Melting Slow (Completed)

“Take care on your way.”

Once the Vice Chairman and his wife had left, the room fell into a heavy silence. 

Chairman Yoo quietly drank a glass of water, and as soon as he set the empty glass down, he turned to Yeo-min and asked her a question.

“Have there been any difficulties so far?” Chairman Yoo’s question was brief but loaded with meaning. 

Yeo-min, hiding any sign of discomfort, replied calmly. 

“Nothing in particular, Chairman.”

Complaining about her parents here could risk making her appear disrespectful. After considering her options, she decided that staying silent was the best choice for now.

*Knock, knock, knock.* A soft knock came from behind. Once Chairman Yoon gave his permission, an employee entered and began tidying up. 

“Just clear those two seats. The main dishes have gone cold, so please prepare them again.” 

Yoo Hwan instructed, his expression unbothered as he directed the staff to clear the Vice Chairman and his wife’s places.

Chairman Yoo, seemingly deep in thought, turned his gaze back to Yeo-min. 

“Is the food to your taste?”

“Yes, Chairman. It’s very delicious.”

Chairman Yoo’s expression changed. Clearing his throat, he waited until the staff had finished tidying up and left before speaking to Yeo-min.

“That’s been bothering me for a while.”

“Pardon?”

“The way you address me. You keep calling me ‘Chairman,’ and it’s getting on my nerves.”

“Oh…” Yeo-min hid her surprise, thinking quickly. 

If not ‘Chairman,’ what should she call him? She couldn’t think of an alternative. 

‘Is it possible that he’s dissatisfied with me because of the family issues that came up today? Could he be hinting that I don’t belong here?’

As she anxiously pondered, Chairman Yoo let out a hearty chuckle. 

“Try calling me ‘Grandfather,’ dear.”

“…….” 

Yeo-min’s lips moved wordlessly. ‘Dear?’ Though he’d asked her to call him ‘Grandfather.’ it felt awkward to address him that way, especially since she and Yoo Hwan weren’t yet married.

“Come on.” Chairman Yoo urged her again. 

Hesitantly, Yeo-min finally opened her mouth and spoke cautiously. 

“…Grandfather.”

“There you go. You’re family now, so you should feel comfortable calling me that. Now, go on and eat.”

“Yes.”

“Just relax and eat well. Don’t worry about what happened earlier; it’s nothing serious. Kids don’t need to concern themselves with adult matters, so just enjoy the meal.”

“…Yes.”

“Later, come visit with Yoo Hwan and formally say hello again.”

“Understood, Grandfather.” Yeo-min nodded and picked up her chopsticks again, noticing Yoo Hwan’s insistent gaze telling her to eat the meat first. 

Following his silent cue, she grabbed a piece of meat and clenched her chopsticks a little tighter.

She felt a strange excitement and warmth spreading through her.

The phrase ‘our family’ kept echoing in her mind. She couldn’t recall ever receiving such warm and informal kindness from an elder before. Being within this strong circle of family felt both comforting and entirely new.

Though much had happened, Chairman Yoo hadn’t asked many questions. 

There might have been things that seemed suspicious or doubtful, but he chose not to address them. Thus, the family meeting ended without the presence of the bride-to-be’s parents—they had been dismissed midway. 

After finishing her meal, Yeo-min headed home with Yoo Hwan.

‘I wonder if today’s events left a bad impression on the Chairman.’ 

Yoo Hwan.

Her fiancé. 

None other than Chairman Yoo’s only grandson. 

And she was the one who had boldly shown up as his bride-to-be. 

‘But today…’ Yeo-min recalled the events that had transpired. 

Instead of presenting a polished, smooth family image, she had exposed a rough, rocky relationship with her parents. 

Will it be okay?

As she worried silently, a calm voice interrupted her thoughts. 

“Don’t worry about it.”

Startled, Yeo-min turned to look at him.

“Your future husband doesn’t exactly have a family history worth boasting about either.” It was as if he could see right through her, offering her comfort. 

Yeo-min couldn’t find a proper response. The car had already entered the narrow street leading to her apartment complex.

“But you’re at least the daughter of a legal wife. I, on the other hand, was an illegitimate child who grew up without a father until I was twelve. Really, you’re the one settling here.” he added.

“…Team Leader.”

“Grandfather isn’t an easy person. He’s not the kind to make light assumptions based on the mood at a family meeting.” Yoo Hwan said, parking the car in front of her building and releasing her seatbelt.

