Chapter 12. Don’t Have Nightmares—Have Sweet Dreams.
The next day, Haeyeong and Taeseong headed back to Seoul in a car Chairman Joo had sent.
Sitting side by side in the backseat, the two kept a noticeable distance between them.
Thanks to the warm heater, Haeyeong fell asleep as soon as the car began moving. Taeseong, meanwhile, stared silently out the window, fully awake.
As he took in the barren winter scenery passing by, Taeseong eventually turned his head toward Haeyeong.
“You sure can sleep.”
Seeing her slumped against the window, mouth agape and breathing noisily, Taeseong chuckled and muttered to himself.
As he looked at her rare, vulnerable expression devoid of her usual energy, their conversation from last night surfaced in his mind.
“If your confession works out…”
“…….”
“I’ll divorce you.”
It was true that he had lived with the intention of confessing again when he turned twenty, but that wasn’t the only reason he had been so annoyed with Cha Haeyeong.
Marriage at nineteen had just felt unfamiliar. And he simply didn’t like the loud, brash girl named Cha Haeyeong.
To be exact, the confession was supposed to come after the divorce—not be the reason for it.
But Haeyeong acted like the whole reason for wanting the divorce was to confess.
Last night, when she had declared her ambition… what kind of face had she made?
Taeseong tried to recall the vague memory of her face. Bathed in moonlight, it had seemed nothing but pure.
Like a childish knight trying to protect someone else’s heart—a hero of innocent love.
Their first meeting had led to some misunderstandings, but though she was loud and a bit ignorant, she didn’t seem like a bad person.
Maybe they couldn’t be husband and wife, but they could at least be friends.
Just as his train of thought reached that point, Haeyeong furrowed her brow and shifted in her sleep.
“Uugh… Dad… Dad…”
Then, a fairly clear sleep-talking voice slipped from her lips.
“Dad… it’s dangerous… danger…”
As she twisted in distress, her head peeled away from the window and her body tilted toward Taeseong.
“Whoa, hey.”
Startled, Taeseong—who had been watching her closely—quickly extended his arm.
Thud.
Haeyeong’s head landed safely in the palm of Taeseong’s large hand.
“…Nice.”
Taeseong murmured as he caught her head, then turned to face forward with a short sigh. After a pause, he turned back and prepared to move her head back to her seat.
“Dad… it’s hot… so hot…”
But his hand stopped in place.
“My mom died early when I was young. My dad raised me and my brother. Then there was a fire… and he died saving us.”
He remembered what she’d said yesterday about her childhood.
“…Geez, what a hassle.”
With a small grumble and a short sigh, Taeseong shifted closer, then very gently guided Haeyeong’s head onto his shoulder.
Resting against his broad, solid shoulder, her face relaxed.
It looked like the nightmare had stopped.
Taeseong glanced down at the now-peaceful Haeyeong and gently tapped the top of her head with the hand opposite the shoulder she leaned on.
“Don’t have nightmares—have sweet dreams, Cha Haeyeong.”
His low voice didn’t travel far, drowned out by the engine noise. But it reached her ear, just enough.
A day had passed since returning from Gapyeong.
The Jincheon housekeeper’s daughter had appendicitis. Thankfully, she had undergone surgery and was now recovering in the hospital.
Back in Seoul, Haeyeong finally opened her workbook and sat at her desk.
But just as she opened it, her phone rang.
<Grandma>
Seeing the caller ID, Haeyeong smiled and answered.
“Hi, Grandma.”
[Oh, Haeyeong! My little Kang Sae-i, how are you?]
“Good, of course.”
[How’s life in Seoul treating you?]
“I like it. Grandpa and the Jincheon lady take good care of me.”
[Oh, that’s such a relief. Really.]
“Where are you now, Grandma? You’ve left Gyeongju, right?”
Haeyeong checked the desk calendar, recalling Boksun’s travel schedule.
[Leaving tomorrow. It’s really nice here, Haeyeong. I don’t know why I never thought of coming sooner when it’s so close.]
Hearing her grandmother’s cheerful, almost girlish tone made Haeyeong’s nose sting with emotion.
Had her grandmother’s time been frozen because she was too busy raising her?
That thought crossed her mind.
If she had insisted on treatment sooner, maybe she wouldn’t have been able to hear her grandmother’s joyful voice like this.
Haeyeong pressed the damp corners of her eyes with her sleeve and responded brightly.
“I’m so glad, Grandma. Sounds like you’re having fun!”
