From Divorce to Dusk Chapter 6.5

「I do not care what you do, but… Mr. Park Jaekyung, if you do not recover your health, you are the one who will be in trouble.」

「…What do you mean?」

It wasn’t a simple “isn’t it your loss if your health is poor?” It was beyond that level. A chill ran down Jaekyung’s spine. Han Taesuk did not give an answer and turned to leave the room. Jaekyung dragged his heavy body, barely managed to get up from the bed, and went to him, almost crawling.

「Wait—wait a moment.」

He was breathless. He managed to catch him.

「What do you mean? Why would I be in trouble?」

Han Taesuk looked down at Jaekyung. How could this man have eyes like that? Three years have already passed, so why does he still have those eyes? Are those the eyes for looking at a human being? Are those the eyes for looking at his partner? Those are the eyes for looking at someone he is imprinted with. Jaekyung suddenly felt afraid and unconsciously began to loosen his grip on his clothes, but then, feeling wronged, he gripped the hem of his clothes even tighter.

「When I heard the story yesterday, you said you used me as a test subject and administered the drug. Naturally, I should have been the first to hear about this. But why won’t you tell me? And if this matter is revealed, aren’t you and your family the ones who will be in trouble?」

「010-7562-21XX」

Han Taesuk suddenly recited a phone number.

「That is the phone number of the most influential and trusted reporter in the country right now. You may call and tell them everything you have experienced.」

「Pardon?」

「And what happens after that? Do I just have to give you a divorce? I do not care about that either.」

He couldn’t stand it. The hand that was holding on finally fell toward the floor.

“He” does not care. That meant, as he had been saying from the start, “You are the one in trouble.” And Jaekyung knew instantly what that meant. It wasn’t Jaekyung who held the blade or the handle. Holding a weakness over them didn’t mean the handle had been handed over. He hadn’t even been allowed to catch a glimpse of that blade in the first place. Whether he wanted it or not, there were too many things tied here because of the marriage. His younger sister’s life, the business his father built over a lifetime. All of those things were barely maintaining a balance because of his marriage, allowing him to endure this place, and perhaps why these people treated him like a human being at all.

「Rest well for a few days. Once your health improves, go out, go shopping, and do whatever you want. Mr. Park Jaekyung, you are a person of NI Group, so you have the right to enjoy that.」

Han Taesuk patted Jaekyung’s shoulder as if encouraging an employee and went up to the second floor. It was the lady who supported and took the lone Jaekyung back inside, and it was Han Taesuk’s secretary who called the primary doctor back to get the IV started again. After the noisy people had all left and he was lying alone in bed, Jaekyung wished he could just vanish from the world. He’d rather just die like this….

But knowing that even that was impossible, Jaekyung had to endure again. With a face that looked as if nothing were wrong.

「Oh my!」

6:00 AM. The lady, who woke up at the sound of her alarm, yawned and came out of her room, only to be startled when she saw Jaekyung cooking.

「Good morning.」

「No, are you alright? What are you doing right now?」

「…I’ve been lying down for so long that my body feels stiff. I was going to set a simple breakfast table.」

「Ah… is it because of Executive Director Han?」

「Yes, breakfast… won’t he eat?」

When Jaekyung asked tentatively, the lady looked a bit troubled for a moment but soon shook her head.

「No. There are times when he has breakfast. So let’s try making it. What were you making?」

In truth, as a person receiving a salary, she knew she should rightfully send Jaekyung back to his room immediately, but Jaekyung’s effort was so pitiful that she decided to help him. The two of them worked hard to boil soybean paste stew, make seasoned vegetables, slice kimchi neatly, and cook multi-grain rice, resulting in a table more lavish than expected. Just then, Secretary Oh arrived on time, his eyes sparkling at the scent, only to lower his tail after catching the lady’s look.

「I’ll bring him down.」

Jaekyung took off his apron. Every step up to the second floor felt so heavy and terrifying. Even though he could already picture what he would say to him and with what kind of gaze he would look at him, he couldn’t help it. He had to show this. That he was fine, that he could endure steadfastly. That I will not divorce him.

—Knock, knock.

He knocked on the door a couple of times and waited a bit. By this time, he would have been awake long ago. Seeing that Secretary Oh had also arrived, it seemed his preparations were already finished.

And when he knocked once more, there was a sign of movement from inside. Then, the door clicked open.

「Ah….」

He could see the man through the gap in the door, shaking his hair with only a towel covering his lower half, as if he had just finished showering.

「Good morning. Um, please… have a meal.」

Jaekyung spoke with a smile, struggling to put on a brave face. Han Taesuk’s brow furrowed.

「A meal?」

「Yes, I’ve prepared breakfast. I don’t know if it will suit your taste, but.」

「Is this the conclusion you’ve reached?」

Conclusion? Jaekyung stared blankly at Han Taesuk’s face for a moment before he realized what his words meant.

「Ah….」

Naturally, he had seen right through the hidden motive behind his waking up early in the morning, trembling while doing cooking he never used to do, and even giving a morning greeting. The smile vanished from Jaekyung’s face. He wants to run away. He doesn’t want to be with this man. But it’s too late now. If he were going to run away, he should have done it yesterday. If he cherished and loved himself, if he were to act selfishly, he should have done that. But. Right now, he is here.

「I will fulfill the contract faithfully. So please help my family and my younger sister. That is all I wish for. In return, I will try to become a member of NI exactly as you wish, Executive Director Han… exactly the ideal that Director Ji wants.」

There wasn’t a hint of wavering in Han Taesuk’s eyes. It was impossible to tell if he was satisfied with this answer or not. But he hoped he would at least recognize it as Jaekyung’s sincerity. It was the best answer he could give right now.

「Therefore, if possible, I hope you will also do your best, Executive Director Han. I don’t wish for more than what we have now. However, while my body being like this is partly my fault, the fault of those injections is also great. So I ask for your pheromones. I must get healthy as soon as possible and get pregnant. That was one of the major contract conditions, so I must fulfill it… so if possible, I hope you will spend my future heat cycles with me.」

He had said everything. Actually, he had intended to say it after eating. If not then, he planned to do it tonight. But since he felt he had to do it now and poured it all out, he felt relieved.

「Is that all you have to say?」

「…Yes.」

「Understood. I will work as hard as Mr. Park Jaekyung does. Then, may I go back in? I am late.」

「Ah… yes.」

Han Taesuk closed the door. Jaekyung smiled bitterly. It seemed this was as far as it went for today. As Jaekyung trudged down from the second floor alone, Secretary Oh and the lady, who were waiting on the first floor, wore pitiful faces. The soybean paste soup, which had gone cold, felt pathetic.

「Since it seems he won’t be able to eat… I’ll eat it myself.」

He had to take his medicine, and he had to eat well to get healthy. Still, he thought he should at least see him off when he left for work, so he waited quietly. Soon, Han Taesuk walked down while fastening his watch. He looked at the standing Jaekyung once and then at the dining table.

「I do not usually eat breakfast.」

So, was he saying not to do useless things in the future?

It’s fine. I knew that would be the case anyway. This was just something I did to show my will.

「Yes… understood.」

Secretary Oh let out a sigh and stood beside Han Taesuk. Before he could even say anything, Han Taesuk went to the entrance and put on his shoes, while Jaekyung simply watched him.

「There is no need to see me off like this either. I will keep what I promised, so there is no need to walk on eggshells. We will do the pheromone shower at night.」

「Yes.」