* * * *
The road back to Seoul.
Only a heavy silence filled the car.
Yuri, sitting in the passenger seat, was completely intimidated, staring blankly out the window, and I too said nothing, focusing solely on driving.
But both of us had complicated thoughts.
The brief scuffle on the mountain road had ended anticlimactically.
Yuri had confessed everything. She admitted she had orchestrated their sitting together, but claimed she had left first when the drinking dragged on.
When I heard that, I rebuked her.
"So you left your friend there alone and came out?"
Under my interrogation, Yuri kept her head down, repeating only, "I'm sorry..."
I warned her coldly.
"Until this is resolved, if you breathe a single word to Jisoo, I'll sue you too."
At my words, Yuri's shoulders trembled, and she nodded in terror.
Honestly, it was a ridiculous threat. What crime was there in leaving a drinking gathering early to go home?
But the hostile atmosphere combined with her being a young, inexperienced student meant my threat worked perfectly.
Finally, I made one more demand.
"The guy who left with you that day. You said that bastard was your friend? Find out his contact info for me."
Without argument, Yuri picked up her phone.
She sent a message on KakaoTalk to a guy named Seojin.
[Jisoo changed her phone and lost the number. Can you tell me Minjun's number~?]
Shortly after, Yuri relayed a number to me.
I saved that number into my phone.
Having finished all my business, I drove back to Seoul and arrived in front of her house.
I stopped the car and spoke one last time.
"Remember what I said. Don't contact Jisoo for the time being."
Yuri answered, nearly in tears.
"Y-yes... Yes! P-please go...!"
She hurriedly got out of the car and ran inside.
I watched her figure blankly.
Now it was time to move to the next step.
* * * *
The evening after sending Yuri home.
I called the number I had saved.
After a few rings, a young man's voice came through.
"Hello?"
"Is this Minjun's number?"
"Yes, it is. Who is this...?"
"Do you happen to know Jisoo?"
At my words, Minjun's voice perked up slightly.
"Ah~ yes yes! I remember her! But what is this regarding...?"
"Ah~ Jisoo is drunk. She keeps asking for Minjun. Could you come get her?"
"Ah, really? Yes, of course! Where should I go?"
"She's at a park right now, saying she's sobering up. Please come quickly and take her home. I need to get home too..."
"Yes. I'll be right there."
The call ended.
"Look at this bastard getting excited."
I started the car and headed to the secluded park parking lot we had arranged.
As night fell, the area was completely deserted, with only the faint glow of streetlights illuminating the surroundings.
Shortly after, I saw Minjun arriving at the appointed place.
He was tall and dressed to the nines.
Seeing me, he approached with a bewildered expression.
"Excuse me... who are you...?"
I stepped out of the car and stood before him.
And instead of answering, I shoved in front of his eyes the same photo I had shown Yuri.
A photo of him entering a motel with my wife.
Minjun's face instantly hardened upon seeing the photo.
He was visibly flustered, but he forced himself to speak calmly.
"Ah... this... what does this have to do with you and Jisoo...?"
"Have to do with me?"
I snorted.
And in the next moment, my fist twisted into his collar.
"Ack!"
I slammed him straight into the parking lot wall.
With a dull thud, Minjun screamed.
Holding back the rage I had suppressed all this time, I whispered into his ear.
"You son of a bitch. Whether it has anything to do with me or not, I'll show you right now."
I pulled the photo from my pocket and threw it at his face.
It was our wedding photo.
"Still think it has nothing to do with me?"
Minjun's face was already pale with terror.
Only then did he seem to grasp the situation, and he spoke with chattering teeth.
"...I... I'm really sorry! I really didn't know she was married!"
"Didn't know? You bastard."
I put more strength into the hand gripping his collar.
"Was the ring on Jisoo's finger just for decoration?"
"Huh...? There wasn't a ring...!"
I slammed him against the wall once more before releasing his collar.
He collapsed to the floor, gasping.
I looked down at him coldly.
"Choose. Get slapped with a compensation lawsuit for adultery and have everything exposed to your school and parents? Or quietly cooperate and end this cleanly?"
Minjun looked up at me.
Tears were welling in his eyes.
He answered without hesitation.
"...I'll cooperate... I'll cooperate! I'll do anything!"
I smiled in satisfaction.
"Smart."
Now all the preparations were complete.
* * * *
"Phew... thank goodness."
One day, when I casually looked down at my left hand, I flinched.
My finger... felt empty. The wedding ring was gone.
My heart sank.
I began searching the house like a madwoman.
And after a long while, I found the ring in the pocket of the jeans I had worn that day.
I let out a sigh of relief and put the ring back on my finger.
With this, all evidence had vanished.
For some reason today, my husband had suggested dinner.
And with my parents, at that.
I dressed up carefully for the dinner and fell into thought.
Come to think of it, my husband had always treated elders so well.
Especially my parents.
After my one mistake, I had tried even harder to be good to him out of guilt.
That effort finally seemed to be paying off.
He must have completely forgiven me.
