Chapter 43 : I’ve Found Some Courage.
“I’m thinking of adopting Yena.”
As soon as Kang Byeol said that, the conversation Kang Bada and I had before coming to the exhibition came rushing back to me.
– What’s your unnie like?
– Well… she’s really kind to me, but I’m not sure how she is with others. Honestly, there are times when she scares me.
– Scares you?
– When I was younger, I saw her and my oppa fight. And I mean, they fought until they were both bleeding.
Kang Bada hadn’t known why they fought, but both ended up in the hospital, covered in blood.
At that time, Kang Bada had just started middle school, so her siblings must have been in their early twenties, a time when emotions can run wild.
– My unnie takes a lot of pride in herself. She’s also very possessive. It’s like if she can’t have something, she’d rather destroy it.
– That sounds pretty extreme.
– I haven’t seen her fight since then, but just in case, if you meet her, be careful with what you say and do.
– Got it. I’ll be careful.
Now, back to the present.
Looking at Kang Byeol’s chilling smile, I realized Kang Bada hadn’t been exaggerating. She was even bolder and more decisive than I had imagined.
Not only that, but she ran her own private studio and had such a passion for art that she could afford to buy masterpieces worth billions.
“If you give me your permission, that is.”
“Yena isn’t a thing.”
Kang Bada shot a sharp look at Kang Byeol, subtly positioning herself as if to shield Yena from her.
“If it came across that way, I’m sorry, but I won’t take back what I said. Yena’s talent could make history.”
“Even if Yena doesn’t want that?”
“Do you really think that’s the case?”
“…”
Kang Bada fell silent.
Everyone here had witnessed Yena’s focus while she was drawing.
Yena had worked for hours without pausing, completing her piece with a constant smile on her face.
“Yena never hesitated once while drawing. Even though it was a reproduction, it shows that she already had the entire image in her mind.”
“…”
“And she didn’t even sketch first. She looked at the color palette for the first time and immediately chose the right colors to express what she wanted. A seven-year-old, mind you. A kid who hasn’t even graduated from kindergarten. Ha—”
Kang Byeol shook her head, as if even she couldn’t believe what she was saying. Yena’s talent was truly extraordinary.
There were over 200 different types of professional paints in front of her.
Just in the yellow shades alone, there were more than 10 variations. Yet Yena instinctively knew which ones to use right away, something none of us could have done so naturally.
And Yena had done it effortlessly.
No wonder Kang Byeol was so captivated by her.
“Sure, it wasn’t without some trial and error. But Yena picked up things instinctively that others would have to repeat hundreds or thousands of times to master. Leaving a child like that in an orphanage would be a loss for everyone.”
“….”
“If you’re not prepared to take full responsibility, then let me. I have a son around Yena’s age and can give her the best environment to grow.”
Kang Bada bit her lip.
Kang Byeol wasn’t entirely wrong. Her words were hard to argue with, especially since her passion for art was so genuine.
“Of course, I’m not saying I’ll take her by force. I know how much Yena cares about you—both of you, actually. Taking her away would only traumatize her more.”
“So, what’s your point?”
“I’ll take back what I said before. I’ll fully support your marriage, but on one condition—you adopt Yena and raise her right.”
“What…?”
“In return, you’ll need to follow the education plan I lay out, and once she turns eighteen, she’ll sign a five-year exclusive contract with my atelier.”
“Wait a second.”
Ha-neul cut in, and both women, who had been intensely focused on each other, turned their attention toward him.
The tension was thick, like he could be ripped apart at any moment. But he had been through worse. Compared to the drill sergeant who used to smack them around with a shovel or the lady who knocked over an entire shelf of wine bottles at the store, he was confident to handle this.
“First off, let’s all calm down. This isn’t something we should be discussing in front of Yena.”
“….”
Both of them slowly nodded. Yena, who was fast asleep, could wake up at any moment.
“There’s a lounge. We could lay her down there and—”
“I think we should leave for now.”
“What?”
“I get the general idea, but we need time to think it over. And we need to hear what Yena wants too.”
“….”
Their faces changed instantly. Kang Byeol’s expression became sharper, while Kang Bada’s eyes widened in surprise.
It made sense.
On the surface, Kang Byeol’s proposal seemed reasonable, but in reality, it wasn’t that simple.
‘This is all moving way too fast.’
Unlike Kang Byeol, who was already married, Kang Bada had a lot more to consider. Most importantly, they hadn’t even had their wedding yet.
