PTC Chapter 5. A Sense of Spite

The car arrived in front of the hospital. Seojun parked and asked.

“Is your niece very sick?”

“She has a urinary tract infection. She’ll probably be hospitalized for about a week. It’s hard for a young child to have an IV drip, and it’s hard for her mother too.”

“Should I go in and see them?”

Ah. The words slipped out again.

“What? Why would you go in?”

A sudden wave of irritation washed over Da-in. How could he even suggest showing his face there?

‘If my mom knew you were Kang Seojun, she wouldn’t leave you alone.’

After their breakup, Da-in’s mother couldn’t bear to see her daughter refuse to eat for days, just lying in bed, crying and heartbroken.

‘That Kang Seojun guy. What kind of jerk is he? What kind of jerk makes our daughter suffer like this? If I see that guy, I’ll rip out every single hair on his head. I’ll make him bald so he can never see another woman again!’

At the time, Da-in felt her mother’s fury was so intense she could genuinely eradicate Seojun’s hair follicles, ensuring nothing would ever grow back.

“Forget it. Why would you go in there? You don’t exist to me. Even if I were to accept your offer, this obviously needs to be kept completely secret from my family.”

“I understand.”

“No, I mean, no one outside needs to know we’re married, right?”

Seojun nodded at Da-in’s words, which hit the nail on the head. The relationship he proposed was exactly that.

“Right. We just need to be husband and wife within my house.”

“Okay. I’ll think about it.”

“I’ll be waiting for your positive response.”
At Seojun’s words, Da-in confessed her conflicting feelings.

“I wish I didn’t have to do this contract. I wish my brother would come back soon and our situation would improve so I wouldn’t have to do this weird contract thing. Then I wouldn’t ever have to see your face again.”

Da-in spat out the words and went into the hospital.

Seojun stared at her retreating figure, frozen stiff.

“You don’t want to see my face again?”

So, she might consider it for the money, but she never wants to see my face again, huh?

“Park Da-in.”

A strange sense of spite arose within him. He was still desperately clinging to her, the one who left him, wanting even a 100-day marriage, while she wouldn’t even look at him if it wasn’t for the money?

‘What did I expect her to say? That she hadn’t forgotten me even after we broke up? That she missed me terribly? That she’d welcome this 100-day marriage with open arms and beg me to do it?’

“Idiot.”

Seojun ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Just then, his phone rang. It was his mother. He didn’t want to answer, but he couldn’t be harsh to his mother, who lived only for him.

“Yes.”

―Did you drink again today? Why are you so late?

“Do you really need to keep tabs on your grown-up son’s curfew?”

―How can you talk to me like that? Don’t you know what you are to this family?

“I know very well. The only grandson, the third-generation heir. The only son in a family cursed with short lifespans. That’s why both Grandma and you worry constantly, to the point of pushing me into a ridiculous marriage and then a divorce.”

―Honestly, no matter what I say… How can I stop your grandmother?

“Are you okay with it, Mom? Would you tell her to stop if I said I didn’t want to? This insane marriage and immediate divorce?”

Silence descended on the other end of the line. He knew his mother’s heart. She couldn’t disobey his grandmother and she was too afraid to refuse anything when it came to her son’s life or death.

―But that shaman is so accurate, and it’s not just anything, it’s a matter of life and death…

This was his mother’s true feeling. Not taking the lead, but supporting his grandmother’s actions.

“So? If it’s a matter of life and death, is it okay to mess up my family register like that?”

―It’s not as good as not getting divorced, but living a long life is more important, right?

“So, you’re saying I should do it? So what?”

―Your grandmother seems to have found a young lady for this marriage. Do you want to meet her?

That old woman was unbelievably proactive.

“Meet who? Have you already decided?”

―Well, you still have to live together as husband and wife, so if you really hate her…

“I’ll handle my own affairs. Give me some time. I’m not dying tomorrow, am I?”

―Oh, can you please stop talking about that you’re dying? It startles me every time I hear it.

