A Marriage with A Reason - Chapter 32

“From now on, let’s get to know each other.”

Dayun’s eyes, which had been puzzled by Jaehoon’s words, gradually began to widen as she realized what he meant. Now, she understood what he was trying to say.

“Let’s find out what kind of music you like, what food you enjoy, what you like and what I like. If you don’t know, just ask. And when you ask, I’ll tell you. Let’s take our time and learn about each other little by little. No rush, slowly.”

“Uh…”

Dayun couldn’t believe that a day like this would come when he would say such things to her. It felt like a story from a novel, something that only existed in her imagination. Watching her confused expression, Jaehoon smiled softly and seriously as he spoke.

“Is that okay with you?”

It was as if he was saying, “This is real, not a dream or fantasy.”

As the excitement of a dream-like reality settled, the car came to a stop.

“We’re here.”

With his words, Dayun looked out the window and saw a picturesque blue sea.

“Wow…”

Dayun, feeling both excited and shy, couldn’t help but gasp in awe. The shimmering blue sea under the clear sky with fluffy clouds looked like something out of a movie.

With a pure, childlike smile, Dayun looked at the sea, feeling happy, and Jaehoon smiled in response. If he had known she would be this happy, he thought, “I should have brought her here sooner.”

“How do you like it? Do you like the sea?”

“Yes, I love it! Honestly, I really love this sea. I like it whether it’s hot or cold. I was wondering where you were planning to go, but I never imagined we’d come to the sea… I didn’t think of this at all.”

“I’m glad you like it. I was worried you might not like it when I brought you here.”

Seeing how happy she was, Jaehoon felt relieved. He had been worried that she might not like it.

“Come on, let’s walk a bit?”

“Yes!”

Dayun nodded eagerly as Jaehoon suggested they walk.

With the sound of waves crashing against the shore, they walked side by side along the beach. Though Dayun’s face was shy, they occasionally shared warm smiles. It felt like a scene from a movie about a pure first love, with a beautiful backdrop of nature, the two of them walking in the middle of it, like the lead characters in a sweet love story.

“Ah, this is nice. Thanks to you, I get to see this beautiful sea… I really like it. Do you like it too?”

“Yeah, I like it too. The clear sky is nice, the blue sea is beautiful, and…”

As Jaehoon spoke, he shifted his gaze from the sea to Dayun. Their eyes met, and he continued.

“I think it’s nice that you’re here with me right now.”

“Ah…”

Dayun, startled by his words, quickly looked down and covered her face. She felt a rush of warmth, as if she were shocked from head to toe, and her body felt hot. Her face and ears must have been red. Flustered, she decided to change the awkward atmosphere and started speaking nervously.

“Uh… Ah, why am I so thirsty? I should go buy a drink…”

She turned her back to him, walking away as if to escape, and let out a small sigh of relief. At least she had gotten away from the awkward situation, or so she thought. But soon, Jaehoon caught up with her.

“Where are you going?”

Jaehoon grabbed Dayun’s arm and turned her around. She froze again, feeling the heat rush back into her face.

“Ah, well… my throat is dry… Ah, do you want something to drink? I’ll go get it!”

Jaehoon watched her awkwardly and seemed to understand what was going on. He lowered his head slightly and smiled quietly.

“Anyway, you’re kind of cute in an unexpected way.”

Dayun’s cheeks and ears turned a shy pink, and she kept glancing at the arm Jaehoon was holding. His words made her feel something fluttering in her heart, and she felt the urge to poke her pink cheeks. But she quickly pushed those thoughts aside, not wanting to make Dayun feel uncomfortable.

“Wait here. I’ll go get it.”

“No, I can go…”

Before Dayun could finish, she flinched when Jaehoon spoke again.

“In moments like this, it should be me going, not you. So, you stay here and watch the sea. I’ll be right back.”

Jaehoon bent slightly and gently patted Dayun’s head, whispering to her. Dayun’s face turned even redder as she tried to hide the flutters in her heart.

