The Greatest Asset
The next day, Kim Youngae laid out her husband's clothes and tie on the bed out of habit. It was preparation for dinner.
Her husband, who had been one of her father's subordinates, always stopped by home first to dress in his finest before meeting his father-in-law-turned-boss. Within the frame of their family, the person her husband wanted to impress most wasn't his wife. She told herself it couldn't be helped. Their relationship hadn't started with love, after all.
It had begun with her one-sided crush. Her father, sensing her feelings, decided to bring the man in as his son-in-law, and under his arrangement, the two of them started seeing each other. Even so, she had been happy. He was her first love, after all.
Kim Youngae, who had never shown much interest in the opposite sex besides her husband, had given him her first kiss, her first time—everything. Their honeymoon. Painful, yes, but spiritually fulfilling as the moment she became someone's woman. In those early days after marriage, she had felt like the happiest woman in the world.
But the husband who had been so kind and considerate before and even right after their wedding gradually turned into a curt, unfeeling man. Days passed that were far from the happy life she had dreamed of. Unlike her father, who devoted himself to both work and family, her husband was a workaholic. After receiving her father-in-law's permission and support to start his own business, that trait only intensified.
Years went by, and Kim Youngae had no choice but to admit that her husband was very different from her father. She felt a growing distance from the man who should have been closest to her. He treated her almost like his boss's daughter.
The emotion she felt most during their marriage was loneliness. If only she could have a child. But she couldn't get pregnant. Left alone in an empty house, she felt herself aging day by day. The stress was so severe it affected her health, but confessing to her parents was unthinkable. She didn't want to disappoint them, believing as they did that she and her husband were living blissfully.
Even in her darkest, loneliest moments, when her chest ached and she wanted to pour out her troubles, she held back. She couldn't betray her parents' ironclad belief that their only daughter had married the man she wanted and was happy.
In truth, if her dream hadn't been raising a child with the man she loved and being cherished by him, it might not have been such a big problem. In her upper-class circle, distant marital relations were all too common. Even now, over ten years into the marriage, her parents hadn't noticed the coldness between her and her husband. Aside from leaving her in loneliness, he was perfect husband material in every other way.
"Haaah..."
Sighing deeply as memories of the past flooded back, Kim Youngae undressed. She wanted a shower to lift her spirits. Entering the bathroom, she caught her reflection in the mirror: a voluptuous, sensual figure close to a Western ideal, a beautiful face that looked early thirties. Thanks to yesterday's visit to the hair salon for styling, she seemed even more alluring than usual. Comparing herself to women in their twenties at their peak, she felt a twinge of pride.
At the same time, the man who had occupied her body and heart for the past month came to mind. Just a few months ago, under immense stress, she had looked older than her age despite consistent care—a premature aging. But after entering a deep relationship with her masseur, she had reclaimed her youth.
'He said... it's the natural change in a woman who feels truly cherished.'
Was it because of those memories from the past month? Now, just thinking of him made her body heat up. Over ten years into marriage, she had been ignorant of sexual pleasure. Sex with her husband brought spiritual joy—being held by the man she loved, the act of making a child—but no physical ecstasy.
Before knowing pleasure, it hadn't mattered much. She assumed everyone lived that way and let it go. When her friend Park Mijeong occasionally described orgasms as feeling like flying or her body moving on its own when it was too good, it sounded like tales from another world, but since she'd never experienced it, it didn't resonate.
So Kim Youngae thought she was simply insensitive to sexual things. But she was wrong. Over the past month, under his tutelage, her body had fully blossomed. Now, just imagining him made her wet down there.
'But now...'
With a touch of melancholy, she showered and finished preparing for dinner. Just then, the door lock chimed, and her husband entered.
"You're back?"
"Where's the outfit?"
Without even a greeting, her husband spoke. That indifference stabbed at her heart.
'Maybe my husband and I would have been better off as the boss's daughter and her close oppa.'
