Chapter 14
The Reason for Seeking the Secret
“By the way… what about your tuxedo, Kangyoon? I’d really like to pick that one myself.”
Bora had spent several hours trying on dozens of dresses, while Kangyoon carefully narrowed down a few choices.
Even though everything was only rented, the prices ran into the tens of millions of won. Bora hesitated for a moment at the staggering cost, but Kangyoon put down the deposit without a trace of doubt.
“A wedding is supposed to be about the bride. As long as you look beautiful, that’s all that matters.”
“But a handsome groom standing next to a beautiful bride is important too. Can’t I see the tuxedos as well? Please?”
At Bora’s aegyo—swaying her shoulders as she whined—Kangyoon chuckled as if admitting defeat.
“Alright, let’s take a look.”
When he messaged the friend who had introduced the dress shop, the address of a tuxedo shop came back almost immediately.
“It’s not far from here. But aren’t you tired, Bora?”
“I’m fine! We have to see them anyway—wouldn’t it be better to get everything done at once?”
“Alright then. Let’s go.”
Since Bora had come wearing high heels again today, Kangyoon glanced down at her feet with concern. Bora grinned and linked her arm through his.
“I wore more comfortable shoes today, so don’t worry.”
“I see. Today was the family meeting, so I’ll let it slide. But from now on, when you meet me, you don’t have to wear heels. You’re pretty enough without them—just dress comfortably.”
“Okay, I will. Is the shop here? It’s really close.”
Because the road was too narrow for cars, they parked at the dress shop and walked. Their destination was a single-story building finished in neat black tiles.
“Welcome. We were contacted by CEO Baek. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage, CEO Han.”
“Thank you. The date isn’t set yet, but we’re planning to hold the ceremony before autumn.”
“I see. We’ve selected the best lines from our shop for you. This way, please.”
Kangyoon followed the manager inside, while Bora sat down on a purple velvet sofa and waited for him to come out in a tuxedo.
“Bride, are you ready? Shall I open the curtain?”
“Yes!”
Bora, who had already opened her phone’s camera app, answered with excitement.
“Wow! You look amazing…!”
She had seen him in suits countless times, but a tuxedo carried a different kind of formality. Bora let out a small gasp of admiration.
Every time Kangyoon came out wearing another tuxedo recommended by the staff, Bora clapped with her mouth slightly open—just like Kangyoon had done earlier when she came out in her dresses.
“This one’s great… and the one before that… Ah, I don’t know. I love them all. The hanger’s good, so everything looks perfect on you.”
Watching Bora bustle around, taking photos from every angle, Kangyoon felt a quiet swell of satisfaction.
“All of our tuxedos are imported luxury brands, so the sleeves and legs tend to be long for Koreans. But with you, CEO Han, people would think they’re custom-made even without alterations.”
“Right? He’s incredible. He looks like a model.”
“You look amazing. Truly.”
“They’re all great, but I think the first one and the one you’re wearing now suit you best. What do you think, Kangyoon?”
“My opinion is the same as yours. Let’s go with what you like.”
After choosing several tuxedos to match Bora’s dresses in color, both of them suddenly felt their stamina drop.
“I think my blood sugar crashed. Let’s go get something sweet—something sweet.”
“Agreed. This isn’t as easy as it looks.”
Exhausted from hours of changing, removing, and selecting clothes, they headed to the nearest café.
“Ah… I finally feel alive again.”
As the black sugar bubble tea packed with pearls slid down her throat, Bora finally felt her blood start circulating properly again.
While she sipped her cold bubble tea, she watched Kangyoon with curiosity as he added sugar to a strong espresso and took a sip.
“Ugh. Isn’t it bitter?”
“You drink Americano just fine, don’t you?”
“Still, espresso is a bit much for me…”
“It’s fine with sugar. Would you like to try?”
Kangyoon scooped a little espresso with a teaspoon and held it out toward Bora’s mouth.
She parted her lips slightly and swallowed the spoonful, and Kangyoon smiled with satisfaction.
“Mmm. It’s still bitter, but it’s definitely much better than drinking it plain.”
