Husband Role - Episode 42

Monday morning,

“But is it really okay for me to come along?”

Eun-seol, who had gotten into the passenger seat, asked while pulling on her seatbelt.

“I was wondering if you were just asking out of politeness, and I just jumped at the chance without reading the room.”

“Why would I ask if I didn’t mean it?”

Uselessly, Jung-hyuk clicked his tongue and turned the steering wheel.

Eun-seol’s heart fluttered for no reason. She was happy with his reaction, as if it were natural for them to be together.

So, she wasn’t just baggage anymore.

“Then I’ll be left alone at the accommodation, and you’ll be going to a meeting or something? I’d be worried for no reason.”

Eun-seol chattered like a fox, saying things she didn’t mean. She wanted to hear it again. Jung-hyuk’s answer that he still wanted her to come along.

“It’s not a tight schedule, so it’s okay.”

He added that all he had to do was guide the hastily hired Korean industrial divers and directly check the conditions of the workplace and accommodation there.

“So, are you going as some kind of manager…?”

“I’m going to meet the local manager. The rest will be followed up on from Ulsan, so I only need to go this once.”

“Ah… so it’s a simple but important business trip? Since you’re going as SD’s representative?”

Eun-seol, who was quick to understand, asked with serious eyes.

“Something like that. To listen to the workers’ stories, adjust for poor conditions, and stuff like that.”

He said it simply, but as Eun-seol said, it was a very important task.

He had to negotiate all matters with just one visit.

In conclusion, the work-life balance of all SD employees, including industrial divers, for half a year or even a year, would be determined by his negotiation skills.

“But they don’t have divers there? Why are our people going all the way there…?”

“What are you so curious about?”

Jung-hyuk chuckled and chided her.

“…I’m curious about what you do.”

“It gets complicated if you go too deep.”

“Still.”

The main trigger was the sinking of a ship off the eastern coast of Australia.

The role of the barge was crucial for launching the ship.

The country had generously supported the repair budget for the floating dock in preparation for this.

However, the middle manager had embezzled it for several years.

Due to long-term neglect, the floating dock malfunctioned, and eventually, the situation became impossible to resolve on its own.

SD Heavy Industries acquired it, and Jung-hyuk was put in charge of the project.

“Wow… that must be a lot of pressure on your shoulders.”

Eun-seol sighed softly. It was the first time she had heard about her husband’s work in such detail. It was fascinating and interesting. She wanted to hear as much of his story as possible.

“Is this kind of talk interesting?”

Jung-hyuk glanced at his wife, whose eyes were sparkling, and asked in an awkward voice.

“Yes! I want to know everything about what you’ve experienced. Which client employee you hated, what the cafeteria menu was, and how bad the traffic was on the way home.”

I really want to know everything.

Then, Eun-seol talked for a long time about why she thought this way.

Jung-hyuk listened to Eun-seol’s voice, which was like a song, and quietly stepped on the pedal. It felt like he was going on a trip, not a business trip.

Eun-seol was already small, but he thought it would be nice if she could be even smaller and fit in his pocket.

It was an impossible wish, so he would have to be satisfied with the bride keychain.

There was plenty of time until boarding. So, the couple went into a cafe in the airport and sat side by side at the window bar. Each of them had a drink in front of them.

The weather was clear with not a cloud in the sky. The air conditioning made the indoors pleasant, and being with each other was blissfully good.

Instead of the open view, they only looked at each other. Eun-seol mainly talked, and Jung-hyuk listened. The difference in the amount of talking was as big as the difference in their size.

“Was it that good?”

Jung-hyuk asked in response. Eun-seol had been talking for a long time about how wonderful the view of the Taehwa River in Ulsan was.

“Yes. I think it would be great to have a beer on the terrace in the fall.”

“I’ll buy a table.”

“Can we really go again?”

She felt strangely anxious. And soon, she realized why.

We have never shared our hearts.

She wished he would say it first, but it seemed difficult given her husband’s personality.

So, Eun-seol suddenly made a decision.

When I arrive in Australia, I will say it first.

I like you.

From now on, I will only love you comfortably.

And I will ask.

…How do you feel?

“Anytime.”

When Eun-seol stared at Jung-hyuk, he repeated.

“You can come anytime. It’s your house too.”

It wasn’t the words of affection she wanted to hear. But it felt like she had heard a story that was just as good.

Thump, thump, her heart beat loudly.

Wouldn’t it burst like this?

She was worried.

“Eun-seol, your face.”

He pointed out her reddened face.

“Ah… it’s nothing.”

She turned her head away, feeling embarrassed for no reason. That’s when Jung-hyuk gently cupped Eun-seol’s cheek and said.

“It’s time, let’s go.”

“Y-yes…” she barely managed to answer, and at that moment, Eun-seol’s phone rang.

