Marry My Husband

Chapter 1
*Two Pairs of Shoes by the Entrance*

 

“This is getting ridiculous.”

In a corner of the hospital’s sixth ward, a woman murmured while looking down at her phone, which had already failed to connect five consecutive calls.

Cracked and worn-out, her smartphone displayed the date April 10th in small letters.

Short, three months; long, six months; miraculously, twelve months. These numbers, falling precisely into multiples, represented the remaining span of her life as informed by the doctor.

The causes were diverse: ruined eating habits and lifestyle patterns, dreadful stress, and the soju she drank alone every night to alleviate it all.

And the ultimate cause of all these causes was none other than the woman’s husband, who didn’t even answer her calls now.

He hadn’t called for caregiving, expressing a desire to see her, or even to bid farewell. She hadn’t expected any of that in the first place. He had just contacted her to settle the hospital bills with the money she had.

Ignoring even that message, her husband hadn’t been in touch for days now.

The woman put on her worn-out cardigan and pretended to leave for a walk as she exited the hospital.

While she battled cancer alone, or rather, while cancer cells invaded her body, cherry blossoms bloomed vigorously above her head, gently falling down from the sky.
It was spring.

“Taxi!”

Fortunately, she was able to catch a taxi as soon as she got off on a main road.

Perhaps this was my first and last stroke of luck in life.

Putting aside her self-pitying thoughts, the woman confidently explained the destination.

“To Uyanoo, My Aiken Gave.”

Glancing at her briefly through the rearview mirror, the taxi driver spoke in a thick Busan dialect.

“Right, sure.”

In the rearview mirror, behind her thick glasses, the woman with a thin head of hair that couldn’t be hidden even by a hospital gown and a worn-out cardigan was looking in this direction.

“If it’s not hurting much, that’s even weirder.”

“I’ll be fine soon. Just need to shake off the fever in a few nights. Isn’t spring wonderful?”

For a Seoul native, the accent was so strong that it would be difficult to understand at first. However, for the woman, it was more than just familiarity; it was nostalgia.

Her hometown was Busan, where her dad, who would do anything for her, and where she had everything she needed as long as she had her dad, resided.

If she hadn’t left Busan then… Would I have been happier?

Lost in futile thoughts, she reminisced about the past.

Nineteen years old.

The dreamy girl had also been accepted into the prestigious university in Seoul. Naturally, she had thought about moving into a dormitory or living alone, but her dad, who seemed happier than anyone else, vehemently opposed it.

The reason was that he couldn’t send his daughter, whom he had raised alone without a wife, to Seoul alone, where dangers lurked.

“No, where do you think you’re going? Go to Busan University!”

“Is Dad going to live my life for me? Go to Busan University yourself, Dad!”

“Don’t talk back like that! Do you want me to teach you a lesson?”
“Shut up! I won’t allow you to go to Seoul!”

The naive girl argued with her dad and slammed the door shut. For the first time, she felt resentment and anger towards her dad, who had never left Busan in his life.

After sobbing all night with her blanket turned over, the next day, her dad quietly came into her room and sat down.

“I sold the house through a real estate agent. Let’s go to Seoul, honey.”

Her dad was a construction worker. He had lived in Busan his whole life. The determination of such a dad, who decided to sell the house he inherited from his grandmother and head to Seoul without hesitation, was something the nineteen-year-old girl couldn’t comprehend.

Just the thought of going to the university she had dreamed of made her bounce with joy, pressing her face against her dad’s cheeks as she hugged him tightly.

“That’s good, isn’t it?”

Her dad chuckled in her memories.

The woman gently touched her dry lips, remembering her father’s rough beard and scent. Perhaps she looked quite melancholic, as the taxi driver spoke up again, facing the rearview mirror.

“Cheer up. You know, there’s a saying these days. Today is the tomorrow that yesterday’s child wished for… Makes sense, right? I’m so ignorant, it’s all foggy.”

Was it the familiar Busan accent that ignited the long-buried longing? The flood of nostalgia she had buried now surged forth. She would see him soon.

A bitter smile grazed the woman’s lips. “I don’t think anyone would wish for tomorrow if they thought they were going to die today. And besides, good things don’t just happen because it’s tomorrow, right?”

“Don’t they happen? Make them happen.”

Before he could finish, the taxi deftly maneuvered through the congested street like a tightrope walker. The alley they turned into was unfamiliar to the woman. Startled by the sudden unfamiliarity, she instinctively grasped the handle above the window.

