A Marriage with A Reason - Chapter 60

The sudden but happy time at home had passed, and because of it, Jaehoon felt even more grateful to Dayun. As time went by, he realized more and more just how wonderful Dayun was, making him like her even more. The same was true for Dayun. She was deeply thankful for the way he had helped open her heart in her always-cold relationship with her father.

“Thank you so much for today. Honestly, there were times when I envied how close your family seemed. But today, thanks to you, I feel like I truly understand what a real family is.”

“No, I didn’t do anything. It was you who opened your heart, and your father simply responded.”

“Still, thank you.”

“I should be the one thanking you. You and your father both had the courage to show love to each other.”

With that, they exchanged smiles, feeling even closer than before. The night passed with endless laughter, filled with happiness.

“I’m leaving now.”

“Okay, take care.”

As always, Dayun saw Jaehoon off to work. Then, as usual, she cleaned up the breakfast table, tidied both his room and hers, swept and mopped the floors, and did the laundry. When she checked the time, it was already 10 AM.

“Huh? How is it 10 already? Time flies.”

After moving around busily all morning, her stomach growled loudly, and she clutched her belly as she walked into the kitchen.

“I don’t really want rice, but I am hungry… Hmm… What should I eat?”

After thinking for a while, she grabbed some bread she had bought earlier and took a big bite. As soon as she did, her mouth felt dry, so she kept the bread in her mouth while taking milk from the fridge and pouring it into a cup.

Munch, munch.

Like a hamster nibbling on sunflower seeds, Dayun chewed on the bread to satisfy her hunger. As her stomach started to settle, her eating pace noticeably slowed.

“I think I’m full enough.”

Soon, she placed the half-eaten bread down. One piece of bread wouldn’t usually fill her up, but since she had plans to meet Sojin for lunch, she didn’t want to eat too much.

After cleaning up, she stood up from her seat.

“Should I take a shower now?”

It was a bit early, but she figured it would be more convenient to get it done. However, before she could, her phone rang, making her sit back down.

“Who could it be?”

010-1234-5678…

Seeing the unknown number, Dayun hesitated. These days, even phone calls from normal-looking numbers often turned out to be scams or loan offers. In the past, she had almost been tricked by answering such a call. Still, she couldn’t be sure it was a scam either.

After some hesitation, she finally answered.

“Hello?”

For some reason, she had a bad feeling about this call, yet she felt she had to take it.

Shortly after answering, Dayun, now neatly dressed, left the house.

“Haa…”

She was supposedly meeting a friend, yet she looked nervous and uneasy. It made one wonder if she was really meeting Sojin. Her outfit was also different from her usual casual and comfortable style; instead, she was dressed as if she were visiting her boyfriend’s family before marriage.

She walked, took a taxi, and walked again. Eventually, she stopped in front of an elegant restaurant. The exterior resembled an old noble’s house, giving off a grand yet heavy atmosphere, making Dayun feel small.

“Ah… What do I do? I’m so nervous.”

Just then, her phone rang again.

“Hello—”

‘Hey, Choi Dayun! Why aren’t you here yet?’

“Oh, um…”

‘Are you still far away? How much longer will you take?’

Sojin’s loud voice came through the phone, filled with concern. She seemed worried that something had happened since Dayun hadn’t shown up. Because of that, Dayun found herself hesitating even more. Finally, she interrupted Sojin.

“Wait, Sojin. I have something to tell you.”

‘Huh? What is it?’

“I’m really sorry, but I don’t think I can come today.”

‘What?! Why? Did something happen?’

Hearing this, Sojin’s voice grew louder. Dayun felt even guiltier. Sojin was already at the meeting place, and now she was canceling at the last minute. It made her feel shameless.

“It’s just…”

‘I don’t know what’s going on, but can’t you just come? Actually, Daon is here too. I was too shy to tell you earlier, but today, I wanted to introduce you to him as my boyfriend, not just as your friend. So please, can you come?’

“I’m really sorry. I want to, but I have something urgent.”

‘Ah… You really can’t make it?’

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”

Hearing Sojin’s disappointed voice made Dayun feel even worse. Sojin had probably put a lot of thought into planning this, and now she was ruining it. But maybe Sojin sensed her guilt because, after a moment, she spoke with a more understanding tone.

‘It’s okay, I understand. I know you wouldn’t cancel without a reason. If it’s something important, then it can’t be helped.’

“Still…”

‘Really, it’s fine. It’s not like today is the only chance. We can reschedule. So don’t feel too bad. If you really feel bad, just tell me later why you couldn’t come. I’m trying not to ask, but I’m really curious. Did something happen?’

“Okay, I will. Thanks for understanding.”

‘Alright. Just call me later. Promise?’

“I will.”

Dayun felt grateful for Sojin’s kindness. At the same time, she thought Daon had chosen an amazing girlfriend.

Just then, her phone vibrated again. When she checked, she smiled.

“Wow, they really look good together.”

A photo had been sent—a freshly taken picture of Sojin and Daon looking like a perfect, happy couple. Seeing them like that made Dayun feel warm inside. These two had spent so long hiding their feelings and sometimes even hurting each other. But now, they loved and cherished one another. She hoped their love would last forever.

Perhaps their happiness was contagious because the fear and nervousness she had felt moments ago started to fade. It was just a single photo, yet the courage and happiness they shared seemed to reach her. Taking a deep breath, Dayun finally stepped forward.

Meanwhile, at the underground parking lot, the atmosphere was far from positive.

“Team leader, should I drive?”

“No, I’ll do it.”

A sudden business trip due to an urgent project. Everything was unexpected and chaotic. But what unsettled Jaehoon the most was his travel partner—Hyeyun. Still, he maintained a professional demeanor, keeping their relationship strictly that of a superior and subordinate.

“Oh, team leader. Since we’re leaving during lunch, I bought sandwiches and coffee. Do you want to eat now or on the way?”

“No, I already ate the lunch my wife packed for me.”

“Oh… I see.”

“Yes. So if you’re hungry, you should eat.”

Hyeyun felt her irritation rising. Unlike before, when they were alone, he now treated her strictly as a boss. His curt and uninterested responses annoyed her even more. Jaehoon had clearly moved on, and she could feel it.

Fuming, she placed the sandwich bag aside and took a long sip of her iced coffee, chewing on her straw in frustration. As she did, she started thinking about how she could turn this trip into an opportunity.

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