Transit Love After Revenge Chapter 2

She wanted to scream at Seongjun. Haeyoung stormed out of the hospital like a woman possessed and headed straight for his house.

 

The front door was open, no need to punch in the passcode. As she bent down to take off her shoes, she heard Minji’s chirpy voice, sweet as a songbird.

 

“I don’t like braised mackerel.”

 

“Oh my, Woo Minji, how are you gonna grow if you’re that picky?”

 

“I am growing!”

 

“Growing, my foot. You’re still a kid.”

 

“Jo Seongjun, you’re so annoying.”

 

“Take some beef bone soup with you, at least. It’s Korean beef, I think.”

 

“….”

 

“You don’t want that either? Fine, I’ll tell my mother-in-law to make braised short ribs next time.”

 

“Mother-in-law? She’s not even your real mother-in-law, why are you calling her that?”

 

“Right? But Seo Haeyoung keeps nagging me to call her that, it’s stuck now. That woman…”

 

A burst of giggles rang out like bells, echoing in her ears. Haeyoung’s entire body flushed hot, like her blood had started flowing in reverse, then went cold all at once. It all felt unreal, like she was underwater.

 

“She’s old, broke… might as well just die already. Even today, she told me to go to the hospital. Do I look like some caregiver? Seo Haeyoung pisses me off the most. She should be grateful I’m even still seeing her.”

 

“Exactly. If things work out for you this time, she might end up with an actor son-in-law.”

 

“Son-in-law? Please.”

 

“You’ve been dating for six years. You’re not gonna marry her?”

 

“We are too young to get married.”

 

“Why? She’s pretty, though.”

 

“She looks suffocating. And she acts suffocating, too. I want to break up but can’t.”

 

“Why can’t you break up? Because of the deposit?”

 

“Yeah. If I break up with her, I’ll have to move out right away. But this time, things are finally looking up. Soon as I make it, I’m ending it. I’m so done dating someone below my level.”

 

“It breaks my heart that you’re staying with her just for the money. Looks like I need to save you.””

 

“…What do you mean?”

 

There was a hint of hope in Seongjun’s suddenly lowered voice.

 

“If you’re still single by thirty-five, I’ll take care of you myself.”

 

“Really? No take-backs.”

 

“Promise. But I might get married first, you know?”

 

“Hey, come here.”

 

Squeals of laughter followed. Haeyoung moved her heavy legs and stepped inside, one step at a time. Seongjun wrapped his arms around Minji and swung her in a hug. She hit him with a fist that looked like it wouldn’t hurt a fly. They were wrapped up in their own little world, so much so, they didn’t even notice Haeyoung standing there.

 

‘You said she was just a friend. That I was being annoying, paranoid. But this is what you call ‘just friends’?’

 

It wasn’t Minji who had come between us. I was the one who had gotten between Seongjun and Minji. I was the third wheel.

 

Only now did I finally understand, like a fool.

 

In the meantime, I noticed Minji’s clothes. The expensive gray T-shirt that I had bought for Seongjun a while ago when he had nothing to wear.

 

He said he liked it but never wore it. When she asked why, he just brushed it off.

 

“You’re not eating gomtang, right? Then I should throw it away.”

 

“Throw it away? IThat’s such a waste.”

 

“It’s not like I made it.”

 

The white broth in the gomtang pot poured into the sink.

 

In that moment, Haeyoung saw her mother, standing at the stove all night despite her aching legs, just to make that soup. She saw her again, lying unconscious in the ICU.

 

She heard her mother say she didn’t want to be a burden, telling Haeyoung not to come in case she was bothering Seongjun. She saw her mother leaving the house in pain, rolling down the hill, lying unconscious on the cold asphalt until someone finally passed by.

 

What Seongjun just threw away wasn’t just a soup he didn’t want to eat. It was Haeyoung and her mother.

 

“Seongjun.”

 

“Wh-What the hell?”

 

Seongjun was surprised as if he had seen a ghost, eyes darting around, trying to figure out how much Haeyoung had heard.

 

“When did you get here? You could’ve said something. Why are you standing there so creepily and silently?”

 

“Why did you do that?”

 

“You mean the soup? You know I don’t like that stuff. You should’ve told me if you weren’t gonna eat it. Throwing it out is a pain, okay? You know how annoying food waste disposal is—”

 

“My mother is in the hospital right now.”

