704

 [Chapter 180]

[Another Life]

Six months had passed since monsters invaded Gangbuk.

It was now October.

By then, the reconstruction work in Gangbuk was showing considerable progress.

Development is truly unpredictable - empty lands where buildings had collapsed would soon have new structures built on them.

"At this rate, it will be unrecognizably different in 1-2 years. And after 10 years, it will be a completely different Gangbuk from what we know. I'm really dying from being swamped with work these days, dying..."

Yoo Dojun, who occasionally visited the Pandora Clan headquarters, would come find Eunha and groan like that.

Then he said.

He said the business groups are talking about rebuilding the areas that were left abandoned after the while reconstructing Gangbuk.

So Yoo Dojun's bold claim that a different Gangbuk would unfold 10 years later wasn't entirely nonsense.

Time flows ceaselessly and.

Just as people move forward.

The world was moving forward like that too.

Likewise─.

"─Father, welcome."

"Yes, Eunha. Have you been well?"

Eunha's love life was also steadily progressing forward without stagnating.

Luminous Hotel in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Gangnam.

Eunha, who had arrived early with his family and was waiting, greeted Jeong Hayang's family who appeared right on time for the appointment.

When Eunha politely greeted Jeong Hayang's father Jeong Seokhun, he smiled.

Then Eunha also greeted Jeong Hayang's stepmother Min Sujin and.

Turned his gaze to Jeong Hayang who was holding hands with her younger brother Jeong Garam.

"You came?"

"Yes."

A different atmosphere than usual.

And formal attire.

Eunha quietly looked at her.

She also just smiled and silently looked at Eunha.

The families all burst into laughter.

"Instead of standing here like this, shall we slowly go inside?"

With Han Seohyun's marriage being postponed.

The engagement with Jeong Hayang was also postponed, leading to today's engagement.

Eunha's father led the people inside the restaurant.

Dinner proceeded in a friendly atmosphere.

Having known each other since childhood, they had no difficulty interacting with each other.

Do you like it?

Yes, I like it!

While eating dinner looking at each other.

Eunha made eye contact with Jeong Hayang.

Her gaze was consistently directed at Eunha except when family members spoke to her.

She who had put extra effort into her makeup today would smile with her eyes whenever she met Eunha's gaze.

Eunha found her smiling at him quite lovely.

"I know what day it is, but do you have to exchange affectionate glances with just your eyes when we've all gathered like this?"

"Ah mom, when did I do that..."

"You'll bore holes in Eunha's face at this rate."

"Wouldn't the same happen to Hayang's face?"

At that time, Min Sujin teased Jeong Hayang.

Eunha's mother also chimed in and put Eunha on the chopping block.

The families continued their conversation while teasing the two like that.

Meanwhile─.

"─Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't know if it's okay to send Hayang off like this."

""""..."

Jeong Seokhun, who had been laughing heartily, changed his expression and said those words.

Everyone closed their mouths.

"Hayang is my first child, and the child who supported me when I was struggling after losing my first wife."

"Dad..."

"So, because of that, I want Hayang to not suffer anymore. So I can't shake the thought that it would be better for her to meet a man who will only look at her, love her, and make her happy."

""""..."

It was an issue those gathered here had deliberately avoided mentioning.

Even if Jeong Hayang gets engaged to Eunha, she will become the second wife, not the first.

No matter how much the law of monogamy has lost its power in this world, this world still accepts the system of monogamy.

It could be that the world can't keep up with the trends of the times.

Or this era might be wrong.

Either way, Jeong Hayang will officially become an unrecognized concubine.

It must be hard for Jeong Seokhun, who raised her preciously, to accept.

In fact, it was brave of Jeong Seokhun to come to this place while allowing the engagement.

"So Eunha."

"Yes, father."

A solemn voice.

Eunha straightened his posture.

Jeong Hayang looked at Eunha worriedly. But she didn't say anything out of consideration for Jeong Seokhun.

