Chapter 22

Jiho froze on the spot like a stone statue.

No words came out.

He could not even blink, could not so much as breathe.

“Ah, Jiho, say hello. Um…. this is the man who’ll be your brother-in-law. His name is Cha Ijun, and, well…. I don’t know if you know him too. Daejeong Electronics….”

The words of introduction Seoyun spoke in a shy voice blurred and faded away.

So, what now?

Only Ijun’s triumphant, smiling face seemed to stab itself into his eyes.

“Nice to meet you, Brother-in-law. I’ve heard a lot about you from Seoyun.”

“Why… why, why on earth….”

His jaw trembled so badly that the words would not come properly.

Because Jiho had his back to Seoyun, she could not see his expression, and gave a slightly awkward smile.

“Were you really that surprised?”

“The person you said you will be marrying to…. it’s him? Why. Why on earth….”

“Uh, like I told you before, we actually knew each other a little from before. He was my university senior too….”

It seemed she could not bring herself to say in front of him that she had once liked him.

As Seoyun lightly pressed her lips together, the satisfaction on Ijun’s face deepened even more.

By now, Jiho’s whole body was trembling.

“What’s wrong, Brother-in-law? Do you happen to know me?”

“……”

“I hope we can get along well from now on. If anything is difficult, say so anytime. We’re family now, after all.”

At Ijun’s outwardly warm words, Seoyun smiled as though reassured.

Just as Jiho clenched his fist tight,

“Waa, Song Jiho! Long time no see. But why does your face look like that? Were you shocked because your brother-in-law is too handsome?”

“Hana! You came?”

It was Hana, the only guest invited on Seoyun’s side.

She had heard the wedding would be kept simple, but she had not expected it to be this minimal.

Even on the Daejeong family’s side, only close relatives had been invited, so there were not even fifty guests in total.

Seoyun had no relatives to invite.

Her late mother had no family, and she had long since lost contact with her biological father.

Even if Jeonghun had treated her as his own daughter, his own few relatives had not seen it that way.

She had not even informed the handful of friends she might have contacted.

She had been worried rumors would spread for no reason.

All the talk that would come from a marriage so heavily weighted to one side.

And the unfamiliar social culture and networking of their world.

They said this small ceremony was for Seoyun’s sake, but she could not help feeling that was only an excuse.

She knew she was not the sort of bride anyone would proudly present.

But it felt like there was something beyond even that.

As though everyone, including Ijun, did not want to place much significance on this marriage, or did not want to formalize it too much.

It might have been overly sensitive of her, but she kept feeling that way.

Even so, the moment she saw Hana’s face, Seoyun could not help but feel glad.

“Hello. Congratulations on your marriage. I’m Yoon Hana, Seoyun’s best friend. Um, I don’t know if you remember me, but I was always with Seoyun at school, and I saw you in passing several times too, Senior.”

“Well…. I don’t really remember, but anyway, it’s nice to meet you. If you’re Seoyun’s best friend, I’ll be counting on you.”

“To think Seoyun would end up marrying you, Senior. As for me, please take good care of our Seoyun too. If it looks like in-law hell is about to unfold, you need to be the first one to step in and stop it. You mustn’t make that foolishly kind, deeply responsible girl suffer. Please make sure she walks only on a flower path in happiness.”

“Sure. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Even in front of the spirited and blunt Hana, Ijun only smiled with easy composure.

“Well then, I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about, so I should step out. Oh, and brother-in-law, you should come out too. I’m sure the women have things they want to say among themselves. Brother-in-law, shall we have a little time to talk?”

Pretending to be friendly, Ijun wrapped an arm around Jiho’s back.

Like someone being escorted away, Jiho was led out of the bridal waiting room by Ijun.

By the time the two of them returned to the garden, everything was almost fully prepared.

White guest tables and chairs, a crimson velvet wedding aisle, an arch lavishly decorated with fresh flowers, even the officiant’s stand.

Standing at the edge of the garden and watching the scene, Ijun slipped both hands into his trouser pockets.

