A Marriage with A Reason - Chapter 72

“Mom, we’ve arrived. Dayun, wake up, we’re here.”

How deeply had she fallen asleep, lulled by the cool air from the air conditioner and the sunlight streaming through the window? The gentle voice of Jaehoon echoed in her ears, and Dayun slowly opened her eyes.

“Huh… we’ve arrived…?”

“Yeah, did you sleep well?”

As she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Jaehoon’s face. It seemed like he had opened the back door and tried to wake her up after noticing she had fallen into a deep sleep. Seeing that, Dayun suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

“Yeah. I’m sorry for sleeping so deeply while you were driving.”

She felt guilty for not considering how hard it must have been for him to drive.

“Sorry? You did well. I was actually a bit worried since I had to take care of things by myself early in the morning. But seeing you sleep so peacefully made me feel relieved.”

At Jaehoon’s words, Dayun couldn’t help but smile with a pleasant feeling.

“Huh? Why are you smiling?”

“I’m happy.”

“Huh?”

“How do you always speak so sweetly, Oppa? And then you say I’m the only one who speaks kindly to you.”

She felt truly grateful, after all. Every word he spoke reflected his consideration for her. Jaehoon, feeling a bit shy, scratched the back of his head.

“Ah… now I understand why your reaction was like that before.”

“Why?”

“It’s a bit cheesy. Hearing you say it directly like that makes me feel embarrassed.”

“Right? That’s why I keep saying we shouldn’t say these things too often.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

The two of them smiled at each other. Then, Dayun tilted her head, noticing that Miyoung was nowhere to be seen.

“But where’s Mom? I don’t see her?”

“Oh, Mom went inside first. I told her I’d wake you up and then bring the luggage in after you. She said she’d go ahead.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Yeah, so go ahead and get out. I’ll unload the luggage and follow you in.”

“Why don’t we just carry it together? It’s too much for you to do alone.”

“It’s not that much. And when we come to places like this, the husband should do it. So, go on ahead.”

Dayun got out of the car and followed Jaehoon to the trunk, trying to help. However, Jaehoon gently stopped her, insisting that it was his responsibility. Although she found his comment a bit contradictory, she couldn’t help but feel touched by his thoughtfulness, so she just smiled. Eventually, she reluctantly walked towards the villa where Miyoung had gone.

“Wow~”

As she strolled through the garden in front of the house, Dayun couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration. She had heard from Jaehoon that this was a place he and Miyoung used to visit often when they were young, but despite the passing years, it was still beautiful, neat, and timeless.

“Did you and your mom run around and laugh here when you were younger?”

The thought that Jaehoon had probably laughed happily as a child in this very place made Dayun feel a strange sensation deep inside her. This wasn’t just the house he grew up in; it was also the place filled with his other childhood memories.

“Wow… it’s really beautiful. I really like it.”

Dayun continued to admire the beauty of the place and eagerly entered the house with a heart full of excitement.

“Wow~”

Inside the house, it was just as beautifully decorated as the garden outside. Thanks to someone keeping it in perfect condition, there wasn’t a speck of dust to be found.

“This place is amazing too.”

“Did you just get inside?”

“Huh?”

Had she been lost in admiration for that long? Startled by the sudden voice, Dayun turned her head towards it. Soon, she saw Miyoung coming out of one of the rooms.

“You slept really well. You must have been really tired?”

“Ah… maybe because I woke up a bit early today. I also stayed up late last night…”

“I see, that makes sense. You must have been exhausted.”

Miyoung nodded as if she understood, then elegantly sat down on the sofa, crossing her legs and reclining back. But something about the way she did that made Dayun feel a bit uneasy. Her expression was calm, but her smile seemed forced. It didn’t seem to match the understanding tone in her voice.

Soon enough, Miyoung’s next words confirmed Dayun’s suspicions.

“But you know, there was someone driving all that way, and you just slept alone? Isn’t that a bit rude? Especially since you were sitting comfortably in the back seat.”

“Ah…”

“On top of that, our son had to drive all that way and then wake you up? That’s too much.”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I didn’t realize I’d fall asleep like that…”

Feeling embarrassed, Dayun lowered her head. Miyoung’s tone softened immediately, and she gave a warm smile, though it seemed insincere.

“Oh, there’s no need to apologize. If you’re tired, you can sleep. Don’t worry about it.”

“…Huh?”

“It’s fine. Don’t apologize. You’re making me feel embarrassed now, sweetie.”

“What…?”

Dayun was completely confused by how Miyoung’s words and expression had changed so quickly. Just a moment ago, she seemed understanding, but now she was saying something completely different. Then, the next words she heard added even more confusion.

“What are you talking about?”

“Ah, did my son come back? You must have been exhausted from driving and carrying the luggage, huh?”

“No, it wasn’t that difficult. It’s fine. But what were you talking about just now?”

“Oh, nothing important. It just seemed like Dayun was bothered by the fact she slept alone in the car earlier.”

