Chương 21: Don't appear in my sight again

After the sumptuous dinner, Chang Seol's mother drags her to her room while poor Sin Jeong-Hyuk is left behind with her father and No Kwang-Gi. Luckily, Chang Seol's younger sister is not here.

He might have acted confident earlier. Now, he's not feeling the same. Two figures are studying him from head to toe.

Where's Chicken? When are they leaving this place? If they don't leave now, they won't make it to Z City by tomorrow morning.

"Have you…," Chang Seol's father hesitates, "noticed anything strange recently?"

"Strange?" Sin Jeong-Hyuk curves his brows. "About what?"

"I guess you haven't." Her father lets out a breath of relief. He turns his head toward No Kwang-Gi. "Maybe we were worried for nought."

"Maybe." No Kwang-Gi sighs. "I wanted our families to become one family."

"If No Shi-Won can wait, Mi-Young can become his bride when she comes of age." Chang Seol's father says to him, "Mi-Young is quite different from her sister, but she's talented in studies."

"Um…" Sin Jeong-Hyuk raises his hand. "Shouldn't you ask Mi-Young when she becomes an adult? Deciding something as serious as marriage when she's an underage girl doesn't look right in my eyes."

Chang Il-Sung and No Kwang-Gi become silent, eyeing him.

"That's my opinion." Sin Jeong-Hyuk puts his hand down, feeling like a kid in front of two headmasters in a school. Maybe he should try steering the conversation in a different direction. "Mr No, I heard about your surgery. If you don't mind, can you tell me what you are suffering from?"

"Surgery?" No Kwang-Gi furrows his brows. "Young man, I am not having any surgery."

"Huh?" Didn't Chicken say that he's sick? Sin Jeong-Hyuk widens his eyes. "Are you not ill?"

"I am healthier than you are." No Kwang-Gi gives him a dark look. "Where did you hear that I am having surgery?"

Will Chicken get in trouble if he says the truth? Sin Jeong-Hyuk is tongue-tied. He doesn't know what to say.

That chicken fooled him!

"Did Seol tell you that?" Chang Seol's father stares at him. "Tell me, Sin Jeong-Hyuk."

"I read some articles online." Sin Jeong-Hyuk lets out a nervous laugh. "I recognized Mr No from an article about N Corporation. I guess that it was mere gossip."

"There are a lot of people who wish me to be dead." No Kwang-Gi slaps his thigh. "Where's my gun? I should hunt all the rumour-mongers."

Sin Jeong-Hyuk looks toward the door. There's a rumour-monger in this house and she has a lot to answer.

***

"Did you consummate your marriage?"

Chang Seol blinks her eyes. "W-What?"

"Marriage." Her mother asks her in a hushed tone, "Have you done it with him?"

Her face flames read. Doing it with Mister? Not even in her dreams! However, if she says it otherwise, her mother would figure out the truth. "We did it many times."

"Good!" Her mother gives her a satisfied smile. "Did something strange happen?"

"Nothing stranger than this conversation." Chang Seol avoids her gaze. "Mother, I don't want to discuss my bedroom life with you."

"If you don't tell me, who would you tell?" Her mother sighs and gives her a hug. "I know that we have been hard on you but we did it for your own good. Now, you are a married woman. I can relax. Give me a grandson soon."

"..." She's only nineteen. Does she have to think about kids now?

"It feels like it was only yesterday when you were crying in my arms." Her mother laughs. "My child has grown so much."

Chang Seol shrugs. "It's late. He and I have to leave."

"Why?" Her mother strokes her head gently. "Stay here tonight. You can leave tomorrow morning."

"No." Chang Seol has no intention of sharing her room with that Yeti. "I have college tomorrow. I can't miss the lectures."

"Seriously, Child," Her mother exhales. "Alright, I will pack some snacks for the way. Go to your husband. Your father must be drilling him."

After greeting her parents and No Kwang-Gi again, Chang Seol and Sin Jeong-Hyuk leave the house.

In the car, Sin Jeong-Hyuk is quiet. He takes glimpses of her in the mirror. Chicken is leaning against the window and looking out with a dull look on her face.

"Mister, you did well." She utters with a calm voice, "Thanks a lot."

Damn it! He pushes the brake suddenly and roars at her. "Chicken, you lied to me."

"Drive safely. We could have an accident." She creases her forehead. "And, Mister, what are you talking about?"

Sin Jeong-Hyuk isn't a fan of liars for sure. He grips the steering wheel and takes long deep breaths. "Did you use me to break the engagement between you and No Shi Won, Chang Seol?"

She curls her fingers. "That's not true."

"No Kwang-Gi sshi is not getting any surgery." His eyes are cold and dark. "Say, did you lie to me and your family? There was no paedophile. You ran away from home because you didn't want to marry No Shi Won. So, you lied to your family that you are married and you brought me here as your fake husband to make your parents and No Kwang-Gi sshi believe your lie."

Chang Seol takes a deep breath and meets his gaze. "Yes, I lied. They were forcing me to marry a stranger. However, I didn't intend to lie at first. They misunderstood when they talked to you. After that, I let them believe whatever they assumed about us. When you asked me questions, I lied to you. Mr No wouldn't have broken the engagement if he didn't see my husband. So, I had to lie."

"You shouldn't have lied." He scowls at her, disappointed. "You could have told me the truth. I would have talked to your parents and made them understand that it was wrong."

There's only silence. The girl turns her head toward the window, hiding her face from him. He gnashes his teeth and mutters, "I thought that you were an innocent kid. You turned out to be someone who takes advantage of people's kindness."

When there's no reply, he closes his eyes and sighs. Maybe he said too much.

"Mister, you are not a saint though. Becoming my godfather without my permission, making me do the chores for you, petting my head as if I am a kid, forcing me to speak louder, trying to find the person who doesn't want to be known..." She tells him calmly, "You are someone who does whatever he wants, disregarding other people's feelings."

These words... She's the second person to say these words to him. Jeong-Hyuk looks away, stirred by her dark gaze. "You are going a little too far, Chicken."

"Mister, have you ever wondered why you are clinging to Daydream? What's so good about her anyway?" Chang Seol grabs his chin and forces him to look at her. "Do you need her to make money? Since her voice is good, she will become famous for sure. Then, are you at the rock bottom of your career?"

"Chicken!" He slaps her hand away from his chin. "Shut up."

"Ah! I don't think so. You would have said yes and become my fake husband to find out the name. My guess is that her voice is your excuse to avoid whatever you want to avoid." She snorts. "Then, do you really have the right to tell me what I should do and not do?"

His chilling gaze freezes her soul. "Chang Seol, get out of the car."

She gets out of the car and slams the door. He watches her walk away from the dark. It's three in the morning and the night is cold.

Sin Jeong-Hyuk steps out of the car and takes long strides in her direction. He picks her up, ignoring her protests. After throwing her into the passenger seat and putting on the seat belt, he walks around the car and gets into the driver seat. Without a single word, he accelerates toward Z City.

He could feel her heated glare. But he's too furious to give a damn. The night turns to morning. He reaches the sharehouse and parks the car at the usual spot.

"From now on." He points at her with his index finger, scrutinizing her face. She hasn't apologized to him once on the way. "Don't appear in my sight again."

Mister turns around and marches toward the share-house.

"Why should I hide?" He hears her yell. "You should just turn blind if you don't want to see me."

Damn her! He has underestimated this chicken. She's not a pure kid.