II - 71

The room had transformed into a calm navy blue, befitting a boy’s room, and was now furnished with new pieces.

An automatic desk surface and a visibly high-quality mattress on the bed caught her eye.

“So these must be the furnishings I-jun changed.”

In addition to the desk and bed, the bookshelves and wardrobe were neatly arranged.

Though she had given up the room for her younger brother, seeing it so drastically altered left her feeling even more disheartened.

I-ryeong left the room and naturally settled onto the living room sofa, leaning back to rest her weary body. Just as she exhaled deeply—

“Uh...”

Upon closer inspection, the living room had also changed significantly. The sofa she now sat on, along with all the furniture and appliances, was brand new.

The elegant, almost vintage atmosphere reminded her of the annex sitting room—so much so that she hadn’t felt out of place since entering.

“Could it be...?”

It seemed I-jun hadn’t just updated her brother’s room but had replaced all the furniture in her parents’ home.

Stunned, she rose from the sofa and headed to the kitchen, only to find it too had been remodeled.

[You gave me this gift, didn’t you?]

Without any preamble, she sent a message to I-jun and tightly gripped her phone with both hands.

Each second felt like an eternity as she waited.

[I’m sorry for changing things without your permission.]

Without asking what the gift was, he immediately apologized.

She trusted without doubt that he had done it with good intentions.

[No, thank you.]

She never imagined he would take care of not just her brother’s room but her parents’ house as well. She was deeply grateful to him.

Returning to the sofa, she sat down again and began reflecting on the day’s events, furrowing her brow.

She had long known her sister-in-law harbored deep resentment toward her. That’s why she had avoided visiting the main house altogether, not wanting to create any situations that might trouble her husband.

It wasn’t fear of her sister-in-law—it was consideration for him. She simply didn’t want to give him any reason to worry.

“Did I do the right thing?”

Caught between regret and reflection, she abruptly stood up.

Being alone in an empty house made her feel increasingly uncomfortable.

Though it had only been five months since moving to Dogok-dong, the house where she grew up now felt foreign and unwelcoming.

If only her younger brother were around, perhaps it wouldn’t have felt this suffocating. Deciding to leave before her thoughts consumed her further, she stepped outside to clear her mind.

Walking through the alleyways, she noticed the streets were still warm despite the encroaching dusk.

“It’s already summer.”

Time truly flew by when she thought about it.

She had accepted his proposal in winter, played the role of a fake bride in spring, and finally become his true wife by summer.

Reflecting on how quickly time had passed, she felt a pang of regret. If only she had realized his feelings sooner.

As she walked, she found herself in front of a study hall not far from home.

She intended to text Jung-min to ask when he’d finish, but students were already trickling out of the building. Putting her phone away, she decided to wait for her brother instead.

“N-nuna?”

Jung-min, descending the stairs, locked eyes with her.

He hesitated, unsure if he was seeing things correctly, then—

“Nuna!”

Recognizing her, he broke into a wide grin.

Always cheerful, her younger brother rarely let anything get him down. Most of the time, he was just like this—bright and lively.

“Careful, you’ll trip. Watch your step.”

“Nuna! What brings you here?”

Jung-min was thrilled not only to see her but also because she had come to pick him up. Given their usual distance, her gesture meant even more to him.

“Have you eaten dinner?”

“What about you, Nuna? Did you eat? Did you come straight from work? How did you know I was here?”

“Jung-min, I’m not going anywhere, so take your time and ask one question at a time.”

Her younger brother had no trace of wariness toward her.

Chatting about trivial matters, they made their way to their parents’ snack shop.

“I-ryeong?”

The most surprised person upon her arrival was her stepmother, Ji-hyun. In the middle of serving tteokbokki, Ji-hyun froze, drawing curious glances from customers.

“I came to pick up Jung-min and ended up here.”

“Just a moment! I-ryeong’s father! I-ryeong’s dad!”

Ji-hyun quickly packaged the tteokbokki and called her husband, who was washing dishes in the kitchen.

“Huh? What is it?”

Her father Geon-tae’s voice echoed from the kitchen.

“I’ll go say hello.”

“Alright?”

Ji-hyun’s face lit up with joy. She thought how much Jung-min resembled his mother, always smiling.

Leaving them behind, I-ryeong entered the kitchen located at the back of the shop.

Entering the noisy kitchen, she cleared her throat loudly to announce her presence.

“I’m here.”

She called softly, not wanting to startle her father.

“I-ryeong? When did you get here?”

At the sound of her voice, Geon-tae turned off the water and faced her. Like everyone else, he was surprised but delighted to see her.

“Did you come alone? Where’s Seo? Did you finish work? Have you eaten?”

“One question at a time.”

How similar he was to Jung-min. Smiling inwardly, she answered each question patiently.