 

“So? I know that.”

 

“She rolled down the hill.”

 

“What?”

 

“They said… she might not make it.”

 

Seongjun’s eyes widened. Good. At least be that surprised. That’s the bare minimum it takes to be human.

 

“Was it that hard to do one small thing for her? If you really didn’t want to go, you could’ve just told me. You broke your promise–”

 

“How is that my fault?! I didn’t know that would happen!”

 

The panic on his face quickly turned into anger. He shouted like that would magically erase his guilt.

 

“Don’t blame me for nothing. How is your mom getting hurt somehow my fault?!”

 

At the very least, she thought he would apologize. Pretend to care.

 

“…You bastard.”

 

Tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks.

 

“Bastard? Are you insane? Watch your mouth. You’re crossing a line.”

 

“Who crossed the line first–!”

 

Haeyoung couldn’t finish her words. It was because of Minji who suddenly stood between Seongjun and her.

 

“Eonni, are you okay?”

 

Minji’s big, round eyes were scrunched up in a worried frown.

 

“Please calm down, eonni. You’re too worked up right now. Just go for now. I’ll talk to Seongjun, okay?”

 

“What?”

 

“Seongjun, apologize to Haeyoung eonni. Right now.”

 

“Come on, it’s not like I did it on purpose—”

 

“Still! How upset must she be right now.”

 

The Seongjun who had been glaring daggers at Haeyoung just moments ago now shrank under Minji’s scolding.

 

Haeyoung looked back and forth between the two of them. Was this supposed to be a performance?

 

“You always say you’ll help me later, come at night or something. But when it’s her, why are you always so selfish? Just apologize already.”

 

“…I’m sorry.”

 

The apology came out in vain. Minji grabbed Haeyoung’s hand. It was a small, warm hand.

 

“AYou’re a good person, eonni. Please forgive him. He didn’t mean it.”

 

What the hell was this?

 

“Would you forgive him, Minji?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“This is our business, so step aside.”

 

Minji’s lips quivered in shock, but she didn’t move. She just stood there, looking Haeyoung in the eye.

 

“He apologized. Isn’t that enough? I can’t move aside. Seongjun is my friend too. I can’t just stand by and let my friend get yelled at.”

 

“You didn’t hear what I said, did you? Because of Jo Seongjun, my mom might die.”

 

“He said it wasn’t on purpose. And he did apologize. I know you’ve been together a long time, but Seongjun is not your husband. This kind of outburst isn’t fair. I’ve seen it, eonni. You always take your anger out on him.”

 

Minji’s small shoulders trembled, like she was facing down some villain to protect Seongjun.

 

“You don’t know how much he struggles because of you. He says he can’t breathe, that he feels trapped, like he’s turning into garbage every time he sees you.”

 

‘What did I ever do to him?”

 

They hadn’t even gone on a proper date in months.

 

On the contrary, she had been the one carrying over meals, living off instant noodles because Seongjun complained that he had run out of money. ​​She never once complained. She tiptoed around him, never daring to interrupt his practice.

 

“Did he really say that?”

 

When Haeyoung took a step closer, Minji gasped as if she had seen a ghost.

 

Maybe it was some noble instinct, but Seongjun stepped in, wrapping an arm around Minji’s shoulders as if to protect her.

 

Right on cue, Minji started crying in his arms. Big fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

 

Seongjun’s face hardened when he saw that. He looked like he might actually hit Haeyoung.

 

“You’re horrible. Why are you being like this to Minji? If you’re angry, take it out on me!”

 

Haeyoung just stared at him, stunned like an idiot. Every word out of his mouth was twisted, wrong from start to finish. She didn’t even know where to begin.

 

“You think I skipped out on your mom on purpose?  IIf she was that precious, you should’ve stuck to her side. Why are you blaming me?”

 

“If you just told me you couldn’t go–”

 

“Enough! I’m sick of always being the bad guy! Just go. We’re done. I’m done.”

 

This isn’t how it was supposed to go.

 

‘I’m the one who should be saying goodbye.’

 

“Didn’t you hear me? I said it’s over. Get out. Aren’t you leaving?!”

 

Seongjun yelled so loudly, it was almost violent.

 

Minji half-hiding behind him, clutching his sleeve, her tearful eyes staring at Haeyoung.

 

The monster that the two of them had to chase away right now was none other than Haeyoung.