8.5

He felt lost about where to start.  

How could he explain that hatred, by nature, is aggressive but tries to appear weak and dependent?  

And what about the constant effort to make close people join in her hatred, to make herself the victim?

Their mother only saw what she wanted to see and believed what she wanted to believe.  

She interpreted their father’s silent response to her criticism however she liked.  

She thought his silence meant he was guilty, that he couldn’t say anything because he had something to hide.

Their father, who was always quiet, seemed to find explanations beneath him.  

Maybe, long ago, when he realized honest explanations wouldn’t work, he simply gave up.

“Think whatever you want.”  

Facing Junhyung’s stubborn expression, Junmo felt he understood his father’s feelings a bit.  

He doubted he could ever make Junhyung understand.  

For Junhyung, nothing was more dangerous than an angry mother.  

Maybe, like their mother, Junhyung just needed time…

“Go see Mother and bow your head. Both of you.”  

Junmo snorted.

“That’s not going to happen.”  

At Junmo’s firm words, Leeseo gently bit her lower lip.  

Her diaphragm tightened as if she might throw up.

She had always known this day would come, yet she’d ignored it.  

It would be nice if she could pretend not to see, pretend not to know, and just live on, but she knew life wasn’t that easy.  

And now, she wasn’t so afraid anymore.  

Even if everything was a mess, as long as she could be with Junmo, she felt she could withstand even CEO Oh Soohyun’s harsh criticism.

“I’ll go see her.”  

Leeseo replied in a low, steady voice.  

In her eyes was a resolve that seemed unbreakable.

“You can’t do it alone.”  

Junmo didn’t stop her, but added a condition.  

Leeseo nodded quietly, signaling she understood.

Junmo had many things he wanted to say to Leeseo.  

But they were things he could never say.  

Things he hoped he would never have to say.

For the sake of Leeseo and their safety, he had stabbed his mother’s conscience with a sharpened blade.  

Did it hurt? Yes, his heart ached unbearably.  

Still, he could proudly say he loved his mother.  

It was hard and painful, but that, too, was a side of love.

Just saying what she wanted to hear, just giving up his life to match his mother’s twisted desires—  

That couldn’t be all there was to love.  

Blindly following and covering up everything couldn’t be love, either.

Realizing his love for Leeseo, Junmo had come to understand his mother’s frightening obsession with their father.  

That in itself was rather paradoxical.  

Still, he was grateful that by diagnosing the problem accurately, he could face reality.

“Hyung! Go now, enough.”  

He spoke to Junhyung, as if shaking off his thoughts.

“You’re throwing me out outright? Well, Leeseo isn’t exactly welcome in our house either.”

Junhyung, as if he’d achieved his goal, walked lightly toward the door.  

Junmo watched Junhyung’s back with a meaningful gaze, then spoke.

“Now that the marriage registration is done… Don’t treat Leeseo lightly anymore. Show some respect as family.”  

Junhyung stopped walking.  

A heavy silence fell for a moment.  

It was so quiet, it felt as if the air in the hospital room had stopped moving.

“What…”  

Junhyung slowly turned, like someone caught off guard by a surprise attack, unable to compose his face.

His expression shifted from suspicion—wondering what kind of scheme this was—to shock as he saw Junmo’s determined face.  

He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out.  

He just looked back and forth between Leeseo and Junmo, checking their faces for confirmation.

“Was the surprise too much?”  

Junmo felt a little sorry as he watched Junhyung’s shocked, confused, and suspicious face.

“Ma… marriage… registration?”  

Junhyung stammered after a long pause.

“I thought you knew, but if not, I apologize.”  

It was true.  

He needed to confirm it, regardless.

“I’m telling you first, Hyung. We shared the same womb, after all. That bond counts.”

And if Junhyung didn’t know, he hoped Junhyung would spread the word loudly.  

He also wanted to prevent any petty actions Junhyung might take.

“Is… is it true?”  

Junhyung swallowed hard and asked Leeseo.  

Junmo watched Leeseo’s face.  

She seemed surprised by the announcement, just looking up at Junmo.  

Still, she answered calmly.

“Yes. We did.”  

Junmo grinned as if to say, “See?”  

If he made a V sign with his fingers, he’d look just like a mischievous kid.

* * *

Leeseo was discharged eight days after being admitted.  

Her doctor strongly advised her to be very careful with her activities, to avoid anything that might interfere with daily life.  

For a while, there were many restrictions.

Flying, drinking, long-distance driving, marital relations…  

It seemed all measures were meant to minimize post-surgery complications.

The moment the car left the hospital parking lot, Leeseo felt overwhelmed with emotion, wondering if this was really okay.  

Most things at the hospital had been firsts for her.

Staying in a hospital room, getting an MRI, having surgery, spending three days lying still in patient clothes, eating bland meals at set times…

She was grateful for people like Son Hyungwook and Park Sujin, who took care of her so well, but these were things she never wanted to experience again.  

She hadn’t nearly died, but the sky looked clearer, the winter wind felt new, as if she’d been reborn.

“The weather is so nice.”  

Leeseo rolled the car window halfway down.  

She timidly reached her fingertips out past the glass.  

The cold wind, unable to keep up with the speed, struck her fingers and passed by.

“You did well. It must have been tough. But you endured, overcame, and were patient. Thank you.”  

Leeseo turned from the window to look at Junmo.  

A shaft of sunlight, previously hidden by building shadows, slid over Junmo’s hands on the steering wheel.  

Leeseo watched Junmo’s profile—his straight nose, firmly set lips, strong jawline—and spoke softly.

“Thank you, Oppa.”  

“For what?”  

His lips twitched as if he might smile, and for a moment, his face looked wonderful.  

She’d seen it countless times, yet her heart beat faster as if it were new.

“For everything. Thank you for everything.”  

“Be specific.”  

Without even looking at her, he asked for details, and Leeseo giggled.  

While in the hospital, she’d naturally heard rumors about Junmo.  

His excellent surgical skills were one thing, but apparently, he could be quite blunt in the operating room, too.  

If he spoke in the same serious tone there as he did now, it must have felt intimidating to nervous interns or residents.

“I’m grateful for everything… but mostly for being by my side as family.”  

Junmo’s broad chest visibly rose and fell.  

His Adam’s apple moved dramatically.

About ten minutes after leaving the hospital, they arrived at the apartment.  

Junmo unlocked the door and opened it.  

Leeseo hurried inside as soon as the door opened, slid the sliding door open, and kicked off her flat shoes before entering the house.  

She stood just inside, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

“You like it that much?”

Junmo, carrying the bag with her hospital items, smiled.

“Yes. But first, a shower.”

As Leeseo headed for the bedroom, Junmo grabbed her arm.

“Why?”  

She asked, worried he might not let her shower.

“You can’t do it alone.”  

“I can.”  

She insisted.

“You say that because you don’t know how strong habits are.”  

Leeseo widened her eyes and looked into the air, recalling her shower habits.  

She always bent her head to wash her hair, to scrub her calves, to wash her feet.

“Weren’t you told to avoid actions that increase pressure on your head?”  

“I was told, but…”  

“I’ll wash you.”  

“I don’t want that.”  

“It’s doctor’s advice. You should be careful for a while. Are you embarrassed?”  

“Why would I be? No, I’m not.”  

With that, she stomped off to the bedroom, her irritation clear.  

Junmo smiled quietly, as if he couldn’t help himself.

At last, it was their first day back to married life.