— What are you even asking that for. Of course they liked you. You saw it yourself that day, didn’t you. They were doing everything they could to become family with us.
Was that really how it was? For a moment, Ganghyeon’s mind flashed to the image of Jeong Jiwon looking back at him with that indifferent expression. Ganghyeon had always lived surrounded by the attention of others. Most people tried their hardest to get into his good graces, and he had met countless people who wielded their omega pheromones like a weapon to capture his attention.
And yet Jeong Jiwon, who he had met with marriage on the table, was a little different from all of them. Far from trying to appeal to Ganghyeon or make a good impression, the voice that had asked him point-blank why marriage was in such a rush sounded exactly like someone who found him pitiful.
He seemed unbothered by the prospect of dealing with Ganghyeon, and didn’t seem particularly concerned about his own comparatively weaker position either. Most of all — he didn’t look like he wanted to marry him.
That was the thing Ganghyeon liked most about Jiwon. It wasn’t going to be a marriage based on affection anyway. Doing this with someone who thought along similar lines was convenient in every way.
The truth was, deciding on a marriage partner after a single meeting was largely driven by his desire to stop being dragged around on the pretext of marriage any longer.
“I like him, Mother.”
— You liked him?
“Yes. If there are no particular issues, I’d like to proceed as is.”
After ending the call with his mother, Ganghyeon massaged his stiff shoulders as he made his way to the bedroom. The sense of relief at having resolved a headache was far greater than any awareness that he had just chosen someone who would have a significant impact on the rest of his life.
Jiwon’s bed was tangled in a mess of blankets, piled high with pillows. Some for his head, some to hold, some to tuck between his legs — each serving their own purpose. He had a sleep habit where he couldn’t fall asleep without holding something against him.
“Hey, wake up. Come on! Come ooon!”
Grabbing his shoulders and shaking wasn’t going to wake Jiwon up. He had always slept heavily since childhood — left alone without being woken, he could sleep the whole day through. Jiwon cracked his eyes open at the relentless shaking, then shut them again and buried his face back in the pillow.
“Jeong Jiwon! Jiwon.”
“Mmph.”
Only after his mother grabbed his arm and shook him for a good long while did Jiwon begin to stir and wake. It was no different from being woken up mid-deep sleep by someone yanking him up by the hair. His mother’s face lit up at the sight of Jiwon scrunching his face in a grimace.
“What.”
“We got a call from that household.”
“Which household.”
“What do you mean which one! Chairman Han’s household. The message came through Mrs. Kim, and apparently they said they’d like to move forward with the marriage as soon as possible. Jiwon, we caught our breath before your father’s company took its last one!”
His mother, who hadn’t said a word but had been burning with worry every night, pulled Jiwon tightly into her arms. He’d been used to this kind of physical affection since childhood, but having just been woken from sleep, everything felt like the biggest inconvenience in the world.
“Okay, okay. I get it!”
“The business funding for your father got sorted out right away too, so he’s gone in to the office to handle things. Oh, I genuinely can’t bear to think what would have happened if it weren’t for you. You made up your mind and it saved us.”
His mother hugged the twenty-nine-year-old adult man, who stood nearly 180 centimeters tall, like he was a baby and stroked his hair, then planted a firm kiss on Jiwon’s cheek. Mom, please stop. Jiwon begged.
“I was so worried….”
“I’m out of it. Let me sleep a little more.”
“Oh, alright. Are you hungry? Do you want to eat before you sleep?”
“Later.”
Finally free from his mother’s arms, Jiwon lay back down on his soft bed and pulled a large pillow toward him to hold. His mother left the room, and in the quiet that returned, he drifted peacefully back toward sleep. Eyes closed, breathing in a steady rhythm — and then Jiwon’s eyes flew wide open and he kicked the blanket off and shot upright.
Wait, hold on.
This marriage — that’s about me. We’re moving forward with the wedding? I’m actually getting married like this? Dragged back from studying abroad out of nowhere, just like this? His head spun into complete chaos, as though his mother’s words had only just sunk in.
