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CHAPTER 04
The day after she told Seo Daehyun about the divorce.
Keeping her promise, Juhye left the house early for lunch with her cousin. She was genuinely relieved that she had already arranged the meeting with Juyoung in advance.
If she had been left alone at home, she would have done nothing but sigh until evening, all the while wondering how she could possibly cancel dinner.
“Does the coffee taste good?”
A gentle question fell into Juhye’s ears as she stared blankly at the table.
Juyoung was her cousin, but they had grown up like close sisters since childhood. Their bond was as strong as real siblings.
“It’s really good. Was it a gift?”
Juhye quickly lifted her coffee cup in response. A fragrant aroma rose from the steaming drink.
“It’s beans Kangil brought back from a business trip to Thailand. They’ve got a rather unusual sour note.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
“He’s always had a talent for finding unusual things. That’s a skill in itself.”
Perhaps because her hair was cut short after giving birth, Juyoung’s bright and lively atmosphere stood out even more.
She gently rocked her upper body while holding her baby in her arms. As she moved slowly, the baby, soothed by the motion, stopped fussing and began to drift off to sleep. The baby’s soft, chubby cheek pressed against Juyoung’s arm looked adorable.
“Oh right, today’s your wedding anniversary, isn’t it?”
As Juhye carefully played with the baby’s tiny fingers, Juyoung asked leisurely after taking a sip of coffee.
At the unexpected question, Juhye’s expression quietly stiffened.
“What are you doing having lunch with me on such an important day? You’re having dinner with Daehyun, right?”
“Unni, well…”
“It’s your anniversary, so go somewhere nice. Your husband’s been so busy lately that you two haven’t even had proper meals together. Kangil told me.”
Juyoung’s husband, Chae Kangil, had been Daehyun’s longtime friend. They had gotten married before Juhye and even had a child right away, drawing envy and surprise from those around them.
In particular, for Juyoung—who had once divorced due to infertility rumors that were not actually her fault—the child was proof that the blame had not been hers.
“Really?”
“Of course. Kangil didn’t say much, but he was really grateful. Reopening the Thailand deal wasn’t easy at all. I knew you two were close, but I didn’t expect this level of help.”
As Juyoung chattered on, gratitude was evident in her eyes.
The more the conversation continued, the harder it became for Juhye to bring up the topic of divorce.
“Unni.”
After hesitating for a moment, Juhye finally spoke.
“Yeah?”
“What would you do if, say, your brother-in-law…”
If your husband were seeing another woman—what would you do?
The words she wanted to ask got stuck at the tip of her tongue and never came out. Besides, no matter how heavy her worries were, it wasn’t a topic to bring up in front of a young baby.
“You’ve got something going on, don’t you?”
Fortunately—or unfortunately—Juyoung was quick to notice.
She immediately read Juhye’s expression and frowned.
“It’s a good day, why are you like this? Did something really happen?”
Of course, since Juhye and Daehyun had always lived quietly without problems, she hadn’t been too worried. It had just been a casual question.
But as silence stretched on, suspicion slowly turned into certainty.
“You didn’t fight, did you? On your anniversary?”
“……”
“What? Seriously?”
Juyoung shouted in shock, looking completely stunned.
Of all people—Juhye and Daehyun fighting?
They had never even had a proper argument since marriage, so it was hard not to be surprised.
“Is it that obvious?”
Juhye asked with a bitter smile. Juyoung froze, even her hand patting the baby’s back stopping mid-motion.
“No, I was just joking… I didn’t think it was real. Wait a second.”
Before continuing the conversation, Juyoung laid the sleeping baby down on the bed and returned.
Juhye, meanwhile, was absentmindedly fiddling with her now-cold coffee, her head lowered. Juyoung, trying to decide where to begin, spoke firmly.
“First of all, don’t tell your father about this fight. Under no circumstances.”
Juhye looked puzzled.
Her father, Chairman Jin Sucheol, was always her strongest supporter.
