🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 59
There were four people in the photograph.
A man and woman who looked like a loving couple, and in front of them, a boy and a young girl wearing glasses stood side by side.
The boy seemed to be in the upper grades of elementary school, while the girl appeared to be around five or six years old.
Despite her young age, she was already wearing thick glasses, which made it easy to recognize her.
“……It’s Joo Ae-jeong.”
We recognized her at a glance.
“This is Joo Seong-gyun. And these two adults here.”
Most likely her parents.
Even in the photo, their warm smiles could be felt. The resemblance in their smiles alone conveyed happiness.
But we couldn’t even say, not even falsely, that they resembled Ae-jeong. Seeing how different the two adults were from Ae-jeong made us curious.
We wanted to know more accurately about Joo Ae-jeong. At first, we had observed her to adapt to this body, but now, it was due to responsibility and empathy as the one who had taken away her last wish. How had she come to like a man like Ha Yun-jae?
What connection or story led her to love this man? That curiosity arose.
As we looked at the child’s slightly somber expression, we soon noticed the sign behind them.
“Love Orphanage.”
The photo was relatively well-maintained, and even the phone number on the sign was clearly visible.
Pointing to the number, Yun-jae picked up his phone and dialed it immediately.
—but the number dialed…
All that returned was a message that the number did not exist.
He shook his head briefly.
“There’s no number. The institution itself may have disappeared.”
“Or it might have changed.”
“It’s hard to find out right now.”
Judging by the area code, it was an orphanage located in Gyeonggi Province.
There could be more than one orphanage with the same name, and its name or appearance might have changed.
It was also possible that it had completely closed down.
Looking down at the photo for a moment, she asked again,
“Was she adopted?”
“I’ve never checked.”
Once again, Ha Yun-jae proved he had taken no particular interest in Joo Ae-jeong.
“It won’t take too long.”
Hoping we could find out, Yun-jae placed his hand over the photo.
He seriously presented us with an option.
“You don’t have to do it. You’re just you.”
All things aside, the reason we were here was because it was Go-woo in this body.
Sensing his sincerity, she shook her head and placed her hand over his.
“If you’re worried I’ll be scared, don’t.”
“…….”
“I couldn’t tell anyone else, but I never denied Ae-jeong. I don’t know what she was doing when I came into this body, and I probably never will. But one thing is clear.”
It would be a lie to say we weren’t scared or anxious. But we were no longer alone, and we were no longer shaken.
That made it even clearer.
“To me, Ae-jeong is not a shackle.”
Ae-jeong wasn’t someone to avoid, suppress, swallow, or pretend didn’t exist.
‘Of course. She’s the benefactor who gave me a new chance.’
Whether that was what she wanted or not,
“So I have a duty to get to know this person. Please, help me.”
With our firm resolve, Yun-jae turned his hand from over the photo and held hers.
“If the things you find out make you suffer, just know I won’t tell you anything.”
“Ha Yun-jae.”
“I’ll protect you.”
This firmness, this sincere heart, was both heartbreaking and joyful.
Selfishly, we could feel the love he was giving. Perhaps this was the feeling Ae-jeong had longed for.
Yet she neither felt unnecessarily sorry nor pitied him.
Ha Yun-jae’s heart belonged to her, and that wouldn’t change.
“Okay.”
We nodded and closed the diary.
Yun-jae had been sitting in his study since early morning, going through documents.
It was the weekend, a time he had to dedicate, so he had brought the documents the day before.
Hours passed among the meaningless papers, just going through them because it was his duty.
After reviewing the last page and signing off, he checked the time. It was almost time to leave.
Yun-jae closed the binder, pushed it aside, and stood up.
Unexpectedly, he wasn’t wearing his usual sharp suit or dandy style but something quite casual: a shirt and jeans.
A very ordinary outfit, which we had given him as a birthday gift the day before.
[We didn’t have much money, so we couldn’t buy anything fancy. But we tried our best, so I hope you wear it. It’ll definitely suit you.]
Whatever it was, there couldn’t have been a better gift.
Though unfamiliar, the clothes were much more comfortable than what he normally wore. The fit was almost perfect, and they suited him well.
It seemed that compliments about his appearance weren’t empty words.
Dressed in the outfit we chose, he headed to the living room. There, he finally saw her, busy since early morning.
“Oh, I was just about to call you. See? It really suits you. You look like you’re in your twenties.”
