Husband Role - Episode 31

And so, the two of them left So-hee’s house. As they stepped out of the gate, they ran right into Min-seo, who was on her way home.

Startled, Min-seo looked back and forth between Eun-seol and Jung-hyuk. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say, “Um…” Jung-hyuk spoke with a menacing look.

“Get lost.”

It was a clear implication to disappear. At that, Min-seo’s eyes reddened, and she slammed the gate shut.

Eun-seol couldn’t say anything. She could only stare silently at her hand being held.

…I’ve been found out.

What will the teacher think?

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jung-hyuk asked, his chest heaving. Eun-seol slowly raised her head. But he was frowning as if he were the one in more pain.

“There was plenty of time to talk, wasn’t there?”

The voice, cracking, carried that emotion…

Tears that she hadn’t permitted flowed down Eun-seol’s cheeks.

Jung-hyuk gently wiped them away.

“I couldn’t tell you.”

Eun-seol said with a choked voice.

“Why not?”

“It’s too embarrassing for you to know… that I’ve always been an insignificant person. Everyone has them, right? Secrets they don’t want to be exposed. Weaknesses.”

A desperate voice flowed out.

“If these circumstances are revealed, I’ll become pathetic. If I’m pathetic, I’ll be pitied, and then I’ll become too… miserable.”

“Eun-seol-ah.”

“What I want to receive from Jung-hyuk… isn’t that kind of feeling.”

She conveyed her sincere feelings with a trembling voice. She didn’t know if he understood.

She didn’t want to evoke your sense of justice, the one that protected me when I was an outcast back then.

She didn’t want to be protected in that way.

What she wanted to receive from him was a man’s heart.

How did we get here?

It started with Jung-hyuk being the only one there, so I reached out my hand. And I clung to him, begging him to hold on. Next, I waited. After that, I looked at him, and now, I’ve come to desire him.

To want him to see me as a woman.

To a man who told me not to expect romantic feelings, daringly.

So Eun-seol couldn’t be completely honest.

I’ve only come this far.

Afraid that he might take a step away.

It was when Eun-seol lowered her head.

“It must have been hard on you, all alone.”

An unexpectedly heavy voice landed above Eun-seol’s head.

Just as the inside of Eun-seol’s throat swelled up with heat, he pulled her into a tight embrace.

“You have me.”

With his words, Eun-seol burst into tears. Her whole heart vibrated because of Yoon Jung-hyuk. The pit of her stomach tightened with surging, strange emotions. It was so hard to breathe.

“…Hic.”

Tears kept flowing. But they didn’t fall anymore.

They were gradually soaking into his large embrace, into his shirt.

She was comforted by the consolation he gave so arbitrarily.

This won’t do.

At this rate, I really feel like I’m going to fall in love with you.

“It’s okay, Eun-seol-ah.”

The moment Jung-hyuk said “It’s okay” one more time, something crumbled within her with a crash.

“…Sniff.”

He had never once not been on her side.

Jung-hyuk’s car screeched to a halt in front of a restaurant. He told Eun-seol to wait for a moment and soon returned.

As soon as Jung-hyuk got into the car, the rich smell of beef bone soup filled the air. Jung-hyuk turned his large upper body and placed the plastic bag containing the packaged containers on the floor of the back seat.

“…I’m not hungry.”

Eun-seol said with a voice that was still heavy and subdued, though the crying had stopped.

“I’m hungry.”

“Okay.”

Eun-seol quietly nodded.

After returning to the house in Hannam-dong, they headed straight for the detached house.

Eun-seol said she would stop by the main house, but he cut her off.

There was no need to report everything one by one. He told her that if that happened, one side would have to endure the fatigue, and there would come a moment when the other side would take it for granted.

She couldn’t understand exactly what he meant. But she seemed to understand vaguely.

Eun-seol obediently followed her husband.

As soon as they entered the detached house, Jung-hyuk headed for the kitchen.

“Go wash up.”

He instructed as he opened the plastic lid.

He was unfamiliar standing in front of the sink, but just looking at his moving hands, he seemed much more skilled than her.

In an instant, Eun-seol was reminded of the fact that Jung-hyuk had lived alone for a long time.

Before, in Saudi Arabia. Now, in Ulsan.

He must have done even the smallest household chores by himself every time. So much so that he had become skilled.

So Eun-seol wanted to take care of Jung-hyuk, at least for as long as they were together.

“I’ll do it.”

Eun-seol said, following up.

“I didn’t sweat much. The car was cool too.”

Jung-hyuk, who was transferring the beef bone soup to a pot and rinsing the disposable packaging containers in water, raised his eyes.

“Showering will make you feel a lot better.”

He firmly pushed her back without leaving a single gap.

Eun-seol looked at the pot with an uncomfortable feeling, then quickly said, “I’ll go wash up quickly,” and disappeared into the master bedroom.

She quickly washed up in the bathroom attached to the master bedroom. But she was scolded by Jung-hyuk again.

“Dry your hair and come out.”

“It’s summer…”

He, who had rolled up his sleeves, wiped his wet hands roughly on a hand towel and said.