“By now, he’s probably already asked Chief Jung to conduct a background check on your family.” he continued.

“Oh…”

“Hopefully, there’s nothing unsavory to find. No loan sharks, cults, gambling addiction… things like that would be a problem.” 

He whispered the lighthearted joke into her ear as he leaned away, carrying a pleasant scent.

“There’s nothing like that.” she replied.

“You grew up well. Have you packed everything?”  

Yeo-min was about to ask, ‘Packed for what?’ but then remembered. He had previously told her to pack her things and move into their newlywed home.  

“Almost done.” she replied. Her place was a mess because of it.  

“Then move in this weekend.”  

“So soon?”  

“Yes, so soon.”  

With that, Yoo Hwan leaned over and unlocked the passenger-side door. 

“Tonight, go back to your place.” he said, practically shooing her out before she could even respond. It was clear he wasn’t interested in hearing any further comments about the move.

Yeo-min hesitated, her lips parting, but eventually got out of the car. At times like this, he was so decisive it was almost cutting.  

“Are you sure it was really Grandfather’s idea for us to move in together first? Really?” 

She asked, leaning toward the open window after stepping out.

“Moving in together before we’re even married, without permission… it’s a bit…”

 After all, the older members of the family might not look kindly on it. 

Even if it doesn’t matter to the couple themselves, the elders may see it differently. Especially with a conservative family like this, it wouldn’t be ideal to be branded as reckless before even getting married. 

However, Yoo Hwan’s expression remained calm. 

“No need to worry. Our impatient Chairman Yoo has already said it’s okay to have a child before marriage.” 

“……” 

“Anyway, that’s just what Grandfather thinks, so don’t worry about it. We’ll be careful about contraception.” 

“…Really?” 

“Ah, while we’re at it, let me make one thing clear: I have no intention of having kids.” 

“Why…?” 

“I don’t want to raise a child that takes after me. That’s all I have to say.” 

Having said that, Yoo Hwan waved dismissively, signaling her to go. 

He meant she should leave now. 

Yeo-min turned away, her expression full of things left unsaid.

‘You don’t want to have a child that takes after you… huh.’ 

A remark laced with deep self-loathing. 

Yeo-min wanted to correct him, to tell him it wasn’t true, but that would have been overstepping her boundaries. She sighed. The worn villa hallway was cold, the chill seeping into her feet.

***

Yeo-min walked down the narrow street. Hearing a car approaching from behind, she quickly ducked between the illegally parked cars to get out of the way. 

A car with loud music blaring passed by quickly. Tonight was one of those rare Friday nights when she was heading home alone. Yoo Hwan, who had been commuting with her almost every day lately, was on a business trip out of town.

Somewhere nearby, she heard someone yelling. 

Yeo-min turned up the music playing in her earphones and glanced around. It felt strange. The street she had walked countless times alone looked different tonight.

For some reason, it felt particularly lonely. Habits can be terrifying. They had only spent a little more time together recently, but she already felt Yoo Hwan’s absence so keenly. 

Just as Yeo-min was about to enter the villa, hoisting her bag higher on her shoulder, she heard someone call her name.

“Yeomin-ah.”

A dark figure standing by the edge of the villa called out to her. Yeomin, without responding, stepped into the dimly lit building. With her earphones in, she hadn’t heard the voice calling her. She had barely climbed three or four worn-out steps when someone grabbed her shoulder.

“Yeo-min-ah.”

“Ah!” 

Startled by the sudden contact, Yeo-min missed her step. The person caught her, steadying her as she stumbled. She turned around, her heart pounding, and saw a familiar face.

“Let’s talk.”

It was Kim Seung-jae. Music still flowed from the earphones that hung in her ears. Yeo-min shook off his hand in alarm.

“What’s going on?”

“I heard you’re going to marry that bastard Yoo Hwan.”

Yeo-min slowly removed her earphones. 

As she twisted her ankle on the steps, pain surged through her, but she ignored it and clung to the railing.

“Yes. Unfortunately, we haven’t printed the invitations yet, so I can’t give you one.”

“Do you… really know what kind of person Yoo Hwan is and still want to marry him?” 

Kim Seung-jae grabbed her wrist tightly. His eyes, filled with raw emotion, trembled with the look of a defeated man.

