A Marriage with A Reason - Chapter 13

The agreed meeting time with Dayun and Junseok was 5:30 PM. Since he finished earlier than expected, Jaehoon arrived at the villa, where their workspace was, 10 minutes early. He thought about calling them but decided to wait in the car instead, figuring they would come out in 10 minutes anyway. More than anything, he didn’t want to interrupt their writing. He believed that the most important thing when writing was to avoid any disturbances.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Jaehoon had only meant to close his eyes for a moment, but before he knew it, he had dozed off. A tapping sound on the window startled him awake. When he turned to see who had knocked,

“We meet again, my friend~”

Junseok had his face pressed against the window, waving and grinning.

“Were you sleeping, buddy~?”

“You idiot.”

Seeing Junseok’s playful expression, Jaehoon couldn’t help but blurt out an insult. If he was here, he should just get in the car instead of messing around. Jaehoon rolled down the window.

“Stop fooling around and just get in.”

“Yes, sir.”

Despite being told to stop, Junseok kept his playful attitude. That was his charm, though it was annoying to most men. While women might find it amusing, to men, he was simply an irritating presence. Soon, Junseok opened the car door and got in.

“Why are you sitting in the front seat?”

Jaehoon instinctively asked why he wasn’t sitting in the back. Junseok shrugged with an innocent expression.

“Why? Is this seat taken?”

“Not exactly, but usually, the passenger seat is reserved for a woman. And not just any woman—legally, my wife.”

Jaehoon hesitated but still insisted that Dayun should sit in the front. Junseok gave him a meaningful look.

“Oh~ So, you’re telling me to move to the back because Dayun is sitting here?”

“Well, not exactly…”

As Junseok pondered Jaehoon’s words, he thought, “Is he actually considering their legal marriage?” Just as he was about to agree to move, he saw Jaehoon looking awkward and backtracking. Junseok frowned.

“Oh, come on. So, do you want me to move or not?”

“Just sit down already, idiot.”

“If you were just going to let me sit here, you shouldn’t have said anything. Seriously, Ahn Jaehoon, poor Dayun. What bad luck she had to marry someone like you. Tsk, she should have married someone like me instead.”

“Crazy.”

That was an insult straight from the heart. It wasn’t just that Junseok’s words were absurd, but something about them made Jaehoon feel guilty and bitter. Junseok sounded like he actually meant it.

The meeting time had passed, and it was now almost 6 PM, but Dayun was nowhere in sight.

“What’s going on? Why isn’t she here yet?”

Jaehoon started to worry. They had been living together for almost a month now, and he knew that Dayun wasn’t the type to break promises without a reason. He couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened.

“Shouldn’t you call her?”

“No need. She’ll be out soon.”

Unlike Jaehoon, who was anxious, Junseok remained carefree, scrolling on his phone.

“Aren’t you supposed to be her caring senior? Shouldn’t you be worried? You know her better than anyone. She’s not the type to keep people waiting.”

“Exactly. I know her so well that I’m not worried.”

“What?”

Jaehoon couldn’t understand what he was saying. If she wasn’t the type to be late, why wasn’t he worried? But then, Junseok’s next words made everything clear.

“She’s probably so focused on writing that she lost track of time. Once she gets into the zone, she doesn’t stop until she reaches the goal she set for herself. She won’t even answer calls because she probably put her phone on silent. But she’ll be out soon, definitely before 6.”

And just as Junseok predicted, Dayun came out before 6 PM. Apologizing for being late, she got into the car, and following Junseok’s suggestion, they headed to a Korean restaurant.

At the restaurant, they were seated in a private room, and soon, a variety of delicious-looking dishes were placed before them. Junseok, sitting next to Jaehoon, admired the feast laid out on the table.

“Oh~ This looks amazing. Having a successful friend really pays off.”

“Shut up and eat. Dayun, you should eat a lot too.”

“Yes, I’ll enjoy the meal.”

Jaehoon shot Junseok a glare before turning to Dayun, telling her to eat well with an awkward expression. Though it felt strange to say, her gentle smile in response made him nod unconsciously. As they began eating, Junseok suddenly turned to Dayun.

“Oh, did you eat the milk and chocolate I gave you earlier? Did it help?”

