Wedding Ending Chapter 5

Min Jaeyoon was a genuine product of nepotism. His father, President Min, had given him the title of ‘Vice President.’ It looked like an extraordinary personnel promotion, but it was an calculated action through and through.

It was a survival tactic so as not to be pushed around by Kang Seunghyun. As talk of marriage between the two families began to come forward in earnest, President Min summoned Min Jaeyoon, who was just playing and eating, into the company.

Even up until then, Min Jaeyoon had been filled with anticipation. Because he would finally be tying the knot for a hundred years with Kang Jion. However, the one brought up as the marriage partner was Kang Seunghyun.

Min Jaeyoon doubted his own ears at first. He thought his ears were muffled because he had drunk too much alcohol the day before. However, no matter how much he staged a hunger strike and threatened to die, President Min did not bend his will.

Rather, while Min Jaeyoon was suffering from sickness, the marriage between ‘Kang Jion’ and ‘Lee Yuseong’ gained momentum and was pushed forward. Min Jaeyoon had no choice but to be devastated.

Min Jaeyoon, who rushed home after the ceremony ended, lost all of his life’s hope, purpose, and goals. Unable to even steady his body properly, he staggered like a lamp before the wind. In the midst of despair, while he was having a heartache that deepened day by day, Kang Seunghyun came to find him.

Fumbling through the past events, Min Jaeyoon’s eyes grew round. As he slowly turned his head, Kang Seunghyun, surrounded by people a short distance away, caught his eye. Although he was with people older than him, no trace of a shrinking posture could be found. Rather….

Their eyes met!

Min Jaeyoon quickly averted his gaze.

“Even without you mentioning it, I was planning to go to the company tomorrow. There’s something I want to say to Father too….”

“What is it about?”

Min Seon-oh showed curiosity. Min Jaeyoon’s lips parted and then closed. Should he discuss it before speaking to his father? Although he was full of playfulness on the outside, he was strictly the protagonist who would lead Sekwang Industries. He was different from Min Jaeyoon, who was a ‘Vice President’ in name only.

Soon this title would pass to him as well. Min Seon-oh was smarter and more excellent than Min Jaeyoon in many areas. The only thing Min Jaeyoon could put forward against him was truly just his age.

It was just at the moment Min Jaeyoon was about to open his mouth as if making a resolution. Min Seon-oh leaned his head down and lowered his voice.

“You know that brother-in-law convinced Chairman Kang so that we could also contribute to this resort business, right? Father is so happy right now because of that. So kill your temper as much as possible. If you act like you do at home, you’re a prime candidate to be kicked out.”

“….”

Min Jaeyoon was at a loss for words, as if poked in his vitals. He had been planning to visit his father after Christmas to talk about the divorce from Kang Seunghyun. However, looking at Min Seon-oh who kept saying only correct things, wrath welled up from deep within his abdomen. Kicked out by whom? I’ll walk out on my own feet!

Min Seon-oh subtly nudged Min Jaeyoon’s shoulder.

“But what was it you were trying to say? Is it a marital issue? Go ahead. I’ll counsel you.”

“Forget it. Let go of this! I’m going.”

Min Jaeyoon tried to flounder, but Min Seon-oh’s hand holding his shoulder did not fall away. Since he was pushed back in height, he was also pushed back in strength.

“Brother-in-law. He keeps looking only over here.”

Min Seon-oh took his hand off Min Jaeyoon’s shoulder, as if conscious of Kang Seunghyun watching from a distance. Stumbling, Min Jaeyoon only then stood up straight.

“Just you wait and see later.”

In many ways, it was not an appropriate place to get angry. He wiped his hot cheeks with both hands as if forcefully recognizing reality. He took steps little by little toward Kang Seunghyun, who was standing at the center of the people.

Kang Seunghyun’s gaze stayed in one place. With just that, a gap opened up as if making a spot for Min Jaeyoon. As if it were a matter of course, Min Jaeyoon occupied the spot next to Kang Seunghyun. And as if nothing had happened, Kang Seunghyun turned his head and conversed with the people. No warmth could be glimpsed in his transparent eyes.

‘Why did he marry me?’

He surely could have taken a better Omega as a partner. Exactly what was he lacking that he married the likes of me? As much as they had known each other since childhood, Kang Seunghyun would know Min Jaeyoon’s character inside out, like looking at the palm of his hand. However, Min Jaeyoon could not do so. Kang Seunghyun’s thoughts were a category he could not gauge.