“Driver, this isn’t the right way.”

“Just trust me. I’ll take you where you need to go, no worries.”

The taxi navigated the maze-like alleyways with ease. Despite the growing unease, the final stop was unmistakably in front of the woman’s house.

“Here we are. My knowledge of the streets isn’t extensive, you know. It’s easier to come this way, just keep your eyes forward.”

Feeling flustered, the woman reached for her wallet and handed the driver a 10,000 won bill. The driver waved it away vigorously.

“I picked you up on my way anyway. Just keep it for yourself, okay? Think of it as pocket money from your dad.”

She wasn’t a young lady, nor did she intend to accept pocket money.

The woman forcefully grabbed the taxi driver’s outstretched hand and pressed the money into it.

“Still, I should pay for the fare if I’ve come this far.”

“Alright, miss.”

The driver slowly folded the money twice.

“Everything will work out. You’ll see. The stock market will skyrocket, money will pour in, you’ll meet a good man who’ll pretend to be grateful and even act like he’s dying for your words, and you might even get married. It’s my last shift today, you see. Since you’re my last passenger, consider it a farewell gift. Now, give me your hand.”

Those were promises that could never come true.

The doctor had already issued a terminal prognosis, she might have to declare bankruptcy due to the hospital bills, and her already married husband…

“Yes, I promise.”

Despite everything, the woman replied as if in a trance and accepted the money.

Oh, how wonderful it would be if those words came true.

The driver lightly grasped and then released her hand, encouragingly.

“Another car is coming behind. Be careful getting out.”

As a car honked loudly from behind, the woman hurriedly stepped out and closed the door, and the taxi drove off.

The waving hand outside the open driver’s side window seemed like a farewell, or perhaps an apology to the car behind for the delay.

As she watched the receding taxi, the woman unfolded the bill in her hand. On one corner of the crumpled 10,000 won note, a crooked blue heart, the artist unknown, was drawn.

She couldn’t help but chuckle strangely.

The woman tucked the bill back into her pocket instead of putting it in her wallet.

“…Thank you.”

For leaving her with one last good memory in this dismal life.

***

Kang Jiwon. Thirty-seven years old this year.

Her life was far from smooth sailing.

When Jiwon was six years old, her mother ran away with all the property except for the house deed, and her father had to run around working wherever there was a job to make ends meet.

Her grandmother, who raised her in place of her parents, never let go of her hand until the moment she closed her eyes forever.

Deprived of the careful touch most children receive, Jiwon grew up awkward and lacking in finesse, even being ostracized by her peers.

However, despite everything, Jiwon managed to grow up without losing her way and become a respectable member of society, thanks to her father, who always showered her with love despite being busy, and her only friend, Jeong Su-min.

Even her father, without seeing Jiwon wearing her graduation cap, passed away.

After overcoming her grief and holding a graduation ceremony where no one came, Jiwon landed a decent job at a good company. And then he met Park Min-hwan.

“I’m Park Min-hwan. As you can see, I’m just a junior.”

He pointed to the employee badge hanging from his chest, and smiled awkwardly.

“Nervous as a rookie, right? If you need anything, just ask.”Oh, what’s your number?”

It was the first time someone had asked for her number since the company representative had taken her contact information.

Jiwon scolded herself for being so shameless as she punched Minhwan’s offered phone number into her phone.

He wouldn’t be interested in someone like me. Especially not such a decent guy like him. He’s just a colleague so of course he asked for my number.

It was a habitual denial.

However, starting from the next day, the text messages that came fluttering in began to slowly chip away at that stubborn denial.

[Good morning. Did you sleep well? They say it’s going to rain today, so don’t forget your umbrella.]

Minhwan would greet her with cheerful messages in the morning.

[I’m not sure if you made it home safely. You must be tired, so go take a shower and rest. Have sweet dreams.]

In the evening, she would send affectionate messages in turn.

Before she knew it, Jiwon found herself waiting for Minhwan’s messages. She would agonize over what to reply, sometimes writing and deleting messages several times.

“Good night, Mr. Park? That sounds too formal.”

“Have sweet dreams, Mr. Park? That sounds too awkward.”

“You’re working late, aren’t you tired? That sounds too observant.”

In the end, Jiwon never replied to any of his messages, not even once. Until the first company dinner after the busy season, when Minhwan sat down next to her.

“Just drink half and leave the glass on my spot.”

Minhwan pretended to push the appetizers toward Jiwon and subtly sipped the alcohol instead. Jiwon lowered her head to hide her flushed face, not from the alcohol but from Minhwan, and waited eagerly for the dinner to end.

