"Clothes...?"
Jung So-rim's boyfriend opened the suitcase.
He wondered why she had brought a suitcase on her way back home, and why it seemed to contain several sets of clothes.
He didn't know much about women's clothes, but he certainly knew luxury brands.
And as far as he was aware, Jeong So-rim was a frugal girl.
She hadn't bought a single luxury good even with her getting older.
However, the few items of clothing in the bag were all luxury items.
It they looked pretty expensive.
"..."
He sputtered out some spittle.
A bad premonition hit him.
Normally, such a finding would have passed over his mind without him giving it a second thought, since he wasn't usually so sensitive and meticulous.
He would have just thought- 'These clothes look good!' Or 'Did So-rim have clothes like this?'- and then scratched his head.
But these days, he kept feeling a strange vibe coming from her.
To be more precise, it seemed to him as if Jung So-rim was keeping in touch with a rich man.
He was feeling very anxious about it.
"No. It can't be."
'Didn't someone say that even fakes that look like luxury products appear very real these days? She must have bought these sorts of clothes as a change of heart.'
Despite the obvious evidence, he pretended not to be aware of the origins.
Just yesterday he had made up his mind to get along with Jung So-rim.
And Jung So-rim was not that kind of woman…
"It must be something that looks similar to a luxury item."
He rationalised the items before him.
Korea TV's settlement day was today.
Jeong So-rim did not have enough money to buy luxury goods.
'Then, is it a gift from someone else...?'
"Ugh, what am I thinking? This is why you should drink in moderation."
He brushed the thoughts in his head aside.
Jung So-rim was not that kind of woman.
The two had met 10 years ago.
They had even promised to get married, and they got along very well today.
"Hmm. Hmm. Mmm."
He suppressed his anxieties and hummed.
The small carrier was quickly emptied.
All he had to do was to hang five sets of clothes on the hangers.
But his mind was not set on avoiding the issue.
He was done organizing her clothes, but he was still anxious to the point of going crazy.
So, he searched her luggage further.
And then a smartphone was found in the inside pocket of the carrier.
This was Jung So-rim's smartphone.
'Seeing it again… yes.'
Apparently, this was the smartphone she said she had lost today.
"Ahhh..."
His hands shook.
He didn't know what to say or what to think.
His heart rate went up.
Then, he started to hyperventilate.
'What is this? Sorim… no, it can't be.'
He desperately denied the thoughts in his head.
He could just pretend he didn't see anything, put her smartphone back in the bag, and forget about the entire situation.
But as a human being, and a creature of curiosity, he could not do that.
He picked up the smartphone.
And then turned it on.
The smartphone required a password, but he knew it—
The six-digit password was her date of birth.
"..."
———————— [President]
[Tuesday]
-I'm getting a good rest back at home.
-I'm going to talk to my boyfriend on the phone and reconcile with him, so I'll be in Seoul again around Thursday.
–Then, are you planning to spend Thursday with your boyfriend?
–Do you want to come over on Friday?
-Ah, I do want to do that, but I don't think I can give you a definite answer.
-I don't know how my boyfriend will react…
–Then, how about meeting up on Wednesday night?
–(Emoji asking how about it?)
-That's fine. I just need to get back a day early.
–Oh lol
–So you can come for 2 days and 1 night?
–Great. That's very good.
-Lol
-I am only coming early because you asked.
–I look forward to it because I won't let you out of bed on that day.
-(Shy emoticon)
-Then see you tomorrow.
–Call me when you're here.
-Yes. I'll do that.
[Wednesday]
-Hyunwoo-nim. I'll be leaving my hometown now.
-I think I will arrive at Seoul Station at around two o'clock this afternoon.
-I'll meet up with you at Seoul Station then.
-Please send me another text just before you arrive.
-Thank you. I will contact you before my arrival.
–Oh, and can you take a picture and send it to me? I want to get a look at your pretty face.
-Now?
–Yes. Now.
–I am curious about whether you look pretty today.
-Ah...
-Wait a minute.
-(Picture)
–You look very pretty haha
-Thank you haha
-I have arrived.
-I'm in the parking lot.
–I'll come over to the entrance now.
–Call me when you come out. I'll be there with the car right away.
-Yes.
————————
"Ahhh... Ahhh..."
His view of the KakaoTalk app became blurry.
Only then did the man realise that he was crying.
He had thought it was impossible.
He had thought that So-rim would never do something like this.
But the evidence was too perfect.
'What should I do? What should I do? I don't know...'
He had been in a relationship with her for 10 years now.
At the same time, he had never been in touch with another person for 10 years.
That was why he had no inclination to choose to part with her.
But he had no other way to cope with his girlfriend's affair.
"Phew..."
How much time had passed?
10 minutes?
30 minutes?
1 hour?
He didn't know how much time had passed since he had even drunk.
During that time, he sat crouched in front of her carrier and wept.
Fortunately, Jung So-rim was still sleeping on the bed, unaware of the world around her.
She was weak to drink, so she wouldn't wake up until morning.
He put the smartphone back in its original place.
And then he put the clothes that he had arranged on the hanger back into her bag.
Because he didn't know what to do…
'Should I wake up Jeong So-rim and question her? Or should I ask her tomorrow morning?
Or should I just pretend I don't know? This is so confusing.'
He was going crazy with all the thoughts running through his head.
When viewed objectively, he was just a below-average man with no skills and no money.
To the extent that even he felt that it was a miracle that Jung So-rim, who was pretty, had a great body, and had a good personality, had stayed by his side for 10 years.
What could he do if Jung So-rim revealed that she had cheated on him?
Could he curse?
He could call her a stupid bitch.
But after that?
What would he do after that?
Would they break up?
He just didn't know.
He really didn't know what to do.
'Let's just cover this up for a moment. Really… just a moment. Until my thoughts are organized. Only until I am sure of what to do…'
***
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