Chapter 13
At the same time, Jin Songhwa, Jae-gyeom’s mother on the family register, was holed up in her study, reading. To all appearances, it looked like an elegant madam’s reading, but in truth, not a single printed word entered her eyes. She merely repeated the act of mechanically, slowly turning the pages. It was her own way of managing her anger and pent-up fury.
“How dare he leave before I’ve even finished speaking? Like mother, like son, indeed. A vulgar creature.”
This was how she had been quietly simmering down her rage alone in the study for nearly thirty years now. All these negative emotions were directed solely at Kim Jae-gyeom.
Unlike herself, who had naturally accepted the marriage arranged between their families before university graduation, her husband had refused the marriage. She had even come to learn that there was another woman he wanted to marry.
In her own study, separate from her husband’s, she vented her stress by spitting out curses alone. It was a method unique to Mrs. Jin, one she had mastered from the moment she accepted that she had to marry a man who did not want her.
“What? You’ll marry whomever you please? You, of all people? Do you think anything will ever go your way from now on?”
Unlike her trembling voice, her fingertips continued turning pages at the same pace. Her upright posture remained unchanged as well. At last, the final page of a thick book was closed. With a deep sigh, Mrs. Jin shelved the book and picked up her mobile phone. The moment the other party answered, she began acting with a smiling face, as though she had put on a mask.
“President Kang. Hello. I received the truffles you sent as a Chuseok gift.”
— Mrs. Jin. How have you been! The gift was so humble that I only left a message with your secretary, and I’m honored that you’ve called me personally. Thanks to you introducing me to so many madams, I’m living as the industry’s top matchmaker. Is Chairman Yoon doing well also?
The insubstantial pleasantries between Mrs. Jin, the mistress of Daeyoon Group, fourth in the domestic hierarchy, and President Kang, a matchmaker who straddled the worlds of politics, business, and high society—commonly known as a “madame tout”—passed back and forth a few more times.
“You know better than anyone that I’m a busy person, President Kang… The reason I’m calling today isn’t simply to chat, but because I have a matter to discuss.”
— Yes, Mrs. Jin. Please go ahead. What kind of help can I offer?
Finally, the time had come to seize Kim Jae-gyeom by the throat. She would strip him of everything he had. The first thing would be his freedom. Mrs. Jin spoke lightly, still with a smiling voice.
“You may have already heard the rumor, President Kang. Not many people know yet, but we do live in a world without secrets… There is one more son between my husband and me.”
— I see…
Mrs. Jin calmly and solemnly briefly informed him about Jae-gyeom. That he was a son Chairman Yoon had fathered outside, but was of course on their family register. That he was twenty-eight this year and would soon begin working within the group.
“I want to marry him off quickly and have him start a family.”
— Yes. Understood, Mrs. Jin. Then for the prospective daughter-in-law’s family, we should match the level with Daeyoon Group in various respects, correct?
“President Kang, I didn’t take you for the type to be a bit slow on the uptake.”
— Pardon?
“I believe I just explained it clearly enough to understand. A son the Chairman fathered ‘outside.’ Doesn’t the matter of level apply only to my ‘biological son’?”
Mrs. Jin reproached President Kang’s sense for making her utter such blunt words. The atmosphere, briefly frozen, was smoothed over as President Kang quickly adopted a deferential posture.
— Mrs. Jin. I’m truly sorry. Even after doing this work for so long, my perceptiveness is still this lacking. Which type of daughter-in-law candidate should I report to you? Would a somewhat lacking family background be better, or would you be more comfortable with one slightly inferior in wealth or education?
Only then did Mrs. Jin’s expression relax. On the other end of the line, President Kang added cautiously, his heart trembling.
— Perhaps an actress or a model? A suitable female celebrity, with a family background below average.
“Now we’re speaking the same language, President Kang.”
Mrs. Jin conveyed her business in a most grave voice and ended the call.
