Husband Role - Episode 4

“Womanizing?”

 

Jung-hyuk’s brow furrowed slightly as he questioned.

 

Eun-seol was shaken by it, but she tried her best to appear calm. She had a gut feeling. If she backed down carelessly now, she would never be able to catch Jung-hyuk again.

 

“Yes.”

 

The day she transferred to Hocheon High School. The students in the class were more interested in the ethics teacher than the new student. It started with a rumor that someone had seen Jung-hyuk coming out of a hotel during the summer vacation, and the classroom was in chaos.

 

However, no one dared to ask Jung-hyuk about the truth. The truth was still shrouded in mystery, but it didn’t matter.

 

From the beginning, what she wanted from Jung-hyuk wasn’t ‘a husband’s love.’

 

“That means.”

 

Jung-hyuk didn’t correct her, but rather stared directly at Eun-seol with a face that seemed to say, ‘Go on.’

 

“It means I will respect your private life more than anyone else.”

 

He muttered that she was impressive. Eun-seol didn’t care and continued.

 

“And I will fulfill my duties as a wife.”

 

“You mean you’ll have sex and have children?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Last time, when Jung-hyuk threatened that she would have to ‘do everything,’ Eun-seol had pondered it once again.

 

Could she sleep with the teacher and have children?

 

She was worried, but the conclusion was yes. The deliberation didn’t last long.

 

Jung-hyuk was the only adult she respected. If she didn’t expect love, he was more than qualified as a husband. If she was going to have a marriage that felt like being sold off anyway, she hoped the other party would be Jung-hyuk.

 

Once she thought that far, she suddenly felt hot.

 

“Your face.”

 

Jung-hyuk pointed out her reddened face in a low voice.

 

“Yes?”

 

Only then did Eun-seol realize that her cheeks were hot and covered her face with both hands. Seeing Eun-seol like that, Jung-hyuk said, “Continue.”

 

“Ah… um. And,”

 

Eun-seol tried to calm her mind and said the next words.

 

“I don’t expect any son-in-law… duties. Actually, I don’t have much of a family to speak of.”

 

He paused, saying “Hmm.” Eun-seol was subtly watching him, wondering if he was displeased.

 

“That doesn’t mean I won’t do my daughter-in-law duties. I’ll do well. Not as a condition, but with all my heart.”

 

Jung-hyuk already knew about her nature.

 

“I will become a wife who will never be a burden.”

 

Eun-seol said in a voice that was earnest without her realizing it.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Ah…”

 

“Speak comfortably.”

 

“…Please propose to me first.”

 

If this marriage, which felt like a transaction, were to happen, her family would be furious. She knew that she would have to face that storm as well. But was it too greedy of her to hope that the intensity would be lessened a little?

 

“I will.”

 

Jung-hyuk’s cool answer was as if he had read Eun-seol’s mind. Even though nothing had been decided yet, Eun-seol felt a little relieved.

 

“So, that’s all your conditions?”

 

He asked as if confirming, and Eun-seol opened her lips, saying “Ah.”

 

“I’ve been thinking about the duration of the marriage.”

 

“Thinking?”

 

“If you want a divorce in the future, I would appreciate it if you could maintain this marriage only until my grandfather is alive.”

 

She hoped that day would not come, but it would come someday. Having lost a loved one, Eun-seol felt the future more realistically than anyone else.

 

And this condition was the most desperate matter she was presenting. Only if this was established could Eun-seol marry Jung-hyuk.

 

“Let’s exclude that part from the negotiation conditions.”

 

At the sharp answer, Eun-seol’s heart plummeted.

 

“My view of marriage is quite conservative.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“There will be no divorce.”

 

Once you become my person.

 

Jung-hyuk’s additional words were unexpected. Somehow, his words sounded very reassuring to Eun-seol.

 

When she answered softly, “Yes,” this time Jung-hyuk said he would say what he wanted.

 

Eun-seol looked at Jung-hyuk with attentive eyes.

 

“Just do your part well.”

 

“Ah… yes.”

 

“And don’t do anything that can be criticized.”

 

“…For example?”

 

“Like meeting other people.”

 

Ah… so Jung-hyuk meant not to make a lover.

 

Eun-seol didn’t know what love was. She wasn’t interested, and she had never dreamed of it.

 

So, it wasn’t a difficult condition.

 

When Eun-seol nodded obediently, Jung-hyuk frowned deeply.

 

“Don’t think about it lightly.”

 

He continued as if teaching.

 

“Since you’re still young, it could be a losing marriage for you. You might be lonely, and you might see someone good soon.”

 

“No.”

 

Eun-seol said with a firm and resolute face.

 

“It’s not a losing marriage.”

 

It was when Jung-hyuk sighed lowly, looking at her repeatedly emphasizing.

 

“I’m not such a frivolous woman.”

 

Jung-hyuk’s gaze towards her deepened at Eun-seol’s answer.

 

As the silence, for an unknown reason, grew longer, Eun-seol felt anxious. Her heart fluttered like a flower that had not taken root.

