The message had been sitting on Yerin's phone for less than a minute.
Yet somehow, it felt like it had been there for hours.
She stared at the screen without blinking.
Ji-hoon:Yerin, I found something about Dad's company.
Ji-hoon:Something he never told us.
Ji-hoon:The work he's been doing overseas isn't what Dad told everyone it was.
Ji-hoon:I found documents with his name on them. There are payments, accounts, and companies I don't recognize.
Yerin read it again.
Then again.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
There was no explanation. No proper reason. Just those few words from her brother, followed by another message.
Ji-hoon:And Yerin... some of those transactions happened years ago.
Ji-hoon:Before you and I even knew what Dad's business really involved.
Ji-hoon:Don't tell Mom. Don't tell Grandma.
Ji-hoon:And whatever you do, don't tell Do-hyun.
Ji-hoon:I think Dad has been hiding something from our family for a very long time.
Ji-hoon:I'm going to find out what it is before I come back.
Ji-hoon:Please trust me.
Those two words should have comforted her.
Instead, they made her more nervous.
"Yerin?"
She immediately locked her phone.
She looked up.
Do-hyun was standing a few steps away, watching her.
His sleeves were rolled to his forearms, and his expression was calm, but his eyes were fixed on her face.
"What?"
"You've been staring at your phone for five minutes."
"I have not."
"You have."
"I was thinking."
"While staring at a black screen?"
Yerin glanced down.
She hadn't even realized she'd locked it.
She quickly slipped the phone into her pocket.
"It's nothing."
Do-hyun raised an eyebrow.
He clearly didn't believe her.
But instead of questioning her again, he simply nodded.
"Okay."
That was it.
No interrogation.
No suspicious questions.
Yerin watched him walk away and felt a strange pinch of guilt.
He knew she was hiding something.
And she knew he was the kind of person who could probably figure it out if he tried.
But he didn't.
For some reason, that made keeping the secret even harder.
Later that evening, Yerin slipped into the quiet hallway outside their room.
She checked behind her before pulling out her phone.
Her thumb hovered over Ji-hoon's name.
Then she typed.
Yerin:Are you safe?
She waited.
No reply.
She sent another.
Yerin:Where are you? Just tell me that much.
The three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally—
Ji-hoon:I'm safe.
Yerin let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Yerin:That's not an answer. Where are you?
A few seconds passed.
Ji-hoon:Somewhere I need to be.
She frowned.
Typical Ji-hoon.
Always managing to answer without actually answering.
Yerin:You can't just disappear and expect me not to worry.
His response came quickly this time.
Ji-hoon:I know.
Then another message appeared.
Ji-hoon:But you promised me.
Yerin stared at the words.
She had promised.
Before he left, she had given him her word that she wouldn't tell anyone until he was ready.
Not their parents.
Not their grandmother.
And certainly not Do-hyun.
She slowly typed.
Yerin:I know.
Ji-hoon:Then please keep it.
Yerin closed her eyes.
Do-hyun would help.
She knew that.
Whatever Ji-hoon was dealing with, Do-hyun had enough connections, resources, and determination to find him in no time.
Part of her wanted to tell him immediately.
But another part remembered Ji-hoon's voice before he left.
Just give me some time.
Yerin sighed.
Yerin:Fine. But you have to keep talking to me.
Ji-hoon:I will.
Yerin:And if anything happens, you tell me.
There was a pause.
Ji-hoon:I promise.
Yerin stared at the screen for a moment before replying.
Yerin:Good.
She put the phone away.
For now, that would have to be enough.
When Yerin returned to the living room, Do-hyun was sitting on the sofa with a book open in his hands.
He looked up.
"You disappeared."
"I needed some air."
"Inside the house?"
She stopped.
"Yes."
He looked at her.
She looked at him.
Neither spoke.
Then Do-hyun closed his book.
"You're worried about Ji-hoon."
Yerin's expression changed slightly.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you've checked your phone fourteen times since dinner."
"Fourteen?"
"I counted."
"That's creepy."
"It's observant."
She rolled her eyes and sat down at the other end of the sofa.
"I'm just worried about him."
"Because he's abroad?"
Yerin's expression immediately changed.
