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“Are you telling me to marry Park’s son?”
Could there be anything more outrageous than this?
Gyeong-ae was trying to sell her younger daughter, Haejoo, to a loan shark. This mess had started after she recklessly opened a franchise cafe.
Mr. Park was known among the market vendors as someone who ran a small-scale financing business.
“If you just register your marriage with that son, Mom can get her debt cleared.”
Gyeong-ae had divorced her husband 15 years ago due to discord. At that time, she had left the house with only her elder daughter, Yoo-ra, leaving Haejoo, who looked exactly like her husband, behind. However, a year later, her ex-husband died of a heart attack, and she had to bring Haejoo with her in the end.
Haejoo, who reminded Gyeong-ae of her ex-husband, was not a beloved child to her. She only gave affection to Yoo-ra, and Haejoo had to endure Gyeong-ae’s severe favoritism.
“Does it make sense to get married because of debt?”
“Park’s son is about to die anyway, what’s the problem? What’s so important about some marriage registration!”
“Mom, is marriage a joke to you? What about my life then!”
“Do you want to see your mother die? If you’re going to be like this, get out of this house right now!”
Gyeong-ae raged.
After days of being unable to resist her mother’s coercion, Haejoo finally visited Mr. Park’s office.
She felt trapped in an inescapable darkness. Overwhelmed with resentment, her hands even trembled as Mr. Park began to explain.
“I didn’t ask for a marriage.”
“Then?”
“Your mother wants me to clear her debt in exchange for marrying you off to my son.”
Despair spread across Haejoo’s pale face. It was as if even her soul had died; there was no hope to be seen.
“My son is sick. He has a serious illness.”
“......”
“I was thinking of arranging a posthumous marriage after he passed away, but it seems your mother heard about it somewhere.”
Gyeong-ae made Haejoo work at the cafe all day long but didn’t give her a proper salary. She had been controlling her finances, afraid that Haejoo might leave home.
To become independent, she needed at least a minimum amount of funds, so for now, she had to buy time.
Even if she refused the marriage and returned home, Gyeong-ae wouldn’t stay still.
Despite the desperate situation, there was nothing Haejoo could do immediately.
For Haejoo, hope was like a mirage, impossible to grasp.
“So, my mother wants to marry me off to your son?”
“......”
“To pay off her own debt?”
Mr. Park ran a hand over his hollow chest.
No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t make sense for Haejoo to be forced into marriage because of money. He had lived his life without shame until now, but once money was involved, all sorts of strange things happened.
“As another adult, I apologize on her behalf. I’m sorry, young lady.”
“I’ll do it.”
“What?”
“I said I’ll marry your son.”
For Haejoo, who had just become an adult, family was this kind of existence. Worse than nothing, like garbage, no different from poison.
Even though she had suffered harsh treatment, she had endured it because they were family. The fact that she would become an orphan if she didn’t have her mother was also a reason that kept Haejoo going.
The reality was that she was in a position worse than a bug being sold off for debt.
If Haejoo refused this marriage, would Gyeong-ae really be intimidated?
There was no way. That demon was the kind of person who would do even worse things to survive on her own, no matter what happened to Haejoo.
“This has become quite awkward.”
For Mr. Park, all he could feel was lament.
Gyeong-ae was trying to use Haejoo for her own selfishness, and his son wanted to dedicate his remaining life to saving Haejoo.
Even when Gyeong-ae first brought up the marriage, Mr. Park had been furious, saying it was absurd and driving her out. After that, she persistently came back, pleading that she had no ability to repay the debt.
His son, upon hearing this, had said,
“I’ll marry that girl.”
Mr. Park, who had suggested looking for other ways, could not forgive Gyeong-ae for ultimately sending Haejoo away.
After much deliberation, Mr. Park asked Haejoo’s intentions again and appeared the next day with his sick son.
His son, who had terminal blood cancer, met Haejoo while sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a hat pulled low.
“This is my eldest son I told you about yesterday.”
Haejoo didn’t say a single word to him. They went to the government office together, filled out the marriage registration form, and then handed it to the man.
Mr. Park was on the phone in the background. Glancing at him, the man filled in the remaining blanks on the marriage registration form and stamped it.