“It startles me too, Mom. In this day and age, who wouldn’t be shocked by being told to have a 100-day marriage?”

―But you’ll do it, right?

She pleaded and urged him, her voice filled with fear. Hearing his mother like this, he couldn’t be cruel.

“I’ll think about it.”

―Okay. Alright. Then tell me when you’ve thought about it and if you are willing to meet her.

“But how old is this girl who’s willing to go through with such a crazy marriage?”

―She’s just turned 21, I think…

“You’re making me feel disgusted. Mom, you want me to marry some young girl for three months? Her family is practically selling her off.”

―Hey, don’t talk like that.

“Mom.”

―Never mind. Hang up. I also thought it was too much.

No matter what, she was determined to see this ridiculous marriage through, even dragging a 21-year-old girl into it.

‘Park Da-in is much better than that. Definitely.’

No matter how much she hated him, Park Da-in seemed a hundred times better. He couldn’t sleep next to some random young girl he didn’t even know. The thought was absurd.

 

***

As soon as Da-in stepped into the hospital room, a bright smile spread across her face. 

It was because of Sol, waving her hand with bright, dark eyes.

“Auntie!”

“Did our Sol have a good day today?”

The sight of her niece puffing out her cheeks with an IV in one hand was incredibly endearing.

“I hate this.”

“Right? Our Sol hates getting shots, doesn’t she? To go home quickly, you have to take your medicine, eat your meals, and don’t cry.”

“No. I want to go home.”

Sol pouted and grumbled, shaking her head. Eunjeong, her mother, made a worried sound beside her.

“She’s been like this all day. She barely ate anything.”

Da-in pulled out a strawberry milk carton from her bag.

“That’s why I brought strawberry milk.”

“Oh! Strawberry milk! Auntie’s the best!”

“Right? Auntie is the best, isn’t she?”

Da-in poked a straw into the carton and placed the strawberry milk in Sol’s small hand. She had to support the carton because Sol’s tiny hand couldn’t hold it on its own with one hand. The hand with the IV was immobilized with a splint. Her little red lips sucking on the straw were so cute and pretty.

“Oh dear, if you wanted strawberry milk, why didn’t you tell Grandma? Grandma would have gone out and bought you some right away.”

Sol grinned at her grandmother’s words. She quickly finished the entire carton, her little belly becoming round and full.

“Look how our Sol’s tummy is sticking out because she’s so full!”

Da-in gently stroked her cute belly. Sol, in a good mood, leaned her head against Da-in.

“Auntie, should I sing you a song?”

“Our Sol is in a good mood! Okay, sing a song.”

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star.”

She sang beautifully. Her brother sang well too; did she inherit it from her father?

“Should we make our Sol an opera singer in the future?”

“Oh, please. Don’t even think about it.”

Eunjeong immediately interjected.

“There’s an old saying: if you want to go bankrupt all at once, go into politics; if you want to go bankrupt slowly, make your child study arts. It costs a fortune. And is it just about talent? You need popularity. You can’t force those things.” 

“Mom, not in front of the child. She could do it if she’s good. Our Sol sings so well.”

Da-in stroked Sol’s hair. The soft strands carried the scent of hospital alcohol.
It must have permeated her hair from being in the hospital for several days. But from her nape and body, the sweet, comforting scent of a baby still emanated.

“Haven’t you heard from your brother yet?”

“No, not yet.”

The same question, the same answer, repeated. Both the asker and the answerer were tired of this exchange. Yet, the disappointment and worry always grew anew.

“What is going on…?”

“Mom, don’t worry. I’m sure everything will be alright. My brother will come back safely.”

“It’s been months already. And it’s no easy feat for you to earn money all by yourself.”

“Mom, I’m healthy and young. You know me, I’m Park Da-in.”

“Still, there’s a huge difference between a furniture designer’s salary and a temporary sales clerk’s salary. And it’s too dangerous for a young woman to do night-time designated driving…”

Eunjeong’s voice, tinged with worry, was laced with tears.