Husband Role - Episode 48

Jung-hyuk’s composure brought a sense of normalcy to the funeral. From then on, Jung-hyuk stayed by his wife’s side, unwavering.

The other family members couldn’t bring themselves to look at the couple even once.

They were all terrified after seeing Dae-hyuk, who always had the loudest voice in the family, subdued instantly.

Thus, the outsider couple could focus solely on mourning.

Soon, the encoffining ceremony began, and the family members all entered the chamber.

Bong-cheol looked peaceful, as if he were merely asleep. It was hard to believe that he wasn’t breathing.

The funeral director assisted with the proceedings. Each family member offered their final farewell to Bong-cheol.

Jung-hyuk spoke softly to Eun-seol.

“Eun-seol, you too.”

Eun-seol shook her head. In Jung-hyuk’s eyes, it seemed as though she was trying to sever ties with her grandfather.

“Even so.”

It was a face she would never see again. Jung-hyuk knew better than anyone there what Bong-cheol meant to Eun-seol.

“Is there anyone else who wishes to say goodbye?”

The funeral director inquired. The family members affirmed with silence amidst their weeping.

“Just a moment.”

Having bought some time, Jung-hyuk took Eun-seol’s hand and approached Bong-cheol.

A man who had lived tirelessly for over 80 years was now in eternal rest.

A gentle smile, so characteristic of him, was etched upon Bong-cheol’s closed eyes.

‘Eun-seol.’

It was as if he could hear his voice.

‘My little granddaughter.’

He could almost hear his hearty laughter.

‘My puppy.’

The phantom sounds caused a burning sensation in Eun-seol’s throat. She frowned and pressed her fist against her chest. Her chest felt so constricted that it felt as if it would burst silently.

“Grand father…”

A sound, never to be uttered again, escaped her parched lips. It suddenly struck Eun-seol with a sense of reality.

He was gone.

To a distant place from which he could never return, forever.

And once again, Eun-seol was left behind.

“…Thank you… for the warmth.”

She felt a vibration as if her small body was about to explode. It was the dam of sorrow that she had barely managed to hold back until now.

“I…”

Her heart crumbled so much that it was difficult to speak.

How can I let you go?

How?

“I wa…”

Now that he was gone, there were so many things she wanted to say. But the words wouldn’t come out. Her mind was a mess.

It seemed impossible to pour out all the gratitude, apologies, and love she felt in this fleeting moment.

“…Goodbye, sob, Dad…”

To her, Bong-cheol had been a replacement for her father, whom she had lost early in life. It was clear that she was also a daughter to Bong-cheol.

“Go… and… sob, meet… sob.”

Grandfather’s daughter.

That is, our mother.

“…and…”

Please be well.

And rest in peace.

Those words wouldn’t leave her lips. Instead, she stared endlessly at Bong-cheol, stroking his wrinkled face over and over again. As she brushed his nose, she truly felt no breath.

It was real.

This death was.

No. Don’t go. Open your eyes. Stay with me a little longer. You told me to live in my name. You have to see that. And my child. You have to hold them once. You have to. Leaving now… is too cruel.

“Sob…”

Eun-seol slid to the floor. And after pounding her chest, she collapsed and wept.

“Aaaah…”

A wail like a scream erupted. It was a sound of grief that could only come from someone being torn apart.

“Haaaah—!”

Jung-hyuk embraced the struggling Eun-seol. Eun-seol’s fists struck him, then his chest, then the floor, collapsing again and again.

Finally, a house-sized sorrow swallowed Eun-seol whole.

It was the moment of engulfment she had so feared.

Lost in grief, Eun-seol was caught by claws and pulled into the black water. It was a desolate prison where death would have been preferable.

________________________________________

After the funeral, Eun-seol looked more precarious than ever.

To Jung-hyuk, it seemed as though she was letting go of a piece of her life.

A sense of depression deeper than the vast ocean.

He had witnessed it once before.

It was exactly how his own mother had looked before she died.

The two are different.

The people are different, and the situations are different.

He knew that, but Jung-hyuk couldn’t shake off his anxiety.

At some point, Eun-seol had become his top priority, above all else.

He had always harbored vague fears and rejections because he knew that the emotion of love could control a person so completely.

As he feared, he was now facing a situation that he couldn’t control.

Moreover, his thoughts were consumed by his heart.

He wanted to stay by his wife’s side.

He couldn’t think of anything else. Everything besides Eun-seol felt meaningless.

So, Jung-hyuk went to see the chairman of SD Group.

‘You’ve come a long way. Did you manage the funeral well?’

The chairman asked.

Jung-hyuk bowed and thanked him for his concern, then immediately got to the point.

‘I would like to request an indefinite leave of absence.’

It might be an arrogant idea, but it was an alternative he was offering for the sake of the organization. In other words, he was giving the company a reason to hold onto him.

He meant that if they guaranteed his position upon his return, he would devote himself to the company after his personal affairs had stabilized.

‘You’re quite presumptuous.’

The chairman, having read his intentions, continued.

‘You came all the way to my office just to tell me you’re going to leave your post.’

‘I apologize.’