The moment the documents were handed over to the staff member, Haejoo burst into tears.
“I’m sorry.”
Those were the man’s first words.
He handed Haejoo a handkerchief and returned to the hospital with Mr. Park.
Fifteen days later, her husband passed away.
Haejoo had become a married woman in a sudden marriage and a widow after only fifteen days.
.
.
.
One night, Mr. Park, who had finished his son’s funeral, came to find Haejoo.
He opened his parched lips, handing her an envelope containing fifty million won.
“My son left this for you, saying to give it to you.”
Haejoo’s vision blurred with a sudden surge of emotion.
She felt miserable for being the wife of a dead man, and she pitied him for leaving the world so young.
She didn’t know what to say.
As Haejoo silently swallowed her sobs, unable to speak due to the lump in her throat, Mr. Park urged her.
“Take this money and leave right away.”
“Yes?”
“Your mother is a bad person. A devil who sold her own daughter for money.”
Haejoo was born with exquisite beauty. When her full, plump lips were closed, a radiant light seemed to emanate from her.
If she had met proper parents, she would have been a loved child.
“Take it quickly.”
His son, who was also sick, had asked his father to take care of Haejoo before he died.
How did Haejoo know all this? Mr. Park was doubtful but looked into Haejoo’s situation. Sadly, she was enduring harsh days, having mortgaged her life to Gyeong-ae.
Just as Mr. Park was feeling bewildered, Gyeong-ae suddenly came to visit.
‘I heard you’re looking for a woman to marry your eldest son?’
Mr. Park was furious and drove Gyeong-ae away. After that, she persistently came back, desperately pleading that she had no ability to repay the debt.
His son, upon hearing about this, had said,
‘I will marry that girl.’
Mr. Park, who had suggested looking for other ways, could not forgive Gyeong-ae for ultimately sending Haejoo away.
The day Haejoo had come to the office, she had a clear look of resignation. She seemed exhausted, and there was no trace of a will to live. Haejoo seemed to intuitively know that she was destined to be sold off at any time, even if not through this marriage.
Mr. Park’s heart ached, even though Haejoo wasn’t his own daughter. He even wished that Haejoo had been born as his daughter.
If marriage was the only way for Haejoo to escape that hell, then he had no choice but to accept it.
Mr. Park was also just a guilty father who had lost his heartless son too early.
He hoped that Haejoo, who had endured a short marriage of fifteen days and unspeakable pain, would now let go of everything and leave to start a new life.
With a sigh of pity, Mr. Park turned away.
Following his advice, Haejoo left home the next day and cut off all contact.
________________________________________
“Ms. Haejoo, this is clearly a breach of contract.”
Haejoo had been cast by GN Entertainment while working as a saleswoman in a clothing store. She gained attention by appearing in director Jang’s film, which was said to showcase the epitome of mise-en-scène from its very first movie.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly. That is, until rumors began to circulate that Haejoo had been married.
“Ms. Haejoo, please be honest with me. Were you married?”
“There are circumstances.”
Haejoo explained the story of how she had been sold off to pay her estranged mother’s debt three years ago and had registered her marriage.
Upon learning the unknown truth, Director Yoo Jinhan was troubled.
He questioned her, as it was a rather critical scandal for a rookie actress with a pure image.
“How did the rumors spread if you said that man died?”
“I don’t understand it either.”
The police were currently tracking down who had spread the rumors.
The current public opinion online was already in shock just by the fact that Haejoo had been married.
“Instead of that, let’s check the documents first.”
Haejoo had never looked at her marriage certificate until now. Just the thought that traces of the marriage remained was a deep wound for her.
That wasn’t all. Afraid that Gyeong-ae might come looking for her, she couldn’t take on part-time jobs with the four major insurances. When looking for a place to live, she had wandered through boarding houses without any security deposit.
Then, the owner she had worked with before contacted her, saying he was opening a new store.
‘Ms. Haejoo, I’ll take care of your salary separately, so just do a good job.’
While she was forgetting about those days, Haejoo became an actress. Jinhan’s role was significant; he had consistently visited her despite repeated rejections and had built trust.
After signing a contract with the agency, she recently needed documents for the settlement of her film appearance fee.
