IMFOBO | CH 51 | And So, We Became Husband and Wife

The beginning of deep winter.

At last, the day had come.

Eun-cho greeted each person entering the bridal waiting room with a gentle smile.

But now that she was actually wearing a wedding dress, sitting in that very room, her heart was pounding like crazy.

It felt like she was only just beginning to grasp the weight of this bold step she had taken.

Becoming Ryu Tae-san’s wife—officially.

It was no longer a distant future. It was happening now.

“Our Eun-cho, you’re so beautiful.”

Su-ji flitted around her, snapping photo after photo on her phone.

She was practically buzzing with excitement, claiming she just couldn’t stop taking pictures.

The silk dress Tae-san had chosen left almost nothing exposed.

It flowed gracefully along the curves of her body. Even without any extravagant embellishments, Eun-cho looked elegant and refined.

In fact, the clean, simple dress made her serene features stand out even more.

Eun-cho, nervous, adjusted the folds of her dress and gripped her bouquet tightly.

A delicate scent rose from the bouquet of lilies of the valley, interwoven with soft green leaves.

“Oh my, our Eun-cho’s just stunning, isn’t she?”

“I’ve never been to such a grand hotel wedding in my whole life!”

That’s when a group of “broccoli grandmas” bustled in.

Tae-san had gone so far as to charter a large bus just for the residents of Cheongnim-ri, ensuring every last one of them could attend the wedding.

The excited elderly women began showering Eun-cho with congratulations, one after another.

Eun-cho had wanted to keep the wedding quiet—after all, it was a marriage she hadn’t expected to last—but rumors had spread quickly.

And since her grandmother was one of the hosts, there was never any real chance of not inviting the folks from Cheongnim-ri.

“Thank you so much for coming all this way.”

Eun-cho smiled shyly.

Just then, the village chief’s wife entered the bridal room, holding Tae-hee’s hand.

“Ah…”

Jo Tae-hee’s expression was something to behold.

She was forcing a smile so hard, it looked like her lips were twitching.

Who knew such a face could be so satisfying to see? Eun-cho must’ve had a bit of a wicked streak, after all.

“Congratulations, Eun-cho.”

Could you not say that with a face that screams the opposite? It felt so painfully insincere.

Tae-hee looked like she’d been dragged here against her will—her clenched teeth made her cheeks puff out.

Her temples and jawline stood out so sharply it made her expression seem almost distorted.

“You’re really putting on a show.”

Just looking at Tae-hee’s face, Eun-cho could tell: her cousin had figured everything out.

That the Ryu Tae-san she’d dismissed as some low-level construction site manager was actually an executive at Baekun Construction.

And that the cousin she had so deeply resented was about to marry into a chaebol family.

“It’s eating you up, isn’t it?”

Tae-hee had always been especially jealous.

Even when Eun-cho had just one more hairpin than her, it was a problem.

And now, for some reason, her own wedding had been delayed.

On top of that, Lee Eun-cho was getting married first—and not just that, but becoming the daughter-in-law of a conglomerate family.

No wonder she looked like she was about to lose her mind.

For someone who’d lived her whole life valuing money above all, this must’ve been unbearable.

“Eun-cho, I don’t know why, but I’m getting all teary-eyed.”

Tae-hee was clearly clinging to the last thread of her composure, casting sidelong glances at the village chief’s wife and Gu-won, standing beside her.

She probably wanted to burst into tears out of sheer frustration—but instead, she was trying desperately to keep up appearances.

“Wishing you a happy life.”

“Thanks, Gu-won oppa.”

It felt surreal.

To be standing here in a wedding dress, receiving blessings from the man she had loved for so long—it didn’t feel real at all.

“Did you say you’re cousins? How about we take a picture of just the two of you first?”

The photographer was simply doing his job, but the courtesy he extended turned out to be ill-timed.

Under the watchful eyes of those around her, Tae-hee had no choice but to sit beside Eun-cho. When their arms interlocked, a shiver crawled over her skin—a sensation known only to the two involved.

“Alright, let’s take the shot. One, two, three!”

The shutter kept clicking away.
Eun-cho couldn’t help but think how absurd it looked to see the two of them feigning affection for the camera—so much so that she couldn’t even muster a smile.

“Is it fun messing around with people like this?”

Now, she was even doing ventriloquism.
Tae-hee muttered under her breath, almost as if she were about to lose it—just loud enough for only Eun-cho to hear.

“If you were going to tell us from the start that he was an executive at Baekun Construction, why did you lie and say he was just a construction site guy? Now you’ve made a laughingstock out of us. Do you really think you can be happy after that?”

“I never lied about that. Isn’t it just that you heard what you wanted to believe?”

Eun-cho wasn’t about to let this quarrel slide.
After all, regardless of everything else, today was the brightest day of her life.
Even amidst abundant blessings, receiving such venomous remarks was almost too much to bear—she felt an overwhelming urge to wash those words from her ears immediately.

