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“Are you sure this will be enough?”
The surprise event Hae-joo prepared was her wedding with Dojun. It was unlike any ordinary wedding. At a deserted beach at dawn, with no one invited, the two shared a special moment. Before they knew it, a blue sky unfolded at the edge of the sea. Hae-joo released the shells she had gathered on the beach back into the waves, then took Dojun’s hand.
“Where else could there be a more perfect wedding?”
“If you ever change your mind later, just tell me.”
“I’m tired of being hounded by people now. I want to spend time quietly with you, Dojun.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, right! We need to take pictures!”
The two took selfies with the sea as their backdrop. Just when they felt it wasn’t quite enough, they spotted an elderly woman strolling along the beach. Dojun hesitated for a moment before approaching her and politely asking for a favor.
“Excuse me, would you mind taking a picture for us?”
“Oh, oh my goodness! You’re that person from Jino Group... what was his name? Lee Hae-joo’s husband, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Oh my! I’m a huge fan!”
“Thank you.”
“I’m a fan of Lee Hae-joo.”
“Ah... yes.”
“By the way, you’re even more handsome in person than in pictures.”
“You’re too kind.”
Dojun felt his energy draining from the excited woman’s chatter. Just as he started to regret asking, his phone was snatched from his hand.
“You want me to take a picture?”
“Yes.”
“Oh my goodness, is that Lee Hae-joo over there?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Could I possibly ask for a picture with her later?”
“I’ll ask Hae-joo.”
The expectant woman said okay and bounced up and down on the spot. Dojun walked over to Hae-joo and whispered softly.
“I asked that woman to take our picture.”
“Good.”
“She’s your fan. She asked if she could take a picture with you.”
Hae-joo chuckled softly. The woman, standing a distance away, held Dojun’s phone with both hands, waiting for permission. Hae-joo gave a light nod, touched by her childlike enthusiasm.
“Thank you. Take this, and then let’s take one together.”
“Thank you. First, you two pose!”
Dojun put his arm around Hae-joo’s shoulder and looked at the phone camera. The woman, seizing the moment, unleashed her hidden passion.
“You two, a little more this way! Okay, smile!”
The photos didn’t stop at just one. Seemingly satisfied with her own shots, she even changed locations to take more. She didn’t hesitate to kneel on one knee, pouring out her passion.
“You both are so good-looking; even casually taken photos turn out well.”
This time, she started taking mostly upper body shots. After about a dozen photos, the woman finally handed the phone back.
“Shall I ask you to take one with my phone now?”
Hae-joo linked arms with the woman and smiled brightly. Wearing a pure white veil, she harmonized beautifully with the blue of the sea. Dojun only got Hae-joo back after taking a commemorative photo with the woman.
“May you two live happily ever after. Fighting!”
“Yes, thank you.”
As the day dawned, campers began to gather one by one. Dojun quickly led Hae-joo to the car for shelter.
“Shall we go home now?”
“There’s somewhere else we need to go.”
“Where?”
“To your father, Dojun. My father now too...”
“Yes, we should visit him.”
Hae-joo held up the tie she had brought from her eco-bag.
“This is for your father.”
“Your preparations are perfect, aren’t they?”
“Our wedding wouldn’t be complete without your father.”
Dojun caressed Hae-joo’s head and turned the car around. The morning, now bright, was crisp. The road wasn’t jammed either. Driving quickly, they arrived at the nursing hospital where President Park was staying without being late. They applied for a visit and waited. After a short while, permission was granted, and they walked hand in hand to his room.
“I’m here.”
“How did you come without contacting us?”
The nursing assistant greeted them warmly first. Dojun gave a light nod and then looked at his father, who was sitting with his back to them. He was constantly talking to himself and didn’t even notice his son had arrived.
“What is Father doing?”
“He started talking to himself like that recently.”
“Is that so?”
“From what I hear, he seems to be conversing with your deceased mother.”
“…!”
Dojun’s heart sank. President Park’s condition seemed to have worsened rapidly compared to before, so he approached him closely. He lowered his body and listened to what he was saying.
“You’re still beautiful, but I’ve grown old and pathetic like this. By the way, is Yijun doing well? That boy hasn’t appeared in my dreams lately.”
As the nursing assistant said, President Park was conversing as if his dead wife was in front of him. Dojun worried that his father might even be hallucinating. He ran a hand over his rigid face, then wrapped his arm around President Park’s shoulder.
“Father.”
“Oh? What brings you here?”
Recently, Dojun hadn’t been able to visit President Park often due to Chairman Yu’s affairs. Dojun felt sorry and examined his wrinkled face.
“Do you know who I am?”
“This boy always treats his father like a fool. Aren’t you Dojun! My youngest son.”
“That’s right. I’m your youngest son, Father.”
“Our daughter-in-law is here too. Welcome.”
Hae-joo, who had been watching with tension, smiled brightly and walked over. She took President Park’s hand and greeted him cheerfully.
“How have you been?”
“Haha, you’re always so delicate and beautiful, I always worry about you.”
“Dojun is by my side.”
“That boy always gets into fights, tsk tsk.”
President Park was still the same. Except for the fact that he started talking to himself. A disturbed Dojun deliberately lowered his voice and whispered to the nursing assistant.
“What did the doctor in charge say?”
“The medication he’s taking now only slows down the progression of dementia, so it’s probably worse than before...”
“I understand.”
“The doctor will be making rounds later, so you can ask in detail.”
Dojun nodded and brushed President Park’s hair. Though seemingly indifferent, President Park beamed at the affectionate touch.