“It’s good when you’re tired, or when you feel like your sugar’s dropped like this.”
“I see. Still, I think bubble tea is better. Want to try mine?”
Kangyoon looked momentarily flustered when the cup was pushed right in front of him.
“It’s fine. We’re going to be sharing the same blanket for the rest of our lives—using the same straw once won’t kill you. Right?”
At Bora’s mischievous grin, Kangyoon couldn’t help but laugh as well.
“It’s sweet.”
The drink was far sweeter than he’d expected, and when the chewy pearls entered his mouth, his eyebrow twitched slightly.
“I don’t usually drink this either, but when I’m really stressed or exhausted, I start craving things like this.”
“If that stress was because of my brother, I’ll apologize again.”
“But… there’s something I’m genuinely curious about.”
Bora slipped the straw—still bearing the trace of Kangyoon’s lips—back between her own as she cautiously gauged his expression.
“Ask me comfortably. You don’t need to worry.”
“Well… I could tell that your grandfather really dotes on you. But I couldn’t read your aunt at all. I know the relationships are complicated, but still…”
“You’re wondering what my aunt thinks of me, right?”
“Yes. I mean, her own son is kind of… pathetic—no, I mean, a bit inferior compared to you. From her perspective, that might be irritating.”
At Bora’s words, Kangyoon downed the rest of his espresso in one shot, then met her gaze directly.
“I grew up without ever hearing a single harsh word from my aunt.”
“Really?”
“Of course, I don’t know what’s in her heart. How could I dare to understand the feelings of a woman raising a child her husband had with another woman?”
“That’s true. Even if it’s a chaebol family… and I heard your father passed away early, too…”
“You’re going to marry me now, and as stated in our contract, you have a role to play. So I’ll be honest with you.”
As Bora traced the condensation on her glass with her finger, she swallowed hard.
Lately, living as if she and Kangyoon were truly dating, she had almost forgotten the essence of this marriage.
In exchange for the tens of billions she would receive—to revive his family and maintain her own business—there were things Bora had to do.
She waited quietly for Kangyoon to speak.
“Finding out the secret of my birth—the very thing Han Kangmoon uses to look down on me. That’s what I want you to do.”
“What? Me?”
Caught completely off guard, Bora asked blankly.
Kangyoon leaned forward from where he’d been resting against the chair, lowering his voice.
“Once, my grandfather said something very suggestive. But after that, he never brought it up again. Something about blood ties… about how pitiful I was. It didn’t feel like something said lightly while drunk.”
“So all I have to do is gently coax your grandfather and find out the secret of your birth?”
“That’s the biggest task. After that, you need to get along well with my aunt and win her over.”
“Do you think your aunt knows the secret of your birth too?”
“I don’t know. But in my estimation, no matter how much it’s her husband’s child, living under the same roof for a lifetime with a son born to another woman can’t be easy. I believe there’s a reason she took me in and raised me alongside Han Kangmoon.”
“But with your wealth and access to information… couldn’t you find out something about your birth on your own?”
“I’ve tried from every angle. But it feels like someone deliberately erased the information. No matter how much I search, I keep hitting a wall.”
Hearing this, Bora made a sympathetic expression and gently took Kangyoon’s hand resting on the table.
“But Kangyoon.”
“Yes.”
“Why do you want to know the secret of your birth?”
“What?”
“You’ve lived well until now, and you could continue living well like this. Why go so far—entering a contract marriage even—to uncover a secret that could be dangerous, or something you shouldn’t know?”
At Bora’s question, Kangyoon remained silent for a long time.
Bora quietly gazed at his deep, beautiful eyes, heavy with melancholy, and asked again.
“Is it simply because you want to know about the biological mother no one ever talks about? Or…”
The water droplets that had clung to the outside of the bubble tea cup fell onto the table with a soft plop.
“…are you looking for something that could shake your family to its core—because you want revenge?”
Beneath Bora’s gentle palm, resting on the back of Kangyoon’s large hand, a vein suddenly throbbed into sharp relief.
