As soon as I saw this, I immediately took a photo of it and ran
I practically sprinted to my mom's house, grinning like I'd just won the lottery. To be honest I was over the moon.
Finally. Just finally, I had the perfect excuse to get rid of Woo-jin once and for all.
I would finally get peace in my soul.
My phone was clutched in my hand, the incriminating photo open on screen — Woo-jin walking with some stranger, his hand brushing against theirs. Cheating? Maybe not technically, but close enough for me.
As I reached her house, I kicked the door open with a playful smirk.
I shouted joyfully.
"Mom!" I yelled as soon as I burst through the front door, startling the poor woman who was sipping her tea like always.
She blinked at me. "Jung Dae-hyun, are you running from the police again?"
Uhh what..
"No!" I stomped into the living room dramatically. "Something worse."
Her brows furrowed. "What could possibly be worse than—"
"This!" I shoved my phone in her face like it was a murder weapon.
She squinted, then leaned back. "…You ran all the way here to show me a picture of Woo-jin walking?"
"With someone else!" I snapped.
"…And?"
I threw my hands up. "And?! He's clearly cheating on me! This is it, Mom. The universe is finally on my side. You have to let me divorce him now."
Mom slowly set her teacup down, staring at me like I was a dramatic toddler. "Dae-hyun… sweetheart… you do realize this just looks like two people walking on a sidewalk, right?"
"Exactly!" I said, pointing at the screen. "Look at how close they are! That's not just walking, that's — that's intimate proximity!"
She gave me the most unimpressed look I'd ever seen. "You sound jealous."
I froze. "…I'm not jealous."
"You're yelling," she said calmly, sipping her tea again.
"I'M NOT—" I caught myself, grinding my teeth. "I'm just saying this is my chance to get rid of him before he does something worse! He's annoying, he's clingy, he follows me everywhere like a lovesick puppy and—"
"And he obviously loves you," she cut in gently.
I stared at her like she'd just committed treason. "Whose side are you even on?!"
"The side that wants you to stop acting like a twelve-year-old," she said dryly.
I crossed my arms, glaring at her like she'd just betrayed me. "Mom. He was smiling at another person. That's basically adultery."
Mom just sighed. "Dae-hyun, sometimes I think you look for reasons to be angry at him."
"I don't need to look for them. He hands them to me on a silver platter!" I shot back. "Last week he ambushed me at work. The week before that he showed up at my friend's birthday party uninvited—"
"You mean the friend who secretly likes him?"
"Not the point!" I snapped.
She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Dae-hyun. You've been running away from that boy since the wedding day. Do you even know what you want?"
"Yes! Freedom!"
"You sure it's not just attention?"
I gaped at her. "Excuse me?!"
"You're yelling because he didn't choose you this time. Isn't that a little telling?"
I sputtered, because no — that wasn't true. "I'm not jealous, Mom. I hate him. I hate his stupid pink hair and blue eyes, his stupid smile, his stupid habit of—"
"—loving you?"
I let out a strangled noise, throwing my hands in the air. "I GIVE UP! Fine! If you won't take me seriously, I'll just file for divorce without your blessing."
Mom just leaned back, smirking like she'd won. "Then do it."
I blinked. "…Wait. What?"
She shrugged. "You're an adult. If you want to ruin your marriage over a blurry sidewalk photo, go ahead. I'm sick of you. There was a reason why I've arranged a marriage with him and don't come crying to me when you regret it."
"Why would I cry to you?" And for a moment, I didn't know whether to feel triumphant or offended. "…So you're saying I can?"
"Yes."
"Just like that?"
"Yes."
I narrowed my eyes. "You're planning something."
"Not at all." She smiled innocently. "Go on, Dae honey. If that's what will make you happy, divorce him. Just don't tell me that you regret it.."
My mom never let's me and now she is?
I narrowed my eyes further. This was too easy. But hey — a win is a win.