Junseok looked expectantly at her. Dayun smiled and nodded.

“Yes, a lot. I almost got stuck in the middle, but when I ate the chocolate you gave me, the ideas just started flowing.”

“See? I knew it was a good idea.”

“Hehe, thank you, oppa.”

“Oh, no need to thank me. It’s only natural to help a dear junior~”

What were they talking about? Chocolate? Helping? Jaehoon had no idea what was going on, so he decided to ask.

“What are you guys talking about? Chocolate?”

“Oh, I bought some for her this morning. She’s sensitive when writing and hates being disturbed. When she gets stuck, she eats something sweet like chocolate to get her thoughts flowing again. So, I bought some for her while getting mine.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. I used to buy her so much chocolate and strawberry milk back in the day. She loves strawberry milk—won’t drink plain milk, but she loves the strawberry kind. I swear, the amount I’ve spent on her could buy a car by now.”

Hearing that, Jaehoon realized just how close Dayun and Junseok were. He found it fascinating, yet it also left a bitter taste in his mouth. They were so close, yet as her husband, he barely knew anything about her.

Meanwhile, Dayun pouted at Junseok’s words.

“Come on, it’s not like I’m a pig or something.”

Junseok chuckled and teased her.

“Okay, maybe not a car’s worth, but still a lot. I was amazed that you never gained weight despite all the chocolate you ate.”

“Hmph, I also bought you coffee in return! You know how many cups I got you.”

Junseok’s teasing made Dayun pout again. She felt she had returned the favor, so why was he acting like this? Junseok, now serious, smiled.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. The coffee you got me was really good.”

“Well… The chocolate and milk you gave me were really good too.”

But the serious moment didn’t last long.

“Of course, you loved it. You were a chocolate pig back then.”

“Oppa!”

They laughed and teased each other, clearly comfortable and happy. But for one person, who couldn’t join their conversation, it was a lonely and isolating moment.

“Good work, everyone.”

In the office, Jaehoon’s face looked unusually bright as he said, “Good job” to the employees.

“So now the clothes we designed will go on sale?”

“Yes. Since the promotional shoot with the model is finished, sales will officially begin soon. The response from the higher-ups is good too, so the release date might be moved up.”

“Wow~ That’s amazing.”

It was no surprise—they had successfully completed the designs they had been working on. The staff clapped and cheered at the news that the sales date might be moved forward due to the positive response. Then, one of the employees spoke excitedly.

“Team leader, since everything worked out well, shouldn’t we have a team dinner today?”

“That’s right~”

“Exactly, team leader! A dinner is a must on a day like this~”

Other employees quickly agreed with the idea of a team dinner. Soon, the office was filled with voices asking for one. Jaehoon hesitated for a moment, but seeing the happy faces of his team, he felt they deserved to be rewarded for their hard work.

“Alright. Our team will have a dinner tonight.”

“Yay~”

Cheers erupted at his words. Honestly, these days, most office workers don’t enjoy company dinners. It’s because of overbearing bosses. But Jaehoon’s team was different. They actually liked it—maybe because he never forced anyone to drink. Those who wanted to drank, and those who didn’t, didn’t. And the dinner was never mandatory. If someone couldn’t or didn’t want to come, they didn’t have to. So no one felt the need to make excuses to avoid it. They could just enjoy a good meal and leave if they felt tired.

“Please decide the location among yourselves and let me know.”

“Okay. Ah, but team leader, what’s our budget?”

“We’ll be using the company card anyway. It’s a reward for all your hard work, so don’t worry about the price. Expensive or cheap, choose what you want to eat. That’s all.”

With that, Jaehoon headed to his office. As he walked in, praises about him filled the room. “He’s such a great team leader,” “So generous,” they said. To those who didn’t know that he was the only son of the company’s chairman, Jaehoon was just a cool and brave manager.

Meanwhile, in his office, Jaehoon sent a message to Dayun. He told her not to wait for him and to eat dinner on her own since they were having a team dinner. Soon, her reply came in.

[Okay. Ah, but sunbae, don’t come home too late. You still have to go to work tomorrow, and it’ll be tiring.]

Seeing Dayun’s message full of concern, Jaehoon let out a small laugh without realizing it. Then, almost like he was possessed, he started typing a reply.