[I wish you could come with me too, Haeyeong.]
“Of course I will! After the college entrance exam, let’s go somewhere together. Anywhere!”
Haeyeong said it like it was obvious.
Boksun burst into laughter, and in the background, Cheolsu’s voice could be heard.
[Okay, ladies, let’s head out! Gotta make the most of the day!]
“Grandma, I hear Uncle Cheolsu. Let’s hang up now.”
[Alright, alright. Eat well and get along with your husband, okay? I’ll call again soon!]
“Okay!”
After ending the call cheerfully, Haeyeong once again wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Then, shaking her head, she muttered like casting a spell and turned her eyes back to the book.
“Gotta study. I’m a senior, after all.”
But she couldn’t focus in the new room.
She had her own room back in Pohang too—but only after her brother left during high school. Before that, she usually studied in the living room or at the kitchen table.
She had grown used to that.
Maybe that’s why this high-end, personalized room felt unfamiliar.
In the end, Haeyeong grabbed her books and pencil case and left the room.
While she was hard at work solving math problems, the Jincheon housekeeper brought her a plate of freshly washed strawberries.
“Have some of these while you study.”
“Thank you.”
Deeply focused on math, Haeyeong scrunched her eyebrows. But at the sight of the strawberries, she smiled brightly and nodded.
Then the doorbell rang with a crisp chime that echoed through the house.
“Oh, he’s here.”
The housekeeper, clearly expecting someone, quickly left the kitchen.
A moment later, a man’s voice and hers could be heard.
“It’s been a while, Gijun.”
“It really has. Have you been well?”
“Oh, I’m hanging on. Chairman’s in his room—go on in. I’ll bring some tea and fruit.”
“Thanks.”
After that friendly exchange, the housekeeper returned to the kitchen.
Haeyeong, who had been subconsciously eavesdropping, asked,
“Is he a guest of Grandpa’s?”
“Oh yes. He’s the KH Group chairman’s grandson. He’s known our chairman since he was little—they used to play Go together.”
“I see.”
Satisfied, Haeyeong nodded, and the housekeeper headed to the fridge for more strawberries.
Haeyeong refocused on her workbook.
After wrestling with two problems for thirty minutes, she stretched to ease her stiff neck.
“Aaah…”
And in that moment, she locked eyes with Gijun, who had just walked into the kitchen.
“Uh… hello.”
Haeyeong greeted him awkwardly, and Gijun smiled warmly.
“You’re the one who married Taeseong… Cha Haeyeong, right?”
“Yes? Yes…!”
Haeyeong responded, flustered.
So soft… he’s totally a “milk guy.”
Before she could stop herself, Haeyeong had that ridiculous thought.
Gijun spoke again.
“We’ll probably see each other often. Mind if we drop the formalities? I’m 21. Name’s Kwon Gijun.”
“Oh, sure! Then… I guess I should call you oppa, right? Haha!”
Haeyeong laughed awkwardly.
To Haeyeong, who had spent her entire childhood in Pohang, Gijun was the ideal “Seoul guy.”
So different from the rough speech and manners of most Gyeongsang-do men.
Maybe she had a hidden crush on that idea, because she found his voice especially pleasant to listen to.
“I just came to grab a glass of cold water. Grandpa lost to me at Go, and he’s all fired up.”
“Oh, I see.”
Wow, and he’s smart, too.
Like something straight out of TV—a perfect son-in-law type.
While Haeyeong marveled internally, Gijun glanced at her workbook as he filled his glass.
“Math, huh… Having a bit of trouble?”
“Huh?”
Startled, Haeyeong quickly covered her workbook—but it was too late.
“These are easy problems, but your solution is really long.”
Her face flushed. Her math skills had been exposed.
Smiling, Gijun set his water down and asked,
“Want me to help?”
“Uh… if you don’t mind?”
Something about his vibe gave off elite private tutor energy. Feeling strangely reassured, Haeyeong nodded.
After explaining the situation to Chairman Joo and getting his permission, Gijun sat with Haeyeong to help with her math.
His concise and clear explanations left her impressed.
“Wow… that was way easier than I thought…”
“If you understand the basics well, these kinds of problems are easy. I’ll recommend some good workbooks. I tutored a senior last year.”
“Really? I’d really appreciate that!”
Excited, Haeyeong clapped her hands and smiled brightly.
But just then, Taeseong walked into the kitchen—and saw her beaming at Gijun.
He asked, his expression rather sour:
“…What are you two doing?”
