Chapter – 36
Jian assumed that the reason the woman seemed uncomfortable was simply because she had unexpectedly run into strangers at a family gathering.
Soon, everyone got into the elevator that had just arrived.
After exchanging small talk, they quickly reached the underground parking lot.
“Uncle, Aunt. It was nice meeting you like this. Let’s see each other again sometime. Please stay healthy.”
Jian politely said goodbye together with Yugeon.
President Go and his wife also told Jian to take care and then headed toward where their car was parked.
“Those people… so they were acquaintances of your brother-in-law and sister.”
As they walked toward the car, President Go’s sister-in-law shook her head and spoke.
“Yes. Why? Do you know them too?”
“Well, not exactly… but once I happened to be sitting at the next table when those two were at a hotel café. It looked like they were on a blind date…”
“Oh really? That’s interesting. But how do you remember their faces so clearly? You were just sitting nearby.”
“They were both good-looking, so they stood out. And their voices carried over to my table, so I unintentionally overheard their conversation. It was a bit shocking. I assumed that would be the end of it… I never imagined they’d actually get married.”
“Huh? What did they say that was so shocking…?”
“What did you hear, sister-in-law?”
President Go and his wife tilted their heads in curiosity.
“Well, what surprised me back then was what the man said to the woman…”
She began recounting what had happened that day.
And as they listened—
President Go and his wife’s faces twisted unpleasantly in shock.
* * *
On Saturday afternoon, the two of them went to the exhibition as planned.
As they entered the gallery with its modern and sophisticated exterior, uniquely styled and artistic ceramic works were beautifully displayed.
Yugeon had been to quite a few painting and sculpture exhibitions before.
But since this was his first time at a ceramic exhibition, he found it rather interesting.
Doesn’t Eun Jian ever think about holding a solo exhibition? I could even build her a personal gallery. She could just quit her job and focus on being an artist… Or maybe start her own brand and collaborate with our hotel.
While Yugeon was busy imagining his wife’s future at someone else’s exhibition—
“Ah, that’s her over there.”
Jian spotted her senior, who was standing near the central exhibit, chatting with several people.
After waiting for the conversation to end, Jian and Yugeon approached her and greeted her.
“Unni! I’m here. Congratulations on your exhibition.”
“Jian! Thank you for coming. And what a beautiful bouquet—you’re like a flower yourself!”
Her senior happily hugged the bouquet Jian handed her.
“Oh! Jian’s husband came too. Hello.”
“Hello. My name is Cha Yugeon. I’ve heard a lot about you from Jian.”
They exchanged introductions.
“With Jian’s husband here, my works suddenly feel a bit intimidated.”
“I apologize. That wasn’t my intention.”
At his playful reply, the senior burst out laughing.
Seeing that, Jian remembered something her coworkers once said.
“The best comedian is a handsome man.”
“Right. Just looking at his face makes you smile.”
Jian thought to herself that apparently everyone felt the same way.
As proof, not only her senior but also the female visitors nearby kept glancing at Yugeon, smiling widely until their cheeks hurt.
After briefly catching up, Jian and Yugeon began viewing the exhibition.
“Come to think of it, I’ve never actually seen any ceramics made by you, Ms. Eun Jian.”
As he slowly walked while observing the pieces, Yugeon spoke.
“Ah, is that so? Oh—when we went to my dad’s house to make songpyeon before, remember the small plates we used? I made those.”
“Really? No wonder they were so pretty I almost wanted to steal them. When you have time, make a few for our house too. I feel like meals would taste better if we ate from dishes made by you.”
At his words, Jian’s lips curved shyly.
“Then… should I?”
“Yes. Or we could even build your own studio in the garden.”
And while we’re at it, we could recreate that pottery scene from “Ghost.”
Yugeon swallowed the last part of the sentence.
“Just hearing that makes me grateful. When I have time at the company studio, I’ll make a few and bring them.”
Jian chuckled and promised.
Although Jian said it wasn’t necessary, Yugeon had already decided he really would build her a personal studio in the garden.
After finishing the exhibition, they stepped outside and walked through the garden.
Since the cultural center had been built recently, the architecture itself was fun to admire. The garden was also neatly arranged.
Now, without making any excuses, the two naturally held hands while strolling.
Then—
“I’ll go to the restroom for a moment.”
Jian went back inside the building.
Left alone, Yugeon looked down at his empty hand.
“Why does it feel so lonely?”
He absentmindedly opened and closed his hand, chuckled softly, and began walking through the garden again.
Then—
“Hey, did you see Eun Jian earlier?”
“Yeah, I saw her.”
He suddenly heard men mentioning Jian’s name.
Yugeon stopped in his tracks and looked around.
Nearby were only groups of women; no men were visible.
Where are they talking from?
He listened carefully.
“You saw she came with her husband, right?”
“Yeah. The chaebol heir who’s always in the news. It’s wild. A college classmate becoming a rich family’s wife. Her life really turned around.”
Judging by the direction of the voices, they seemed to be near the corner of the building.
Since the men clearly didn’t seem friendly toward Jian, Yugeon quietly approached without making a sound.
“Man, I was seriously shocked. Eun Jian always acted so dignified back in college.”
“Dignified? Wasn’t she just friendly and nice?”
“No, I mean she always rejected guys because she supposedly had an unforgettable first love from when she was young.”
When she was young.
At those words, something in Yugeon’s chest throbbed.
So Jian’s love had been that old.
He didn’t like it.
“Ohhh, that’s why? There were tons of guys who got rejected by her. One of them was you, actually. You cried your eyes out drunk back then.”
“Hey, you bastard…”
Another man cursed as the others laughed.
“So that chaebol is the first love?”
“No way. I bet that first love never even existed. She probably made it up because she liked rich guys and needed an excuse to reject everyone else! I heard she married that chaebol through a blind date.”
Yugeon’s hand clenched into a fist.
Jian’s first love was not a lie.
He had read her diary filled with sincere feelings.
And even if she had chosen a rich man instead of her first love—so what?
The bitter jealousy of losers who clearly had no charm to make up for their lack of money was pathetic.
“Back then we all thought it was some eternal love or something. People tried all kinds of ways to set her up with guys.”
“Like what?”
“They told her that even if she met that guy again someday, she’d need dating experience to know whether he was really a good man or not—so she should try dating someone first. And she said what? That she didn’t need that to know he was a good person.”
“Whoa.”
“And when someone said she might still be single ten or twenty years later, she said she didn’t mind. Like some kind of virtuous widow.”
“Wow. Sounds like real love.”
“You idiot. And then she goes and marries a chaebol through a blind date! That’s why I’m saying it was all a lie!”
“Well… maybe that first love is the chaebol.”
That guess from the jealous man’s friend was reasonable.
But unfortunately, Yugeon knew it was wrong.
Because he had met Jian for the very first time at the blind date.