Eunha briefly glanced at her gaze before looking straight at Jeong Seokhun.

"─Make me not think like that, make me think that today's decision was a good choice. I entrust Hayang to you."

"Yes, please leave it to me."

Please, take good care of her.

Jeong Seokhun spoke heavily and.

Eunha also took it heavily.

"Don't worry. We'll do our best to manage this guy Eunha so he doesn't make Hayang cry."

"That's right. If he shows irresponsible behavior after taking responsibility, we won't stand by idly."

Eunha's father and mother each added words.

Only then did Jeong Seokhun's face relax.

It was then.

Jeong Garam, who had been sitting next to Jeong Hayang watching the situation, suddenly opened his mouth.

"─Eunha hyung."

"Huh? What?"

"If you make our noona cry, I'll definitely scold you then."

Jeong Garam, 9 years old.

Garam who showed his small clenched fist spoke in the most threatening tone he could muster.

Everyone was stunned and.

Soon burst into laughter.

Jeong Hayang also laughed out loud, unable to hide her emotions.

She tightly hugged Jeong Garam and.

Eunha smiled bitterly.

"Okay, I got it. I'll definitely make your noona happy."

"Definitely! Definitely! Promise!"

"Okay, I promise."

A promise made with a 9-year-old boy.

To definitely take responsibility for Jeong Hayang so as not to taint that child's innocence.

And to make her happy.

Eunha inwardly made a resolution.

☆

Time continues to flow.

After getting engaged to Jeong Hayang, Eunha earnestly prepared to marry Han Seohyun.

─So a day like this does come.

With only one day left until the wedding.

Eunha who finished clan work early and left work fell into thought recalling what would happen tomorrow.

His footsteps heading home were heavy.

"I don't... know."

"Papa?"

I don't know.

That was the conclusion Eunha reached.

He who had never experienced marriage couldn't easily predict what it would mean to get married.

It's not simply the meaning of forming a family on paper.

I thought that at first.

That was when I didn't know anything.

1 year ago, when founding the clan, Eunha didn't think deeply about it.

But acknowledging his own feelings and.

Also confirming Han Seohyun's feelings.

He realized it wasn't something to think lightly of.

So Eunha returned home and sought out his father.

"Dad."

"Hm?"

Because the wedding is tomorrow.

His father was leisurely spending time after taking a few days off.

So Eunha was able to ask his father.

"What is marriage?"

"..."

Father who was watching TV.

Father who was idling while eating snacks his mother brought suddenly paused at the question.

Soon his father chuckled.

"You... You're worried too, huh?"

His father seemed pleased that Eunha asked directly.

Eunha silently nodded.

His father shrugged.

"Want to go out for a drink?"

"...Let's do that."

"Honey! I'm going out for a drink with Eunha!"

"Okay, don't come back too late."

Father in shabby attire.

His father spoke to his mother while roughly putting on clothes.

His mother who had been listening to their conversation readily allowed it.

"Let's go, Eunha."

"Okay."

Father wearing three-striped sweatpants.

His father roughly fixed his messy hair and left the house.

Eunha followed after his father.

The two entered a shop near their home.

"Since you and I are so busy... I thought I'd never have a chance to come out and drink with you like this. But living life, a day has come where I'm drinking with you Eunha like this."

"That's true."

Eunha poured alcohol into his father's glass.

His father said Eunha had grown up and poured for Eunha too.

The two silently swallowed the alcohol.

"Eunha, what marriage is..."

"Yes."

The food came out.

His father spoke while scooping a plate of food for Eunha.

"You have a girlfriend."

"Yes."

"That girlfriend just won't leave your house."

"...Huh?"

"It's not just that she won't leave. As time passes, women's items gradually get added to your household goods. Starting with a toothbrush, before you know it women's cosmetics get added to the desk..."

"..."

"Your girlfriend won't leave your house. No matter how much you love your girlfriend, sometimes I want to laze around alone too, but I can't because I feel conscious of her."

"..."