“Air conditioning.”

“Okay,” Eun-seol replied quietly and busied herself again. When she dried her hair and came out again, the table was already set.

The white kimchi, water kimchi, and radish kimchi placed in the brassware, the thinly sliced green onions placed on top of the beef bone soup, and the heaping bowl of rice were all very neat.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Eun-seol picked up her spoon with eyes that were still swollen. She had to eat, even if it was just to think of his sincerity.

“…!”

But when she actually tasted it, it was so delicious. The rich and deep broth was truly superb. The seasoning was perfect even though she hadn’t added any salt separately.

Eun-seol put rice in the soup. And quietly focused on her meal.

The sticky rice was sweet, the meat in the beef bone soup was tender, and the radish kimchi was crunchy. Her mother-in-law’s white kimchi was also perfect.

Come to think of it, it was her first meal, eaten after 3 p.m.

She didn’t even know that Jung-hyuk was watching her.

His eyes lingered on Eun-seol’s puffy cheeks, her firmly closed lips, and then, for a moment, on her chest.

“Want more?”

Jung-hyuk asked, handing her a tissue. Eun-seol wiped her mouth with it and said she was okay. But Jung-hyuk brought the pot and refilled her soup.

She really was okay but Eun-seol ended up emptying her bowl. It was so clean that there was no need to wash the dishes separately.

Looking at the empty bowl, she suddenly came to her senses. She suddenly became embarrassed.

“I didn’t know I was hungry…”

It was when she muttered awkwardly.

“When you’re not feeling well on days like that.”

Eun-seol quietly raised her eyes and looked at Jung-hyuk.

“Eat.”

He advised in a serious voice.

“…I’m not a glutton.”

“Knowing yourself is also important.”

“…”

Come to think of it, she did feel a lot better.

She had just followed his instructions, and most of the sadness from before had been offset.

Just by washing and eating, those simple acts.

“It’s good to see you eating well.”

“Ah…”

“It’s even better to see you becoming energetic from eating well.”

So, he’s trying to cheer me up.

Eun-seol was grateful to Jung-hyuk for that. She was so grateful to him for not asking any more questions and offering quiet comfort.

In the midst of her choked-up feelings, Jung-hyuk naturally stacked the dishes. Eun-seol quickly helped him clear the table.

The two moved to the living room sofa.

Eun-seol sat slightly apart from Jung-hyuk. Then he casually patted the space next to him. Eun-seol quickly moved her butt over.

“I have a question.”

Eun-seol moved her lips with a cautious look. Jung-hyuk looked down at her with eyes that told her to speak.

“When I was a freshman in high school, someone left a note on my uniform.”

Eun-seol said. Jung-hyuk had an expression that didn’t think much of it.

“Was it you, Jung-hyuk?”

After the question ended, he quietly tilted his head.

“It said, ‘Don’t give up.'”

Eun-seol said one more time.

It was shortly after she transferred to Hocheon High School. She was being bullied for an unknown reason. The subtle bullying gradually became more specific.

Then one day, Eun-seol’s uniform disappeared after gym class.

After school, she searched the entire school. But she couldn’t find it. She returned to the classroom with a tired heart, and her neatly folded uniform was placed on her seat.

[Don’t give up.]

Along with a note left by someone.

“…Ah.”

He let out a sigh of realization.

Eun-seol grabbed Jung-hyuk’s arm tightly and repeatedly asked, “Teacher, is that right?”

Eun-seol stammered and added to the story from that time.

“And before the wedding, you told me the same thing.”

He was silent for a few seconds. He was just looking down at Eun-seol. That gaze felt somehow profound.

It was when Eun-seol’s heart began to beat heavily.

“It’s me.”

At that one answer, Eun-seol’s eyes welled up with tears.

“…Is it right?”

She confirmed again with eyes that couldn’t believe it.

“Uh.”

He said casually, stroking Eun-seol’s hair.

“I was angry.”

A voice that had become even lower, as if sincerity was condensed, followed.

“Seeing you being taken advantage of without strength.”

“…Then, you being my homeroom teacher from the second grade, was that on purpose…?”

Eun-seol looked up at Jung-hyuk with teary eyes.

Jung-hyuk reached out his hand instead of answering.

It had been bothering him since earlier. The pajamas that had been buttoned wrong from the first button.

His touch, undoing the small buttons, was delicate. It was when Eun-seol flinched and grabbed his hand over hers.

“It’s also true that I became your homeroom teacher on purpose.”

Her mind went blank at the returning answer.

That was something she had never really expected. She thought it was a product of coincidence. That he had been her homeroom teacher for two years. At that time, Eun-seol didn’t know anything and was just happy.

In the meantime, the second button was undone. Eun-seol, who had become dazed, didn’t even realize what he was doing now.

So, you’ve been continuing to…

It was when the third button was undone with a snap.

“Sis, bro~ Mom said she’s going to…”

Seol-gi, who suddenly came in with a pink basket,

“Eating out for the first time in a while… Oh my goodness!”

Dropped the basket as it was. The fresh peaches rolled around on the cold marble floor.

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