Jaehoon then left to buy the drinks, and Dayun, now alone, sat down on the sand to calm herself. She touched her face and sighed.

“Ah… it’s so hot.”

She realized that her face must have been red from embarrassment, especially since Jaehoon had probably seen it. As a woman, she always wanted to look her best, but now she worried if she had looked awkward in front of him. She then thought,

‘By the way, why does he keep saying such embarrassing things? It’s not that I dislike it…’

Recently, Jaehoon’s behavior had changed. Since that night they played truth or dare at home, he had been showing a different side of himself. He helped with housework, occasionally cooked meals, and his words had become more gentle and thoughtful. His actions and words made her heart flutter. She didn’t find it burdensome; on the contrary, she enjoyed it. It felt like he was gradually opening his heart to her, and they were becoming more than just legal spouses. Yet, a part of her felt uneasy, as if something was going to happen, like the calm before a storm.

While Dayun was deep in thought, a ball suddenly flew toward her.

“Ah, that startled me.”

Surprised by the sudden flying ball, Dayun stood up and looked at it. It was a soccer ball, and it had landed in the sea. The waves carried it back and forth.

“Oh no… my soccer ball…”

At that moment, a young boy, about 5 or 6 years old, approached her, looking at the ball floating in the sea. It seemed the boy was the owner of the ball.

“Is this your ball, little one?”

Dayun asked gently, kneeling to be at eye level with the boy, who nodded and started crying.

“It was the ball my mom bought for me… it fell into the water.”

“Hey, don’t cry, little one, don’t cry.”

Dayun gently picked the boy up and patted his head, trying to comfort him. She didn’t want to leave him upset. But the boy kept crying, unable to stop his tears, likely because he was worried about losing his ball. Finally, Dayun said,

“Don’t worry, little one. I’ll go get your ball. So, stop crying, okay?”

“Really?”

“Of course. Now, stay here and wait while I go get it.”

The boy wiped his tears and nodded, his mood brightening. Dayun smiled and patted his head.

“Good boy. Our little one.”

Meanwhile, Jaehoon, who had gone to get drinks, smiled as he looked at Dayun from a distance.

“Huh?”

He noticed a little boy standing next to Dayun, looking puzzled.

“Who’s that kid?”

He wondered why the boy was with Dayun. Then, seeing the boy crying, Jaehoon started walking faster, concerned that Dayun might be in an awkward situation. But as he saw her comfort the boy, he realized he had worried for nothing. Dayun was gently comforting the boy, patting his head, and speaking kindly to him, and it made Jaehoon feel strange.

“If Dayun and I had a child, would it feel like this?”

He thought about it for a moment. What if they had a child, one they had raised with love? What if they had married earlier and had a child like that? The thought made him smile mysteriously.

However, his smile faded quickly.

“Huh?!!”

Suddenly, Dayun, lifting her skirt, entered the water.

Startled by her unexpected action, Jaehoon dropped the bag he was holding and ran toward her. He was running like crazy.

Meanwhile, Dayun, now in the water, lifted her skirt a little higher to avoid getting wet. The waves were stronger than expected, probably because of the rain yesterday.

“Ah, it’s farther than I thought…”

The ball seemed to be getting farther as the waves pushed it, and Dayun hurried to retrieve it before it drifted too far. She didn’t want it to go deeper.

“Just a little more… just a little…”

The water reached her knees, and the ball was within reach, but it seemed to hover just out of her grasp. Seeing the boy watching with eager eyes, Dayun felt the pressure to get the ball. Just as the ball seemed about to slip away, she finally grabbed it.

“Got it! I got the ball, little one!”

Dayun shouted joyfully, smiling brightly. The boy, relieved, beamed in response.

Jaehoon, watching from a distance, felt a mix of frustration and relief. Seeing Dayun wet and soaked in the sea, his heart skipped a beat.
“Dayun!” He yelled, rushing toward her.

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