“Are you drunk?”

Minhwan’s voice, sneaking in during the hustle and bustle, pounded Jiwon’s heart.

“I’m okay. Thank you for caring,” Jiwon replied in a despairing tone, feeling the awkwardness of her own response, having spent her life hitting walls.

“If you’re thankful, then do me a favor,” Minhwan whispered with a hint of laughter.

“Please say it.”

“Could you reply to my messages? Even just ‘yes’ or a single character is fine.”

After that, Jiwon and Minhwan started dating. Minhwan, wonderful and affectionate, was like half of the world to Jiwon, who had lived without being able to get along with people.

Even her eager dashes to anything related to his mother seemed enviable and pleasing to Jiwon, who had grown up without a mother.

When Minhwan proposed, Jiwon thought she was dreaming.

“Let’s get married, Jiwon. You’re my life companion.”

The two of them had a successful wedding ceremony. Jiwon was truly happy.

After returning from their honeymoon, her mother-in-law almost constantly came at her, asking if she had given breakfast to her husband, if she had cleaned, and even pouring out nagging advice like throwing away the water purifier and making barley tea.

“It’s not because you’re pretty that I accepted you as my daughter-in-law. It’s because I think you’ll take care of our son well. But why did you serve yesterday’s rice for breakfast? Are you in your right mind or not?”

“Is there something wrong with your body? Why isn’t the child eating? What’s with the mess in the house? Are you campaigning to make money? Can’t you even clean after work?”

“What time is it, and you’re sleeping in? On weekends, you need to wake up early and prepare nourishing food for your husband!”

She heard it all with one ear and let it go with the other.

On days when her heart felt like it would burst with sorrow, she went to the karaoke alone and screamed at the top of her lungs.

One day, she bumped into her mother-in-law, Simo in front of the karaoke.

“I knew it would turn out like this. Because you’re out working all night, you can’t even take care of your husband? That’s why parentless children don’t turn out right! What kind of trouble did your parents get into to end up dead?”

For the first time, Jiwon lost her composure and confronted Simo. She shouted at her on the street, asking how she could say such things, what she knew about her mother.

After that, Minhwan changed. It wasn’t just a slight change. He became a completely different person.

“If I had known you were that kind of woman, I wouldn’t have married you!”

When Simo came crying and pleading for them to leave the neighborhood, Minhwan abruptly scolded Jiwon.

“We thought you were kind and thrifty, but who would have known you were treating our mother like this behind our backs!”

The situation only got worse.

Minhwan always shouted insults, and Simo’s harassment became increasingly severe.

Moreover, Minhwan gradually became addicted to stocks, which he had been dabbling in since dating, and eventually withdrew all of his severance pay and even took out loans, almost squandering their entire fortune. It happened just six months into their marriage.

That’s how they lived.
Tomorrow will be better. Next month, next year will be better.

But futile hope turned into despair, and the tumor fed on that despair, growing relentlessly.

When the lethargy-ridden Jiwon vaguely regained consciousness, it was already too late.

All that remained were the growing cancer cells and the worn-out apartment they barely managed to pay for with the security deposit.

The apartment where Jiwon was now blankly staring as she got out of the taxi.

Jiwon took the nauseating-smelling elevator to the end of the corridor, to their apartment.

Living in such a place was never their plan.

Once, they diligently saved up money and combined it with the profits Minhwan made from stocks to buy a nice new apartment. They were happy then.

That memory sustained them through almost ten years. They convinced themselves that things would get better, that Minhwan wasn’t originally a bad person.

When things didn’t go well, they blamed their frustration and guilt, telling themselves it was because they couldn’t control themselves.

The rusty iron door lacked even a common doorknob. Before inserting the key, Jiwon habitually tried to turn the handle.

*Click.*

It seemed Minhwan hadn’t properly secured the door.

Jiwon grabbed the easily opened door handle and quietly stepped inside.

In that moment, Jiwon’s eyes, which had been devoid of light, froze cold.

In the foyer lay a pair of brown men’s shoes haphazardly placed, alongside them, a pair of bright red stiletto heels.

Both were gifts Jiwon had bought for precious people in her life.

The brown shoes were for Minhwan, the other half of her world, and the red stiletto heels were…

“What’s this? How did I end up wearing these, Jiwon!”

“You said you didn’t like being short, remember? Hurry up and try them on. You’re pretty, so anything suits you.”

For the other half, Jeong Sumin.