“See, I told you there’s no need to feel bad about it. Just be kind, Dayun.”

Jaehoon tried to comfort her, but Dayun could only offer a weak smile. She didn’t want to think too much about it, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Miyoung had changed her tone on purpose, probably because of Jaehoon’s presence.

Yet, it seemed that Dayun was the only one in the room who felt uncomfortable and uneasy.

“Jaehoon, son. By the way, it’s been so long since we’ve come here together, right?”

“Yeah, we used to come a lot when we were younger.”

“That’s right. You were so cute back then.”

They spoke casually, as if nothing was wrong.

“Yeah, I was just a kid. Back then, you were young too.”

“Yeah, I was. It feels a bit bittersweet now. This place is still the same, but you and I have changed so much.”

“Well, time doesn’t stop, right?”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“But even though things are different now, I think it’s still nice in its own way.”

“Why’s that?”

“Time has passed, so Mom has gotten older and I’ve grown up, but now we have a new family, and this is like a new beginning. I think now, with three of us, it’s much better than it used to be with just the two of us.”

Jaehoon looked at Dayun with affection, expressing his love for her.

“…I guess that’s true.”

Miyoung, watching the exchange, forced a smile, though it was clearly stiff and fake. Her eyes, however, showed something different—something like disappointment or discontent. From her point of view, it probably felt like Dayun had taken her son away from her.

“Even though it’s past 1 pm, how about we go for lunch? We could check out the sea nearby.”

As soon as Jaehoon finished his sentence, they got back in the car and drove off. Soon, they arrived at a place overlooking a beautiful sea.

“Since we’re by the ocean, should we have sushi for lunch? Oh, but we’re having BBQ for dinner… maybe it’s not a good idea?”

Jaehoon hesitated, thinking that a heavy lunch might spoil their appetite for dinner. It was already close to 2 pm.

Miyoung suggested, “Since we’re by the sea, let’s have sushi. Dinner can be a bit later, no problem.”

“Sounds good. What do you think, Dayun?”

Dayun nodded. “Ah, I don’t mind.”

They walked toward a sushi restaurant together.

“Dayun, I’m going to the bathroom. Go ahead and sit down.”

“Okay, take your time.”

Even though it was late for lunch, the restaurant was surprisingly full. A staff member led them to their seats.

“Wow, it’s more crowded than I thought?”

“Yeah, there was a group that arrived earlier. Please, this way.”

“Thank you. Mom, please sit here.”

The place had a completely different vibe from the upscale sushi restaurants Miyoung was used to. She looked around curiously, but when Dayun called her over, Miyoung involuntarily shrugged her shoulders.

“Uh? Um…”

“Here are the cushions. Please sit here.”

“…Here?”

When Miyoung saw where Dayun was directing her, she frowned without meaning to. The uncomfortable seats and the middle-aged people laughing and eating next to them didn’t sit well with Miyoung. Dayun noticed her discomfort and asked with concern.

“Is something wrong? Are you uncomfortable?”

“Are you seriously asking me to sit here?”

“Huh?”

But Miyoung’s next words took Dayun by surprise.

“How can I eat with all these noisy people, eating and laughing with food in their mouths? And the awful smell of cheap perfume in the air… how could you expect me to eat next to them?”

Dayun was stunned, but soon, she could feel the eyes of the people around them, glancing at them disapprovingly.

“Mom, even so, please don’t say that!”

“Am I wrong? Even though it’s my first time here, it’s just unpleasant to eat in a place like this.”

As Miyoung’s words became louder, the people around them seemed to get increasingly uncomfortable. Finally, Dayun had no choice but to stand up and approach the staff.

“Excuse me, is it possible to move to a private room for the three of us?”

“A private room?”

“Yes, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“No, it’s not difficult. Please wait a moment.”

When the staff left, Dayun turned back to Miyoung, but Miyoung was already ahead of her.

“How did it go?”

“Yeah, I’ve asked for a private room. They should arrange it soon.”

“Good. It’s not like we’re picky, but it’ll be better than sitting here.”

“Yes…”

The more she interacted with Miyoung, the more uneasy Dayun felt. This wasn’t the woman she thought she knew. It felt as though Miyoung had changed in an instant. And yet, her natural attitude made Dayun wonder if this might actually be Miyoung’s true nature. As they waited for the room, Jaehoon approached them.

“What are you doing? They said there’s no seat? But there are plenty of empty tables.”

Jaehoon, looking around, noticed the vacant tables and seemed puzzled. Dayun wasn’t sure how to explain, but Miyoung spoke before she could.

“They’re giving us a private room.”

“A private room?”

“Yeah. They said it’s better because there are some loud people. It’s nice of them to think of us.”

“Really? Oh, that’s very thoughtful.”

Hearing this, Dayun felt a chill run through her. What she had suspected might actually be true. Miyoung’s warm demeanor up until now had been a mask.

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