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CHAPTER 06
“Are you… sick somewhere?”
She had intended to ask why he had already come back, but the moment she saw his pale face, concern took over before anything else.
At her careful question, Daehyun’s expression softened into something unexpectedly calm.
“I’m fine. Thanks for worrying about me.”
It sounded like: So you still do worry about me.
Juhye stepped back slightly at his gentle tone, suddenly feeling ashamed—as if her carefully hidden emotions had been exposed.
“I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Did you meet Juyoung?”
“Yes. I had lunch with her.”
She wanted to avoid him altogether, but the narrow entryway left no room to escape. There was nowhere to step away from Daehyun blocking her path.
“I heard you had plans with Kangil today.”
Juhye gave up trying to leave and asked what she had been curious about all along. Daehyun frowned slightly.
“How do you know that?”
“I heard it when Unni Juyoung was on the phone.”
Juhye couldn’t understand it. Her husband had never been like this.
In fact, he was the type who disliked impulsively breaking plans for no reason.
“So why did you cancel it?”
“I told you I was going to wait for you.”
Daehyun’s brief reply only deepened her confusion.
Juhye covered her eyes with her right hand and spoke quietly.
“But you knew I’d be back in the evening anyway… I clearly said it was a lunch appointment.”
“I did.”
“Even so, I told you not to wait… so why…”
She wanted to snap at him coldly—why go through the trouble of coming home—but her lips wouldn’t move properly.
It felt as if her love for Seo Daehyun was physically interfering with her ability to speak.
As if it was scolding her: Hurting the person you love won’t make you feel better.
“It’s fine.”
Daehyun smoothly cut into her hesitation.
“You don’t need to feel upset, Juhye. I was the one who insisted.”
“I think Kangil will be disappointed.”
At her blunt reply, Daehyun lifted one eyebrow.
He seemed displeased at the mention of another man’s name coming from his wife, even if it was a friend.
“That lunch today… it was your appointment with him, right?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“How can I not? He’s Juyoung unni’s husband.”
Their conversation halted briefly, leaving behind an uncomfortable silence.
Even if the situation was unusual, Daehyun’s behavior felt unfamiliar.
“…!”
But before the silence could continue, a loud vibration rang from Juhye’s bag.
Both of their gazes turned toward it. Through the half-open bag, her phone could be seen vibrating.
The screen displayed her eldest brother’s name: Jin Suha.
Why is Oppa calling at this hour?
It was unusual for Suha to call like this. He usually worked late and only called on weekends.
“Answer it.”
Noticing her hesitation, Daehyun gestured for her to pick up.
Juhye quickly brought the phone to her ear and accepted the call.
“Juhye!”
A panicked voice cut through before she could even greet him. It was nothing like her brother’s usual gentle tone.
“Why haven’t you been picking up, huh? Where are you right now?”
A strange sense of unease gripped her as she tightened her grip on the phone.
It seemed there had been missed calls from her brother as well, not just Daehyun.
“Sorry, I had something to do so my phone was off. I’m home now. What’s wrong?”
“Don’t panic, but listen carefully. Father….”
He collapsed.
Only five words—but the moment she heard them, Juhye’s face turned deathly pale.
Seeing her freeze, Daehyun’s expression also stiffened.
“Fortunately, it’s not extremely serious. He collapsed this morning and is recovering now. They say he’ll regain consciousness soon.”
Her father had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and been taken to the hospital. Suha was on his way there now.
He had already contacted their second brother, Jinhyung, and said he would likely arrive first.
“W-where is the hospital? I’m going too.”
“No, you don’t need to rush here.”
Suha tried to calm her before she could panic further.
“I’ll go first. Come in the evening after you finish your urgent matters.”
Then he quickly ended the call.
Juhye’s hand trembled violently before the phone slipped from her grip and dropped to her knee.
“What is it, Juhye?”
Daehyun, sensing something was wrong the entire time, immediately leaned in.
His familiar scent reached her as he got closer. Juhye forced her stiff lips to move.
“My father… he collapsed. I just got a call.”
His expression hardened instantly.
“The Chairman?”
Without hesitation, Daehyun took her hand, opened the door, and stepped outside.
Startled, Juhye looked up at him.
“I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“My brother said I don’t need to come, that I should just have dinner first…”
“At this point, we won’t be able to have dinner anyway.”
It was an accurate judgment. There would be no dinner, not even the chance to think about it.
His insight, which saw right through her situation, irritated her.
“Then… I’ll drive myself. You don’t need to go out of your way.”
Juhye grabbed his sleeve with trembling fingers.
It was a weak grip, but Daehyun immediately bent down toward her.
“How can you drive when your hands are shaking?”
“If I really can’t, I’ll call Secretary Kim.”
Daehyun looked displeased, but instead of arguing, he tightened his grip on her hand.
“I can’t let you go alone when I’m worried about you.”
“…”
“Let’s go before it gets any later.”
His voice, warm and piercing, seeped into her weakened resolve.
She wanted to refuse—but at the same time, she wanted to hold onto that warmth a little longer.
“I’ll take you.”
How fragile human resolve becomes in the face of love.
Despite her intention to resist, her trembling eased as soon as she felt his warmth.
And Daehyun noticed it too—making it even harder for her to refuse.
“…Please.”
After a long hesitation, she finally agreed.
Daehyun, as if waiting only for that answer, immediately started walking.
Juhye looked down at their joined hands and bit her lower lip hard. The warmth she felt was too strong to escape.
It was strange—how could a man so cold in every other way be so warm only with his hands?
Please… let nothing be wrong.
Trying to push away her thoughts of Daehyun, she quickened her pace.
Praying desperately that her father’s condition wasn’t critical.
When they arrived at the hospital, Juhye immediately rushed to the hospital room.
Daehyun stayed in the hallway, saying he would wait for Suha, who had gone somewhere.
Thanks to that, Juhye was able to keep her shocked expression hidden as she listened to the doctor’s explanation.
“It is a cerebral hemorrhage caused by hypertension.”
Looking at her father sleeping soundly, he seemed far more frail than the last time she had seen him.
Tiny blood vessels had burst, leaving red blotches scattered across his face.
“For now, it’s best to avoid anything that might shock the Chairman. Even if such news arises, do not inform him immediately.”
The doctor’s warning left her mind in turmoil. She had already been thinking about how to tell him about the divorce.
It might be better not to tell him yet.
Even Juyoung, her closest friend, didn’t know. So it was definitely not something she could tell her father in his current condition.
I should wait until he recovers. Then I’ll tell him.
Daehyun had also suggested a cooling-off period. She would need time to prepare a lawyer anyway.
Trying to clear her complicated thoughts, Juhye left the room.
Out in the white hallway, she saw two men talking in the distance.
Her eldest brother, Jin Suha, and her husband, Seo Daehyun.
“Juhye!”
Suha spotted her instantly and rushed toward her.
Daehyun had his back turned, so his expression was unclear—but he seemed tense.
It was something she could sense after two years of marriage.
Why is he like that?
Did Suha tell him something?
Just as she tried to look more closely at Daehyun, Suha stepped in front of her.
“Juhye, you’re here!”
He looked at her pale face with concern and reached out.
“I told you it was okay to come later. You must have been shocked.”
His hand gently brushed her disheveled hair aside.
