Once Love Begins - Chapter 18. Part 1

Chapter 18. Part 1

When I arrived at the funeral home, my left hand was marked with deep marks from where I had dug my nails into it. The last time I saw Grandfather was a year ago when he came to visit me briefly in the United States. Thinking back now, I realize that his health didn’t seem to be very good even then. I had been so wrapped up in my own life, convinced that I was happy, that I had pushed aside my concerns for the one person who mattered-Grandfather. I felt like a fool.

I should have been by his side here in Korea. The thought of him always worrying about me, even when his own health was failing, left a hollow ache in my heart. I was angry with myself for being so arrogant, for assuming he would always be there.

The hospital was crowded with reporters, their presence almost suffocating. But as I passed through the crowd and entered the funeral home, I was surprised by the sudden silence. It was unnaturally quiet, a sharp change from the chaos outside.

The world had lost one of its giants, yet there was an eerie calm. The lack of mourners was disconcerting, and it didn’t take me long to understand why.

“Are you here?” a voice called out, breaking the silence.

My granduncle, my grandfather’s younger brother, stood in front of me, blocking my path. Next to him was his eldest son, wearing the mourning armband. The sight left me speechless with disbelief.

I could hear the whispers of the few people who had come to pay their respects.

“I thought you wouldn’t show up, so I told my son to take charge,” he said, looking me up and down with an expression that conveyed his displeasure at my presence. The implication that I should be grateful for this arrangement made my brow furrow.

“I’m here now, so please step aside,”

I managed to say, though my voice was dry and weak from the strain. Instead of responding, my great-uncle’s eyes narrowed and he moved closer, his large body threatening. His son followed suit, both of them closing in on me. Instinctively, I stepped back.

“Now that you’ve come, why don’t you go and rest? We’ll handle things here,” he suggested, his tone leaving little room for argument.

The audacity of his words – suggesting that I should leave and let them take control – left me feeling both angry and cornered. It was clear that they saw this as an opportunity to exert their control, to push me out of the way, and to take over the responsibilities that should have been mine.

But this was my grandfather’s funeral, and I wasn’t about to be sidelined.

I was desperate to see my grandfather, but my grand-uncle and his son were blocking my way, and it was infuriating. I looked at the secretary, hoping for some help, but he seemed just as helpless, just watching the situation unfold. I bit my lip hard, trying to control my emotions.

“Yes, you should rest,” my granduncle insisted as if that was a reasonable thing to suggest in this situation.

How could they be so callous? Telling me to rest when my grandfather had just passed away?

Other relatives soon joined them, forming a wall to keep me from seeing my grandfather.

“Please, move aside!”

I pleaded, my voice coming out as a harsh, trembling rasp. My body shook with frustration and grief. I wanted nothing more than to push these people aside, to get them out of my way.

“Oh my, look at her, raising her voice. How scary,” one of them mocked.

“Exactly. What kind of behavior is this at your grandfather’s funeral? So unrefined,” added another.

Unrefined? They were the ones who behaved shamefully. I didn’t even want to deal with them, but every time I tried to go around them, they moved to block me again, effectively cornering me.

It felt like a nightmare, and all I could think of was that my grandfather was just beyond them, waiting for me. But they wouldn’t let me through, and their petty, heartless words were only making my grief and frustration boil over.

” Tsk, tsk. No wonder she never learned how to manage a business, acting like this. You’re not thinking of running the company, are you?”

They were like a pack of wolves, circling in for the kill. I finally understood what my grandfather had meant when he warned me to be careful of them, to protect myself. He must have known this would happen.

“As if she could run a business,” another sneered.

I wished I had focused on learning how to manage the business instead of following my passions. I had never felt so powerless, so utterly inadequate.

“Please, just let me through,”

I pleaded again, but my voice seemed to fall on deaf ears. They continued to talk among themselves, ignoring me entirely like I was nothing but a nuisance. They felt like an impenetrable wall, and I couldn’t see how I could get through to my grandfather.

Then, suddenly, a quiet voice cut through the noise.

“Move aside.”

My shoulders stiffened at the sound. The voice was calm, but with an undeniable authority. I turned slowly, a mixture of surprise and hope welling up inside me.