Just when she thought she was becoming indifferent to her past, a huge bomb went off.
In front of the agency people, Haejoo obtained her marriage certificate. She desperately hoped it wasn’t true, but she was dumbfounded.
“How could this be?”
The name of a man, Park Dojun, was recorded as Haejoo’s husband.
He was not dead and clearly existed on paper.
“Ms. Haejoo, do you know this man?”
“I only know the dead person. And this person has the same name, but...”
“So you don’t know him?”
“Yes.”
“First, find this person and meet him.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
Jinhan was particularly fond of Haejoo.
He had been the one who cast her, so his affection for her was special.
His mind raced to find a way to handle this.
“Listen carefully. This person was your devoted husband who stood by you during your unknown days.”
“Director, I don’t want that!”
“Do you want to ruin your life as an actress?”
Even when Jinhan first proposed casting her, Haejoo hadn’t believed him.
An actress? Me?
Her doubts were brief. After starting her acting career, her self-esteem, which had hit rock bottom, began to recover, and a little light shone into her dark life.
At some point, she wasn’t even afraid of Gyeong-ae anymore.
Haejoo nurtured her dream of becoming a talented ‘actress’ with her successful start.
If she faltered here, her future was obvious.
Moreover, Haejoo wouldn’t have been able to get to this point if it hadn’t been for Jinhan.
Knowing she had to do something, she nodded.
“Okay. I’ll meet him.”
“Ms. Haejoo, if we get through this time well, that’s it. So let’s try.”
Haejoo left home the next day to find the man named Park Dojun. She went alone, leaving behind Jinhan, who had offered to accompany her.
“I think Mr. Park’s office was around here.”
Mr. Park had two sons; the elder son had passed away due to illness. There were rumors that the younger son was a good-for-nothing and a mad dog, though the reason was unknown.
Even though it was just a rumor, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
What if Haejoo’s husband back then wasn’t the elder son but the younger son?
“There’s no way.”
Haejoo’s car arrived in a neighborhood undergoing redevelopment and demolition. The atmosphere was desolate, and construction noise could be heard everywhere.
This place had once been a thriving commercial district with a large floating population, but now it was broken down and gloomy.
She parked in front of a two-story commercial building.
The second-floor window had ‘Demolition’ written in red, and the first floor had a worn-out, old sign that read ‘Happy Money.’
“Is it closed?”
Just by looking at the outside, it seemed to be out of business.
Without much expectation, she gently pushed the glass door covered with black adhesive paper.
Unexpectedly, the door opened.
“Hello... is anyone there?”
Haejoo peered inside through the crack in the door.
A dim fluorescent light on the ceiling illuminated the musty office.
She stepped in a little further.
As she lowered the sunglasses she was wearing, the chair Mr. Park used moved.
Startled by the creaking sound, Haejoo stepped back.
“You’ve come?”
A young man leaned back in the high-backed leather chair.
His muffled voice was very languid.
“I’ve come to see Mr. Park.”
“So, the person you came to see wasn’t me but my father. What a disappointment.”
The day Haejoo had come to the office, she had a clear look of resignation. She seemed exhausted, and there was no trace of a will to live. Haejoo seemed to intuitively know that she was destined to be sold off at any time, even if not through this marriage.
Mr. Park’s heart ached, even though Haejoo wasn’t his own daughter. He even wished that Haejoo had been born as his daughter.
If marriage was the only way for Haejoo to escape that hell, then he had no choice but to accept it.
Mr. Park was also just a guilty father who had lost his heartless son too early.
He hoped that Haejoo, who had endured a short marriage of fifteen days and unspeakable pain, would now let go of everything and leave to start a new life.
With a sigh of pity, Mr. Park turned away.
Following his advice, Haejoo left home the next day and cut off all contact.
________________________________________
“Ms. Haejoo, this is clearly a breach of contract.”
Haejoo had been cast by GN Entertainment while working as a saleswoman in a clothing store. She gained attention by appearing in director Jang’s film, which was said to showcase the epitome of mise-en-scène from its very first movie.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly. That is, until rumors began to circulate that Haejoo had been married.
“Ms. Haejoo, please be honest with me. Were you married?”
“There are circumstances.”
