Chapter 9.6

At 8:30 PM, in front of a noisy restaurant in the bustling streets of Itaewon, Moonkyeong waited for Seojun. It was a slightly delayed appointment, and she had been the one to suddenly change the schedule midway. 

Inside the crowded barbecue restaurant, the young man she had met earlier in the morning was already waiting. Taking a deep breath, Moonkyeong reminded herself to be careful, knowing now that all the noise around her could be wiretapped. But more importantly, she needed to act as normal as possible.

When Seojun approached, she greeted him lightly with an indifferent expression.

“Did you drive yourself here?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go inside; it must be cold.”

When he took off his brown checkered coat, a sleek navy suit was revealed underneath. Feeling slightly embarrassed for inviting someone who preferred quiet places to a noisy restaurant, she said, 

“It’s a bit chaotic here, isn’t it?”

“It’s fine.”

“I just really wanted to eat this today.”

Seojun glanced at the menu on the wall, giving her a look that suggested he didn’t know she liked grilled pork intestines cooked over charcoal. Covering her lips with her hand, Moonkyeong coughed lightly and raised her hand to call a server. She confidently ordered soju along with the meal. For the first time, Seojun smirked slightly.

“I thought you’d eat at home. Are you avoiding cooking now that you’re getting divorced?”

Not really. Looking back over the past year, the times she had shared meals with him were some of her happiest moments. Those memories were far from bad. But Moonkyeong forced herself to hide her feelings.

“Yes, I hate it now.”

The tension between them was palpable, so much so that even after speaking, she unconsciously rubbed her lips. She waited for him to respond, but Seojun remained silent. Soon, the server brought simple side dishes and soju to their table.

As always, Seojun poured soju into his glass first, then filled hers—but not to the brim, as was his habit.

“Do you have a place to go after the divorce?”

He asked the question casually, as if not expecting an answer, and drank his glass of soju. Only after finishing her own drink did Moonkyeong reply, 

“Yes.”

He chuckled softly again and poured himself another drink. While they shared the first bottle of soju, only faint sighs passed between them unnoticed. After ordering a second bottle, Seojun handed her a business card.

“Attorney Jo will handle the divorce case. I’ve scheduled an appointment for 11 AM tomorrow. Just follow their instructions.”

“A case? I thought we were doing an uncontested divorce?”

“I’ll take full responsibility for the fault, so don’t worry and proceed.”

“Fault? What kind of fault?”

“I’ll claim adultery. It’s the simplest.”

“What?”

The idea of being portrayed as a wife who took 20 billion won from a husband accused of infidelity left Moonkyeong shaking her head. She couldn’t understand why he was going to such lengths, and her throat tightened.

“Seojun…”

“It’s been only a year. A 20-billion-won settlement through property division is unreasonable. To get that much, there needs to be at least this kind of justification for outsiders to understand.”

Moonkyeong clenched the hem of her clothes. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t understand. At such a critical time, if he tarnished his image with allegations of infidelity, it would deal him a heavy blow. She had no idea why he was going to such lengths.

“I don’t understand why you’re doing this, Seojun. I’d be fine with just half.”

He sneered at her, as if telling her not to pretend to be kind now. His demeanor suggested that those who were leaving could leave without hesitation.

“Does that mean you’re okay with changing the agreement?”

“……”

He downed another drink.

“It’s not a bad thing. In a few years, everyone will forget. Whether I committed adultery or not, my position won’t change. It won’t take long. I’ll mediate along the way, so let’s settle this through a lawsuit.”

Snow fell outside the window, just like yesterday. Before yesterday’s snow had even melted, fresh snow was accumulating, turning the surroundings white. Perhaps because it was the end of the year, the restaurant grew busier as time passed. Amid the bustling crowd, the two sat silently, drinking.

Moonkyeong suddenly wondered. 

If he was going to let me go so easily, why had he chosen me in the first place? Was it because he thought I would play the role of a wife like a puppet? Because I wouldn’t bother him like other wives?

If that was all, then offering her 20 billion won made no sense. Especially when he was willing to take on the title of an adulterer.

As her thoughts spiraled, the young man across from her waved lightly. His gesture seemed to say, “Stop daydreaming and get on with it.” Moonkyeong, holding her drink, stared blankly at Seojun’s phone on the table. To install the wiretapping program, she needed to get hold of his phone, even if just for a moment. 

The man had said it would take only three minutes. All she needed was to buy that much time.