Right up until he’d gone to that meeting, he had been certain this marriage would never actually happen. He wasn’t sure how the connection had been made, but even from what little he’d looked into, the other side was a remarkably prominent family. Their business enterprises were enormous, and the gap in social standing and public recognition was so vast that Jiwon’s family didn’t even come close to comparison. Why on earth would a family like that want me? The thought surfaced on its own, despite having no particular issues with his self-esteem.
He had been certain the marriage would be impossible. He had only gone because his parents had begged him so desperately — it had been a meeting he’d walked into without a second thought. Jiwon sat curled up on the bed, turning his memories of that day over in his mind.
The man’s mother, who seemed to have gathered every drop of cool detachment in the world into a single person, struck him as somehow intimidating all over again. The man himself… what had the man been like? Jiwon chewed on the corner of his pillowcase with his front teeth as he recalled the man’s face. The deep-set eyes had definitely left a clear impression. His style was neat and composed in a way that didn’t look like twenty-seven.
When they had stepped outside for some air and exchanged a few words, his voice had been quite something. The warmth that had transferred through his hand when they shook — the way he’d held it with just the right amount of grip — had left a deep impression.
“What am I supposed to do.”
That man and I are getting married? We have a wedding ceremony and become husband and wife and stay together until our black hair turns to white — we’re doing that? Oh my god. What on earth is happening.
Jiwon sat there in a daze, staring blankly into nothing, when a ping of a message notification made him reach for his phone. It was an unknown number starting with 010.
[This is Han Ganghyeon. Shall we meet once before the formal marriage discussions begin in earnest. Please reply with a suitable time and I will make it work.]
“Oh no.”
It was a message from his future husband, with whom formal marriage talks would soon be underway. Jiwon toppled backward and lay flat. This isn’t a dream. What have I done. Me, getting married — what on earth is happening!
When Jiwon mentioned he was going to meet Ganghyeon, his mother turned the entire wardrobe inside out. With the room reduced to complete chaos, one of the three suits that had made the final cut was chosen.
“Wear this one. This is the one I paid a lot for at the department store that time. Pair it with the tie you got as a gift last time and you’ll be set. Right?”
Jiwon shook his head as he watched his mother take it off the hanger and dust it off.
“Mom. That’s a winter suit.”
“You put up with things like that when you want to look good. If you get hot, just take the jacket off.”
“I’ll figure out what to wear myself.”
Regardless, he was on his way to meet someone with whom marriage was being discussed. If this wasn’t going to be a one-time encounter, there was no point putting on an expensive winter suit to look like something he wasn’t. On top of that, if the other person was from the Cheongmu Construction family, it would just look like a caterpillar trying to compete with a butterfly.
Jiwon stepped out of his room in black slacks and a light-colored striped shirt, and his mother launched into a string of worries. What kind of family is that family, and what kind of person is that family’s son. Jiwon felt a quiet sting of irritation. Right, because when was it that you grabbed someone who didn’t want to and told him to get married — and now you’re going on about how great their son is.
“Mom. Keep this up and your son’s going to be late.”
“Oh? Right. Let’s go then. We can’t be late.”
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“The way things turned out — it means they like me.”
“That’s right. They said they liked our son.”
“So stop going in with this subservient attitude. If you keep doing that, I’ll throw the whole marriage thing out the window and go right back.”
Jiwon steadied himself as he said it to his mother. Honestly, what do I have that falls short of him. I’m perfectly good-looking, I studied hard and won a scholarship all through university, my personality is fine and I get along with people well enough.
Right. Nothing to be nervous about, Jeong Jiwon. The only thing he has over you is that he was born to richer parents.
On his first-ever ride in a chauffeured car, Jiwon thought: Ah~ having rich parents really is something else.
He had calculated the time to take a bus or taxi to the meeting place and left the house accordingly — only to find a gleaming, freshly washed black car parked in front of the gate. Why on earth is someone parked in front of someone else’s gate in the middle of the day. He was grumbling inwardly when a man in a suit stepped out of the driver’s seat and bowed.
“You are Jeong Jiwon, correct?”
“Yes.”
