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Chapter 44
“Welcome, miss.”
The uninvited guest threw us a crooked glance at our greeting and then shrugged off her coat.
Handing it to Madam Kim, she ordered curtly:
“Coffee. Cold.”
Unlike Yoon-jae or us, Eun-se came in with an attitude dripping with entitlement. She lightly scanned the house before dropping herself onto the most prominent spot on the sofa.
“This sofa’s hard.”
Complaining right away, as if it were the most natural thing. We gave a short laugh and sat down as well.
“I didn’t expect you to show up without notice.”
“How could I contact you? I don’t even have your number.”
“It wouldn’t have been hard to find out.”
“What? You unhappy I came?”
“Of course not. I just meant we weren’t prepared for guests.”
Eun-se carried herself as if she had come here purely to pick a fight, grumbling and nitpicking at every turn.
To us, though, it was more amusing than bothersome.
Dust-free sofa cushions thumped beneath her hand as she frowned, then she finally asked the question that had been nagging her.
“But why are you wearing sunglasses inside the house?”
We lifted the sunglasses perched on our nose just for a moment, then let them fall back in place.
“Because I just had LASIK.”
“…Painting stripes on a pumpkin doesn’t make it a watermelon.”
As if she just had to get in the last word, or her mouth would sprout thorns.
‘Cute.’
We hid our smile, letting it flicker only in our eyes.
“Here you are.”
Breaking the subtle tension, Madam Kim placed drinks and light snacks on the table.
We lifted our cup in thanks.
“Thank you, Madam.”
“Madam? Don’t call me that.”
Now that… wasn’t cute.
Our gaze shifted slightly, but shielded behind sunglasses, Eun-se failed to notice.
“Come out with me.”
“Where to?”
“There’s a gathering next week. I need to prepare, and they said to bring you along.”
They said?
As we sipped our tea, drawing out the silence, Eun-se smiled faintly.
“My mom.”
She laid down the unbeatable card.
Coming here so suddenly like this… maybe our quick wit the other day had impressed her mother more than we realized.
Sip.
We savored the tea leisurely.
“So you need my eyes, then.”
Exactly.
Eun-se still couldn’t understand why her mother wanted her to seek out Joo Ae-jung, but she didn’t bother to question it further.
She had said: if told, then obey. Half the task would already be done.
“Thirty minutes is enough, right?”
“For what?”
“For you to get ready. I don’t have much time.”
Her words weren’t a request. They were an order. She tilted her head with a clumsy air of authority, like someone imitating what they’d seen elsewhere.
“Don’t tell me you need Ha Yoon-jae’s permission?”
“…No, there’s no need.”
“Didn’t think so. That half-man wouldn’t have time to care about something like this anyway.”
A short remark, but it revealed exactly how she usually spoke of Yoon-jae.
We needed to hear no more.
Gracefully, we finished our tea.
“This won’t do.”
Setting down the empty cup, we continued.
“Thing is, I just had eye surgery yesterday. I don’t think I can manage.”
“What? You mean you can’t come?”
“Oh no, it’s not that. I just wonder how much help I’d be. At best, I wouldn’t be useful. At worst, I’d be a burden. That would be awful. Your mother would scold me.”
Only a fool wouldn’t notice the strangeness here.
Eun-se’s face twisted.
“You—right now…”
“If you’ve finished your tea, you may go.”
We rose to our feet, holding the empty cup. Meeting her fixed gaze, we asked:
“Still something you want to say? Or should I pour you another cup?”
Realizing the clipped replies were deliberate, Eun-se’s lips trembled with fury.
“I’m your sister-in-law. Do you even know who you’re talking to? If you act like this, my mom won’t stay—”
“Oh! I didn’t know being a sister-in-law was some kind of title. Did I offend you? I didn’t mean to. I just thought I’d be no help and only a nuisance, and I didn’t want to trouble you.”
“A tit—title?! And whether you’re helpful or not, that’s my decision—!”
“I’m sorry. Since you haven’t asked me for help, it would be presumptuous of me to offer it, wouldn’t it? If you asked, of course I’d come. But how could I meddle otherwise?”
“…”
Sharp.
Every word stabbed Eun-se like a thorn. Though we played the timid one, the one stung was her. And she knew perfectly well what we were really getting at.
Flushed and agitated, Eun-se shot up from her seat.
“If I tell you to do it, then just do it! Why so many words?”
“Why are you upset? I only meant to help you…”
“No! I mean, yes! For my sake! Just do it when I say!”
“I’m not sure I understand. Do what, exactly?”
“Help—!”
About to blurt out “help me,” she bit it back at the last second. Pride slammed the door on her plea.
Her face flickered red and pale, confusion written all over. We covered our mouth with both hands, hiding a smile.
