The Fragile Facade
Kim Eunju lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Whenever she closed her eyes, the scene of her kissing Lee Han in the management office played back with vivid clarity. Her chest felt heavy with regret and guilt.
'Why did I do that... Why did I let things go that far with Mr. Lee... How could I ever explain this to Hyunwoo...'
Tears welled up in the corners of Kim Eunju’s eyes. She felt ashamed and humiliated that she had kissed a man who was not her husband.
At the sound of the front door opening, Kim Eunju quickly wiped her eyes and sat up. Lee Hyunwoo had returned home late. He took off his shoes with a look of exhaustion and headed toward the living room.
"I'm home. I'm so tired today."
Lee Hyunwoo offered a brief greeting and slumped onto the sofa.
Kim Eunju approached her husband, trying to hide her guilt. She wanted to be kind to him, but it wasn't as easy as she had hoped.
"Can we talk for a moment today?"
She asked cautiously.
Lee Hyunwoo shook his head, his face etched with fatigue.
"I'm too tired right now... Let's talk later."
His cold attitude made Kim Eunju’s heart turn icy. The reality that she couldn't even share a simple conversation with her husband made her feel even more sorrowful.
Kim Eunju swallowed her tears and hung Lee Hyunwoo’s coat on the rack. Just then, the scent of an unfamiliar perfume brushed against her nose, and her heart sank.
'This scent... It's this scent again. Is Hyunwoo really hiding something from me...'
Anger and frustration welled up inside her, but Kim Eunju gritted her teeth and held it in.
She approached Lee Hyunwoo and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We really need to talk..."
But before she could even finish her sentence, Lee Hyunwoo brushed her hand away and stood up.
"I’m going to rest. I’m exhausted."
Kim Eunju let out a sigh as she watched his back as he headed toward the bedroom.
Back in her room, Kim Eunju collapsed onto the bed and sobbed. Her tears soaked the pillow. The kiss with Lee Han, Lee Hyunwoo’s cold demeanor, the scent of the strange perfume—everything was tangled together, plunging her into confusion.
'Why did it come to this... Why is our relationship falling apart like this...'
Kim Eunju buried herself in the blankets and wept.
Her heart was covered in wounds. The agony of feeling like she was drifting further away from her beloved husband, the guilt and shame from her kiss with Lee Han—Kim Eunju was drowning in this whirlpool of emotions. She could see no answer for how to overcome this situation.
Wiping her tear-streaked face with her hands, Kim Eunju let out a deep sigh. She dragged her weary body to the bathroom. As she washed her face with cold water, she resolved to pull herself together. She had to try to protect her family and restore her relationship with Hyunwoo. Even if the process was painful, Kim Eunju could not give up. She took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. A long, dark night was waiting for her.
Han Sujin was catching her breath, held tightly in Lee Han’s arms. Their naked bodies were pressed against each other, and their sweat-slicked skin shimmered in the afternoon sunlight. The soft light filtering through the window illuminated their intertwined silhouettes.
Lee Han stroked Han Sujin’s hair with a satisfied expression. Han Sujin rested her cheek against his chest, feeling a complex mix of emotions. Along with the physical pleasure, self-loathing and confusion were consuming her.
The bedsheets were crumpled from the traces of their intense intimacy. Scattered clothes lay in disarray on the floor. The air was thick with heat, the faint scent of sweat, and the mingling of their two scents, creating an intoxicating atmosphere.
The afternoon sun was fading, but Lee Han and Han Sujin remained in each other’s arms, unbothered. As if the lingering effects of their intensity hadn't yet dissipated, they showed no intention of letting go of their leisurely embrace. Han Sujin caught her breath and leaned her head against Lee Han’s chest. The sound of his heartbeat echoed in her ears.
Han Sujin was still held in Lee Han’s arms, but her expression was clouded with complex emotions.
"Sujin, please ask Kim Eunju and her husband to join us for dinner this weekend."
Lee Han said. Han Sujin frowned as she looked at him.
"Do I have to listen to you even on the weekend?"
Her voice was laced with irritation. Lee Han pulled her closer and explained.
"I’ve booked a hotel restaurant. The four of you should go."
"Do we really have to go that far?"
Han Sujin asked, as if she found it absurd.
"Isn't it a good thing to go eat something delicious with Taeyoung?"
Lee Han said with a smirk. Han Sujin gritted her teeth in anger.
"Don't talk about Taeyoung! I don't want to hear his name from your mouth."
"I’ve also arranged a hotel room for the two of you that night. It’s a gift, so you can have a good night."
At Lee Han’s words, Han Sujin scoffed.
"Hmph, that is truly ridiculous."
Han Sujin buried herself deeper into Lee Han’s arms and closed her eyes. While she repeated her love for Taeyoung in her heart, she was simultaneously becoming intoxicated by Lee Han’s body heat. She was sinking deeper and deeper into this contradictory situation. The thought—which she couldn't even understand herself—that she had to maintain her relationship with Lee Han for the sake of her beloved husband was taking root in her mind.
