waiting room.”
Yundo, who had been visibly displeased throughout the conversation, looked at his mother.
“Even if I try my best to be considerate, Teacher Ko will still end up suffering in silence. There’s no need to start this journey with a bad memory, is there?”
Yundo had always told his mother to be honest—to say it when she liked something and speak up when she didn’t. But now that she was finally sharing her true feelings, he didn’t know what to say.
“Any woman gets sensitive before her wedding. Even the smallest things can make her feel wronged or angry, and those memories last a lifetime. That’s why, regardless of what your grandmother thinks, I believe it’s best for Teacher Ko not to invite any guests.”
“……I’m sorry for speaking so carelessly.”
“It’s all right. I’m fine, so just explain it to Teacher Ko clearly so she doesn’t misunderstand.”
“Yes, I’ll call her.”
As Yundo left the house with a heavy heart, he suddenly remembered the words he had spoken to Hyewan: trust, loyalty, and respect. Chairwoman Kang saw Hyewan as a tool for Yundo. If he truly respected Hyewan, he should have told her the truth, but he worried about her reaction.
There were times when honesty wasn’t the best policy. He completely disagreed with this, but he didn’t want to lose Hyewan simply because of Chairwoman Kang’s stubbornness.
Though it was sudden, Min-suk readily gave her blessing for the marriage.
It was all because of Yundo’s behavior.
At their first meal together after being introduced, Yundo had placed the best side dishes in front of Hyewan first. When a dish she disliked was served, he quietly moved it to his own plate, keeping the others at the table from noticing. When he mentioned he was a bit short on rice, he took a portion of Hyewan’s, seemingly helping her out because he knew she had a small appetite. Yet, he still watched her with a hopeful gaze, wishing she would eat at least one bite of the delicious food.
Min-suk believed that love was finding happiness simply by watching the other person enjoy their meal. That was why she accepted Yundo as her precious daughter’s husband.
Bora’s reaction, on the other hand, was even more dramatic than Min-suk’s.
On the day she was scheduled to meet Yundo, Hyewan arrived early to meet Bora.
Bora’s schedule as a second-year law student was more grueling and suffocating than that of a high school senior. Since today was the only day she had free, Hyewan had no choice but to double-book her appointments.
Bora appeared, looking even more haggard than she had at the apartment. Hyewan waited for her to finish her smoothie—a much-needed sugar rush—before breaking the news.
“Bora, I’m getting married.”
Bora stared, wondering if she’d misheard. “What did you say?”
“I’m getting married. To Cha Yundo.”
Bora gazed at Hyewan for a long moment, then reached out and touched her forehead.
“You don’t have a fever. Why are you talking nonsense?”
“I’m not joking.”
“Did you fall in love with him already?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m in love, but I like him. Besides, love isn’t the only reason to get married.”
“Ko Hyewan, are you crazy?!”
Bora clutched her neck, then her chest. “I never knew my heart was this weak until you came along! This is wrong! No matter how much I think about it, it feels like you’re only marrying Kim Jin-myeong because you’re being pushed into it!”
“There’s a bit of that,” Hyewan admitted honestly.
“Then you shouldn’t be marrying him!”
“But I don’t hate the idea.”
“Ko Hyewan, what are you even saying right now?”
“Anyway, this whole mess started with me. Even though he suffered a huge loss, he never blamed me. Instead, he protected me from the people who were criticizing me and took my side. I’m grateful for that, and I like him for it.”
“If you’re going to put it like that, I guess I can’t say anything else.”
Bora sighed, finally understanding what Hyewan meant.
“I can’t judge since I haven’t been in your shoes, but I think I’d feel the same way. They say you can survive as long as just one person is on your side, even if the whole world turns its back on you.”
“Exactly. That’s exactly how I felt. I’m probably using him more than he’s using me.”
“Using him? What are you talking about? He’s only doing this because he likes you.”
“Maybe. But it’s weird. I can’t seem to stop myself. Logically, I know this is a bad idea, but I keep making excuses and just going along with it. Before I know it, I’m taking wedding photos. Then I snap out of it again, and suddenly I’m picking out jewelry.”
“At this rate, the next time you snap out of it, you’ll be on your honeymoon.”
Bora nodded in understanding.
“Forget it. Since you’ve already decided to go through with it, you might as well live the high life as a chaebol’s wife!”
As always, Bora was firmly on her side.
“Even the most passionate love burns out after three years,” Bora continued. “If it’s going to fade anyway, you don’t even need it. Loyalty is what matters most.”
“You’re my Maid of Honor, right?” Hyewan asked.
“Of course. And you’re the one who has to catch the bouquet. You’re my only friend.”
Bora tilted her head thoughtfully. “I’ll catch it, but isn’t there a superstition that if you don’t get married within six months of catching the bouquet, you won’t be able to marry for three years?”
“Why? Are you planning to get married in the next three years?”
“Well, just getting to date is a win for me,” Bora sighed. “Hyewan, seriously, don’t come to law school. I didn’t even study this hard in my senior year of high school. This place is a living hell. I’ve been carrying a resignation letter in my heart lately.”
“What are you going to do? You’ve come too far to quit now. Just push through it.”
“What if I die?”
“People don’t just die that easily. You’ll survive if you just keep pushing.”
“Hey, Ko Hyewan! I’m always on your side, so why aren’t you on mine?” Bora snapped, throwing a tantrum over the perceived betrayal.
Hyewan remained unfazed, simply pointing to Bora’s empty glass.
“I’m always on your side. So, another smoothie?”
“…Fine.”
Desperate for a sugar fix, Bora glared at Hyewan but nodded anyway.
“I want a blueberry cheesecake and an iced americano, too.”
“Let’s do it.”
Bora, whose emotions were on a rollercoaster ride thanks to her best friend’s wedding news and an overwhelming workload, shoved sugar into her system until Hyewan worried she was causing a glucose spike.
Perhaps that was why Bora’s face softened with a benevolent smile as they parted.
“You’re going to live a good life.”
After patting Hyewan’s shoulder, Bora turned away with the grim resolve of a general marching to war. The excessive studying was draining her dry, yet Hyewan found herself envying that very struggle. She would be joining that same battlefield soon enough, but for now, she was still jealous.
After parting ways with Bora, Hyewan headed to the meeting spot. Yundo had vehemently opposed her coming to the company entrance, insisting he would pick her up a block away.
He did it to spare her the trouble of running into someone who might recognize her, which could easily ruin her mood.
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