It was a voice I hadn’t forgotten. No, I could never forget it. That voice could never fade from my memory.

Slowly, I turned my head and saw Cha Kang-Jae standing there. My eyes darted nervously, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. The relatives, too, seemed taken aback, whispering among themselves.

“What… what is this? Why is he here? You two got divorced!” one of my distant relatives, someone I barely saw once a year, asked him accusingly.

“Who said we’re divorced?” Kang-jae’s lips curled into a lazy smile.

I stared at him, dazed, as he stepped closer and grabbed my arm, pulling me behind him as if to shield me. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I was able to breathe. The slight trembling in his grip must have been my imagination – Cha Kang-Jae, trembling? Impossible. I coldly pushed his hand away.

“We’re not divorced,” he stated firmly.

“What nonsense is this!” my grandaunt practically screeched, echoing the words I wanted to say.

“And I’m taking over this company,” Kang-jae continued, his voice steady and unyielding.

His words hung in the air, slicing through the tension like a knife. The relatives who had been so confident in their positions suddenly looked uncertain, as if the ground had shifted beneath them.

The murmurs grew louder, and I found myself staring at the back of his head, my eyes wide in disbelief.

“Just wait until the will is read. Oh, and the inheritance arrangements have already been finalized,” he said, his tone cutting through the noise.

The relatives, who had been so confident moments before, were now stammering in shock. Kang-Jae looked slowly at their faces, his smile twisted with a hint of threat.

“The ones who need to step aside aren’t us, but you,” he added, his eyes locking onto each of them in turn.

“Y-Yeonwoo, we’re just worried about you…” one of them tried to protest, but Kang-jae cut them off.

“Worried? That’s a laugh,” he scoffed, dismissing their words.

He then reached for my wrist, guiding me away. I tried to twist my wrist free, but he held on firmly, moving us forward. I could feel his hand trembling slightly, which stunned me into silence. The idea that Cha Kang-Jae, of all people, could be trembling was unimaginable.

And yet, the shock of him claiming we weren’t divorced still left me in a daze. Everything felt surreal, as if I were moving through a dream I couldn’t wake up from.

“Get changed,” he said, handing me a black mourning outfit in a small, quiet room.

“…Okay.”

I took the clothes from him, biting the inside of my cheek to keep the tears from spilling out.

“…But why aren’t we divorced?”

I asked, my voice trembling with confusion.

“I’ll explain later. Right now, we need to focus on saying goodbye to your grandfather.”

“…Alright,”

I answered, knowing he was right. Despite the countless questions swirling in my mind, my priority had to be Grandfather.

He continued to stare at me intently, his eyes full of an unreadable expression. I forced myself to speak coldly, trying to put some distance between us.

“You need to leave so I can change.”

“Oh, right. Get dressed and come out,” he said, nodding slightly before turning to leave.

As soon as the door closed, I fell to the floor, holding on tightly to my mourning clothes. I swallowed my tears and fought to hold them back, but it was getting harder and harder to keep it all in. The reality of losing my grandfather and the confusion of everything else overwhelmed me. I needed to be strong for the funeral, but at that moment all I wanted to do was cry.

After changing into the mourning clothes, I stepped out to find him greeting the mourners. He gestured for me to stand beside him, and I joined him, bowing respectfully to the people who came to pay their respects. My mind was a blur, overwhelmed by the sheer number of people filling the once-quiet hall.

The room that had been so quiet was now full of visitors, and I found myself sighing as I watched the long line of people waiting to pay their respects.

“Are you holding up okay?” he asked softly.

“…I’m fine,”

I replied, though, in truth, I was exhausted. If just standing here was this draining, I couldn’t imagine how he was managing to keep his composure while graciously greeting each person with the same calm expression. He stayed by my side, unwavering, as the steady stream of mourners continued late into the night.

Finally, as dawn came, the flow of visitors began to slow. I knelt in front of my grandfather’s photograph, my knees drawn up as I stared at the image of the man who had meant everything to me.

*Grandfather… your foolish granddaughter is here.*

*…How is it there? You’re not in pain anymore, right? Did you find Mom and Dad? Please don’t tell me you’re still worrying about me even there… I miss you. I miss you so much.*