WWBU - Extra 9

“He asked me to tell you he’s sorry.”

“......”

“Don’t accept it.”

“What?”

“Don’t accept Han’s apology. You don’t need to.”

The hand that had been stroking her shoulder stopped, and soon his lips touched the back of her neck. Hyun-soo, who had flinched, fiddled with her knees, unable to say anything.

Han had left. Perhaps, no. Surely he would never return to Korea, and she would never see his face again. It was a complete separation and isolation from the person who had placed a hot and rough yoke on her life.

And yet, why? Why did she feel strangely uneasy?

Hyun-soo could only hope.

“Tell him to live.”

“......”

“Yoon Han, don’t die. Don’t just die. Tell him to live.”

“Hyun-soo-yah.”

“That’s all I have to say.”

She hoped that no more deaths would be conveyed to her now. No one’s death.

“You are severely underweight. If this continues, you will have serious health problems. Eat well and gain some weight.”

“I’m trying to exercise...”

“Exercise isn’t the issue, you need to gain weight first. How can you work if you don’t have any energy to use? You’ll collapse.”

It was the day she went to the hospital. Lately, she had been feeling chilly and had body aches, so she had visited, wondering if she might be pregnant. But the test results showed it was a needless worry. Her current body was too weak to even recommend pregnancy.

“There’s no need to tell him.”

Hyun-soo, who was preparing dinner instead of the aunt who had left work early due to family matters, murmured to herself. There was no need to tell him. If a second child had come, it would have been good news, but the doctor’s opinion wasn’t very positive, so there was no need to bother.

The sound of the bubbling stew tickled her ears. The house was quiet except for the sound of chopping on the cutting board, the bubbling stew, and the occasional sound of running water as she washed her hands and utensils.

“It’s so quiet without Wan.”

It was understandable, as Wan wasn’t home today. There were times when she periodically left Wan at his grandparents’ house, and today was one of those days.

Hyun-soo wiped her hands on a dishcloth and leaned against the counter, looking around blankly. It was strangely quiet and somehow felt heavy. She didn’t know why she felt that way. Just then.

Ding-dong. Ding-dong, ding-dong.

The doorbell rang.

“Yes? Yes, just a moment.”

Hyun-soo, having checked the intercom, hurriedly opened the front gate and then the front door, waiting for someone. The only person she was expecting tonight was Guk.

“Ugh, Madam. How have you been... Where, where should I take him?”

But the first thing that popped his head through the opened front door was Driver Choi, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time. He was carrying a completely drunk Guk on his back. Surprised, Hyun-soo quickly took off Guk’s shoes and led the way, pointing towards the master bedroom.

“To the master bedroom over there for now. Please lay him on the bed.”

“Yes,” he replied, struggling to carry Guk, who was bigger than him, and moved with difficulty. Guk was significantly larger than Driver Choi in both build and height, so she couldn’t help but wonder if he was okay.

“Where did he drink so much...”

“I went after getting the call, and he was already completely drunk by himself.”

Driver Choi, who had carefully laid Guk on the bed, finally straightened his back. Beads of sweat were on his forehead, and he finally breathed easily.

“......Anyway, thank you for your hard work. It must have been difficult to bring him.”

“Oh, no, it’s my job.”

“Still.”

“It’s really okay. Well then, I’ll be going now.”

Driver Choi, having finished his task, hurried out of the house. Hyun-soo followed him to the front door and saw him off.

After Driver Choi left, a quiet silence lingered in the house again. Hyun-soo, silently feeling that silence, went to the kitchen and closed the lid of the stew pot she had left open. Then she headed straight for the master bedroom.

When she opened the bedroom door, Guk was still lying exactly as Driver Choi had laid him down. He was sound asleep, not even a twitch of his eyebrow as Hyun-soo approached.

“Where did you drink so much?”

Hyun-soo’s murmur echoed quietly. But there was no answer.

Listening to Guk’s even breathing, Hyun-soo carefully sat on the bed beside him and reached for his tie. Even if it was too difficult to take off his jacket, she thought she could at least take off his tie and socks. Just then.

“Ummm...”

As she tried to pull his tie, he showed signs of stirring. Just as Hyun-soo was about to ask if he was uncomfortable, Guk slowly opened his eyes.

“You’re awake.”

“......Hyun-soo?”

“Yeah. Where did you drink so much?”

“Hyun-soo-yah. It’s really Kim Hyun-soo.”

He must have been very drunk. It was rare for him to call her name with such completely relaxed eyes and expression. No, had it ever happened before?

Come to think of it, it was the first time he had been carried in drunk like this. Hyun-soo quietly looked down at his face and caressed his cheek. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but his skin felt quite warm.

“Yeah. I told you, it’s Kim Hyun-soo.”

“I see.”

At Hyun-soo’s reply, Guk smiled as if melting. Thanks to that, Hyun-soo’s heart, as she looked at him, felt strange.

