Husband Role - Episode 22

It was a bright Sunday, but Min-seo’s mood was foul. It was because she had been forced to attend a blind date.

 

Sitting by the window, Min-seo glanced down at her wristwatch.

 

11:00 AM.

 

Exactly the scheduled meeting time. But her date hadn’t shown up.

 

Slightly annoyed, Min-seo slowly gazed out the window. Beyond the lush landscaping, the hotel driveway came into view.

 

Twenty minutes passed like that.

 

Could she have been stood up?

 

Something hot bubbled up inside her.

 

“…Hah.”

 

She had heard that her blind date was the second son of K Pharmaceuticals. Because of that, her father had become extremely overheated.

 

‘Do you know how much we suffered because of the atrocity you committed in the bride’s waiting room?’

 

‘…Jung-hyuk was my man.’

 

‘Still, how can you say such things—!’

 

‘Yes, hit me! Raising your hand when you’re angry, that’s your specialty, Dad!’

 

When Min-seo glared and retorted, Dae-hyuk barely lowered his clenched fist. And he commanded in a restrained voice.

 

‘…Don’t argue and go to the blind date. He’s the son of K Pharmaceuticals, no less. If you do well there, I’ll quietly overlook this incident.’

 

She had resisted, saying she didn’t want to, but ended up getting slapped on the cheek.

 

To make matters worse, all the cards she had were cut off, and even her cell phone was confiscated.

 

So-hee had cried and pleaded on Min-seo’s behalf, and that was why she had reluctantly come to this meeting.

 

But he hasn’t even shown his face?

 

If she had her cell phone, she would have called her mom.

 

Thinking she had done enough, she was about to get up from her seat when she saw a tall man running into the lobby entrance.

 

The man approached, panting heavily, and asked.

 

“Are you here for the blind date?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Min-seo replied coldly.

 

The man quickly bowed.

 

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

 

Min-seo stared straight at the man as he straightened up.

 

The handsome man with a gentle impression smiled confidently.

 

Min-seo found it irritating.

 

“Yes. You’re very late.”

 

Min-seo replied curtly.

 

“I had a bit of an accident on the way.”

 

The man replied, taking a seat.

 

“My name is Moon Taejo.”

 

He raised the corners of his lips again, introducing himself.

 

“I know.”

 

Min-seo continued to respond coldly.

 

“Nice to meet you.”

 

Taejo reached out his hand to Min-seo without giving in. There was something like grime on his hand. Min-seo frowned faintly at it.

 

“Your hand is a bit…”

 

“Oh, excuse me for a moment.”

 

Taejo got up and quickly went to the restroom. Judging by his wet face and hands, it seemed he had washed up.

 

To show up at a blind date looking like that.

 

Min-seo was dumbfounded.

 

“Have you eaten?”

 

Taejo asked, taking his seat again.

 

“I had brunch.”

 

Min-seo refused indirectly. It meant she didn’t want to eat with him.

 

Perhaps understanding that, Taejo dropped his smile and asked directly.

 

“Are you angry that I’m late? Or do you just not like me?”

 

“Both.”

 

“Then let’s get up without wasting each other’s time.”

 

Min-seo looked up at Taejo, who stood up without hesitation, with a dumbfounded expression.

 

“You have terrible manners.”

 

She said, also getting to her feet.

 

“In what way?”

 

Taejo also retorted with a cold face.

 

His face without a smile was very different from his first impression. He looked much colder and more unreserved.

 

Min-seo flinched inwardly at that, but she lifted her chin as if nothing was wrong.

 

“You were late, your attire is inappropriate, and you’ve been acting scattered since you arrived. It doesn’t seem like you have the slightest consideration for your blind date.”

 

At Min-seo’s words, Taejo let out a scoff. And he looked at Min-seo with a scowl.

 

“What’s your name?”

 

Taejo asked.

 

“Mok Min-seo. Did you come out without even knowing who your blind date is?”

 

“Even if I didn’t know who it was, is it that difficult to say your own name?”

 

“Hah.”

 

“And isn’t it common sense to ask if someone is okay when they say they had an accident?”

 

“What? What kind of blaming the victim is this?”

 

“Blaming the victim?”

 

Taejo sneered coldly.

 

“Because of this blind date, I rushed here at a great loss. Of course, it’s my fault for being late. So I apologized, and since you seem to hate dirty hands, I hurriedly washed them, but.”

 

“So, you’re saying you did everything you could?”

 

“Then you tell me, Mok Min-seo. What more should I do?”

 

“Hah.”

 

“Should I get on my knees?”

 

“Who told you to do that?”

 

“Let’s stop. This meaningless war of attrition. It just hurts my mouth.”

 

“You were the one who provoked me first!”

 

Min-seo shouted as if she was dumbfounded.

 

“Then go carefully.”

 

As if he didn’t want to deal with her anymore, Taejo turned around with a disgusted face. His unhesitating footsteps grew distant.

 

That’s when she heard it.

 

‘Wasn’t the woman dumped?’

 

‘Looks like it at a glance.’

 

‘She looks like she has quite the temper.’

 

‘The man was too good for her from the start.’

 

‘That’s right.’

 

The whispering voices of the people.

 

She was embarrassed. Her face flushed, and Min-seo hurried away. She was leaving the lounge at the fastest pace possible when she heard someone calling from behind, “Excuse me!” She ignored it and walked on. Then the person who had run up grabbed Min-seo’s arm roughly.