“Friends who are deep thinkers or interested in management are troublesome. Find me someone who knows to fear money. I don’t care much for a daughter-in-law who’s too clever. You understand what I mean, don’t you? A daughter-in-law who listens well to me… that’s what I want to see.”
— Yes, I understand well.
Looking at the ended call, Mrs. Jin wore a chilling smile.
She would ruin Yoon Jae-gyeom—no, Kim Jae-gyeom. She could not leave Kim Jae-gyeom, that enormous blemish on her life, as he was. But no one must ever know these feelings of hers. Externally, she would remain the kind, cultured stepmother who generously embraced even an illegitimate child.
To the very end.
It had been nearly two weeks since they agreed to call each other lovers, and two weeks since they had last seen each other’s faces.
After starting their relationship and Jae-gyeom returning to Gyechon-ri, the two spent faithful days in their respective places. Jae-gyeom focused on his work at the auto shop, and Jisu worked hard toward finding new employment. At least the Chuseok holiday would begin in two days, and since Jisu would go to Gyechon, both were counting down the days, waiting eagerly for tomorrow alone to pass quickly.
— Long-distance relationships… they’re no joke. Every time I hear your voice, I miss you—what am I supposed to do about this? I really need to get to Seoul quickly.
Because of Jae-gyeom’s rather serious voice, Jisu chuckled. She missed him just the same.
— Don’t laugh. Just hearing Im Jisu’s laughter makes it hard for me.
“What’s so hard about it?”
— You know, so why pretend not to. Ha… It’s so painful. I wish Jisu were next to me right now.
“… I know. I want to be with you too.”
— Jisu. Did you get your train ticket as a seated one?
“Oh, right. I guess I didn’t tell you? Of course I got it!”
Actually, for this Chuseok, she had planned to go down to her mother’s with Youngbaek, so Jisu hadn’t booked a train ticket. Up until then, she had planned to ride in the car Youngbaek had given her.
But after completely cutting ties with Youngbaek and returning the car, the first thing Jisu did was secure a train ticket to go home for Chuseok. She had been frequenting the train ticket booking site every single day, and a few days ago she bought round-trip standing tickets, and today she had finally snagged a seat.
“But… from Seoul Station to Gyeongju, it’s standing.”
— …You’re only sitting from Gyeongju to Gyechon? Barely thirty minutes?
“Now, now, Yoon Jae-gyeom. Could you think positively? Getting even that ticket is something to be grateful for! Anyway, isn’t it good that you get to sit at least a little?”
Jisu boasted in a lively voice that she had also gotten a seated ticket for the trip from Gyechon up to Seoul. That one also required standing for more than half the route, but she thought it was truly fortunate nonetheless.
— Right. Our Jisu is correct. We should think positively. It must have been really hard to get even that kind of ticket—you’re admirable, Im Jisu.
“Ever since I started dating you, it’s been nothing but good things. Thank you, Jae-gyeom.”
This was Jisu’s sincere feeling. She had worried that she might not even get a standing ticket and would be stuck alone in Seoul for the entire holiday, so she was glad just to be able to go down to Gyechon, but after starting her new relationship with Jae-gyeom, she had immediately received an interview offer and had gone to that interview last week.
Because of Kim Youngbaek, Jisu had even had to quit a good company that was number one in the domestic asset management industry. She recalls Youngbaek’s mother, who had shed tears saying, “I want my son to live being cared for by his wife; it breaks my heart to see a daughter-in-law who works outside walking on eggshells.” It wasn’t that she had submitted her resignation because she couldn’t withstand such pressure… Jisu shakes her head vigorously, brushing away regret about the past.
“You haven’t forgotten that you said you’d buy me something delicious if I pass, right? Pick out what you want to eat in advance.”
— Ah, our Jisu is really so cute. If only you were next to me right now. I would have kissed you to my heart’s content. Your lips, your forehead, the tip of your nose, your neck, and below that…
