Chapter 244: Melancholy
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 244: Melancholy
I took another step forward and quietly sat on the edge of the bed. Her makeup and hair were already a complete mess, but seeing the tear-streaked lines, I could tell just how much effort she had put into them. Jang Ye Ri deliberately turned her back to me and spoke.
“I told you I have no intention of being with you. It’s not like someone like me even registers in your eyes, is it?”
“............................”
I suspected she might have noticed the subtle bond between Choi Seulgi and me. She was right.
There was a reason why Choi Seulgi had said she felt a little relieved, why she had maintained a relaxed demeanor the entire time, and why she got along so well with the other women. Even with the idea of repaying a debt from a past life, it was impossible for that Choi Seulgi not to feel jealous. She was confident in her bond with me, and it seemed she had halfway confirmed it. I couldn't help but realize that during the family meetings and gatherings with the other women, my gaze had lingered on Choi Seulgi quite often.
To be precise, my eyes were always following Choi Seulgi.
It was the same when we first met, the same when Laveua’s name came up, and the same when other topics were discussed.
‘Don’t you dare show blatant favoritism. It’s fine to take care of her a little when the kids aren’t around, but if you keep looking out for only one person, being nice to only one person, and watching only one person, it’ll just make the atmosphere awkward and create discord, you hear me? Neutrality is what’s important in these situations... Then again, you only knew me in your past life, so how would you know?’
I could almost hear Choi Seulgi’s voice in my head. I hadn’t been aware of it, but Choi Seulgi and Jang Ye Ri had been. That, I thought, was likely the reason for Jang Ye Ri’s profound sadness. Perhaps everyone except the clueless Mev had noticed it—that I felt something a little more special for Choi Seulgi.
It was only natural to feel miserable if you prepared diligently for your lover’s arrival, only for him to have his mind entirely on another woman. I let out a sigh and spoke to Jang Ye Ri.
“Your beautiful face is a mess.”
It was true that Jang Ye Ri was beautiful. I just hadn’t been paying her any mind.
“Hmph. You can spare me the empty flattery. I’m not melancholy because of you, so you don’t need to worry about me. It’s not like you cared what I looked like anyway, was it?”
Even as she claimed her mood had nothing to do with me, it felt like she was quite naturally voicing her complaints. The way she glared at me while ruffling her hair was a little intimidating.
“I was watching everything. Your beautiful eyes, your hair, your body.”
“That’s a lie! Sob...”
“...................”
“I thought you liked me. I thought so when we first met, and when we spent the night together. But when I saw you look at that woman, I realized how foolish my thoughts were. Your words may say one thing, but your eyes say another. Of course I can tell the difference between how you look at her and how you look at me.”
“......................”
“I thought it was fine not to be the first, and I wasn’t expecting much from you, a man with so many women, but... this is just so miserable... I feel so pathetic.”
This was not like her at all.
“This makeup, this hair, this dress I prepared because I wanted to be loved by you—it’s all useless. You don’t look at me. The only reason I called this meeting was because I was anxious you might not come find me. If I couldn’t be the first, I was content to share you. You couldn’t possibly know how I feel. It’s utterly wretched.”
I had never imagined such a backstory was hidden behind her insistence on a “family meeting” and the arrangement to share me day by day. A small smile crept onto my lips.
Jang Ye Ri has immense pride. Incredibly so. She had always lived her life looking upward, striving for more, and that pride was likely what sustained her through difficult times. Because of it, I thought, she might be feeling even more stressed about being in this position.
It was true that Choi Seulgi was precious.
But that didn’t mean Jang Ye Ri wasn’t.
I began to think about Jang Ye Ri in my mind. Our meeting had been unintentional, and frankly, born of necessity, but now she had become incredibly precious to me. I definitely liked her.
As I slowly opened my eyes and looked at her, I saw her flinch slightly.
“Do you still think that way now?”
My heart knew best. I was certain that I liked Jang Ye Ri. I couldn’t be sure, but she was probably now receiving the same gaze I gave Choi Seulgi when I thought of her.
I wanted to cherish her and protect her. It might seem like a small thing, but I was sure it would come across that way. Jang Ye Ri’s pupils, which had been fixed on mine, began to tremble. Her lips quivered, and her shoulders began to shake slightly. Then, as she slowly lowered her head, a faint sound escaped her lips.
“Hic...”
She was crying. She must have realized it.
“You are truly cruel. A truly cruel man.”
When I gently pulled her into an embrace, she very slowly leaned into my body.
She was quite light. The Jang Ye Ri who was always strong, unstoppable, arrogant, and best described as a queen was no longer there. Seeing her so fragile, as if she might break, I had no choice but to change my perception of her.
