Husband Role - Episode 38

When Eun-seol, who had fainted in Jung-hyuk’s arms, opened her eyes, it was already dusk. An entire day had vanished.

Feeling disappointed, Eun-seol looked dejected, so Jung-hyuk took her outside.

It was a Japanese restaurant with a splendid sunset view through the glass windows.

Jung-hyuk, who had ordered a course meal, poured water into a glass and handed it to Eun-seol.

Eun-seol held the ceramic glass with both hands and moved her lips timidly.

“When I look at you, Jung-hyuk… it seems like you’re really serious about feeding me.”

“Acknowledged.”

It was when he answered readily.

The wooden sliding door opened, and the serving began. Salad, cold buckwheat noodles, and a divided condiment dish were placed on each table mat.

“Wasabi?”

Jung-hyuk asked about Eun-seol’s preference.

She nodded, ‘because she eats everything,’ and he gently dissolved the wasabi in the icy broth and handed it to her.

It was always like this. Regardless of the menu, Jung-hyuk’s portion was always Eun-seol’s.

Instead, he would take hers.

“Don’t fill up on salad.”

Jung-hyuk said. At that, Eun-seol’s chopsticks twitched. She had been continuously eating only the salad, perhaps because she liked the refreshing kiwi dressing.

“You must be physically drained, so fill up on something substantial.”

He said a little more firmly. It was a tone that sounded almost like an order.

Jung-hyuk had always watched her from a step behind.

Eun-seol knew what his change in attitude indicated.

It meant that the solid wall surrounding him had crumbled, and he had finally brought her into his boundary.

“That’s…”

“Listen to me.”

Jung-hyuk said once again.

She couldn’t bring herself to be honest with him. To tell him that her stomach was bigger than he thought.

He should know, since he saw her eat two bowls of beef bone soup.

“Yes.”

But Eun-seol obediently replied.

Soon, a sashimi platter decorated with colorful flowers was served. Jung-hyuk taught her how to best enjoy each type of fish.

“It’s delicious.”

She had never lost out by listening to him.

Perhaps pleased with Eun-seol’s reaction, he also wore a satisfied smile.

After eating everything from sushi and sweet and sour chicken to various fried foods, rice with fish roe, and spicy fish stew, plum tea and sweet red bean jelly were served for dessert.

Jung-hyuk asked the staff to clear the table neatly.

Drinking tea leisurely with the clean table between them was superb.

Only then did she realize that this was Ulsan, and only then did she see the sea.

“The sun has completely set.”

“But the lights make the sea visible.”

“You ate your fill.”

Jung-hyuk asked back.

“Yes.”

“Shall we move to another place, then?”

She really liked how he meticulously took care of her and asked about her preferences. Eun-seol gently curved her eyes and answered once more, “Yes.”

Jung-hyuk, who stood up first, reached out his hand to Eun-seol.

Now he didn’t walk ahead.

He had become a husband who stood side by side with her.

That fact made Eun-seol feel overwhelmed anew.

Jung-hyuk took Eun-seol to a department store because she jokingly said she was afraid to go home. From then on, Eun-seol refused to get out of the car. It was because she remembered his unrestrained flexing last time.

“I’m not going to buy anything.”

She couldn’t trust him when he said that.

She knew she would be fooled again.

As if reading her mind, Jung-hyuk entrusted his entire wallet to Eun-seol. Only then did she obediently get out of the car.

This time, they immediately used the elevator. Soon, Eun-seol’s mouth dropped open when she got off on the rooftop.

“Oh my gosh.”

There was a Ferris wheel on top of the building. It wasn’t just a mere imitation. It was an overwhelmingly large Ferris wheel with seven-colored lights twinkling.

She hadn’t been able to see the sky because she had been looking only at Jung-hyuk and chattering away while coming to the department store.

“How can there be one on top of a building? It’s so wonderful.”

“It’s Ulsan’s landmark.”

“Shall we ride it?”

Eun-seol asked with clear eyes.

“That’s why we came.”

The couple stood in line. Seeing them no different from other couples, Eun-seol smiled unconsciously.

Soon, it was Eun-seol and Jung-hyuk’s turn.

Jung-hyuk entered first and reached out his hand to Eun-seol. Eun-seol readily sat next to him. Then, Jung-hyuk got up and went to the opposite side.

“……?”

“Because of the center of gravity.”

Eun-seol blinked a few times and soon burst into laughter.

She was surprised that he was worried about the Ferris wheel tilting.

“It’ll be okay. I saw a safety diagnosis certificate and stuff like that stuck on there earlier.”

Jung-hyuk didn’t answer. Soon, with a clank, the door closed, and the Ferris wheel began to move.

One minute later, Eun-seol, who had spoken boldly to Jung-hyuk, was gone.

At first, she hadn’t thought much of it, but the Ferris wheel on the rooftop was too high.

Just as Eun-seol, who was starting to get scared, secretly clenched her fists tightly.

Jung-hyuk, who had been sitting, approached her.

“Ah—! Don’t move!”

She cried urgently. Then, this time, Jung-hyuk laughed.

“It’s okay, it’s got a safety diagnosis certificate.”

He was a man who always listened, even when he pretended not to. And he knew how to return it when necessary. Seeing things like this, he was subtly like a fox.

“Still.”