 

“…Teacher?”

 

Eun-seol tilted her head.

 

“So.”

 

Jung-hyuk opened his mouth again.

 

“You will fulfill the duties of marriage, but you have no intention of sharing your heart.”

 

And he emphasized the concisely summarized point.

 

“…I can do it.”

 

Strangely, her heart ached, but Eun-seol answered as calmly as possible.

 

“Let’s stop here today.”

 

Jung-hyuk, who had stood up, issued an eviction order. Eun-seol asked, “Then…?” and stood up, following him.

 

“Let’s get married.”

 

Even though it was such a casual tone, Eun-seol’s heart pounded as if it had been bombed. It rang so loudly that her ears went numb, and she couldn’t say anything for a while.

 

Jung-hyuk’s straight gaze reached Eun-seol, who was like that. As if waiting for an answer, his gaze was already fixed on Eun-seol’s lips. Embarrassed, Eun-seol bit her lip.

 

Next, Jung-hyuk’s gaze reached Eun-seol’s eyes. The gazes, which had become entangled in an instant, were terribly hot. Eun-seol felt like she was being sucked into the obsidian-like eyes without resistance.

 

It was when she blushed, not knowing what to do with the strange current.

 

“The answer.”

 

It was Jung-hyuk’s heavy urging that broke the silence.

 

“…Okay.”

 

At Eun-seol’s answer, Jung-hyuk nodded slightly.

 

The two people who left the business room got on the glass elevator side by side. The fairly spacious space felt full with just Yoon Jung-hyuk alone.

 

Eun-seol felt like the oxygen density had suddenly become dense. All the air surrounding him was pressing down on this place at once.

 

Jung-hyuk’s spatial control was truly overwhelming. It was especially so in places with a small area.

 

Eun-seol quietly held her breath. It was the best she could do.

 

And she tried her best not to be conscious of Jung-hyuk. But it was useless. The tension that wouldn’t go away easily ran through her blood vessels and consumed her whole body.

 

Was it always like this when she stood in front of the teacher?

 

Because of her family’s nagging and ostracism, she didn’t have time to feel this way when she was in school. She was just exhausted.

 

But now it was really strange.

 

The big back standing in front of her just looked like a man.

 

The elevator barely arrived on the first floor. When a drunken man and woman came in, Jung-hyuk quickly wrapped his arm around Eun-seol’s shoulder and got off.

 

At the scent that rushed in, Eun-seol reflexively looked up. She saw his prominent Adam’s apple far above her. Feeling embarrassed for no reason, she quickly lowered her head.

 

“See you next week.”

 

Jung-hyuk said, catching a taxi in front of the hotel.

 

“…Will we see each other again?”

 

Eun-seol asked. At the clear question, he faintly frowned.

 

“You’re the person I’m going to marry.”

 

“…Yes?”

 

“We need to understand each other a little more.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Before the door closed, he said. Why is everything so okay? That low resonance lingered in Eun-seol’s ears for days.

 

 

Jung-hyuk, who returned to his main house, briefly revealed his intentions while having breakfast the next day. The eyes of the family looking at Jung-hyuk widened.

 

When Seol-gi muttered, “Jackpot…” Kyung-ha poked her daughter’s side.

 

“What did you just say?”

 

Il-sung asked again.

 

“I said I would marry Eun-seol.”

 

“Not Min-seo?”

 

This time, his father, Gwang-min, asked. Kyung-ha held her husband’s hand tightly.

 

Kyung-ha had heard the whole story from Jung-hyuk in advance last night.

 

She had always trusted and supported Jung-hyuk without reservation.

 

“I think I can do well with Eun-seol.”

 

Jung-hyuk answered.

 

“What does that mean?”

 

Il-sung asked again with a worried face.

 

Both families naturally thought that Jung-hyuk and Min-seo would get married. Both were the eldest son and eldest daughter of the big families, and Lee Eun-seol was a being who suddenly fell from the sky one day.

 

Min-seo was a child they had seen since she was a baby at family gatherings, but Eun-seol was not. That child’s birth was different from the start.

 

The youngest daughter of Director Mok secretly gave birth to a daughter.

 

As soon as she gave birth, the mother died, and the child was raised by her biological father, but he also died.

 

He heard that Director Mok eventually took in the child who had been wandering around her relatives’ houses.

 

Il-sung didn’t like it. After all, he couldn’t think of Min-seo, who had grown up brightly, and Eun-seol, who had grown up without proper parents, on the same line.

 

“I asked what it means.”

 

Il-sung urged again. Kyung-ha subtly watched her father-in-law’s expression.

 

“It means she is suitable as my wife.”

 

“In what ways?”

 

Gwang-min asked calmly.

 

“She’s a good kid.”

 

At Jung-hyuk’s answer, Il-sung’s face hardened coldly.

 

“Are you pitying that child?”

 

He meant; did he feel a sense of camaraderie? At that, Jung-hyuk opened his mouth, saying no.

 

“I’m attracted to her as a woman.”