“You are precious to me, too. Just as you said, I am a cruel man.”
“Yes. You are a garbage man. A truly bad man. You’re oblivious and never look back. A bad man who shows no consideration for others and doesn’t even look at the makeup and hair someone painstakingly prepared.”
Hearing her put it like that did make my heart ache, but I smiled.
“But I like you. Even though it hurts like this, I like you so much I can’t stand it. I know full well I can’t have you all to myself. I understand that, too. And yet, I still like you.”
“I like you too. And you’re more beautiful when you smile, so I’d appreciate it if you’d cheer up.”
It was a slightly cringey thing to say, but Jang Ye Ri smiled. Her face was a total mess, but I couldn’t help thinking that this might be the most beautiful I had ever seen her. As I moved my face closer to lightly kiss her, she closed her eyes.
It was a light kiss, but Jang Ye Ri’s face was redder than ever before.
“W-Wait a moment.”
Jang Ye Ri suddenly shot up from her seat and rushed outside. Wondering if she was still angry, I sat and waited for a bit. A short while later, she returned to the room, looking completely new.
“Hahahaha.”
“Don’t laugh.”
White skin and red lips. The smudged, ruined eyeliner was now drawn with precision. I didn’t know much about makeup, but she was incredibly beautiful. This must have been how she looked from the start. And her hair—it was long and flowing, styled with uncharacteristic volume, which made her look even more stunning.
The same went for her dress, which had been half-torn. It was quite a revealing dress, and I could feel just how much effort she had put into it.
“Am I beautiful?”
I nodded.
“Is that the truth?”
I nodded once more, and Jang Ye Ri smiled again.
She was back to her usual self.
The same, ever-confident woman. As I took her hand and gently pushed her onto the bed, she smiled and murmured.
“All that effort on my makeup, ruined once again. But I don’t feel as bad as before. It was all for you in the first place. Do as your heart desires. Hurry and devour me.”
I wouldn’t be a man if I wasn’t aroused. I kissed her quietly, our saliva mingling. The process of her, in her pretty dress, becoming naked was instantaneous. Her underwear, too, looked incredibly sensual, and Jang Ye Ri was quite boldly showing me her entire body.
The dress and underwear she must have spent so much time choosing were all for me. As my hands continued to move, she smiled softly.
I didn’t know why, but I felt as if she had become even more special.
“Yes. This, too, is yours.”
The lipstick she had just reapplied was ruined again by a deep kiss, but she smiled.
Time passed as we devoured one another. This was the process of sharing love.
She let out moan after moan in time with my movements, and as if to meet her expectations, I began to cherish her even more. When I finally unleashed the feelings inside me into her, she held me in her arms, looking utterly satisfied.
“I am yours. And you are mine. Thank you so much for accepting my childishness.”
“The feeling is mutual. I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need for apologies. You are the king of this family. A king does not apologize carelessly. A dignified appearance suits you. That is the you I love.”
It felt like she had become a wise mother and good wife in the short time I hadn't seen her. When I smiled, Jang Ye Ri opened her mouth as if she had made a decision.
“And...”
“And?”
“There is something I must tell you. I wasn’t sure until just now, but seeing you has given me courage. How fickle the human heart is.”
Now that she put it that way, I became incredibly curious about what she was going to say. As I looked at her with a questioning gaze, she spoke quietly.
“The fruit of our love has blossomed. It is your child, and mine.”
“Huh?”
Just like with Mev, this was quite unexpected. After speaking, Jang Ye Ri looked at me anxiously, as if worried I might be displeased. Considering I had shown that I was intentionally trying to avoid pregnancy, her anxiety was understandable.
But I smiled.
How could I not be happy?
“So that’s it. I see. Haha. How long has it been? No, more importantly, why didn’t you...”
“I didn’t want to tell you through the Ring of Covenant. I wanted to reveal it to you on a special day, in a special way. It seems today has become that special day...”
It was only natural to feel good.
“Seeing your reaction puts me at ease. I hope you will cherish it.”
I found myself stroking Jang Ye Ri’s belly as I spoke.
“Of course.”
On the day a new family was born, another family was created. Just as Choi Seulgi said, it wasn’t a bad feeling. When you have more to protect, life becomes heavier. By accepting them as my family, the weight of my life had grown incredibly heavy. And hearing this new piece of news, it grew heavier once more.
But I smiled.
This kind of weight was a weight that couldn't help but feel good.
It might be burdensome and difficult, and I now had so much more to think about, but it was a pleasant weight.
Seeing the smile that had unknowingly spread across my face, Jang Ye Ri smiled too.
It was a very good day.