Chapter 80

“Uhh……”

Tears like chicken droppings dripped from her round eyes. The confident woman who had been walking just moments ago was nowhere to be seen; in front of Seojin was just a forlorn woman.

Gradually, people’s gazes were drawn to them.

“Haji, w-why are you crying?”

Seojin stood up from his seat at the sight of Haji crying as soon as she appeared.

The woman who had been watching Seojin, who was flustered, and Haji, who was silently shedding tears, got up from her seat.

“I should go now. It seems my work here is done.”

As the woman walked away, Haji covered her face with both hands. Whatever it was, the knot that had been building inside her burst open.

“Haji……”

“Why, sob…….why, sob.”

Seojin pulled Haji into his arms as she cried with her shoulders shaking.

“I was wrong. Don’t cry.”

“W-why were you avoiding me?”

Feeling her fragile body trembling in his arms, everything seemed to be his fault.

“I’m sorry.”

“You went on a blind date with another woman, hic.”

“I was wrong.”

At Seojin’s usual gentle voice, Haji wrapped her arms around his waist.

With his patting hand, Haji’s body gradually calmed down.

“Are you okay?”

“…… No.”

Haji, with her eyes and nose all red, answered softly with a tearful voice, gripping Seojin’s collar tightly.

“Let’s go outside.”

Seojin took Haji’s hand and led her out. She gripped his hand tightly, as if she had been waiting for it, interlocking their fingers as he quickened his pace.

Sniff, sniff. Haji, still lingering in tears, sniffled.

“Let’s take a taxi.”

“What about your car?”

“I don’t think I can drive right now.”

Haji’s clear eyes questioned why. 

Why leave your car and take a taxi?

“How can I drive when you’re crying?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m worried.”

Seojin opened the back door of a taxi parked in front of the hotel.

“Get in, let’s go.”

***

After getting out of the taxi, Haji was bewildered by the unfamiliar neighborhood.

She thought they were going home, but Seojin gave an address to a place she didn’t know. When Haji asked, Seojin only said he would tell her when they arrived.

“Where is this?”

It didn’t seem like they had come far, but it didn’t look like Seoul. There were streetlights, but it was dark and filled with old rural houses.

Seojin took Haji’s hand.

“I heard you were looking for a place to move.”

“I thought we couldn’t live together forever……”

“I respect your thoughts, but that’s not going to happen.”

Seojin’s voice, which seemed like he would give her anything just moments ago, was firm.

Seojin started walking. The sounds of frogs and crickets echoed around them.

“I have no intention of being apart from you. I’ve thought that since I returned to Korea, and that thought remains unchanged.”

“Marriage……”

“We don’t have to get married right away. As long as you’re not thinking of breaking up with me.”

Startled, Haji clamped her mouth shut, realizing her thoughts had been exposed. Feeling guilty, she averted her eyes.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know after all the time we’ve spent together?”

“So you went on a blind date?”

Knowing that I might break up with you?

“I hoped you’d hold onto me.”

For some reason, Seojin’s voice felt earnest. Her heart ached at the thought that this man had such feelings.

“I didn’t know my own heart well. So I thought of it lightly.”

She tried to cut off this relationship easily. Not realizing how precious he was.

She had always worried about him leaving her, she tried not to get hurt.

“And now?”

“Huh?”

“Is it not easy now?”

Has our relationship become stronger?

Haji nodded her head.

“Yeah, I don’t think I can. Without you, Ki Seojin.”

“Really?”

“I can’t imagine my future without you.”

Walking along the streetlights, they saw a pavilion under a large pine tree. It looked like a resting place in the center of the village.

Seojin pulled Haji’s hand to his lips and pressed them gently. The tickling sensation on the back of her hand made her flick her wrist a few times to escape.

“Ticklish……”

As Seojin’s lips parted, he sat down on the pavilion that had somehow come closer. His relaxed demeanor made it seem like he had been there several times.

“Sit.”

“Okay.”

Whoosh, as Haji tried to sit beside him, she lost balance and plopped down on his lap due to the pulling force. Feeling his firm thigh muscles, Haji’s face turned red with embarrassment.

“Where are you going? I meant to sit here.”

“What……”

Feeling embarrassed by the position, Haji looked around.

“There’s no one here. People in this village go to bed early.”

“How do you know?”

“How do you think I know?”

Seojin buried his face in Haji’s shoulder. His softly murmuring breath tickled her neck.

Unable to resist, she turned her head, and a small chuckle escaped. Her red neck looked even redder under the orange streetlight.