I grabbed my phone and spun on my heel dramatically. "Don't regret it when I come back single."
She snorted. "You say that like he'll sign the papers."
I ignored her and marched out of the house, feeling strangely victorious.
This was it. I was finally going to be free.
Except, when I got back to the apartment, my victory died on the spot.
Woo-jin was sitting on the floor by the door, still in the clothes he'd worn in that photo, his hair damp like he'd been outside in the rain for hours.
He looked up when I walked in, his eyes rimmed red, his nose slightly pink.
"Dae-hyun…" His voice cracked, and my chest tightened against my will.
For a moment, I almost forgot why I came home.
That was... almost.
"You should've stayed with your girlfriend," I said coldly, kicking my shoes off.
"What are you talking about?"
I showed him the picture. "Your girlfriend."
"I didn't—" His voice broke again, and he swallowed hard. "I wasn't with them like that. I swear."
I forced myself to look away. "You don't have to explain yourself to me."
"Yes, I do!" He suddenly stood, his hands trembling. "I can't lose you over something that isn't even real. Please, Dae—"
"Woo-jin." I turned to face him fully, my expression hard. "Stop acting like you have any say in this. If I want to end this marriage, I will. I've been trying and you never let me but this time I win."
Something in his face crumbled, like I'd just knocked the air out of him.
"I…" His voice was so quiet now I almost didn't hear it. "I thought you'd at least listen to me before deciding."
My chest ached — but I shoved it down, hard. "You were wrong."
He flinched, his eyes glistening, and for a split second I thought he might scream or break something.
But instead, he just let out a shaky laugh that sounded nothing like him.
"Okay," he whispered. "If that's how you feel."
Then he brushed past me and disappeared into the bedroom, closing the door behind him without another word.
The apartment went quiet.
Too quiet.
I stood there, my hands clenched, my heart hammering for reasons I didn't want to name.
The apartment stayed silent for a long time.
I told myself I didn't care.
I told myself this was exactly what I wanted — to finally have space from him, to not hear his endless chatter, to not feel him trailing behind me like some lovesick puppy.
But for some reason… The silence felt heavier than his voice ever did.
I went about my evening pretending nothing was wrong — made myself dinner, sat on the couch scrolling on my phone — but I kept glancing at the closed bedroom door.
Nothing.
Not a sound.
By the time the clock struck midnight, I couldn't stand it anymore.
I crossed the apartment and pushed the door open — only to freeze.
Woo-jin was sitting on the floor, his back against the bed, hugging his knees like a kid. His phone was on the floor beside him, the screen dark. His head jerked up when he heard me, and I caught the faint shimmer of tears on his lashes.
"I thought you'd gone to sleep," he said hoarsely.
"Couldn't," I muttered.
Silence stretched between us.
Then, quietly, he asked, "Do you really hate me that much?"
The question was so raw it nearly knocked the air out of me.
"…Yes," I said automatically. "I do."
His lips trembled, and he nodded slowly — as if I'd just confirmed something he'd been fearing all night. Maybe I was.
"You know," he said softly, "sometimes I think if I just try hard enough, if I stay by your side long enough, you'll remember why you married me."
"I never wanted this marriage in the first place," I snapped before I could stop myself.
Woo-jin flinched like I'd hit him. His hands tightened on his knees.
"I know," he whispered. "But I still…" His voice cracked, and he ducked his head. "I still can't let you go."
I should've been angry.
I should've told him to stop acting like a victim.
But all I could do was stand there, staring at him, my throat tight.
I wanted to say something — anything — but no words came out.
Why did he even love me? We were just arranged married and we barely know each other but he does seem to know the kind of food I enjoy.
Finally, Woo-jin pushed himself to his feet, brushing past me to leave the room.
"Where are you going?" I demanded, my voice coming out harsher than I meant.
He didn't look back. "I just need some air."
The door clicked shut behind him, and just like that — I was alone again.