If You Want to Run, Go Now
“Impressive, Unni. You’ve got a strong stomach. They say the ones with the strongest stomachs change their fate the most—looks like you might pull it off. I couldn’t even hold hands with a face like that. Money’s the best, right?”
She recalled the fake photo from before their first matchmaking meeting. With Na-bin sneering at her, she had no desire to correct the facts. She tried to cut the conversation short.
“I’m going to change clothes. Could you move?”
“Mom! Da-yeon’s romance seems to be going well!”
Na-bin yelled as she pulled away from Da-yeon’s door.
“Mom! Looks like Da-yeon’s getting married this year! Can I get married too?”
She could hear Na-bin running to Yoon Ju-ha’s room and chattering away. Though the exact words weren’t clear, it seemed Ju-ha was agreeing with her.
By the time Da-yeon had finished changing, Yoon Ju-ha knocked on her door. Since it was already open, it was merely a knock to announce her presence.
Her stepmother, still in her pajamas, looked Da-yeon over and smiled.
“Getting married, are you?”
“…I think I can.”
“Really? Bring him home sometime. You’ve got to catch him for good.”
The words wouldn’t leave Da-yeon’s mouth. Na-bin, who had been behind her, cut in.
“Unni, how about a double date with Gi-tae? Future brother-in-law can treat us.”
Jo Gi-tae. She recalled Na-bin’s boyfriend—slick-looking, though not entirely unattractive. He was preparing to start a business, but he wasn’t the type of person Da-yeon liked, so she didn’t want to face him.
“Gi-tae’s holding a private showcase this time—bring your brother-in-law. It’s his first business launch, so family should support him. Right, Mom?”
“Yes. The sons-in-law should get friendly with each other.”
When Na-bin pressed, Ju-ha immediately chimed in. Da-yeon wondered if meeting before the parents even saw him was proper, but Ju-ha seemed to have already decided.
“Unni, put in some effort.”
Without waiting for Da-yeon’s reply, Ju-ha turned away.
“Make it helpful for Gi-tae.”
The warm, fluffy feeling that had been blooming inside her snuffed out again. It was always like this whenever she came home.
She could understand Yoon Ju-ha coddling only her own daughter, but she couldn’t see why Shin Seok-hyeon should have to help Jo Gi-tae’s business just because he was dating Kim Da-yeon. It might make sense in a close-knit family, but Da-yeon found it unreasonable. Separate from Ju-ha, Kim Na-bin had looked down on Da-yeon and trampled on her since childhood, never once showing her respect. It had only gotten worse after Da-yeon’s body became impaired.
Saying no would be clean, but then Yoon Ju-ha’s hand would fly. Yet she also hated asking Seok-hyeon to help a family that wasn’t even close—perhaps family in name only. She only thought about how to dodge it.
“Da-yeon.”
Seok-hyeon’s voice reached out and rapped against her. Deep in thought, Da-yeon snapped back and focused on the man right in front of her.
“Are you listening?”
“…I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I said we should get married within the year.”
“Ah, yes.”
“If there’s anything you particularly want, please tell me. I’ll prepare it. I can arrange whatever Da-yeon asks for.”
“I’m not sure what I should ask for…”
“Anything. The date you want, the place, the concept, wedding gifts? The dress?”
Seok-hyeon trailed off as if he wasn’t sure either.
“Didn’t you have any fantasies about marriage?”
“I never thought I’d actually get married… Is it okay to marry like this?”
“What else do you need?”
“We should greet my parents, too…”
“I don’t have parents, so we’ll just greet yours.”
There was something cool in Seok-hyeon’s voice.
“Tell me a convenient date. I’ll adjust.”
His answer came more readily than she’d expected. Even after deceiving Yoon Ju-ha, he showed no hesitation about paying respects. Da-yeon was at a loss for how to describe her stepmother’s personality.
“And what else?”
“I… I only need Seok-hyeon.”
She tried to answer humbly. Seok-hyeon smiled for a moment, then spoke warmly.
“That’s a kind thing to say, but please give me a chance to show off in front of you.”
