“But it’s not something I can help — I can’t bring myself to calculate things in advance and keep a careful distance. I want to get along well with the family, whatever happens later. If it’s something effort can achieve, I want to try.”
“It’ll be hard. They’re not easy people, in many ways.”
“I’m naturally the type that gets doted on by elders, so I’ll be fine.”
Jiwon scrunched up his nose and waved the ten-thousand-won bill he was holding, as if to prove his point. A honk from the car behind them urged Ganghyeon to pull away quickly. Well. If he had enough social charm to be talking card games with his grandmother, there was a reasonable chance things would go his way.
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
The contract included a clause stating [perform a minimum level of appropriate duties toward the other party’s family] — if that was how Jiwon had interpreted it, then that was about all Ganghyeon could say. If it made Jiwon comfortable, it wasn’t difficult to just let him be.
Jiwon was insistent on spending the ten-thousand-won bill from Ganghyeon’s grandmother together with Ganghyeon. Because of that, Ganghyeon — who would normally have just dropped Jiwon off in front of his building and driven away — parked the car in the alley instead. Then he walked side by side with Jiwon to find the nearest convenience store. Browsing the drinks lined up in the refrigerator, Jiwon suddenly asked:
“Have you ever eaten ramen at a convenience store?”
Ganghyeon, who didn’t have much of a sweet tooth and had already had more than enough coffee for the day, withdrew the hand he’d been reaching out toward a bottle of water.
“Why. Do I look like someone who’s never eaten cup ramen or peeled open a triangle kimbap?”
“No?”
“…….”
“Well — honestly, a little bit, yes.”
Whether he’d been imagining a sheltered rich boy fumbling around helplessly in a place like this, Jiwon laughed with his eyes curving into crescents. Ganghyeon didn’t have much interest in food in general — his philosophy was that when he was hungry, he’d eat whatever was available and fill his stomach. In that sense, a convenience store was the ideal place. No one to interfere, no need for formality.
“It’s all the same for a man living alone.”
Jiwon thought back to Ganghyeon’s refrigerator — nothing but water and beer. Would his life change a little once they were married? He was just about to reach for a two-plus-one coffee drink.
“Oppa.”
“Oh. What are you doing here at this hour?”
It was Chaewon, a yellow basket loaded with ice cream hanging from her arm. The sharp eyes behind her black horn-rimmed glasses shifted from Jiwon — who looked as startled as if he’d been caught sneaking around in secret — to the tall man standing behind him. The man with the distinctly defined features cut an exceptionally fine figure in his well-fitted suit.
“Who is this? Could it be —”
“…Yeah. Say hi. This is Han Ganghyeon. Ganghyeon, this is my little sister. Jeong Chaewon.”
Chaewon slipped her shopping bag onto her wrist and extended her hand. She’d tried to get a look at him before and he’d always been too unavailable — and now here she was meeting her future brother-in-law for the first time in a place like this, and the look she gave him was decidedly pointed.
“I’m Jeong Chaewon. The wedding’s the day after tomorrow and this is the first time we’re meeting?”
“Yes. I should have come by much sooner — work kept me. I’m Han Ganghyeon.”
He could feel Chaewon’s pointed stare with every part of his body, but Ganghyeon managed an appropriate smile. He had completely forgotten about Jiwon’s mention of having a meal together at home before the wedding. Work had been busy, yes — but the bigger part of it was that he’d been careless and let it slip past him. Having met the little sister of the person he was about to marry only now, with the wedding right around the corner, he had nothing to say for himself.
Coming out of the convenience store, Chaewon swung her black bag of ice cream as she walked and pulled out a second one. Even as Jiwon tried to stop her — saying she’d get a stomachache — Chaewon tore open the wrapper without hesitation.
“What can I do, I want it.”
“You’re eating about twice as much as before, I swear.”
“It’s what the baby wants.”
Listening to the siblings banter, Ganghyeon only then remembered that Chaewon was pregnant. When you thought about it, Chaewon’s wedding should have come first — but apparently she had graciously stepped aside. When his grandmother had heard about Chaewon’s pregnancy, she’d been quietly pleased. You see, this is a family where children come easily.
“Is the baby growing well?”
“Yes. Still only the size of a bean, though.”
