Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 25: Long Time No See
Chapter 25: Long Time No See
Eunchae looked around with sharp eyes, but she couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
People walked by occasionally on their way home from work, cherry trees bathed in the orange hue of the sunset lined the street, and cars were parked along the roadside. The scenery was so typical and ordinary that it bordered on boring; there was nothing suspicious to be found.
“Maybe I’m just being overly sensitive because I haven’t been sleeping well lately,”
Eunchae muttered, tilting her head as she took another careful look around.
She hadn’t heard of any major crimes in the area, which was somewhat reassuring, but the state of the world these days made her feel uneasy.
“It’s because the laws are too lenient. They shouldn’t let those kinds of people out so easily,” she grumbled, even criticizing the judicial system.
Finally feeling a bit more at ease, Eunchae resumed her walk toward the two-room apartment where she currently lived.
***
Eunchae stepped into the two-room apartment, taking off her shoes before heading into the small living room.
“Ugh…”
She let out a groan as she sat down on the two-seater and leaned her head back. Now that the tension had finally eased, a wave of exhaustion washed over her.
After her father collapsed and the company was thrown into chaos, Eunchae had been forced to make some tough decisions. To keep the company running, she had to start by selling off anything that could bring in some money.
There wasn’t much left to sell, but Eunchae scraped together every penny she could. They even had to sell their house, and her mother sold all her jewelry, leaving only her wedding ring.
While they were looking for a small apartment or villa to rent for the three of them, they received a call from Professor Oh Myung-hee, who was like a sister to Eunchae’s mother. Professor Oh was a fine arts professor at a university in Gyeongju, and her husband was a professor of Korean literature at the same university.
Knowing their difficult situation, the Oh couple made an enticing offer. Their only son had just gotten married and left for college in the United States, and their house felt empty and too big. They suggested that Eunchae and her family move to Gyeongju, where they could use the second floor of their house exclusively, allowing her father to receive the care he needed in a more peaceful environment.
It was a proposal that didn’t require much thought, and Eunchae’s parents accepted it immediately. Although Professor Oh’s house was a remote rural home, there was a large university hospital nearby, so there were no problems with Yun Jeong-ik’s rehabilitation treatment.
Once the decision was made, the move went smoothly.
Eunchae’s parents moved to Gyeongju, and Eunchae found and moved into a two-room apartment. She then focused solely on her work and technology development.
“Oh, right.”
Eunchae, who had been staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment, straightened up and dialed a number. After a brief ringing tone, a familiar and welcoming voice answered.
[Yes, Eunchae. It’s Mom.]
“Have you had dinner? And what about Dad?”
[We already had dinner. It’s quite late. Today, Professor Oh treated us, so we had a meal near Bomun Tourist Complex and then took a walk. Dad was so tired that he fell asleep as soon as we got back.]
“Oh? Auntie treated you generously. I’m grateful.”
Eunchae was thankful for Professor Oh’s consideration and help.
[Yes, I need to repay them before I die. Have you had dinner yet?]
“I’m about to eat now.”
[Are you going to eat something quickly at the lab again?]
Worried about her daughter’s health, Mrs. Hwang asked with concern.
“No, I’m going to eat properly today.”
Eunchae was about to share the good news but decided to keep it to herself for now. If there were no investment, her parents would be too disappointed.
[That’s a relief. Are you feeling okay?]
“Yes, I’m fine.”
[You have weak bronchial tubes, so I’m always worried about you. You catch a cold every change of season. Have you finished the ginger soaked in honey?]
“I shared some with the vice president, and there’s a bit left. Please send more next time.”
[Got it. I’ll pack more for you, and make sure to share it with Woo-sung.]
Hearing that Eunchae was eating well, Mrs. Hwang responded quickly with relief.
“Okay, I will. Please say hello to Dad as well.”
[Yes. My daughter, you always go through so much because of us. Thank you and… I’m sorry.]
Mrs. Hwang’s voice wavered and was tinged with tears. Eunchae’s eyes also started to well up.
“Don’t say that, Mom. I’m okay.”
Mrs. Hwang let out a sorrowful sigh at Eun-chae’s comforting words.
[Mom’s being so foolish. I know how upset you get when I talk like this, and yet I do it every time.]
“You know how it is.”
Eunchae responded playfully, even though she understood her mother’s feelings.
“I wish sometimes that you and Dad would be a bit more shameless. Some so many parents live off their children.”
To ease her mother’s self-blame, Eunchae cited examples of less conscientious parents. It worked immediately, shifting Mrs. Hwang’s focus elsewhere.
[Is that what you call being a parent? Even animals wouldn’t do such things. Just the other day, your father and I saw a news story about it…]
Mrs. Hwang expressed her outrage about parents acting inhumanely as seen on the news.
“Really? Those people are terrible. They should be hung upside down in Gwanghwamun and pelted with stones.”