“I’ll be right back; I need to use the restroom.”

At that moment, Seojun moved. As soon as he disappeared toward the restroom, Moonkyeong handed his phone to the young man. The man whispered to her, 

“Buy me some time.”

“What?”

“Men don’t take long in the restroom. Go say something to him near the restroom.”

“……”

“Hurry.”

Hesitating, Moonkyeong turned toward the direction Seojun had gone. Her heart pounded wildly as the man urged her. She felt as if Seojun might come out at any moment, making her anxious. She quickly ran toward the restroom.

Just as she reached the men’s restroom, Seojun opened the door and stepped out. He seemed slightly surprised to see her suddenly appear but quickly regained his composure. As he turned his head to look behind her, Moonkyeong grabbed his arm.

How much time should I buy? 

Before she could think it through, her mouth acted on its own.

“Oh, I think something got in my eye. Could you blow on it for me?”

“……”

Moonkyeong leaned her face closer to his. Squinting one eye as if something really had gotten in it, she waited. Seojun sighed lightly and blew air toward her eye.

Whoosh. Whoosh. The scent of alcohol mixed with his unique fragrance tickled her face. Each time he blew, it felt as if he might kiss her, causing her heart to flutter. What started as an attempt to buy time ended up leaving her feeling flustered and her heart racing.

Even as her vision blurred from the air he blew, she could clearly see him. His cold, dry eyes occasionally bore a hint of sadness when he looked at her. His sharp nose, which she felt like stroking, and his lips, which she always wanted to kiss—everything about him drew her in.

She knew she should leave without regret, but the thought of leaving him like this made her throat tighten with emotion. She felt a mix of guilt and gratitude toward Seojun, who was willing to tarnish his image and give her part of his wealth. Her eyes welled up with tears.

Even though it wasn’t love, she wanted to ask why he was making her cry like this. But her heart pounded so much that she couldn’t utter a single word.

“Is it okay now?”

His calm voice brought her back to reality.

“Yes, it’s fine.”

His steady gaze lingered on her. He seemed to have more to say but hesitated.

“Let’s stop drinking and take a walk.”

Moonkyeong nodded, and the two returned to their table. Fortunately, the young man had already left the restaurant. 

Moonkyeong let out a sigh of relief. Seojun retrieved his phone from his suit pocket and went to pay the bill. Once outside, the two wandered through the busy streets of Itaewon. Snowflakes fell steadily, piling softly on Moonkyeong’s head.

The bitter cold made her hands, tucked in her pockets, feel like they were freezing. Her feet were just as cold. She couldn’t take large strides, so she walked in small steps beside Seojun, watching his back as he walked ahead of her. 

Where is he going?

He stopped at a street stall selling gloves. Without asking her preference, he immediately purchased a pair of pink fur gloves. When he returned, he silently handed them to her as she stood there blankly.

“Are you not going to take them?”

“I-I’ll take them.”

When she put on the gloves he gave her, they felt much warmer. Perhaps feeling a bit awkward, he walked ahead of her again, maintaining some distance. Moonkyeong quickened her pace to follow him, watching the snow accumulate on his shoulders.

The beautiful snow and the beautiful man before her made her feel overwhelmingly sad, and tears welled up in her eyes. She felt her heart freeze again, thinking about how lonely he must have been for so many years in that grand house. 

She wanted to hold him, to melt away all his loneliness. But she knew she wasn’t the one for him. She couldn’t be.

She felt an urge to wrap her arms around his back and beg him to hold her. The desire to spend the night in his arms consumed her thoughts. But she couldn’t move from where she stood. Seojun, walking far ahead, didn’t look back even once.

When he finally disappeared from her sight, Moonkyeong broke down in tears. Like a lost child, she cried bitterly.

“Sniff… hic.”

She hated him for not holding her back. His cold indifference and refusal to turn around left an emptiness in her chest. Wiping away her endless tears, she realized the gloves he had given her were already soaked.

“If you were going to do this… if you were going to do this… why did you buy me gloves!”

She felt it was unfair that all her feelings—love and resentment alike—were tied to him. Everything in her heart belonged to him, yet he shamelessly refused to take responsibility. Frustrated, she muttered to herself.

Her sobbing stopped abruptly when she noticed a foreign couple nearby. They were embracing and kissing passionately, oblivious to the stares of others.

“Ha…”

She kicked the ground in frustration, her shoes scraping against the pavement.