Sunwoo gets back to the apartment.
The scent of sesame oil and garlic filled the apartment as Haeun stood at the stove, a slight sheen of sweat on her temple. She was focused but clearly tired, her shoulders slouched, hair tied into a messy bun that kept slipping loose.
Sunwoo entered, quietly closing the door behind him. He noticed the steam, the flickering flame, and Haeun leaning slightly against the counter.
"You should rest," he said, walking up behind her.
"I'm almost done—"
"No," he cut in gently, already reaching for the ladle. "I'll finish up the rest. You go sit. You look like you're about to melt."
Before she could argue, he leaned in slightly, close enough that she instinctively stepped aside. He just subtly shifted his weight, guiding her out of the kitchen like a slow-moving tide.
Caught off guard by the soft assertiveness, she blinked and gave a half-hearted "Fine…" before making her way to the living room, settling under the air conditioner. The cool air hit her face instantly.
She glanced over the sofa's and watched him from behind.
His broad shoulders moved with quiet confidence as he stirred the pot. The lines of his back, the way the thin shirt clung to his form, revealed the quiet transformation of his physique. The kid who always clumsy and used to stumble out of his room sleepily asking for snacks was now… this.
Haeun thought.This Sunwoo. The kid I practically raised… for last six years. My stepson, is trying his best to get us out of this debt instead of giving up on me. He has grown up so much....
She tried to compose herself. But a faint blush betrayed her.
So, Technically... I'm his wife now?
The thought made her heart stutter for just a beat. She looked away, cheeks warming faster than she'd expected. She reached for the TV remote just to give her hands something to do, clearing her throat, trying to snap out of it.
And behind her, Sunwoo kept cooking, unaware of the quiet war unfolding just meters away.
Dinner was simple with some leftover side dishes Haeun had pulled from the fridge but Sunwoo tried plating it like she used to for his lunch boxes, slicing the kimchi into perfect little bites.
They sat across from each other on the small dining table.
Neither said much at first.
The air between them wasn't exactly heavy, but something was definitely… present. A strange tension or weight lingering on them since the wedding, since the vows were exchanged and kissed.
Haeun broke the silence first, her eyes on her bowl."So… what's next?"
Sunwoo put down his spoon exhaling. "Tomorrow, we need to take those old documents to the land registry. We'll have to prove the inheritance, get a legal heir certificate first, then claim the land officially."
She raised her brows. "All that in one day?"
"Unlikely," he muttered. "Might take a few days. But we have to get it all done within the week—before the bank freezes the apartment entirely."
Haeun's spoon paused midway to her mouth. "So… we're not off the stress train yet."
Sunwoo gave a faint smile, more tired than amused. "Not yet. But the track is short."
She set her bowl down, exhaling. "Alright. Let's make this work. Together."
He looked at her for a second, the kind of strength you lean on without even realizing.
He gave a firm nod."Together."
After a moment Sunwoo,
"How much funds do we have left…?"
Haeun didn't answer immediately. She looked down at the soy sauce bottle, turning it absentmindedly between her fingers.
"Scraps," she finally said. "Maybe just enough for a week or two, if we stretch and live on just the basics."
"But don't worry. I got a reply from a fashion company they're looking for a designer-tailor. Said they liked some of my older works. They've asked me to visit their office."
That made him sit a little straighter.
"That's not bad but... never mind"
She then added with a faint breath, "Also… there's a grocery store down the street hiring for daily-wage work. I can take that in the mornings. The fashion thing, if it works, will be later in the day. If I juggle both, we'll have just enough to breathe."
Sunwoo's fingers tightened around the chopsticks.
He didn't know what to say.
He wanted to tell her to rest, that he'd manage. But he couldn't lie. He is still a Final year student with no job and no time to hunt a job now, They did need both incomes. Every single bit.
His eyes drifted toward her.
He nodded, a slow, tight movement. "Okay.", He is disappointed in himself a little.
That was all he could manage.
At one point, their chopsticks both reached for the last piece of tofu. Then both retracted quickly.
"You take it," he said.
"No, you have it"
"I'm full," he added.
She stared at him. "You are already taking care of me haa?, Ohh boy you've grown up so much"
He shrugged. "Technically, I'm your husband. I'm entitled to do so."
She coughed, caught off guard, and reached for her water. "Please never say that again with a straight face."
Sunwoo laughed, genuine and low. The kind that made his eyes crinkle a bit at the corners.
She smiled faintly, stood up, and carrying the dishes to the sink.
After dinner, he helped her clean. They moved like muscle memory her rinsing, him drying.
The faucet trickled. The plates clinked softly. It was almost peaceful.
Then Sunwoo spoke,
"Do you think… we should keep our relationship status private?"
Haeun paused mid-rinse. Her fingers hovered above the running water for a second before she answered.
"Yeah. That's for the best," she said, not looking at him just yet. "After all… this is a formality marriage, isn't it?"
Now she did look at him.
Sunwoo met her eyes, then slowly nodded. "Yeah," he said, "It is."
A moment passed between them thin, stretched, unspoken.
"Tomorrow, I'll take the files to the land registry office," he said. "I'll claim the land in your name as written in the documents."
She turned back to the sink. "Take some money from my account."
"No need," he said immediately, not even giving it a second thought. "I'll handle it."
She didn't argue.
She just gave a faint nod and passed him the last dish.