A Marriage with A Reason - Chapter 58

At the message from Jaehoon saying he would pick her up, Dayun stepped out of the villa. She had hurried out, thinking he might be waiting, but Jaehoon was already leaning against his car, waiting for her. It seemed like he had been there for a while.

“Oh? You came earlier than I expected. I was trying to come out quickly so you wouldn’t have to wait.”

“I figured you’d do that, so I came even earlier. The nights are starting to get hotter, and I don’t want you to suffer from the heat.”

“I’m fine for now. It’s not even midsummer yet.”

“Still.”

The atmosphere between them had changed a lot from before.

“So, where should we go?”

“Where do you want to go?”

“Going straight home feels like a waste, don’t you think?”

“Hmm… maybe? I don’t know.”

Jaehoon had become more proactive, suggesting things they could do, while Dayun, as if teasing him, kept pushing and pulling in response to his words.

Seeing Dayun’s indifferent expression, Jaehoon pouted like a sulky boy.

“Come on, let’s go somewhere with a nice night view and have dinner. We can look around a bit too.”

“Hmm…”

“Huh? Let’s go~”

Though she acted indifferent, inside, Dayun was pleased by his suggestion. But since Jaehoon had no way of knowing, she simply smiled to herself and pretended to give in.

“…Alright, let’s do that.”

“Really? You mean it?”

Seeing how Jaehoon’s emotions rose and fell with just a single word from her, Dayun couldn’t help but smile again. Lately, she found him cuter than before. Maybe it was because she could truly see how much he loved her.

“Yes, let’s go. But where are we going?”

“Hmm, do you have anywhere in mind? Somewhere you’ve been wanting to go?”

“A place I’ve wanted to go…?”

Dayun hesitated for a moment. There were so many places she wanted to visit with him—places she had been with friends, beautiful spots she had seen on TV… She had always dreamed of holding Jaehoon’s hand, walking together, and laughing as a couple or even as husband and wife. But today was different.

“Oh! I know the perfect place! A very, very special place!”

Just for today, she wanted to go somewhere truly precious and unique, not just any popular destination.

“Wait, Dayun! The light is red! The red light!!”

Jaehoon’s panicked voice filled the car, and before long, the tires screeched loudly as the car came to an abrupt stop.

“Whoa, that scared me. Relax, I saw it too.”

“…I know you did, but still…”

“Then why are you yelling? You startled me, so I stopped suddenly. I could’ve gone a little further.”

“Haha…”

Seeing Dayun roll her eyes at him, Jaehoon could only give an awkward smile and secretly wipe away his nervous sweat.

‘I should never have let her drive.’

He regretted it—more than anything he had ever regretted before.

“So, where are we going?”

“Huh?”

“I need to know so I can drive there.”

“Oh… That’s a problem. It’s a secret.”

“Huh?”

“You know what, I’ll just drive. I think that’s better.”

If he had the chance, Jaehoon wanted to go back in time and stop himself from letting her take the wheel. Trusting that Dayun could drive had been a huge mistake. Well, technically, she could drive. But…

“Oh my gosh! Did you see that car?! It just cut in out of nowhere! Who does that?!”

“D-Dayun? Calm down…”

“Seriously! Why do people drive like that?!”

They say driving reveals a person’s true personality. Apparently, Dayun had a bit of a temper. Of course, getting angry at reckless drivers was common, but it was surprising to see this side of her. Normally, she was polite and gentle, but behind the wheel, she reminded him of Gyumin—who transformed into a hot-tempered, cursing maniac whenever he drove. Strangely, though, Jaehoon didn’t find it annoying or weird. Instead, it made her feel more real, more human. But the real problem was something else.

“Haha… Anyway, Dayun, how about slowing down a little?”

“Why? Am I going too fast?”

“J-just a little…?”

“Come on, this is the average speed. If I slow down more, the cars behind me will get mad.”

“Ah… I see. Well, okay then…”

The real issue was that her driving was far from smooth. Dayun was normally soft and kind, but her driving style was aggressive enough to make Jaehoon grip the handle tightly.

“By the way, where did you learn to drive? When did you start?”

“Hmm… When was it? I got my license when I was 21, and then my brother and dad taught me.”

When she casually mentioned that she had only driven about thirteen times in total, Jaehoon felt an overwhelming sense of unease but swallowed it down.

“That’s impressive. People say it’s better to learn from a professional, though.”

“Oh, I totally agree.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I almost got into fights with my dad and brother while learning. Actually, I didn’t fight. I just got scolded. A lot.”

Seeing her sulk like a child complaining about an unfair punishment, Jaehoon’s unease melted away, replaced by fondness.

“Your dad and Daon? No way! They adore you. I thought you never got in trouble.”

“No way! Of course, I got scolded sometimes. But learning to drive was different. My brother was super strict. In the end, he gave up and said he couldn’t teach me, so my dad took over. But even he told me to go back to driving school.”

“Why? Were you that bad?”

“Not bad! Just a little… rough. They say I drive too aggressively. I don’t see it, though.”

“Haha…”

Jaehoon could only smile awkwardly. He wanted to say, ‘You’re definitely too aggressive, Dayun.’ But with his hands gripping the handle tightly and his nerves on edge, he kept his mouth shut.

“We’re here!”

After a bumpy ride, the car finally came to a stop.

“This is the very special place I wanted to go.”

“Where…”

Jaehoon was curious. After enduring that nerve-wracking drive, he had to know their destination. But when he looked outside, he couldn’t finish his sentence.

“This is…”

Dayun had brought him to his family home.

“Why here all of a sudden…?”

“Just because. It’s been a while, and this place is more special than any fancy spot.”

“Here?”

“Yes. Your parents are here, and this house is filled with your childhood memories. That makes it special.”

“…”

Jaehoon hadn’t expected this. He felt a mix of emotions—surprise, gratitude, and a tinge of guilt as he thought about his parents.

“Last time we came here, our feelings weren’t the same. But now, we’re both looking in the same direction, so I thought it would be nice. Do you not like it?”

Seeing his conflicted expression, Dayun felt nervous. Had she made a mistake?

“No, I love it. I should’ve thought of it myself. You’re right—it’s a very special place, especially because you’re here. Let’s go inside.”

At his words, Dayun smiled, following his lead as they stepped inside together.

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