“I didn’t tell him, of course. But why?”
“I’m afraid your husband might secretly drag me off and dump me into the sea off Incheon.”
It was a somewhat chilling joke.
“Unni, really…”
Juhye smiled as if it were absurd, but Juyoung’s expression remained deadly serious.
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
Juyoung let out a hollow laugh and shook her head.
Juhye tilted her head slightly, looking completely innocent.
No wonder Juhye’s older brothers always worried that their younger sister knew nothing about the real world.
“Our father isn’t that cold-hearted. You know that.”
Even as Juhye protested, Juyoung clicked her tongue inwardly.
‘That’s only how he is in front of you…’
On Juhye’s wedding day, Juyoung had witnessed Chairman Jin Sucheol’s expression and never forgotten it.
The way he stood outside the bride’s waiting room, face hardened, sighing deeply.
The way he glanced at his son-in-law’s name on the wall with obvious displeasure…
‘He looked completely dissatisfied.’
Juhye’s brothers had been no different.
Whenever they met Daehyun, they couldn’t hide their disapproving gazes, only managing to wear polite masks in front of Juhye.
“Anyway, listen to your sister.”
“Okay.”
“I won’t ask why you fought—that’s personal. It’s best for couples to solve their own problems.”
Juhye nodded slowly, her expression gloomy.
Ever since she brought up divorce, her appetite had completely disappeared and showed no signs of returning.
“I know that… but I’m still worried.”
“What about?”
“Just thinking about you two having dinner like this.”
“You’ve lost your appetite?”
Juyoung hit the mark casually and poured more coffee into her cup.
“Still, you should talk it out. I fight with Kangil sometimes too, but we always talk it through. Otherwise, it builds up inside, and eventually it explodes.”
If it had already exploded, then what should she do?
Even with Juyoung’s sincere advice, Juhye couldn’t easily calm her worries.
She also couldn’t understand Daehyun’s refusal to even acknowledge the divorce conversation.
“Yeah, I will.”
“No plans for kids yet?”
This question was even harder. Juhye sighed and pressed her forehead with her hand.
A child…
Not long ago, she had desperately wanted one. Now, she even felt relieved that she didn’t have one.
“I don’t know.”
Juhye felt deep guilt toward her mother, who had died giving birth to her.
The belief that she had ruined the idea of a perfect family simply by existing. Because of that, she had always felt a responsibility to maintain a flawless family herself.
But now, this incident had already cracked that image of perfection.
And if she couldn’t go through with the divorce, she would have to endure a future that would be even more miserable and unbearable.
“Unni, listen…”
If she didn’t speak honestly, she wouldn’t be able to talk through any of her problems.
Juhye stopped hesitating and finally opened her mouth.
[Kangil♡]
But just as she was about to say something, Juyoung’s phone vibrated loudly.
Seeing the name on the screen, Juyoung muttered awkwardly.
“Oh, he changed the name again without telling me.”
Relieved by the interruption, Juhye glanced at the screen and smiled faintly.
The little heart peeking out beside the name was cute. An unexpectedly cheerful moment in the middle of everything.
“Your brother-in-law hasn’t changed.”
“Not just hasn’t changed—I’m getting tired of it…”
Juyoung quickly answered the call.
Juhye drank the rest of her coffee and organized her thoughts, planning to bring up the topic as soon as the call ended.
“Why did you change my contact name again? That’s embarrassing… what? Juhye?”
Then it happened.
At the sudden mention of her name, Juhye looked up in surprise.
Juyoung alternated her gaze between the phone and Juhye, looking confused.
“You’re with her right now? Why?”
Juyoung nodded and pointed at Juhye’s phone.
“Your phone?”
Only then did Juhye remember the phone she had been avoiding all this time.
As soon as she turned it on, it began vibrating violently. A quick glance showed a long list of missed calls.
All of them were from her husband—Seo Daehyun.