Eunchae shared her outrage with a sharp comment, and Mrs. Hwang agreed with her. After further discussion, they ended the call.
“Oh dear… we talked for quite a while.”
Checking the call duration on her phone, Eunchae smiled. She was relieved to see her mother regaining her old vigor.
Eunchae’s mother, Mrs. Hwang, was devastated not only by her daughter’s divorce but also by her husband’s collapse and the turmoil in the company. It was the hardest time she had ever experienced in her life.
Yet, despite everything, Mrs. Hwang held on tightly and persevered for the sake of her husband and daughter. Eunchae realized anew just how strong and remarkable a mother can be.
“Maybe I’ll have a beer tonight.”
With old memories suddenly coming to mind, Eunchae shook her head and went to the kitchen. Tonight, she wanted to drink without any worries, feel good, and sleep soundly.
***
The next day, news of the potential investor seemed to have already spread, and the atmosphere at the company was unusually lively. The employees’ expressions as they came to work were different from usual.
“Let’s have lunch together.”
Woo-sung came into the office and made the offer. Eunchae, with an expression close to tears, clasped her hands together as if in prayer.
“I’m sorry, Oppa. I have to visit Seong-ah’s café. Something came up with work.”
“Is that so?”
Once again rejected, Woo-sung asked with an awkward smile about the purpose of her visit.
“What’s going on?”
“Well, it seems that someone wants to invest in our company by using a building as collateral for a loan. They want to discuss it with me. I’m at my wit’s end.”
“What?”
Woo-sung was taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Seong-ah—it’s amazing she hasn’t been scammed yet.”
“I know, right? I can’t understand why anyone would trust me enough to invest such a large sum.”
The more she thought about it, the more flustered Eunchae felt, and she gave a wry smile. Still, she was deeply grateful for Seong-ah’s loyalty and concern for her. Seong-ah felt like a real sister, especially since she was from the same Yoon family.
“Anyway, that’s why I need to go see Seong-ah. I’ll be back later.”
“Alright, take a break while you have lunch with Seong-ah.”
“Yes, Team Leader, enjoy your lunch too.”
Eunchae responded with a polite smile and left the office. Left alone again, Woo-sung removed his glasses and rubbed his face.
“I know I need to wait… but it’s been tough lately, Eunchae.”
Woo-sung gazed wistfully at Eunchae’s empty desk, muttering to himself.
Once he put his glasses back on, Woo-sung’s eyes were heavy with concern. Even the afternoon sunlight pouring into the office and wrapping around him couldn’t soothe his tired heart from years of unrequited love.
***
As Eunchae navigated through the crowd of people heading out for lunch, she smiled brightly upon seeing the café sign coming into view.
“I’ve had so many free coffees lately, so today I’ll buy a nice lunch.”
As Eunchae hurried forward with a smile in her eyes, a heavy voice called out from behind her.
“Yoon Eunchae.”
Startled by the familiar, deep voice, Eunchae stopped suddenly.
Could it be…?
Her eyes, trembling slightly, searched around in confusion. Despite her disbelief, she recognized the voice instantly.
Half-turning with her stiffened body, Eunchae faced the last person she ever wanted to see again: her ex-husband, Tae Lee Joon.
“Long time no see. How have you been?”
As Tae Lee Joon approached and asked about her well-being, Eunchae fully turned to face him.
Tae Lee Joon looked just as he always had.
His stunning appearance now radiated an even more refined maturity. He wore a perfectly tailored bespoke suit with an elegance that enhanced his imposing charisma.
He looked exactly as she remembered him—no, he had become even more impressive and charming.
The shock and numbness she felt when she saw him only heightened her awareness. At the sight of Tae Lee Joon, who seemed to be living well, Eunchae’s eyes hardened into a cold stare.
As Eunchae stared at him without responding, Tae Lee Joon slipped his hand into his suit pocket and tilted his head slightly, meeting her gaze.
Eunchae’s reaction was a derisive, almost mocking smile. Tae Lee Joon’s brows furrowed slightly, clearly uncomfortable with her reaction.
“Yoon Eunchae.”
Tae Lee Joon maintained his calm demeanor as he met Eunchae’s fierce glare, breaking the silence with a quiet voice.
“How dare you…”
As Eunchae finally spoke, Tae Lee Joon raised an eyebrow slightly.
“How dare you call someone’s name so casually?”
Eunchae snapped, her eyes wide and her trembling hands clenched into fists.
“If we happened to run into each other, you should have just avoided me. How dare you act like you know me? It’s so irritating.”
As Eunchae tried to control her rising anger, her breath came out harshly between her lips. She had to summon an immense amount of patience to keep from unleashing a torrent of curses at him.
“Since I was doing just fine until I ran into you, please go on your way.”
Eunchae spat out the words, grinding them between her teeth. As she turned to walk away, cursing under her breath, Lee Joon called out to her again.
“Let’s talk. It’s not a coincidence that we met; I was waiting for you.”