 

“What is it?”

 

Min-seo asked with a touchy face. Her eyes still smoldered with heat that hadn’t cooled down.

 

“You have to pay before you leave.”

 

The employee said, handing over the bill.

 

He left without paying?

 

Min-seo roughly swept back her bangs and opened her wallet. Oh no. She didn’t have any credit cards. The cash compartment was the same. Her cell phone with the payment app installed was also stuck in Dae-hyuk’s study drawer.

 

“…Can I pay with a transportation card?”

 

“I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.”

 

The employee replied with a forced smile. It was the most humiliating day of her life.

 

Jung-hyuk spent the entire Sunday in his study to prepare for the next project.

 

Using the weekend for work was his daily routine.

 

If there was one thing that had changed, it was the existence of Eun-seol.

 

Eun-seol, who had occupied the study sofa since morning, was engrossed in classics, spending her time.

 

The noises the couple made were just the sounds of turning pages, drawing with a pen, or clicking a mouse.

 

Jung-hyuk often glanced at Eun-seol while working.

 

Sometimes her face was serious, sometimes she smiled brightly, and it was truly innocent.

 

He was trying to guess where she was on the page she was reading when the screen of his cell phone, which was on silent, lit up. Jung-hyuk immediately answered the phone.

 

“Yeah.”

 

—Hyung, it’s me.

 

It was Taejo. He was a younger brother who approached him with a good-natured manner, no matter how much Jung-hyuk kept his distance.

 

—Sorry I couldn’t make it to the wedding. There was a fire at the factory at that time, and I was out of my mind.

 

He had heard that there was a small fire in the temporary office where the documents were kept. It was quickly brought under control, but he knew that Taejo had suffered quite a bit restoring the damaged data.

 

“You’re calling late.”

 

Jung-hyuk replied nonchalantly, looking at Eun-seol.

 

And he gestured that he would go out to take the call.

 

Then Eun-seol shook her head. It meant it was okay.

 

—Well, our mother was there.

 

Taejo said again.

 

“So, the factory has stabilized.”

 

—Barely.

 

“That’s a relief,” Jung-hyuk said when.

 

—I went on a blind date today?

 

“Ah…”

 

He remembered. It was a blind date that Kyung-ha had set up. Jung-hyuk was also in the middle of it, but he didn’t bother to add anything.

 

—I’ve never seen such a rude person in my life. She was so arrogant, like a princess.

 

“…”

 

—Madam Jung begged me to go, but I had an accident on the way. Anyway, it was a bad day.

 

“Accident?”

 

—Not something to worry about.

 

“Ah.”

 

—Is there a woman out there who is pure, wise, and provocative?

 

Jung-hyuk’s gaze lingered on Eun-seol for a moment.

 

—Am I dreaming too big in this day and age? Well, if there was such a woman, would I be like this now?

 

When Jung-hyuk didn’t show any particular reaction, Taejo quickly changed the subject.

 

—By the way, how’s married life? How’s sister-in-law? Rumor has it that she’s an amazing young and pretty woman.

 

“It’s late. I need to rest.”

 

—Oh, I’ve been talking too long to the newlywed. Then, hyung, have a hot night,

 

Jung-hyuk hung up the phone without listening to all of Taejo’s words.

 

“Was that a call from a friend? I’ve never seen it before. A personal call.”

 

Eun-seol said as if she was amazed.

 

“I get personal calls often.”

 

“Really? Who is it?”

 

Eun-seol asked with a curious yet uneasy heart.

 

“You.”

 

At Jung-hyuk’s answer, she blushed, saying, “Oh…”

 

“I’ve read all the books.”

 

“…Not yet.”

 

“Are you going to read more?”

 

Eun-seol slammed the thick book shut and answered, “No.”

 

 

The couple, who had showered in turn, lay side by side on the bed.

 

In the quiet of the night, only the low-intensity yellowish-white lighting was dimly illuminating the bedroom.

 

“Sleep.”

 

Jung-hyuk, who now hugged Eun-seol as if it were a habit, said. The low, heavy voice and the sound of insects coming through the open sash door were pleasant to hear.

 

“Are you going to sleep right away?”

 

Eun-seol asked.

 

They would be apart tomorrow.

 

An unknown sense of regret washed over her.

 

“I have to sleep, then.”

 

He replied in a calm tone.

 

“Just like this?”

 

“How else would we sleep?”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Eun-seol asked repeatedly in a worried voice.

 

“I’m more than okay.”

 

Unlike his nonchalant answer, a part of him was revealing its presence. It was very large and hard, painfully poking near her navel.

 

At that, Eun-seol quietly raised her head.

 

Jung-hyuk’s face looked so peaceful. That’s why she was more confused.

 

Eun-seol was confused about whether to believe Jung-hyuk’s straight face or his firmly aroused body.

 

But she couldn’t ask directly. It was still difficult to have conversations at this level.

 

First, let’s avoid it.

 

After finishing her thoughts, Eun-seol,

 

“Good night,”

 

She muttered and turned her body around.

 

If she kept looking at Jung-hyuk, she felt like she would keep saying something. Then she might say something that crossed the line.

 

But.

 

“…”

 

This time, it touched between the cleft of her buttocks. Her heart was pounding, and her face was flushed, so she couldn’t fall asleep at all.

 

I wish I could just fall asleep soon.

 

As she tossed and turned with that wish, she heard a troubled low voice in her ear.

 

“…Just don’t move.”