The restaurant’s elegant interior and soft lighting created a luxurious atmosphere. Kim Eunju smiled at Han Sujin and expressed her gratitude.
"Sujin, thank you for inviting us to dinner."
Han Sujin replied with a smile.
"The management office provided the restaurant vouchers. Please enjoy it comfortably."
Her tone carried a hint of guilt, but no one noticed.
The meal began, but a cold air flowed between Kim Eunju and Lee Hyunwoo. The two chewed their food in silence, and Kim Eunju focused on feeding their son, Jinu. Lee Hyunwoo muttered briefly.
"The food here is good."
Kim Eunju nodded and said to her son.
"Yes, Jinu, let's eat well."
Han Sujin sensed the awkward atmosphere between the couple and tried to keep the conversation going. To shake off the guilt of helping Lee Han, she spoke kindly to Kim Eunju.
"Eunju, Jinu has grown so much lately. He’s really cute."
Kim Eunju smiled brightly and nodded.
Just then, Park Taeyoung looked at Lee Hyunwoo and spoke up.
"Hyunwoo, my wife and I are trying to have a baby these days. I’m sure that when Sujin becomes a mother, she’ll be as good a mother as you are, Eunju."
His face was filled with deep love for Han Sujin. Lee Hyunwoo showed interest in Park Taeyoung’s words and replied.
"I see. It’s not easy to have a child. Raising Jinu, I find there are many difficult times."
He looked at his son and gave a bitter smile. Park Taeyoung smiled and looked at Han Sujin.
"Raising a child won't be easy, but if I’m with Sujin, we’ll be able to do it well. As long as we love and understand each other and keep trying."
He gently took Han Sujin’s hand. Han Sujin nodded and held Park Taeyoung’s hand tightly.
"Thank you, honey."
She gave a tender smile toward Park Taeyoung. Kim Eunju looked at the affectionate couple and felt pessimistic about her own situation.
'Why did our marriage end up like this... Sujin’s couple looks so happy...'
Her heart was filled with jealousy and resentment. Lee Hyunwoo’s indifferent attitude disappointed her even more.
After finishing the meal, Kim Eunju and Lee Hyunwoo approached Han Sujin and Park Taeyoung.
"We had a pleasant meal today. Thank you for the invitation."
Kim Eunju greeted Han Sujin, but there was no life in her voice. Lee Hyunwoo also spoke to Park Taeyoung in a dry tone.
"Thank you for arranging such a nice spot. Thanks to you, we had a delicious meal."
On the other hand, Han Sujin and Park Taeyoung responded with bright smiles.
"Not at all. We were the ones who were happy to have a meal together. It would be great to have another gathering like this next time."
Han Sujin said in a warm voice. Park Taeyoung also said, acknowledging Lee Hyunwoo’s thanks.
"Let’s eat together again next time. It would be nice to talk in a more comfortable setting then."
Kim Eunju and Lee Hyunwoo offered slight smiles at their kindness, but soon turned away with lonely expressions.
"Then, we’ll be going first. Thank you for today."
Kim Eunju said. Lee Hyunwoo also bowed his head briefly and said.
"Have a good time."
The two left the restaurant with heavy footsteps. Their expressions faintly revealed the complex emotions they had been hiding throughout the meal.
Kim Eunju lay next to her sleeping child and stared at the ceiling. Faint moonlight filtered through the window, illuminating the room softly. Her heart was heavy. With her relationship with her husband, Lee Hyunwoo, worsening by the day, a deep sense of frustration washed over her as she wondered how their married life had ended up this way.
'How did we end up like this... Could it be that I ruined everything because of my suspicions...'
Hot tears flowed from the corners of Kim Eunju’s eyes.
She blamed herself, wondering if her morbid jealousy had worsened their relationship. She resented herself for not being able to let go of her suspicions even while loving Hyunwoo. Kim Eunju buried her face in her pillow and cried without a sound. Only the steady breathing of her child filled the room.
In the other room, Lee Hyunwoo lay in bed and let out a deep sigh. He reflected on his actions, thinking about Kim Eunju’s recent behavior.
'Eunju must have been having such a hard time... I was too indifferent. I should have understood her and helped her...'
Lee Hyunwoo deeply regretted not being more considerate of his wife, who was exhausted from childcare.
Lee Hyunwoo sat up in bed. In the darkness, he made a resolution. From now on, he would understand Kim Eunju better and show her his true love. He realized that while working hard for his family was important, cherishing his wife’s heart was even more precious.
Kim Eunju also looked at her son and made a vow in her heart.
'Next time, I’ll show Hyunwoo my true feelings. If I want to restore our relationship, I have to be the one to try first.'
She reaffirmed her love for Lee Hyunwoo and decided to cast away the shadows of doubt.
Before falling asleep in their respective rooms, the two reaffirmed their affection for each other. Lee Hyunwoo closed his eyes, engraving his apology and love for his wife into his heart.
"We can start over..." He muttered in a small voice.
Kim Eunju also fell asleep, recalling happy memories with her husband.
"Tomorrow will be better..." A faint smile played on her lips. Beside her child’s bed, she fell asleep harboring new hope.