Chapter 60. Even If My Heart Becomes a Ruin
For a moment, it felt as though the crowded terminal had gone silent.
Or rather, it only felt that way to the two of them.
All sounds seemed blocked out.
All vision blurred.
Nothing could be heard, nothing could be seen.
Taeseong parted his smooth lips to speak Haeyoung’s name.
“Cha Haeyoung.”
“We made a promise from the beginning, didn’t we? That once we became adults, we’d go our separate ways.”
“You—!”
Taeseong’s voice cracked briefly.
But no other words followed.
He wanted to ask if she didn’t remember kissing him last night.
Didn’t she remember what he said in response?
Why did they have to divorce?
He liked her.
He didn’t even know where to begin.
But then, he realized…
he had never heard Haeyoung’s true feelings.
Was the kiss a mistake?
A drunk impulse?
“…Are you serious about that?”
“Is there any reason not to be? I’m just… keeping a promise.”
Haeyoung steadied her trembling heart and answered calmly.
“We both got married against our will. Now that we’re adults, we should seek our freedom. And of course, we’ll take responsibility for that too.”
As she spoke in a composed voice, resentment slowly built in Taeseong’s eyes.
“Let me ask you just one thing.”
His voice was deep, soft, but unshakably firm as it brushed her ears.
“This whole past year we’ve spent together—have you really been thinking only about divorcing me the entire time?”
That burning gaze could scorch.
It made Haeyoung’s heart sting.
That kind of look was unfair.
Especially when he didn’t even like her.
She struggled to maintain her hard-won composure.
And yet, all she could manage was—
“Yes.”
A short answer. A small nod.
“I told you, didn’t I? That I’d go on blind dates and date in college. So I just thought… we should settle things before then—”
“I—”
“And you need to return to your path too.”
As Taeseong failed to speak, Haeyoung filled the silence, as if she already knew what he was going to say.
Seeing her so firmly convinced, Taeseong scoffed in disbelief.
“Cha Haeyoung, you…”
“I’m glad, honestly. Since you have someone you like, I can divorce you with peace of mind.”
“…Peace of mind?”
“Yeah.”
Haeyoung barely kept herself from biting her tongue.
Taeseong licked the inside of his cheek in frustration.
So she felt at ease because he didn’t love her?
If she said something like that, what was he supposed to say?
Didn’t she know how cruel those empty eyes were to him?
“…Is that really what you want?”
But Haeyoung, do you know something?
I just realized it now…
“Divorce.”
Love is…
“Yes. That’s all I want.”
…even if my heart becomes a ruin, I want to protect the heart of the one I love.
You made me realize that.
“Let’s do it. Let’s get divorced.”
So I’ll let you go.
If that’s really what you want.
Haeyoung left the terminal almost like she was fleeing.
She headed straight for the Cha Hyun Group HQ in Yeoksam-dong, where Chairman Joo was.
Inside the sparkling, palatial building, she found the information desk.
She had told Taeseong she would handle the divorce talk with his grandfather herself.
After all, she could simply disappear.
But Taeseong had to keep facing his grandfather.
“Hello, I’m here to see Chairman Joo Hakseok.”
“And… who might you be?”
The receptionist gave her a puzzled look.
To them, she looked like nothing more than a high schooler.
The idea of someone like that asking to see a major conglomerate chairman was strange, more curious than suspicious.
“Uh… I’m his grandson’s wife.”
Since she had already revealed herself at the birthday banquet, there was no need to hide it now.
“Ah—oh! The granddaughter-in-law! Yes, I’ll contact the secretary’s office.”
Flustered, the staff member made the call and directed her upstairs.
Haeyoung was guided to the 30th floor, the top of the building.
“Haeyoung!”
Chairman Joo, having been informed, greeted her personally at the elevator.
“Grandpa.”
Seeing his face after so long, Haeyoung smiled without meaning to.
She must’ve truly started thinking of him as her grandfather during this past year.
“Oh, dear. Why didn’t you call ahead? I would’ve sent a car!”