“Don’t tease me.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t do it.”

“Okay.”

Though his lips didn’t leave her neck, he diligently answered. As Haji struggled and pushed his shoulder away, his face finally moved back.

“I missed you.”

“Tch, who was avoiding whom.”

“Me.”

Admitting it was him, Haji furrowed her brows.

“No. Straighten them.”

As Seojin’s fingertips smoothed out her furrowed brows, only then did her eyebrows form a flat line.

“Did you really plan to marry after the blind date?”

“No.”

“Were you going to meet another woman?”

“No.”

“Did you intend to avoid me?”

“No.”

As Seojin kept clinging to her, she stretched her back and leaned away, wearing a puzzled expression.

“Then why did you go on the blind date?”

“To make you jealous.”

“Does that woman know?”

“Yes, she knows everything.”

Blinking, blinking, Haji blinked as if organizing her thoughts, then looked deeply into Seojin’s eyes.

“If you look at me like that, I want to do it.”

“What about your mother?”

Seojin’s temptation was easily cut off like a radish. Understanding the situation was the priority.

“She knows.”

“Knows what?”

“About us.”

How does she know?

Recalling Hyesoo, who had worried about Seojin’s blind date, she tilted her head. 

Surely, she seemed unaware and worried about Seojin’s future……

“You were deceived by my mother.”

Seojin’s voice broke her thoughts.

“Deceived?”

“Mother wanted us to get married.”

“She clearly told me……”

“She must have told you she was arranging my blind date.”

Yes……

Nodding with a dazed expression, she seemed unable to understand his words.

“She was worried you might break up with me, so she planned it first.”

You were deceived.

At his whisper, Haji’s round eyes grew even larger.

“My mother is quick-witted and strategic.”

“I didn’t know.”

“I only found out this time.”

“I didn’t expect she would want to pair me with you……”

I didn’t think of it.

I thought she would oppose it.

That’s why Haji had been even more cautious in front of Hyesoo.

Even when she decided to ruin the blind date, she was prepared to face opposition and guilt.

“How did you not know?”

“Huh?”

“My mother was quite obvious about it.”

“When?”

Haji showed a completely clueless expression. She couldn’t figure out what signs she had missed.

“She called you every time I came to Korea.”

“Huh? Well, she did……”

Did she?

Come to think of it, every time Seojin, who rarely came to Korea, visited, she called Haji to have a meal together. Even if not, she often called.

“She would talk about you without me asking, and I think she did the same to you.”

“Did she?”

“She must have.”

With Seojin’s almost certain words, Haji thought back to past events. Conversations that took place when Seojin wasn’t around.

“Oh……”

“Right?”

Now realizing it, Haji nodded.

It was true. She never asked about Seojin, but she always knew.

Where he was studying, which country he had been to, when he would return.

Maybe that’s why.

Unconsciously, he was always there. Even when Seojin wasn’t present, it felt like he was, and she thought of his image.

A warm touch landed on her lips.

“You were deceived by my mother.”

“Seems like it.”

“But I can’t let you go.”

Seojin pulled her closer by the waist. The gap between them narrowed. Haji wrapped her arms around his neck, closing the distance.

“Even if you say you’ll let go, I won’t.”

You’re hooked now, you know.

“I like it. Keep being greedy like that.”

“Greed? You’re mine.”

At Haji’s sassy look, Seojin’s lips relaxed into a smile.

“Right. I’m yours.”

Peck, his lips touched and left her raised round chin.

At the gaze that seemed to say he found her adorable, Haji blushed and smiled.

“You’re so pretty, so much.”

“Right.”

“There’s nothing about you that’s not pretty.”

“Yeah.”

“Where did such a pretty thing roll in from?”

At the excess of sweetness, Haji squeezed her eyes shut and giggled.

“You’re so pretty I want you all to myself.”

“That’s not possible.”

“That’s a pity, then promise me.”

At Seojin’s earnest voice, Haji opened her eyes slightly.

“That you’ll marry me.”

“Promise.”

“That you’ll make me your husband.”

“I’ll make you my husband.”

Like a vow, their conversation flowed. Without words, they shared the same smile.

“I’m going to build our house there.”

“Where?”

“There.”

“There’s nothing there?”

“I’ll build it now. As soon as possible, since I don’t know when you’ll allow it.”

For him, all the reasons were her.

“Okay. Always be ready.”

“Haji.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re my whole world.”

He wasn’t someone bound by marriage. He was only bound to Haji.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I love you, my world.

My Haji.