OM Prologue

Prologue

My husband was a Polyamorist from the very beginning.

An advocate of open relationships. Or, to put it another way—polyamorous.

From the start to the end, he had always made his identity crystal clear, never hiding who he was.

“You only live once, so my philosophy is to enjoy it to the fullest, to live as fun and free as possible. According to our natural instincts as human beings.”

“It’s only natural for humans to be drawn to more than one person at a time. Think about it. Every person has their own strengths and weaknesses, and different traits make us attracted to different people. So how could anyone possibly be satisfied with just one person?”

According to his beliefs, monogamy was nothing more than a moral construct—an artificial social constraint that ran counter to human nature.
People clung to it simply because they lacked the strength to reject it.

“Isn’t it way better to enjoy that freedom with mutual consent than to sneak around having affairs and cheating? It’s not even illegal.”

He once claimed that, if you approached it rationally, you’d eventually see that open relationships made far more sense.

“It’s not like I’m trying to sleep around with a new person every night. I only have consensual relationships with agreed-upon partners—openly and honestly.”

When he brought up polygamous societies on the other side of the world, she had immediately argued back.
She said such systems were fundamentally unfair to women, outdated to the point of absurdity, and disrespectful to the worth of individuals and the value of love. That they went against the core dignity and worth of human beings.

“Sure, polygamy is like that. But this is different. Whether it’s an open relationship or polyamory, it applies to both men and women. Isn’t this what real equality looks like?”

Real equality, he said.

“Miss, we’ve arrived.”

The taxi driver’s voice pulled Yuwon out of her thoughts. She looked up.
In the early dawn of a residential neighborhood, the horizon was painted in a deep violet glow.

…Beautiful.

As if mocking her moment of awe, a raindrop fell without warning the instant she stepped out of the taxi. Yuwon stood still in the pouring rain in front of an unfamiliar building, letting it soak her completely.

It wasn’t a hotel or a motel—this was a short-term rental residence, the place she had agreed to meet that man before setting out. She spotted the doorbell at the entrance but didn’t press it right away.

Yesterday’s video replayed in her mind: her husband and his partner, Seo Hari, standing side by side. It had only been a short clip, but they looked undeniably good together—like a perfect match.

Right. Just like you said, open relationships are about equality—for both men and women. Each is free to meet and be with other partners.
The same goes for an open marriage based on that open relationship.

A husband and wife, each allowed to see other people by mutual agreement.

The phone she had shoved deep into her jacket buzzed with a low hum. A call, most likely asking if she’d arrived yet, or where she was.

The ringtone was soon replaced by the chime of a text notification.

✉️ Yuwon-ah, you’re on your way, right? The rain’s coming down hard all of a sudden, and I’m worried.

The rain was getting heavier. Yet she felt almost nothing. She was probably soaked from head to toe, but her body didn’t register it.

Just as she finished reading the message, the phone rang again. This time, it wasn’t the man waiting at the residence—it was her legal husband.
The name “Tae Minhyuk” lit up the screen.

Yuwon stared blankly at the glowing display before finally answering. A deep, familiar voice immediately filled her ear.

—“Where are you right now?”

“……”

—“Secretary Jang said you left early this morning to work out. Is that true?”

There was a time when she had loved even the arrogance in his voice. That cavernous baritone, deep and cool like it echoed from a cave.
A voice rich and resonant, like the sound of a cello.

—“Noh Yuwon. Are you listening?”

“…Yes.”

Her lips moved, but the words barely came out.

“I’ve decided… to exercise my rights, too.”

Open marriage. Open relationship. That goddamn ideology that claimed to grant equal rights to both husband and wife.
So now she was going to claim hers.

—“What? I can’t hear you well—the rain’s too loud.”

On the other side of the glass door, someone stepped off the elevator, holding an umbrella. The man she was here to meet.

—“Are you standing outside in the rain right now?”

The man with the umbrella frowned slightly as soon as his eyes met hers, then hurried his steps.
It was likely because she looked absolutely pitiful—soaked through, standing there like a statue.

—“Yuwon! Noh Yuwon, answer me! Where the hell are you right now?”

She pressed the end call button without hesitation. Her husband’s raised voice vanished beneath the sound of the rain. Yuwon went a step further and turned off her phone entirely. She had already disabled the location services, but it was better to be safe.

“Yuwon!”

As she slipped the phone into her pocket, the glass door swung open and the man stepped out, holding up an umbrella.

“Why were you just standing there? You’re soaked… You’ll catch a cold. Come on, let’s get inside.”

Clicking his tongue in concern, he gently brushed the rainwater from her hair. The way he led her toward the elevator was gentle—completely unlike a certain someone.

“Yuwon… are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

Even though she looked like a drowned rat, a bright smile spilled across her face.
Her husband’s angry voice, yelling her name through the phone moments ago, still echoed faintly in her ears.

Now we’re finally equal.

As of today, she too had another partner—just like her husband, Tae Minhyuk.

An open marriage, by definition, was a relationship open to all others beyond one’s spouse.

She should’ve done this sooner.

If she wanted to restore the balance in the open marriage Tae Minhyuk so proudly advocated for—
If she wanted to keep up the façade of a picture-perfect marriage—
She should’ve done this from the very beginning.

To survive.
Because this… was better than going mad.