Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Father-in-law, Mother-in-law. New Son-in-Law.
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***
On the way back to Seoul.
The car was filled with a heavy silence.
Yuri, sitting in the passenger seat, was completely deflated, staring blankly out the window. I, too, focused solely on driving without saying a word.
But both of us had complicated thoughts swirling in our heads.
The brief scuffle on the mountain road had ended anticlimactically.
Yuri had confessed everything. She admitted to orchestrating the gathering, but said she had left first when the drinking dragged on.
I scolded her upon hearing that.
"So, you left your friend there alone and bailed?"
Under my interrogation, Yuri hung her head and repeated, "I'm sorry..."
I warned her coldly.
"Until this is resolved, if you breathe a word to Ji-su, I'll sue you too."
Her shoulders trembled at my words, and she nodded in fear.
Honestly, it was a ridiculous threat. What big crime was leaving a drinking party early?
But combined with the menacing atmosphere and her lack of life experience as a young student, my threat worked perfectly.
I made one final demand.
"That guy you left with that day. The one you called your friend? Get his number and send it to me."
Yuri picked up her phone without protest.
She sent a KakaoTalk message to Seo-jin.
[Ji-su changed phones so she lost the number. Can you give me Min-jun's number~]
A moment later, Yuri forwarded a number to me.
I saved it in my phone.
With all business settled, I drove back to Seoul and dropped her off at her house.
I parked the car and said one last thing.
"Remember what I said. Don't contact Ji-su for a while."
Yuri replied, on the verge of tears.
"Yes... yes! G... go inside...!"
She scrambled out of the car and ran into her house.
I watched her go impassively.
It was time to move to the next phase.
The evening after dropping Yuri off at home.
I called the saved number.
After a few rings, a young man's voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Is this Min-jun's number?"
"Yes, it is. Who's this...?"
"Do you know Ji-su by any chance?"
Min-jun's voice perked up at my words.
"Oh~ yeah! I remember her! But what's this about...?"
"Ah~ Ji-su's drunk. Keeps calling for you, Min-jun. Can you come over?"
"Really? Sure! Where?"
"She's at the park sobering up after drinking. Come quick and take her. I need to head home..."
"Got it. Be right there."
The call ended.
"Look at this bastard getting excited."
I drove to the agreed quiet park parking lot.
As night fell, it was deserted, with only streetlights dimly illuminating the area.
Soon, Min-jun arrived at the spot.
Tall like a model or student, he was dressed to impress as always.
He approached me with a puzzled look.
"Uh... who are you...?"
I got out of the car and stood in front of him.
Instead of answering, I shoved the photo I'd shown Yuri right in his face.
The photo of my wife entering a motel with him.
Min-jun's face hardened instantly upon seeing it.
He was visibly flustered but tried to play it cool.
"Ah... this... what's it to you and Ji-su?"
"What’s it to me?"
I scoffed.
The next moment, my fist grabbed his collar.
"Ack!"
I slammed him against the parking lot wall.
A dull thud echoed as Min-jun screamed.
I whispered in his ear, channeling all my pent-up rage.
"You fucking bastard. I'll show you exactly what it is to me."
I pulled a document envelope from my pocket and threw it in his face.
Our wedding photo and family registry.
"Still think it’s nothing to me?"
Min-jun's face was already pale with terror.
Finally grasping the situation, he trembled as he spoke.
"...I... I'm really sorry! I had no idea she was married!"
"No idea? You piece of shit."
I tightened my grip on his collar.
"The ring on Ji-su's finger—was that fucking decoration?"
"Huh...? There was no ring...!"
I slammed him against the wall again, harder, then released him.
He collapsed to the ground, coughing and gasping.
I looked down at him coldly.
"Choose. Get hit with a lawsuit for damages as the adulterer, and have this exposed to your school and parents? Or cooperate quietly as I say and end this cleanly?"
Min-jun looked up at me.
Tears welled in his eyes.
He answered without hesitation.
"...I'll cooperate... I'll do it! Anything!"
I smiled satisfactorily.
"Smart guy."
Now all preparations were complete.
"Phew... that was close."
One day, glancing at my left hand absentmindedly, I jolted in shock.
My finger felt empty. The wedding ring was gone.
My heart sank.
I frantically searched the entire house.
Finally, after a while, I found it in the pocket of the jeans I'd worn that day.
I sighed in relief and slipped the ring back on.
With this, all evidence was gone.
For some reason, my husband suggested dinner that evening.
With my parents, no less.
I dressed up carefully for the meal, lost in thought.
Come to think of it, my husband was always good with adults.
Especially my parents.