“It’s the money you worked hard to earn. I won’t be upset if you save it.”
“I’m a businessman too, so appearances matter. If the CEO’s wedding is too modest, people might think the business isn’t doing well…”
Seok-hyeon even sighed with a dark expression. Da-yeon’s heart sank with a jolt, and she hurriedly corrected herself.
“Then…! Make it grand in a way that’s good for you, Seok-hyeon.”
Suddenly Seok-hyeon covered his mouth with his hand. His hand was large, and his face small, so it covered quite a bit. Only after a while did Da-yeon realize he was holding back laughter. The moment she grasped that he had been acting, her face flushed. A sulky protest came out.
“…We’ll just do the marriage registration.”
“No. I can’t yield on this. Please think about whether to make it grand or glamorous.”
While she briefly pondered the difference, Seok-hyeon leaned toward her.
“Da-yeon, do you have time this weekend? Can we meet with a wedding planner?”
“This weekend?”
Da-yeon pulled out the thought she had buried. She recalled what Na-bin had said so brightly.
“This weekend… I don’t think I can. I have to go to a family event…”
“A family event?”
“The man who’s going to marry my sister is starting a business. I think it’s a presentation.”
“Do you really have to go?”
“Because we’re family…”
Da-yeon’s words trailed off. Seok-hyeon seemed to study her carefully, then smiled calmly.
“Shall I go with you?”
“What?”
“Am I not going to be family too? And I’m interested in investing.”
The words “going to be family” softened her heart. Da-yeon decided she had to bring up the part she hadn’t wanted to untangle.
“Seok-hyeon, this might sound cold-hearted… but you don’t need to do your best for my family.”
They talked of family affection, but these were people who had never given her any.
“I’m grateful that you’re marrying me… but I don’t want any harm to come to you.”
“…….”
“If my father or mother ask you for something, you can pretend not to know… and if it really doesn’t work, divorce is fine.”
If she divorced Shin Seok-hyeon and returned, how would her parents react? Would they interrogate her more then, and try to remarry her off to a man with even worse conditions?
While she thought that far, Seok-hyeon simply gazed at her blankly.
“Divorce…”
Seok-hyeon seemed stuck on that particular word and said nothing more. He didn’t hide his displeasure at all, to the point that Da-yeon grew a little afraid. She hurriedly patched it over.
“…My parents aren’t the type to stay quiet if I come back divorced, either.”
“Sold off again?”
“…Probably. There won’t be another buyer like you, Seok-hyeon.”
Even though Seok-hyeon was being sarcastic, Da-yeon answered self-deprecatingly.
“What about harm coming to your family, Da-yeon?”
His tone felt cold.
“Because I don’t help them.”
“…….”
“…Or more than that.”
It was a meaningful remark. Without dwelling on it further, Da-yeon suppressed her sorrowful feelings and answered.
“…I don’t care.”
“…….”
“They’d be the same. Whether I’m suffering or sad… they’re not people who would care. If harm comes to them… they’d blame me instead.”
Da-yeon muttered bitterly. She thought that even if Seok-hyeon said he couldn’t marry her now, she would have nothing to say.
“There’s no way I’ll let you leave of my own will.”
Yet Seok-hyeon spoke as if it were nothing, without any sign of hesitation.
“So I’ll say it in advance: I can’t give you a divorce.”
Seok-hyeon’s hand approached. It found Da-yeon’s hand, interlocking their fingers and entwining them.
“If you want to run, you have to go now.”
He held her hand as if he wouldn’t let go, yet his words sounded ambiguously like a joke and like the truth. Da-yeon answered as if joking.
“Can I even leave?”
Seok-hyeon rubbed the back of her hand with his fingertips. His voice dropped lower.
“…I won’t let you go quietly.”
As if saying he would chase her to the end and cling to her.
Seok-hyeon’s atmosphere was strange. He put force back into their loosening interlocked fingers. There was no gap for Da-yeon’s hand to slip free. As if changing the mood, Seok-hyeon checked again.
“Tell me the event schedule. I’ll meet you that day.”