‘It would be quite troublesome for you if you were to be on my bad side, but what courage brought you here? Judging by your expression, it seems you have a resignation letter in your heart. Why don’t you just take it out?’

It seemed that negotiations would be difficult.

Jung-hyuk immediately conceded.

After all, it was a proposal that wasn’t in the manual, and even if the discussion went well, his direct superior wouldn’t stand idly by.

He was also tired of constantly having to be cautious.

‘I understand. Then I will proceed according to procedure.’

‘So, you’re determined to be at odds with me.’

‘I’m sorry, but I don’t care.’

The chairman was silent for a moment at Jung-hyuk’s reply, then burst into laughter.

‘Well, sometimes you have to give up everything to protect what’s yours.’

‘Does that mean…’

‘Instead, when you come back, you’ll have to use that heart for the company.’

He asked repeatedly if he could do that.

‘I will.’

Having turned his back on the company, Jung-hyuk returned to Seoul.

Gwang-min asked what had happened and the reason for it, while Kyung-ha stopped her husband from interfering. Seol-gi was thoughtlessly happy. Conversely, Il-sung was in a state of lethargy since Bong-cheol’s death and didn’t pay much attention to his grandson.

In any case, Jung-hyuk was now able to be by Eun-seol’s side.

Jung-hyuk had always been busy whenever his wife was going through a difficult time. It had always bothered him, but now he felt at ease just being able to be with her.

He quietly filled his place, attending to Eun-seol’s basic needs like a secretary.

Eun-seol would habitually say thank you, but she seemed like someone who had left half of her mind somewhere else.

She was dazed, smiled faintly, and had trouble falling asleep night after night.

“Are you going to be okay alone?”

Jung-hyuk, dressed in a suit for the first time in a while, asked Eun-seol.

“You’ll be back soon.”

Eun-seol said, handing Jung-hyuk his leather gloves. He took them and put them on, gazing silently at his wife.

How much sorrow could she be holding in that small body?

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

Jung-hyuk asked. Eun-seol shook her head once. Then, as if realizing something, she added that her mother’s food was the best.

He felt sorry for Eun-seol, who was considerate of him even in this situation. She was someone who was inherently incapable of thinking only of herself.

“I’ll be back soon.”

He said again, and she gave him a faint smile. Leaving his wife, who was waving her slender arm weakly, Jung-hyuk headed to the Hocheon Foundation office.

________________________________________

After parking in the above-ground parking lot, Jung-hyuk entered the square building made entirely of glass. He was in a hurry, so his strides were large. When he arrived at the conference room, more than half of the board members were already seated.

On the opposite side, he saw people with cameras around their necks. They were reporters.

He headed to the center of the arched table. There, Jung-hyuk’s nameplate was placed. It was his seat, as had been agreed in advance.

Then, someone handed him a small microphone. Jung-hyuk took it and bowed.

“Hello, I’m Yoon Jung-hyuk, an outside director.”

The sound of flashes going off filled the room.

Jung-hyuk sat down and opened his mouth again.

“There are still 10 minutes left. Let’s start when everyone is here.”

He was scheduled to hold a press conference today as the representative for the Hocheon Hospital medical malpractice case.

The founder, Il-sung, was elderly and hadn’t shown his face at the stand for a long time. In fact, it was Jung-hyuk’s father, Yoon Gwang-min, who had always stood on the podium in every position representing Hocheon.

But this time, he decided not to step forward himself.

Gwang-min’s position was that it would be morally difficult to immediately reveal the sins of his son at this time, not long after Bong-cheol’s passing.

Jung-hyuk fully understood his father’s position.

It was because the two families had a long history of building friendship up to the second generation.

But Jung-hyuk was different. He had nothing to lose.

Moreover, he could no longer forgive everything that had been done to Eun-seol.

That was why he was standing in front of the reporters.

As a descendant of the Yoon family and an outside director, he was more than qualified to break through the current situation.

Ten minutes passed, and the promised seats were filled.

Jung-hyuk picked up the microphone and opened his mouth.

“Before we take questions, I would like to state our position first.”

And so, the press conference began.

________________________________________

After the two-hour conference, Jung-hyuk rushed home. The sound of tires screeching from speeding occurred one after another.

It was because he couldn’t reach his wife.

A strange anxiety rose from the bottom of his heart like black smoke.

His neck was crawling with goosebumps, and his stomach was cramping intermittently.

It’s just nerves.

He tried to shake off the chill by thinking that, but it was useless.

He just drove the car at lightning speed, keeping his senses sharp. He zigzagged through the dense traffic, constantly speeding.

Soon after, Jung-hyuk entered the grand gate and didn’t even make it to the garage. In his haste, he abandoned the car in front of the garden and ran.

Time flowed too slowly, as if he were trapped in water.

He barely reached the front door and pressed the number pad. A blue light flashed annoyingly along with a warning sound that the password was incorrect.

“…Damn it!”

He banged on the door once out of frustration, then pressed the numbers again. This time, he heard the sound of the lock opening.

He ran into the master bedroom with his shoes on.

It can’t be.

It can’t be.

The blood drained from his face as he turned the doorknob with a rough breath.

“Eun-seol!”

Next to his wife, who had collapsed on the bed, a pure white pill bottle was rolling around.

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