“You know what kind of guy Yoo Hwan is too. He’s had countless flings and his relationships are a mess. He’s dumped dozens of women after losing interest once the thrill was gone. Are you seriously planning to tie yourself to someone like that for the rest of your life?”

“It’s better than marrying the younger sister of someone you used to date, like a shameless jerk.”

“What?”

Yeo-min’s eyes narrowed. 

Did he think she didn’t know what Yoo Hwan was like? She knew better than anyone. She was well aware of his reputation—she had seen with her own eyes how the women around him were always different, whether near the hotel or the company.

Not all the rumors swirling around Yoo Hwan were likely true, but some of them surely were. 

‘But that’s not the whole story.’ Yeo-min thought. 

She had seen Yoo Hwan herself. 

She felt his presence. 

Faced him.

Not the Yoo Hwan of rumors, but the real person in front of her. 

She knew now just how gentle his occasional indifferent smile could be, how a seemingly casual remark could actually be a warm comfort. No shallow rumor could possibly define Yoo Hwan as a person.

“You think that bastard is better than me…?” 

Kim Seung-jae’s grip tightened even more.

“There were four people found high on drugs in his penthouse in Manhattan. One of them, a woman, had been stabbed.”

His hand gripping Yeo-min’s wrist was trembling. 

Yeo-min struggled to free herself from his grasp.

“He silenced that woman with money! He’s not someone a naive person like you can handle! His mindset, his past, his life, they’re worlds apart from yours!”

His rough shouting pierced her ears.

Yeo-min was terrified. 

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t free her wrist, and the face of the man yelling like a madman terrified her. 

What did he mean by what he was saying? 

Was Yoo Hwan really involved in something like that? 

But Yeo-min didn’t want to hear about Yoo Hwan’s past from someone like Kim Seung-jae. 

If she was going to ask, she’d ask Yoo Hwan directly.

“I’ll handle my own life.” Yeo-min said, finally managing to push him away. 

She massaged her wrist, which was now marked red from his grip, and took a step back, away from Kim Seung-jae.

“Chae Yeo-min!”

“Stop worrying about the man who’s going to be my husband, and focus on Chae Nari instead.”

Yeo-min turned and ran. 

The sound of her hurried steps echoed off the stairs as she dashed upward, trying to escape. Behind her, Kim Seung-jae’s voice followed.

“Yeo-min! Come to your senses. You’re not thinking straight right now!”

Before he could get any closer, Yeo-min punched in the door code and quickly opened the door. She tried to slip inside, but the heavy thud of his shoes drew nearer from behind.

“Even now, it’s not too late to change your mind. I’m saying this for your own good!”

Kim Seung-jae grabbed the door before Yeo-min could react. 

“Let go.” 

“Were you always this foolish? Why are you making such a stupid choice?”

“I said, let go of the door!”

Yeo-min tried with all her strength to close the door, but Kim Seung-jae angrily pulled it wide open.

“You’re doing this because of me, aren’t you…!”

Holding onto the doorknob, Yeo-min was pulled outside, stumbling over the threshold. 

Kim Seung-jae roughly caught her as she staggered.

“You’re doing all this to get back at me. To make me and Nari look pathetic. You’re choosing something this ridiculous, even marrying a guy you don’t love, just to get revenge.”

“What?” 

“Don’t throw yourself away just to hurt me…”

Yeo-min was stunned by the raw emotion she saw in Kim Seung-jae’s eyes. 

He was clearly deluding himself. 

He was convinced that Chae Yeo-min wasn’t happy now and that her future would be equally unhappy. He believed that Yoo Hwan was nothing more than a substitute for him in her life.

He believed that by abandoning Chae Yeo-min, she had become so foolish and desperate that she was making such irrational choices. 

‘Of course, it did start like that.’ Yeo-min thought. 

The proposal had been made out of revenge. 

But looking back now, it wasn’t solely out of anger. 

It wasn’t a reckless decision driven by self-destruction either. 

It was because it was Yoo Hwan. 

He was her last attempt to cling to the only warmth she had ever known as a child, just like a migratory bird instinctively flies towards warmth. 

If it hadn’t been Yoo Hwan she was proposing to, she wouldn’t have made such a bold suggestion.

“Don’t get it twisted. I don’t have enough affection left for you to ruin my life just for revenge.”

“What?”

“It’s my choice. The best conditions and the best person I could choose—that’s Yoo Hwan. Why do you insist on seeing this marriage as the wrong choice?”