“It was a whirlwind.”
That was the only way to describe the wedding.
He was pulled this way and that, and before he knew it, he was standing at the wedding venue, facing Han Taeseok and reciting their wedding vows.
“I solemnly swear that I will love, respect, and trust Park Jaekyung forever, and faithfully fulfill my duties as his dependable partner.”
Watching the man recite the words he had memorized without blinking, with a completely impassive expression, Jaekyung felt nothing.
He didn’t even think, I’m really marrying this man.
The only thought that crossed his mind was, So these are words you can really say without feeling anything at all. Is that why the divorce rate is so high?
It was a completely pointless thought.
“I, Park Jaekyung, take Han Taeseok as my partner and…”
Jaekyung had memorized the prepared wedding vows in the waiting room and recited them flawlessly.
It was like reading from a book.
No—not even that.
It was more like reading a notice he happened to come across while passing by.
To always love, respect, and trust…
Not one of those three things would actually be kept, would they?
Aside from fulfilling his duties, these wedding vows were nothing more than a scrap of paper.
After the wedding ceremony, there was a press conference.
Normally, post-wedding press conferences were something celebrity couples did, but this wedding was being used as a marketing opportunity by both Jaewang and NI—to make their companies appear more approachable to the public—so they had no choice but to put themselves before the public.
They had to keep smiling and look into the camera lenses the entire time, to the point that Jaekyung’s cheeks were beginning to cramp.
-“Where are you planning to go for your honeymoon?”
Just like at the press conference announcing their marriage, the questions came from a predetermined list of talking points. Naturally, Jaekyung assumed Han Taeseok would answer, but instead, Taeseok handed the microphone to him.
Almost as if he were testing him.
“Thank you.”
Jaekyung accepted the microphone with a polite nod.
“We decided to go to Northern Europe.”
-“Is there a reason you chose Northern Europe?”
“I mentioned that it was somewhere I’d wanted to visit for a long time, so Director Han made the arrangements for me.”
-“So does that mean he gave you the honeymoon trip as a gift?”
Oh. That question wasn’t on the prepared list.
Jaekyung hesitated, unsure whether he should answer.
His eyes met Secretary Oh’s.
He couldn’t read his expression at all.
Then why did he tell me to look at him when I was in trouble?
It’s not as though he’s going to help me.
There was nothing he could do.
“That’s exactly the right way to put it. He gave it to me as a gift. It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever received in my life.”
Jaekyung answered with a slightly bashful smile, and the reporters burst into laughter.
The atmosphere was good.
At least, he thought it was.
But then…
-“How could you answer the reporters’ questions like that? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
-“What, did you suddenly think you were some celebrity?”
-“Tsk, tsk. And this is only the first day of your marriage… You’d better watch yourself from now on.”
“Yes… I’m sorry.”
The moment the press conference ended, he was summoned to a room on the fifth floor of the venue called Gung Ho—the name written in Chinese characters.
Around fifteen people from the NI Group were seated inside.
The chairman, Director Ji, the president of the company that had handled the contract, the hotel president, the president of the food division… and others.
Just looking at them was enough to make Jaekyung feel as though his breath were being squeezed out of him.
As if to prove they were all of the same blood, they carried the same suffocating air, making it difficult for him to breathe.
They all pointed fingers at him and sneered, criticizing him for answering a question he hadn’t been instructed to answer.
-“Secretary Oh, make sure the reporter who asked that question never sets foot anywhere near NI again.”
-“Yes, Director.”
-“Jaekyung.”
“Yes…”
-“I don’t know how the Jaewang Group taught you to conduct yourself, but things are different here. I’ll have someone assigned to you. You will correct every little thing—your way of speaking, your behavior, everything.”
The warning in her voice left no room for argument.
-“They say a person’s misfortune comes through their mouth. So watch what you say from now on. Keep your mouth shut whenever possible, and cut out anything unnecessary.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
-“You may go in and get some rest now.”
“Yes…”
They had become family today, yet Jaekyung hadn’t even been able to look any of them in the eye, let alone be properly introduced to each person and exchange greetings. He was treated like an unwanted stray who had somehow been brought into the family, then dismissed and sent away.
As Jaekyung followed Secretary Oh down the hallway, he looked outside through the long windows stretching along the corridor.
He could see Han Taeseok talking with the director.
Reporters swarmed around him.
There wasn’t a single person around Jaekyung.
“Um, Secretary Oh. Are we going straight to Cheongdam?”
-“Yes, we are.”