With a face bright and cloudless, we smiled at Yun-jae.
Her hair tied up in a single ponytail.
A radiant white face with a touch of makeup.
Finally, her shirt and jeans matched his style.
Holding the strap of her bag diagonally across her body, she sparkled with her naturally rosy cheeks even without blush.
“I’ve always wanted to try this if I had a boyfriend.”
Boyfriend.
Yun-jae’s heart thumped.
“Couple—or, these days, they call it ‘similar look.’”
Even if not identical, the matching outfits made them look like a couple.
“How do I look? Is it okay?”
We asked in a heightened voice. But Yun-jae couldn’t answer immediately.
Perhaps because of the glasses?
In her appearance, Ae-jeong didn’t come to mind. She looked like a completely different person.
Amazingly so.
“What, no response? Well, even if it’s not pretty, it doesn’t matter. I like it. Very much.”
Feeling flustered and unsure what to say, Yun-jae received our teasing words, and we stretched our arms.
“Let’s go.”
She was elated, unstoppable.
We had been waiting for this day more than anyone. Not just because it was Yun-jae’s birthday, but also because it could be their first date.
Having already decided where to go, she took the wheel and soon arrived in front of an exhibition hall.
<The Beginning of Radiance, Orbit of Light>
“…….”
Stepping out of the car, he looked at the fluttering banner and then turned his gaze to us.
She already had the pamphlet in hand.
“I really wanted to come here.”
Even though he said he’d make time for his birthday, the destination being an exhibition, with colorful displays visible even before entering, was perfectly Go-woo’s taste.
“This exhibition used to only be in Gangwon-do and Jeju-do. But this year, it’s being shown in Seoul too.”
Yun-jae asked her, as if she were a guide.
“It’s my birthday, isn’t it?”
“Huh? ……Oh, right.”
“I don’t think the doctor asked about this.”
Not bad, but not great either. Especially if this was the chosen location.
Realizing we forgot the most important thing, we used the pamphlet to cover our noses, peeking only with our eyes.
Outside, she spoke with sparkling eyes.
“Married couples are one in heart.”
“…….”
“What I want is also what Ha Yun-jae wants, isn’t it?”
She knew his weakness very well. He furrowed his brows, feeling himself growing weak before her.
“Don’t you get called soft?”
“Mm, I’ve heard it so much it’s stuck in my ears.”
We flashed a playful smile, ignoring Yun-jae’s reproach.
“Don’t you like it?”
Twinkle, twinkle.
Of course, he didn’t dislike it. But somehow, it still felt teasing. He let out a low sigh.
“Wear sunglasses.”
“Huh? It’s okay for now… okay.”
She quietly put on the sunglasses, sensing his gaze.
Since the area was well-lit, she must have brought them just in case.
With the sunglasses on, she released the hand that had been linked.
“Wait a moment. I’ll buy the tickets.”
“Tickets?”
“Yes. You need them to get in.”
Shrugging at the obvious, she reached for her wallet, but Yun-jae put it back in her bag.
“Here. I’ll get the pass.”
Pass? What pass?
Before she could question him, he was already moving.
“No, I’ll do it!”
With such long legs, he had already entered the exhibition hall.
“The ticket office isn’t that way.”
Did he know someone? Well, if it was Ha Yun-jae, it was possible.
‘Maybe we can see further inside.’
Connections are useful at times like this.
Watching her husband’s confident back, we smiled warmly.
Thud. Crash.
Someone bumped into us from behind, and a few unfamiliar objects fell to the floor.
“Ah, sorry!”
A quick apology came from behind a stack of boxes piled as high as his torso. He probably couldn’t see her.
“It’s okay.”
We picked up the fallen items and stepped aside.
“Thanks…… huh?”
Our eyes met briefly, and the man carrying the boxes let out a surprised exclamation and quickly set the boxes down.
“Um, are you—”
The man took a step forward, lowering the boxes.
No way.
A sudden sense of foreboding made her put on her sunglasses instantly.
“Joo Ae-jeong, isn’t it?”
And the foreboding was exactly right.
“Ah, that’s right. I didn’t recognize you with the sunglasses! Wow, how long has it been?”
Without a word, the man casually tapped her arm, laughing heartily.
“Ae-jeong, it’s only been six months since you left, right?”
From his neck, a company ID badge swung gently.
<Yeongdo Group, Sales Department 3>