[Alright, I’ll be home before 10.]

After pressing the send button, he suddenly thought, “Wait, what did I just do?” He didn’t understand why he had laughed after reading her message or why he had replied. Most of all, he couldn’t explain why he had pictured her face full of worry in his mind.

Time passed, and Jaehoon, pulled along by his employees, arrived at a BBQ restaurant near the company. Since they had made a reservation, side dishes were already set on the table, and as soon as they sat down, generous portions of meat started coming out.

“Thank you for the meal, team leader.”

With that, the restaurant was soon filled with the sizzling sound of meat grilling. As the meat cooked, the delicious smell began to fill the air, teasing their senses.

“Team leader, please eat.”

“Don’t worry about me. Just eat a lot.”

Still lost in his thoughts, Jaehoon came to his senses when an employee spoke to him. Looking around, he saw everyone smiling and enjoying the meal. Seeing them happy made Jaehoon smile warmly. But then, a puzzled look came over his face again.

“By the way, where’s Hyeyun and a few of the female staff?”

As he said, Hyeyun and some female employees were missing. One employee who was grilling meat spoke up.

“They said they were stopping by the convenience store to pick up a few things.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Yes. Oh? There they are. Over here~!”

Looking where the employee was pointing, Jaehoon saw Hyeyun walking in. When she met his gaze, she gave a small nod, just like the others. But unlike the others, she gave a faint smile that only he could see. For some reason, though, that smile felt heavy to Jaehoon.

Hyeyun and the others found empty seats and sat down. Jaehoon and Hyeyun were sitting at different tables across from each other—kind of diagonally. Hyeyun smiled at Jaehoon and silently mouthed the words, “Eat a lot.” But Jaehoon couldn’t respond. He was too conscious of the other employees who might notice. All he could do was give an awkward smile.

“Team leader, let me pour you a drink.”

At an employee’s suggestion, Jaehoon lifted his glass. The employee looked a bit surprised but poured him a drink anyway.

“You’re drinking today? You usually say no because you have to drive.”

“Haha, I just feel like having a drink today.”

And it was true. He felt uneasy and frustrated, like he needed to drink. He didn’t know why he felt that way, or why he was so bothered. After drinking a few glasses poured by the employee, the employee’s phone suddenly rang, and since no one else offered, Jaehoon’s glass remained empty.

“Sigh…”

The employee hesitated about answering the call, then ended up removing the battery from his phone. Jaehoon found it strange and silently watched him. He was curious—what kind of call made him do that? Feeling Jaehoon’s gaze, the employee gave an awkward smile and began to speak without being asked.

“Ha… That was my girlfriend calling.”

“Ah…”

Jaehoon nodded. Then he got curious.

“But why… she’s your girlfriend, so why not answer?”

“Ah… well…”

Now he really wanted to know. Why wouldn’t he answer his girlfriend’s call? Why go as far as turning off his phone? As Jaehoon looked at him curiously, the employee hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

“To be honest, I just didn’t feel like answering. We’ve been dating for about eight years. I really loved her—I was the one who chased after her first.”

“I see.”

The part about “eight years” didn’t stick with Jaehoon as much as something else.
It was the way he said “loved.”
Not in the present tense, but the past.

“She was really pretty. The way she tried hard was adorable, and even her nagging, because it was for me, felt sweet. I had a one-sided crush for about a year before I confessed. She accepted it, and now we’ve been dating for eight years. That’s quite a long time, right? Everyone says it’s creepy—dating someone for eight years.”

“Yeah… that is a long time…”

The phrase “eight years” didn’t feel strange to Jaehoon. He and Hyeyun had also been together for eight years. But he couldn’t let it show—because he was already married.

“People keep asking when we’re getting married. I guess that makes sense after eight years. But these days… my heart’s a bit conflicted.”

They had found a cozy spot in the corner. By now, only Jaehoon and the employee remained at the table, and no one was paying attention to them.

“Has something changed?”

“I don’t know. Do you think it has? Do you think it’s me who’s changed?”

“I’m not sure… but it sounds like the love isn’t the same as before.”

At Jaehoon’s words, the employee stared blankly for a moment. Then he downed the soju in his glass.