Adopting a child before the wedding would stir up all kinds of rumors. It wasn’t a decision anyone could accept lightly.
‘If we keep going like this, Kang Byeol might end up taking Yena.’
Maybe that would be the best solution for everyone, but there’s a big difference between making a decision after careful thought and being pressured into one.
Even if Ha-neul’s opinion didn’t matter much, Kang Bada needed time to process everything.
It was clear she found Kang Byeol intimidating. He had to buy her some time.
“It’d be better if we set up another time to meet. Let’s all take some time to think it over.”
“Don’t get it twisted. The offer I’m making comes at a great cost. Don’t think I’ll be offering the same terms again.”
“I think you’re the one who’s mistaken, sister-in-law.”
Twitch—
Kang Byeol’s brows furrowed. Honestly, it was a bit frightening. For a second, Ha-neul worried he might end up like Kang Bada’s brother—covered in blood.
He had no intention of backing down. Behind him stood Kang Bada and Yena.
‘It’s time to break the flow.’
If he retreated now, he’d only end up having to give up even more later. Sometimes, even if you know it’s going to hurt, you still have to push forward.
“You said you’d ‘fully support our marriage’ as part of your conditions. But that was never a bargaining chip to begin with.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because we’re already married.”
“What?”
Kang Byeol’s eyes widened in shock, clearly not expecting this. She seemed to struggle to believe it.
“…That’s a bit much for a joke.”
“I wouldn’t joke about something like this. It’s already been three months, so an annulment isn’t an option anymore. I made sure to prepare for this in advance, just in case you reacted like this.”
“Are you serious?”
“Absolutely. Of course, if your family really wants to, they could try to separate us. But they’ll have to be ready for the blow it’ll deal to Daehan Group’s reputation.”
It was just a bluff.
He knew that better than anyone.
But bluffs, when delivered with enough confidence, can easily pass as real strength. All it takes is an unwavering poker face and the conviction to fool even yourself.
‘I’m already standing on the edge.’
There was nothing new about this.
He had been prepared for this from the moment he signed the contract. In fact, things had been going too smoothly until now.
‘This is my only card to play.’
If Daehan Group really wanted to, they could make him disappear without a trace. But as long as the law was involved, the story was different.
If they broke up, rumors would spread that Kang Bada had been divorced. And journalists were quick to pick up on these kinds of stories.
[Daehan Group’s Youngest Daughter Divorced!]
[Secret Daughter of Daehan Group Uncovered]
[An Illegitimate Child? The Hidden Truth Behind Her Silence]
Sure, Daehan Group could spend a fortune to shut the media up, but as the saying goes, “Rumors travel fast.”
For a family that cherished Kang Bada, they wouldn’t be happy with this situation. And that went for Kang Byeol too, who was standing right in front of him.
‘Kang Bada doesn’t even need an arranged marriage.’
She practically had a free hand.
Before they got married, things might have been different. But now that they were legally tied, there was no way Daehan Group would damage its own reputation just to split them up.
With all this in mind, he decided to act confidently. Of course, if things went wrong, he’d end up looking for a burial plot instead of a new home.
“If you don’t believe me, feel free to check.”
“…”
At his boldness, Kang Byeol’s expression faltered. Her gaze shifted behind him.
“B-Bada, no way, right? You wouldn’t go that far, would you? Come on, tell me it’s a lie.”
“Unnie, the truth is…”
“We can discuss the details later.”
He quickly stepped between them, blocking any further conversation. Letting them talk more would only make things worse for him.
Without missing a beat, he took Yena into his arms and, with Kang Bada hesitating, led her out of the building.
“That crazy…”
He heard Kang Byeol mutter something angrily behind him, but he let it go. They needed to get as far away as possible before she came to her senses.
He gently placed the deeply sleeping Yena in the back seat and buckled her seatbelt. Without wasting time, he nudged the dazed Kang Bada into the passenger seat.
“Bada-ssu.”
“…”
“Bada-ssi, come on, snap out of it.”
“Huh!? Oh… yeah.”
Kang Bada barely responded, seeming too out of it to even fasten her seatbelt. He leaned over and buckled it for her.
“W-wait, I can do it…”
“Just sit still. It’s done.”
“Ugh…”
With everything in place, he shifted gears and pressed the accelerator. The car sped forward as if it understood his urgency.
After driving for a while, far enough from Kang Byeol’s gallery, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew… We made it out of there. Let’s drop Yena off at the orphanage first, then we can figure things out.”