“On top of that, my aunt’s husband is on board, too. Both of you are unbelievable—the father who abandoned his daughter and the daughter who was abandoned. It’s chilling how easily you can pretend to be affectionate if it serves your needs.”

“Like you’re any better.”

Despite the sweet, smiling face, every word out of Tae-hee’s mouth dripped with poison.

She still had a knack for stabbing people right where it hurt the most.

“If you’re envious of my rich dad, just say so. No need to throw a tantrum like a child.”

“Alright, that’s enough. Your cousin can come out now.”

Just as Tae-hee was about to fire back, the photographer announced the end of the session. His timely interjection perfectly interrupted the moment when Tae-hee might have struck back.

“Eun-cho.”

At that very moment, as Eun-cho offered a gentle smile, Tae-san stepped into the room with a boutonniere of tiny bluebells tucked into his pocket.
He certainly didn’t come in just because he knew that Gu-won and Tae-hee were in the bridal waiting room—the timing was simply too coincidental.

“The groom looks absolutely dazzling, doesn’t he? Wow! His brilliance is blinding—who needs fluorescent lights when we’ve got him here!”

Tae-san knew he must be recognized for his impeccable suit. Just by his entrance alone, he effortlessly dominated the atmosphere.

“Eun-cho is so stunning, she leaves you speechless.”

Tae-san flashed an artful, teasing smile as he caught Eun-cho’s eye.
Even though they both knew it was just an act, his gaze felt so affectionate and sweet that it sent a peculiar thrill across her palm.

“Are you nervous?”

“I’m fine.”

At that moment, as the two exchanged glances and exhaled shallow, steady breaths, an announcement echoed from afar, signaling the beginning of the ceremony.

“The wedding ceremony for the groom, Mr. Ryu Tae-san, and the bride, Miss Lee Eun-cho, will begin shortly. Guests, please make your way into the hall.”

At the announcement, the guests who had been lingering in the bridal waiting room all moved out at once.

Eun-cho swallowed dryly, unsettled by the sudden silence.

Her delicate neck quivered faintly as her heart began pounding fiercely.

“Shall we go?”

Eun-cho fixed her gaze on the man’s extended hand.
It was large and firm.
Though she couldn’t know if he would remain by her side forever, for now, his presence was enough.

Yes, that was all that mattered at this moment.

As their hands met gently, his familiar warmth cascaded over her skin with a cool, calming touch.

“Thank you.”

Eun-cho desperately wanted to walk down the aisle holding her grandmother’s hand.

It had been her grandmother and grandfather who had raised her with unwavering love and concern since she was little.

Even so, her grandmother firmly declined.

It wasn’t common for a bride to enter holding her grandmother’s hand, after all.

Worried that Eun-cho might become the subject of idle gossip, she stubbornly stood her ground and instead wished for her to walk in with her father.

But contrary to her grandmother’s hopes, Eun-cho didn’t want to walk the wedding aisle with a father who had ignored her for so long.

If it had to be someone—

“I’d like to walk in with Tae-san.”

As if he fully understood Eun-cho’s heart, Tae-san didn’t hesitate before accepting her request.

In the end, her grandmother and father sat in the parents’ seats.

While she had given up the honor of walking the bride down the aisle, Eun-cho’s grandmother had insisted on having her father seated there.

It was a plea from the depths of her heart—not to leave a single blemish on her granddaughter’s special day.

Hoo…

Eun-cho took a deep breath in front of the grand double doors.

Her chest, hidden beneath layers of fabric, rose and fell rapidly with each breath.

Noticing her nervous state, Tae-san gently squeezed her hand.

“Just focus on me.”

“…”

“That’s what this handsome face is for, after all.”

Even now, he had jokes.

The way he shamelessly put his good looks to use made her want to laugh, ridiculous as it was.

And yet, she found herself falling into his rhythm—just as he intended.

“And now, let us welcome the stars of the day—the bride and groom! Please give them a warm round of applause!”

With the emcee’s booming introduction, the tightly closed doors swung open.

Bright lights spilled over them, and the weight of countless gazes rushed in like a wave, pressing down on them.

Each step along the elevated wedding aisle brought a soft wave of tension.

She was so nervous that even breathing felt foreign and awkward. Just as she was about to stumble—unaccustomed to the high heels—Tae-san firmly caught Eun-cho by the arm.

“Ah.”

Even at her foolish little gasp, the man met her gaze and smiled gently.

As if he couldn’t take his eyes off her, not even for a second.

Even though she knew this was all a carefully orchestrated act, a strange flutter rose in her chest.

Maybe it was just nerves.

With every step forward, the roar of applause and gasps of awe rang so loud it was almost deafening, yet by keeping her focus on Tae-san, everything else blurred away like a fading dream.

And just like that, we became husband and wife.