“Maybe you’re right. I used to love her so much more. I’d call her first, and often… When she didn’t answer, I’d go to her house. I was always the one showing up. But now… it’s not like I don’t like her. I do. I still do. But it’s hard sometimes. There are times when her love doesn’t feel like love—it feels like obsession. It’s suffocating, and overwhelming. I feel like, for both of us, it’s no longer love but more of an obligation.”

A stifling, burdensome relationship… not love, but a duty bound by love that once was.
Jaehoon’s expression darkened. Somehow, every word struck a nerve.

“So, what are you going to do? Are you… going to break up?”

“I don’t know. I think I’ll have to talk to her seriously. Figure out if what we have now is still love… or not.”

“Ah… I see.”

As the first round at the BBQ restaurant ended, the employees started suggesting they go for a second round.

“Team leader, let’s go to round two!”

“Yeah, come on!”

As the others chattered, Jaehoon glanced at his phone. Time had slipped by; it was already 9 p.m. Then he remembered Dayun’s message—he had promised to be home by 10.
He shook his head.

“No, I’m fine. I’ll pass.”

His answer drew a few disappointed groans.

“Don’t be like that, team leader~”

“Go ahead without me. Have fun.”

Jaehoon handed them the company card. The employees’ faces immediately lit up, forgetting their complaints. One of them grinned mischievously.

“Right, our team leader’s newly married—he should get home early. That pretty young wife must be waiting, and here we are holding him up.”

“Oh yeah, we were being rude. Poor guy.”

The sudden teasing about his “honeymoon” life and Dayun left Jaehoon flustered. His face grew hot as they kept poking fun. In the end, he waved his hands awkwardly.

“It’s not like that.”

But the employees all wore knowing smiles as they cheerfully left, one by one.
Left alone, Jaehoon scratched his head, embarrassed.

“Really, it’s not like that…”

He turned around, thinking he should head home now.
But he didn’t even get a step in—his feet froze.

“Hyeyun.”

She was standing behind him.
No telling how long she’d been there. And she looked slightly drunk.

“You drank a lot?”

“Huh? No, not really. Here.”

She handed him a bottle—hangover relief drink.

“You looked like you were drinking a lot with that guy earlier, so I got this from the convenience store.”

“I’m fine. You should drink it instead. You look more drunk than me.”

“Nope, not drunk at all.”

“Well, I’m not drunk either. So here, you take it.”

He really wasn’t. He’d drunk, sure, but not enough to be drunk.
Jaehoon took the bottle from her and handed it back.

“Here. Drink it.”

“Hmm… okay.”

She took it and gulped it down.

“All done.”

“Yeah? Then let’s go. I’ll get you a taxi.”

He took her arm gently and flagged one down. As he opened the door, he said:

“Get in.”

Once she was inside, Jaehoon naturally told the driver the address. And of course, he added, “Please take care of her.”
He was just about to close the door when Hyeyun reached out, stopping it with her hand.
Startled, Jaehoon asked,

“What are you doing? You’ll get hurt.”

“Come with me.”

“What?”

“Come home with me.”

He was taken aback again. She always got pushy when she was drunk.

Trying to calm her down, he said gently, “We both drank. It’s late. Let’s just part here for today. I’ll call you.”

“No.”

“Hyeyun.”

Her stubbornness was starting to irritate him, but he held it in.
Then Hyeyun, looking hurt, said:

“Why? You won’t come with me because of her?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh, I see. You’ve got a pretty young girl waiting at home, right? Can’t wait to get back to your newlywed life?”

Her voice grew louder and louder.
The taxi driver kept sneaking glances at Jaehoon through the mirror, his eyes full of suspicion—like he was watching a cheater.

“Please… stop saying things like that. I told you, Dayun is just a junior.”

“Right, a junior. So she’s got nothing to do with you. So come home with me. If she really has nothing to do with you, why are you living with her but not coming with me, the one you supposedly love?”

“Haa… Hyeyun.”

Just as his frustration peaked, the taxi driver, who had had enough, snapped.

“How long are you two going to argue in my cab? Girlfriend or side chick, whatever—go settle this somewhere else, not here!”

Jaehoon had no choice. Embarrassed, he got in.
And as soon as he did, raindrops started falling—one, two.
Even in the dark, he could see the heavier storm clouds gathering in the sky.