When was the last time I saw such a clear smile? ... Right. One day when he was eighteen. I think Guk smiled this brightly back then. Even then, I thought my heart would stop at that face.

Her heart still beat at his beautiful and tender smile today. But, but. Hyun-soo strangely felt an unease growing somewhere in her heart.

“How was your condition today?”

“Me? I was good. I was fine.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Really.”

Guk, his eyes barely open, stared intently at Hyun-soo. His smiling face was tinged with worry that couldn’t be hidden. He was probably concerned about her, as her health hadn’t been good lately.

Hyun-soo forced a smile and brushed Guk’s hair back. His neat eyebrows and handsome forehead were clearly revealed, making his distinct features even more prominent.

“Dinner must still be a while away.”

“I ate.”

“......”

“I ate, so don’t worry.”

At Hyun-soo’s reply, Guk slowly blinked and sighed. A bitter and strong smell of alcohol emanated from his long breath.

“Hyun-soo-yah.”

Why was he so drunk from early evening? Hyun-soo, who had been thinking to herself, was pulled back to reality by his voice calling her. Hyun-soo answered, “Yeah.”

“Kim Hyun-soo......”

It was an undeniably lingering call. Hyun-soo, who had been quietly watching his actions, sat closer as if she had made up her mind. Then, she gently lifted Guk’s head and used her legs as a pillow for him.

The distance that had been there, even if small, suddenly closed, and as they could see each other clearly, a soft smile spread across both of their faces. Guk seemed pleased by Hyun-soo’s actions.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why did you drink so much?”

“......Just. It ended up that way.”

“Do you know this is the first time? Seeing you this drunk.”

“Was it?”

“Yeah.”

“Was it......”

His voice, answering Hyun-soo’s question softly, was tender. It was definitely a softer, more comforting tone than when he was completely sober.

Hyun-soo thought that this side of Guk wasn’t so bad either.

“It must be very hard.”

Then, at the suddenly heard voice, the warmth left Hyun-soo’s face.

Silence fell between them.

It was Guk who broke the silence first.

“I know it’s hard. It must be very hard, probably.”

There was a certain conviction in his voice, as if he had already come to a conclusion before hearing Hyun-soo’s answer. The conviction that even though she lived with him, even though he poured out love and care for her, there was a deeply rooted pain within her that prevented her from moving forward from a certain point.

At his words, which felt more like a conviction than a guess, Hyun-soo suddenly felt a surge of fear.

“Why are you saying that? I’m fine. You know I’m fine.”

So she tried to sound cheerful and raised her voice as she replied. But.

“No. You’re not fine.”

“I’m not......”

“I wish you would stop having a hard time now.”

Guk was simply driving in the wedge. He was certain that his prediction was correct.

What on earth was going on? Hyun-soo, her anxiety increasing, caressed his face lying on her lap and only moved her lips. She wanted to ask, but she had a strange premonition that she wouldn’t be able to handle the answer if she heard it.

The quiet Guk suddenly pulled Hyun-soo’s waist into an embrace. Then he buried his face in her body. Thanks to that, his face wasn’t clearly visible.

“What’s wrong, really? What’s going on......”

“Leave.”

What? At that short word, Hyun-soo’s hand, which had been stroking his hair, stopped abruptly.

“......What are you suddenly talking about?”

“I said, leave.”

But even at her repeated question, his answer was the same.

“Guk-ah. Yoon Guk. Why are you suddenly like this?”

Hyun-soo, flustered, pushed him away and continued to speak. She wanted to face him and talk.

“I’ll give you whatever you want, whether it’s parental rights or custody.”

Despite her pushing him away, Guk instead hugged Hyun-soo even tighter. She couldn’t see his face at all.

“Look at me and talk. I’m telling you to look at me properly and talk. You know you’re really strange today.”

“It’s exactly as I said.”

“You really......”

“Do whatever you want.”

“......”

“It’s okay this time, Kim Hyun-soo.”

It wasn’t a joke. It wasn’t a prank. The moment Hyun-soo realized that his words were sincere, she became as still as if she had been doused with cold water.

“I really, really......”

It was Guk’s voice that woke the frozen Hyun-soo.

“I loved you very much, Hyun-soo-yah.”

His voice was clearly trembling.

Hyun-soo couldn’t say anything. She just held onto his clothes tightly, enduring reality.

Soon, Guk’s shoulders trembled slightly, and he broke free from Hyun-soo’s embrace. Haa, with a long breath, he turned his head, and tears were flowing down his face.

Thump. Hyun-soo’s heart felt like it had stopped, as if she had been hit by a car.

Is it a lie? It’s not serious, is it? The words she wanted to ask surged to the tip of her tongue, but they wouldn’t come out. She was afraid that if she asked and heard an unwanted answer, if everything became clear, she wouldn’t be able to handle it.