“I came alone. Actually, I got a little hurt at work.”

She revealed a small truth, fearing suspicion if she simply said she had come without reason.

“Hurt? Let me see. Does it make sense to come here for a minor injury? Are you badly hurt?”

Geon-tae’s wide eyes darted over her face and body frantically. His concern stirred something bittersweet in her heart.

“It’s really just a small injury. Honestly, it’s almost embarrassing to call it an injury.”

I-ryeong swallowed the lump in her throat and reassured her father.

“The doctor said I’ll recover with rest. I could’ve rested at Dogok-dong, but if I stayed there, I might end up working. So, I-jun suggested I rest properly here at home.”

“I-jun? I-ryeong, did you two fight?”

Her father’s eyes brimmed with concern.

With no other choice, she slightly lifted her sleeve to reveal her bruised shoulder. Just as she was about to assure him it didn’t hurt—

“I-ryeong! What is this?! Honey! Jung-min’s mom! Come here and look at I-ryeong, hurry!”

Geon-tae was beside himself upon seeing his daughter’s injury.

He wasn’t a perfect father, scoring 100 points, but he had raised her carefully, always afraid she might break. To see such a dark bruise on her shoulder made his blood boil uncontrollably.

“I missed a step while out on an errand. Everything else is fine—it’s just a small bruise on my shoulder.”

“This is small? Oh, good timing. Take a closer look at her shoulder. She says she came here because she’s hurt—check her thoroughly.”

Ji-hyun rushed into the kitchen, alarmed by Geon-tae’s agitation.

“Let me see, I-ryeong. Oh my, what about other places? Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“I’m really okay.”

I-ryeong was surprised by Ji-hyun’s cautious touch.

She handled her as though she were a precious treasure, hesitating to even make contact, folding and unfolding her fingers anxiously.

“I’m hungry. Buy me something delicious.”

I-ryeong felt no pain in her physical or emotional wounds. In fact, she felt miraculously healed, as if coming back home was the right decision.

She should have opened her heart from the start. Why had she needlessly built walls of distrust? The wasted time now felt deeply regrettable.

To ease the awkward atmosphere, she picked up the rubber gloves hanging by the sink.

“We close at 10, right? Let’s go together. I’ll do the dishes. Dad, why don’t you help Mom outside? It looks busy out there.”

She thought it would be nice for everyone to eat dinner together. Her words slipped out casually, but—

“...I-ryeong.”

Mom? Ji-hyun wiped away tears pooling in her eyes as she alternated glances between I-ryeong and her husband, Geon-tae.

“I’m sorry, and I’m grateful.”

Geon-tae, too, caught the weight of I-ryeong’s casual remark. Tears welled up, blurring his vision of her face.

“Why are you crying like that?”

Though her words sounded dismissive, she knew exactly why they shed those hot tears. Her heart grew heavy.

It had taken her far too long to say those simple words.

Apologies and gratitude weren’t meant for her father—they were what she owed her parents, along with a plea for forgiveness.

“Look at me, fussing over nothing. You’re hurt, yet here you are offering to help. Give me those gloves. Hurry.”

Ji-hyun, wiping her tears, snatched the gloves and handed them to her husband.

“Dishwashing is Dad’s specialty, right?”

“Of course. The only thing I know how to do in this shop is wash dishes—I can’t let my daughter take that away from me.”

Watching them, I-ryeong realized how affectionate her parents were. No wonder Jung-min was always smiling.

“Since you’re here to rest, just sit back and let us take care of you. Don’t lift a finger—you’re injured.”

“I keep telling you, I’m fine! Really, I am.”

“You don’t look fine to me at all! Right, Jung-min’s mom?”

At Geon-tae’s words, Ji-hyun nodded faintly with a soft smile.

“Your dad and I can handle everything. Go enjoy some delicious food with Jung-min.”

Then, pulling out 50,000 won from her apron, she pressed it firmly into I-ryeong’s hand.

The crumpled bill felt heavier than any amount of money she’d ever received. Knowing the sentiment behind it made her heart ache even more.

Unable to resist their insistence, she ended up at a pasta restaurant near the snack shop with her brother.

She had never eaten out with her parents, nor had she ever dined alone with her brother. As nervous as she was, she noticed tension etched on Jung-min’s face as well.

“Boys eat a lot, right? Order plenty so we don’t run out.”

Instead of answering, Jung-min simply smiled brightly after receiving the menu.

“Huh? Looks like you have no intention of ordering. Should I just order for you?”

“Yes, I’ll eat whatever Nuna buys me.”

Even when she joked, her brother took her words sincerely.

What she expected to be an awkward meal gradually loosened up as the table filled with food.

As she ate slowly, she observed her brother closely for the first time.