CHAPTER 65

Siyeon’s peaceful life did not last even a day. She had gone to work and then received a visit from the grandfather and Ijun’s father, who rushed to the Samseong-dong house after hearing the truth about Baekya from Ijun.

Upon hearing that the two of them were visiting the house, Siyeon asked the maid to prepare a generous dinner.

“Siyeon.”

As the grandfather entered the house, tears welled up in his eyes as soon as he saw Siyeon standing in front of the living room. Ijun’s father also had a weary expression. Although the visit was undoubtedly meant to comfort her, Siyeon had to constantly reassure the grandfather, saying everything was okay and calm him down instead.

“… What did your father say?”

“He was very pleased. He expressed a lot of gratitude to Ijun.”

As soon as she woke up in the morning, Siyeon called her parents and faithfully relayed what she had heard from Ijun yesterday. Naturally, they were overjoyed and moved to the point where they couldn’t articulate their words properly.

“Siyeon. Thank you so much for coming back to us after all this time. Your great-grandfather must have felt so unjust. It’s a relief that we can now correct the truth. Thank goodness. I will make sure those wrongs are righted, and you don’t have to suffer anymore.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

Siyeon smiled at him, patting his hand.

“Have dinner before you leave, Grandfather.”

Ijun, standing beside her, checked the time on his wristwatch and spoke up.

“Shall we just have dinner and spend the night here? I’m feeling too overwhelmed, I don’t think I can move anymore today.”

“……”

“……”

Upon hearing the grandfather’s words, Siyeon and Ijun met each other’s eyes.

 “President Jeong and I will stay in the room on the second floor and won’t bother you, so you don’t have to worry. Siyeon, won’t you show me that mother-of-pearl box?”

“…Yes, Grandfather. Just wait here in the living room for a moment.”

Siyeon urgently called Ijun to the corner after confirming that Ijun’s grandfather and father had settled at  the living room sofa.

“I’ll pretend to fall asleep while working on the second floor. I’ll set up a bed for the two of them in the guest room on the second floor, and I’ll pretend to have dozed off while working there.”

“Do you think Grandfather really said he’s going to sleep here today because his heart is pounding so much?” 

“What do you mean?”

“If the heart is beating abnormally, we should be calling a doctor, not let him sleep here. And it’s not like he’s going to Suwon running with that heart of his.”

Ijun chuckled.

“Are they doing this on purpose? Why?”

“Perhaps he wants to personally confirm that we’re not using separate rooms. He probably wants to check with his own eyes. If he doesn’t confirm it today, he might say he’s going to sleep here again tomorrow because his legs hurt.” 

“What should we do then?”

Siyeon’s eyes shook with anxiety. In contrast to her agitation, Ijun seemed remarkably calm.

 “Is there another way? I’ll distract them while you gather your necessary items and come downstairs.”

“So, are you suggesting that we share a room?”

“Is it a problem for a married couple to share a room?”

“……”

“And don’t forget to bring your laptop.”

Ijun watched Siyeon, who stood stiff, and chuckled as he passed by her. Siyeon stood there blankly,  gaze fixed on the floor.

* * *

Although there was some uncertainty about whether they would really go to sleep, the two of them immediately prepared for bed as soon as they finished dinner. As if prepared in advance, the housekeeper brought their nightwear, shirts, suits, and even fresh underwear and rang the bell.

While the maid prepared the bed on the second floor, the four of them chatted in the living room, discussing things over Siyeon’s mother-of-pearl box and comb.

On the back of the mirror inside the mother-of-pearl box that Siyeon received from her mother, the poem of Baekya was engraved in the exact same form. Grandfather couldn’t help but touch it with trembling hands, unable to hide his emotions.

“…How could I have imagined that something like this would happen in my lifetime? It’s such a relief that the truth has finally come out, even if it’s a bit late. I hope Siyeon’s great-grandfather can now rest in peace.”

With teary eyes that remained fixed on the mother-of-pearl box, he spoke as if conversing with the artifact.

“I will definitely correct the truth. So please, even if it’s just for the sake of my grandson and granddaughter-in-law Siyeon, please help our family. I will cherish Siyeon even more. And those people will never set foot in our house again.”

Siyeon felt a sinking feeling in her heart as she realized whom he was addressing. If her great-grandfather were in front of her, she would earnestly plead with him first.

Just then, the maid, who had come down from the second floor, informed them that the bed was ready.

“Father, the bed is ready. Shall we go up to the second floor?”

At President Jeong’s words, Grandfather got up from his seat.

“Have sweet dreams. Alright?”

“…Yes, Grandfather.”

Siyeon awkwardly smiled and nodded her head in response to the grandfather’s earnest words as he held her hand tightly.

After the two of them went upstairs, Siyeon followed Ijun with a troubled expression. With her head bowed and walking, she looked like a student being led to the teacher to receive a scolding for some wrongdoing.

On the side table next to the master bedroom’s bed were the pajamas, underwear, clothes for the next day, and a laptop that Siyeon had secretly placed there.

As they entered the room, Ijun gestured to the bathroom inside the room and said to Siyeon, 

“Do you want to shower first?” 

“No, you go first. I’ll shower later.”

“Okay then.”