Min Jaeyoon subtly raised his head and glanced at the unwavering Kang Seunghyun beside him. He guessed in advance that perhaps he harbored the exact same intent as himself.

“Executive Director Kang….”

Min Jaeyoon, who had been lost in thought, abruptly looked back. It was Secretary Ha. He was Kang Jion’s attendant secretary. Wearing silver-rimmed glasses, Secretary Ha approached Kang Seunghyun’s side with a apologetic expression. His words whispered in the ear were clearly heard by Min Jaeyoon, who was right next to Kang Seunghyun.

💍

Exiting the charity concert hall, Min Jaeyoon looked up at the night sky. Snow was falling from the sky. White breath spread out in clusters around his mouth.

To the point of looking pitiful, the corners of Min Jaeyoon’s eyes hung down long. He was tired. He wanted to just rest. The reason to be here had vanished as well. It was because Kang Jion, with whom he had agreed to have dinner, sent word that it seemed difficult. He seemed worried about Lee Yuseong.

Upon hearing the words to postpone the meal to next time through Secretary Ha, strength drained straight out from both of Min Jaeyoon’s shoulders.

To think I anticipated and looked forward to it so much…!

If it weren’t for that, he wouldn’t have stubbornly and resolutely attended today either. He felt as though all the pride he used to put forward against Kang Seunghyun was crumpled and rolling around under his feet.

The cold wind pierced through his thin suit. The gloom doubled. There was no reward for coming dressed up. He couldn’t even feel the strength to stand anymore.

Thud, thud. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed behind his back. It was a footstep sound he could know without even bothering to look back. Min Jaeyoon muttered lowly.

“I can go home now, right?”

The long coat that Secretary Song had been holding wrapped around Min Jaeyoon’s shoulders. From the coat added onto his shoulders, the scent of Kang Seunghyun’s pheromones wafted. Driven by the cold wind, the sweet osmanthus scent swept past the tip of his nose. Min Jaeyoon’s head faced to the side and slightly upward.

A smooth forehead, a prominent nose bridge, and intelligent eyes faced straight ahead. Although he didn’t say any words, Secretary Song, who was beside him, hurriedly went down the stairs.

It seemed they were returning together after all. It was the moment Min Jaeyoon was about to step down the stairs. His legs, weakly unstrung, staggered. All of a sudden, he felt the coat wrapped on his shoulders grow heavy.

“…?”

Kang Seunghyun had gripped his shoulder. He understood all at once why he, in whom tenderness could usually not be found, was acting like this.

“Executive Director Kang! Are you leaving already? It’s such a shame. We’ve only just arrived.”

The people who followed out afterward saw the two off all the way to the bottom of the stairs. Pulling down the coat, Min Jaeyoon got into the car while clutching it as if grabbing a collar.

Having exchanged greetings with the last person, Kang Seunghyun got into the car. Min Jaeyoon shrunk his body from the chill spreading from beside him. He pulled Kang Seunghyun’s coat over his knees. As Secretary Song climbed into the passenger seat, the car advanced forward.

“….”

The inside of the car was quiet to the extent that even the sound of breathing felt loud. However, Kang Seunghyun looked down at his tablet without any particular change in expression. He closely reviewed the resort business plan being pushed forward centered around the southern coast.

“Thank you for giving Father a chance.”

Min Jaeyoon’s words flowed out, cutting through the silence. Secretary Song, who was sitting in the passenger seat, applied rigid strength to his neck that wanted to turn back. Serving Kang Seunghyun from the closest proximity, he acted as if he couldn’t see even though he had eyes, and as if he couldn’t hear even though he had ears.

“That is that, and what I said yesterday is sincere. Let’s divorce.”

Secretary Song swallowed dry saliva with a gulp. The driver also glanced at the rearview mirror involuntarily. Kang Seunghyun slowly withdrew his gaze from the tablet he had been looking at.

“This is already the third time, isn’t it?”

It was a careless tone, as if playing a number game. Min Jaeyoon stared only outside the innocent window. Since it was Christmas, despite the late hour, the snow-piled streets were bustling with people.

No matter where he looked, there were only smiling lovers. Everyone except Min Jaeyoon looked happy.

On a day like this, his own mood having to speak of divorce couldn’t possibly be good either. However, Min Jaeyoon thought this marriage was wrong. He shouldn’t have accepted such a proposal from the beginning.

Min Jaeyoon shook his head. It was an affair of past days that couldn’t even be turned back. What use was it to regret now? It was a foolish act to blame himself.