Later that day, Hae-in stayed back at home.
The house slowly emptied itself. The men left for work, Eunsup rushed off to school, So-hee headed to the bank to deposit cash from the business, and soon only the soft sounds of the house remained. From the kitchen came the faint clatter of utensils, Mi-sook moving steadily as she prepared lunch.
Hae-in sat alone in her room, her laptop open on the bed. She scrolled aimlessly, tabs opening and closing without purpose. After a while, boredom settled in quietly, heavy and restless.
She shut the laptop and stepped out.
Her eyes wandered through the house, taking in the unfamiliar silence, before her feet carried her toward the kitchen almost on their own.
Mi-sook stood near the counter, sleeves rolled up, focused on her work. The aroma of dough and filling hung in the air.
"Can I help you, Ommoni?" Hae-in asked softly.
Mi-sook turned to look at her, brief but assessing. "Done with your work?"
Hae-in gave a small, polite smile. "Yes. I was just browsing… nothing related to the office."
Mi-sook nodded once, then turned back to the counter. "Alright then. Come, help me make dumplings. We're running out of stock."
"Okay," Hae-in replied, stepping closer.
She washed her hands and joined her, carefully mimicking Mi-sook's movements. Her fingers were a little stiff, unsure, pressing the dough with hesitant precision.
Mi-sook watched her for a moment before speaking. "Seems like you're not very experienced in cooking."
Hae-in became conscious immediately, her hands pausing for half a second. She smiled faintly."Yes… Ever since I started working, I haven't really gotten many chances to cook properly." She hesitated, then added honestly, "So I'm kind of a rookie. But I know a few basics. I used to help my Omma back home."
Mi-sook glanced at her and smiled lightly. "Don't get me wrong. I was just asking."
Then, almost casually, she added, "You know, Sweetie cooks very well."
Hae-in's lips curved into a gentle smile. "Yes… I know. The first time I met him, I was really hungry. I went to his restaurant, and he cooked for me. The food was… really delicious."
Mi-sook looked at her knowingly. "I know. He told me that story."
Hae-in blinked.
"That's when he fell for you," Mi-sook continued, a faint chuckle in her voice. "Seeing you so hungry, desperate for food."
Hae-in froze, her fingers stilling for a second around the dumpling skin. She looked up at her mother-in-law, eyes slightly widened.
"He told me about you that very day," Mi-sook went on. "He said he felt grateful just for feeding you." She shook her head fondly. "My sweetie is like that… soft-hearted."
Hae-in swallowed and quietly resumed shaping the dumplings.
"You know," Mi-sook added after a pause, "he never showed this much interest in any girl before. It was only you. From the beginning, he was deeply attached… maybe already in love."
Hae-in listened in silence, her hands moving mechanically, her heart slowly tightening with each word.
Mi-sook glanced at her again, her tone gentler now, almost serious. "He loves you a lot. Don't ever hurt him."
Hae-in looked up.
"He's precious to me," Mi-sook added. "If he gets hurt, I feel it too. Love my child the same way he does. Give him the love and happiness he craves from you."
She paused, then added, almost conspiratorially, "He will never break your heart. And if he ever makes any mistake…" her lips curved slightly, "…don't scold him harshly. Tell me. I'll handle him."
Hae-in stared at her, stunned, unsure how to respond.
So-hee was right. Mi-sook loves Ji-hoon too much.
Mi-sook studied her for a moment before speaking again.
"You still seem to act like a stranger to him," she said softly. "I barely see affection from your side. I know this was an arranged marriage. It takes time to open your heart."
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"But my Sweetie loved you from the very day he met you. So try a little harder. Let him come closer to you. Let him enter your space." Her voice lowered. "Don't make him long for you."
Hae-in lowered her gaze and nodded slowly, her throat tight.
Mi-sook smiled then, her expression warm, and gently patted Hae-in's head. "Don't worry. I raised a gentleman. He will never hurt you."
Hae-in managed a faint smile, still avoiding her gaze. Because somewhere deep inside, guilt had already begun to take root.
For being married into this house. For being loved so openly, so wholeheartedly. And for not knowing how to return it.
Ji-hoon wasn't just a person here. He was precious. To this family. To his mother. And hurting him would mean hurting all of them, especially Mi-sook.
That thought scared her more than anything else.
His constant confessions. His family's expectations, spoken gently yet firmly. Their care, their warmth, their belief that love would naturally follow.
Everything pressed in on her at once, wrapping around her chest until it felt hard to breathe.
She didn't know which path to choose. To accept this family fully, along with its uninvited responsibilities, even if it meant burying her dreams. Or to chase the life she had always imagined, knowing it might wound the people who had already claimed her as their own.
She didn't know where life was leading her.
Toward her dreams. Or toward a responsibility she had never asked for.
She stood there beside her mother-in-law, learning new cooking techniques, hands busy, mind wandering.
Flour on her fingers. Questions in her chest. And a future that refused to take a clear shape.