When Jung-hyuk wrapped his arm around Eun-seol’s slightly trembling shoulders, she gradually felt better as if by magic.

That way, excitement took the place of fear.

“Stay a few more days.”

He suggested in a weighty voice. Suspended in the air, the night view of Ulsan enveloped the two.

“I have things to do.”

“Things to do?”

Eun-seol smiled brightly, saying, “It’s a secret.”

Jung-hyuk made a displeased expression but didn’t ask any further.

When Eun-seol returned to Seoul, the first place she visited was the memorial hall. It was said to be the place where Jung-hyuk’s biological mother’s ashes were enshrined. The glass niche was empty. There wasn’t even a common artificial flower bouquet or card.

There was only one thing, a picture of a woman holding a baby in her arms. The woman was beautiful, and only the back of the baby’s head was visible. The baby was probably Jung-hyuk.

Eun-seol attached the flower arrangement she had prepared to the edge and greeted her.

“Hello, Mother.”

And she stood there blankly, adding this and that in her mind. There was no answer, but she still wanted to convey it.

That she would treat Jung-hyuk well.

And.

“I won’t give up.”

A faint resentment also existed in Eun-seol’s heart.

Why did you leave your young son alone like that?

That’s right. Because children are always innocent.

They were just abandoned in situations created by adults and helplessly suffered.

“So, Mother please watch over us comfortably. Because I will do better, even for your share.”

“Did you have a good trip?”

Kyung-ha asked with a worried face. Eun-seol felt inexplicably sorry and answered softly, “Yes.”

“Shall we have a cup of tea, Mom?”

“…Okay.”

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law headed to the backyard. They sat side by side at a white iron table with a parasol. Soon, a servant brought out two glasses of refreshing apple mint ade. The ade was sweet and sour, yet incredibly cool.

“Good.”

Kyung-ha said, looking at the green foliage. Eun-seol felt inexplicably nervous but quietly nodded in agreement.

“So. Did you have a good time in Ulsan?”

“Yes.”

“Is Jung-hyuk okay?”

“Jung-hyuk is… yes, always the same.”

“Actually, I had a lot of thoughts after seeing you protect Jung-hyuk at the anniversary.”

“…I’m sorry, Mother.”

Eun-seol said with a heavy face.

“I didn’t say that to make you apologize, but.”

Kyung-ha continued with a troubled, sad, ambiguous face.

“I really thought Jung-hyuk was my son. I never doubted that part. But I became ashamed of whether I had ever protected him by throwing everything away like you did.”

Kyung-ha continued with teary eyes.

“You did well. I’m saying you did well, Eun-seol-ah.”

“……”

“You heard about Jung-hyuk’s situation… right?”

‘Because people talk a lot,’ Kyung-ha added. When Eun-seol nodded in agreement, Kyung-ha said again.

“In the beginning… I was the one who found Jung-hyuk asleep in the corpse’s arms.”

She continued in a painful voice.

“The master had a big accident, and we were holding trials, and it was a really noisy time. At that time, Father actually… strongly opposed bringing Jung-hyuk in.”

“……Yes.”

“So, I couldn’t even think about it. I kept worrying about him but stabilizing the family was the priority.”

Eun-seol nodded.

“About three years passed like that. A letter came to the house. I happened to be in Canada for a while so I found it too late.”

Kyung-ha’s voice trembled slightly.

“It was Jung-hyuk’s biological mother. She asked me to take care of Jung-hyuk, saying she couldn’t do it alone anymore.”

“Ah……”

“So, I went to that apartment. It’s still vivid. Walking through the dilapidated apartment, the wide-open hallway… I was so anxious. How slowly time passed.”

Kyung-ha’s hands were trembling more and more. Eun-seol held her hands tightly. There was nothing else she could do.

“If only I had been a little faster.”

Eventually, Kyung-ha shed tears. Eun-seol, who had become anxious, quickly went into the main building and brought out a handkerchief. And she handed it to Kyung-ha.

She looked at Kyung-ha with worried eyes.

Her eyes were filled with lingering sadness. It was also Jung-hyuk’s wound.

“So…”

Kyung-ha’s heart dropped when she opened the iron door with some of the paint peeled off. It was because the smell of a decaying corpse stung her nose.

It was a sweltering summer like now.

Jung-hyuk was asleep in his mother’s arms, unable to open his eyes.

The young child, who vaguely sensed his mother’s death… had a hopeless face as if he would follow her.

Kyung-ha, who had collapsed, knelt down.

Instead of dealing with it maturely, she hugged Jung-hyuk and wailed as if the world had collapsed.

She remembers.

The young child, who didn’t shed a single tear, patted Kyung-ha’s back timidly and carefully.

She vaguely thought.

That she had to protect the child. That she wouldn’t turn a blind eye anymore.

“Mother…”

This time, Eun-seol hugged Kyung-ha.

“So Hyuk-ie struggled for so long. Bearing all kinds of guilt, meeting expectations, and forcing himself that small thing didn’t give anyone his side and alone, like that, alone… sob.”

Eun-seol stroked Kyung-ha’s back and said, “It’s not your fault, Mother.”

“I’m acting my age again… I’m sorry.”

Kyung-ha smiled awkwardly even while sobbing.

“You’re a perfect mom.”

Eun-seol was also speaking in a tearful voice.

“I really guarantee that.”

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