Humming to myself, I picked out clothes to wear. Since he had booked a hotel room, I needed to dress up a little.
"Hmm~ I have nothing to wear. I need to go shopping tomorrow."
Of course, my closet was full of clothes.
My father-in-law's card was truly like a magic wand.
Never once had I been scolded for my spending.
I put on a form-fitting dress with a cardigan.
The so-called "Dongtan missy" look.
"I wonder if he's ready?"
I went out to the living room and called for my husband.
"Honey~? Are you ready?"
He answered curtly from where he sat on the sofa.
"Yeah. Let's go."
"Okay~"
I naturally linked my arm with his.
Proof that I was in a good mood.
But my husband's face looked somewhat bitter.
I simply brushed it off as nothing important.
* * * *
The car driven by Jihoon arrived at a five-star hotel on Namsan with a panoramic view of downtown Seoul.
Unable to hide her excitement, Jisoo linked her arm with Jihoon's the moment she stepped out.
The hotel exterior was overwhelming in itself.
The massive floor-to-ceiling glass structure stretched majestically toward the night sky, and subtle lighting wrapped around the building, making it shine like a jewel.
"Wow... it's so luxurious~"
When Jisoo exclaimed in admiration, Jihoon only nodded briefly.
As the automatic doors opened and they stepped inside, the dazzlingly opulent interior greeted them.
A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling, scattering light like golden dust, and the floor was made of marble so polished it reflected people's faces.
Completely captivated by the splendor, Jisoo swelled with pride, unaware of Jihoon's pace.
The restaurant was located on the hotel's highest floor.
One entire wall was made of floor-to-ceiling glass, offering a panoramic view of Seoul's nightscape. The staff led them past the main hall to a private room at the very back.
As the heavy solid wood door opened, her parents were already inside, seated and waiting.
"Oh my, son-in-law Kim! Our son-in-law is here!"
Jisoo's mother welcomed him with a bright smile.
Seeing that, Jisoo firmly believed that everything had returned to its rightful place.
She had no idea of the tragedy that would soon befall her, and she smiled radiantly.
The atmosphere inside the room was warm and harmonious.
Jisoo's parents, who had received the sudden dinner invitation, were beaming the entire time.
Jisoo's father filled his wine glass and asked.
"Heh heh, but what day is it today, son-in-law? Suddenly treating us to such a fine meal."
Jihoon answered with a relaxed smile.
"Yes, Father-in-law. It's a very important day."
"Hmm... it's not our wedding anniversary... nor yours... Aha! You're setting this up early for your second anniversary!"
The father-in-law laughed heartily.
At that, Jihoon only smiled without a word.
Jisoo too smiled smugly, believing her assumption was correct.
As the meal drew to a close amid pleasant conversation, the father-in-law asked again with a satisfied expression.
"So, son-in-law, what is the real reason you called us here today?"
Everyone's gaze turned to Jihoon.
Jihoon wiped the sauce from the corner of his mouth with a napkin and spoke with a still-smiling face.
"Yes, Father-in-law, Mother-in-law. I have something to tell you both."
Facing her parents' curious expressions,
Jihoon dropped the bomb as if it were nothing at all.
"We're getting a divorce."
"...Huh?"
"I arranged this dinner to return your daughter. I thought telling you before the meal might ruin your appetites."
In that instant, the air in the room froze.
Jisoo's parents were frozen in stunned expressions.
Jisoo was the same.
"Wh-what kind of nonsense is that!"
The father-in-law shouted, his face red.
"Are you mocking us right now!?"
The mother-in-law clung to Jihoon, nearly in tears.
"Son-in-law... did our Jisoo make some... some mistake? Hmm?"
Jihoon paid them no heed.
He quietly picked up his phone and called someone.
And he said briefly.
"Yes. Please come in."
After hanging up, he picked up a document envelope from the table.
And he handed it to his father-in-law and mother-in-law.
The father-in-law, who had been gulping down cold water as if his insides were on fire, received the envelope with trembling hands.
He opened it and checked the contents inside.
And then, he squeezed his eyes shut.
From the mother-in-law beside him, a small scream escaped.
Inside the document envelope were several photos of their daughter, Jisoo, entering a motel with an unfamiliar man. Jisoo's father set the photos down on the table with trembling hands.
His face was flushed with anger.
Jisoo stared blankly at the floor in a daze.
She intuited that everything was over.
It was then.
Knock, knock.
Following the sound of knocking, the room door opened quietly.
The person who entered was a young, boyish-looking man.
It was Minjun, the man from the photos with Jisoo.
He entered the room with his head deeply bowed like a criminal, saying nothing.
Everyone's gaze fixed on him.
The parents, confused by the incomprehensible situation.
And Jisoo, who had turned ashen.
To them, Jihoon spoke with a calm face.
Just like a restaurant manager introducing a new menu.
"Please say your greetings."
Jihoon smiled broadly at Jisoo's parents.
"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law. This is your new son-in-law."
With those final words from Jihoon, the room fell into dead silence.