Though our eyes were hidden, our voice wavered like we might cry. It flipped her inside out.
But inwardly, we were satisfied.
‘Still got it.’
Hiding oneself.
Since childhood, we’d learned survival by playing the fool just enough, flattering just enough, and reaping the benefits. Controlling Eun-se was no challenge.
As expected, she couldn’t handle it.
“What, wh-what even… what is this…”
Her stubborn pride deserved some credit, but we weren’t about to drag this act on forever.
Frankly, Eun-se wasn’t someone we disliked. For all her haughty posturing, her clumsy cracks showed through. That made us want to do this properly.
“Ha Eun-se.”
Straightening, we dropped the pretense and spoke sincerely.
“If you came here for help, stop fooling around and ask properly. Don’t throw your weight around half-heartedly.”
Our voice, moments ago trembling like we might cry, turned cold as ice. Eun-se froze, eyes wide. We gave her one last chance.
“Not going to?”
Gulp.
The heated exchange ended.
“….”
Lipsticked mouth opening and closing, fingers twitching, Eun-se finally buckled under the storm.
Her head bowed.
“…Please help me.”
At last, a bright smile bloomed across our face.
Looking at her, cheeks flushed with frustration, we said gently:
“Wait just one hour, miss.”
So warm, so kind.
The short but fruitful lesson over, the two of them climbed into a car together.
Eun-se’s car was a flashy yellow sports car, perfectly matching her.
We couldn’t help a faint nostalgia at the bold color—our kind of taste—as we asked:
“What kind of gathering is it?”
“Why do you care?”
Still sulking, she pouted. We kept our gaze fixed on her.
Even through sunglasses, she could feel the steady stare from the passenger seat, and she hurriedly started the engine.
“…It’s just a gathering. People I know meet every year, that sort of thing.”
Her meekness, instinctively surfacing, satisfied us. We murmured softly:
“If you had to bring me, that means it isn’t just about pricey products, but discerning taste. Something more unique, right?”
“Maybe.”
“A group like that isn’t a reunion. But since they exchange gifts, it’s probably a long-standing gathering. Likely a small circle, valuing substance over appearances.”
With nothing but deductions, we had already sketched the whole picture. Reaching out, we said:
“I’ll set the navigation.”
Having determined the destination without hesitation, we buckled our seatbelt at last. Eun-se, staring blankly, couldn’t help but ask:
“Are you psychic or something?”
“I’ve got everything except what I don’t. Let’s go.”
We were simply happy for the chance to feast our eyes.
“Director?”
Coming out of the utility room, Madam Kim nearly jumped when she saw Yoon-jae standing in the living room without a sound.
“What brings you here at this hour?”
She hurried to him. He looked around before replying:
“I came to pick up some documents.”
“…Excuse me?”
Ha Yoon-jae, forgetting documents? That had never happened.
Before she could ask more, he said:
“Is she still in?”
“Oh, the madam? No. She went out about thirty minutes ago.”
“Went out? Where?”
So that’s why he’d been checking the house.
Kim explained briefly:
“Her sister came from the main house.”
“You mean Ha Eun-se?”
“Yes, right before you arrived. They left together.”
Eun-se had never come near this place before. That she came here now—and even took his wife along—made his expression tighten.
“Do you know why?”
“She said there was some gathering, wanted help preparing. I think the senior madam sent her.”
At that, his brow furrowed.
Seo Hye-won’s involvement. He already knew both she and Eun-se bore ill will toward his wife.
“She went quietly?”
“Well, actually…”
Knowing her temperament, she wouldn’t have gone meekly.
But what came next startled him.
“She scolded her.”
The tense atmosphere froze.
His eyes, dark until now, turned suddenly sharp.
“For what reason?”
He didn’t show anger toward Kim, but his aura was different.
So this was Hye-won’s doing, trying to stir trouble? He hadn’t expected them to barge in so boldly.
Clench.
His empty hand balled into a fist. He looked ready to chase after them that instant.
Frightened by his intensity, Kim quickly added:
“No, don’t misunderstand. The madam scolded her.”
“…?”
Another surprise.
Unable to hide his confusion, Yoon-jae asked:
“What do you mean?”
No matter how reckless she was, his wife wasn’t one to behave like that.
Yet Kim said, almost proudly:
“For you, sir.”
“…”
“She scolded her fiercely.”
He didn’t need details. He already knew how Eun-se must have acted—spoiled, heedless of place or time.
For his wife to rebuke her… meant she had stood by him.
Yoon-jae stood in silence for a long moment.
Kim didn’t disturb it, simply watching.
Finally, he moved.
“I’ll be going.”
“What? But you said you came for documents—”
Not even glancing toward the study, he turned and left.
To anyone watching, his purpose had already been fulfilled.