“Ha-neul-ssi…”
“From what I gathered, your family is against our marriage. But legally, we’re past the point of no return. We’ll just have to win them over, one by one…”
“Ha-neul-ssi!”
“What?”
As they stopped at a red light, he turned to face Kang Bada. She looked anxious, avoiding his eyes and fidgeting nervously.
“Well, the thing is…”
“Go ahead, you can tell me. I am your husband, after all.”
“N-no, that’s just it!”
He had tried to joke to lighten the mood, but her reaction was stronger than expected. She should have been used to these remarks by now.
Realizing she had raised her voice, Kang Bada glanced back at Yena before speaking more quietly.
“…Actually, we’re not officially married yet.”
“What?”
“I… I never submitted the marriage registration to the district office. I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would come to this…”
For a moment, he was speechless.
Kang Bada turned her gaze to the window.
The silence stretched on between them.
*Honk!*
The blaring of a car horn snapped them back to reality, and they started moving again.
—
“I prefer the sea over the mountains. If possible, the East Sea, far from the shore.”
“Ha-neul-ssi…”
“If anything happens to me, please hand over my hard drive to the publishing company. The CEO will know how to handle the sensitive stuff.”
“Snap out of it! Why are you acting like you’re going to die!?”
Kang Bada grabbed his shoulders, shaking him. But Ha-neul only laughed weakly, as if lost in thought.
Ever since he learned that the marriage papers hadn’t been submitted, he had been like this. Even after they dropped Yena off, he hadn’t returned to normal.
“They say ignorance makes you fearless. I guess I didn’t realize I was already on the chopping block. Once my sister-in-law finds out, I’m done for.”
“…If you’re joking, you’re doing fine.”
“Does it seem that way? Ha ha ha…”
“Oh, come on! We can still submit the papers! It’s not too late!”
Frustrated, Kang Bada raised her voice. Haneul glanced at her quietly, making her feel embarrassed as she lowered her head.
“We can go to the office and submit the registration tomorrow. It’s probably closed today, but we can handle it first thing in the morning…”
“Do you think I can survive the next three months?”
“Don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you, Ha-neul-ssi.”
“Oh? That’s quite a bold thing to say.”
A sly smile spread across Ha-neul’s face. Seeing this, Bada quickly added more to her statement.
“D-don’t get the wrong idea! I just hate it when someone messes with what’s mine, that’s all.”
“Is that really all?”
“What more are you expecting!?”
“I expect a lot of things.”
Ha-neul’s mischievous grin deepened.
Bada shook her head, exasperated. Just when she let her guard down, he would swoop in with something like that. It did ease the tension, but it was still so annoying.
“Why did you even do that?”
“Do what?”
“Challenge my unnie. I told you before, didn’t I? She’s the type who would rather destroy something than let someone else have it.”
“That’s exactly why I did it.”
“What?”
Sensing the sudden change in mood, Bada glanced over at Haneul. He was staring straight ahead, his gaze distant and unusually cold.
Bada could sense it right away. Ha-neul was angry.
‘Why is he so upset?’
The thought crossed her mind. She had never seen him like this before. Was he really that mad?
Noticing her gaze, Ha-neul turned his head. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, Bada’s heart dropped.
The chill in his eyes vanished almost immediately.
“I’m just like you, Bada-ssi.”
“…What do you mean?”
“I can’t stand it when someone touches what’s mine either.”
A soft smile crept onto Ha-neul’s face. Bada felt a wave of relief wash over her.
In that instant, she understood why he had been angry. And a strange sense of trust welled up inside her. No matter what, he would always have her back.
“…Thank you.”
“Huh?”
“Thanks to you, I think I’ve found some courage.”
“You’ve been doing just fine. Anyway, let’s go to the district office tomorrow. We’ll submit the marriage registration first, and then we’ll figure out what to do about Yena…”
Ha-neul had no clue.
He didn’t realize the weight of what she had just said. He was always a bit oblivious in moments like this, too caught up in planning his next move.
‘But still…’
As Bada watched Ha-neul ramble on, she couldn’t help but smile to herself.
Someday, Ha-neul would understand just how much he had influenced her life. How this moment had helped her make up her mind.
“Bada-ssi, are you listening to me?”
“Yeah, I heard up to the part about putting my unnie in her place.”
“I didn’t say it like that.”
“Didn’t you?”
“…Well, not exactly, but yeah.”
Haneul scratched his head awkwardly.
Seeing him like that, Bada couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. The two of them continued chatting, the mood between them much lighter now.
