“Marriage Blue”
[Mary's Blue, Side Story] 02. My House is Empty
I don't know how long we stood there, our faces facing each other. In this moment, where a minute felt like thirty, you, Yeoju, spoke first.
김여주
…how have you been doing?.
What should I say? Should I lie and say I've been doing well, or be honest and say I haven't been doing well? As I was choosing the right words, your thin voice rang out again.
김여주
…I wasn't doing well.
박지민
……
김여주
When I got there, I thought I'd have a leisurely life. But it was busier than when I was in Korea...
I blurted out a few words, swept up in the atmosphere, and they started talking about similar things. It was awkward. I thought we'd hug each other like in the movies when we met after so long...
After a moment of silence, Yeo-ju and Jimin sat side by side at the bus stop. Their hearts pounded. In the past, they'd done worse, but now, just sitting together made their faces flush.
박지민
… have you fully entered Korea?
김여주
Oh? Yeah… I studied everything I wanted to study there. I also missed Korea, and more than anything…
"I missed you, oppa," I muttered. Perhaps it was because we hadn't seen each other in so long, but words that had once flowed naturally felt awkward now.
박지민
I'm glad to see you're doing well.
Even though he couldn't quite wrap his head around her, Jimin smiled, saying it was a relief. It was unsettling. He just smiled without saying anything. So, the female protagonist, growing impatient, grabbed the hem of Jimin's coat as he tried to get up from his chair.
김여주
Okay, wait!!... Where are you going?
박지민
… I, I should go home.
Jimin's eyes twitched, perhaps embarrassed by the coat he'd been holding. I hadn't even finished speaking yet... Yeoju felt wronged. She seemed to be the only one feeling this anxious, and I came because I missed you.
Could it be that you've met another woman in the past three years?
Just thinking about it made my heart ache and feel sad. Seeing Jimin looking down without saying anything, Yeo-ju finally stuck out her lips and began to sob.
박지민
Huh?… Hey, heroine. Why are you crying?
Jimin, his face swollen with embarrassment, hurriedly sat down next to Yeoju and gently squeezed her cheeks. Her eyes were already red, and tears were streaming down her cheeks.
김여주
Sigh… Ugh, this is too much…
박지민
uh?……
김여주
… You already have another woman? So, you don’t see me?…
Jimin's pupils shook. What was he talking about? Jimin wanted to quickly deny it, but the sight of Yeoju shedding tears left him helpless.
김여주
I've been thinking about you for three years... Seriously, even though I just kept working... I couldn't forget you. How could I forget you?
She was crying and stretching out her tongue. Oh my god, I shouldn't laugh, but she was so cute. I tried to suppress the corners of my mouth from rising into a clown, but they wouldn't go as planned, and it looked like it was going to soar into the sky, or even the universe.
Yeo-ju, whether or not she knew Jimin's feelings, continued to sob in his arms. When she heard a "whoosh" sound from above, she gave Jimin a small, cat-punch to his chest.
김여주
Why are you laughing!!... I'm serious. Sob...
박지민
No, that's not it…
How or where should I begin explaining this? I held her in my arms and gently patted her back. How could I ask her, right after we met, if she hadn't forgotten me? After all, I'd done something like that. That's why I kept my mouth shut, but when she finally spoke up, I was flustered in so many ways.
Oh, of course, there were more good things.
"I didn't know the heroine would express herself like this," Jimin said, brushing back her hair.
박지민
Stop.
박지민
So you were sad?
김여주
Ugh... Ugh. Bad guy!!
Jimin smiled even as he was hit. He couldn't have been happier. The heroine hadn't forgotten him. After a long moment of smiling and welcoming, Jimin finally explained. Why hadn't he expressed it?
After explaining, the female protagonist's face turned bright red, like a carrot, as she realized something belatedly. Perhaps embarrassed, she bit her lip and eventually covered her face with her hand.
김여주
Look, don't look!!!... I'm so embarrassed I could die.
박지민
Say it again. What did you say?
박지민
Who likes it?
김여주
That, that's...
Embarrassed, he averted his eyes and kept his mouth shut. Intending to tease the heroine further, he approached her even closer, thrusting his face in and asking, "Who do you like?"
김여주
Oh, brother…
박지민
…thank you.
Hearing the answer, my frozen heart seemed to melt, warming me. I reached out and hugged her, and the heroine, no longer shy, wrapped her arms around his waist.
김여주
… Do you really still like me?
박지민
You ask the obvious. Do you like me, or rather, do you love me?
박지민
So, I couldn't forgive myself anymore.
The arm wrapped around her waist felt strong. It was an action that showed the heroine's determination never to let go again.
박지민
Lady, I will do better from now on.
김여주
Yeah… me too.
We hugged for a long time, kissing each other on the forehead and lips. I didn't even realize how much time had passed.
Jimin, who had been belatedly expressing his affection, came to his senses and untied Yeoju's arms from around his waist, rising from his chair. It was too late. Yeoju had also returned home late, and it was time to rest.
Because we can meet again tomorrow.
박지민
Hey, do you have somewhere to go today? I'll take you there.
김여주
Brother.
박지민
huh?.
The heroine's hand once again grabbed the hem of the coat.
김여주
…I have no one home today.
박지민
uh?.
The heroine's decisive blow was delivered to Jimin's eyes as he was assessing the situation.
김여주
Let's go to my house.