“You two smell of the sea.”
“Do we?”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the sea.”
“I’ll make time on the weekend, Father, let’s go together.”
Dojun sat facing President Park. Although he was old, his father, with his clear eyes, looked even older than before.
“Were you talking to Mother?”
“Yes, I see her often these days.”
“You see Mother?”
“Haha, your mother still looks like a maiden.”
Dojun’s spirits sank. Although it was dementia, seeing a deceased person didn’t look like a good prognosis. President Park had never harmed anyone or done anything bad in his life. He had lived more virtuously than anyone else, making his father, who had dementia, feel even more pitiable. Hae-joo, reading his mind, embraced his broad shoulders. When their eyes met, she gave him a subtle wink. Hae-joo, as if performing magic, shuffled her hands and pulled a tie from her eco-bag.
“Father, Dojun and I had our wedding at the beach today.”
“Did you? No wonder I smelled salt.”
“We want to take a picture with you, Father.”
Hae-joo personally tied the necktie around President Park’s neck. She dressed him in a sweater over his patient gown and meticulously styled him. Dojun then took out the veil and placed it on Hae-joo’s head, while he put on his bow tie.
“It’s our first family photo.”
“Haha, let’s take one with our Yijun too.”
What President Park quickly brought out was a framed photo of Yijun when he was healthy. As he sat on the sofa holding the frame, the nursing assistant stepped forward as the photographer. She captured them posing affectionately with Dojun’s phone camera.
“Dojun, shall we go out for a bit?”
The weather today was unusually bright and dazzling. The three of them went outside and enjoyed a pleasant time strolling through the hospital park.
________________________________________
Chairman Yu, who had been arrested, was handed over to the prosecution after a police investigation, charged with murder. To make matters worse, while confined in the detention center, divorce proceedings with Hwang Gyeong-ok also commenced. Due to this incident, the unjust dealings of GN came to light. The pervasive toxicity in culture, including film, prompted the National Assembly to consider enacting new laws. GN was truly in dire straits. The media reported that several executives would be further arrested following the prosecution’s raid. Amidst all this, Yura’s trial proceeded smoothly. Admitting to all her crimes, she gave her final statement before the judge.
“Hae-joo was born lovely and beautiful. My mother and I tormented and abused such a child.”
Yura sobbed uncontrollably, her remorse evident in her tears.
“If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self this.”
The courtroom was silent. Yura, her voice choked with emotion, spoke with difficulty.
“Stop acting like an idiot and get a grip.”
Large teardrops fell from Yura’s eyes. She felt pathetic for being used by Choi Inho even after entering the detention center. It was useless to regret it now, but she wanted to atone for her mistakes.
“I tried to use Hae-joo until the very end. I reflect on my foolish and incompetent actions and will pay for my sins.”
Finally, Yura openly wept. She was too ashamed to lift her head.
“I have no shame... but I ask Hae-joo for forgiveness now. I was wrong.”
Yura received news of Gyeong-ae’s death while incarcerated. In her distress, she collapsed on the spot and cried until she had a headache. Hae-joo did not attend the trial. Only Dojun, accompanied by Lawyer Park, watched Yura’s trial. The judge handed Yura a sentence sufficient to atone for her crimes. Dojun, leaving the courtroom, conveyed this news to Hae-joo.
-So that’s what happened.
“There’s something else I haven’t told you yet.”
-What is it?
Dojun told her that Gyeong-ae had died in a Philippine prison. Hae-joo, listening quietly, let out a long sigh. She remained silent for a long time. Yet, Dojun waited patiently.
-Dojun, you know.
“Yes.”
-I think I’m a bad person.
“Why would you say that?”
-My mother passed away, but I don’t feel sad. It’s just... my mind is blank.
“Because you two didn’t share any affection.”
-We were worse than strangers.
A profound emptiness was layered in Hae-joo’s voice. At times like this, it was better to simply listen to whatever she had to say rather than try to force comfort.
-Why did Mom hate me, her own daughter, so much?
“Hmm.”
-When I was little, I didn’t have proper winter clothes, so my homeroom teacher, who couldn’t bear to watch, once got me some donated clothes.
“Really?”
-I never celebrated my birthday, and on Dad’s memorial day...
Hae-joo’s voice choked when her father was mentioned. She had resented her unfeeling father, who had left his young daughter behind, a great deal.
-I don’t know how much I was beaten for saying I missed Dad on his memorial day.
“Hae-joo.”
-More than the pain, I was so sad because my mother didn’t love me.
“I’ll give you that love now.”
-Why did she even give birth to me... I prayed so much for Mom to be punished.
Gyeong-ae met a tragic end. And it was in a foreign country, not her homeland. The pain that had seemed eternal was quietly fading away like this.
“You were mine from the beginning. So, cry a little more, and then let it go.”
-I miss Dad.
“Okay. Let’s go see your father-in-law on the weekend.”
-Dad would have been happy if he saw you, Dojun.
“If Yijun appears in my dream, I’ll ask him to let me see your father-in-law.”
Only then did Hae-joo chuckle through her tears. She took a long, deep breath and composed herself.
-Still, I’m relieved that my sister has reflected.
“Don’t let your guard down.”
Fortunately, Hae-joo had gained many more supportive fans. Offers for appearances were pouring in from everywhere, overwhelming her agency. Recently, Hae-joo had only been able to manage commercial shoots while resting. Then, the moment finally arrived to confirm the baby’s gender. Hyunwoo, who had been postponing it with various excuses, carefully checked the fetus’s gender. Dojun watched beside him, his eyes burning with anticipation.
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