“Belated congratulations.”
“Thank you. But —”
Chaewon, who had boldly called him by the brother-in-law title right from their first meeting, looked straight up at Ganghyeon standing beside Jiwon. The siblings resembled each other in some ways, yet the feel was entirely different. Where Jiwon had a fresh and slightly bitter citrus scent, Chaewon was like the lemon ice cream she was working through — sharp and tart.
“Won’t you come by the house sometime?”
“Chaewon.”
“If it’s alright, I’ll come visit on the weekend. Jiwon, please check with your parents for me.”
The future brother-in-law, who had been steadily accumulating a bad impression by being impossible to catch a glimpse of, turned out to be fine-looking and well-built — and more than anything, remarkably quick on the uptake. Finishing off her ice cream, Chaewon thought to herself that someone sharp like him was a good match for the slow-as-molasses Jeong Jiwon, and quietly erased the unfavorable image she’d been building up.
Choi Yumin sipped at the coffee the secretary had set out for him and looked around the office. Word had been going around that Lee Soohyeon had landed a spot at a decent law firm — and sure enough, the firm was sizable and the office was respectable. Lee Soohyeon finished giving instructions to his secretary as he handed over some documents and came to sit down on the sofa.
“Soohyeon, this office is incredible. You’ve made it.”
“Made it — hardly. I’m still a new associate.”
“A plant felt a bit cliché, but I figured it’s always the safest gift.”
Yumin slid over the tastefully wrapped pot plant, and Soohyeon laughed with a why’d you bother as he took it. Whether it was because he was already staying busy even as a new associate, Soohyeon kept glancing back at his laptop screen even with Yumin sitting at the meeting table.
“Soohyeon, I heard prenuptial contracts are really popular these days.”
“Yeah, we write a lot of them lately. When you think about what might happen down the line, it’s better to have things settled in advance. There’s so much dispute over asset division in divorces, you know. Why — are you thinking about it? Do you have marriage plans?”
Yumin deflected, saying he just had someone in mind he was thinking about. He’d come after hearing a rumor that Han Ganghyeon had commissioned Lee Soohyeon to draft a marriage contract. He tossed out the question in a casual tone to confirm whether that was true.
“I heard Ganghyeon had his done here too.”
“Yeah. Not too long ago.”
“What kind of things do they usually cover these days?”
“They spell out the things that absolutely have to be upheld while the marriage is maintained. Though honestly, the main substance is about asset division and alimony in the event the marriage breaks down.”
“How did Ganghyeon have his written? Can’t you show me? I’d like it for reference.”
“How could I share the contents of a client’s work — especially something Han Ganghyeon commissioned? I’d lose my license over that. Tell you what, I’ll show you a standard template instead. Oh — hold on, I’ve got a call.”
“Sure.”
Lee Soohyeon answered the call cheerfully and started walking toward the window — then stopped dead. Something must have gone wrong; he shifted to a serious tone and urgently pulled open the office door, calling for the office manager. Outside, several voices mixed together in a commotion.
Choi Yumin took advantage of the moment and quietly slid Soohyeon’s laptop toward himself. The screen hadn’t yet gone to sleep — an email Soohyeon had been reading was still open. On a hunch, he flipped through a few pages of the inbox and searched Han Ganghyeon’s name. Finding the email thread between Ganghyeon and Soohyeon, Choi Yumin looked up to read the room. Soohyeon was still standing at the door talking to the office manager outside. Whatever they were discussing, it sounded serious — his voice was low.
Choi Yumin quickly forwarded Ganghyeon’s email to himself. He cleanly deleted the trace from the sent mail folder as well, and had just slid the laptop back into place when Soohyeon returned to the office. Soohyeon dropped into his chair with a low, irritated sigh.
“Oh — the contract. I almost forgot.”
“No worries, Soohyeon. I’ll ask again when I actually need it.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I should get going.”
“Already?”
“I only stopped by to drop off the plant. You’re busy too — I shouldn’t keep bothering you.”
Having accomplished what he’d come for, Choi Yumin quickly got up and made his leave. He was eager — sure that he’d find the reason why Han Ganghyeon had gone out of his way to choose the unremarkable Jeong Jiwon as his husband in that contract.