After my 'one mistake,' I'd tried harder to treat him better out of guilt.
It seemed my efforts were finally paying off.
His heart must be fully healed now.
Hmm~ I hummed a tune while picking out an outfit.
He'd booked a hotel room, so I needed to dress nicely.
"Hmm~ nothing to wear. Guess I'll go shopping tomorrow."
Of course, my closet was full of clothes.
Father-in-law's card was like a magic wand.
I'd never been called out for spending too much.
I slipped into a body-hugging dress with a cardigan.
The so-called 'Dongtan milf look.'
"Is he ready?"
I went to the living room and called for my husband.
"Oppa~? You ready?"
He replied curtly from the sofa.
"Yeah. Let's go."
"Okay~"
I naturally linked arms with him.
A sign my mood was great.
But his face seemed somewhat reluctant.
I brushed it off as nothing.
Ji-hoon's car pulled up at a five-star hotel on Namsan with a panoramic view of downtown Seoul.
Stepping out, Ji-su couldn't hide her excitement and linked arms with Ji-hoon.
The hotel's exterior was overwhelmingly grand.
The massive glass building soared majestically into the night sky, wrapped in soft lighting that made it sparkle like a jewel.
"Wow... Oppa, this is the place?"
Ji-su exclaimed, but Ji-hoon just nodded briefly.
The automatic doors opened, revealing a dazzling interior that nearly blinded them.
A massive chandelier on the ceiling shimmered like golden dust, and the marble floor gleamed enough to reflect faces.
Completely enchanted by the opulence, Ji-su swelled with pride, unaware of Ji-hoon's feelings.
The restaurant was on the hotel's top floor.
One entire wall was floor-to-ceiling glass, offering a panoramic Seoul nightscape.
The staff led them past the hall to a private room at the back.
The heavy wooden door opened to reveal her parents already seated inside.
"Oh, Kim! Our son-in-law is here!"
Ji-su's mother greeted him with a beaming smile.
Seeing this, Ji-su firmly believed everything was back to normal.
She smiled brightly, oblivious to the tragedy about to unfold.
The room's atmosphere was warm and cheerful.
Ji-su's parents, surprised by the sudden dinner invite, grinned nonstop.
Her father filled wine glasses and asked,
"Heh heh, so what's the occasion today, Kim? Treating us to such a fancy spot out of the blue."
Ji-hoon smiled leisurely.
"Yes, Father-in-law. It's a very important day."
"Hmm... Not our anniversary... not yours either... Ah! You're celebrating early for your second wedding anniversary!"
Father-in-law laughed heartily.
Ji-hoon just smiled silently.
Ji-su smiled contentedly, thinking her guess was right.
As dinner wound down amid lively conversation,
Father-in-law asked again, satisfied.
"So, Kim. What's the real reason you called us here today?"
All eyes turned to Ji-hoon.
He wiped sauce from his mouth with a napkin, still smiling.
"Yes, Father-in-law, Mother-in-law. I have something to tell you both."
To his curious parents,
Ji-hoon dropped the bomb casually.
"We're getting divorced."
"...Huh?"
"I set this up to return your daughter. Didn't want to ruin your appetites before eating."
The room's air froze instantly.
Ji-su's parents were stunned speechless.
Ji-su was the same.
"Wh... what the hell is that supposed to mean!"
Father-in-law shouted, face red.
"Are you mocking us!?"
Mother-in-law clung to Ji-hoon, nearly in tears.
"Kim... did our Ji-su make some mistake? Huh? You serious?"
Ji-hoon ignored their reactions.
He quietly picked up his phone and called someone.
"Yes. Come in."
He hung up and grabbed a document envelope from the table.
He handed it to his in-laws.
Father-in-law, chugging cold water anxiously,
took the envelope with trembling hands.
He opened it and checked the contents.
Then he squeezed his eyes shut.
A small scream escaped Mother-in-law, who looked alongside.
Inside were multiple photos of their daughter entering a motel with a strange man. Father-in-law slammed them on the table with shaking hands.
His face twisted in rage.
Ji-su stared blankly at the floor in despair.
She sensed it was all over.
Just then.
Knock knock.
The door opened quietly.
A young man who looked boyish entered.
The man from the photos with Ji-su—Min-jun.
Head bowed like a criminal, he entered silently.
All eyes locked on him.
Her confused parents,
and pale-faced Ji-su.
To them, Ji-hoon said calmly,
like a restaurant manager introducing a new dish.
"Say hello."
Ji-hoon smiled broadly at Ji-su's parents.
"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law. New son-in-law."
With those words, the room fell into dead silence.