Lately, every time she saw him, that thought crossed her mind. Perhaps he had married her not out of love, but on the orders of the boss he respected.
Swallowing her sorrow, she replied to her husband. "On the bed... I picked out a tie too."
No response. He changed and handed her the tie, which she looped around his neck. Their faces drew close, eyes meeting. His gaze held no emotion.
'If it were him, he would have kissed me.'
His eyes on her had always been soft and burning, making her feel caressed by his gaze alone. Knowing she shouldn't, she compared her husband to him.
They arrived at the restaurant on time, where her waiting parents came into view.
"Father-in-law!"
Her husband's blank face lit up, his steps quickening. Watching, Kim Youngae felt a strange pang. A son-in-law treats his father-in-law specially because he's the father of the woman he loves. But hers was still just his boss's subordinate.
Inside the upscale restaurant, as they ate, her father asked, "Park, any news on a child yet?"
Her husband looked apologetic. "I'm sorry. We're trying, but no news yet..."
Listening, Kim Youngae thought, Trying? Our last time was over ten years ago. The child issue was the one thing she had pushed her always-compliant husband on. But he was indifferent even to that. Seeing him grovel before her father, when he never apologized to her, stirred complex feelings.
"Sigh... I have no other children besides Youngae, so unless it's her, no grandchildren for me. You know that, right?"
"Yes, Father-in-law."
"Try harder. Youngae, take good care of your health too. Your face looks much healthier lately, so that's a relief."
"Yes, Father."
The topic shifted. "Park, how's business these days?"
"Yes, Father-in-law. Going smoothly."
Even as president of his own firm, he spoke like a subordinate reporting to his boss.
"Last time, you mentioned a small snag. Resolved well?"
"Yes. Planning to bolster sales staff to handle idle real estate."
He shouldn't answer like that.
Her father valued rationality and efficiency. Hiring staff blindly to solve problems wasn't his style. Sure enough, her father scolded him.
"Park, I've told you before: don't just avoid situations. Even with spare funds, fix the root issue. I always say efficiency is key!"
Pitying her husband, who looked like a scolded employee, she interjected. "Father, he's hiring minimally and managing risk through an MOU with a land auction firm for subdivided sales. He told me before."
"Ah, is that so? Not a bad approach. Semi-outsourcing via MOU works. Is that right, Park?"
"...Yes, it is."
"Good timing—I know people on the Sejong New City development. I'll connect you. Proceed that way."
"Thank you, Father-in-law."
Dinner ended. After seeing her parents off, she and her husband got in the car.
"...Darling. I've told you not to butt in when I'm talking to Father-in-law."
His tone was heavy. "Th-that's..."
"Are you the president?"
"...No."
"Then why answer on your own? I was going to mention the company plan anyway."
"..."
Instead of replying, Kim Youngae stared at her husband's stiff face. Supporting her husband's work was a wife's duty. So why was she bearing his anger?
She used to see his stern demeanor as charismatic, the mark of an elder husband, and obeyed meekly. But now? He just looked insensitive and irritable.
Suddenly, she realized an emotion swelling inside her.
'I want to be cherished.'
As she lost herself in thought, her husband, composure regained, said indifferently, "Business trip starting tomorrow. Heading straight from the office, so keep that in mind."
'I want to be loved.'
Her husband got out. Just before the door closed, she mustered courage. "H-honey."
He didn't reply but looked at her expectantly.
"D-do I look any different?"
"What nonsense is that all of a sudden?"
The door slammed shut. She quietly moved from passenger to driver's seat. Loneliness turned to emptiness. Her husband could never give her what she craved.
The next day at lunch, Kim Youngae headed to their meeting spot.
"Whoa, you've gotten so much prettier in just a few days? New hairstyle?"
At those words, she felt her emotions surge beyond control.
"Yeah... I got my hair done."
Forcing a smile, tears still trailed down her cheeks. Feeling his surprised arms embrace her, Kim Youngae wept endlessly.