She turned toward him.
"Wait... what?"
Do-hyun looked at her calmly.
"How do you know he's abroad?"
For a second, Yerin didn't know what to say.
She had never told him.
Not once.
"I... I mentioned it before."
"No, you didn't."
Her heart skipped.
Do-hyun leaned back against the sofa, watching her carefully.
"You've been worried about Ji-hoon since yesterday. You've been checking your phone constantly. And now you're telling me he's abroad."
Yerin swallowed.
"Maybe I forgot that I told you."
Do-hyun's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Maybe."
There was a pause.
Then he asked quietly,
"And that's all?"
Yerin looked away.
"Yes."
Do-hyun didn't say anything.
But the look in his eyes made it obvious.
He didn't believe her.
But after a moment, he nodded.
"Okay."
Yerin glanced at him.
"You're not going to ask more?"
"I could."
"Then why aren't you?"
"Because if you wanted me to know, you'd tell me."
The answer caught her off guard.
Do-hyun opened his book again.
"And if you don't want to tell me yet, I'll wait."
Yerin stared at him.
There had been a time when she couldn't imagine trusting him with anything.
They had barely been able to stand being in the same room.
Now he was sitting beside her, giving her the one thing she hadn't expected from him.
Patience.
"Thank you," she whispered.
He looked up.
"For what?"
"Nothing."
His lips curved into a small smile.
"You're strange."
"And you're annoying."
"There she is."
Yerin smiled despite herself.
The rest of the night slowly became easier.
They ended up talking about things that had nothing to do with Ji-hoon.
Somehow, the conversation turned toward their university days.
"Do you remember the first time you embarrassed me in front of everyone?" Yerin asked.
Do-hyun frowned.
"I've embarrassed you many times. You'll have to be more specific."
"The cafeteria."
His expression immediately changed.
"Oh."
"You threw a spoon at me."
"I didn't throw it at you."
"You threw it in my direction."
"There's a difference."
"It almost hit me."
"It didn't."
"Because I have excellent reflexes."
Do-hyun laughed.
Yerin stared at him for a second.
She still wasn't completely used to that sound.
Not because he never laughed anymore.
But because she'd once believed his smile belonged to a completely different person.
Someone distant.
Someone she could never reach.
Now he was sitting beside her, arguing about an old spoon incident as though it were the most important thing in the world.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Nothing."
"You were smiling."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
She looked away.
His smile returned.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
They simply sat there.
Comfortably.
The silence no longer felt awkward.
It had once been a wall between them.
Now it felt almost like a place they could rest.
Yerin leaned back against the sofa.
"Do-hyun."
"Hm?"
"Do you ever think about how weird everything became?"
He turned toward her.
"What do you mean?"
"Us."
She gave a small laugh.
"We went from barely being able to tolerate each other to..." She paused.
"To what?"
She looked at him.
"I don't know."
Do-hyun's expression softened.
"Neither do I."
"You used to hate me."
"I didn't hate you."
"You absolutely did."
"I strongly disliked you."
"That's basically the same thing."
"No."
He looked thoughtful.
"I think I was just angry."
"At me?"
"At everything."
Yerin's smile faded slightly.
She understood.
Their marriage had never started normally.
There had been expectations, family decisions, pressure, and circumstances neither of them had chosen.
Yet somewhere between the arguments and forced smiles, something had changed.
They had started choosing each other.
Not because their families expected it.
Not because they had to.
But because they wanted to.
Yerin lowered her gaze.
"Do you regret it?"
"Regret what?"
"Marrying me."
Do-hyun didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at her.
"No."
One simple word.
Yerin's heart skipped.
"Not even a little?"
He smiled.
"Ask me after you stop stealing my food."
She laughed.
"That's not an answer."
"It is."
She shook her head.
"You're impossible."
"And you're still here."
Yerin smiled.
"Unfortunately."
"Unfortunately?"
She looked at him.
"Maybe not."
His eyes stayed on hers.
Neither of them said anything.
But neither looked away.
That night, Yerin lay awake.
The room was dark.
Do-hyun was beside her, apparently asleep.
She quietly reached for her phone.
The screen lit up.
No new messages.