In an instant, the noise in the airport stopped, and only the ringtone felt frighteningly loud.

Her heart turned cold. Sometimes, a person’s intuition is too strange.

“Aren’t you going to answer it?”

Jung-hyuk asked.

Eun-seol said she should answer it and took her phone out of her crossbody bag. The caller was Gyeongha.

Eun-seol suppressed her ominous premonition and swiped the green phone button.

“Yes, Mother.”

And she answered the phone in a voice that was as normal as possible.

—Eun-seol, what should we do?

Gyeongha’s voice, which was always calm, was vaguely trembling. Suddenly, Eun-seol’s heart plummeted.

“Did something… happen?”

She asked, swallowing hard without realizing it. Please, please. Let it be nothing. Nothing at all.

It was when Bong-cheol’s face flashed through her mind.

—Director Mok has disappeared, you need to come quickly.

Jung-hyuk quickly supported Eun-seol, whose legs had given way.

And he snatched her phone and listened to the explanation instead of his wife.

He quickly finished assessing the situation, took care of Eun-seol, and immediately left the airport.

He rushed to the Seongbuk police station.

But Jung-hyuk couldn’t stay long. It was a business trip he had to take today.

“Mother, please take care of Eun-seol.”

Jung-hyuk, who had entrusted Eun-seol to Gyeongha, had to return to the airport alone. It was Gyeongha who barely sent him away, as he felt like he was going crazy because he couldn’t bring himself to leave.

The CCTV facing the front gate clearly captured the situation in question.

It was around 3 p.m. on a leisurely Sunday afternoon.

Min-seo, with a somewhat annoyed expression, burst out of the front gate, and about 10 minutes later.

Bong-cheol, wearing a hemp shirt and mismatched slippers, followed and passed through the entrance.

—Ji-young.

—Daughter~.

—Mok Ji-young~~!

He called out the name of his dead daughter in succession and wandered around, soon disappearing from the screen.

A few minutes later, Min-seo was seen entering the house with a black bag. And a few minutes later, she ran out in a hurry and shouted.

—Grandpa!! Ah, damn it, where’s Grandpa?!

—Grandpa!!!

She stamped her feet and soon took out her phone and called someone.

It must have been So-hee.

So-hee, who had been contacted by Min-seo, immediately came to Bong-cheol’s house to confirm the truth.

And Min-seo, Jun-seo, and So-hee, the three of them, wandered around Seongbuk-dong until the sun went down and then reported it.

Later, Dae-hyuk was furious when he heard the news.

He had been agonizing over it all night, but two hours ago, he had told Gyeongha about the situation, as everyone would find out anyway.

“The police said… it would have been a little more hopeful if we had reported it right away.”

Gyeongha said in a sad voice. The voice of the caregiver, who was lamenting that it was her fault, could also be heard faintly from behind.

The police, who had been reverse-tracking Bong-cheol’s movements with security CCTV, said that Bong-cheol’s last known location was near Maebongsan Mountain in Mapo. They added that the surrounding area was rugged and there were no separate reports, so they were having difficulties.

Amid the reluctant police officers, Eun-seol went to Min-seo. And asked in a choked voice.

“Why didn’t you report it sooner?”

“I, I thought I could find him quickly!”

Min-seo answered, stepping back.

“Why did you leave the door open?”

“How would I know Grandpa was going to go out?”

It was Min-seo’s habit to raise her voice when she felt guilty.

“If only we had reported it sooner… if only…!”

Eun-seol’s eyes, glaring at Min-seo, turned red.

Even in this situation, So-hee stepped in, replacing Dae-hyuk, who was absent due to work.

“What’s the point of blaming the reason now?”

“Why did she go to Grandpa’s house?”

This time, she questioned So-hee.

“You’ve never been there before. You’ve always pretended not to know, you’ve all just pretended not to know. But why…!”

Eun-seol’s voice rose without her realizing it.

To Eun-seol, Bong-cheol’s disappearance was like a disaster where the sky was falling and the earth was collapsing. He was the only blood relative who had embraced her. She couldn’t lose him like this.

“Fuck!”

Min-seo cursed as if she couldn’t stand it.

“Then you should have watched him better—! Why did you suddenly act up and make me go there—! Huh!”

She screamed with a face full of resentment.

At that moment, terrifying anger engulfed Eun-seol’s entire body.

I can’t forgive you.

It was when she clenched her fist with a dark face.

Someone hugged Eun-seol tightly from behind. It was Gyeongha.

Eun-seol, stop. Stop it. Let’s calm down. okay?

Eun-seol suddenly collapsed at the familiar voice that her whole body remembered.

“Sob, Mother…”

“Yes, yes. Mom is here, Seol.”

Gyeongha comforted her in a tearful voice. Eun-seol cried in her mother-in-law’s arms for a while, then gave Min-seo one more warning and left the police box.

I had to find Grandpa.

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