“Then… I’d like to see my mother.”
-“I’m sorry, but that won’t be possible. Director Han will be leaving for the airport. He has a seven-day business trip to the United States. Officially, it’s being presented as your honeymoon, so you need to appear as though you’re traveling together as well.”
Yet another thing he was hearing for the first time.
Back in the waiting room, he had only been told that Han Taeseok was busy. No one had mentioned that he was leaving for a business trip to the United States.
So he won’t even be coming home for seven days?
He had already assumed he would be abandoned on his very first night as a newlywed, but…
Of course.
He certainly hasn’t disappointed me.
-“Mr. Jaekyung, please refrain from going out for the next seven days as well. You only need to stay at the mansion.”
“The gallery…”
-“Director Ji said you don’t need to come in for the next seven days either. And from now on, your daily schedule will be sent to your email. Please arrange your movements according to the schedule.”
“…Understood.”
Listening to Secretary Oh’s words with a blank, emotionless expression, Jaekyung suddenly remembered what he had said earlier about their honeymoon destination.
Northern Europe…
It was somewhere he had wanted to visit at least once.
He thought he had even once entertained the childish idea of going there before getting married and enjoying his freedom.
But will I ever have the chance now?
Of course, there would probably be plenty of occasions when he traveled overseas as the partner of Han Taeseok, the director of NI Company.
Probably many.
But those trips wouldn’t be the kind of journey Jaekyung wanted—the kind where the two of them traveled together as a married couple.
After going to the hospital and getting a full day of rest, Jaekyung’s cold miraculously cleared up. He came to the convenience store a little early and was organizing the inventory.
It happened to be the start of a new month, and a new event poster had arrived. As he looked it over, a familiar word caught his eye, and Jaekyung gave a small, amused laugh.
“Northern Europe…”
The event promised to send one lucky winner to Northern Europe, selected at random from customers who bought snacks and entered through social media.
Jaekyung carefully unfolded the poster and put it up by the door.
-“Does anyone actually win these things?”
The store manager, who was wiping down the glass door, asked skeptically.
Well… Jaekyung had never paid much attention to these kinds of events, so he’d never really wondered whether anyone actually won. But he could understand why someone would be skeptical.
-“By the way, Jaekyung, you know you could’ve taken another day off.”
“Ah, I’m fine! I think my body was just exhausted because I was doing things I wasn’t used to. I’m okay now. And you’re here all day, too. It must be tiring for you.”
-“I appreciate that, but… if you’re sick, don’t hesitate to tell me. Okay?”
If you’re sick, tell me…
Even someone who barely knew me could say something like that…
But when I was living in that house, no one ever said anything like that.
Instead, they told me to hide it if I was sick. Not to let anyone notice. Not to show any weakness.
That was what they had always said…
“Yes. Thank you.”
Jaekyung was grateful that the store manager would say something like that, even if it was only a courtesy. He thanked him sincerely. After the manager left for the day, Jaekyung put on his convenience-store vest and took another look around the small shop. Whenever he noticed snacks that weren’t properly arranged, he stood them upright, organized them, and rearranged anything that seemed out of place. He had only been doing this for a few days, but surprisingly, he seemed to have a knack for it. For a moment, he even wondered if he should open and manage one or two convenience stores of his own someday.
Then he shook his head.
No. I should try more things and gain more experience.
There must be so many things I can only do now.
“…Huh?”
After making a full round of the store and finishing the organizing, Jaekyung smiled in satisfaction.
Then he noticed a black sedan parked across the crosswalk outside, its hazard lights blinking.
He blinked.
It was a familiar car.
He had seen it for five years, and he had seen it just recently across the crosswalk outside the pharmacy…
No way.
It couldn’t be.
Why would he come here? How would he even know I’m here?
Jaekyung’s hands began to tremble.
Should I check? Should I go outside and at least look at the license plate?
Just then, the convenience-store door opened with a little jingle, and someone walked in.
Startled, Jaekyung slowly turned around.
“W-Welcome.”
-“One pack of Marlboro.”
He had thought it was Secretary Oh, but it was just an ordinary customer.
Jaekyung hurried to the counter, rang up the pack of cigarettes, and handed it to the customer before looking out the window again.
The car was gone.
Had I imagined it?
Or was it just a similar-looking car?
Well, that was certainly possible.
It wasn’t as though that particular car was the only one of its kind in the entire world…
More importantly, there was no way a man like Han Taeseok would come here.
There’s no way he would come here to see me…