“No need. Public transportation is more comfortable for me.”
Haeyoung answered with a polite smile.
“Come in, come in.”
Chairman Joo, usually known as a tiger within the company, was almost gentle now.
His staff exchanged stunned looks at the drastic change in demeanor.
Only Secretary Choi, who had grown used to it, remained composed.
“Secretary Choi, bring some snacks. Something our girl will like.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Once the door closed behind them and the assistants left—
“How have things been with your in-laws?”
“Thanks to your help, very well.”
“And your grandmother-in-law’s health?”
“No major progress, but she’s losing strength little by little. Still, she says if she feels okay, she wants to travel again this spring.”
“A doctor I know said some people diagnosed with heart cancer in their old age live another five years. Don’t lose hope.”
He gripped Haeyoung’s hand reassuringly.
“Thank you, Grandpa.”
“Oh, don’t thank me. I just passed along what I heard.”
“No, for accepting me as part of the family.”
She gently placed her hand on top of his.
“Because of you, my grandmother was able to enjoy her last trip with peace of mind.”
There was a calm weight in her voice that carried genuine sincerity.
Sensing something grave behind her words, Chairman Joo sat up straight.
“Haeyoung.”
“Thank you… for everything.”
When she ended the sentence in past tense, his eyes narrowed.
“But Grandpa, I don’t think this can continue anymore.”
“………”
“Taeseong and I… we’re getting divorced.”
The word divorce echoed strangely in his ears—like it didn’t belong in this world.
His usually commanding voice faltered.
“Divorce…? What are you saying, Haeyoung? Did Taeseong do something again? Did he say something? Was it his mother—?”
“Grandpa.”
She smiled gently, trying to calm him down.
“You know Taeseong isn’t that kind of person. And it’s not because of anyone else either.”
“Then why…?”
“Grandmother wanted me to have a shelter. A safety net even after she was gone. That’s why she arranged the marriage.”
“But no one can live their whole life inside someone else’s shelter.”
Her words carried the weight of long thought.
“She may worry about me, but I believe I can stand on my own—outside the fence.”
A pause. Silence filled with emotion.
Then, Chairman Joo spoke, sharp as a blade.
“That’s not a reason to get divorced. That’s your mindset for what comes after. Tell me the real reason—I’ll solve it.”
But Haeyoung met his gaze without flinching.
“There’s no other reason, Grandpa.”
“………”
“It’s because… we don’t love each other. Taeseong and I.”
Such a simple, fundamental truth.
The kind you find in children’s fairytales—
that marriage should be with someone you love.
“I may be too young for marriage, but I know this one thing.”
“A marriage without love… can’t be happy.”
“…Haeyoung. Love isn’t the only thing in a marriage.”
“That may be true, but…”
She swallowed hard.
“We’re only just twenty. We deserve a chance to love freely… and to dream freely.”
A balanced answer, between fantasy and realism, that left the Chairman speechless.
“You’ve done so much for me. I’m sorry… for saying all this.”
She bowed deeply.
He sighed.
“Honestly… I can’t handle you, Haeyoung. You’re too much like your grandfather. The way you speak.”
She slowly lifted her head.
“So… you’ve really thought this through?”
“Yes.”
Her clear answer made him let out a small groan.
Beyond the engagement, she was a daughter-in-law too precious to lose.
What would she become in five or ten years?
But maybe precisely because she was so bright, he had to let her go.
He couldn’t take the freedom of youth from a girl so firm and warm, strong yet kind.
“I didn’t expect ‘we don’t love each other’ to be the blow that undid me.”
“Grandmother always said the essence is what matters most.”
“…She raised a fine granddaughter.”
He clicked his tongue, pulled out his phone, and dialed.
“Attorney Cha, come to my office. I need to discuss something about Taeseong’s divorce.”
“Grandpa.”
Haeyoung called out hastily.
“Hold on, I’ll call back.”
“There’s no need for alimony.”
Her voice turned visibly stiff.
“I just want this whole time… to remain a good memory.”
Because if money got involved, it wouldn’t be anymore.