"You can't do as you please in your own house and have to live while being conscious of the girlfriend you live with."

"..."

"That's what marriage is. Do you understand if I explain it like this?"

Speaking seriously, sometimes sobbing, gradually becoming depressed, then laughing.

His father puts on all kinds of acts.

Eunha was at a loss for words watching his father's acting.

Soon his father shrugged.

"I'm joking. It's not entirely wrong, but who would get married if that's all it was? Marriage isn't like that."

"Then what is it?"

Then his father changed his expression.

His father poured alcohol and.

Eunha clinked glasses with his father.

"─I don't know either."

"..."

"I just pretended to know because I wanted to have a drink with you like this."

"..."

Putting down his glass with a thud.

His father said that.

Then smiled bitterly.

Eunha was dumbfounded, but poured alcohol into his father's empty glass.

"Some might say marriage is the grave of life and it's not wrong. Sometimes I wonder if this is really happiness when I'm swamped with work all day after having Euna, you, and Eunae."

"..."

"Sometimes I think I might just grow old and die only working to support you kids."

"...Sorry."

"If you're sorry then do better."

At his father's words spoken with a smile.

Eunha apologized reflexively.

His father chuckled.

"So if someone asks me if I regret getting married, I'd say I regret it, though I'm sorry to your mother."

"..."

"But if I hadn't gotten married, I probably would have regretted it even more than now. What I've felt living until now is that life is a series of regrets. Even if I resolve to live a life without regrets, I end up regretting somehow. In the end, people can only live while regretting, and can only choose to live to minimize regrets."

If a time comes when you think you've lived a life without regrets.

Surely your life will have ended there at that point.

His father explained as if admonishing.

"So if asked if I regret getting married, I intend to answer that I regret it, but I'd also say I would have regretted much more if I hadn't married your mother. The same goes for you Eunha."

"What?"

"Looking at you, I have many regrets."

"..."

"If I had raised you a bit better, you wouldn't have given me such a hard time, and wouldn't be living so dangerously like this."

"..."

"But if I hadn't raised you, I would have regretted it even more than now."

His father chuckles.

Eunha also smiled faintly.

"There are people who regret less after marrying, and people who regret more after marrying. The only one who can judge that is yourself, not me."

"..."

"What do you think marriage is?"

"...I don't know."

"Right, I don't know either. Probably neither you nor I will know for our entire lives. So don't try to know what you don't know. I think there's nothing more foolish than that."

I'm just someone who's lived life longer than you.

Nevertheless, I advise you, don't try to live a life without regrets.

Instead, live to minimize regrets.

That will someday lead to a life without regrets.

His father spoke irresponsibly.

But paradoxically, it sounded like words with heavy responsibility to Eunha.

"So what do you think? Do you think you'll regret marrying Seohyun terribly?"

"I don't think so."

"Then if you don't marry?"

"..."

"The answer's out."

"I guess so."

His father chuckled and.

Eunha nodded readily.

The unfamiliar life called marriage felt only frightening.

But it felt like he would regret not marrying Han Seohyun much more than marrying her.

Now Eunha could create a reference point for his wavering heart.

"Don't forget that feeling. There will surely come times when you regret the choice you make today as you live."

"..."

"At those times, recall the resolve you made today. It will get a bit better. You'll think that if you hadn't made this choice then, you would be regretting even more than now."

"Yes. You're right, dad."

"Treat Seohyun well. Treat Hayang well too. You have to make a life with less regrets for them too."

"Yes, I should."

"For your reference, I'm on the daughters-in-law's side."

"There's not a single person on my side in the family. This is really too much."

"Why did you choose the difficult path when there was an easy one? But don't feel too bad. Your mother and I have to take the daughters-in-law's side so they don't scold you too harshly."

"...Thank you."

I can feel father's consideration.

Eunha expressed gratitude to his father.

Afterwards, the two spent time using various stories as side dishes.

And so a day passed and.

The day of the wedding dawned.