He looked at ease, in sharp contrast to Jiho, who had stiffened completely, with reddened eyes.

“Lower your eyes. There’s no need to look at me like that. You brought all of this on yourself.”

“……”

“It’s true we knew each other from before, and it’s also true she was my university junior. I don’t bear Song Seoyun any ill will. Of course, there may be difficult things for her once she enters our family, but I intend to treat her well as my wife. That is, as long as you don’t entertain any foolish ideas.”

Ijun’s dry voice, as though none of this mattered in the slightest, only seemed to provoke Jiho into greater fury.

Jiho’s two tightly clenched fists trembled violently.

“Must… must you really go this far?”

“Well, then. Why did you do it in the first place? I have to put in place at least the minimum safety measures too, don’t I?”

“My sister didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Exactly. Why did you have to be Song Seoyun’s little brother? Don’t worry. I’ll treat your sister well enough that she won’t notice anything.”

“How long… how long is this going to last…. Does it end if I die?”

“That’s why I’m telling you not to entertain foolish thoughts. How long? Until I decide I’m satisfied, I suppose. Once you go to America, think of yourself as blind, deaf, and mute, and live quietly. Then there won’t be any problems.”

Jiho lowered his head as though in despair.

Inwardly, Ijun found himself admiring him.

The fact that Jiho still was not groveling and begging to hand over the copy until the very end struck him as genuinely clever.

By now, Jiho already knew that even if he did, it would do him no good.

“Remember this. If you do nothing, then nothing will happen.”

Ijun leaned close to Jiho’s ear and whispered.

Before long, the wedding ended simply, but it was very beautiful.

The late summer sunlight was radiant, and the white wedding dress shone brilliantly.

Seoyun’s shy smile as she walked down the aisle holding the groom’s hand.

The look in Seoyun’s eyes as she gazed at Ijun.

The flowers and white ribbon decorations fluttering in the soft breeze.

There was no joyful applause or cheering from the guests, but it was a wedding that remained behind like a single perfect photograph.

Even if it was only a fleeting happiness, Seoyun smiled brightly at least in that moment, and as Jiho watched, his heart broke.

***

A few days after the wedding, at the airport.

The summer vacation season had already ended, so the airport early in the morning was comparatively quiet.

Seoyun held on to Jiho’s hand, the one holding his ticket and passport, and could not let go.

She had tried hard to hold back, but tears had already overflowed, running down her cheeks and dripping from the tip of her chin.

“Jiho, don’t just study too hard. Make sure you eat properly, and exercise too. You know your health is the most important thing, right?”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going alone, and the sunbaes going with me will be there too. We’ll look after each other and do fine.”

Seoyun gave a small bow toward the two men standing some distance behind Jiho.

It looked as though she was asking them to take good care of him.

The two men also accepted Seoyun’s greeting with rough understanding.

They were said to be people Ijun had personally selected after a thorough review, and Jiho had been told he would spend every moment of his life in America with them while he lived there.

To Seoyun, he said they were sunbaes who would be studying with him, and as always, she believed Jiho’s words without question.

Jiho was in indescribable agony at having to leave Seoyun behind in Cha Ijun’s grasp.

But he kept reminding himself that only if he stayed perfectly clear-headed would he be able, someday, to take his sister and escape when the opportunity came.

“But Jaehyeon and Jaeyun didn’t come to see you off?”

“Uh…. I saw them briefly yesterday, and I told them not to come out. I wanted to spend the last bit of time with you, Noona.”

“I see. It makes me so sad that I’m sending you off like this without even getting to see your face much, without even making you a single meal….”

It had only been a few days since Seoyun held a wedding steeped in schemes and secrets.

She had not even left for her honeymoon yet.

Even though she must have been overwhelmed and unsettled by an environment that had changed completely overnight, the fact that she was still worried only about him made his chest ache unbearably.

Jiho steadied his breathing to suppress the surge of emotion.

If he was not careful, it felt as though the feelings whirling inside him like molten lava would burst out.