Ijun took off the T-shirt he was wearing, and threw it over his head as he disappeared towards the bathroom. Siyeon, who was hastily trying to avert her gaze elsewhere, stopped moving when she saw a long scar between the muscles of his back as he squirmed.

When did he get such a big injury?

She couldn’t see it for long as he soon closed the bathroom door, but it was easy to guess that it was an old scar.

Ijun came out of the bathroom wearing only a bathrobe over his underwear.

“There’s a spare toothbrush on the shelf.”

“Thanks. Don’t worry about me; go ahead and sleep first.”

 Siyeon once again urged Ijun not to wait for her and went into the bathroom.

She squeezed toothpaste onto the toothbrush and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The image of a woman with flushed cheeks was reflected back at her. 

Why is your face all red? 

Siyeon needlessly picked a fight with her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t expect anything special to happen, but she couldn’t help her racing heart.

No matter how wide the bed is, she has to lie on it with Ijun. Just the thought of lying next to him made her toes curl and her whole body feel contracted.

She deliberately took a slow and prolonged shower, hoping he would be asleep by the time she came out of the bathroom. 

After thoroughly drying her hair, she returned to the room, and Ijun was sitting with his back against the headboard, looking at a tablet PC.

“…You’re still not asleep?”

“Yeah.”

“Seems like you have a lot on your mind.”

“Do people usually set their birthday as their password?”

Out of the blue, he brought up the topic of passwords with Siyeon.

“Well, it varies from person to person. Everyone might choose an easy-to-remember number.”

 “I usually use the four digits of my birthday. What about you?”

 “I just… use something simple.”

“What do you mean by something simple?”

“Why are you asking that?”

When Siyeon asked, Ijun looked up at her and stared at her with a subtle smile. She was wearing classic gray-toned pajamas with a collar. Her flushed cheeks looked just like ripe peaches. 

“Are you going to just stand there?”

“Is there only one blanket?”

 Siyeon pointed to the blanket that was covering him up to his waist.

 “It’s big enough. Four adults can sleep under it comfortably.”

“I’ll sleep on the window side then.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Nonchalantly saying this, Ijun lowered his gaze back to the tablet. Siyun quickly climbed onto the bed..

“Didn’t you work today?”

“I did some work in the afternoon.”

“How much is left until you finish?”

“I don’t know.”

She covered herself with the blanket up to her chest, with folded hands resting on her stomach and she gazed up at the ceiling. Ijun, glancing at her in that state, raised his head and said with a smirk.

“It would be okay to put you in a coffin just like that.”

“Actually… that’s what I was thinking.”

“What?” 

In a slightly serious tone, Ijun looked down at her face.

“Sleeping like a dead person during the day and becoming active at night… don’t you feel something?”

“…”

Lying down, Siyeon turned her head towards Ijun with wide eyes.

“Walking around in the dark at night and meeting people, and then suddenly, ‘snap!’ on the neck!”

“Stabbed with a knife?”

“…Is it not funny?”

“Do you find that amusing?”

It was a joke intended to lighten the awkward atmosphere, but Ijun showed no response. Siyeon pulled the blanket up a bit more, pursing her lips.

“…By the way, why did you buy it?”

After a brief silence, Siyeon spoke.

“I heard that you were lying there almost every afternoon. I thought you would need a similar environment even though your residence has changed.”

“You should’ve told me about it. I didn’t even know, and I thanked Yoonsoooppa through a text.” 

“Why did you think it was from Yoonsoo?”

He looked at Siyeon with a puzzled expression. There was a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“There’s no one else who could give me such a gift except for him.”

“They say the bear has the talent and the king receives the money.”

(The phrase “재주는 곰이 넘고 돈은 왕 서방이 받는다더니” can be roughly translated to “The bear has the talent, and the king gets the money.” This expression is used to highlight a situation where someone else benefits from the skills or talents of another person. It implies that while one may possess the ability or talent (symbolized by the bear), someone else is reaping the financial rewards or benefits (symbolized by the king or husband).)

“But I was glad to know that it was you who sent it.”

“Glad?”

“Yes, glad. I already have so much debt to Yoonsoo oppa. I don’t want to add more to that.”

Turning off the tablet and placing it on the side table, Ijun pulled the blanket up to his chest and lay down on the bed. With this, there was now enough space between them for another adult to lie down.  

Ijun turned off the main lights and turned on the soft light of the bedside lamp and looked up at the ceiling with one hand under his head. As the light dimmed, the surroundings became quieter, making her senses of hearing and touch more acute. 

“……”

“……”

Siyeon lay quietly with her hands folded on her stomach. She seemed to be in a daze at a time when she should be working. She thought that if Ijun fell asleep, she could take her laptop and go into the dressing room, but she remained still, staring straight ahead.

Ijun tossed and turned several times, but she couldn’t do the same. Despite the desire to move freely and lie comfortably, her real body felt like a stiff log.

To confirm that Ijun had fallen asleep, she focused on his breathing, but there was no sound.

Is he the type to sleep silently?

Siyeon endured a long and boring time, finally having a very reasonable suspicion. Slowly, she turned back towards him. 

“……”

“……”

However, at that moment, Siyeon, lying with her fist under her cheek, made eye contact with Ijun, who had been watching her. Her blood rushed quickly.