Winter Passes, Everyday Life in Spring (4)
"W-we're engaged to be married...!"
The instant those words left my mouth, the atmosphere inside the café flipped completely. Mother clamped her lips shut and fixed me with a hard stare. Taehyun, sitting beside me, looked over with startled eyes — and I, just as shocked, clapped a hand over my own mouth.
"Uh, that was... I..."
"What did you just say...?"
"That's not what I..."
What on earth had I just said?
Of course, I had never once abandoned the thought of becoming Taehyun's wife. Having sworn to belong to him forever, I would ultimately become his wife and remain by his side. But I had never seriously thought about marriage, and we had never even talked about it. It had been nothing more than a private daydream. The nerves must have tangled my thoughts, and the words had come out all wrong.
"Engaged to be married?"
"Ah, I, thaaat's..."
"Is that true, son?"
Mother's sharp gaze swung toward Hyun. He looked at me with flustered eyes, then turned back to her.
How would Hyun answer? What if he said there was no such thing — that we weren't engaged at all? Fear welled up in my chest. Marriage was merely one form of belonging I had imagined from my own side of things. If Taehyun didn't share that thought, I had no right to say a word. Frankly, even if I had been nothing more than a kept woman, I would have had no choice but to accept it.
But Taehyun was a far more wonderful man than I had given him credit for.
"Ah, yes. That's right. We're... as good as engaged."
"As good as engaged?"
"Yes. I haven't formally proposed, but we've thought about it seriously and talked it over."
"Is that so? How unexpected, my son. Didn't you used to say you'd never get married, no matter what?"
"That was before I met Jihye."
"Hmm~."
"After being with Jihye for so long, I realized she's someone who really, truly fits me. The idea of marrying anyone else and spending my whole life with them..."
Taehyun looked at me then, a smile spreading across his face as he went on.
"Hyun..."
"I was actually going to tell you today, but things just happened this way. I'm sorry I didn't mention it sooner."
"No, that's all right. Though I am a little disappointed to hear it first from my future daughter-in-law's mouth~."
"M-Mother..."
"Didn't we say the parents should meet sometime?"
When Mother asked, looking at me, I carefully nodded.
Was this the atmosphere of approval...?
This was essentially the first time we had met since I started dating Taehyun, and she was giving her blessing right away. I could hardly believe it. I had been prepared for her to say I wasn't a good match for her son and send me packing.
"Well then, since the subject's come up, let's set a date. Hmm... I think we'll have time in the fall. Would that work?"
"Y-yes? Yes! That should be fine...!"
"Still, better to coordinate directly just in case. Would it be all right if I got your mother's phone number?"
"Yes! I'll give it to you right now...!"
To be accepted in an instant, and even have a meeting of the families planned on the spot... It truly felt like a dream.
After exchanging a few words with my mom over the phone, Mother sent us off with a promise to let us know once a specific date was set.
"You two go on now. I can't keep stealing your precious time together."
"Ah, I'm fine, really..."
"Fine? I can see how nervous you are from a mile away."
"Th-that's..."
"Son~, can't you see your girlfriend looking uncomfortable? Take her out and buy her something nice to eat~."
"Ah, yes. We'll see you later, Mom."
"Go on, you two have fun."
Honestly, I had expected to be held and interrogated for a long time, so it was a little disorienting when she let us go so quickly — and even slipped us some spending money. I carefully tucked the fifty-thousand-won bill Mother had pressed into my hand into my pocket and stepped out of the café. Taehyun, who had been holding my hand tightly the whole time, let out a deep sigh of relief.
"Whew. Thank god..."
"Hy-Hyun..."
"What were you thinking, saying something like that out of nowhere, babe? You scared me."
"Sorry... The words just slipped out before I knew it..."
I hung my head, drowning in guilt, and Hyun sighed again and stroked my hair. A single tear slipped free at that warm, affectionate touch.
"Y-you didn't lie because of me, did you...?"
"...That's not it. It was sudden, but it's not like I hadn't been thinking the same thing."
"Really...?"
"Of course."
I carefully lifted my head to look at him, and there was Taehyun's face, beaming a bright smile straight at me. That charming smile — the kind that put people at ease and made hearts race — and joyous tears spilled from my eyes before I could stop them.
Taehyun had been thinking the same thing as me. I wasn't just a toy. To think I could remain by the side of such a wonderful man as his wife. My heart pounded.
"Marriage...?"
"That's right. Obviously that's the only way."
"I seeee..."
"Honestly, I was planning to pick a date, get everything ready, and ask you properly... but things just ended up like this."
"Ah, so that's what it waaas... I'm sorry. Because of me..."
He'd even had a surprise proposal planned. The thought that a single slip of my tongue had wrecked Taehyun's grand design filled my chest with guilt all over again. Just as more tears of remorse threatened to spill, Taehyun's hands gently cupped my cheeks. Following that tender, warm touch, I carefully lifted my head, and there was his face, smiling brightly.
"Hey now, no crying. Stop."
"...S-stop."
"That's my girl. A surprise might be hard now, but that doesn't mean the proposal plan is off."
"Mm..."
"I'll do it when I'm ready, so my girl just wait patiently, okay?"
"Yeees..."
When I stopped crying and nodded, Taehyun pulled me into a tight hug. In that warmer-than-anyone embrace, I shed tears filled with so many emotions. Guilt for putting the person I loved in an awkward position with a moment's mistake. Gratitude toward Taehyun for accepting my blunder and making such a difficult decision in an instant. After pouring those tears into his broad, solid chest, he carefully let me go.
"That's enough now. If you keep apologizing, I'll get mad."
"O-okay."
"Good. Shall we head home? We've still got that movie we haven't finished."
"Yeah, let's. Hyun...!"
On the way home, comforted by Hyun, I kept hearing that it was fine — and yet the guilt still lingered in my heart. Did I even deserve to be Taehyun's wife? Had I forced him into marriage? Those worries still sat inside me, tormenting me. Apparently it showed on my face, because the moment we got home, Taehyun sat me on the sofa and started scolding me in a stern voice.
"What did I say earlier, babe?"
"Ah, thaaat was..."
"I said I'd get mad if you kept apologizing, didn't I?"
"Yes, that's right..."
"Hah. This won't do."
Taehyun looked at me for a moment, then smiled as if a fun idea had just occurred to him. Then he suddenly wiped the smile away and put on a frightening expression. It was the face he made when he was training me — specifically when he was about to deliver a harsh punishment — so I looked at him, tense. And then these words came from the mouth of the man who would one day be my husband.
"Making your future husband angry... well, I have no choice. I'll have to give you a proper punishment."
"P-punishment...?"
"What, you don't want it? A wife who does something wrong ought to be punished."
Paradoxically, Taehyun's eyes as he said this were overflowing with affection and love for me. If you're going to pretend to be angry, at least don't let it show in your eyes — it's written all over them. Having naturally grasped his intent, I nodded.
That's right. I needed to be punished. I had abandoned a wife's duty to make her husband happy for life and made him angry. I deserved a fitting corporal punishment. That way, when I truly became Taehyun's wife, I would be able to make my husband happy.
"N-no... I made you angry, honey, so as your wife I ought to be punished...♡"
"Good. Then take off your clothes and follow me. I intend to punish you thoroughly today."
"Yes, honey...♡"