She opened Ji-hoon's conversation again.
I'm safe.
She read the words.
Still, they weren't enough.
Her mind immediately filled with questions.
Where was he?
Why had he left?
What had happened?
And why had he been so determined that nobody know?
Yerin locked the phone.
Maybe she had made the wrong choice.
Maybe she should have told Do-hyun.
He could have protected Ji-hoon.
He could have helped.
But then she remembered the trust her brother had placed in her.
Until Ji-hoon gave her permission, she wouldn't say anything.
Not even to Do-hyun.
She placed her phone beneath the pillow and closed her eyes.
Across the bed, Do-hyun opened his eyes.
He hadn't been asleep.
He had noticed the faint light from her phone.
He had noticed the way she kept checking it.
He had noticed the worry she tried so hard to hide.
But he didn't ask.
Whatever Yerin was keeping from him, he knew one thing.
She would tell him when she was ready.
At least, he hoped she would.
The next morning was surprisingly peaceful.
Yerin found Do-hyun in the kitchen attempting to make breakfast.
She stopped at the doorway.
"What are you doing?"
He looked over his shoulder.
"Cooking."
She stared at the pan.
"That's dangerous."
He narrowed his eyes.
"I can cook."
"You burned toast yesterday."
"That was one time."
"And you somehow managed to burn the toast and the plate."
"I don't want to discuss it."
Yerin laughed.
She walked over and looked into the pan.
"Move."
"Why?"
"Because you're going to destroy the kitchen."
"I've got it."
"Do-hyun."
"Yerin."
She reached for the spatula.
He moved it away.
She reached again.
He lifted it higher.
"Give it to me."
"No."
"You're acting like a child."
"And you're trying to steal my breakfast."
"It's not your breakfast if you're destroying it."
They continued arguing until neither of them remembered what they had originally been arguing about.
Eventually, Do-hyun gave up.
Yerin took over.
He leaned against the counter, watching her.
"You know," he said, "you complain a lot for someone who enjoys my cooking."
"I've never enjoyed your cooking."
"You ate it."
"I was hungry."
He laughed.
Yerin smiled.
It was simple.
Normal.
And for a few minutes, the worries surrounding her family seemed far away.
She didn't know what was waiting for Ji-hoon.
She didn't know why he had left.
She didn't know what would happen next.
But she knew that for the moment, she was okay.
And maybe that was enough.
That evening, they sat together outside.
The sky had turned a deep shade of blue, and the lights around the garden had begun to glow.
Do-hyun looked at her.
"You're quieter today."
"I'm tired."
"Still thinking about Ji-hoon?"
Yerin nodded.
"Maybe."
He leaned back.
"You're allowed to worry."
"You don't have to pretend everything is fine."
She looked at him.
A small silence settled between them.
Then Do-hyun smiled.
"Yerin."
"Hm?"
"Are you hiding something from me?"
She froze.
Just for a moment.
Then she smiled.
"Maybe."
He studied her face.
"Are you going to tell me?"
She shook her head.
"Not yet."
Do-hyun's eyebrows lifted.
For a second, Yerin expected another question.
Instead, he simply smiled.
"Fine."
She blinked.
"Fine?"
"I'll wait."
Yerin looked at him, genuinely surprised.
"You're not angry?"
"No."
"You're not curious?"
"I'm extremely curious."
"Then why aren't you asking?"
He shrugged.
"Because you said not yet."
Something inside Yerin softened.
She had expected suspicion.
Pressure.
Maybe even anger.
Instead, he had given her trust.
And somehow, that meant more than she could explain.
She looked away, hiding the small smile forming on her lips.
"You're different."
Do-hyun smiled.
"So are you."
Yerin glanced back at him.
For once, she didn't feel guilty about keeping a secret.
Not because she wanted to hide things from him.
But because she knew that when the time came, she could tell him.
And he would listen.
She didn't realize it yet, but that simple promise—
I'll wait.
—was slowly becoming one of the reasons she trusted him more than anyone else.
And somewhere far away, Ji-hoon was carrying a secret of his own.
A secret that would eventually bring all of them face to face with the things they had been trying so hard to keep hidden.
...To Be Continued...