Haejoo explained the story of how she had been sold off to pay her estranged mother’s debt three years ago and had registered her marriage.
Upon learning the unknown truth, Director Yoo Jinhan was troubled.
He questioned her, as it was a rather critical scandal for a rookie actress with a pure image.
“How did the rumors spread if you said that man died?”
“I don’t understand it either.”
The police were currently tracking down who had spread the rumors.
The current public opinion online was already in shock just by the fact that Haejoo had been married.
“Instead of that, let’s check the documents first.”
Haejoo had never looked at her marriage certificate until now. Just the thought that traces of the marriage remained was a deep wound for her.
That wasn’t all. Afraid that Gyeong-ae might come looking for her, she couldn’t take on part-time jobs with the four major insurances. When looking for a place to live, she had wandered through boarding houses without any security deposit.
Then, the owner she had worked with before contacted her, saying he was opening a new store.
‘Ms. Haejoo, I’ll take care of your salary separately, so just do a good job.’
While she was forgetting about those days, Haejoo became an actress. Jinhan’s role was significant; he had consistently visited her despite repeated rejections and had built trust.
After signing a contract with the agency, she recently needed documents for the settlement of her film appearance fee.
Just when she thought she was becoming indifferent to her past, a huge bomb went off.
In front of the agency people, Haejoo obtained her marriage certificate. She desperately hoped it wasn’t true, but she was dumbfounded.
“How could this be?”
The name of a man, Park Dojun, was recorded as Haejoo’s husband.
He was not dead and clearly existed on paper.
“Ms. Haejoo, do you know this man?”
“I only know the dead person. And this person has the same name, but...”
“So you don’t know him?”
“Yes.”
“First, find this person and meet him.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
Jinhan was particularly fond of Haejoo.
He had been the one who cast her, so his affection for her was special.
His mind raced to find a way to handle this.
“Listen carefully. This person was your devoted husband who stood by you during your unknown days.”
“Director, I don’t want that!”
“Do you want to ruin your life as an actress?”
Even when Jinhan first proposed casting her, Haejoo hadn’t believed him.
An actress? Me?
Her doubts were brief. After starting her acting career, her self-esteem, which had hit rock bottom, began to recover, and a little light shone into her dark life.
At some point, she wasn’t even afraid of Gyeong-ae anymore.
Haejoo nurtured her dream of becoming a talented ‘actress’ with her successful start.
If she faltered here, her future was obvious.
Moreover, Haejoo wouldn’t have been able to get to this point if it hadn’t been for Jinhan.
Knowing she had to do something, she nodded.
“Okay. I’ll meet him.”
“Ms. Haejoo, if we get through this time well, that’s it. So let’s try.”
Haejoo left home the next day to find the man named Park Dojun. She went alone, leaving behind Jinhan, who had offered to accompany her.
“I think Mr. Park’s office was around here.”
Mr. Park had two sons; the elder son had passed away due to illness. There were rumors that the younger son was a good-for-nothing and a mad dog, though the reason was unknown.
Even though it was just a rumor, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
What if Haejoo’s husband back then wasn’t the elder son but the younger son?
“There’s no way.”
Haejoo’s car arrived in a neighborhood undergoing redevelopment and demolition. The atmosphere was desolate, and construction noise could be heard everywhere.
This place had once been a thriving commercial district with a large floating population, but now it was broken down and gloomy.
She parked in front of a two-story commercial building.
The second-floor window had ‘Demolition’ written in red, and the first floor had a worn-out, old sign that read ‘Happy Money.’
“Is it closed?”
Just by looking at the outside, it seemed to be out of business.
Without much expectation, she gently pushed the glass door covered with black adhesive paper.
Unexpectedly, the door opened.
“Hello... is anyone there?”
Haejoo peered inside through the crack in the door.
A dim fluorescent light on the ceiling illuminated the musty office.
She stepped in a little further.
As she lowered the sunglasses she was wearing, the chair Mr. Park used moved.
Startled by the creaking sound, Haejoo stepped back.
“You’ve come?”
A young man leaned back in the high-backed leather chair.
His muffled voice was very languid.
“I’ve come to see Mr. Park.”
“So, the person you came to see wasn’t me but my father. What a disappointment.”
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